Forensic Analysis of Utility Resource Consumption Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Utility companies face challenges in determining the cause and liability of leaks in gas and water supply lines, as existing methods lack reliability in identifying the side of the meter where leaks occur, especially after events like explosions or floods, which often damage the meter and resource lines, making it difficult to analyze consumption data effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of data collection devices integrated with utility meters that log and store consumption data, allowing for forensic analysis of resource consumption patterns leading up to and during events, enabling determination of the leak's origin and liability between the utility and the customer, with capabilities for both non-networked and networked environments, including proactive detection of abnormal consumption patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional meters are used without data logging capability, then the device complexity is low, but the ability to determine when and where leaks occurred is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The meter performs preliminary actions by continuously logging resource consumption data at predetermined intervals and storing it in memory before any leak event occurs. This pre-collection of data enables post-event forensic analysis to determine when and where the leak occurred, even after the meter or lines are damaged by explosions or floods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces data collection devices and communication interfaces as intermediaries between the meter and external systems. These intermediaries enable the transfer of logged consumption data to remote servers or portable devices for analysis, allowing determination of leak characteristics without requiring the meter itself to be intact or immediately accessible.
2Reliability
If the meter and resource lines are damaged by events like explosions or floods, then the harmful effects are reduced, but the ability to analyze consumption data is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides beforehand cushioning by maintaining local copies of consumption data in the meter's memory and enabling remote access to this data. This ensures that even if the meter is physically damaged by explosions or floods, the logged consumption data remains preserved and accessible for forensic analysis, maintaining the reliability of leak determination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements copying by creating and storing duplicate copies of consumption data in multiple locations: locally in the meter's memory and remotely on external servers. This redundancy ensures that if the original meter is damaged, the data can be retrieved from copies, preserving the ability to determine when and where leaks occurred.
3Loss of information
If resource consumption data is not logged at predetermined intervals, then the data collection system is simpler, but the forensic analysis capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The meter performs preliminary action by continuously logging resource consumption data at predetermined intervals and storing it in memory before any leak event occurs. This pre-collection of timestamped data enables post-event forensic analysis to determine when and where the leak occurred, even after the meter or lines are damaged by explosions or floods.
Data Source
AI summary
Following an explosion, fire, flood, water damage, or other event, consumption data of utility resources such as gas and water may be used to determine a cause of the event. For example, an interrogation may be used to read data logging data from a data collection device. The data logging data may include a record of consumption data for a resource spanning a time of an event. The data logging data may be analyzed to determine whether a utility providing the resource was responsible for the event.