U.S. patent application number 15/097168 was filed with the patent office on 2017-10-12 for water leak detection.
The applicant listed for this patent is Vivint, Inc.. Invention is credited to Brandon Bunker, Rongbin Lanny Lin, Thomas Colby Winegar.
Application Number | 20170292893 15/097168 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59998733 |
Filed Date | 2017-10-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170292893 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bunker; Brandon ; et
al. |
October 12, 2017 |
WATER LEAK DETECTION
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting water leaks using a security
and/or automation system includes receiving total water usage data
for a home, receiving water usage data for known sources in the
home, receiving occupancy data for at least one occupant in the
home, and determining a water leak based at least in part on the
total water usage data, water usage data for known sources, and
occupancy data.
Inventors: |
Bunker; Brandon; (Highland,
UT) ; Winegar; Thomas Colby; (Draper, UT) ;
Lin; Rongbin Lanny; (Orem, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vivint, Inc. |
Provo |
UT |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59998733 |
Appl. No.: |
15/097168 |
Filed: |
April 12, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01M 3/26 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G01M 3/26 20060101
G01M003/26 |
Claims
1. A method for detecting water leaks using a security and/or
automation system, comprising: receiving total water usage data for
a home; receiving water usage data for known sources in the home;
receiving occupancy data for at least one occupant in the home; and
determining a water leak based at least in part on the total water
usage data, water usage data for known sources, and occupancy
data.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving total water usage data
includes at least one of: receiving water usage data from a water
utility company; receiving water usage data from a flow meter
located in a water main for the home; and receiving water pressure
data from a pressure sampling device placed in a free spigot or
water outlet of the home.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving water usage data for
known sources includes receiving sensor data associated with use of
at least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a
humidifier, an ice machine, and a sprinkler system.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving water usage data for
known sources includes determining an amount of water used by at
least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a humidifier,
an ice machine, and a sprinkler system.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving occupancy data includes
receiving at least one of detected operation of a setting of the
security and/or automation system, detected operation of a door of
the home, detected operation of an appliance in the home, detected
operation of a lock of the home, detected use of a furniture item
of the home, or detected motion in the home.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the water leak
include disaggregating water usage based at least in part on the
known sources of water usage and occupancy.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein disaggregating includes
determining usage of water sources that should not occur when no
occupants are present in the home.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving occupancy data includes
receiving occupancy data when the at least one occupant is in
bed.
9. An apparatus for security and/or automation systems, comprising:
a processor; memory in electronic communication with the processor;
and instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being
executable by the processor to: determine total water usage for a
home from a first water usage input; determine water usage for
known sources in the home from at least one second water usage
input; determine occupancy of at least one occupant in the home
using occupancy data; and determine a water leak based at least in
part on the total water usage, water usage data for known sources,
and occupancy.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining total water usage
data includes at least one of: receiving water usage data from a
water utility company; receiving water usage data from a flow meter
located in a water main for the home; and receiving water pressure
data from a pressure sampling device placed in a free spigot or
water outlet of the home.
11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining water usage data
for known sources includes receiving sensor data associated with
use of at least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a
humidifier, an ice machine, and a sprinkler system.
12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining water usage data
for known sources includes determining an amount of water used by
at least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a
humidifier, an ice machine, and a sprinkler system.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining occupancy
includes receiving at least one of detected operation of a setting
of the security and/or automation system, detected operation of a
door of the home, detected operation of an appliance in the home,
detected operation of a lock of the home, detected use of a
furniture item of the home, and detected motion in the home.
14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein determining a water leak
include disaggregating water usage based at least in part on the
known sources of water usage and occupancy.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein disaggregating includes
determining usage of water sources that should not occur when no
occupants are present in the home.
16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein receiving occupancy data
includes receiving occupancy data when the at least one occupant is
in bed.
17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing
computer-executable code for security and/or automation systems,
the code executable by a processor to: determine total water usage
for a home; determine occupancy for the home; and determine a water
leak based at least in part on the total water usage and
occupancy.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim
17, the code executable by the processor to: determine water usage
data for known water usage sources in the home; wherein determining
the water leak is based at least in part on the determined water
usage data for known water usage sources.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim
18, wherein determining water usage data for known sources in the
home includes at least one of: receiving sensor data associated
with use of at least one known water usage source in the home; and
determining an amount of water used by the at least one known water
usage source in the home.
20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium according to claim
17, wherein determining total water usage includes at least one of:
receiving water usage data from a water utility company; receiving
water usage data from a flow meter located in a water main for the
home; and receiving water pressure data from a pressure sampling
device placed in a free spigot or water outlet of the home.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] The present disclosure, for example, relates to security
and/or automation systems, and more particularly to water leak
detection using aspects of security and/or automation systems.
[0002] Security and automation systems are widely deployed to
provide various types of communication and functional features such
as monitoring, communication, notification, and/or others. These
systems may be capable of supporting communication with a user
through a communication connection or a system management
action.
[0003] Early detection of water leaks and associated water damage
can save money for homeowners and insurance agencies. In current
systems, leak detection is performed using liquid detection sensors
at every location where a homeowner would like to detect leaks.
Liquid detection sensors are typically positioned outside of
plumbing pipes at locations where leaked liquids may collect. It is
usually difficult to position sensors at every possible location
where leaks could occur since at least some types of leaks may
occur underground or within walls or other spaces in a home that
cannot be accessed without significant damage and/or cost.
SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods
for water leak detection. Various systems and methods may be used
to detect whole water usage. This whole home water usage
information may be combined with information about occupancy in the
home and operation of certain appliances as part of determining a
potential water leak. Whole home water usage may be determined by,
for example, receiving meter information from a water utility
company, operating a flow device that is placed in the water main,
or operating a pressure sampling device that is placed into a free
spigot or water outlet of the home. Occupancy may be determined in
a number of ways including, for example, operation of a home
security system (e.g., entering an "arm" or "disarm" setting),
detecting opening or closing of exterior doors, detecting operation
of certain appliances such as a television or kitchen appliance,
etc. Once occupancy is confirmed, other criteria may be used to
determine if the occupants are in a sleep state or would otherwise
not be using water. A sleep state may be determined by, for
example, the home securing system being set to a "stay" or "armed"
mode, user input to a home automation and/or security system
confirming a sleep mode, a sensor in the occupants bed indicating
physical location, a predetermined time when the user is typically
determined to not use water (e.g., 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.), motion
detection, cameras, etc.
[0005] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to
disaggregation of known water usage at various times. For example,
a toilet, shower, or sink typically would not run when the home is
vacant, but other appliances such as a dishwasher, washing machine,
ice machine, humidifier, or sprinkler system may operate when the
home is vacant (e.g., based on timers or delays). By removing the
known water usage from the total water usage of the home, it may be
possible to identify a potential leak. Once a leak is detected, a
notice may be sent to the homeowner. In some examples, the notice
and/or other operations related to the leak detection system may be
generated using a home security and/or automation system, which may
include at least a control panel located in the home.
[0006] In one embodiment, a method for detecting water leaks using
a security and/or automation system includes receiving total water
usage data for a home, receiving water usage data for known sources
in the home, receiving occupancy data for at least one occupant in
the home, and determining a water leak based at least in part on
the total water usage data, water usage data for known sources, and
occupancy data.
[0007] In one example, receiving total water usage data may include
at least one of receiving water usage data from a water utility
company, receiving water usage data from a flow meter located in a
water main of the home, and receiving water pressure data from a
pressure sampling device placed in a free spigot or water outlet of
the home. Receiving water usage data for known sources may include
receiving sensor data associated with use of at least one of a
dishwashing machine, a clothes washing machine, a humidifier, an
ice machine, and a sprinkler system. Receiving water usage data for
known sources may include determining an amount of water used by at
least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a humidifier,
an ice machine, and a sprinkler system. Receiving occupancy data
may include receiving at least one of detected operation of a
setting of the security and/or automation system, detected
operation of a door of the home, detected operation of an appliance
in the home, detected operation of a lock of the home, detected use
of a furniture item of the home, or detected motion in the home.
Determining the water leak may include disaggregating water usage
based at least in part on the known sources of water usage and
occupancy. Disaggregating may include determining usage of water
sources that should not occur when no occupants are present in the
home. Receiving occupancy data may include receiving occupancy data
when the at least one occupant is in bed.
[0008] Another embodiment is directed to an apparatus for security
and/or automation systems. The apparatus includes a processor,
memory in electronic communication with the processor, and
instructions stored in the memory. The instructions are executable
by the processor to determine total water usage for a home from a
first water usage input, determine water usage for known sources in
the home from at least one second water usage input, determine
occupancy of at least one occupant in the home using occupancy
data, and determine a water leak based at least in part on the
total water usage, water usage data for known sources, and
occupancy.
[0009] In one example, determining total water usage data may
include at least one of receiving water usage data from a water
utility company, receiving water usage data from a flow meter
located in a water main for the home, and receiving water pressure
data from a pressure sampling device placed in a free spigot or
water outlet of the home. Determining water usage data for known
sources may include receiving sensor data associated with use of at
least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a humidifier,
an ice machine, and a sprinkler system. Determining water usage
data for known sources may include determining an amount of water
used by at least one of a dishwasher, a clothes washing machine, a
humidifier, an ice machine, and a sprinkler system. Determining
occupancy may include receiving at least one of detected operation
of a setting of the security and/or automation system, detected
operation of a door of the home, detected operation of an appliance
in the home, detected operation of a lock of the home, detected use
of a furniture item of the home, and detected motion in the home.
Determining a water leak may include disaggregating water usage
based at least in part on the known sources of water usage and
occupancy. Disaggregating may include determining usage of water
sources that should not occur when no occupants are present in the
home. Receiving occupancy data may include receiving occupancy data
when the at least one occupant is in bed.
[0010] A further embodiment is directed to a non-transitory
computer-readable medium storing computer-executable code for
security and/or automation systems. The code is executable by a
processor to determine total water usage for a home, determine
occupancy for the home, and determine a water leak based at least
in part on the total water usage and occupancy.
[0011] In one example, the code is executable by a processor to
determine water usage data for known sources in the home, wherein
determining the water leak is based at least in part on the
determined water usage data for known sources. Determining water
usage data for known sources in the home may include at least one
of receiving sensor data associated with use of at least one known
source in the home, and determining an amount of water used by at
least one known source in the home. Determining total water usage
may include at least one of receiving water usage data from a water
utility company, receiving water usage data from a flow meter
located in a water main for the home, and receiving water pressure
data from a pressure sampling device placed in a free spigot or
water outlet of the home.
[0012] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and
technical advantages of examples according to this disclosure so
that the following detailed description may be better understood.
Additional features and advantages will be described below. The
conception and specific examples disclosed may be readily utilized
as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying
out the same purposes of the present disclosure. Such equivalent
constructions do not depart from the scope of the appended claims.
Characteristics of the concepts disclosed herein--including their
organization and method of operation--together with associated
advantages will be better understood from the following description
when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. Each
of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and
description only, and not as a definition of the limits of the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the
present disclosure may be realized by reference to the following
drawings. In the appended figures, similar components or features
may have the same reference label. Further, various components of
the same type may be distinguished by following a first reference
label with a dash and a second label that may distinguish among the
similar components. However, features discussed for various
components--including those having a dash and a second reference
label--apply to other similar components. If only the first
reference label is used in the specification, the description is
applicable to any one of the similar components having the same
first reference label irrespective of the second reference
label.
[0014] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a security and/or
automation system with water leak detection capability, in
accordance with various embodiments;
[0015] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a device relating to a
security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure;
[0016] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a device relating to a
security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 4 shows a block diagram relating to a security and/or
an automation system with water leak detection capability, in
accordance with various aspects of this disclosure;
[0018] FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of an apparatus relating to a
security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 6 shows another block diagram of an apparatus relating
to a security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an apparatus relating to a
security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method
relating to a security and/or an automation system with water leak
detection capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure; and
[0022] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method
relating to a security and/or an automation system with water leak
detection capability, in accordance with various aspects of this
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Water leaks can be difficult to detect in certain
residential and commercial settings. Many types of water leak
detection systems require significant costs and time associated
with retrofitting existing plumbing and the addition of costly
meters, sensors, and control systems. In some cases, water leaks
are particularly difficult to detect when the metering of water
usage and historical water usage data is under the control of a
utility company rather than the property owner. Furthermore, many
existing water leak detection solutions that utilize water leak
sensors can only detect water leaks in the specific location where
the sensor is present. The present disclosure provides improved
water leak detection that in many cases avoids retrofitting
existing plumbing and placement of sensors in difficult to access
areas. The present disclosure may also provide increased certainty
in determining a water leak using a reduced number of components
(e.g., meters, sensors, etc.) as compared to other leak detection
systems. In some embodiments, the present systems and methods may
cooperate with features and functionality of an existing security
and/or automation system.
[0024] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a leak
detection system obtains water usage information for an entire home
(or other property). The system may also determine water usage
information for all known sources of water usage in the home, and
determines occupancy of people in the home. Some water usage
associated with the home are dependent on occupancy (e.g., toilets,
sinks, showers, etc.), while other water usage is independent of
occupancy (e.g., appliances/systems that can be programmed to
operate on a delay/timer). The system may take into consideration
all of the collected information about water usage and occupancy
and determine whether and/or where a water leak exists. The system
may notify the home owner, user, or third party (e.g., a security
and/or automation system operator) of the potential water leak.
[0025] The following description provides examples and is not
limiting of the scope, applicability, and/or examples set forth in
the claims. Changes may be made in the function and/or arrangement
of elements discussed without departing from the scope of the
disclosure. Various examples may omit, substitute, and/or add
various procedures and/or components as appropriate. For instance,
the methods described may be performed in an order different from
that described, and/or various steps may be added, omitted, and/or
combined. Also, features described with respect to some examples
may be combined in other examples.
[0026] FIG. 1 is an example of a communications system 100 in
accordance with various aspects of the disclosed leak detection
systems and related methods. In some embodiments, the
communications system 100 may include one or more sensor units 110,
local computing device 115, 120, network 125, server 130, control
panel 135, and remote computing device 140. One or more sensor
units 110, which may include various water usage and/or
occupancy-related sensors, may communicate via wired or wireless
communication links 145 with one or more of the local computing
device 115, 120 or network 125. The network 125 may communicate via
wired or wireless communication links 145 with the control panel
135 and the remote computing device 140 via server 130. In
alternate embodiments, the network 125 may be integrated with any
one of the local computing device 115, 120, server 130, or remote
computing device 140, such that separate components are not
required.
[0027] Local computing device 115, 120 and remote computing device
140 may be custom computing entities configured to interact with
sensor units 110 via network 125, and in some embodiments, via
server 130. In other embodiments, local computing device 115, 120
and remote computing device 140 may be general purpose computing
entities such as a personal computing device, for example, a
desktop computer, a laptop computer, a netbook, a tablet personal
computer (PC), a control panel, an indicator panel, a multi-site
dashboard, an iPod.RTM., an iPad.RTM., a smart phone, a mobile
phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), and/or any other
suitable device operable to send and receive signals, store and
retrieve data, and/or execute modules.
[0028] Control panel 135 may be a smart home system panel, for
example, an interactive panel mounted on a wall in a user's home.
Control panel 135 may be in direct communication via wired or
wireless communication links 145 with the one or more sensor units
110, or may receive sensor data from the one or more sensor units
110 via local computing devices 115, 120 and network 125, or may
receive data via remote computing device 140, server 130, and
network 125. For example, control panel 135 may receive water usage
information for the home from a plurality of sensor units 110
located through the home, and/or may receive water usage
information for the home from a remote source such as a utility
company via network 125. Control panel 135 may, in at least some
embodiments, provide at least some of the data storage, processing,
and other capabilities otherwise provided by local computing
devices 115, 120 and/or remote computing devices 140.
[0029] The local computing devices 115, 120 may include memory, a
processor, an output, a data input and a communication module. The
processor may be a general purpose processor, a Field Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit
(ASIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and/or the like. The
processor may be configured to retrieve data from and/or write data
to the memory. The memory may be, for example, a random access
memory (RAM), a memory buffer, a hard drive, a database, an
erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), an electrically
erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a read only memory
(ROM), a flash memory, a hard disk, a floppy disk, cloud storage,
and/or so forth. In some embodiments, the local computing devices
115, 120 may include one or more hardware-based modules (e.g., DSP,
FPGA, ASIC) and/or software-based modules (e.g., a module of
computer code stored at the memory and executed at the processor, a
set of processor-readable instructions that may be stored at the
memory and executed at the processor) associated with executing an
application, such as, for example, receiving and displaying data
from sensor units 110.
[0030] The processor of the local computing devices 115, 120 may be
operable to control operation of the output of the local computing
devices 115, 120. The output may be a television, a liquid crystal
display (LCD) monitor, a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor, speaker,
tactile output device, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the
output may be an integral component of the local computing devices
115, 120. Similarly stated, the output may be directly coupled to
the processor. For example, the output may be the integral display
of a tablet and/or smart phone. In some embodiments, an output
module may include, for example, a High Definition Multimedia
Interface.TM. (HDMI) connector, a Video Graphics Array (VGA)
connector, a Universal Serial Bus.TM. (USB) connector, a tip, ring,
sleeve (TRS) connector, and/or any other suitable connector
operable to couple the local computing devices 115, 120 to the
output.
[0031] The remote computing device 140 may be a computing entity
operable to enable a remote user to monitor the output of the
sensor units 110. The remote computing device 140 may be
functionally and/or structurally similar to the local computing
devices 115, 120 and may be operable to receive data streams from
and/or send signals to at least one of the sensor units 110 via the
network 125. The network 125 may be the Internet, an intranet, a
personal area network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area
network (WAN), a virtual network, a telecommunications network
implemented as a wired network and/or wireless network, etc. The
remote computing device 140 may receive and/or send signals over
the network 125 via communication links 145 and server 130.
[0032] In some embodiments, the one or more sensor units 110 may be
sensors configured to conduct periodic or ongoing automatic
measurements related to water usage, leak detection, occupancy
and/or user behavior. Each sensor unit 110 may be capable of
sensing multiple parameters, or alternatively, separate sensor
units 110 may monitor separate parameters. For example, one sensor
unit 110 may measure total water usage for a home, while another
sensor unit 110 (or, in some embodiments, the same sensor unit 110)
may detect water usage by individual water usage sources in the
home (e.g., faucets, appliances, sprinkler systems, etc.). In some
embodiments, one or more sensor units 110 may additionally monitor
alternate occupancy-related parameters, such as motion detection,
locking/unlocking of doors and/or windows, usage of appliances, or
the like. Sensor units 110 may monitor a variety of user
activities, such as determining whether the user is sleeping,
participating in a certain activity, or located in a certain room
for a period of time, or determining a pattern of behavior that in
some way helps determine when water usage occurs and/or how much
water usage occurs at certain times of day (e.g., morning or
evening) or related to certain activities (e.g., showering, running
a dishwasher, operating a clothes washer, or operating a sprinkler
system, and the like). In alternative embodiments, a user may input
water usage and/or occupancy-related data directly at the local
computing device 115, 120, at control panel 135, or at remote
computing device 140. For example, a user may enter water usage or
occupancy-related data into a dedicated application on his smart
phone indicating what water usage activity is planned/completed, or
when the user is leaving the home or returning home.
[0033] Data gathered by the one or more sensor units 110 may be
communicated to local computing device 115, 120, which may be, in
some embodiments, a thermostat or other wall-mounted input/output
smart home display. In other embodiments, local computing device
115, 120 may be a personal computer or smart phone. Where local
computing device 115, 120 is a smart phone, the smart phone may
have a dedicated application directed to collecting water usage
and/or occupancy-related data and calculating potential water leaks
therefrom. The local computing device 115, 120 may process the data
received from the one or more sensor units 110 to obtain
information that may be relevant to determining a water leak. In
alternate embodiments, remote computing device 140 may process the
data received from the one or more sensor units 110, via network
125 and server 130, to obtain information relevant to a water leak
determination. Data transmission may occur via, for example,
frequencies appropriate for a personal area network (such as
BLUETOOTH.RTM. or IR communications) or local or wide area network
frequencies such as radio frequencies specified by the IEEE
802.15.4 standard.
[0034] In some embodiments, local computing device 115, 120 may
communicate with remote computing device 140 or control panel 135
via network 125 and server 130. Examples of networks 125 include
cloud networks, local area networks (LAN), wide area networks
(WAN), virtual private networks (VPN), wireless networks (using
802.11, for example), and/or cellular networks (using 3G and/or
LTE, for example), etc. In some configurations, the network 125 may
include the Internet. In some embodiments, a user may access the
functions of local computing device 115, 120 from remote computing
device 140. For example, in some embodiments, remote computing
device 140 may include a mobile application that interfaces with
one or more functions of local computing device 115, 120.
[0035] The server 130 may be configured to communicate with the
sensor units 110, the local computing devices 115, 120, the remote
computing device 140 and control panel 135. The server 130 may
perform additional processing on signals received from the sensor
units 110 or local computing devices 115, 120, or may simply
forward the received information to the remote computing device 140
and control panel 135.
[0036] Server 130 may be a computing device operable to receive
data streams (e.g., from sensor units 110 and/or local computing
device 115, 120 or remote computing device 140), store and/or
process data, and/or transmit data and/or data summaries (e.g., to
remote computing device 140). For example, server 130 may receive a
stream of water usage data from a sensor unit 110 or metering
device, a stream of occupancy-related data from the same or a
different sensor unit 110, and a stream of user behavior-related
data from either the same or yet another sensor unit 110. In some
embodiments, server 130 may "pull" the data streams, e.g., by
querying the sensor units 110, the local computing devices 115,
120, and/or the control panel 135. In some embodiments, the data
streams may be "pushed" from the sensor units 110 and/or the local
computing devices 115, 120 to the server 130. For example, the
sensor units 110 and/or the local computing device 115, 120 may be
configured to transmit data as it is generated by or entered into
that device. In some instances, the sensor units 110 and/or the
local computing devices 115, 120 may periodically transmit data
(e.g., as a block of data or as one or more data points).
[0037] The server 130 may include a database (e.g., in memory)
containing water usage and/or occupancy-related data received from
the sensor units 110 and/or the local computing devices 115, 120.
Additionally, as described in further detail herein, software
(e.g., stored in memory) may be executed on a processor of the
server 130. Such software (executed on the processor) may be
operable to cause the server 130 to monitor, process, summarize,
present, and/or send a signal associated with resource usage
data.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram 200 of a device 205, which may
be one example of local computing device 115, 120 or remote
computing device 140, for use in electronic communication, in
accordance with various aspects of this disclosure. In one example,
device 205 is an example of a control panel 135 of a security
and/or automation system illustrated in FIG. 1. The device 205 may
include a receiver module 210, a leak detection module 215, and/or
a transmitter module 220. The device 205 may also be or include a
processor. Each of these modules may be in communication with each
other--directly and/or indirectly.
[0039] The components of the device 205 may, individually or
collectively, be implemented using one or more application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs) adapted to perform some or all of the
applicable functions in hardware. Alternatively, the functions may
be performed by one or more other processing units (or cores), on
one or more integrated circuits. In other examples, other types of
integrated circuits may be used (e.g., Structured/Platform ASICs,
Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and other Semi-Custom ICs),
which may be programmed in any manner known in the art. The
functions of each module may also be implemented--in whole or in
part--with instructions embodied in memory formatted to be executed
by one or more general and/or application-specific processors.
[0040] The receiver module 210 may receive information such as
packets, user data, and/or control information associated with
various information channels (e.g., control channels, data
channels, etc.). The receiver module 210 may be configured to
receive water usage and/or occupancy-related data from one or more
sources. Information may be passed on to the leak detection module
215, and to other components of the device 205.
[0041] The leak detection module 215 may receive information
accredited by receiver module 210 as part of determining a water
leak in a home. The information received from receiver module 210
may include, for example, total water usage data for the home,
water usage by specific sources in the home, and/or occupancy
related data. The leak detection module 215 may determine with some
level of accuracy what specific sources of water usage in the home
should or should not be using water based on, for example, whether
the user is at home and/or whether an at home user is in bed (i.e.,
asleep and not using water) or involved in a particular activity.
The leak detection module 215 may disaggregate the known sources of
water usage from the total water usage as part of determining
whether a water leak exists. Further details concerning operation
of the leak detection module 215 are described below with reference
to FIGS. 3-6.
[0042] The transmitter module 220 may transmit the one or more
signals received from other components of the device 205. The
transmitter module 220 may transmit various types of information,
such as notices to a home owner or third party concerning a water
leak or potential water leak condition in the home. In some
embodiments, transmitter module 220 transmits other types of
information, such as data collected from one or more sensors, user
feedback, user instructions, or the like. In some examples,
transmitter module 220 may be collocated with the receiver module
210 in a transceiver module.
[0043] FIG. 3 shows a block diagram 300 of a device 205-a for use
in wireless communication, in accordance with various examples. The
device 205-a may be an example of a device 205 described with
reference to FIG. 2. The device 205-a may include a receiver module
210-a, a leak detection module 215-a, and/or a transmitter module
220-a, which may be examples of the corresponding modules of device
205. The device 205-a may also include a processor. Each of these
components may be in communication with each other. The leak
detection module 215-a may include a water usage module 305 and an
occupancy module 310. The receiver module 210-a and the transmitter
module 220-a may perform the functions of the receiver module 210
and the transmitter module 220, of FIG. 2, respectively.
[0044] The components of the device 205-a may, individually or
collectively, be implemented using one or more application-specific
integrated circuits (ASICs) adapted to perform some or all of the
applicable functions in hardware. Alternatively, the functions may
be performed by one or more other processing units (or cores), on
one or more integrated circuits. In other examples, other types of
integrated circuits may be used (e.g., Structured/Platform ASICs,
Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), and other Semi-Custom ICs),
which may be programmed in any manner known in the art. The
functions of each module may also be implemented--in whole or in
part--with instructions embodied in memory formatted to be executed
by one or more general and/or application-specific processors.
[0045] The water usage module 305 may operate to determine various
water usage information for a home. For example, the water usage
module 305 may receive information regarding total water usage for
the home. The source for the total water usage may include, for
example, data and/or reports provided by a utility company. In some
examples, the utility company may stream real-time water usage data
to water usage module 305. In other examples, a sensor, a camera,
or the device may be associated with the utilities water metering
device for the home, and may operate to determine water usage based
on a reading of the utilities metering device. In the example of a
camera, the camera may obtain digital images or video footage of
the metering device and use character recognition or other software
to determine water usage by reading the metering device. In other
examples, the utility's water metering device may transmit water
usage information through wired or wireless communication mediums
(e.g., digital and/or analog) to water usage module 305.
[0046] In another example, the home owner may provide their own
water metering device in a water main of the home. The water
metering device may be placed in the water main by disassembling a
joint or coupling of a water main and/or cutting into the water
main in order to gain access to the flow channel of the water main
where the metering device is positioned. The cost, time and
complexity associated with installing a separate water metering
device in the water main may be cost-prohibitive in some
scenarios.
[0047] Another way to obtain total water usage for the home may be
to monitor pressure in the water lines of the home. At least one
pressure device may be mounted to a free spigot, tap, or other
access point of the water system for the home. The pressure device
monitors pressure drops, which are typically associated with water
usage. The amount of pressure drop and the duration at which the
pressure drop is maintained may be correlated with an amount of
water being used. In at least some examples, the real-time pressure
drops monitored by the pressure device may on occasion be compared
to actual water usage data provided by, for example, the utility
company to "learn" or calibrate the pressure device to more closely
and accurately assess the amount of water used for given types of
pressure drops and durations associated with the pressure drops. In
other examples, a pressure device may be mounted internal one or
more water lines of the home, such as with a metering device that
is positioned in a water main of the home.
[0048] The water usage module 305 may also operate to determine
specific and/or known uses of water, also referred to as known
water usage sources, in the home. At least some water usage sources
in a home may use a specific amount of water and/or use water for a
specific period of time. For example, a dishwasher may use 3
gallons of water in each of its wash and rinse cycles, which cycles
are typically spaced apart by approximately 15 minutes. A toilet
flush may use 1.5 gallons in a 30 second period. A washing machine
cycle may use 3-5 gallons of water in each of its wash and rinse
cycles, which may be separated by 30-40 minutes. A lawn sprinkler
system may operate constantly for 2 hours at a rate of 5 gallons
per minute. Other water use sources in a home may be less
predictable in both volume and duration. For example, the shower
may operate at a rate of 3-5 gallons per minute, but may vary in
length from 3 minutes to 10 minutes. Operating a water tap when
brushing teeth or manually washing dishes, and other water use
activities may also vary significantly depending on the user, time
of day, time of year, etc.
[0049] The water usage module 305 may be able to determine which of
the various water use sources may operate when users are home
versus when the users are determined to have left home and/or are
in a sleep state. Various appliances may be operable on time
delays, which results in operation of the appliance when users are
not home and/or are asleep. However, other types of water usage can
only occur when a person is home (e.g., operate a shower, flush a
toilet, operate a faucet, etc.) Other appliances may run on time
delays such as, for example, dishwashers, clothes washers,
sprinkler systems, humidifiers, ice machines, and the like.
[0050] The occupancy module 310 may operate to determine whether
users are in the home. The occupancy module 310 may determine when
specific users are in the home. The occupancy module 310 may
operate to determine particular behaviors and/or activities
performed by users when they are home. For example, occupancy
module 310 may determine when a user is in an active state moving
around, in an inactive state sitting or performing a certain task
(e.g., operating a computer), sleeping or at least positioned in
bed, in the vicinity of the home but not in the home (e.g., doing
yard work), and the like.
[0051] Occupancy may be determined with the occupancy module 310 in
a number of ways. Occupancy module 310 may receive data from a
plurality of sensors, any of which alone or in combination may help
determine occupancy and/or behavior of occupants. For example,
occupancy module 310 may receive data from a motion sensor that is
triggered when a person is moving within the home, which indicates
occupancy. Occupancy module 310 may receive data from a door lock
sensor, a door open sensor, a window open sensor, a sensor that
tracks manual adjustments to appliances or systems such as an HVAC
system, lighting, video cameras, or the like. In one example,
occupancy module 310 may determine that a person has left the home
when one sensor indicates that the back door has opened and closed
followed by opening and closing of the garage door. In another
example, the occupancy module 310 may determine departure of all
users when a security system has been armed, when all exterior
doors have been locked, particularly at a certain time of day
(e.g., in the morning hours), or if a geo sensor carried by the
user (e.g., a security card or fob) indicates that none of the
users are within a certain geographic boundary of the home. Any one
or a combination of these various sensor data may be used by
occupancy module 310 to determine that one or more of the users
have left the home. Similar data may be used to determine when one
or more users has returned to the home.
[0052] When occupancy module 310 determines one or more users is
home, occupancy module 310 may receive further data and/or
information that indicate certain behavior of one or more users in
the home. For example, occupancy module 310 may receive data from
one or more kitchen appliances that indicate that a user is in the
kitchen cooking. The occupancy module 310 may receive sensor data
from one or more users' beds that indicate that someone is in a
specific bed. The data from the bed may, in combination with the
time of day (e.g., after 10:00 p.m.) and settings of the HVAC
system and/or security system, may provide a high probability that
the person is asleep, and therefore less likely to consume any
additional water from appliances that are unable to run on time
delay.
[0053] Given the determined behavior of the user, the leak
detection module 215-a may be able to limit some of the possible
uses of water that can be subtracted from the total water usage
(e.g., disaggregation) as part of determining whether water is
being used by an unknown source. Unknown sources of water usage may
indicate a leak. Since leaks are typically consistent and/or
ongoing over an extended period of time, both the water usage
determined by water usage module 305 and occupancy and/or user
behavior as determined by occupancy module 310 may be used to
determine over extended periods of time (e.g., days and/or weeks)
whether there is ongoing water usage from an unknown source.
[0054] Furthermore, leak detection module 215-a may operate using
feedback and/or data provided by water usage module 305 and
occupancy module 310 to determine whether there is unexpected water
usage even while the user is home. For example, water usage from an
interior faucet and/or tap for a period of time longer than would
be normal for filling a bathtub or taking a shower may prompt
generation of a notification to the user of such unexpected water
usage. This reminder to the user may be helpful in the event the
user unintentionally left water running. In an example of
determining unexpected water usage while a user is away from home,
a known day, time and duration for operating a sprinkler system may
be compared to actual usage and duration, which may not match. Leak
detection module 215-a may provide a notification to the user
(e.g., the transmitter module 220-a) that the sprinkler system is
operating improperly. A similar scenario may be applied to other
types of water usage sources in the home.
[0055] The leak detection module may operate based on raw data
provided by sensors, metering devices, controllers, and the like,
and make its own determination of input needed for determining a
leak. For example, leak detection module 215-a may receive raw data
from a water pressure device and/or main water line metering
device, and from that sensor data determine total water usage for
the home. In another example, the data received from the pressure
device or water metering device may be the actual total water usage
for the home provided in a format that can immediately be used
without further processing by leak detection module 215-a. The leak
detection module 215-a may simply receive data that is then used to
determine a potential water leak, or determine the information
needed to determine a potential leak based on raw data provided by
one or more other sources.
[0056] FIG. 4 shows a system 400 for use in leak detection systems,
in accordance with various examples. System 400 may include a
device 205-b, which may be an example of the control panels 135 of
FIG. 1. Device 205-b may also be an example of one or more aspects
of devices 205 and/or 205-a of FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0057] Device 205-b may also include components for bi-directional
voice and data communications including components for transmitting
communications and components for receiving communications. For
example, device 205-b may communicate bi-directionally with one or
more of devices 115-a, one or more sensors 110, remote storage 440,
and/or remote server 130. This bi-directional communication may be
direct (e.g., device 205-b communicating directly with remote
storage 440) or indirect (e.g., device 205-b communicating
indirectly with remote server 130 through remote storage 440).
[0058] Device 205-b may also include a processor module 405, and
memory 410 (including software (SW) 415), an input/output
controller module 420, a user interface module 425, a transceiver
module 430, and one or more antennas 435 each of which may
communicate--directly or indirectly--with one another (e.g., via
one or more buses 450). The transceiver module 430 may communicate
bi-directionally--via the one or more antennas 435, wired links,
and/or wireless links--with one or more networks or remote devices
as described above. For example, the transceiver module 430 may
communicate bi-directionally with one or more of devices 115-a,
remote storage 440, sensor 110, and/or remote server 130. The
transceiver module 430 may include a modem to modulate the packets
and provide the modulated packets to the one or more antennas 435
for transmission, and to demodulate packets received from the one
or more antenna 435. While a control panel or a control device
(e.g., device 205-b) may include a single antenna 435, the control
panel or the control device may also have multiple antennas 435
capable of concurrently transmitting or receiving multiple wired
and/or wireless transmissions. In some embodiments, one element of
device 205-b (e.g., one or more antennas 435, transceiver module
430, etc.) may provide a direct connection to a remote server 130
via a direct network link to the Internet via a POP (point of
presence). In some embodiments, one element of device 205-b (e.g.,
one or more antennas 435, transceiver module 430, etc.) may provide
a connection using wireless techniques, including digital cellular
telephone connection, Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD)
connection, digital satellite data connection, and/or another
connection.
[0059] The signals associated with system 400 may include wireless
communication signals such as radio frequency, electromagnetics,
local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), virtual private
network (VPN), wireless network (using 802.11, for example), 345
MHz, Z-WAVE.RTM., cellular network (using 3G and/or LTE, for
example), and/or other signals. The one or more antennas 435 and/or
transceiver module 430 may include or be related to, but are not
limited to, WWAN (GSM, CDMA, and WCDMA), WLAN (including
BLUETOOTH.RTM. and Wi-Fi), WMAN (WiMAX), antennas for mobile
communications, antennas for Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)
applications (including RFID and UWB). In some embodiments, each
antenna 435 may receive signals or information specific and/or
exclusive to itself. In other embodiments, each antenna 435 may
receive signals or information not specific or exclusive to
itself.
[0060] In some embodiments, one or more sensors 110 (e.g., motion,
proximity sensor, smoke, glass break, door, window, carbon
monoxide, and/or another sensor) may connect to some element of
system 400 via a network using one or more wired and/or wireless
connections.
[0061] In some embodiments, the user interface module 425 may
include an audio device, such as an external speaker system, an
external display device such as a display screen, and/or an input
device (e.g., remote control device interfaced with the user
interface module 425 directly and/or through I/O controller module
420).
[0062] One or more buses 450 may allow data communication between
one or more elements of device 205-b (e.g., processor module 405,
memory 410, I/O controller module 420, user interface module 425,
etc.).
[0063] In some embodiments, the processor module 405 may include,
among other things, an intelligent hardware device (e.g., a central
processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, and/or an ASIC, etc.).
The memory 410 can contain, among other things, the Basic
Input-Output system (BIOS) which may control basic hardware and/or
software operation such as the interaction with peripheral
components or devices. For example, the leak detection module 215-b
to implement the present systems and methods may be stored within
the system memory 410. Applications resident with system 400 are
generally stored on and accessed via a non-transitory computer
readable medium, such as a hard disk drive or other storage medium.
Additionally, applications can be in the form of electronic signals
modulated in accordance with the application and data communication
technology when accessed via a network interface (e.g., transceiver
module 430, one or more antennas 435, etc.).
[0064] The memory 410 may include random access memory (RAM) and
read-only memory (ROM). The memory 410 may store computer-readable,
computer-executable software/firmware code 415 containing
instructions that are configured to, when executed, cause the
processor module 405 to perform various functions described herein
(e.g., collect and/or determine total water usage for a home,
collect and/or determine known sources of water usage in the home,
determine occupancy of a home, determine a water leak, etc.).
Alternatively, the computer-readable, computer-executable
software/firmware code 415 may not be directly executable by the
processor module 405 but may be configured to cause a computer
(e.g., when compiled and executed) to perform functions described
herein.
[0065] Many other devices and/or subsystems may be connected to one
or may be included as one or more elements of system 400 (e.g.,
entertainment system, computing device, remote cameras, wireless
key fob, wall mounted user interface device, cell radio module,
battery, alarm siren, door lock, lighting system, thermostat, home
appliance monitor, utility equipment monitor, and so on). In some
embodiments, all of the elements shown in FIG. 4 need not be
present to practice the present systems and methods. The devices
and subsystems can be interconnected in different ways from that
shown in FIG. 4. In some embodiments, an aspect of some operation
of a system, such as that shown in FIG. 4, may be readily known in
the art and are not discussed in detail in this application. Code
to implement the present disclosure can be stored in a
non-transitory computer-readable medium such as one or more of
system memory 410 or other memory. The operating system provided on
I/O controller module 420 may be iOS.RTM., ANDROID.RTM.,
MS-DOS.RTM., MS-WINDOWS.RTM., OS/2.RTM., UNIX.RTM., LINUX.RTM., or
another known operating system.
[0066] The transceiver module 430 may include a modem configured to
modulate the packets and provide the modulated packets to the
antennas 435 for transmission and/or to demodulate packets received
from the antennas 435. While the device 205-b may include a single
antenna 435, the device 205-b may have multiple antennas 435
capable of concurrently transmitting and/or receiving multiple
wireless transmissions.
[0067] The device 205-b may include a leak detection module 215-b,
which may perform the functions described above for the leak
detection modules 215 of device 205 of FIGS. 2 and 3. The leak
detection module 215-b may include a behavior module 445, in
addition to or in place of the water usage module 305 and occupancy
module 310 of the leak detection module 215-a of FIG. 3.
[0068] The leak detection module 215-b shown in FIG. 4 may include
a behavior module 445. Behavior module 445 may operate
independently of the water usage module 305 and occupancy module
310 described above with reference to FIG. 3. Behavior module 445
may operate as a sub-module of occupancy module 310. Behavior
module 445 may operate to determine certain behaviors of one or
more users of the home. The behavior information may then be used
to determine what water usage is unlikely or likely to occur within
certain timeframes. Behavior module 445 may identify certain
patterns of behavior over a time. For example, behavior module 445
may determine over time that all users of the home have departed
the home by 8:00 a.m. every Monday through Friday, begin returning
home at 3:00 p.m. on days Monday through Friday, and go to bed
between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. every day of the
week. Behavior module 445 may also determine patterns of behavior
associated with water usage such as, for example, number of toilet
flushes per day, length of showers, number of clothes washing
machine cycles per week, number of lawn sprinkler cycles per week
and the like. These patterns of behavior and associated water usage
may be beneficial as part of disaggregating known water usage from
the total water usage for the home as part of determining a
potential water leak.
[0069] The leak detection module 215-b shown in FIG. 4 may include
other modules such as, for example, the water usage module 305 and
occupancy module 310 shown in FIG. 3, or other modules such as the
receiver module 210 and transmitter module 220 shown in FIGS. 2 and
3. Other modules may be possible to perform specific tasks such as,
for example, the disaggregation discussed above, the determination
of specific amounts of water for operation of known water sources
(e.g., clothes washing machines, dishwashers, showers, ice
machines, etc.). In another example, the leak detection module
215-b may include a notification module that generates notices,
alarms or the like in association with a potential water leak and
sends the same to a remote location and/or a mobile device.
[0070] FIGS. 5 and 6 show block diagrams of apparatuses relating to
a security and/or an automation system with water leak detection
capability. FIG. 5 shows a device 205-c having a water usage module
305. The various inputs received by water usage module 305 as part
of determining total water usage for the home and/or specific water
usage and/or operation of water use sources in the home may be
delivered via a network. Some example inputs for the information
received by water usage module 305 include a total water usage
sensor, an appliance water usage sensor, an audio sensor, and a
character recognition sensor. Each of the sensors shown in FIG. 5
may provide data that is relevant to operation of water usage
module 305.
[0071] In one example, total water usage sensor 110-a-1 provides
sensor data associated with a pressure drop (e.g., via a pressure
sensing device), a water metering device positioned in the main
line of the water main of the home, or data from a utility
company's water metering device positioned in the water main. The
appliance water usage sensor 110-a-2 may be associated with one or
more appliances in the home as part of determining general or
specific water usage by that particular appliance. The audio sensor
110-a-3 may provide audio feedback of an actual water drip. The
audio sensor 110-a-3 may be part of an existing sound system of a
home security and/or automation system. For example, the audio
sensor may be part of a microphone and/or speaker system in the
home. In another example, audio sensor 110-a-3 may be located at
specific areas of the home where water leaks may be most likely. In
yet another example, the audio sensors are associated with the
water main and/or a water metering device at the water main,
wherein the audio data from the audio sensor generally indicates
water being drawn at some water usage source in the home. The
character recognition sensor 110-a-4 may be associated with a
camera, scanner or the like that reads a meter such as the utility
company's water metering device as part of determining total water
usage.
[0072] FIG. 6 shows a device 205-d that may operate an occupancy
module 310. The occupancy module 310 may be part of a leak
detection module 215 as described above. The occupancy module 310
may receive input from a number of sources, some examples of which
are shown in FIG. 6. FIG. 6 shows several data sources 110-b
including, for example, a motion sensor, a barrier operation
sensor, a lock sensor, an appliance usage sensor, a systems
settings sensor, and a sleep sensor. Any one of the sensors shown
in FIG. 6, individually or in combination, may be used to provide
data utilized by occupancy module 310 to determine occupancy of the
home. The motion sensor 110-b-1 may operate to determine actual
movement of persons in the home, such as in specific rooms or entry
points of the home. The barrier operation sensor 110-b-2 may
provide feedback concerning operation of a barrier such as a door
or window of the home. The lock sensor 110-b-3 may provide
information about a locked state of one or more locks of the home
(e.g., an exterior door or window of the home). The appliance usage
sensor 110-b-4 may determine operation of one or more appliances
such as an oven, a television, a ceiling fan, an HVAC system, or
the like. The systems setting sensor 110-b-5 may be associated with
manual adjustments to systems such as an HVAC system, a humidifier,
a security and/or automation system, or the like. The sleep sensor
110-b-6 may determine if a person is in bed, is physically asleep,
or the like. The sleep sensor may be actuated at least in part
based on a user input such as a spoken or written command
associated with going into a sleep state and/or putting a system
into a sleep state. The sleep sensor may cooperate with other
sensors and/or information such as time of day, movement in the
home determined by the motion sensor, temperature settings of an
HVAC system, a door lock status, and the like as part of helping
determine whether one or more of the users is asleep.
[0073] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an apparatus relating to a
security and/or automation system, particularly associated with a
water leak detection system. The water usage sensor 735 determines
water usage for the home in block 705. The water usage sensor 735
may include at least one of the sensors 110-a shown in FIG. 5. The
water usage sensor 735 sends water usage data 710 to device 205-e.
The water usage may include total water usage for the home. The
occupancy sensor 740 determines occupancy of the home in block 715
and sends occupancy data in a step 720 to device 205-e. The
occupancy sensor 740 may include one or more of the sensors 110-b
shown in FIG. 6. The device 205-e determines potential water leaks
at block 725 and sends leak detection notices in a step 730 to, for
example, a remote computing device 115-b. A remote computing device
115-b may be a handheld mobile device carried by one or more users
of the home. In another example, the remote computing device 115-b
may be a third party such as, for example, an operator at a central
station of a security and/or automation system.
[0074] The leak detection notice 730 may include various messages
and/or information. In one example, the leak detection notice
includes a probability of a water leak. In another example, the
leak detection notice 730 includes a potential source of the leak
and/or location for the leak (e.g., a sprinkler system versus an
appliance such as a dishwasher, a water main, a toilet, a faucet,
or the like.) The block diagram of FIG. 7 may include other types
of inputs received by device 205-e. In at least one example, device
205-e is a control panel of a security and/or automation system.
The device 205-e may perform a wide variety of functions, only one
of which is determining potential water leaks. In other examples,
the device 205-e is bypassed. For example, the water usage data 710
and occupancy data 720 may be delivered directly to remote
computing device 115-b, which may perform the step of determining a
potential water leak. In other examples, the water usage data 710
and occupancy data 720 are sent to remote computing device 115-b or
may be rerouted to other locations and/or devices such as, for
example, device 205-e, which then determines potential water leaks.
The data delivered via steps 710, 720 may be sent wirelessly on a
continuous and/or periodic basis.
[0075] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method
800 for detecting water leaks in accordance with various aspects of
the present disclosure. For clarity, the method 800 is described
below with reference to aspects of one or more of the devices 205
described with reference to FIGS. 2-6, and/or aspects of one or
more of the leak detection modules 215 described with reference to
one or more of FIGS. 2-6. In some examples, a control panel and/or
backend server may execute one or more sets of codes to control the
functional elements of the control panel and/or backend server to
perform the functions described below. Additionally or
alternatively, the control panel and/or backend server, or one or
more sensor devices may perform one or more of the functions
described below using special-purpose hardware.
[0076] At block 805, the method 800 may include receiving total
water usage data for a home. Block 810 includes receiving water
usage data for known sources in the home. Block 815 includes
receiving occupancy data for at least one occupant in the home.
Block 820 includes determining a water leak based at least in part
on the total water usage data, the water usage data for known
sources and the occupancy data.
[0077] The operation(s) at block 805 may be performed using the
device 205 and/or the leak detection module 215 described with
reference to one or more of FIGS. 2-6.
[0078] Thus, the method 800 may provide for water leak detection
and may be carried out at least in part using automation/security
systems. It should be noted that the method 800 is just one
implementation and that the operations of the method 800 may be
rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations
are possible.
[0079] FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method
900 for detecting water leaks in accordance with various aspects of
the present disclosure. For clarity, the method 900 is described
below with reference to aspects of one or more of the devices 205
described with reference to FIGS. 2-6, and/or aspects of one or
more of the leak detection modules 215 described with reference to
one or more of FIGS. 2-6. In some examples, a control panel and/or
backend server may execute one or more sets of codes to control the
functional elements of the control panel and/or backend server to
perform the functions described below. Additionally or
alternatively, the control panel and/or backend server, or one or
more sensor devices may perform one or more of the functions
described below using special-purpose hardware.
[0080] At block 905, the method 900 may include determining total
water usage for a home from a first water usage input. Block 910
includes determining water usage for known sources in the home from
at least one second water usage input. Block 915 includes
determining occupancy of at least one occupant in the home using
occupancy data. Block 920 includes determining a water leak based
at least in part on a total water usage, water usage data for known
sources, and occupancy. Block 925 includes determining a water leak
by disaggregating water usage based at least in part on the known
sources of water usage and occupancy. Block 930 includes
disaggregating by determining usage of water sources that should
not occur when no occupants are present in the home.
[0081] The operation(s) at block 905 may be performed using the
device 205 and/or the leak detection module 215 described with
reference to one or more of FIGS. 2-6.
[0082] Thus, the method 900 may provide for water leak detection
and may be carried out at least in part using automation/security
systems. It should be noted that the method 900 is just one
implementation and that the operations of the method 900 may be
rearranged or otherwise modified such that other implementations
are possible.
[0083] In some examples, aspects from two or more of the methods
800, 900 may be combined and/or separated. It should be noted that
the methods 800, 900, etc. are just example implementations, and
that the operations of the methods 800, 900 may be rearranged or
otherwise modified such that other implementations are
possible.
[0084] The detailed description set forth above in connection with
the appended drawings describes examples and does not represent the
only instances that may be implemented or that are within the scope
of the claims. The terms "example" and "exemplary," when used in
this description, mean "serving as an example, instance, or
illustration," and not "preferred" or "advantageous over other
examples." The detailed description includes specific details for
the purpose of providing an understanding of the described
techniques. These techniques, however, may be practiced without
these specific details. In some instances, known structures and
apparatuses are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid
obscuring the concepts of the described examples.
[0085] Information and signals may be represented using any of a
variety of different technologies and techniques. For example,
data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols,
and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description
may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves,
magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any
combination thereof.
[0086] The various illustrative blocks and components described in
connection with this disclosure may be implemented or performed
with a general-purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP),
an ASIC, an FPGA or other programmable logic device, discrete gate
or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any
combination thereof designed to perform the functions described
herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in
the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor,
controller, microcontroller, and/or state machine. A processor may
also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a
combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, multiple
microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a
DSP core, and/or any other such configuration.
[0087] The functions described herein may be implemented in
hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any
combination thereof. If implemented in software executed by a
processor, the functions may be stored on or transmitted over as
one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium.
Other examples and implementations are within the scope and spirit
of the disclosure and appended claims. For example, due to the
nature of software, functions described above can be implemented
using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware,
hardwiring, or combinations of any of these. Features implementing
functions may also be physically located at various positions,
including being distributed such that portions of functions are
implemented at different physical locations.
[0088] As used herein, including in the claims, the term "and/or,"
when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the
listed items can be employed by itself, or any combination of two
or more of the listed items can be employed. For example, if a
composition is described as containing components A, B, and/or C,
the composition can contain A alone; B alone; C alone; A and B in
combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A,
B, and C in combination. Also, as used herein, including in the
claims, "or" as used in a list of items (for example, a list of
items prefaced by a phrase such as "at least one of" or "one or
more of") indicates a disjunctive list such that, for example, a
list of "at least one of A, B, or C" means A or B or C or AB or AC
or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C).
[0089] In addition, any disclosure of components contained within
other components or separate from other components should be
considered exemplary because multiple other architectures may
potentially be implemented to achieve the same functionality,
including incorporating all, most, and/or some elements as part of
one or more unitary structures and/or separate structures.
[0090] Computer-readable media includes both computer storage media
and communication media including any medium that facilitates
transfer of a computer program from one place to another. A storage
medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a
general purpose or special purpose computer. By way of example, and
not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM,
EEPROM, flash memory, CD-ROM, DVD, or other optical disk storage,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program
code means in the form of instructions or data structures and that
can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer,
or a general-purpose or special-purpose processor. Also, any
connection is properly termed a computer-readable medium. For
example, if the software is transmitted from a website, server, or
other remote source using a coaxial cable, fiber optic cable,
twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless
technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then the
coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless
technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in
the definition of medium. Disk and disc, as used herein, include
compact disc (CD), laser disc, optical disc, digital versatile disc
(DVD), floppy disk and Blu-ray disc where disks usually reproduce
data magnetically, while discs reproduce data optically with
lasers. Combinations of the above are also included within the
scope of computer-readable media.
[0091] The previous description of the disclosure is provided to
enable a person skilled in the art to make or use the disclosure.
Various modifications to the disclosure will be readily apparent to
those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein
may be applied to other variations without departing from the scope
of the disclosure. Thus, the disclosure is not to be limited to the
examples and designs described herein but is to be accorded the
broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features
disclosed.
[0092] This disclosure may specifically apply to security system
applications. This disclosure may specifically apply to automation
system applications. In some embodiments, the concepts, the
technical descriptions, the features, the methods, the ideas,
and/or the descriptions may specifically apply to security and/or
automation system applications. Distinct advantages of such systems
for these specific applications are apparent from this
disclosure.
[0093] The process parameters, actions, and steps described and/or
illustrated in this disclosure are given by way of example only and
can be varied as desired. For example, while the steps illustrated
and/or described may be shown or discussed in a particular order,
these steps do not necessarily need to be performed in the order
illustrated or discussed. The various exemplary methods described
and/or illustrated here may also omit one or more of the steps
described or illustrated here or include additional steps in
addition to those disclosed.
[0094] Furthermore, while various embodiments have been described
and/or illustrated here in the context of fully functional
computing systems, one or more of these exemplary embodiments may
be distributed as a program product in a variety of forms,
regardless of the particular type of computer-readable media used
to actually carry out the distribution. The embodiments disclosed
herein may also be implemented using software modules that perform
certain tasks. These software modules may include script, batch, or
other executable files that may be stored on a computer-readable
storage medium or in a computing system. In some embodiments, these
software modules may permit and/or instruct a computing system to
perform one or more of the exemplary embodiments disclosed
here.
[0095] This description, for purposes of explanation, has been
described with reference to specific embodiments. The illustrative
discussions above, however, are not intended to be exhaustive or
limit the present systems and methods to the precise forms
discussed. Many modifications and variations are possible in view
of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen and described
in order to explain the principles of the present systems and
methods and their practical applications, to enable others skilled
in the art to utilize the present systems, apparatus, and methods
and various embodiments with various modifications as may be suited
to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *