Patent Description:
Homes and commercial buildings have water distributed by pipe systems that can be very complex with many junctions and branches. Often it may be determined that there is an unintentional egress point, or a leak, somewhere within the plumbing system, but it may be difficult to identify the location of the leak, so that the leak can be repaired in a timely manner. Without a detailed map of the plumbing system, it may be necessary to remove drywall in various areas of the building until the leak can be found by visual inspection. This may result in significant additional costs to replace and paint the drywall once the leak has been repaired. Further, it may be useful to determine the location of an intentional egress point, such as the opening of a fixture to allow water to flow out of the fixture.

Many buildings have small leaks that go undetected for months and years that causes water loss and air quality issues. Water is a precious commodity in drought stricken climates with a large percentage lost before it reaches our sinks, showers and swimming pools. Toxic mold causes adverse reactions with the occupants of buildings. Mold is generally in the environment waiting for a source of moisture to thrive and develop reproductive spores. Those spores cause much of the irritation and destroy air quality. Without mechanisms to detect inadvertent liquid egress, mold will continue to capitalize on a favorable habitat.

<CIT> discloses a method and system for sensing events affecting liquid flow in a liquid distribution system by monitoring pressure transients in the liquid using a single sensor. <CIT> discloses a method and apparatus for determining leakage volume of fluid in a transportation pipeline by obtaining negative pressure wave signals detected by at least two pressure sensors arranged on the pipeline.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system that includes a branched system of pipes within a building. According to an aspect of the invention defined by appended claim <NUM>, a system includes a first sensor that is configured to measure a first pressure signal as a function of time at a first location within the plumbing system, and a second sensor that is configured to measure a second pressure signal as a function of time at a second location within the plumbing system. The plumbing system includes multiple branch points between the first location and the second location. The system also includes a processor that is configured to determine a temporal difference between a first pressure drop in the first pressure signal and a second pressure drop in the second pressure signal, and use the temporal difference to determine an estimated location of the egress point in the plumbing system.

The system may also include a portable microphone that is configured to measure an audio signal by scanning an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point. The processor may be further configured to use the audio signal to modify the estimated location of the egress point.

The system may also include a transducer that is configured to apply an ultrasonic signal to a pipe within the plumbing system, and a portable microphone that is configured to measure an alteration of the ultrasonic signal that propagates through the egress point by scanning an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point. The processor may be further configured to use the alteration of the ultrasonic signal to modify the estimated location of the egress point.

The system may also include a portable scanner that is configured to measure an infrared signal by scanning an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point. The processor may be further configured to use the infrared signal to modify the estimated location of the egress point.

The estimated location of the egress point is between a first fixture and a second fixture within the plumbing system, and the egress point corresponds to a leak in a pipe. Alternatively, the estimated location of the egress point may correspond to a location of a fixture within the plumbing system. The estimated location of the egress point is determined by comparing the temporal difference with a database of calibrated temporal differences for a plurality of fixtures within the plumbing system.

According to another aspect of the invention defined by appended claim <NUM>, a method for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system that includes a branched system of pipes within a building is provided. According to yet another aspect of the invention defined by appended claim <NUM>, a machine-readable medium for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system that includes a branched system of pipes within a building is provided.

According to an unclaimed aspect, a portable device for analyzing water in a plumbing system is provided. The portable device includes a pipe; an adapter that is configured to connect the pipe with an output of a water source within the plumbing system; at least one sensor that is configured to measure information about water within the pipe; a processor that is configured to analyze the information from the at least one sensor; and a transceiver that is configured to receive the information from the processor and transmit the information to at least one of a network, a cloud analyzer, or a user device.

The water source may include a faucet, a spout, a shower head, an aerator, and/or an outdoor spigot. The portable device may also include a one-way valve that is configured to regulate water flow into the pipe from the water source; a water level sensor that is configured to detect when the pipe is filled with the water; and a shutoff valve that is configured to prevent the water from exiting the pipe. Alternatively or in addition, the portable device may also include a temperature sensor that is configured to measure a temperature of the water within the pipe, and a pressure sensor that is configured to measure a pressure of the water within the pipe. The processor may be further configured to detect a leak in the plumbing system by analyzing the temperature and/or the pressure of the water within the pipe.

Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating various embodiments, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to necessarily limit the scope of the disclosure.

In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have the same reference label.

The ensuing description provides preferred exemplary embodiment(s) only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the disclosure. Rather, the ensuing description of the preferred exemplary embodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing a preferred exemplary embodiment. It is understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims.

Referring first to <FIG>, a block diagram of an embodiment of a water analysis system <NUM> is shown. The municipal water system <NUM> is connected to the building <NUM> with a water main <NUM>, but other embodiments could source their water from a well, a cistern, a tank, or any other source. Different water sources may use different flow and leak detection algorithms.

The water from the municipal water system <NUM> has a temperature that varies relatively slowly since they are typically delivered via pipes which are buried underground. With the ground acting as a heat sink there is less variation in temperature as compared to the atmospheric temperature. The temperatures of municipal water systems <NUM> vary slightly from around <NUM> to <NUM>°F (<NUM> to <NUM>). Such temperature changes are dependent upon well depth and aboveground storage facilities. Surface water temperatures vary with seasonal change from around <NUM> to <NUM>°F (<NUM> to <NUM>) with even higher temperatures in the deep South and Southwest of the United States for example. It can be said that the municipal water system <NUM> temperature remains relatively stable during a given season for a given location (temperature varies from <NUM>°F in Anchorage, AK to <NUM>°F in Phoenix, AZ). The temperature changes seen in the plumbing system <NUM> are due to water flowing through the pipes and can help detect small unintended water usages or leaks continuously without engaging the shutoff-valve or other techniques that actively engage the plumbing system as described in published US Patent Application Number <CIT>.

When water is stagnant or unmoving in the pipes (i.e., there is no intentional water egress or leaks) the temperature of water varies based on the temperature of where the water device <NUM> is installed and the temperature of the municipal water system <NUM> entering the building. Where the water device <NUM> is installed inside a building, for example, the temperature will stabilize at the ambient temperature typically regulated by a HVAC thermostat. On the other hand, if the water device <NUM> is placed outdoors it will vary as the weather changes over the course of the day. For small flows that are not detected by conventional flow sensors, there is a change in the temperature noted by the water device <NUM>. Depending on the rate of water flow, the temperature measured by the water device <NUM> stabilizes at a certain temperature that is between the temperature of the municipal water system <NUM> and the temperature the plumbing system is exposed to in the building <NUM>.

Remote from the building <NUM> over the Internet <NUM> is a cloud analyzer <NUM> that is in communication with various buildings and user devices <NUM>. User account information, sensor data, local analysis, municipal water usage information for the building <NUM> is passed to the cloud analyzer <NUM>. User devices <NUM> may connect with the water device <NUM> and the cloud analyzer through a local network <NUM> and/or a cellular network. The water device <NUM> can have an Ethernet, a broadband over power line, a WiFi, Bluetooth, and/or a cellular connection coupled to the cloud analyzer <NUM>. Some embodiments include a gateway or peer node that the water device can connect to that is coupled to the network <NUM> and/or Internet <NUM> using WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, or other short range wireless signals. Generally, there is a gateway or firewall between the network <NUM> and the Internet <NUM>. Where there are multiple water devices <NUM> they can communicate directly with each other or through the network <NUM> or other LAN / WAN.

Within the building <NUM>, the plumbing system <NUM> is a collection of pipes connected to appliances and fixtures all coupled to the water main <NUM>. A building <NUM> may have one or more water device(s) <NUM> in fluid communication with the plumbing system <NUM>. A water device <NUM> may be coupled to the cold and/or hot water pipe at a particular location, or coupled to any accessible faucet or other source of water, and wirelessly or wire communicates with the network <NUM>. Different water devices <NUM> may have different configurations with more or less sensors and processing capabilities. Some water devices <NUM> have only peer communication with other water devices <NUM> while others have LAN and/or WAN capabilities.

Pressure in the plumbing system can be analyzed with the water device <NUM> along with temperature, flow, sound, etc. The municipal water system <NUM> is pressurized so that the plumbing fixtures dispense water when opened. The water main <NUM> into the building is typically at <NUM>-<NUM> psi. Most buildings buffer the water main pressure with a pressure reducing valve (PRV) to lower the pressure to <NUM>-<NUM> psi, which also isolates noise seen with sensors when connected directly to the water main <NUM>. Within the building <NUM>, temperature and pressure are stabilize at a given rate of flow caused by leak or intentional egress from the plumbing system <NUM>. Measuring with various sensors at the water device <NUM> allows detecting egress even for situations with a conventional flow sensor cannot perceive any usage.

The water device(s) <NUM> uses different techniques to find very small leaks in the plumbing system <NUM> that are not detected by a conventional flow sensor. For example, turbine flow meters do not sense below <NUM> gpm and ultrasonic flow sensors have resolution down to <NUM>-<NUM> gpm. Statistical approaches and signal processing techniques process temperature, pressure and/or other sensor readings for the leak detection by relying on variations of the temperature signal to provide first insights into the possibility of a leak with pressure and/or flow sensing optionally assisting in validating the likelihood of a leak in the plumbing system <NUM>. Embodiments allow detection of leaks below <NUM> gpm and as low as <NUM> gpm in various embodiments.

One or more point interface(s) <NUM> may or may not be in fluid communication with the plumbing system, but can gather data in some embodiments such as ambient temperature, temperature outside the pipe, water pressure inside the pipe, and/or acoustic waves inside or outside the pipe. The point interfaces <NUM> are coupled to the network <NUM> to allow input and output to the user with an interface, and/or could use peer connection with other point interfaces <NUM> and/or water devices <NUM>. The point interface <NUM> may be separate from the plumbing system <NUM> altogether while providing status on the water analysis system <NUM> such as instantaneous water usage, water usage over a time period, water temperature, water pressure, error conditions, etc. relayed from a water device <NUM>. Error conditions such as leaks, frozen pipes, running toilets or faucets, missing or defective PRV, water bill estimates, low pressure, water heater malfunction, well pump issues, and/or other issues with the plumbing system <NUM> can be displayed at the point interfaces <NUM>.

The user device <NUM> can be any tablet, cellular telephone, web browser, or other interface to the water analysis system <NUM>. The water device(s) <NUM> is enrolled into a user account with the user device <NUM>. Some or all of the information available at a point interface <NUM> can be made available to the user device using an application, app and/or browser interface. The user device <NUM> can wired or wirelessly connect with the water device(s) <NUM>, cloud analyzer <NUM>, and/or point interface(s) <NUM> using the LAN network <NUM> or a WAN network.

With reference to <FIG>, a block diagram of an embodiment of a water device <NUM> is shown. Different versions of water device <NUM> may have fewer components, for example, a water device <NUM> at an egress point or fixture may only have pressure and temperature sensors <NUM>, <NUM> with a network interface <NUM> to relay that information to another water device <NUM> for processing. A power supply <NUM> could be internal or external to the water device <NUM> to provide DC or AC power to the various circuits. In some embodiments, a replaceable battery provides power while other embodiments use the water pressure to drive a turbine that recharges a battery to provide power without using grid power.

Some water devices <NUM> include a valve actuator <NUM> that operates a valve suspending flow from the water main <NUM>. If there is a leak detected or testing is performed, the valve actuator <NUM> may be activated to prevent further consumption of water from the municipal water system <NUM>. In some embodiments, the valve actuator <NUM> can partially constrict the water flow to change the water pressure in the building <NUM>. Modulating the water pressure with the valve actuator <NUM> allows introduction of pressure waves into the plumbing system <NUM>.

An analysis engine <NUM> gathers various data from the pressure sensor(s) <NUM>, flow sensor(s) <NUM>, temperature sensor(s) <NUM>, and audio sensor(s) <NUM>, sonar transducer <NUM>, and/or water level sensor(s) <NUM>. Interface pages <NUM> allow interaction with the water device <NUM> through a network interface <NUM> in a wired or wireless fashion with the user device(s) <NUM>. The analysis engine <NUM> also supports a unit interface <NUM> that is physically part of the water device <NUM> to display various status, information and graphics using an OLED, LED, LCD display and/or status lights or LEDs.

Various information is stored by the water device <NUM>, which may be reconciled with the cloud analyzer <NUM> in-whole or in-part using the network interface <NUM> coupled with the LAN network <NUM> or the Internet <NUM> using a cellular modem. Sensor data for the various sensors <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> are stored in the sensor data store <NUM> over time to allow for longitudinal analysis. For example, several hours through several days of sensor data can be stored. The granularity of readings and length of time stored may be predefined, limited by available storage or change based upon conditions of the plumbing system <NUM>. For example, data samples every second over a two day period could be stored, but when a leak is suspected the sample rate could increase to sixty times a second for four hours of time.

When fixtures or appliances interact with the water in the plumbing system <NUM>, recognizable patterns occur at the water device <NUM>. Pattern profiles <NUM> are stored to quickly match current sensor readings to known events. For example, a particular faucet when used may cause the flow, pressure and/or temperature sensor <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> readings to fluctuate in a predictable manner such that the pattern profile can be matched to current readings to conclude usage is occurring at a particular egress point. Published US Patent Application Number <CIT>, describes this analysis. The pattern profiles <NUM> can be in the time domain and/or frequency domain to support various condition matching by the analysis engine <NUM>. Both intentional egress and leaks have pattern profiles <NUM> that are stored.

Audio patterns and sonar patterns captured respectively from the audio sensor <NUM> and sonar transducer <NUM> are also stored as pattern profiles <NUM>. The sonar transducer <NUM> may also emit bursts or pulses into the water at different frequencies, amplitudes and durations stored with the other pattern profiles <NUM>. The sonar transducer <NUM> can also operate as a microphone to listen to reflections of the signals sent or from other water devices <NUM> in lieu of the audio sensor <NUM> or in addition to the audio sensor <NUM>. Some pressure sensors are sensitive to the <NUM> or lower spectrum to also act as a sonar microphone. The audio sensor(s) <NUM> could be coupled to the water, pipes, appliances, fixtures, and/or ambient air in the building <NUM> in various embodiments.

A configuration database <NUM> stores information gathered for the water device <NUM>. The Table depicts water supply parameters stored in the configuration database <NUM>. Type of plumbing system <NUM> includes those without a PRV, using well water, with a working PRV, and with a non-functional PRV. The water supply to the water main <NUM> can be from the municipal water system <NUM>, a well, a water tank, and/or other source. The configuration database <NUM> can be automatically populated using algorithms of the analysis engine <NUM> or manually entered by the user device <NUM>. Different fixtures and appliances connected to the plumbing system <NUM> are noted in the configuration database <NUM> as automatically determined or entered manually.

Referring next to <FIG>, a block diagram of an embodiment of a cloud analyzer <NUM> is shown. The cloud analyzer <NUM> receives data and configuration information from many buildings <NUM> throughout the water analysis system <NUM>. Each building <NUM> has a system profile <NUM> that is stored including the fixtures, appliances, water device(s) <NUM>, point interface(s) <NUM>, type of water supply, water source type, etc. are stored. Account information <NUM> including login credentials, building location, and/or user demographic information is also stored. Gathered sensor data in raw and processed form is stored as analyzer data <NUM> and could include usage history, specific egress events, leaks detected, fixture profiles, appliance profiles, etc..

The system analyzer <NUM> can process the data from each building <NUM> to find patterns corresponding to leaks, malfunctions, and other events that are not recognized by the water device <NUM> locally. By gathering sensor information from many buildings <NUM>, the system analyzer <NUM> can use machine learning and big data to find very weak signals in the gathered sensor information. The system analyzer <NUM> can access any water device <NUM> or point interface <NUM> to test functionality, update software, and/or gather data. Where a user device <NUM> is coupled to the cloud analyzer <NUM>, the system analyzer <NUM> receives commands to perform requested tasks from users. For example, the user device <NUM> can query for usage on a per fixture or appliance basis. Overall usage by the plumbing system <NUM> in the associated building <NUM> can also be determined. The system analyzer <NUM> can access the water utility usage and billing to provide insights into costs and overall consumption. For those utilities that provide usage information in real time, the usage and cost can be determined for each use of the plumbing system <NUM>.

An account interface <NUM> allows various water devices <NUM> and user devices <NUM> to interact with the cloud analyzer <NUM> through an internet interface <NUM>. The cloud analyzer <NUM> provides historical and real time analysis of buildings <NUM> a user is authorized to access. Various interaction pages of the account interface <NUM> allows entry of plumbing system information, configuration parameters, building location, and/or user demographic information. Various reports and status parameters are presented to the user device <NUM> through the account interface <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, a block diagram of an embodiment of a plumbing system <NUM> is shown. The municipal water system <NUM> is connected to a main shutoff valve <NUM>-<NUM> before the water main <NUM> passes through a water meter <NUM> provided by the municipality for billing purposes. The water meter <NUM> may be electronically or manually read to determine the bill, but some embodiments allow real time reading of the water meter <NUM> electronically over a WAN or LAN.

Building codes often require use of a PRV <NUM>, but not universally. Older homes may also be missing a PRV, have one that no longer functions properly or have less than <NUM> psi supplied by the municipal water system <NUM>. A building shutoff valve <NUM>-<NUM> is often located interior to the building <NUM> and provides another place to close off the water main. A water device <NUM> is located after the building shutoff valve <NUM>-<NUM>, but before a water heater <NUM> in this embodiment. The water device <NUM> can be placed under the sink, near an appliance or any other location where fluid coupling is convenient with a source of power nearby.

In this example, a portion of a water line may be removed, such that the water device <NUM> may be installed inline with the water line. Alternatively, as discussed in further detail below, the water device <NUM> can be coupled to a fixture <NUM> through which water can flow, such as a water spigot or faucet. The hot water pipes <NUM> provide heated water to the building <NUM> and the cold water pipes <NUM> provide unheated water varying between the ambient temperature in the building <NUM> and the temperature of the municipal water system <NUM>. The hot water pipes <NUM> may include a circulation pump. The hot and cold water pipes <NUM>, <NUM> could branch and split in any configuration as they are fed through the walls and floors of the building <NUM>.

This embodiment has a single bathroom <NUM>, a kitchen <NUM>, a washing machine <NUM>, and a water spigot <NUM>, but other embodiments could have more or less fixtures and appliances. The bathroom <NUM> has a shower <NUM>, sink <NUM>, bathtub <NUM>, and toilet <NUM> that use water. The sink <NUM>, bathtub <NUM>, and shower <NUM> are all hooked to both the hot and cold water pipes <NUM>, <NUM>. The toilet <NUM> only requires cold water so is not hooked to the hot water pipes <NUM>. Other buildings <NUM> could have any number of egress points from the plumbing system <NUM>.

The kitchen <NUM> includes a two-basin sink <NUM>, a refrigerator <NUM> with a liquid/ice dispenser, and a dishwasher <NUM>. The refrigerator <NUM> only receives cold water <NUM>, but the two-basin sink <NUM> and dishwasher <NUM> receive both cold and hot water pipes <NUM>, <NUM>. Kitchens <NUM> commonly include single-basin sinks and other appliances that might be coupled to the water. A typical building <NUM> has hundreds or thousands of pipes branching in every direction.

Referring next to <FIG>, a diagram of an embodiment of a water device <NUM> is shown. The water device <NUM> may pass water through a pipe <NUM> that is integral to the water device <NUM>. The pipe <NUM> may be attached on both ends to either a hot or a cold water line <NUM>, <NUM>. Alternatively, the top of the pipe <NUM> may be connected to an adapter for a faucet. The integral portion of the pipe <NUM> could be made of copper, PVC, plastic, or other building pipe material and could be mated to the plumbing system <NUM> with soldered joints, glued joints, and/or detachable and flexible hoses in various embodiments.

There are several modules that make up the water device <NUM>. A power supply <NUM> powers the water device <NUM> and could be internal or external to the enclosure. A network module <NUM> includes the network interface <NUM> to allow wired or wireless communication with the network <NUM> and Internet <NUM> to other components of the water analysis system <NUM>. A display assembly <NUM> includes the unit interface <NUM>.

Another module is the circuit card <NUM> which performs the processing for various sensors. Sensor information can be processed on the circuit card <NUM> using the analysis engine <NUM> and/or processed in the cloud using the system analyzer <NUM>. Sensor information is gathered and analyzed over hours and days to find weak signals in the data indicating usage, leaks and other issues. The circuit card <NUM> might recognize sensor samples of interest and upload those to the cloud analyzer <NUM> for deep learning of the sensor data. The circuit card <NUM> and cloud analyzer <NUM> can use artificial intelligence, genetic algorithms, fuzzy logic, and/or machine learning to recognize the condition and state of the plumbing system <NUM>.

This embodiment includes three temperature sensors <NUM> to measure the ambient temperature with a temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM> near the outside of the enclosure and away from the internal electronics and water temperature of the water in the pipe <NUM> in two locations. A first temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM> measures water temperature in contact with the water as it enters the pipe <NUM> of the water device <NUM> away from any heat that the various circuits might generate. A second temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM> measures water temperature at a second location within the pipe <NUM> and away from the first temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM>. Based upon readings of the two water temperature sensors <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM>, the heat generated by the water device <NUM> is algorithmically corrected for. A third temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM> measures the ambient temperature outside of the pipe <NUM>. Other embodiments may only use a single water temperature sensor and/or forgo the ambient temperature sensing. Ambient temperature may be measured by other equipment in the building and made available over the network <NUM>, for example, the thermostat, smoke detectors, other water devices <NUM>, and/or point interface(s) <NUM> can measure ambient temperature and provide it to other equipment in the building <NUM>. Some embodiments could have a temperature sensor outside the building <NUM> or gather that information from local weather stations over the Internet <NUM>.

This embodiment includes an electronically actuated shutoff valve <NUM>. The shutoff valve <NUM> can be used to prevent flooding for leaks downstream of the water device <NUM>. Additionally, the shutoff valve <NUM> can aid in detecting leaks. For example, the shutoff valve <NUM> and detecting a falling pressure is indicative of a leak downstream. Some embodiments can partially close the shutoff valve <NUM> to regulate pressure downstream. A one-way valve <NUM> may also be provided to regulate water flow into the pipe <NUM> and force it to flow in one direction.

A flow sensor <NUM> is used to measure the motion of water in the in the pipe <NUM>. In this embodiment, an ultrasonic flow sensor is used, but other embodiments could use a rotameter, variable area flow meter, spring and piston flow meter, mass gas flow meters, turbine flow meters, paddlewheel sensors, positive displacement flow meter, and vortex meter. Generally, these meters and sensors cannot measure very small flows in a pipe in a practical way for building deployments. A plurality of electrodes <NUM> including a reference electrode and a measurement electrode may be provided within the pipe <NUM> to indicate a water level within the pipe <NUM>.

This embodiment includes a sonar emitter <NUM> that produces sound tones, pules and/or bursts at different frequencies. A sonar microphone <NUM> receives sonar signals from the water in the pipe <NUM>. Reflections from the various branches of the plumbing system <NUM> will produce reflections of different amplitude and delay according to the length of travel and other factors. When there are blockages in the plumbing system <NUM> from valves, clogs and/or frozen pipes, the echoes from the sonar emissions are received by the sonar microphone <NUM>. Changes in the time delay between transmission and receiving of sonar signals indicate blockage or other changes in the plumping system <NUM>. Other embodiments may combine the sonar emitter and microphone with a single sonar transducer.

The circuit card <NUM> is connected with a pressure sensor <NUM>, which is coupled to the water in the pipe <NUM>. Readings from the pressure sensor <NUM> are used to test the PRV <NUM>, well pump, water supply, freeze conditions, and pipe for leaks as well as identify normal egress from the water fixtures and appliances. Pressure and temperature vary with flow such that the pressure sensor <NUM> and temperature sensor <NUM>-<NUM>, <NUM>-<NUM> can be used to detect flow as small as tiny leaks under certain circumstances. The circuit card <NUM> observes trends in the sensor data, performs spectral analysis, pattern matching and other signal processing on the sensor data. Published US Patent Application Number <CIT>, describes how to use the water device <NUM> to detect and characterize small leaks.

Referring next to <FIG>, an embodiment of water fixture <NUM> is fitted with integral sensors to provide some of the capability of the water device of <FIG>. An electronics module <NUM> includes a network interface for LAN and/or WAN communication along with circuitry to operate sensors and process or partially process the resulting readings. This embodiment includes a temperature sensor <NUM>, pressure sensor <NUM> and a sonar microphone <NUM>, but other embodiments could include more or less sensors. For example, some embodiments include a sonar emitter or a combination pressure and temperature sensor. The water fixture <NUM> could have other electronic features such as adjusting the egress flow to override a manual knob <NUM> or mixture of hot and cold water to adjust the temperature of water exiting the water fixture <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, a block diagram of an embodiment of a plumbing system <NUM> is shown. The plumbing system may include the water heater <NUM>, which is coupled to the hot water pipe <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM>. Each of the hot water pipe <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM> branches off throughout the plumbing system <NUM>. For simplicity, <FIG> only shows a subset of the fixtures that may be included in the plumbing system <NUM> shown in <FIG>. Specifically, <FIG> only shows the sink <NUM> in the kitchen <NUM>, the toilet <NUM> in the bathroom <NUM>, and the sink <NUM> in the bathroom <NUM>. Although only one water device <NUM> is shown, the plumbing system <NUM> may include any number of water devices and/or water fixtures. The plumbing system <NUM> may also include any number of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, audio sensors, flow sensors, transducers, and/or microphones.

A first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be affixed to a branch of the hot water pipe <NUM> underneath the sink <NUM> in the kitchen <NUM>. The first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be a standalone component, or may be integrated within the water device <NUM> or the water fixture <NUM>. A second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be affixed to a branch of the cold water pipe <NUM> underneath the sink <NUM> in the kitchen <NUM>. The second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be a standalone component, or may be integrated within the water device <NUM> or the water fixture <NUM>. The first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> and the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be affixed to any segment of the hot water pipe <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM>, respectively. More generally, the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> and the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be affixed to any separate locations within the plumbing system <NUM>, provided that there is at least one branch point between the locations. The first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> and the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> may be configured to determine an estimated location of an egress point, such as a leak <NUM> within the plumbing system <NUM> or the opening of a fixture within the plumbing system <NUM>.

Referring next to <FIG>, an embodiment of a method <NUM> for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system in shown. The method <NUM> begins at block <NUM> where a database of calibrated temporal differences for a plurality of fixtures within the plumbing system <NUM> is generated. In the simplified example of the plumbing system <NUM> shown in <FIG>, the database may include data for the toilet <NUM> in the bathroom <NUM> and the sink <NUM> in the bathroom <NUM>. However, the database may also include data for additional fixtures within the plumbing system <NUM>, such as the fixtures that are included in the plumbing system <NUM> shown in <FIG>. In general, the database may include data for any or all fixtures within a plumbing system, provided that the fixtures are connected to the hot water pipe <NUM> and/or the cold water pipe <NUM>.

Referring next to <FIG>, examples of pressure data that may be used to generate the database of calibrated temporal differences are shown. Each graph includes a first pressure signal <NUM> as a function of time as measured by the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the hot water pipe <NUM>, and a second pressure signal <NUM> as a function of time as measured by the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the cold water pipe <NUM>. The events shown in each graph are generated by turning on the hot water or the cold water at various fixtures within the plumbing system <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, eleven events are shown for various fixtures within the plumbing system <NUM>. Specifically, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water at the kitchen sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the hot water at the kitchen sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water at the kitchen sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the hot water at the kitchen sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water at the bathroom sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the hot water at the bathroom sink <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water by flushing the toilet <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the hot water at an upstairs bathroom sink (not shown) at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water at the upstairs bathroom sink at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the cold water at the bathtub <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm, and event <NUM> corresponds to turning on the hot water at the bathtub <NUM> at a flow rate of <NUM> gpm.

With reference to <FIG>, a magnified view of event <NUM> is shown. This view demonstrates that after the cold water is turned on at the kitchen sink <NUM>, the second pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the cold water pipe <NUM> drops before the first pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the hot water pipe <NUM>. The first pressure signal <NUM> and the second pressure signal <NUM> may be transmitted to the user device <NUM> and/or the water device <NUM>, and a processor within either of these devices may determine the temporal difference between the pressure drops. The temporal difference and the conditions under which event <NUM> occurred may be recorded in the database of calibrated temporal differences.

With reference to <FIG>, a magnified view of event <NUM> is shown. This view demonstrates that after the hot water is turned on at the kitchen sink <NUM>, the first pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the hot water pipe <NUM> drops before the second pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the cold water pipe <NUM>. The first pressure signal <NUM> and the second pressure signal <NUM> may be transmitted to the user device <NUM> and/or the water device <NUM>, and a processor within either of these devices may determine the temporal difference between the pressure drops. The temporal difference and the conditions under which event <NUM> occurred may be recorded in the database of calibrated temporal differences.

With reference to <FIG>, a magnified view of event <NUM> is shown. This view demonstrates that after the cold water is turned on at the bathroom sink <NUM>, the second pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the cold water pipe <NUM> drops before the first pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the hot water pipe <NUM>. The first pressure signal <NUM> and the second pressure signal <NUM> may be transmitted to the user device <NUM> and/or the water device <NUM>, and a processor within either of these devices may determine the temporal difference between the pressure drops. The temporal difference and the conditions under which event <NUM> occurred may be recorded in the database of calibrated temporal differences.

With reference to <FIG>, a magnified view of event <NUM> is shown. This view demonstrates that after the hot water is turned on at the bathroom sink <NUM>, the first pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the hot water pipe <NUM> drops before the second pressure signal <NUM> as measured by the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> for the cold water pipe <NUM>. The first pressure signal <NUM> and the second pressure signal <NUM> may be transmitted to the user device <NUM> and/or the water device <NUM>, and a processor within either of these devices may determine the temporal difference between the pressure drops. The temporal difference and the conditions under which event <NUM> occurred may be recorded in the database of calibrated temporal differences.

The database of calibrated temporal differences may be used to determine an estimated location of an egress point in a plumbing system, such as leak <NUM> in plumbing system <NUM> or the opening of a fixture in plumbing system <NUM>. Each temporal difference provides a unique signature for the fixture at which the corresponding event occurred. The database of calibrated temporal differences may serve as a map of the fixtures within the plumbing system <NUM>, such that the location of a subsequent event, such as a leak, may be narrowed down by comparing its temporal difference with the calibrated temporal differences within the database.

Returning to <FIG>, the method <NUM> continues by using the first pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> to measure the first pressure signal <NUM> for the first location, such as the hot water pipe <NUM>, at block <NUM>. This measurement may be performed to estimate the location of leak <NUM> in plumbing system <NUM>. The method <NUM> also uses the second pressure sensor <NUM>-<NUM> to measure the second pressure signal <NUM> for the second location, such as the cold water pipe <NUM>, at block <NUM>. The first pressure signal <NUM> and the second pressure signal <NUM> may be transmitted to the user device <NUM> and/or the water device <NUM>, and a processor within either of these devices may determine the temporal difference between the pressure drops at block <NUM>. The processor may then use the measured temporal difference to determine the estimated location of leak <NUM> at block <NUM>. For example, the processor may compare the measured temporal difference to the calibrated temporal differences within the database, and determine that leak <NUM> is occurring within one of the fixtures or between two of the fixtures. In one example, if the measured temporal difference for leak <NUM> is between the calibrated temporal differences for the bathroom sink <NUM> and the kitchen sink <NUM>, the processor may determine that leak <NUM> is located within the cold water pipe <NUM> between the bathroom sink <NUM> and the kitchen sink <NUM>. Once the estimated location of leak <NUM> has been determined, various methods may be used to refine the estimate, as discussed in further detail below. Alternatively, the processor may use the measured temporal difference to determine which fixture was opened at block <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, an embodiment of a method <NUM> for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system in shown. The method <NUM> begins at block <NUM> where an estimated location of an egress point is transmitted to the user device <NUM>. The estimated location of the egress point may be transmitted by any suitable method, such as through network <NUM> and/or Internet <NUM>. Block <NUM> may be omitted if the user device <NUM> determines the estimated location of the egress point. The estimated location of the egress point may be determined by method <NUM>.

A user may scan the user device <NUM> in an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point at block <NUM>. The user device <NUM> may include a first sonar microphone that is configured to measure audio signals. As water exits a pipe through a hole in the pipe, the leak may produce enough sound to be detected by the first sonar microphone at block <NUM>. For example, the leak may make various sounds such as a fast drip, a slow drip, or a spray. The leak may have a frequency that can provide a signature for detection. Further, an intentional egress may make various sounds, such as rushing water or rattling pipes. The user device <NUM> may also include a filter that enables the user to filter out sounds that are unlikely to be caused by the leak. The user device <NUM> may also include a speaker that is configured to produce an audible sound to assist the user in locating the egress point. For example, as the user moves the user device <NUM> closer to the egress point, the speaker may emit an audible sound that becomes louder, or that repeats itself at a higher frequency. Once the user device <NUM> has identified a position at which the audio signal is maximized, the estimated location of the egress point may be modified accordingly at block <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the user device <NUM> may include a second sonar microphone that is configured to measure audio signals. The second sonar microphone may detect the sound produced by the egress point at block <NUM>. Once the user device <NUM> has identified a position at which the audio signal is maximized, the estimated location of the egress point may be modified by triangulating the measurements from the first sonar microphone and the second sonar microphone at block <NUM>.

With reference to <FIG>, an embodiment of another method <NUM> for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system in shown. The method <NUM> begins at block <NUM> where an estimated location of an egress point is transmitted to the user device <NUM>. The estimated location of the egress point may be transmitted by any suitable method, such as through network <NUM> and/or Internet <NUM>. Block <NUM> may be omitted if the user device <NUM> determines the estimated location of the egress point. The estimated location of the egress point may be determined by method <NUM>.

An ultrasonic signal may be applied to a pipe within the plumbing system <NUM> at block <NUM>. The ultrasonic signal may be applied by a transducer within the user device <NUM>. Alternatively, the ultrasonic signal may be applied by a transducer within the water device <NUM> or a standalone transducer, in which case the transducer transmits information about the ultrasonic signal to the user device <NUM>. The information may include the frequency of the ultrasonic signal and the location and time at which the ultrasonic signal was applied. The frequency may be selected based on an estimated size of the hole in the pipe. Further, the frequency may be adjusted until a resonant frequency is identified. The information may also include any encoding of the ultrasonic signal. In addition, multiple ultrasonic signals may be applied by multiple transducers, in which the multiple ultrasonic signals may have different frequencies.

A user may scan the user device <NUM> in an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point at block <NUM>. The user device <NUM> may include a first sonar microphone that is configured to measure ultrasonic signals. When the ultrasonic signal reaches the hole in the pipe, the ultrasonic signal is altered as it escapes from the pipe through the hole. The altered ultrasonic signal may be detected by the first sonar microphone at block <NUM>. The user device <NUM> may also include a filter that enables the user to filter out sounds that are unlikely to be caused by the altered ultrasonic signal. The user device <NUM> may also include a speaker that is configured to produce an audible sound to assist the user in locating the egress point. For example, as the user moves the user device <NUM> closer to the egress point, the speaker may emit an audible sound that becomes louder, or that repeats itself at a higher frequency. Once the user device <NUM> has identified a position at which the altered ultrasonic signal is maximized, the estimated location of the egress point may be modified accordingly at block <NUM>.

In some embodiments, the user device <NUM> may include a second sonar microphone that is configured to measure ultrasonic signals. The second sonar microphone may detect the altered ultrasonic signal at block <NUM>. Once the user device <NUM> has identified a position at which the altered ultrasonic signal is maximized, the estimated location of the egress point may be modified by triangulating the measurements from the first sonar microphone and the second sonar microphone at block <NUM>. Using multiple ultrasonic signals with different frequencies may improve the accuracy of the triangulation. Alternatively or in addition, the duration between the time that the ultrasonic signal is applied and the time that the altered ultrasonic signal is measured may be used to modify the estimated location of the egress point.

With reference to <FIG>, an embodiment of yet another method <NUM> for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system in shown. The method <NUM> begins at block <NUM> where an estimated location of an egress point is transmitted to the user device <NUM>. The estimated location of the egress point may be transmitted by any suitable method, such as through network <NUM> and/or Internet <NUM>. Block <NUM> may be omitted if the user device <NUM> determines the estimated location of the egress point. The estimated location of the egress point may be determined by method <NUM>.

A user may scan a thermal device in an area that encompasses the estimated location of the egress point at block <NUM>. The thermal device may measure an infrared signal at block <NUM>. As water exits a pipe through a hole in the pipe, the leak may cause a thermal transfer, such that a bloom corresponding to the location of the leak appears as a change in temperature within an infrared image acquired by the thermal device. Temperature sensors in the vicinity of the leak may be used to estimate the temperature of the water from the leak. The leak may then be identified within the infrared image according to the temperature estimate provided by the infrared image. The infrared image may also indicate the location of the pipes behind the walls if the temperature of the water in the pipes is different from the temperature of the walls. Various temperature sensors within the plumbing system may measure the temperature of the water in the pipes, and these measurements may be used in order to filter the infrared signal to remove components other than the pipes. The thermal device may transmit the infrared signal to the user device <NUM> at block <NUM>. The user device <NUM> may display the infrared signal at block <NUM>. The infrared signal may be used to modify the estimated location of the egress point at block <NUM>.

Referring next to <FIG>, a diagram of an embodiment of a portable water device <NUM> is shown. The portable water device <NUM> may be used to detect and localize egress points in a manner similar to that described above with reference to the water device <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The portable water device <NUM> may include some or all of the features and functions of the water device <NUM>, and may be used in conjunction with the methods described in <FIG> and <FIG>. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to transmit and/or receive an audio or ultrasonic signal, measure a pressure signal, and/or determine an estimated location of an egress point within the plumbing system. The portable water device <NUM> may be connected to the output of any water source within the plumbing system, such that it is unnecessary to remove a portion of a pipe in order to install the portable water device <NUM>. Further, the portable water device <NUM> may be connected temporarily, and may be moved between various water sources within a plumbing system <NUM>. For example, a home inspector may use the portable water device <NUM> to test for leaks at a kitchen faucet, an outdoor spigot, a bathtub spout, a shower head, an aerator, or any other accessible water source inside or outside of a house.

The portable water device <NUM> includes a body <NUM> on which a display <NUM> may show various numerical readings, such as water pressure, water temperature, and/or water flow. The display <NUM> may cycle through these numerical readings automatically or at the instruction of a user. In addition, the body <NUM> may include status indicator lights <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> that provide various types of information. For example, the status indicator lights <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may indicate whether the portable water device <NUM> has power; whether the portable water device <NUM> is operational; and/or whether a leak has been detected. Although four status indicator lights are shown in <FIG>, any suitable number of status indicator lights may be used. The body <NUM> may also include buttons <NUM> and <NUM> that a user may press in order to perform various functions, such as turning on the portable water device <NUM>, starting a leak detection algorithm, indicating whether the main shutoff valve <NUM>-<NUM> is open or closed, etc. Although two buttons are shown in <FIG>, any suitable number of buttons may be used.

As shown in <FIG>, the portable water device <NUM> may also include a battery <NUM> that is integrated with the body <NUM>. The battery <NUM> may be rechargeable by a wired or a wireless connection. Alternatively or in addition, the portable water device <NUM> may include the power supply <NUM> described above. The portable water device <NUM> may have a size and a weight that allow a user to hold the portable water device <NUM> in a single hand. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be <NUM>" tall, <NUM>" wide, and <NUM>" thick, although any other suitable dimensions may be used, as long as the portable water device <NUM> can be easily carried by the user. The body <NUM> of the portable water device <NUM> may be made of materials that are rugged and waterproof, and the entire portable water device <NUM> may be sealed.

As shown in <FIG>, the portable water device <NUM> may also include an adapter <NUM> that is connected to the cold water pipe <NUM>. Although the adapter <NUM> is shown as being connected to the cold water pipe <NUM>, the adapter <NUM> may also be connected (directly or indirectly) to the hot water pipe <NUM>. The adapter <NUM> may be connected directly to the cold water pipe <NUM> by any suitable method, such as threading, welding, soldering, or brazing. Alternatively, a fastener or a fitting may be used to connect the adapter <NUM> to the cold water pipe <NUM>, either temporarily or permanently. A leak-free seal may be formed between the adapter <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM>.

Referring next to <FIG>, the adapter <NUM> may be used to connect the portable water device <NUM> to an accessible water source within or outside of a house. For example, the adapter <NUM> may be connected with a spout <NUM> of a kitchen faucet shown in <FIG>. In this example, the adapter <NUM> may slide over the spout <NUM>, and may include a material such as rubber that adjusts its shape to maintain a leak-free seal when connected with the spout <NUM>. The adapter <NUM> may have an adjustable diameter, such that it may slide over faucets having different sizes. Further, the portable water device <NUM> may be equipped with multiple adapters <NUM> having different diameters that can be used interchangeably. Alternatively or in addition, the adapter <NUM> may include a standard threading, such that the adapter can be screwed into a compatible water source, such as an outdoor spigot or a garden hose, and provide a water-tight connection. In other embodiments, hoses and additional adapters may be used to connect the adapter <NUM> with various water sources. The hoses may have limited flexibility, such that they do not interfere with readings from the sensors within the portable water device <NUM>. For example, the hoses may be made of materials such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or brass.

In some embodiments, the portable water device <NUM> may operate while the adapter <NUM> is connected to the spout <NUM> and water is flowing through the cold water pipe <NUM>. In these embodiments, water may flow from the spout <NUM> through the adapter <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM>, and exit the portable water device <NUM> from a hole or an extension of the cold water pipe <NUM> at the bottom of the portable water device <NUM>. This allows for measurements by the temperature sensors <NUM>-<NUM> and <NUM>-<NUM>, the pressure sensor <NUM>, and the flow sensor <NUM> as the water passes through the cold water pipe <NUM>.

In other embodiments, the portable water device <NUM> may operate while the adapter <NUM> is connected to the spout <NUM>, the cold water pipe <NUM> is filled with water, and the water within the cold water pipe <NUM> is in fluid communication with water within the faucet <NUM>. In these embodiments, the cold water pipe <NUM> is filled with water such that the portable water device <NUM> senses the same water pressure that is present in the faucet <NUM>. A one-way valve <NUM> may be provided at the top of the cold water pipe <NUM> to allow water to enter the cold water pipe <NUM> from the adapter <NUM>. The shutoff valve <NUM> is closed to prevent water from exiting from the bottom of the cold water pipe <NUM>, and a plurality of electrodes <NUM> including a reference electrode and a measurement electrode may be provided within the cold water pipe <NUM> to indicate when the cold water pipe <NUM> has been sufficiently filled with water. Alternatively, any other suitable water level sensor may be used to indicate when the cold water pipe <NUM> has been filled with water, such as a float, a hydrostatic device, a load cell, a magnetic level gauge, a capacitance transmitter, a magnetostrictive level transmitter, an ultrasonic level transmitter, a laser level transmitter, or a radar level transmitter. Further, one of the status indicator lights <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> may be turned on to indicate that the portable water device <NUM> is ready to take measurements when the cold water pipe <NUM> has been sufficiently filled with water.

The portable water device <NUM> may send various information to a remote device, such as a computer, smartphone, or other electronic device. For example, as discussed above with respect to <FIG>, the portable water device <NUM> may send information over the network <NUM> to a user device <NUM> or the cloud analyzer <NUM>. Alternatively, the portable water device <NUM> may send information to the user device <NUM> via a wired connection, in which case the portable water device <NUM> may include a data port or an Ethernet port. The portable water device <NUM> may send information such as whether a leak has been detected; where a leak has been detected; and/or single measurements of the temperature and/or pressure of the water. In addition, the portable water device <NUM> may send information indicating the temperature and/or pressure of the water as a function of time. Further, the portable water device <NUM> may indicate whether or not there is sufficient flow in a particular faucet. The information from the portable water device may be displayed and/or stored by an application on the remote device.

Referring next to <FIG>, a flowchart of an embodiment of a method <NUM> for using the portable water device <NUM> is shown. In this example, a home inspector may use the portable water device <NUM> to obtain information about the water in one or more parts of a house by connecting the portable water device <NUM> to one or more water sources inside and/or outside of the house. As shown in <FIG>, the method <NUM> begins when the home inspector connects the portable water device <NUM> to the output of a water source at block <NUM>. The portable water device <NUM> may be connected by any suitable method, such as those discussed above.

The home inspector may then turn on the portable water device <NUM> at block <NUM>. For example, the home inspector may turn on the portable water device <NUM> by pressing one of the buttons <NUM> or <NUM>. In other embodiments, the home inspector may turn on the portable water device <NUM> by starting a flow of water from the water source through the adapter <NUM> and the cold water pipe <NUM> of the portable water device <NUM>. In these embodiments, the portable water device <NUM> may include a blade that turns when water flows through the cold water pipe <NUM> and generates sufficient electricity to power the portable water device <NUM>.

If the water flow was not turned on in block <NUM>, the home inspector may then turn on the water flow from the water source at block <NUM>. In some embodiments, water may flow through the length of the cold water pipe <NUM> of the portable water device <NUM> during the measurements. In other embodiments, the measurements may occur when the cold water pipe <NUM> is sufficiently filled with water, and the water is stationary within the cold water pipe <NUM>. In these embodiments, the plurality of electrodes <NUM> may determine when the cold water pipe <NUM> has been sufficiently filled with water, and send a signal to light one of the status light indicators <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. The home inspector may turn off the flow of water from the water source in response to the activation of the status light indicator <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>.

The home inspector may then instruct the portable water device <NUM> to start acquiring measurements at block <NUM>. For example, the home inspector may instruct the portable water device <NUM> to start acquiring measurements by pressing one of the buttons <NUM> or <NUM>. In other embodiments, the home inspector may instruct the portable water device <NUM> to start acquiring measurements by using an application on a smartphone that is connected to the portable water device <NUM> over a wireless connection, such as a cellular network or a WiFi network. The home inspector may use the buttons <NUM> or <NUM> or the application on the smartphone to indicate which measurements should be taken, and in which order the measurements should be taken. The status light indicators <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM> or the application on the smartphone may indicate when the desired measurements have been completed.

The home inspector may then remove the portable water device <NUM> from the water source at block <NUM>. If necessary, the home inspector may turn off the water flow from the water source before removing the portable water device <NUM>. The home inspector may remove the portable water device <NUM> by any suitable method, such as unscrewing a threaded connection and/or applying downward pressure to release the adapter <NUM> from the spout <NUM>.

The home inspector may then decide whether to test any additional water sources in the house at decision block <NUM>. If there are additional water sources to test, the method begins again at block <NUM>. When there are no more water sources to test, the method is complete. A processor within the portable water device <NUM> may analyze the collected measurements and send the raw data and/or the results of the analysis to a transceiver within the portable water device <NUM>. The transceiver may then send the raw data and/or the results of the analysis to a network, a cloud analyzer, and/or a user device, such as the smartphone.

The smartphone may include an application that obtains position information corresponding to the location where the portable water device <NUM> takes the measurements. The application may also access a database of other houses near the location, and display characteristics of the other houses and their water systems. In addition, the application may allow the home inspector to input characteristics of the house that is being tested, and suggest tests to run based on the characteristics.

In addition to the measurements discussed above, the portable water device <NUM> can be modified to take various other measurements to characterize the water in a plumbing system. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be modified to incorporate a home-testing kit for contaminants such as bacteria, lead, pesticides, iron, copper, nitrates, nitrites, and chlorine. The portable water device <NUM> may be modified to incorporate a home-testing kit for total dissolved solids, pH, alkalinity, and/or hardness.

In addition, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to evaluate and/or calibrate a water meter for a building, such as a house. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may measure the water flow at a water source near the water meter. This reading may be compared with the water flow reported by the water meter. Calibrating the water meter may ensure that the customer is not overcharged by the water company for water usage that is calculated based on the water flow.

Further, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to assess whether the water within a pipe is susceptible to freezing and causing the pipe to burst. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be connected to an outdoor spigot or an indoor faucet near a pipe that is positioned along an exterior wall. A temperature measurement near <NUM> °F may indicate that the water is close to freezing. Further, a pressure measurement that is higher than normal may indicate that some of the water in the pipe has already frozen and caused a partial ice blockage. Similarly, the portable water device <NUM> may also be used to identify a clog within a pipe, based on a pressure measurement that is higher than normal.

In addition, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to evaluate the performance of a water heater. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be connected to a water source whose hot water is supplied by the water heater. The portable water device <NUM> may then measure the temperature of the water as a function of time. The data may be analyzed to determine how long it takes for the water to become hot, and how long the supply of hot water lasts. The data may also be analyzed to determine whether the temperature of the water is consistent over time, or whether it needs to be stabilized. This method may be used to evaluate the performance of a standard water heater or a tankless water heater.

Further, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to assess the capacity of the plumbing system to provide sufficient water pressure during times of high usage. For example, the portable water device <NUM> may be connected to a water source within a house, and the water pressure may be measured as a function of time while the water is turned on for various additional water sources. The water may be turned on incrementally for the various additional water sources. This method may be used to determine whether a water storage tank is necessary to ensure a consistent water pressure during times of high usage.

The portable water device <NUM> may also be used to identify a failure or potential failure of a specific fixture, based on the measured pattern profile of the fixture. In addition, the portable water device <NUM> may be used to identify hammering in a specific pipe, based on the measured pattern profile of a water source that is supplied by the pipe.

A number of variations and modifications of the disclosed embodiments can also be used. For example, the plumbing analyzer can be used to monitor any liquid distributed in pipes. This could include industrial plants, sprinkler systems, gas distribution systems, refineries, hydrocarbon production equipment, municipal water distribution, etc. The plumbing system is a closed system with pressurized liquid (e.g., a gas) that is released in a selective and controlled manner using valves.

Implementation of the techniques, blocks, steps and means described above may be done in various ways. For example, these techniques, blocks, steps and means may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. For a hardware implementation, the processing units may be implemented within one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described above, and/or a combination thereof.

Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a process which is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a swim diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a depiction may describe the operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can be performed in parallel or concurrently. A process is terminated when its operations are completed, but could have additional steps not included in the figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the function to the calling function or the main function.

Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software, scripting languages, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, and/or any combination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middleware, scripting language, and/or microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessary tasks may be stored in a machine readable medium such as a storage medium. A code segment or machine-executable instruction may represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, a routine, a subroutine, a module, a software package, a script, a class, or any combination of instructions, data structures, and/or program statements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or a hardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information, data, arguments, parameters, and/or memory contents. Information, arguments, parameters, data, etc. may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via any suitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing, network transmission, etc..

For a firmware and/or software implementation, the methodologies may be implemented with modules (e.g., procedures, functions, and so on) that perform the functions described herein. Any machine-readable medium tangibly embodying instructions may be used in implementing the methodologies described herein. For example, software codes may be stored in a memory. Memory may be implemented within the processor or external to the processor. As used herein the term "memory" refers to any type of long term, short term, volatile, nonvolatile, or other storage medium and is not to be limited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of media upon which memory is stored.

Moreover, as disclosed herein, the term "storage medium" may represent one or more memories for storing data, including read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices and/or other machine readable mediums for storing information. The term "machine-readable medium" includes, but is not limited to portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, and/or various other storage mediums capable of storing that contain or carry instruction(s) and/or data.

Claim 1:
A system (<NUM>) for determining a location of an egress point in a plumbing system that includes a branched system of pipes within a building, the system comprising:
a first sensor (<NUM>) that is configured to measure a first pressure signal as a function of time at a first location within the plumbing system (<NUM>);
a second sensor (<NUM>) that is configured to measure a second pressure signal as a function of time at a second location within the plumbing system, wherein the plumbing system includes multiple branch points between the first location and the second location; and
a processor (<NUM>) that is configured to:
receive the first pressure signal from the first sensor (<NUM>);
receive the second pressure signal from the second sensor (<NUM>);
determine a measured temporal difference between a first pressure drop in the first pressure signal and a second pressure drop in the second pressure signal; and
use the measured temporal difference to determine an estimated location of the egress point in the plumbing system, wherein:
the estimated location of the egress point is between a first fixture and a second fixture within the plumbing system, and
the egress point corresponds to a leak in a pipe,
characterized in that
the estimated location of the egress point is determined by comparing the measured temporal difference with a database (<NUM>) of calibrated temporal differences for a plurality of fixtures within the plumbing system.