Dynamic Water Leak Detection Using Occupancy-Based Thresholds
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional water leak detection systems often generate false alarms due to varying water usage patterns based on occupancy and activity levels, as they use fixed thresholds that do not adapt to changes in property usage, leading to both missed leaks when unoccupied and false positives during occupied times.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic water leak detection system that adjusts water usage thresholds based on sensor data such as motion, camera, audio, and light sensor information to determine occupancy and activity levels, allowing for real-time adjustment of leak detection criteria to accurately identify leaks without unnecessary alarms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed water usage threshold is used for leak detection, then the system is simple to operate, but it generates false alarms during occupied times and misses leaks during unoccupied times
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic water usage thresholds that automatically adjust based on detected occupancy levels. Motion sensors detect whether occupants are present, and the system dynamically modifies the threshold accordingly: higher thresholds during occupied periods to prevent false alarms, and lower thresholds during unoccupied periods to ensure leak detection. This resolves the contradiction by making the threshold adaptive rather than fixed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback loops where motion sensor data continuously informs threshold adjustments. The monitoring server receives occupancy information from sensors, processes this feedback, and automatically modifies detection thresholds in real-time. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain high reliability across varying occupancy conditions without manual intervention.
2Measurement precision
If the water usage threshold is lowered to detect leaks during unoccupied times, then leak detection sensitivity improves, but false alarms increase during occupied times when water is being used
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts threshold sensitivity based on real-time occupancy detection. During unoccupied periods, the threshold is lowered to 0.5 gal/min for high sensitivity leak detection. During occupied periods, the threshold automatically increases to accommodate normal water usage activities. This dynamic adjustment eliminates false alarms while maintaining detection sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different threshold values (local qualities) to different occupancy conditions. Rather than using a single global threshold, the system implements context-specific thresholds: low thresholds for unoccupied states and high thresholds for occupied states. This localized approach to threshold setting resolves the contradiction between sensitivity and false alarm reduction.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the water usage threshold is raised to reduce false alarms during occupied times, then false alarm rate decreases, but the system fails to detect actual leaks during unoccupied times
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring server implements dynamic threshold modification based on occupancy status detected by motion sensors. During unoccupied periods, the system automatically lowers the threshold to enhance leak detection capability. During occupied periods, it raises the threshold to reduce false alarms. This time-varying threshold strategy maintains both reliability and false alarm reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter (water usage threshold) based on occupancy conditions. The threshold parameter is not fixed but varies according to sensor-detected occupancy levels. This parameter adaptation enables the system to maintain high reliability across different operational contexts without generating false alarms.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a storage device, for performing dynamic water leak detection are disclosed. A method includes receiving, from one or more sensors that are located throughout a property, sensor data; determining, based on the sensor data, a water usage mode of the property; selecting, based on the water usage mode, water usage criteria; receiving current water usage data representing water usage at the property; determining, based on the current water usage data, that water usage satisfies the water usage criteria; and in response to determining that the water usage at the property satisfies the water usage criteria, determining that a water leak exists at the property. The method can include storing water usage criteria corresponding to each of multiple different water usage modes, and selecting, from the stored water usage criteria, particular water usage criteria corresponding to the determined water usage mode.