Flushable Pill Sensor
AssigneeState Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
InventorsNathan L. Tofte, Brian N. Harvey, Vicki King, Joseph P. Harr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for detecting blockages or leaks in a piping system. A water-resistant pill sensor is tracked while it travels through the piping system. The pill sensor's travel speed, travel time, movement, images, audio, and/or other data determines if a leak or blockage exists, and if so, an electronic notification detailing the blockage or leak, its location, and corrective action is sent.
Claims20
A computer-implemented method of detecting blockages or leaking pipes via a water-resistant pill sensor that travels through a piping system and identifying a corrective action associated with a blockage or leak, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- tracking, via one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors, a water-resistant pill sensor traveling through one or more piping systems;
- estimating, via the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors, a travel speed or travel time of the pill sensor through the one or more piping systems;
- determining or detecting, via the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors, that a blockage or leak in the one or more piping systems exists based upon the pill sensor (i) travel speed, (ii) travel time, (iii) movement through the one or more piping systems, (iv) images, (v) audio or acoustic data sets, or (vi) other data sets;
- and
- when a blockage or leak exists:
- generating and transmitting, via the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors, an electronic notification detailing one or more corrective actions to mitigate an impact of the blockage or leak to a mobile device of a user or home owner.
A computer system for detecting blockages or leaks in pipes or piping systems via a water-resistant pill sensor that travels through a piping system and identifying a corrective action associated with a blockage or leak, the computer system comprising:
- one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors;
- and
- one or more water-resistant pill sensors;
- the one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, and/or sensors configured to track a pill sensor traveling through one or more piping systems;
- estimate a travel speed or travel time of the pill sensor through the one or more piping systems;
- determine or detect that a blockage or leak in the one or more piping systems exists based upon the pill sensor (i) travel speed, (ii) travel time, (iii) movement through the one or more piping systems, (iv) images, (v) audio or acoustic data, or (vi) other data sets;
- and
- when a blockage or leak exists:
- generate and transmit an electronic notification detailing one or more corrective actions to mitigate an impact of the blockage or leak to a mobile device of a user or home owner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.