Patent ID: 11859620
Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  G  H | IPC F  G  H

Claim 10:
11. A method for detecting and utilizing motion of water in sump basins when implementing control of sump pumps, the method comprising:
implementing a sump pump including a first sensor that is configured to detect water levels in a sump basin, wherein the sump pump is configured to activate and deactivate based on an output from the first sensor representing the water levels;
detecting, via a second sensor that is configured to be disposed on or within water in the sump basin, acceleration of the second sensor and generating acceleration data representing the detected acceleration;
analyzing the acceleration data to estimate a water level that is indicative of a potential fault in the first sensor, wherein estimating the water level includes
detecting within the acceleration data, a ripple pattern and comparing the detected ripple pattern to at least one known ripple pattern associated with a sump pump condition, and
determining within the acceleration data, based on the comparing, a transition from a first ripple pattern indicative of an inlet pipe being above the water level to a second ripple pattern indicative of the inlet pipe being at least partially submerged below the water level; and

in response to the determining, activating the sump pump.