Natural gas leakage detection device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017146196-A1
Application number	US-201514950291-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 24, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An aspect of the disclosure includes a natural gas leakage detection device. The natural gas leakage device includes a metering interface for detecting usage of natural gas. A clock is provided to determine time of day and one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected. A first sensor is used to determine whether a furnace is operating. A monitoring device is provided. The monitoring device being operable during the one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected, to monitor the metering interface and the first sensor and to perform an action in response to natural gas usage being detected during the one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected and the first sensor determines that the furnace is not operating.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A natural gas leakage detection device comprising:
a metering interface for detecting usage of natural gas; a clock to determine time of day and one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected; a first sensor to determine a furnace is operating; and a monitoring device, the monitoring device operable during the one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected, to monitor the metering interface and the first sensor and performing an action in response to natural gas usage being detected during the one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected and the first sensor determines that the furnace is not operating.

2 . The natural gas leakage detection device of claim 1 , wherein the action is one or more of sounding an alarm, cutting off a natural gas supply or cutting off an electricity supply.

3 . The natural gas leakage detection device of claim 1 , wherein:
the natural gas leakage detection device, further comprises a second sensor to determine that a property to which the natural gas is connected is unoccupied; and the action comprises one or more of cutting off a natural gas supply or a remote notification.

4 . The natural gas leakage detection device of claim 1 , further comprising one or more third sensors connected to each appliance using natural gas to determine whether the appliance is being used.

5 . The natural gas leakage detection device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more predetermined times are twenty four hours a day and the action is taken only when each of the one or more third sensors determines that no appliance is being used.

6 . The natural gas leakage detection device of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the one or more third sensors is a first flame sensor.

7 . The natural gas detection device of claim 6 wherein the first sensor is a first flame sensor.

8 . A method of detecting natural gas leakage, the method comprising:
checking whether the time is during one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected; responsive to the time being during one or more predetermined times, detecting usage of natural gas; responsive to detecting usage of natural gas, determining a furnace is operating; and responsive to detecting usage of natural gas and a determination that the furnace is not operating, performing an action.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the action is one or more of sounding an alarm, cutting off a natural gas supply or cutting off an electricity supply.

10 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step, responsive to detecting usage of natural gas and a determination that the furnace is not operating and responsive to determining that a property to which the natural gas is connected is unoccupied, cutting off a natural gas supply or a remote notification.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more predetermined times are twenty four hours a day and further comprising determining from one or more sensors connected to each appliance using natural gas that the appliance is being used.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more predetermined times is twenty four hours a day and the action is taken when each of the one or more third sensors determines that no appliance is being used.

13 . The method of claim 11 wherein the determining the appliance is being used includes determination of the presence of a first flame.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the determining the furnace is operating includes determination of the presence of a second flame.

15 . A computer program product for detecting natural gas leakage, the computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a computer to cause the computer to: checking that the time is during one or more predetermined times when no natural gas usage is expected; responsive to the time being during one or more predetermined times, detect usage of natural gas; responsive to detecting usage of natural gas, determine a furnace is operating; and responsive to detecting usage of natural gas and a determination that the furnace is not operating, performing an action.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the action is one or more of sounding an alarm, cutting off a natural gas supply or cutting off an electricity supply.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising the step, responsive to detecting usage of natural gas and a determination that the furnace is not operating and responsive to determining that a property to which the natural gas is connected is unoccupied, cutting off a natural gas supply or a remote notification.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the one or more predetermined times are twenty four hours a day and further comprising determining from one or more sensors connected to each appliance using natural gas whether the appliance is being used.

19 . The computer program product of claim 18 , wherein the one or more predetermined times is twenty four hours a day and the action is taken when each of the one or more third sensors determines that no appliance is being used.

20 . The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the determining a furnace is operating includes determining the presence of a flame.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Johnson Michael J A
• Taylor James S

Classifications

• F17D5/06 Primary

  using electric or acoustic means · CPC title

• F17D5/005

  of gas pipelines, e.g. alarm · CPC title

• F17D1/04

  for distribution of gas · CPC title

• F17D5/02

  Preventing, monitoring, or locating loss · CPC title