# US 2018/0203472 A1 · Automation of water flow in networks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0203472 A1 - Document ID: US20180203472A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/920,037 - Filed: 2018-03-13 - Published: 2018-07-19 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-08 - Assignees: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. - Applicants: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. - Inventors: David J. Dolezilek; Amandeep Singh Kalra - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180203472A1 ## CPC - G05D 7/0641: {using a plurality of throttling means (G05D7/067 takes precedence)} - E02B 3/00: Engineering works in connection with control or use of streams, rivers, coasts, or other marine sites (barrages or weirs E02B7/00); Sealings or joints for engineering works in general - E02B 5/06: Operating equipment in connection with canals (ship-lifting devices E02C) - E02B 7/20: Movable barrages; Lock {or dry-dock} gates - E02B 8/045: {automatically movable} - E02B 13/02: Closures for irrigation conduits - G05D 7/067: {characterised by free surface flow (open channel water distribution systems E02B13/00)} - H04L 12/42: Loop networks - Y10T 137/877: With flow control means for branched passages - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES - E02B: HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING (ship-lifting E02C; dredging E02F) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Disclosed is a control system for a water network. The control system includes a plurality of remotely-located monitoring and or monitoring and automatic control stations each including an automation controller for local control and automation, and each in communication via a dual-ring communication topology for system or wide-area control. The dual-ring facilitates redundant peer-to-peer data exchange to provide upstream and downstream water flow and water quality information. Systems described herein may calculate flow differential based on water flow data from each of the monitoring stations, and control flow based on the calculated flow differential. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-20. (canceled) ### Claim 21 A water flow control system comprising: a plurality of adjustable gates, wherein each adjustable gate is adjustable to control the flow of water within one of a plurality of water channels; a plurality of flow sensors, wherein each flow sensor measures flow data of one of the plurality of water channels; a plurality of flow monitoring stations, wherein each flow monitoring station is associated with one of the plurality of water channels to receive flow data from an associated flow sensor and transmit control signals to an associated adjustable gate, wherein one of the flow monitoring stations serves as a flow control station to receive flow data from and transmit commands to others of the plurality of flow monitoring stations; and a dual-ring redundant communications network supporting two different protocols, comprising: a first communications network that connects each of the plurality of flow monitoring stations in a ring topology that facilitates a bi-directional peer-to-peer communications protocol, and a second communications network that enables the flow control station to transmit commands to others of the plurality of flow monitoring stations via a centralized server-client protocol. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of flow monitoring stations comprises: a first radio with a first peer-to-peer communication channel and a first server-client communication channel for communication via both the first and second communications networks in a first direction on the dual-ring redundant communications network; and a second radio with a second peer-to-peer communication channel and a second server-client communication channel for communication via both the first and second communications networks in a second direction on the dual-ring redundant communications network. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The system of claim 21, wherein the centralized server-client protocol comprises a DNP3 protocol to support SCADA communications. ### Claim 24 A water flow control system, comprising: a flow control station including: a control automation controller, and a control communications device with a plurality of communication ports to facilitate communication via at least a peer-to-peer communication protocol and a server-client communication protocol; a first flow monitoring station including: a first station communications device with a plurality of communication ports to facilitate communication via at least the peer-to-peer communication protocol and the server-client communication protocol, a first flow sensor to measure water flow within a first water channel and transmit flow data to the flow control station via the first station communications device, and a first adjustable water flow control device to control water flow within the first water channel based on control signals received from the flow control station; a second flow monitoring station including: a second station communications device with a plurality of communication ports to facilitate communication via at least the peer-to-peer communication protocol and the server-client communication protocol, a second flow sensor to measure water flow within a second water channel and transmit flow data to the flow control station via the second station communications device, and a second adjustable water flow control device to control water flow within the second water channel based on control signals received from the flow control station; and a dual-ring communications network providing redundant communication channels for peer-to-peer and centralized server-client communications comprising: peer-to-peer communications channels operating in a ring topology to facilitate bi-directional peer-to-peer communication between each of the control communications device, the first station communications device, and the second station communications device, and server-client communications channels facilitating server-client communication from the control communication device to each of the first station communications device and the second station communications device. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the control automation controller is configured to: receive the flow data from the first flow sensor, receive the flow data from the second flow sensor, and transmit a control signal to the first or second flow monitoring stations based on the received flow data from the first and second flow sensors. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The system of claim 25, wherein the control automation controller is configured to calculate a flow differential based on the received flow data from the first and second flow sensors. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The system of claim 26, wherein the control automation controller is further configured to detect an anomaly based on the calculated flow differential. ### Claim 28 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the flow control station further comprises: a third flow sensor in communication with a third channel; and a third adjustable water flow control device associated with the third channel, wherein the control automation controller is in communication with the third flow sensor and the third adjustable water flow control device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The system of claim 28, wherein the control automation controller is configured to calculate flow differentials based on flow data from the third flow sensor and the received flow data from the first and second flow sensor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the control communications device comprises: a first radio with a first peer-to-peer communication channel and a first server-client communication channel for communication in a first direction on the dual-ring communications network; and a second radio with a second peer-to-peer communication channel and a second server-client communication channel for communication in a second direction on the dual-ring communications network. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein each of the first station communications device and the second station communications device comprises: a first radio with a first peer-to-peer communication channel and a first server-client communication channel for communication in a first direction on the dual-ring communications network; and a second radio with a second peer-to-peer communication channel and a second server-client communication channel for communication in a second direction on the dual-ring communications network. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The system of claim 31, wherein the each of the first and second radios of each of the first and second station communications devices comprises: a third communication channel to act as a repeater in the respective directions on the dual-ring communications network. ### Claim 33 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the control communications device, the first station communications device, and the second station communications device each comprise a pair of radio communications devices. ### Claim 34 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, further comprising a fertilizer delivery point to add fertilizer to a water channel in response to a control signal from one of: the flow control controller, the first flow monitoring station, and the second flow monitoring station. ### Claim 35 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, further comprising a micro-hydro-generation turbine to supply electrical power to one of the flow control controller, the first flow monitoring station, and the second flow monitoring station. ### Claim 36 (depends on 24) The system of claim 24, wherein the server-client communication protocol supports centralized SCADA communications. ### Claim 37 A wide-area water flow control system, comprising: a flow control station including: a control automation controller, a first plurality of communication devices to facilitate communication via a peer-to-peer communication protocol, and a second plurality of communication devices to facilitate communication via a server-client communication protocol; a plurality of flow monitoring stations that each include: a station communications device with a plurality of communication ports to facilitate communication via at least the peer-to-peer communication protocol and the server-client communication protocol, a flow sensor to measure water flow within a water channel and transmit flow data to the flow control station via the station communications device, and an adjustable water flow control device to control water flow within the water channel based on control signals received from the flow control station; a peer-to-peer communications network connecting the flow control station and the plurality of control monitoring stations in a ring topology; and a server-client communications network facilitating server-client communication from the control communication device to each of the plurality of flow monitoring stations. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein each flow monitoring station measures water flow within a distinct water channel. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the control automation controller is configured to: receive the flow data from the flow sensors of each of the plurality of flow monitoring stations; and transmit control signals to one or more of the flow monitoring stations based on the received flow data. ### Claim 40 (depends on 37) The system of claim 37, wherein the control automation controller is configured to calculate flow differentials based on the received flow data.