Freeze prediction system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10316499-B2
Application number	US-201815988964-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2018
Priority date	Jun 15, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

A freeze prediction system for components such as one or more water pipes situated in a building. The building may have a heating system, a mechanism with a temperature setting connected to the heating system, and an indoor temperature indicator connected to the thermostat. A call may be made for heat if thermostat setting is greater than an indoor temperature. A check may be made as to whether a call for heat may be answered. Outdoor conditions may be read and accounted for in the system. An expected time may be calculated of a freeze danger. One may determine whether the freeze danger is significant according to the expected time of freeze danger compared to a predetermined time. If the freeze danger is not significant, a regular equipment failed alert may be sent out. If the freeze danger is significant, a pipe freeze warning alert may be sent out.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pipe freeze prediction system comprising:
one or more pipes situated in a building;
a heating system for the building;
a mechanism having a temperature setting for the heating system;
an indoor temperature sensor; and
a processor situated in a cloud spatially at a distance from the building and connected to the heating system, the mechanism, and the indoor temperature sensor; and
wherein the cloud comprises:
a first portal of receiving information from the indoor temperature sensor;
a second portal for providing alerts to a person having an interest in or a responsibility for the building; and
a third portal for providing alerts to one or more contractors or repair people and for receiving one or more offers for repair or maintenance of the one or more pipes, or the heating system; and
wherein the one or more offers are provided via the second portal to the person having the interest in or the responsibility for the building; and

wherein:
a call is made for heat if the temperature setting of the mechanism is more than a temperature on the indoor temperature sensor;
one or more sensors for determining outdoor conditions, are connected to the processor; and
an alert of freeze danger is provided if the call for heat is unanswered and the outdoor conditions are determined to be freezing according to the one or more sensors and the processor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein one determines if the freeze danger is significant to result in an alert when a comparison of an expected time of freeze danger with a predetermined time meets a predetermined threshold.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein if the freeze danger is absent, then a regular equipment failed alert is sent out via the processor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein if the freeze danger is present, then a pipe freeze warning alert is sent out via the processor.

5. A method for determining predicting a water pipe freeze prediction, comprising:
identifying a temperature setting for a heating system;
obtaining a temperature sensed by an indoor temperature sensor;
making a call to the heating system for heat if the temperature setting is more than the temperature sensed by the indoor temperature sensor;
monitoring a sensed temperature using the indoor temperature sensor in response to the call to the heating system for heat;
determining if the call for heat is answered based at least in part on the monitoring of the sensed temperature;
receiving indoor information related to environmental conditions using the indoor temperature sensor and outdoor information related to conditions outdoors using one or more additional sensors in response to determining the call for heat is unanswered;
processing the indoor information and the outdoor information to perform a trajectory analysis;
determining an expected freezing time based at least in part on the trajectory analysis; and
sending out an alert based on the expected freezing time.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising determining whether the expected freezing time is significant according to a predetermined time to freeze.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the expected freezing time is not significant, then a regular equipment failed alert is sent out.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein if the expected freezing time is significant, then a pipe freeze warning alert is sent out.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the expected freezing time is significant if the expected time of freeze danger is less than a predetermined time.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein the method is performed by a processor.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the processor is situated in a cloud spatially apart from the building.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cloud comprises:
a first portal for information from the building and about an environment where the building is situated; and
a second portal for providing indications of a pipe freeze warning alert and a regular equipment failed alert.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cloud comprises:
a first portal for receiving information from a thermostat in the building;
a second portal for providing alerts to a person having an interest in or a responsibility for the building; and
a third portal for providing alerts to one or more contractors or repair people and for receiving one or more offers for repair or maintenance of the one or more contractors or repair people for repair or maintenance of the one or more pipes and heating systems, or for retrieving one or more offers for repair or maintenance from a database; and
wherein the one or more offers are provided via the second portal to the person having the interest or the responsibility for the building.

14. A water pipe freeze condition indicator comprising:
a thermostat in a building where a water pipe freeze condition can be detected;
a heating system connected to the thermostat; and
a processor connected to the thermostat and the heating system, the processor configured to:
make a call to the heating system for heat if a temperature setting of the heating system is more than a temperature sensed by an indoor temperature sensor;
monitor a sensed temperature in the building using the indoor temperature sensor in response to the call to the heating system for heat;
determine if the call for heat is answered based at least in part on the monitoring of the sensed temperature;
receive indoor information related to conditions inside the building using the indoor temperature sensor and outdoor information related to conditions outside the building using one or more sensors in response to determining the call for heat is unanswered;
process the indoor information and the outdoor information to perform a trajectory analysis;
determine an expected freezing time based at least in part on the trajectory analysis; and
send out an alert based on the expected freezing time.

15. The indicator of claim 14 , wherein the expected freezing time is compared to a predetermined time to indicate whether a pipe freeze warning alert is to be provided.

16. The indicator of claim 15 , wherein if the expected freezing time is less than the predetermined time, then the pipe freeze warning alert is provided.

17. The indicator of claim 15 , wherein if the expected freezing time is equal to or greater than the predetermined time, then a regular equipment failed alert is provided.

18. The indicator of claim 16 , wherein the processor is situated in a cloud spatially at a distance from the building.

19. The indicator of claim 18 , wherein the cloud comprises:
a first portal for information from the building and about an environment where the building is situated; and
a second portal for providing indications of a pipe freeze warning alert and a regular equipment failed alert.

20. The indicator of claim 18 , wherein the cloud comprises:
a first portal of receiving information from the thermostat;
a second portal for providing alerts to a person having an interest in or a responsibility for the building; and
a third portal for providing alerts to one or more contractors or repair people and for receiving one or more offers for repair or maintenance of the one or more pipes, or the heating system; and
wherein the one or more offers are provided via the second portal to the person having the interest in or the responsibility for the building.

Assignees

• Ademco Inc

Inventors

• Van Goor Nicolaas A
• Rosback Thomas
• Light Marc

Classifications

• F17D1/05

  Preventing freezing (by heating F16L53/30) · CPC title

• Y10T137/1189

  Freeze condition responsive safety systems · CPC title

• E03B7/12 Primary

  by preventing freezing · CPC title

• F24D19/10

  Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices (only the heater being controlled F24H9/20) · CPC title