# US 2014/0150554 A1 · Medium communication system using log detector amplifier

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- Number: US 2014/0150554 A1
- Document ID: US20140150554A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/095,969
- Filed: 2013-12-03
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03
- Assignees: Dockon AG
- Applicants: DockOn A.G.
- Inventors: Patrick Rada; Forrest Brown
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150554A1

## CPC

- H04B 1/10: Means associated with receiver for limiting or suppressing noise or interference
- G01F 1/66: by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
- G01F 1/663: by measuring Doppler frequency shift
- G01F 1/667: Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
- G01F 15/063: using electrical means
- G01M 3/00: Investigating fluid-tightness of structures
- G01M 3/243: {for pipes}
- H03D 3/002: {Modifications of demodulators to reduce interference by undesired signals (H03D3/248 takes precedence)}
- H04Q 9/00: Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
- H04Q 2209/40: using a wireless architecture
- H04Q 2209/43: using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth® or Zigbee®
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H03D: DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER (masers, lasers H01S; circuits capable of acting both as modulator and demodulator H03C; details applicable to both modulators and frequency-changers H03C; demodulating pulses H03K9/00; transforming types of pulse modulation H03K11/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M; repeater stations H04B7/14; demodulators adapted for AC systems of digital information transmission H04L27/00; synchronous demodulators adapted for colour television H04N9/66)
- H04Q: SELECTING (switches, relays, selectors H01H; wireless communication networks H04W)

## Abstract

An in-medium monitoring system for monitoring material carried within a pipe. The system includes an acoustic device installed within the pipe that generates voltage signals indicative of changes in the material, such as flow rate or leaks, a hardware unit that includes a detector module and a communication module, a switch for switching the voltage signals to and communication signals from the hardware unit. The hardware unit and a power source are attached to the pipe. The acoustic device may be detector or a sensor. The communication module may communicate date through the sensor in the medium or outside of the pipe to a fixed network. The hardware unit may include a log detection amplifier for generating an amplified pulsed output signal without voltage gain and without significantly adding noise.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An in-medium monitoring system for monitoring material carried within a pipe, comprising:
an acoustic device installed within the pipe and configured to at least generate a voltage signal indicative of changes in the material;
a hardware unit including a detector module and a communication module;
a switch connected to the acoustic detector for switching the voltage signal to the hardware unit; and
a power source for the acoustic device, the hardware unit and the switch, wherein the hardware unit and power source are attached to the pipe.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the detector module is a leak detector, and wherein the acoustic device includes an acoustic detector configured to monitor sound or pressure within the material indicative of a leak of the material from the pipe.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic device further includes an acoustic sensor configured to transmit processed data received from the communication module within the material within the pipe.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the communication module is a fixed network communication module configured to transmit processed data received from the communication module outside of the pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the fixed network communication module is configured as part of a mesh network.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the fixed network communication module is configured to communicate with a wireless network.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the fixed network communication module is configured to communicate with a wired network.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the detector module is a flow meter, wherein the acoustic device includes two acoustic sensors configured to transmit and to receive signals within the material, and wherein the flow meter is configured to determine the flow rate of the material based on a differential time of flight between the transmitted and received signals at the two acoustic sensors.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the detector module includes a voltage to frequency converter configured to receive the voltage signal and output a modulated frequency signal that is modulated with data indicative of changes in the material extracted from the voltage signal.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the voltage to frequency converter is configured not to amplify the voltage of the voltage signal.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the voltage to frequency converter is configured to operate at an intermediate frequency and to output a modulated signal with data indicative of changes in the material extracted from the voltage signal.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the hardware unit further includes a log detection amplifier configured to receive the modulated frequency signal and to concurrently demodulate the modulated frequency signal in AM and FM modes.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 12, wherein the hardware unit further includes a pulse normalizer configured to shape the amplified pulsed output signal to form a digital-like output signal.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 13, wherein the hardware unit further includes a micro-controller configured to form part of the detector module and part of the communication module and configured to receive the digital-like output signal, to determine a change in the material, and to output a digital signal indicative of the change.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the acoustic device includes an acoustic sensor configured to transmit data, wherein the hardware unit further includes a transmitter circuit configured to receive the digital signal indicative of the change from the micro-controller, to convert the signal to a modulated output signal, and to transmit the modulated output signal via the acoustic sensor.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 14, wherein the communication module is a fixed network communication module configured to transmit processed data received from the communication module outside of the pipe, wherein the communication module further includes a transmitter circuit configured to receive the digital signal indicative of the change from the micro-controller, to convert the signal to a transmit output signal, and to transmit the transmit output signal via the fixed network communication module.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 16, wherein the hardware unit further includes a second log detection amplifier configured to receive the analog output signal from the transmitter circuit and generate a copy of the analog output signal over a wide dynamic range and with direct logarithmic conversion of RMS voltage to frequency for output to the pulse normalizer, wherein the pulse normalizer is configured to shape the copy of the analog output signal to form a digital-like copy of the analog output signal, and wherein the micro-controller is further configured to receive the digital-like copy of the analog output signal and generate an amplitude control circuit signal indicative of a value of the RMS amplitude of the transmitter amplified output signal.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the hardware unit further includes a variable module configured to provide an adjustable output level for the communication module.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 17, wherein the hardware unit further includes a second voltage to frequency converter configured to receive the analog output signal from the transmitter circuit and generate an amplified modulated frequency signal for input the second log detection amplifier.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the acoustic device, the hardware unit, the switch and the power source are each part of one or more end point units installed on one or more end point water pipes to one or more end point locations; wherein the acoustic device, the hardware unit, the switch and the power source are also each part of one or more utility units installed on municipal water pipes connected to the one or more end point water pipes and configured to receive material monitoring data from the one or more end point units, and wherein the acoustic device, the hardware unit, the switch and the power source are also part of central unit configured to receive the material monitoring data from the one or more utility units to monitor the end point water pipes and the municipal water pipes.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the central unit monitors for leaks in the end point water pipes and in the municipal water pipes.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the central unit monitors flow rates in the end point water pipes and in the municipal water pipes.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The in-medium monitoring system of claim 20, wherein the central unit is installed on water hydrant and monitors for leaks in the water hydrant.