Sprinkler Water Sensing With Real-Time Flow Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid flow systems, such as smart watering systems and household devices, lack real-time flow rate tracking, leading to inaccurate scheduling and failure to detect leaks or malfunctions, and collective monitoring methods group devices together, making it difficult to identify inefficiencies or compare usage effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses flow sensors and processing elements to determine water budgets, track actual water usage, and adjust watering schedules based on real-time flow data, allowing for individual device monitoring and optimization of fluid flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If real-time flow tracking is implemented using flow sensors, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical flow measurement systems with electronic flow sensors that provide real-time digital signals. This substitution maintains high measurement precision while reducing mechanical complexity and enabling easier integration with electronic control systems for automated scheduling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback by using flow sensors to monitor actual water usage in real-time and comparing it against scheduled parameters. This feedback loop enables automated adjustments to watering schedules, improving measurement utility while managing system complexity through software-based control rather than additional hardware.
2Measurement precision
If individual device monitoring is implemented, then measurement precision and leak detection are improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal monitoring platform that can track multiple individual devices (sprinkler controllers, flow sensors) through a single centralized system. This multi-functional approach enables precise individual device monitoring while reducing overall system complexity by using a shared infrastructure for data collection, processing, and analysis across all devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a centralized processing server as an intermediary between individual flow sensors and users. This mediator consolidates data from multiple devices, performs centralized analysis for leak detection and scheduling optimization, and reduces the complexity burden on individual device components while maintaining precise monitoring capabilities.
3Productivity
If flow sensors are added to track water usage, then productivity and water usage optimization are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation by using flow sensor data to automatically adjust watering schedules without requiring manual intervention. The automated scheduling algorithm processes real-time flow data and autonomously optimizes water distribution, improving productivity and water efficiency while minimizing the need for additional control hardware or complex user interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes water usage efficiency by dynamically changing scheduling parameters (run times, start times, frequency) based on real-time flow sensor measurements. This parameter adjustment approach improves productivity and water efficiency through software-based control rather than requiring additional hardware components, thereby managing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method for optimizing downstream processes for a plurality of flow controllers includes determining a water budget for the plurality of flow controllers based on utility information and a water amount used by the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers; determining, by a processing element, a run time water amount used by the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers during a watering run time of the flow devices; modifying, by the processing element, watering schedules for the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers when the water amount used deviates from the water budget; and transmitting, by the processing element, the modified watering schedules to the plurality of flow controllers to vary the operation of the flow devices controlled by the plurality of flow controllers.