SELF-RECHARGING AUTONOMOUS MONITORING SYSTEM
Patent Information
- Application Number
- MX2023001590
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-02-10
- Filing Date
- 2023-02-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-25
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-02-07
AI Technical Summary
Monitoring pumping systems in remote locations without access to a power source is challenging due to the need for large, energy-intensive monitoring systems that require significant installation and maintenance efforts.
A self-recharging, autonomous pump monitoring system with a mobile device equipped with sensors, a controller, a wireless transceiver, a battery, and a solar panel, allowing it to operate independently and report data to a central server or user device.
Enables efficient monitoring of pumping systems in remote locations with minimal installation and maintenance, using solar power to sustain operations and communicate data wirelessly.
Smart Images

Figure MX431412B0
Abstract
Description
SELF-RECHARGING AUTONOMOUS MONITORING SYSTEM Background of the Invention A pumping system may be installed in a remote and / or temporary location. Examples of such systems include hydraulic fracturing systems for oil extraction or pumps for municipal wastewater bypass systems. Such pumping systems often require monitoring of system conditions and are not near an available power source. As a result, it may be necessary to connect a large, energy-intensive monitoring system to a nearby generator, requiring significant installation effort and regular on-site maintenance, in order to monitor conditions and adjust the pumps appropriately. Therefore, monitoring a pumping system in a remote location presents several challenges. Brief Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a diagram of a network environment in which the systems and methods described in the present invention can be implemented; Figure 2 is a diagram of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation Ref. 342942 described in the present invention; Figure 3 is a diagram of the housing of a monitoring device according to an implementation described in the present invention; Figure 4 is another diagram of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention; Figures 5A, 5B and 5C are diagrams of another implementation of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention; Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention; Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of a device that may be included in a component of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention; Figure 8 is a diagram of exemplary functional components of the controller for a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention; and Figure 9 is a flow diagram of a pump monitoring process according to an implementation described in the present invention. Detailed Description of the Invention The following detailed description refers to the accompanying figures. The same reference numbers in different figures may identify identical or similar elements. Furthermore, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. The embodiments described in the present invention relate to pump monitoring systems and methods that use a mobile, self-contained, and self-charging pump monitoring system. A system for monitoring pumping equipment may include a pump monitoring device comprising a set of sensor devices configured to monitor pumping equipment, and / or a set of interfaces for coupling to one or more sensor devices installed on and / or attached to the pumping equipment. The sensor devices may include, for example, a flow meter, a fluid level gauge, a vibration sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and / or other types of sensors. The pump monitoring device may also include a controller to configure the sensor devices and collect data from them, and a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a mobile phone base station and report the collected data to another device, such as an application server. The system may also include a battery configured to power the pump monitoring device, a solar panel, and a charging system to charge the battery using the solar panel. The charging system may be configured to use battery power to power the pump monitoring device when the battery energy is above a certain threshold, and to use solar panel power to power the pump monitoring device and / or charge the battery when the battery energy is below a certain threshold. The system may also include a chassis configured to mount the pump monitoring device, battery, solar panel, and charging system in a self-contained mobile monitoring system. The chassis may include a wheeled cart with a handle for easy transport over uneven terrain to a remote location. For example, the cart may have wheels on one side and a support bar on the other to keep it level when stationary. Additionally, the solar panel may be mounted to the chassis in a position that protects it from impact damage should the chassis tip over. The controller can be configured to receive the selection of one or more sensors to be used for data collection, obtain a sensor configuration for the selected sensor(s), configure the selected sensor(s) based on the obtained sensor configuration, collect the sensor data based on the obtained sensor configuration, and report the collected sensor data via the wireless transceiver. The sensor configuration may include, for example, a calibration process to be performed, a sensor value range over which to collect data, a sensor threshold value to trigger an alert, a pulse generation parameter to generate a pulse for data collection, and / or other sensor settings. For example, the controller may be configured to set a sensor threshold value for a sensor, detect that the threshold has been reached or exceeded through data collected from the sensor, generate an alert based on the detected sensor threshold value, and transmit the generated alert to an application server, or another device / system, using the wireless transceiver. In some configurations, the system may include additional features, such as a pedal brake to engage the wheels and secure them in place when the cart is not in motion, a protective frame around the solar panel to protect it from impact damage, one or more cable hooks to facilitate cable management between the pumping equipment and the monitoring device, and / or one or more mounting assemblies for an antenna for the wireless receiver, an antenna for a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, and / or another type of antenna, as described in detail below. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary environment 100 in which the systems and / or methods described in the present invention may be implemented. As illustrated, the environment 100 may include a pump monitoring system 110, a pump unit 120, a base station 130, a network 140, a user device 150 including a client application 155, an application server 160, and a GPS satellite 170. The pump monitoring system 110 can monitor pumping equipment 120. The pump monitoring system 110 may include a self-contained, self-charging mobile pump monitoring system. The pump monitoring system 110 includes a chassis, such as a wheeled metal cart, that houses a pump monitoring device, a battery, a charging system, and a solar panel. The pump monitoring device may include a controller, a set of sensors and / or sensor interfaces, and a wireless transceiver configured for MA / a / ZUZÓ / UUI ouu communicate with base station 130 using cellular wireless signals, and / or a GPS receiver to determine a location of the pump monitoring system 110 based on signals received from one or more GPS satellites 170. The pump monitoring system 110 can receive instructions from the application server 160 and / or the user device 150 to configure one or more sensors to collect sensor data for the pump equipment 120 and report the collected sensor data to the application server 170 and / or the user device 150. The pumping equipment 120 may include pumps, electric motors, and / or other types of rotating equipment for moving fluid, for example, through a conduit such as a pipe, moving fluid into or out of a storage or holding tank, pumping fluid out of or into the ground, and / or moving fluid in other ways. In some embodiments, the pumping equipment 120 may include one or more sensors installed on and / or in the pumping equipment 120, and the pumping monitoring system 110 may include one or more sensor interfaces that can be coupled to the installed sensors using wired and / or wireless connections.In addition, or alternatively, the pump monitoring system 110 may include one or more mobile sensors that can be stored in the chassis of the pump monitoring system 110 and attached to the pumping equipment 120, and / or otherwise interact with the pumping equipment 120, to collect sensor data relating to the operation of the pumping equipment 120, when the pump monitoring system 110 is moved to its location. Base station 130 may include a cellular wireless base station, such as a fifth-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) base station (e.g., a gNodeB), a fourth-generation (4G) Long-Term Evolution (LTE) base station (e.g., an eNodeB), or a base station associated with another generation (e.g., third-generation (3G), etc.). Base station 130 may include a radio frequency (RF) transceiver configured to communicate with user equipment (UE) devices connected to base station 130, such as user device 150. Additionally, a pump monitoring system wireless transceiver 110 may connect to base station 130 as a UE device. Base station 130 may also allow connection to network 140.In some modes, the 110 pump monitoring system can communicate with the 130 base station using a machine-to-machine (M2M) communication method, such as, for example, communication of. ΙνΙΛ / α / ZυZΖΟ / υυΊ OaU machine-type (MTC), enhanced MTC communication (eMTC) (also known as Cat-Ml), a low-power wide area technology (LPWA) such as narrowband (NB) Internet of Things (NB-IoT) technology, and / or other type of M2M communication method. The 140 network may include one or more wired, wireless and / or optical networks capable of receiving and transmitting data, voice and / or video signals. For example, network 140 might include a radio access network (RAM) and / or a core network associated with the RAN (e.g., a 4G core network, a 5G core network, etc.), an Internet Protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem (IMS) network, a multiple access boundary computing (MEC) network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a personal area network (PAN) (e.g., a wireless PAN (WPAN)), a wireless local area network (WLAN), an intranet, the Internet, a satellite network, a metropolitan area network (MAN), a system ML / a / ZUZO / UUI Autonomous OUU (AS) on the Internet, an optical network, a satellite network and / or other type of packet-switched or circuit-switched network that is capable of transmitting data from the pump monitoring system 110 to other devices, such as the user device 150 and / or the application server 160. User Device 150 includes a device with computational and cellular wireless communication capabilities. User Device 150 can connect to Base Station 130 as a UE device. User Device 150 can be deployed as a mobile device, a handheld device, a stationary device, a user-operated device, or a non-user-operated device. For example, User Device 150 can be deployed as a handheld mobile wireless communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a computer, a tablet, a portable device, or some other type of wireless communication device. User Device 150 can include Client Application 155 (or app).Client application 155 can be programmed / configured to connect to pump monitoring system 110 and provide instructions to pump monitoring system 110 and / or receive sensor data from pump monitoring system 110. In addition, or alternatively, client application 155 can allow a user, such as a party associated with monitoring the operation of pumping equipment 120, to connect to application server 160 to provide instructions to pump monitoring system 110 and / or receive sensor data from pump monitoring system 110. The application server 160 may include one or more computing devices, such as server devices, configured to connect to the pump monitoring system 110 and provide instructions to the pump monitoring system 110 and / or receive sensor data from the pump monitoring system 110. Depending on the implementation, the application server 160 may use one or more application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow users to send and / or receive data from the pump monitoring system 110. Although Figure 1 shows exemplary components of environment 100, in other implementations, environment 100 may include fewer components, different components, components arranged differently, or additional components than those depicted in Figure 1. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of environment 100 may include additional components. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of environment 100 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more components of environment 100.For example, while Figure 1 illustrates a single pump monitoring system 110, pump equipment 120, base station 130, network 140, user device 150, application server 160, and / or GPS satellite 170 for illustrative purposes, in practice, the environment 100 may include multiple pump monitoring systems 110, pump equipment 120, base stations 130, networks 140, user devices 150, application servers 160, and / or GPS satellites 170. Figure 2 is a diagram of the pump monitoring system 110 according to an implementation described in the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the pump monitoring system 110 may include a chassis 210, a support board 215, a monitoring device housing 220, a battery 230, a solar panel 240, a solar panel bracket 245, wheels 250, a rod 260, and a handle 270. The chassis 210 may include a frame made of metal and / or other structural materials, such as structural plastics, composites, etc. For example, the chassis 210 may be made of powder-coated steel. Alternatively, it may be made of stainless steel, galvanized steel, aluminum, and / or other metals. The chassis 210 may provide structural support and secure the housing of the monitoring device 220, the battery 230, and the solar panel 240. The chassis 210 may have the form of a cart-like structure with rectangular sides and may include diagonal support beams. The sides and / or diagonal support beams may be fabricated from structural tubular beams with a rectangular cross-section, H-beams, C-beams, L-beams, solid bar beams, and / or other types of beams. The chassis 210 may include a support board 215 to support the monitoring device housing 220 and the battery 230. The support board 215 may be made of metal or stainless steel. The support board 215 may be made of metal, structural plastic, structural composite, and / or other materials. The chassis 210 may include casters 250 and a handle 270 to allow a person to move the pump monitoring system 110 to and from a remote location. The bar 260 may raise the side of the chassis 210 opposite the casters 250 so that the chassis 210 is level and / or horizontal to the ground when not in motion. A user may tilt the pump monitoring system 110 backward using the handle 270 to lift the bar 260 off the ground and allow the casters 250 to rotate when pushing the pump monitoring system 110 to a desired location.The bar 260 can prevent the pump monitoring system 110 from moving when the chassis 210 is not tilted back and in contact with the ground. The handle 270 can be extended to a height such that the pump monitoring system 110 can be comfortably pushed by a person of average height. In some implementations, the height of the handle 270 can be adjustable (not shown in Figure 2). The 250 wheels allow the 110 pump monitoring system to be pushed over uneven terrain. In some implementations, the 250 wheels may include puncture-resistant tires, such as tires made of plastic or composite material that resists punctures. In other embodiments, the 250 wheels may include non-reliable tires. The 250 wheels may have a sufficient diameter to allow the 110 pump monitoring system to move easily over unpaved surfaces (e.g., at least 6 inches (15.24 cm) in diameter, etc.). In addition, in some embodiments, the 250 wheels may include additional features to facilitate movement over uneven terrain, such as knobby tires and / or shock absorbers (not shown in Figure 2).Additionally, in some versions, the 110 pump monitoring system may include four wheels instead of two wheels and the 260 bar, to facilitate the movement of the monitoring system. ΜΛ / a / ZUZO / UUI Ουυ pumps 110. The monitoring device 220 housing can provide a dustproof and waterproof enclosure to protect the internal components of a pump monitoring device described later. The monitoring device 220 housing can be made of structural plastic, metal, composite, and / or other materials. In some embodiments, the monitoring device 220 housing can meet one or more industry standards for waterproof immersion. The monitoring device 220 housing is described later with reference to Figure 3. Battery 230 may include a rechargeable battery, such as a 12-volt rechargeable battery. Battery 230 may include a flooded lead-acid battery, a sealed valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery, an absorbent glass mat (AGM) battery, a gel battery, a lithium-ion battery, a nickel-metal hydride battery, and / or another type of battery 230. Battery 230 may power the components of monitoring device 220, such as a 12-volt rechargeable battery. Battery 230 may power the components of the pump monitoring device within the monitoring device housing 220 and be charged from solar panel 240 using a charging system included in the pump monitoring device. The solar panel 240 may include an array of solar cells to capture sunlight and charge the battery 230 and / or provide power to the pump monitoring device within the monitoring device housing 220 when the power supplied by the battery 230 is insufficient to meet the power demand of the pump monitoring device components. The solar panel 240 may include monocrystalline solar cells, polycrystalline solar cells, thin-film solar cells, and / or other types of solar cells. The type and / or size of the solar panel 240 may be selected to meet the maximum power demand of the pump control device components indefinitely or for extended periods (e.g., days or weeks) if the battery 230 fails. For example, in some implementations, the solar panel 240 may have a capacity of 300 watts (W) or more. The solar panel bracket 245 can provide structural support to the solar panel 240 and secure the solar panel 240 to the chassis 210. In some embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can provide structural support to the solar panel 240 and secure the solar panel 240 to the chassis 210. In some embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can be made of the same type of beam as the chassis 210. In other embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can be made of the same type of beam as the chassis 210. In other embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can be made from a different type of structural material, such as perforated flat beams, square tubes, strut channels, L-shaped angles, etc.The solar panel support 245 can tilt the solar panel 240 with respect to the top surface and / or base of the chassis 210 to allow the solar panel 240 to maximize the amount of sunlight it is able to receive. In some embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can be positioned on the chassis 210 in a way that protects the solar panel 240 from impact if the chassis 210 tips over. For example, the solar panel bracket 245 can position the solar panel 240 so that it is positioned rearward from the front of the chassis 210 (i.e., the side with the bar 260) so that the solar panel 240 does not hit the ground if the chassis 210 tilts forward. Alternatively, the solar panel bracket 245 can position the solar panel 240 so that it is recessed from the sides of the chassis 210 so that the solar panel 240 does not hit the ground if the chassis 210 falls sideways. In addition, the handle 270 can protect the solar panel 240 by preventing the solar panel 240 from hitting the ground if the chassis 210 falls backwards. The angle of the solar panel bracket 245 with respect to the chassis 210 can be fixed or adjustable. In some embodiments, the angle of the solar panel 240 can be fixed with respect to the chassis (e.g., 45 degrees, 30 degrees, etc.). In other embodiments, the solar panel bracket 245 can be adjustable so that the angle of the solar panel 240 can be adjusted with respect to the chassis 210 in order to position the solar panel 240 to maximize the amount of sunlight absorbed by the solar panel 240. The solar panel bracket 245 can be adjustable in one or more of the x, y, and / or z planes, thus having multiple degrees of freedom to tilt and rotate. Furthermore, in some implementations, the solar panel bracket 245 can include a motor (not shown in Figure 2) to adjust the angle of the solar panel bracket 245.For example, a controller in the pump monitoring device may be set up to use the motor to automatically adjust the angle of the solar panel bracket 245 to follow the position of the sun and maximize the amount of sunlight received by the solar panel 240 during different times of the day. Although Figure 2 shows exemplary components of the pump monitoring system 110, in other embodiments, the pump monitoring system 110 may include fewer components, different components, components arranged differently, or additional components than those depicted in Figure 2. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110. Figure 3 is a diagram of the monitoring device housing 220 according to an implementation described in the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the monitoring device housing 220 may include a front panel 305, a port assembly 310, an indicator assembly 320, an antenna housing 330, and a GPS receiver housing 340. The front panel 305 can provide access to the pump monitoring device inside the monitoring device housing 220. The AC ports 310 may include removable covers to provide access to connectors for attaching cables to connect external sensors to the pump monitoring device. This allows access to the internal connections of the monitoring device housing 220 through the 310 ports and their use for wired connections to external sensors that will be applied to pumping equipment 120 or to sensors installed on or above pumping equipment 120. In some implementations, the sensors do not need to use the 310 ports and can connect wirelessly to the pump monitoring device to report sensor data. The 320 AC indicators can provide indicator lights for components of the 110 pump monitoring system. For example, the 320 indicators may include one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that indicate the status of specific components. For instance, a lit indicator light may indicate that a particular component is functioning correctly. Alternatively, a light of one color (e.g., green) may indicate that the component is functioning correctly, and a light of a second color (e.g., red) may indicate an error or malfunction status for that component. The 320 indicators may include an indicator for the pump monitoring device, a 230 battery indicator, a 240 solar panel indicator, and so on.Additionally, the 230 indicators may include an indicator for a pump control device controller, an indicator for a pump control device transceiver, an indicator for a charging system, an indicator for a specific sensor, etc. The 330 antenna housing may accommodate a cellular wireless antenna. The 340 GPS receiver housing may accommodate a GPS receiver antenna. Although Figure 3 shows exemplary components of the 220 monitoring device housing, in other implementations, the 220 monitoring device housing may include fewer components, different components, components arranged differently, or additional components than those depicted in Figure 3. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of the 220 monitoring device housing may include additional components. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the 220 monitoring device housing may perform functions described as being performed by one or more components of the 220 monitoring device housing. For example, while Figure 3 illustrates three 310 AC ports and three 320 AC indicators for illustrative purposes, the 220 monitoring device housing may include more or fewer 310 ports and / or 320 indicators.Additionally, ports 310 and / or indicators 320 may be located on a different surface of the monitoring device housing 220 instead of the front panel 305. Figure 4 is a second diagram of the pump monitoring system 110 according to an implementation described in the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, in some embodiments, the pump monitoring system 110 may include features in addition to those explained above with respect to Figure 2. Therefore, in addition to the features described above with respect to Figure 2, the pump monitoring system 110 may include a protective frame 410, a wheel brake 420, a battery box 430, an antenna mounting assembly 440, and / or cable hooks 450. The 410 protective frame can enclose the sides of the 240 solar panel and protect it from impact damage. The 410 protective frame can be made of shock-absorbing plastic (e.g., thermoplastic polyurethane, neoprene, silicone, polystyrene, etc.) or a combination of shock-absorbing plastic and rubber. The 420 wheel brake can apply a brake to the 250 wheels when they are engaged. For example, a user can apply pressure to the 420 wheel brake with their foot to activate it and engage a mechanism to prevent the 250 wheels from rotating. The 430 battery case can provide a dustproof and splashproof enclosure to protect the 230 battery. The 430 battery case can be made of structural plastic, metal, composite, and / or other materials. In some implementations, the 430 battery case can meet one or more industry standards for waterproof immersion. The antenna mounting assembly 440 may include hardware and / or fasteners to secure an antenna to the chassis 210, such as a cellular wireless antenna for communicating with base station 130. Cable hooks 450 may be attached to the chassis 210 to provide support for cables from ports 310 to sensors on or above pumping equipment 120. Although Figure 4 shows exemplary components of the pump monitoring system 110, in other implementations, the pump monitoring system 110 may include fewer components, different components, components arranged differently, or additional components than those depicted in Figure 4. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110 may include additional components. MA / a / ZUZÓ / UUI ouu perform functions described as performed by one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110. Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C are diagrams of another embodiment of the pump monitoring system 110 according to an embodiment described in the present invention. Figure 5A illustrates a right-side view of the pump monitoring system 110, Figure 5B illustrates a left-side view of the pump monitoring system 110, and Figure 5C illustrates a rear view of the pump monitoring system 110. As shown in Figure 5A, the monitoring device housing 220 can be raised above the battery enclosure 430 to accommodate a larger battery case 430.Furthermore, the elevated position of the monitoring device housing 220, shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C, facilitates the connection of wired connections for external sensors to be applied to the pump equipment 120, as well as the connection of wiring between the battery 230, the solar panel 240, and the monitoring device housing 220 by a user located behind the pump monitoring system 110. Additionally, the elevated position of the monitoring device housing 220 helps protect the components inside the housing in the event of flooding. As shown in Figure 5A, the ports 310 and / or indicators 320 may be located on one side panel of the monitoring device housing 220 (e.g., the right side, etc.), and the other side of the monitoring device housing 220 (e.g., the left side, etc.) may include a vent 510. Cable glands for connecting the battery to the monitoring device housing 220 may be located on a side panel. Cable glands for connecting the battery 230 and / or solar panel 240 to the monitoring device within the monitoring device housing 220 may be located on the bottom panel of the monitoring device housing 220 (not shown in Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C). In addition, the antenna housing 330 and the GPS receiver housing 340 can be located in a high position on the pump monitoring system 110 (e.g., on handle 270) to facilitate better wireless transmission and reception.Additionally, the 450 cable hooks can be located at the rear of the 210 chassis. Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of the pump monitoring system 110 according to an implementation described herein. As shown in Figure 6, the pump monitoring system 110 may include a pump monitoring device 610, a battery 230, and a solar panel 240. The pump monitoring device 610 may include a controller 620, a set of sensor devices 630-A through 630-N (referred to herein collectively as sensor devices 630 and individually as sensor device 630), a wireless transceiver 640, and a charging system 650. Depending on one modality, one or more of the controller 620, the sensor devices 630-A through 630-N, the wireless transceiver 640, and / or the charging system 650 may be installed on a printed circuit board, an etched wiring board, or a printed circuit assembly. Controller 620 can control the operation of sensor devices 630, wireless transceiver 640, and / or charging system 650. Exemplary functional components of controller 620 are described below with reference to Figure 7. Sensor device 630 may include a sensor device for monitoring pumping equipment 120 or an interface and / or controller for interacting with an external sensor device installed on or attached to pumping equipment 120. For example, sensor device 630 may include an interface connected to port 310, and port 310 may be connected to wiring connected to an external sensor that is attached to pumping equipment 120.In addition, or alternatively, the 630 sensor device may include a wireless transceiver or use the 640 wireless transceiver to establish a wireless connection with a sensor using a wireless personal area network (WPAN) communication method (e.g., based on the 802.15 set of standards of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), etc.). The 630 sensor device may include, or interface with, a flow meter to measure the volume and / or mass of fluid passing through a particular location over a specified period of time. For example, a flow meter may be installed on a pipe and / or pump associated with the 120 pumping equipment, and the 630 sensor device may include an interface for connecting to an outlet port associated with the flow meter. The installed flow meter may include a mechanical flow meter, a pressure flow meter, an optical flow meter, a vortex flow meter, a thermal mass flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, and / or another type of flow meter.As another example, a flow meter might include a mobile, non-intrusive flow meter associated with the pump monitoring system 110 and connected to a controller on the sensor device 630 via port 310, such as an ultrasonic flow meter, a sonar flow meter, and / or another type of mobile flow meter. A controller associated with the sensor device 630 might be configurable to generate a specific ultrasonic pulse profile to collect sensor data using the ultrasonic flow meter. The 630 sensor device can interface with a fluid level gauge. For example, a fluid level gauge can be installed on a pump, pipe, and / or storage tank associated with the 120 pumping equipment, and the 630 sensor device can include an interface and / or controller to connect to an output port associated with the fluid level gauge. The 630 sensor device can include a configurable controller to adjust parameters associated with the fluid level gauge, such as adjusting alert level thresholds. The 630 sensor device may include, or interact with, a vibration sensor. A vibration sensor may include an accelerometer and / or other type of vibration sensor that can be attached to a particular surface of the pumping equipment 120 to measure vibration along two or three respective axes (e.g., x-, y-, and / or z-axes) and connected to a sensor and / or controller interface via a wired connection to port 310. The vibration data collected using the vibration sensor can be used, for example, to identify a rotational speed of the pumping equipment 120 and / or ML / a / ZUZO / UUI OUU determine if pumping equipment 20 is experiencing a problem. The 630 sensor device may include a signal amplifier, a signal filter, and / or a configurable controller to adjust the parameters associated with the vibration sensor, the signal amplifier, and / or the signal filter, based on, for example, environmental conditions. The sensor device 630 may include, or interact with, a temperature sensor. A temperature sensor may include a thermocouple and / or another type of temperature sensor that can be attached to the pumping equipment 120 to monitor the temperature of the pumping equipment 120. The sensor device 630 may include a configurable controller to adjust parameters associated with the temperature sensor, such as a temperature threshold based on, for example, ambient or other conditions. The 630 sensor device can interface with a pressure sensor. For example, a pressure sensor can be installed on a pump, pipe, and / or storage tank associated with the 120 pumping equipment, and the 630 sensor device can include an interface and / or controller to connect to an output port associated with the pressure sensor. The 630 sensor device can include a configurable controller to adjust parameters. ML / a / ZUZO / UUI Ouu associated with the pressure sensor, such as, for example, a pressure threshold. The 640 wireless transceiver may include a cellular radio transceiver, which can operate according to a cellular standard that allows communication with the 130 base station, such as the 4G and / or 5G mobile wireless standards of the 3GPP. In addition, the 640 wireless transceiver may be configured for one or more M2M communication methods, such as eMTC, NB-IoT, etc. Furthermore, the 640 wireless transceiver may include a WPAN radio transceiver for a wireless personal area network (e.g., using IEEE 802.15 or Bluetooth® standards), a GPS receiver, and / or a radio transceiver that operates in unlicensed spectrum (e.g., 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz). The charging system 650 can manage the energy usage of the pump monitoring system 110. For example, the charging system 650 can monitor the power capacity (e.g., voltage) of battery 230, the power consumption of the pump monitoring device 610, and / or the power supplied by solar panel 240. The charging system 650 can be configured to manage the power consumption of the pump monitoring system 110. The charging system 650 can be configured to use energy from battery 230 to power the pump monitoring device 610 when the battery energy is above a certain threshold, and to use energy from solar panel 240 to power the pump monitoring device 610 and / or charge battery 230 when the battery energy is below a certain threshold.In some modes, the controller 620 can configure the charging system 650 for a particular setting, such as the battery power threshold, how much available power from the solar panel 240 to use to charge the battery 230 and how much power to provide to the pump monitoring device 610, etc. Although Figure 6 shows exemplary components of the pump monitoring system 110, in other implementations, the pump monitoring system 110 may include fewer components, different components, components arranged differently, or additional components than those depicted in Figure 6. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110 may include additional components. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more components of the pump monitoring system 110. ΙνΙΛ / α / ΖυΖΟ / υυΊ OaU Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating exemplary components of a device 700 that may be included in a component of a pump monitoring system according to an implementation described in the present invention. The controller 620, the sensor device 630, the wireless transceiver 640, the charging system 650, the user device 150, and / or the application server 160 may each include one or more devices 700. As shown in Figure 7, the device 700 may include a bus 710, a processor 720, a memory 730, an input device 740, an output device 750, and a communication interface 760. The 710 collector may include a path that allows communication between the components of the 700 device. The 720 processor may include any type of single-core processor, multi-core processor, microprocessor, latch-based processor, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), tensor processing unit (TPU), hardware accelerator, and / or processing logic (or families of processors, microprocessors, and / or processing logic) that interprets and executes instructions.In other configurations, the 720 processor may include an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific instruction set processors (ASIPs), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), and / or other types of integrated circuits or processing logic. The 730 memory may include any type of dynamic storage device that can store information and / or instructions for execution by the 720 processor, and / or any type of non-volatile storage device that can store information for use by the 720 processor. For example, the 730 memory may include random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or another type of dynamic storage device, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), static random access memory (SRAM), single in-line memory module (SIMM), dual in-line memory module (DIMM), flash memory (for example, NAND flash memory, NOR flash memory, etc.).), or another type of static storage device, a content-addressable memory (CAM), a magnetic and / or optical recording memory device and its corresponding disk drive (e.g., a hard disk drive, an optical drive, etc.), and / or a form of removable memory, such as flash memory. Alternatively or additionally, Memory 630 may include a storage medium based on a microelectromechanical system (MEMS), and / or a storage medium based on nanotechnology. Input device 740 allows an operator to input information into device 700. Input device 740 can include, for example, a keyboard, mouse, pen, microphone, remote control, audio capture device, image and / or video capture device, touchscreen, and / or other input devices. In some configurations, device 700 can be managed remotely and may not include input device 640. In other words, device 700 can be headless and may not include a keyboard, for example. The 750 output device can provide output information to an operator of the 700 device. The 750 output device can include a display, an indicator light panel, a printer, a speaker, and / or other types of output devices. For example, the 700 device can include a display, which may include a liquid crystal display (LCD) to show content to the user, a set of 320 indicators, etc. In some implementations, the 700 device can be managed remotely and may not include the 750 output device. In other words, the 700 device can be headless and may not include a display. The 760 communication interface may include a transceiver that enables the 700 device to communicate with other devices and / or systems via wireless communications (e.g., radio frequency, infrared, and / or visual optics, etc.), wired communications (e.g., conductor wire, twisted-pair cable, coaxial cable, transmission line, fiber optic cable, and / or waveguide, etc.), or a combination of wireless and wired communications. The 760 communication interface may include a transmitter that converts baseband signals into radio frequency (RF) signals and / or a receiver that converts RF signals into baseband signals. The 760 communication interface may be coupled to an antenna for transmitting and receiving signals. RF. The 760 communication interface may include a logic component that includes input and / or output ports, input and / or output systems, and / or other input and output components that facilitate the transmission of data to, and / or the reception of data from, other devices. For example, the 760 communication interface may include a network interface card (e.g., an Ethernet card) for wired communications and / or a wireless network interface card (e.g., a Wi-Fi card) for wireless communications. The 760 communication interface may also include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for wired communications, a Bluetooth™ wireless interface, a Radio Frequency Identification (REID) interface, a Wireless Near Field Communication (NEC) interface, and / or any other type of interface that converts data from one form to another. As described in detail in the present invention, device 700 can perform certain operations related, for example, to the configuration of sensor devices 630 and / or the collection and reporting of data collected by sensor devices 630. Device 700 can perform these operations in response to the processor 720 executing software instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory 730. A computer-readable medium can be defined as a non-transient memory device. A memory device can be implemented within a single physical memory device or distributed among multiple physical memory devices. The software instructions can be read into memory 730 from another computer-readable medium or from another device.The software instructions contained in memory 730 can cause the processor 720 to perform the processes described in the present invention. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry can be used instead of, or in combination with, software instructions to implement the processes described in the present invention. Therefore, the implementations described in the present invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware and software circuitry. Although Figure 7 shows exemplary components of the 700 device, in other implementations, the 700 device may include fewer components, different components, additional components, or components arranged differently than those depicted in Figure 7. Furthermore, or alternatively, one or more components of the 700 device may include additional components. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more components of the 700 device may perform one or more tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of the 700 device. Figure 8 is a diagram of exemplary functional components of the 620 controller according to an exemplary implementation described in the present invention. The functional components of the 620 controller can be implemented, for example, through the 720 processor executing instructions from the 730 memory. Alternatively, some or all of the functional components of the 620 controller can be implemented through hardwired circuitry.As shown in Figure 8, the 620 controller may include an application server interface 810, a user device interface 820, a location monitor 830, a load system manager 840, a sensor manager 850, a sensor settings database (DB) 855, a data collector 860, a sensor data database 865, and a status monitor 870. The application server interface 810 can be configured to communicate with the application server 160. For example, the application server interface 810 can establish an Internet Protocol (IP) connection with the application server 160 and receive a set of configuration selections or settings for the sensor devices 630 and / or send collected sensor data to the application server 160. The user device interface 820 can be configured to communicate with the client application 155 running on the user device 150.For example, the 820 user device interface can establish an IP connection with the 155 client application and receive a set of configuration selections for the 630 sensor devices and / or send collected sensor data to the 155 client application. The location monitor 830 can monitor the location of the pump monitoring system 110 using GPS information received from the GPS satellite 170. The location monitor 830 can store and / or report the location of the pump monitoring system 110. The location monitor 830 can store and / or report the location of the pump monitoring system 110 to the application server 160 and / or the user device 150. The loading system administrator 840 can manage the loading system 650.For example, the charging system administrator 840 can provide one or more settings to the charging system 650 and / or receive information from the charging system 650 that can be communicated to the client application 155 and / or the application server 160, such as the battery energy level 230, the energy generated by the solar panel 240, the energy consumed by the pump monitoring device 610 and / or particular components of the pump monitoring device 610, and / or other types of information. The 850 sensor manager can manage the 630 sensor devices. For example, the 850 sensor manager can receive one or more sensor settings and / or sensor data reporting configurations from the 155 client application and / or 160 application server, store the received settings in the 855 sensor settings database, and apply the stored settings to the 630 sensor devices and / or the 860 data collector. The settings might include, for example, which 630 sensor devices to activate, a calibration process to perform to ensure the 630 sensor devices are functioning correctly and calibrated, a sensor value range over which to collect sensor data, a threshold sensor value to generate an alert, and a pulse generation parameter to generate a pulse for data collection. MA / a / ZUZÓ / UUI ouu sensor (for example, for an ultrasonic flow sensor), a data sampling interval and / or frequency, a data notification interval and / or frequency, and / or other types of configurations or settings. The 860 data collector can collect sensor data using the 630 activated sensor devices based on a set of data collection configurations and store the collected sensor data in the 865 sensor data database. In addition, the 860 data collector can automatically report the collected sensor data to the 155 client application and / or the 160 application server based on a data reporting configuration. The status monitor 870 can monitor the status of the pump monitoring system 110 and send status reports to the application server 160 and / or client application 155 at specific intervals and / or in response to the detection of an alert condition. For example, the status monitor 870 can report the status indicated by the indicators 320 and / or the status of various components of the pump monitoring system 110, such as whether any error or malfunction status has been detected. In addition, the status monitor 870 can report which sensor devices 630 have been activated, which ports 310 are in use, how much capacity is being used by the battery 230, how much energy is being used by the pump monitoring system 110 or by specific components of the pump monitoring system 110, how much energy is being generated by the solar panel 240, and / or other types of status information. Figure 9 is a flow diagram of a pump monitoring process according to an implementation described in the present invention. In some embodiments, the process 900 of Figure 9 can be performed by the pump monitoring device 610. In other embodiments, part or all of the process 900 can be performed by another device or group of devices separate from the pump monitoring device 610. As shown in Figure 9, process 900 may include obtaining a selection of sensors (block 910), obtaining sensor configurations for the selected sensors (block 920), and configuring the selected sensors based on the obtained sensor configurations (block 930). For example, pump monitoring device 610 may connect to base station 130 using wireless transceiver 640. In addition, pump monitoring device 610 may be associated with a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), IP address, Mobile Directory Number (MDN), and / or other identifier that allows client application 155 and / or application server 160 to establish a connection with pump monitoring device 610 and send instructions to pump monitoring device 510. The 610 pump monitoring device can receive a selection of 630 sensor devices to activate and a set of configurations for the specific 630 sensor devices that have been activated. The 610 pump monitoring device can apply these configurations to the 630 sensor devices. The configurations can include, for example, a calibration process to be performed, a sensor value range over which to collect sensor data, one or more sensor threshold values to trigger an alert, a pulse generation parameter to generate a pulse for collecting sensor data (for example, for an ultrasonic flow sensor), a data sampling interval and / or measurement or monitoring frequency, and / or other types of sensor configuration parameter values. In some implementations, the sensor configuration values for the 630 sensor devices, and / or the transmission configuration values for the 640 wireless transceiver, may depend on whether power is being supplied by the 230 battery or the 240 solar panel. As an example, the sensor manager ML / a / ZUZO / UUI OUU The 850 can select a configuration with fewer features and lower power consumption if the battery capacity 230 falls below a threshold or if power is being drawn from the solar panel 240, such as selecting a lower sampling rate, a lower sensor data reporting frequency, etc. As another example, the sensor manager 850 can select a higher threshold to send an alert if the battery capacity 230 falls below a threshold or if power is being drawn from the solar panel 240. Process 900 may also include obtaining a sensor data reporting configuration (block 940), collecting sensor data based on the obtained sensor configuration (block 950), and reporting the collected sensor data based on the obtained sensor data reporting configuration (block 960). For example, the pump monitoring device 610 may receive a data sampling interval and / or monitoring frequency, a data notification interval and / or frequency, a URL or other identifier to report the collected sensor data, parameters to include in the reported sensor data (e.g., the location of the pump monitoring system 110, an identifier associated with the pump equipment 120, etc.), conditions for reporting an alert based on a particular threshold, and / or other types of configurations. ML / a / ZUZO / UUI OUU sensor data notification. The 860 data collector can collect and report sensor data based on received sensor data notification configurations. For example, the 860 data collector can upload collected sensor data values to a URL on the 160 application server, 150 user device, and / or other devices at specific intervals. Alternatively, the 860 data collector can set a sensor threshold value for the 630 sensor device, detect when that threshold value has been reached or exceeded by a collected sensor value, generate an alert based on the detected sensor value, and transmit the alert to the data notification URL (or to a different alert URL, such as the 160 application server, 150 user device, etc.) via the 130 base station.In addition, the 870 status monitor can report the status of the 110 pump monitoring system at specified intervals or in response to a detected alert condition. Although the implementations described in the present invention relate to the monitoring of pumping equipment, the pump monitoring system 110 can be used, in other implementations, to monitor other types of systems in remote locations that can be monitored with a set of sensors, such as, for example, industrial IoT (IIoT) devices or systems, drilling equipment, mining equipment, power generating plants, weather stations and / or other types of remote monitoring machinery or devices. In the preceding description, several preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying figures. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes can be made to these, and additional embodiments can be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. Accordingly, the description and figures should be regarded in an illustrative and not restrictive sense. The use of the term or phrase embodiment or embodiments does not necessarily refer to all the embodiments described, nor does it necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternative embodiments necessarily mutually exclusive of other embodiment(s). The same applies to the term implementation, implementations, etc. For example, although a series of blocks has been described with respect to Figure 9, the order of the blocks can be modified in other implementations. Furthermore, independent blocks and / or signals can be implemented in parallel. iviA / a / ¿u¿ó / uu i ουυ It will be evident that the systems and / or methods, as described above, can be implemented in many different forms of software, firmware, and hardware, as illustrated in the figures. The actual software code or specialized control hardware used to implement these systems and methods is not limiting. Therefore, the operation and behavior of the systems and methods were described without reference to the specific software code, with the understanding that the software and control hardware can be designed to implement the systems and methods based on the description provided here. Furthermore, certain portions, described above, can be implemented as a component that performs one or more functions. A component, as used in the present invention, can include hardware, such as a processor, an ASIC, or an FPGA, or a combination of hardware and software (for example, a processor executing software). It should be emphasized that the terms includes / comprises when used in this description are taken to specify the presence of declared features, integers, steps or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof. The term logic, as used here, can refer to a combination of one or more processors configured to execute instructions stored in one or more memory devices, it can refer to hardwired circuits, and / or it can refer to a combination of both. Furthermore, logic can be contained within a single device or distributed across multiple, and possibly remote, devices. For the purpose of describing and defining the present invention, it is further noted that the term "substantially" is used herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. The term "substantially" is also used in the present invention to represent the degree to which a quantitative representation may vary from an established reference without any change in the fundamental function of the matter in question. No element, act, or instruction used in this application shall be construed as critical or essential to the modalities unless explicitly described as such. Likewise, as used in this invention, the terms a, an, and the shall be construed to include one or more elements. Furthermore, the phrase "based on" should be interpreted as "based, at least in part, on," unless explicitly stated otherwise. The term "and / or" should be interpreted as including any and all combinations of one or more of the associated elements. The word "exemplary" is used here to mean that it serves as an example. Any modality or implementation described as exemplary should not necessarily be interpreted as preferred or advantageous over other modalities or implementations. The use of ordinal terms such as first, second, third, etc., in the claims to modify a claim element does not in itself connote any priority, precedence, or order of one claim element over another, the temporal order in which the acts of a method are performed, the temporal order in which the instructions executed by a device are performed, etc., but are merely used as labels to distinguish one claim element having a certain name from another element having the same name (but for the use of the ordinal term) to distinguish the claim elements. It is hereby stated that, as of this date, the best method known to the applicant for putting the aforementioned invention into practice is the one that is clear from the present description of the invention.
Claims
1. A device for monitoring pumping equipment, characterized in that it comprises: a pump monitoring device comprising: a plurality of sensor devices configured to monitor the pumping equipment; a controller configured to configure the plurality of sensor devices and collect data from the sensors of the plurality of sensor devices; and a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a cellular base station; and a battery configured to supply power to the pump monitoring device; a solar panel; a charging system for charging the battery by means of the solar panel; and a chassis configured to fix the pump monitoring system, the battery, the solar panel and the charging system in a self-contained mobile monitoring device.The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the controller is further configured to: obtain a sensor configuration for particulars of the plurality of sensor devices; configure the particulars of the plurality of sensor devices based on the obtained sensor configuration; collect sensor data based on the obtained sensor configuration; and communicate the collected data via the wireless transceiver.
3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the sensor configuration for a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices includes at least one of: a calibration process to be performed; a range of sensor values over which to collect sensor data; a sensor threshold value to generate an alert; or a pulse generation parameter to generate a pulse to collect sensor data.
4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the controller is further configured to: set a sensor threshold value for a sensor device from the plurality of sensor devices; detect the sensor threshold value in the data collected from the sensor device; generate an alert based on the detected sensor threshold value; and transmit the generated alert to an application server using the wireless transceiver.
5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of sensor devices includes or interacts with at least one of: a flow meter; a fluid level meter; a vibration sensor; a temperature sensor; or a pressure sensor.
6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of sensor devices includes a plurality of interface devices for interconnecting with sensors installed on or in the pumping equipment.
7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the solar panel is fixed to the chassis in a position that protects the solar panel from impacts if the chassis is overturned.
8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a pair of wheels on a first side of the chassis; and a bar on a second side of the chassis to keep the chassis level.
9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that it further comprises: a pedal brake configured to engage the pair of wheels. 10.- The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a protective frame around the solar panel.
11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a mounting assembly for an antenna for the wireless transceiver.
12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: at least one cable hook.
13. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises: a support for the solar panel, wherein the support is configured to adjust an angle of the solar panel with respect to a chassis base.
14. A method implemented by a pump monitoring device, characterized in that it comprises: using energy from a battery to power the pump control device, when the battery is associated with a battery power exceeding a battery power threshold; using energy from a solar panel to power the pump control device, when the battery is associated with a battery power below the battery power threshold; charging the battery from solar energy when the battery is associated with a power below the battery power threshold; obtaining a sensor configuration for certain sensors from a plurality of sensor devices monitored by the pump control device; configuring specific sensors from the plurality of sensor devices based on the obtained sensor configuration; and collecting sensor data based on the obtained sensor configuration.and report the collected data via a wireless transceiver included in the pump control device.
15. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the sensor configuration for a sensor device of the plurality of sensor devices includes at least one of: a calibration process to be performed; a range of sensor values over which to collect sensor data; a sensor threshold value to generate an alert; or a pulse generation parameter to generate a pulse to collect sensor data.
16. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that it further comprises: establishing a sensor threshold value for a sensor device from the plurality of sensor devices; detecting the sensor threshold value in the data collected from the sensor device; generating an alert based on the detected sensor threshold value; and transmitting the generated alert to an application server using the wireless transceiver.
17. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the plurality of sensing devices includes or interacts with at least one of: a flow meter; a fluid level meter; a vibration sensor; a temperature sensor; or a pressure sensor.
18. The method according to claim 14, characterized in that the plurality of sensor devices includes a plurality of interface devices for interconnecting with sensors installed on or in the pumping equipment.
19. A pump monitoring device, characterized in that it comprises: a memory for storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: use energy from a battery to power the pump monitoring device, when the battery is associated with a battery power above a battery power threshold; at least one of using energy from a solar panel to power the pump monitoring device, when the battery is associated with a battery power below the battery power threshold or charging the battery from solar energy when the battery is associated with a battery power below the battery power threshold; obtaining a sensor configuration for certain ones from a plurality of sensor devices monitored by the pump control device;Configure the particular sensor devices from the plurality of sensor devices based on the obtained sensor configuration; collect sensor data based on the obtained sensor configuration; and report the collected sensor data via a wireless transceiver included in the pump monitoring device.
20. The pump monitoring device according to claim 19, characterized in that the processor is further configured to: establish a sensor threshold value for a sensor of the plurality of sensor devices; detect the sensor threshold value in the data collected from the sensor; generate an alert based on the detected sensor threshold value; and transmit the generated alert to an application server by means of the wireless transceiver.