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US 2021/0381207 A1Published application
Water meter system and method
AssigneeH2Optimize, LLC
InventorsDonald J. Brotherton, David C. Morrow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A water meter system and method may provide inline flow monitoring and leak detection that may track real-time water usage. The water meter system and method may utilize one or more dual pressure sensors and/or ultrasonic sensors to detect leaks quickly and automatically turn off a valve. A spool may be utilized that may provide the dual pressure sensors on opposite sides of a ball valve to separate upstream and downstream pressure zones when the valve is closed.
Claims20
A water meter, comprising:
- two ultrasonic sensors placed in sensor ports in a top portion of a water meter body and physically touching water on an inside of the water meter body, the two ultrasonic sensors provided to monitor water flow and detect and trace leaks in real-time;
- a first input including a water temperature sensor that monitors water temperature;
- a second input including ambient sensors that monitor air temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure around the water meter;
- a third input that communicates with online weather forecast information, wherein the first input, the second input, and the third input correlate to provide warnings about freezing pipes associated with the water meter;
- a ball valve configured to remotely close;
- and
- dual pressure sensors arranged on each side of the ball valve, wherein the dual pressure sensors are arranged to separate upstream pressure zones from downstream pressure zones and monitor pressure on each side of the ball valve when the ball valve is closed, and wherein one of the dual pressure sensors continuously monitors pressure when the ball valve is open.
4 more elements
A method of operating a metering system, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring water temperature using a first input including a water temperature sensor;
- monitoring air temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure around the metering system using a second input including ambient sensors;
- using a third input, communicating with online weather forecast information, wherein the first input, the second input, and the third input correlate to provide warnings about freezing pipes associated with the water meter;
- monitoring water flow and detecting and tracing leaks in real-time, by a processor, utilizing two ultrasonic sensors integrated into a water meter body;
- providing high-resolution water flow visualization, totalization of volume, and metering data on a dashboard associated with the metering system, the water flow visualization including a graphical display of flow;
- and
- monitoring pressure within the metering system using dual pressure sensors arranged on each side of a ball valve, wherein one of the dual pressure sensors continuously monitors pressure when the ball valve is open and the dual pressure sensors monitor pressure on each side of the ball valve when the ball valve is closed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.