Intelligent roof drain systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12012759-B2
Application number	US-202117520157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 5, 2021
Priority date	Nov 6, 2020
Publication date	Jun 18, 2024
Grant date	Jun 18, 2024

Abstract

An intelligent roof drain system includes a roof drain surrounded by a drain plate. A water seepage detection module is disposed proximate the drain plate. The water seepage detection module includes water seepage detection sensors and circuitry and an antenna system to inductively receive power and communicate water seepage data. A roofing membrane is disposed over the water seepage detection module. A monitoring module that includes control circuitry, power supply circuitry, water level detection circuitry, communications interface circuitry, and an antenna system to inductively supply power to and communicate with the water seepage detection module is disposed proximate the water seepage detection module such that the antenna systems align. The intelligent roof drain system can detect water seepage under the roofing membrane and standing water proximate the roof drain and communicate such events to a gateway and/or building management system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roof drain system for use with a roofing membrane of a roof substructure, the roof drain system comprising:
a plurality of detectors, each of the plurality of detectors including:
a water seepage detection module configured to be disposed between the roof substructure and a roofing membrane disposed proximate the roof substructure, the water seepage detection module including a water seepage sensor configured to generate a water seepage signal in response to a detection of water seepage beneath the roofing membrane;
a water level sensor to generate a standing water level signal that includes data representative of a standing water level above the roofing membrane proximate the respective detector; and
control circuitry to:
wirelessly receive the water seepage signal;
receive the standing water level signal; and
transmit an output signal that includes data representative of the leak detection signal and the standing water level signal;

at least one gateway communicatively coupled to the plurality of detectors, the at least one gateway including logic circuitry to:
determine an average standing water level using data included in the standing water level signal received from each of the plurality of detectors; and
for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether a water level sensor failure has occurred using the determined average standing water level; and
determine whether a roof drain is obstructed using the determined average standing water level.

2. The roof drain system of claim 1 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine a difference between the standing water level proximate the respective detector and the determined average standing water level.

3. The roof drain system of claim 2 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether the determined difference exceeds a defined sensor failure threshold value.

4. The roof drain system of claim 3 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
generate a sensor failure alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds the defined sensor failure threshold value; and
communicate the sensor failure alarm signal to a remote building management system.

5. The roof drain system of claim 2 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value.

6. The roof drain system of claim 5 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
generate a obstructed roof drain alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value; and
communicate the obstructed roof drain alarm signal to a remote building management system.

7. A roof drain gateway, comprising:
gateway logic circuitry to:
determine an average standing water level above a roofing membrane using data included in a standing water level signal received from each of a plurality of detectors, wherein each of the standing water level signals includes data representative of a standing water level above the roofing membrane; and
for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether a water level sensor failure has occurred using the determined average standing water level; and
determine whether a roof drain is obstructed using the determined average standing water level.

8. The roof drain gateway of claim 7 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine a difference between the standing water level proximate the respective detector and the determined average standing water level.

9. The roof drain gateway of claim 8 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether the determined difference exceeds a defined sensor failure threshold value.

10. The roof drain gateway of claim 9 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
generate a sensor failure alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds the defined sensor failure threshold value; and
communicate the sensor failure alarm signal to a remote building management system.

11. The roof drain gateway of claim 8 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value.

12. The roof drain gateway of claim 11 , the gateway logic circuitry to further, for each of the plurality of detectors:
generate a obstructed roof drain alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value; and
communicate the obstructed roof drain alarm signal to a remote building management system.

13. A non-transitory storage device that includes machine-readable instructions that, when executed by gateway logic circuitry, cause the gateway logic circuitry to:
determine an average standing water level above a roofing membrane using data included in a standing water level signal received from each of a plurality of detectors, wherein each of the standing water level signals includes data representative of a standing water level above the roofing membrane; and
for each of the plurality of detectors:
determine whether a water level sensor failure has occurred using the determined average standing water level; and
determine whether a roof drain is obstructed using the determined average standing water level.

14. The non-transitory storage device of claim 13 , wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the gateway logic circuitry to further:
determine, for each of the plurality of detectors, a difference between the standing water level proximate the respective detector and the determined average standing water level.

15. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14 , wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the gateway logic circuitry to further:
determine, for each of the plurality of detectors, whether the determined difference exceeds a defined sensor failure threshold value.

16. The non-transitory storage device of claim 15 wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the gateway logic circuitry to further:
generate a sensor failure alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds the defined sensor failure threshold value; and
communicate the sensor failure alarm signal to a remote building management system.

17. The non-transitory storage device of claim 14 wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the gateway logic circuitry to further:
determine, for each of the plurality of detectors, whether the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value.

18. The non-transitory storage device of claim 17 wherein the machine-readable instructions cause the gateway logic circuitry to further:
generate a obstructed roof drain alarm signal responsive to the determination that the determined difference exceeds a defined obstructed roof drain threshold value; and
communicate the obstructed roof drain alarm signal to a remote building management system.

Assignees

• Watts Regulator Co

Inventors

• Rasmussen Michael
• Laugesen Caspar Pilkington
• Bech Kristina Juel
• Them Thomas Svan

Classifications

• G08B21/182

  Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold · CPC title

• G08B25/10

  using wireless transmission systems {(G08B25/009 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• H04W4/38 Primary

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• G08B21/20

  responsive to moisture · CPC title

• E04D13/0409

  Drainage outlets, e.g. gullies · CPC title