# US 2017/0254685 A1 · Non-intrusive flow sensing

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- Number: US 2017/0254685 A1
- Document ID: US20170254685A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/446,310
- Filed: 2017-03-01
- Published: 2017-09-07
- Earliest claimed: 2016-03-02
- Assignees: Intelligent Water Management, Inc.
- Applicants: Intelligent Water Management, Inc.
- Inventors: Kevin L. WILT; Paul B. WALTON; Robert DIDONATO, JR.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170254685A1

## CPC

- G01F 1/666: {by detecting noise and sounds generated by the flowing fluid}
- E03B 7/071: {Arrangement of safety devices in domestic pipe systems, e.g. devices for automatic shut-off}
- G01F 1/662: {Constructional details}
- G01M 3/02: by using fluid or vacuum
- G01M 3/2807: {for pipes (G01M3/2892, G01M3/30 take precedence)}
- Y02A 20/15: Leakage reduction or detection in water storage or distribution
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- E03B: INSTALLATIONS OR METHODS FOR OBTAINING, COLLECTING, OR DISTRIBUTING WATER (drilling wells, obtaining fluids in general from wells E21B; pipe-line systems in general F17D)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

A passive device for detecting fluid flow in a pipe includes a housing, a mechanical couple for attaching the housing to at least one of the pipe and a structure disposed in close proximity to the pipe, and a chamber disposed within the housing such that the chamber is physically isolated from the pipe. The chamber is sized and shaped to receive a sound wave at a first end thereof and to amplify the sound wave between the first end and a second end of the chamber, the sound wave including a frequency range corresponding to that of a predetermined fluid flowing through an interior of the pipe. A sensor disposed at the second end of the chamber receives the sound wave amplified by the chamber, and communications circuitry is configured to send a signal corresponding to the sound wave received by the sensor to an external computing device.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A passive device for detecting fluid flow in a pipe, comprising:
a housing;
a mechanical couple structurally configured for attaching the housing to at least one of a pipe and a structure disposed in close proximity to the pipe;
a chamber disposed within the housing such that the chamber is physically isolated from the pipe, the chamber sized and shaped to receive a sound wave at a first end thereof and to amplify the sound wave between the first end and a second end of the chamber, the sound wave comprising a frequency range corresponding to that of a predetermined fluid flowing through an interior of the pipe;
a sensor disposed at the second end of the chamber to receive the sound wave amplified by the chamber; and
communications circuitry configured to send a signal corresponding to the sound wave received by the sensor to an external computing device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to perform one or more of filtering and further amplification of the sound wave received by the sensor prior to the communications circuitry sending the signal to the external computing device.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The passive device of claim 2, where the processor performs filtering, and where the filtering comprises removing one or more unwanted frequencies from the sound wave received by the sensor.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The passive device of claim 2, where the processor performs further amplification of the sound, and where the further amplification comprises amplifying a target frequency included in the sound wave received by the sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The passive device of claim 2, where the processor is further configured to determine if the sound wave received by the sensor is above a threshold value for confirmed fluid flow.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The passive device of claim 5, where the signal comprises an indication of fluid flow in the pipe when the sound wave received by the sensor is above the threshold value.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the sensor comprises a microphone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, further comprising a noise canceling device.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The passive device of claim 8, where the noise canceling device comprises a microphone that sends an audio signal to a processor, the audio signal corresponding to external noise detected by the microphone, the processor configured to filter the external noise from the sound wave received by the sensor prior to the communications circuitry sending the signal corresponding to the sound wave.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the chamber comprises a substantially tubular shape.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The passive device of claim 10, where the substantially tubular shape is substantially straight between the first end and the second end of the chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The passive device of claim 10, where the substantially tubular shape comprises a curve between the first end and the second end of the chamber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the chamber is mechanically configured to be tunable for a number of frequency ranges by adjusting one or more of a size and a shape of the chamber.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the predetermined fluid is one or more of water and natural gas.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The passive device of claim 14, where the predetermined fluid is water, and where the frequency range of the sound wave is about 1500 Hertz to about 2000 Hertz.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the chamber is open on the first end and closed on the second end.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the signal corresponding to the sound wave is wirelessly transmitted through a network, where the external computing device is coupled to the network, and where the external computing device comprises one or more of a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, a small form factor computer, a wearable computer, and a home automation device.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The passive device of claim 17, where the external computing device comprises a smartphone, the smartphone comprising a user interface and a communications interface.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The passive device of claim 18, where the smartphone comprises a processor configured to determine whether fluid flow is present in the pipe from the signal.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The passive device of claim 18, where the communications interface of the smartphone is configured to receive a notification regarding fluid flow in the pipe.

### Claim 21 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the signal corresponding to the sound wave comprises one or more of an indication of fluid flow in the pipe and amplitude information.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the mechanical couple comprises a clamp for attaching the housing to an exterior of the pipe.

### Claim 23 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the mechanical couple comprises an adhesive for attaching the housing to a wall, where the pipe is disposed behind the wall.

### Claim 24 (depends on 1)

The passive device of claim 1, where the housing comprises a base portion engaged with the mechanical couple, where the chamber is disposed within the housing with the first end directed toward the base portion.

### Claim 25

A method for detecting fluid flow in a pipe, comprising:
receiving a sound wave caused by fluid flow in a pipe at a first end of a chamber that is physically isolated from the pipe, the chamber sized and shaped to amplify the sound wave between the first end and a second end of the chamber, the sound wave comprising a frequency range corresponding to that of a predetermined fluid flowing through an interior of the pipe;
receiving the sound wave amplified by the chamber at a sensor disposed at the second end of the chamber;
receiving a first signal corresponding to the sound wave received by the sensor at a processor;
processing, with the processor, the first signal by performing one or more of filtering and further amplification of the sound wave received by the sensor;
determining, with the processor, whether the sound wave received by the sensor is above a dynamic threshold value for confirmed fluid flow by analyzing the processed first signal; and
transmitting, using communications circuitry coupled to the processor, a second signal comprising an indication of fluid flow in the pipe to an external computing device when the sound wave received by the sensor is above the threshold value.