Water use monitoring apparatus

摘要

The present invention is a water use and/or a water energy use monitoring apparatus that is affixed to the hot and cold water supply piping for continuously (or on demand) monitoring displaying the water and water energy (hot vs. ambient) use within a residential or commercial building. A first wire or wireless means is incorporated to communicate with a remote display for viewing by the owner of a commercial building or occupier/resident of a home. A second optional wire or wireless means can be incorporated that can be monitored by civil, commercial, governmental or municipal operators or agencies, using a remote display and/or recorder means or by a secure wire or wireless communication network (e.g. cell phone technology communication means). A third wireless means communicates water parameter data utilizing typical cell tower technology and/or mesh network technology. The water use monitor apparatus includes a power generation, a microprocessor, temperature and water flow sensors, optional water quality sensors, timing circuits, wireless circuitry, and a display means. A first wired or wireless means is designed to electronically communicate water use and water energy use information to a remotely located display for convenient observation by a commercial operator or occupier, or resident. An optional second wireless means is designed to electronically communicate water and/or water energy use information to governmental or municipal operators or agencies.

主权项

1. A water and water energy parameter use and monitoring apparatus comprising:
a base station apparatus designed to be connected to a water supply means, said base station including a housing; said base station apparatus having a plurality of joint means for connecting to a hot water supply means and a cold or ambient water supply means; said plurality of joint means including an input hot water joint means designed to be engaged to an output heated supply line near the water supply source; an input cold or ambient joint means designed to be engaged to the output of a cold or ambient water near the water supply source; said plurality of joint means further including an output hot water joint means designed to be engaged to an output hot water distribution line and an output cold or ambient joint means designed to be engaged to the output cold or ambient water distribution lines; said apparatus having one or more display means, said display means programmed to visually display one or more water parameters; electrical circuitry including a microprocessor with a power source contained within said apparatus; a first temperature sensor means in close proximity to said hot water supply line, a second temperature sensor means in close proximity to said cold or ambient water supply line, said temperature sensor means in electrical communication with said electrical circuitry; a first flow sensor means in close proximity to said hot water supply line, a second flow sensor means in close proximity to said cold or ambient water supply line, said flow sensor means in electrical communication with said electrical circuitry; said first temperature sensor together with said first flow sensor means, and said second temperature sensor together with said second sensor means communicate with said electrical circuitry and with said microprocessor, said microprocessor having programming instructions to compute water energy calculations and provide water energy data in a tabular or graphic format; one or more wired or wireless communication means, said communication means having the capability to transfer water parameter and water energy information and/or data to one or more display apparatuses; said base station and/or said display apparatuses having the means to communicate with said microprocessor to allow the modification of certain software instructions, such as changing units, changing languages, display one or more visual means or characters, enter the current data and time, changing from metric to US standard, setting alarms, monitor continuous leakage, calibrating sensors, establish communication with wired or wireless sensors, or entering cell phone numbers and any combinations thereof; said wireless or wired communication means utilizes technology to securely provide water use and water energy use information and/or data in a confidential format.