Sump pump remote monitoring systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11015606-B2
Application number	US-201815925518-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 19, 2018
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods for sump pump remote monitoring can include control circuitry integrated into a portable housing, with a backup sump pump connected to the control circuitry. The control circuitry can be powered by a line power and when the line power is not available, the control circuitry can be powered by a battery power. The control circuitry can be connected to a control panel, and the control circuitry can include a pressure transducer, the pressure transducer to measure a pressure in a fluid level sensor, and based on the measured pressure, the control circuitry to adjust the speed of the backup sump pump. A wireless controller can be connected to the control circuitry, the wireless controller for wirelessly receiving monitoring instructions and wirelessly transmitting backup sump pump status data, with the control circuitry providing an indication of the backup sump pump status data to the control panel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sump pump remote monitoring system comprising:
control circuitry integrated into a portable housing, the sump pump connected to the control circuitry, the control circuitry to be powered by a line power and when the line power is not available, the control circuitry to be powered by a battery power, the control circuitry connected to a control panel; and
a wireless controller connected to the control circuitry and integrated into the portable housing,
wherein the wireless controller is configured to wirelessly receive a first query from a remote device and monitoring instructions for the control circuitry,
wherein the wireless controller is configured to wirelessly transmit sump pump status data received from the control circuitry in response to receiving the first query,
wherein, when the wireless controller fails to receive the first query, the wireless controller is configured to refrain from transmitting the sump pump data, and
wherein the control circuitry provides an indication of the sump pump status data to the control panel.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry includes a pressure transducer, the pressure transducer measuring a pressure in a fluid level sensor, the measured pressure indicating a rate of change of a fluid level.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein based on the measured pressure and the rate of change of the fluid level, the control circuitry to adjust a speed of the sump pump.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the portable housing comprises a first half and a second half, one of the first half and the second half including a heat sink.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a pulse width modulator, the pulse width modulator connected to the control circuitry and the sump pump, the pulse width modulator to provide a pulse width modulated signal to the sump pump.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the control circuitry measures a pulse width of the pulse width modulated signal provided to the sump pump, and the wireless controller provides the indication of the sump pump status data based on the measured pulse width.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the remote device is configured to receive a request to initiate a remote monitoring procedure from the wireless controller and wherein the remote device is further configured to receive sump pump status data from the wireless controller.

Assignees

• Pentair Flow Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bishop Michael B
• Ambrose Jeffrey C
• Boese Thomas G

Classifications

• F04B49/06 Primary

  Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) · CPC title

• F04B23/021

  the pump being immersed in the reservoir · CPC title

• F04D15/0072

  Installation or systems with two or more pumps, wherein the flow path through the stages can be changed, e.g. series-parallel · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• F04D15/00 Primary

  Control, e.g. regulation, of pumps, pumping installations or systems · CPC title