Cambridge Heart, Inc.

Flow Metrix, Inc.

Itron Gmbh

64seconds, Inc.

Paul Lander

Paul Albrecht

Richard J Cohen

William E Saltzstein

Jeffrey M Arnold

Craig Goldman

Jeffery M Arnold

Pedro Gomis

Assessing pipeline integrity includes deploying vibration sensors at optimal sensing locations in the pipeline network. The sensors communicate with an analyzer via an intermediary that is a local or a remote wireless controller. A sensor records and processes vibration signals regularly, according to protocols kept in the memory of the sensor. The sensor, via a controller, communicates recorded data or processed data to an analyzer and receives updated protocols or other instructions from an analyzer. The analyzer aggregates recorded and processed data from the sensors, which are then analyzed to detect or localize leak sounds from the pipeline network. The recorded data from two or more sensors may be time-aligned using synchronization methods.

Integrity assessment of a pipeline network

A vibration recorder for detecting leaks in a pipeline network includes a sensor operable to receive vibration signals from a pipeline network, and a communication port connected to an automatic meter reader/transmitter ('AMRT'). A processor connected to the communication port and to the sensor is programmed to process the vibration signals and to send data regarding the processed vibration signals to the AMRT using the communication port. The vibration recorder may also include metering functions, and, in some implementations, may also incorporate the functions of the AMRT.

Tracking vibrations in a pipeline network

Tracking vibrations on a pipeline network includes installing multiple vibration recorders on the pipeline network, with each recorder including a sensor, a processor, and a communication device. At each vibration recorder, vibration signals are received from the sensor at programmed times under the control of the processor of the vibration recorders and processed by the processor. The processed vibration signals are communicated from the vibration recorder to a reader device using the digital communication device. In addition, at a particular vibration recorder, meter readings from a flow meter associated with the particular vibration recorder are received. The meter readings are indicative of a level of flow in the pipeline network, and are communicated from the particular vibration recorder to a reader device using the communication device of the particular vibration recorder. Thereafter, the processed vibration signals from the one or more reader devices are collected at a central computer system. Finally, the collected processed vibration signals and the meter readings are analyzed at the central computer system to determine abnormal vibration patterns and to obtain measures of any leaks present in the pipeline network.

Tracking vibrations on a pipeline network includes installing multiple vibration recorders on the pipeline network, with each recorder including a sensor, a timer, a processor, and a digital communication device. At each vibration recorder, vibration signals are received from the sensor at programmed times under the control of the processor of the vibration recorders and processed by the processor. The processed vibration signals are communicated from the vibration recorder to a reader device using the digital communication device. Thereafter, the processed vibration signals from the one or more reader devices are collected at a central computer system. Finally, the collected processed vibrations signals are analyzed at the central computer system to determine abnormal vibration patterns and to obtain measures of any leaks present in the pipeline network.

The invention relates to acoustic detection of leaks in a pipeline using locally-intelligent, data-adaptive monitors deployed for a period of time. Monitors are initialized by a base station. Following deployment, monitors receive vibration signals at programmed times, process the vibration signals to detect and characterize abnormal vibrations, and save the processed data in the monitor. Monitors may communicate digitally with a base station, sending processed data and receiving instructions. Alternatively, monitors may be removed from the pipeline and placed in a docking station prior to initialization and subsequent re-deployment on a pipeline. A procedural step of re-synchronization corrects for any mis-alignments in time that may occur among received vibration signals from different monitors. Received vibration signals from two or more monitors may then be analyzed using a correlative method to localize the position of any leaks present in the pipeline.

Monitoring vibrations in a pipeline network

A subject suspected of experiencing a myocardial infarction is monitored by applying sensors to the subject, where the sensors are configured to produce electrical signals representative of cardiac activity of the subject. Electrical signals are received from at least two of the sensors. The received signals then are processed to obtain a localized cardiac measure that is analyzed to determine whether the subject is experiencing a myocardial infarction.

Generation of localized cardiac measures

The invention relates to detecting leaks in a pipeline using enhanced methods of data sensing, digitally encoded transmission, and cross-correlation. A plurality of acoustic sensors are applied to the pipeline to sense a combination of signals from the leak and much greater quantities of noise. The sensed data is digitized at the sensor, encoded and digitally transmitted to a computerized base station. The encoded data from a plurality of sensors received at the base station is decoded, digitally filtered and cross-correlated. Enhanced methods of cross-correlation are performed to estimate the likely presence of a leak and the location and size of any leaks present. Participation in the leak detection procedure by an expert not present at the pipeline is facilitated by communication of data between the base station and a distant supervisory station.

Method for detecting leaks in pipelines

Abnormal cardiac activity in a patient may be detected by acquiring an electrocardiogram waveform associated with a first level of physiologic activity of the patient and an electrocardiogram waveform associated with a second, different level of physiologic activity of the patient. QRS complexes of the electrocardiogram waveforms are compared to identify an abnormal portion of the QRS complex of the electrocardiogram waveform associated with the second level of physiologic activity. The abnormal portion of the QRS complex is processed to detect abnormal physiologic activity.

Detecting abnormal activation of heart

A localized cardiac measure, such as a localized measure of myocardial ischemia, is obtained by applying sensors to a subject, where the sensors are configured to produce electrical signals representative of cardiac activity of the subject. The subject's heart is then physiologically stressed by, for example, exercise stress testing, and electrical signals are received from at least two of the sensors. The received signals then are processed to obtain a localized cardiac measure.

Method and system for obtaining a localized cardiac measure

Noise is reduced from a received ECG signal representative of activity of the heart of a patient. A collection of beats from the ECG signal is selected and transformed into a multi-dimensional representation. A multi-dimensional filter function is applied to the multi-dimensional representation to enhance a signal-to-noise ratio of the collection of beats.

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Maynard, MA, United States of America

Paul Lander