| 摘要 |
The present invention relates to water use monitoring, recording and billing, and more particularly to monitoring, recording and billing for water use at both an individual fixture and dwelling unit-level in a multi-unit dwelling structure. In an embodiment, a module includes an inlet portion defining an inlet opening and adapted to be connected to and in fluid communication with a fluid inlet line; and a first flow conditioner in fluid communication with and adapted to receive and condition a fluid flowing through the inlet opening. The module also includes a flow measuring device in fluid communication with the first flow conditioner and adapted to measure the conditioned fluid as the conditioned fluid flows past the flow measuring device and to generate a signal representing an amount of the conditioned fluid flowing past the flow measuring device; and a power generator in fluid communication with the first flow conditioner and adapted to generate and supply power. The module further includes an electronic component adapted to receive and store the generated power from the power generator and to store the signal representing the measured amount of the conditioned fluid received from the flow measuring device using the power from the power generation component or flow sensing device and, when sufficient power is available, to transmit the stored signal representing the measured volume of the displaced conditioned fluid to a monitoring system; and an outlet portion defining an outlet opening in fluid communication with the flow measuring device and the outlet opening adapted to be connected to an outlet line and to allow the conditioned fluid that flows past the flow measuring device to exit the apparatus; where the apparatus is sized to completely fit and operate from inside one of a plurality of plumbing fixtures.
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