Utility Sensor Pause Mode for Maintenance Alarm Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Connected utility sensors often generate unintended alarms during servicing or installation, leading to unnecessary dispatch of technicians and emergency responders.
Innovation Solution
A utility sensor module with an electronic processor that can be configured to enter a pause mode upon receiving a command, preventing alarms from being generated when certain thresholds are exceeded, and resume normal operation when the pause mode is canceled or expires.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor operates in normal mode to detect and alarm on threshold exceedances, then safety monitoring is improved, but false alarms during servicing/installation are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor module dynamically switches between normal operating mode and pause mode based on received commands. The electronic processor changes the operating mode of the sensor module in response to a pause mode command, allowing the system to adapt its alarm behavior to current operational context (installation/maintenance vs. normal operation).
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the alarm generation parameter (operating mode) from normal to paused based on external commands. The electronic processor is configured to change an operating mode of the utility sensor module to a pause mode, where alarm generation is temporarily suspended while maintaining threshold monitoring capability.
2Reliability
If the sensor generates alarms on threshold exceedances, then safety response is improved, but unnecessary dispatch of personnel occurs during servicing
Solution Approach 1:
A pause mode command can be issued before servicing or installation activities begin, preemptively disabling alarm generation during periods when threshold exceedances are expected to occur normally (e.g., during gas meter installation where methane detection might trigger false alarms).
Solution Approach 2:
The pause mode command acts as an intermediary control signal between the user and the alarm system. This command layer allows operators to temporarily suppress alarm generation without disabling the sensor itself, providing a clean separation between detection capability and alarm response.
3Productivity
If the sensor module enters pause mode to prevent false alarms, then operational efficiency is improved, but alarm functionality is temporarily reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pause mode operates periodically or temporarily for defined durations, allowing the system to alternate between alarm-suppressed periods (during servicing) and normal alarm-enabled periods. The electronic processor initiates a pause mode timer at a first predefined timer value, creating time-bound pause periods that automatically expire and restore normal functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The pause mode timer automatically expires and restores normal operation without requiring manual intervention. The electronic processor is configured to determine whether the pause mode timer has expired and change the operating mode to normal operation upon expiration, enabling self-managed transitions between modes.
Data Source
AI summary
A utility sensor module includes one or more sensors and an electronic processor. The electronic processor is configured to receive a pause mode command and initiate a pause mode timer at a first predefined timer value in response to receiving the pause mode command. The electronic processor is further configured to change an operating mode of the utility sensor module to a pause mode, wherein operation in the pause mode causes the sensor module to not generate an alarm when a parameter sensed by the sensors exceeds a predetermined threshold. The electronic processor is also configured to transmit a signal to a utility system indicating that the operating mode has been changed to the pause mode and determine whether the pause mode timer has expired. In response to determining that the pause mode timer has expired, the electronic processor changes the operating mode to a normal operation.