# US 9,752,569 B1 · Systems and methods for detecting and resolving impending failures in a sump pump > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,752,569 B1 - Document ID: US9752569B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 14/601,764 - Filed: 2015-01-21 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2014-05-19 - Assignees: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Applicants: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Inventors: Scott C. Morris; Shawn M. Call; Jackie O. Jordan, II - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9752569B1 ## CPC - F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers} - F04D 15/0218: {the condition being a liquid level or a lack of liquid supply} - G05D 7/0623: {characterised by the set value given to the control element} - G05D 9/12: characterised by the use of electric means - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A method and system detects and resolves impending failures in a sump pump. The method and system may measure a current water level in a sump basin, which houses the sump pump. The current water level may be determined by a water level sensor placed slightly above a set water level mark in the sump basin. If the current water level is above the set water level mark, the method and system may activate a mechanical shaker that produces vibrations to physically shake the sump pump. If the current water level is below the set water level mark, the method and system may determine potential problems associated with the sump pump by analyzing a motor of the sump pump. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method for detecting and resolving impending failures in a sump pump, the method comprising: determining, by one or more processors, if a current water level in a sump basin in which the sump pump is disposed has surpassed a set water level, wherein the current water level is determined by a water level sensor placed a short distance above the set water level; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has surpassed the set water level, specifying a plurality of operating cycles and accordingly activating a mechanical shaker attached to the sump pump to shake the sump pump in order to produce vibrations in the sump pump to shake loose one or more of a jam, a stall, a malfunction, or a debris build-up in the sump pump, wherein each operating cycle of the mechanical shaker has a specified duration, activating, by one or more processors, the mechanical shaker for one or more of the operating cycles, and at the end of the specified duration in each operating cycle determining if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has not surpassed the set water level or is acceptable, determining, by one or more processors, potential problems associated with the sump pump by analyzing a motor of the sump pump as activated by the one or more processors; and in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin is not acceptable at the end of the plurality of operating cycles as executed by the shaker of the sump pump, sending an alarm message to notify a user. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining potential problems associated with the sump pump includes analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor, and when the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are detected, activating the mechanical shaker attached to the sump pump for another one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable comprises determining, by one or more processors, if the current water level in the sump basin has dropped to below the set water level at the end of the one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: analyzing, by one or more processors, the motor to determine if the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles; and in response to determining that the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles, providing, by one or more processors, an alert message to the user. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor includes performing a frequency analysis on an electrical load waveform of the motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor includes comparing an electrical load waveform of the motor to one or more reference waveforms. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor includes evaluating values associated with an electrical load waveform of the motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical shaker is attached to the sump pump directly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical shaker is attached to the sump pump by an arm that extends from the mechanical shaker. ### Claim 10 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a system for detecting and resolving impending failures in a sump pump, the instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to: determine if a current water level in a sump basin in which the sump pump is disposed has surpassed a set water level, the current water level is determined by a water level sensor placed a short distance above the set water level; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has surpassed the set water level, specify a plurality of operating cycles and accordingly activating a mechanical shaker attached to the sump pump to shake the sump pump in order to produce vibrations in the sump pump to shake loose one or more of a jam, a stall, a malfunction, or a debris build-up in the sump pump, wherein each operating cycle of the mechanical shaker has a specified duration, activate the mechanical shaker for one or more of the operating cycles, and at the end of the specified duration in each operating cycle determine if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has not surpassed the set water level or is acceptable, determine potential problems associated with the sump pump by analyzing a motor of the sump pump as activated by the one or more processors; and in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin is not acceptable at the end of the plurality of operating cycles as executed by the shaker of the sump pump, sending an alarm message to notify a user. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to determine potential problems associated with the sump pump include analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor, and when the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are detected, activating the mechanical shaker attached to the sump pump for another one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the instructions to determine if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable include instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: determine if the current water level in the sump basin has dropped to below the set water level at the end of the one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: analyze the motor to determine if the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles; and in response to determining that the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles, provide an alert message to the user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, the instructions further including instructions providing for analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor including one or more of: (i) performing a frequency analysis on an electrical load waveform of the motor; (ii) comparing the electrical load waveform of the motor to one or more reference waveforms; or (iii) evaluating values associated with the electrical load waveform of the motor. ### Claim 15 A system for detecting and resolving impending failures in a sump pump, the system comprising: a sump pump; a water level sensor coupled to the sump pump; a mechanical shaker coupled to the sump pump; and a pump analyzer, including a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the pump analyzer to: determine if a current water level in a sump basin in which the sump pump is disposed has surpassed a set water level as determined by the water level sensor, the water level sensor placed a short distance above the set water level; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has surpassed the set water level, specify a plurality of operating cycles and accordingly activating the mechanical shaker to shake the sump pump in order to produce vibrations in the sump pump to shake loose one or more of a jam, a stall, a malfunction, or a debris build-up in the sump pump, wherein each operating cycle of the mechanical shaker has a specified duration, activate the mechanical shaker for one or more of the operating cycles, and at the end of the specified duration in each operating cycle determine if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable; in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin has not surpassed the set water level, determine potential problems associated with sump pump by analyzing a motor of the sump pump as activated by the one or more processors; and in response to determining that the current water level in the sump basin is not acceptable at the end of the plurality of operating cycles as executed by the shaker of the sump pump, sending an alarm message to notify a user. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions of the pump analyzer, when executed by the one or more processors to determine potential problems associated with the sump pump include instructions for analyzing the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor, and when the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are detected, activating the mechanical shaker attached to the sump pump for another one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the instructions to determine if the current water level in the sump basin is acceptable include instructions of the pump analyzer, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the pump analyzer to: determine if the current water level in the sump basin has dropped to below the set water level at the end of the one or more operating cycles. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions of the pump analyzer, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the pump analyzer to: analyze the motor to determine if the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles; and in response to determining that the signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor are still present at the end of the another one or more operating cycles, provide an alert message to the user. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions of the pump analyzer, when executed by the one or more processors to analyze the motor to detect signatures that indicate potential problems with the motor further include instructions to perform one or more of: (i) a frequency analysis on an electrical load waveform of the motor; (ii) a comparison between the electrical load waveform of the motor and one or more reference waveforms; or (iii) an evaluation of values associated with the electrical load waveform of the motor. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical shaker is attached to the sump pump. ### Claim 21 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the mechanical shaker is integrated with the sump pump.