US 11,680,865 B2
Leak detection in water distribution systems using acoustic signals
Leo W. Fleury, Jr., N. Smithfield, RI (US); Ganapathi Deva Varma Dintakurti, Brampton (CA); Werner Guenther Richarz, Thornhill (CA); James O. Williams, Marlborough, MA (US); Shabbir Yusuf, Mississauga (CA); Timothy Scott Edward Hiller, Waterloo (CA); Steven James Mercer, Guelph (CA); and Stefan Erik Janhunen, Waterloo (CA)
Assigned to Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed by Mueller International, LLC, Atlanta, GA (US)
Filed on Nov. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/536,292.
Application 17/536,292 is a continuation of application No. 15/939,942, filed on Mar. 29, 2018, abandoned.
Application 15/939,942 is a continuation of application No. 14/870,070, filed on Sep. 30, 2015, abandoned.
Application 14/870,070 is a continuation of application No. 13/492,790, filed on Jun. 8, 2012, granted, now 9,291,520, issued on Mar. 22, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/523,274, filed on Aug. 12, 2011.
Prior Publication US 2022/0082467 A1, Mar. 17, 2022
Int. Cl. G01M 3/00 (2006.01); G01M 3/24 (2006.01); E03B 7/07 (2006.01); E03B 7/00 (2006.01); E03B 9/06 (2006.01); H01Q 1/22 (2006.01); H01Q 1/38 (2006.01); H01Q 1/42 (2006.01); E03B 9/02 (2006.01); B26F 1/14 (2006.01); G01F 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC G01M 3/00 (2013.01) [E03B 7/003 (2013.01); E03B 7/071 (2013.01); E03B 9/06 (2013.01); G01M 3/24 (2013.01); G01M 3/243 (2013.01); H01Q 1/225 (2013.01); H01Q 1/2291 (2013.01); H01Q 1/38 (2013.01); H01Q 1/42 (2013.01); B26F 1/14 (2013.01); E03B 9/02 (2013.01); G01F 17/00 (2013.01); Y02A 20/15 (2018.01); Y10T 83/04 (2015.04)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A leak detection device comprising:
a rigid enclosure in vibrational communication with a component of a water distribution system;
a plurality of vibrational sensors disposed within the rigid enclosure configured to sense vibrations conducted from the component of the water distribution system through the rigid enclosure, at least two of the plurality of vibrational sensors connected together by a summation circuit; and
a digital signal processing (DSP) circuit disposed within the rigid enclosure and in electrical communication with the plurality of vibrational sensors, the DSP circuit configured to process signals from the plurality of vibrational sensors to detect a leak in the water distribution system, wherein a plurality of rigid posts are disposed on an inside surface of the rigid enclosure, the plurality of rigid posts configured to serve as mounting points for the plurality of vibrational sensors and to provide structural restraint against resonance of the rigid enclosure to reduce distortion from the resonance in the signals from the plurality of vibrational sensors.