US20230075841A1

US20230075841A1 - Continuous water level monitoring for sump pump system control

Info

Publication number: US20230075841A1
Application number: US17/470,348
Authority: US
Inventors: Nathan L. Tofte
Original assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co
Current assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co
Priority date: 2021-09-09
Filing date: 2021-09-09
Publication date: 2023-03-09

Abstract

The disclosed system and methods continuously detect water levels in sump pumps and may implement control based on the detected water level. The disclosed systems may include a sensor assembly including one or more sensors that may be configured to detect a gravity vector relative to the sensor assembly housing, which may be analyzed to calculate a water level in a basin. The calculated water level may be used to assess water accumulation conditions, to control activation and deactivation of the sump pump, to assess performance of the sump pump system and its components, and to implement other control functions relating to the sump pump.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application relates generally to sump pumps and, more particularly, to systems and methods for continuously detecting water level in sump pumps and implementing control based on the detected water level.

BACKGROUND

A sump pump is a type of pump used to remove water that has accumulated at a ground level or below ground level (e.g., a basement) of a property (e.g., a home, an office, or any other building or structure). The sump pump sends the water into pipes that lead away from the property so that potential flooding may be avoided. As such, failures in the sump pump can have disastrous consequences including water damages and insurance losses. However, sump pump failures often occur without prior warning, and they may not be discovered until significant damage has been done.

SUMMARY

The described methods and systems enable continuous detection of the water level in the sump pit. The determined water level can be used to control activation and deactivation of the sump pump, as well as to implement other controls of the sump pump. The disclosed methods and systems offer an improvement over the conventional sump pump systems with a discrete on/off switch. As the water level varies with rising or falling water, a continuous reading of the water level can be used as an assessment of the water accumulation condition in the basement and corresponding performance of the sump pump system.
In embodiments, a system for detecting water levels when implementing control of a sump pump is implemented. The system includes a sump pump disposed in a sump basin and configured to pump water out of the sump basin via an outlet pipe, a float, a tether, and a sensory assembly. The float is configured to be disposed in the sump basin such that it rises and falls in a manner corresponding to rises and falls of a water level in the sump basin. The tether includes: (i) a proximal end that is configured to be proximal to and attached to an anchor point in the sump basin such that the proximal end maintains a vertically fixed position regardless of changes of the water level; and (ii) a distal end that is configured to be distal to the anchor point and to be mechanically linked to the float such that a change in a vertical position of the float causes a corresponding change in the vertical position of the distal end, wherein the tether is positionable and biased to a first state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value and wherein a change in the water level causes the distal end to rotationally move around the proximal end. The sensor assembly includes a sensor configured to detect values for a gravity vector, wherein the sensor assembly is attached to the tether such that the sensor detects a change from a first value to a second value for the gravity vector when the distal end rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether; and one or more controllers that are communicatively coupled to the sensor in the sensor assembly and that are configured to: (i) calculate a set of values for the water levels based on the values of the gravity vector detected by the sensor, including first and second values for the water levels calculated based on the first and second values for the gravity vector, respectively; and (ii) implement control of the sump pump based on the calculated set of values.
In embodiments, a method for detecting water levels when implementing control of a sump pump is implemented. The method may include one or more of: implementing a sump pump disposed in a sump basin and configured to pump water out of the sump basin via an outlet pipe; implementing a float configured to be disposed in the sump basin such that it rises and falls in a manner corresponding to rises and falls of a water level in the sump basin; implementing a tether including: (i) a proximal end that is configured to be proximal to and attached to an anchor point in the sump basin such that the proximal end maintains a vertically fixed position regardless of changes of the water level; and (ii) a distal end that is configured to be distal to the anchor point and to be mechanically linked to the float such that a change in a vertical position of the float causes a corresponding change in the vertical position of the distal end, wherein the tether is positionable and biased to a first state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value and wherein a change in the water level causes the distal end to rotationally move around the proximal end; detecting, via a sensor assembly including a sensor configured to detect values for a gravity vector, wherein the sensor assembly is attached to the tether such that the sensor detects a change from a first value to a second value for the gravity vector when the distal end rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether; and determining, with one or more controllers that are communicatively coupled to the sensor in the sensor assembly and that are configured to calculate a set of values for the water levels based on the values of the gravity vector detected by the sensor, including first and second values for the water levels calculated based on the first and second values for the gravity vector, respectively; and implementing control of the sump pump based on the determined water level.
Note, this summary has been provided to introduce a selection of concepts further described below in the detailed description. As explained in the detailed description, certain embodiments may include features and advantages not described in this summary, and certain embodiments may omit one or more features or advantages described in this summary.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example sump pump system for continuous detecting of water levels and implementing controls in accordance with the detected water levels, as shown in an example sump pump network system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example computing system to implement the various user interfaces, methods, functions, etc., for maintaining and detecting failures of sump pumps, in accordance with disclosed embodiments.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example configuration of the continuous water level sensor in operation, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example configuration of the continuous water level sensor in operation, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 3C illustrates an example configuration of the continuous water level sensor in operation, in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart depicting an example method that may be implemented by way of any suitable equipment, hardware, machine-readable instructions, or systems, such as the example sump pump controllers shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , in accordance with disclosed embodiments.

The figures depict embodiments of this disclosure for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternate embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles set forth herein. In general, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. The figures are not necessarily to scale. Connecting lines or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent example functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed techniques enable continuous detection of water level in a sump pump basin, as well as control of a sump pump in accordance with the continuously detected water level or detected change in the water level. The water level may be continuously detected by way of one or more sensors in a sensor assembly disposed on or near a first end of a tether having a second end that is attached to an anchor point in the sump basin. The tether (which may be semi-rigid) and sensor assembly may be configured to rotate around the anchor point as water level changes (e.g., due to a float attached to the first end of the tether). The sensors may be configured to continuously detect values for a gravity vector as the sensors rotate around the anchor point. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly may have a unique orientation at any given point as it rotates around the anchor point (e.g., the sensor assembly may be mounted and fixed to the tether). Because one may assume the gravity vector is constant relative to the center of the earth, and because the sensor assembly rotates around the anchor point as water levels rise and fall (e.g., rather than simply going up or down), the disclosed systems may assume that any particular gravity vector relative to the sensor assembly orientation is unique to a given water level. Accordingly, water levels may be calculated based on the continuously detected gravity vectors.
As noted, the disclosed systems may implement a sensor assembly including sensor(s) configured to detect a gravity vector (e.g., the force and/or direction of gravity per unit mass at a given point) relative to the sensor assembly housing, which can be analyzed to calculate water level in a basin. These sensor(s) may be or include gyroscopes, accelerometers, magnetometers, inertial measurement units (IMUs), or force acceleration sensors. Generally speaking, the sensor assembly may be disposed on or within the tether, and may be responsive to the water such that, when the water level rises or drops, the sensor assembly responsively and proportionally rises or drops (e.g., in a rotational manner).
The sensor assembly may be positioned on a tether or a band anchored to a stationary component of the sump pump system, such as a wall of the sump basin or the housing of the sump pump. The non-anchored end of the tether in turn may be attached to a float in such a way that as the float rises and falls corresponding to the water level in the sump basin, the non-anchored end of the tether moves with the float in the vertical plane causing the tether to rotate and/or bend. The sensor assembly may be attached to the tether in such a way that a change in position of the float causes a corresponding change in position and/or rotation of the sensor assembly. As the sensor assembly changes position, the gravity vector may be continuously detected or calculated, and the water level may be continuously calculated based on the continuously detected or calculated gravity vector. A controller may use the detected water level in combination with other calculated or known parameters (such as time, sump basin height and width, etc.) to calculate change in water level rate over time, or to calculate water volume and/or water volume change over time.
The described system may be configured to detect water level at set time intervals or on-demand by a user (e.g., a home owner) or the controller(s), or by a third party (e.g., a home insuring entity). The sensor assembly may be communicatively coupled to controller(s) configured to further process data measured by the sensor(s) as well as implement control of the sensor(s) and the sump pump based on calculated parameters. The controller(s) may utilize the calculated water level to control the sump pump (e.g., to activate or deactivate the sump pump when low water or high water thresholds are crossed), to determine operating status of the sump pump system and its components, such as proper functioning of a pump activation switch, operating condition of the pump, or a backflow condition. The implemented control may include activating or deactivating the sump pump, adjusting operating parameters of the sump pump, or sending a notification to a user. The described system may be applied to any water management systems where it is desirable to monitor water levels continuously or on demand, to treat a water condition (e.g., an excess water), and/or alert to the detected water level condition. The continuous water level monitoring system may be utilized in residential as well as commercial water management settings.
Generally speaking, sump pumps are used in areas where lower level flooding (e.g., ground level or below ground level) may be a problem and/or is a recurring problem. A typical sump pump system comprises a submersible impeller type pump disposed in a sump basin. The sump basin is a holding cavity formed by digging a recess into the floor of a lower level of a property, such as a ground level or below ground level (e.g., a basement) of a property (e.g., a home, an office, or any other building or structure). The sump basin acts both to house the sump pump and to collect accumulated water. Water may accumulate in the sump basin when excessive amounts of rain, snow melt or ground water saturate the soil adjacent to the property and/or property lower level floor. Water may also enter the sump basin via drainage pipes that have been placed into the ground to divert any excess water into the sump basin before the water can begin to permeate foundation walls, floors, etc., or water may enter the sump basin through porous or cracked walls, floors, etc. In any event, the sump pumping action of a sump pump removes water accumulated in the sump basin so that potential lower level flooding may be avoided. When water is pumped out of the sump basin, the water is discharged via pipes to an area away from the property such as into a municipal storm drain, a dry well, a water retention area, etc.
One can generally assume that in a properly functioning sump pump system, when the sump pump is not active or engaged, no standing water exists in the sump basin (or the level of standing water is below the level accessible for the pump impeller). When water begins flowing into the sump basin and the water level rises, a conventional sump pump system with a discrete on/off switch (for example, a mechanical switch or a point water level sensor) will activate the sump motor when the water level reaches a designated critical high water level mark or threshold. Notably, conventional sump pump systems detect only two water levels: a high water level or mark and a low water level or mark. Such conventional sump pump systems present several drawbacks. As a preliminary matter, a conventional sump pump system is generally unaware of the precise water level in the sump basin when the water level is below the low water mark, above the high water mark, or in between the two water marks. This imprecise two-point water level detection can be problematic in a number of scenarios.
For example, in a situation where the inflow of water stops before the water reaches the high level mark, a conventional sump pump system with a discrete on/off switch may not activate, resulting in some of the sump pump system components being submersed in water until the water either evaporates or until the next water inflow event occurs and brings the water level to the high level mark sufficient to activate the sump pump and drain the water. Long-term submersion of a sump pump in standing water may lead to issues such as rusting of its components or accumulating of mineral deposits, eventually leading to premature ageing or failure of the sump pump system.
The described system offers several advantages over sump pump systems that rely only on a discrete on/off switch. A sump pump system equipped with means for continuous water level detection can detect and respond to a variety of water events and soft mechanical failures. The specific examples of how the described system can detect and respond to water events and soft mechanical failures will be described in greater detail below with reference to FIGS. 1, 3A-C, and 4. The described system can be utilized as a primary sump pump activation system, as a secondary sump pump activation system or as a backup system to a discrete on/off switch or any other suitable sump pump activation system. The described system also can be utilized as a system configured to detect and/or resolve soft mechanical failures in addition to or alternatively to activating the sump pump.
Turning to the figures, FIG. 1 illustrates an example sump pump system 100 including a sump pump controller 146, a tether 136, and a sensor assembly 134 configured to continuously detect or calculate gravity vector values and to continuously calculate a water level based on the gravity vector values. As shown in FIG. 1 , the sump pump system 100 may be part of an example sump pump network system 160.
The example sump pump system 100 includes a sump pump 102 located in a sump basin 104. The sump pump 102 and a sump pump motor 106 may be enclosed in a housing 108. The sump pump motor 106 may also be referred to herein as the motor 106, and the sump pump 102 may also be referred to herein as the pump 102. While the sump pump 102 in FIG. 1 is shown as a submersible type sump pump (e.g., where the motor 106 and the sump pump 102 are mounted inside the basin 104), the sump pump 102, in general, may be any type of sump pump, such as a pedestal type sump pump that is mounted above or outside of the basin 104. As shown in FIG. 1 , the sump basin 104 is a well-like cavity or hole formed through a floor 110 of the property 150. The example sump pump system 100 includes a water inlet pipe 112 terminating at the sump basin 104, and a discharge pipe 114 (also referred to herein as an outlet pipe) connected to the sump pump 102 to carry water out of the sump basin 104. An impeller 118 of the sump pump 102 draws in water through a pump inlet 120, and pumps the water up the discharge pipe 114 to an outlet 116. In the illustrated example, the discharge pipe 114 extends upward from the sump pump 102 and then out of the building. However, other arrangements may be implemented. The discharge pipe 114 may be outfitted with a check valve 122. The check valve 122 allows water to flow up through the discharge pipe 114, but does not allow the water in the discharge pipe 114 to flow back into the sump basin 104 when the sump pump 102 is off. A weep hole 124 in the discharge pipe 114 allows excess air to escape from the pipe, preventing air binding, also known as air locking. The opening of the sump basin 104 may be protected by a cover to prevent objects from falling into the basin, and to keep noxious gases (e.g., radon) from entering the property 150. In the case of a sealed sump pump basin 104, an air vent 126 may be needed to relieve excess air pressure in the basin.
Generally, the sump pump 102 may be electrically powered and hardwired into the electrical system of the property 150. Additionally and/or alternatively, the sump pump 102 may be powered by a battery or other independent power source (not shown for clarity of illustration). If desired, this other power source may provide power to the sump pump 102 in response to the sump pump 102 losing primary power.
The sump pump system 100 may be configured to continuously detect a water level and to operate in accordance with the continuously detected water level. If desired, in some embodiments the sump pump system 100 may also be configurable to operate based on discrete detection of two levels: a high and low water level.
Regarding discrete detection of two water levels, operation of the sump pump 102 may be controlled by a pump activation switch 128 in response to a water level in the basin 104 bypassing high and low water marks 130 and 132, respectively. For example, the pump activation switch 128 may activate the sump pump 102 when a water level in the sump basin 104 reaches a preset level, for example a water level 130 (sometimes referred to as the high water level or high water mark 130). The preset level 130 may be determined by the placement of the pump activation switch 128. The preset level may be determined by other criteria, and the pump activation switch 128 may be configured to activate at the determined preset level. In illustrated example of FIG. 1 , the pump activation switch 128 is shown in the form of a float switch, although other technologies such as liquid level sensors may also be used.
As shown in FIG. 1 , the pump activation switch 128 is connected to the motor 106 of the sump pump 102. In some embodiments, the pump activation switch 128 is a level sensor, such as a float switch. When the rising water in the basin 104 lifts a float of the pump activation switch 128 to a high water level or mark 130, the float rises a rod, which activates and/or energizes the motor 106 to begin pumping water. In other embodiments, the pump activation switch 128 may be a mercury tilt switch. The rising water in the basin 104 lifts and tilts a float of the pump activation switch 128 and, when the float reaches the high water level or mark 130, a sufficient tilt causes a small amount of liquid mercury to slide towards open electrodes to close an electrical circuit, which activates and/or energizes the motor 106. As water is pumped out of the sump basin 104, the water level drops to a low or initial water level or mark 132. The falling water level carries the pump activation switch 128 back to an initial or low water level or mark 132, at which the pump activation switch 128 is deactivated. Thus, the motor 106 de-energizes or shuts off at the initial or low water level or mark 132.
Regarding continuous water level detection and sump pump operation, the sump pump controller 146 may control the sump pump 102 by continuously detecting and monitoring the change in the water level in the sump basin and/or activating/deactivating the sump pump 102 based on the continuously detected water levels. A properly placed sensor assembly, such as the sensor assembly 134, may provide continuous data on the level of water in the sump basin 104 over time. The data can be used to activate the pump 102, to deactivate the pump 102, to monitor performance of the pump activation switch 128, to act as a backup pump activation/deactivation system, to indirectly detect soft mechanical failures in the sump pump system 100, and/or to detect instances of flooding that may overwhelm the sump pump system 100.
The sensor assembly 134 may be configured to communicate with the sump pump controller 146, which may be configured to communicate with other components of the sump pump system 100, or components of a sump pump network system 160 (described below). The sump pump controller 146 may also be referred to in this specification as the controller 146. The controller 146 is configured to receive and analyze data from one or more sensors in the sensor assembly 134 using built-in computing capabilities or in cooperation with other computing devices of the sump pump network system 160 to identify specific issues or failures of the sump pump system 100, and in some instances remediate the issues, and/or generate an alert regarding the detected failures. Interactions between the sensor assembly 134, the controller 146, and the components of the system 160 are discussed below in more detail. In embodiments, the sensor assembly 134 may be communicatively coupled to one or more controllers (e.g., configured to calculate, detect, or estimate water levels based on detected gravity vectors; not shown) that are in turn coupled to the controller 146.
The sensor assembly 134 may include one or more sensors that transduce one or more of: light, sound, acceleration, translational or rotational movement, strain, pressure, presence of liquid, or other suitable signals into electrical signals. The one or more sensors of the sensor assembly 134 may be acoustic, photonic, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors, or any other suitable type of sensor. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 134 includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and/or a magnetometer. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 134 includes an inertial measurement unit (IMU) configured for nine degrees of freedom (e.g., position, orientation, and angular velocity measured in 3D space), and may include a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer. Utilizing a combination of sensors, the sensor assembly 134 may measure orientation, velocity, and gravitational forces (e.g., a gravity vector). The controller 146 is configured to determine measured changes in orientation of the sensory assembly 134 relative to the direction of gravity (which is constant). These changes in the gravity vector from the perspective of the sensors in the sensor assembly yield a translational change in water level in the sump basin 104, enabling the controller 146 to calculate water levels based on detected gravity vectors. In embodiments, the controller 146 may continuously calculate or estimate water levels based on values of the gravity vector continuously detected by the one or more sensors of the sensor assembly 134. In embodiments, the measurements would yield water level rise or fall rate. We explain these measurements in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 3A-3C.
The sensor assembly 134 may include pressure sensors, optical, ultrasonic, radar, capacitance, electroconductive or electrostatic sensors. Each of the one or more sensors of the sensor assembly 134 may include one or more associated circuits, as well as packaging elements. The sensors may be electrically or communicatively connected with each other (e.g., via one or more busses or links, power lines, etc.), and may cooperate to enable “smart” functionality described within this disclosure.
In embodiments, the sensor assembly 134 may be attached to or disposed on, at, or within the sump basin 104. In embodiments, the sensor assembly may be attached to or disposed on, at, or within the tether 136. Generally speaking, the sensor assembly 134 may be disposed on or within the water, and may be responsive to the water such that, when the water level rises or drops, the sensor(s) responsively and proportionally rise or drop. In embodiments, the sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 134 may be configured to detect values for a gravity vector, wherein the sensor assembly is attached to the tether such that the sensor detects a change from a first value to a second value for the gravity vector when the distal end rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether.
The tether 136 may be disposed at, on, throughout, embedded within, or in mechanical connection to a non-moving component within the sump basin, such as a wall of the sump basin 104, the sump pump housing 108, or the discharge pipe 114 in such a way that a proximal end of the tether 136 is configured to be proximal to the point of attachment or an anchor point 138. Generally speaking, the distal end of the tether is configured to be distal to the anchor point 138 and extending into the sump basin 104. Generally speaking, the phrase ‘proximal end of the tether’ refers to the end nearer the point of attachment or the attached end (e.g., attached to the anchor point 138), and the phrase ‘distal end of the tether’ refers to the end of the tether further from the point of attachment or the unattached end (e.g., the anchor point 138). In illustrated example of FIG. 1 the proximal end of the tether 136 is attached at the anchor point 138 to an inner wall of the sump basin 104, and the sensor assembly 134 is positioned at the distal end of the tether 136. In the illustrated examples of FIGS. 3A-3C, the tether 302 is attached to sump pump housing 306 at an anchor point 309, and a sensor assembly 304 is positioned at the distal end of the tether 302. The sensor assembly may be positioned at any point between the distal and the proximal ends of the tether (e.g., at a distal end, at midline, etc.).
Referring back to FIG.1, the anchor point 138 may be a point of immobile connection between the proximal end of the tether 136 and the site of attachment, such as a welded, glued, or a mechanically fixed connection. In embodiments, the anchor point 138 may be a hinge or a spring to which the proximal end of the tether is attached. The anchor point 138 may be positioned a short distance (e.g., 10, 20, 30, or 50 mm above) above the low water level or mark 132 in the sump basin 104.
In embodiments, the tether 136 may be mechanically linked to a float 140 (e.g., at or near the distal end of the tether 136) such that a change in a vertical position of the float 140 causes a corresponding change in the vertical position of the distal end of the tether 136. The float 140 may be any suitable float weighing less than the water it displaces. For example, the float 140 may be a hollow or a solid object of any suitable material with material density smaller than 1 g/cm³. The float 140 may be directly attached, disposed at, on, throughout, or embedded within the tether 136. In embodiments, the float 140 may be linked to the tether 136 via the sensor assembly 134. In this case, the float 140 may be directly attached, disposed at, on, throughout, or embedded within the sensor assembly 134, which may in turn be attached to the tether 136. In embodiments, the float 140 and the sensor assembly 134 may be linked or attached to the tether 136 at different locations. In embodiments, the positions of the float 140 and the sensor assembly 134 on the tether 136 may be adjustable.
The tether 136 may be rigid or a semi-rigid in nature, and may be made out of any one or more suitable materials. For example, the tether may be comprised of any suitable solid metal, metal alloy, a polymer, or a composite material. The material(s) stiffness may be known as defined by a modulus of elasticity in tension or the material's Young's modulus. For example, the tether 136 may be comprised of material with a Young's modulus between 1 and 100 GPa. The material composition of the tether 136 may be chosen such that the tether will undergo a desired elastic deformation within the range of the loads applied to it by the change in the water level within the sump basin 104. In some embodiments, the material composition of the tether 136 may be chosen such that the tether will undergo no deformation within the range of the loads applied to it.
In an embodiment, the tether 136 may extend into the sump basin 104 in a plane perpendicular to the surface of attachment. In some embodiments, the tether 136 may extend into the sump basin 104 in a plane parallel to the ground plane or a plane positioned at an angle between 0 and 90 degrees to the ground plane. In some embodiments, the tether is positionable and biased to a resting state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value. For example, the tether may be rigid or semi-rigid such that it has a relatively consistent resting state and/or shape (e.g., a relatively straight line). If desired, the tether 136 may be deformable such that it is positionable to one or more other states in which the shortest straight-line distance is less than the fixed value. For example, the tether may be generally semi-rigid and straight, but may be sufficiently deformable or elastic such that one end can be “bent back” toward the other end (thereby shortening the shortest straight-line distance between the ends). Generally speaking, the tether's semi-rigid or rigid properties are chosen such that the tether is biased to retain its shape in spatial coordinate system at the first state. The first state may be the state at which no load is applied to the tether and it does not experience any stress deformation. If desired, the tether is further positionable to a second state in which the shortest straight-line distance between the proximal and distal ends is less than the fixed value. For example, assuming the tether typically maintains a relatively straight and linear shape, it may have a degree of flexibility enabling it to bend, thus bringing the distal and proximal ends closer to each other when measuring the shortest distance between the two ends.
The tether 136 may be any suitable shape or size that enables the distal end of the tether 136 to move rotationally around its proximal end, unobstructed by the sump pump system components. For example, the tether 136 may be a rectangular prism, where tether thickness is less than its length and tether width is greater or equal to its thickness, and where the length of the tether is the length from the proximal to the distal end. In embodiments, the tether may have a width equal to its length. In embodiments, the tether may have uneven thickness and uneven width. The tether's dimensions may depend on the dimensions of the sump basin 104. For example, the length of the tether 136 may be a fraction of the greatest distance between the sump basin wall and the sump pump housing 108 (e.g., ¼, ⅓, or ½ of the distance). For example, in a cylindrical sump basin of a diameter of 18 inches and a sump pump housing diameter of 6 inches, the tether may be between ½ and 6 inches long. A tether 136 with a length between ½ and 6 inches may be between ⅛^thand 2 inches wide, and between 1/16^thand 1 inches thick. The described tether structure would be contained to an area such that the tether 136 and any components linked to the extended part of the tether 136 would not come into contact with any other stationary or movable parts of the sump pump system 100. This would eliminate any potential binding or obstructing issues with other devices in the sump pit.
In embodiments in which the tether 136 is rigid, the tether 136 experiences few, if any, changes in any dimension of the tether 136 under the forces of rising or falling water levels in the sump basin 104. When rigid, the shortest straight-line distance between the distal and the proximal ends of the tether 136 is a fixed value (e.g., the distance being the length of the tether 136) that does not change in response to forces exerted on the tether 136 from rising and falling water levels. The tether 136 may be rigid in embodiments in which the tether 136 is attached to an anchor point via a hinge or some other mechanism that enables the proximal end to attach to a pivot, thereby enabling the distal end to rotate around the proximal end.
In embodiments in which the tether 136 is semi-rigid, the tether 136 may experience strain within the bounds of elastic deformation under the forces of rising or falling water levels in the sump basin 104. In such embodiments, the dimensions of the tether 136 may change (e.g., by flexing). The tether 136 may then return to its resting dimensions when little or no force is exerted on the tether 136. For example, it may return to resting dimensions when the water level is still (neither rising or falling) or when there is no water in the sump basin 103. In such embodiments, the tether 136 may be positionable to one or more other states (i.e., other than the resting state) in which the shortest straight-line distance between the distal and the proximal ends shrinks relative to the shortest distance when the tether 136 is in a resting state (e.g., when one end flexes back toward the other end). In other words, the forces of rising or falling water may exert pressure or force on the unattached distal end of the tether 136 (e.g., via a float attached to the distal end) sufficient to cause the distal end to flex, bend, and/or rotate around the anchored proximal end of the tether 136. Tethers of lower or higher stiffness or rigidity will respectively bend more or less under the same applied forces. For example, the tether 136 may be adapted to have a certain stiffness and length such that the shortest straight-line distance between the proximal and distal ends changes by no more than a certain percentage (e.g., between 1% and 15%) of the resting length given the typical forces exerted in a sump pump basin. In an embodiment in which the tether 136 is semi-rigid and deformable, the tether 136 may be robust to mineral deposits due the tether 136 flexing under pressure and thereby preventing accumulation of mineral deposits on the surface of the tether 136.
In embodiments, the tether 136 and/or the sensor assembly 134 may be encased in protective housing. The housing may be impermeable to water (e.g., a boot made of water impermeable material such as rubber or plastic), protecting the tether 136 and the sensor assembly 134 from water corrosion and contact or entanglement with other sump pump system components. The housing may be porous or semi-porous, allowing contact with water but protecting the tether 136 and the sensor assembly 134 from contact with other sump pump system components. The float 140 may or may not be encased in the protective housing with the tether 136 and the sensor assembly 134.
When the sump pump 102 and/or the motor 106 fails, flooding may ensue as water fills up the sump basin 104 and overflows above the level of the floor 110 of the property 150. The amount of water that overflows can vary from a few inches to several feet, which may result in substantial water damage to the structures of property 150, as well as personal belongings. Accordingly, the ability to maintain sump pumps, and to detect and resolve impending sump pump failures before they occur is of great importance to the property owners and the building and property insuring parties. If desired, the continuous level detection techniques described herein may be implemented as a back-up to a traditional, discrete hi/low system (thereby mitigating consequences if the traditional float system fails to activate at the high water mark for some reason). If desired, the continuous level detection techniques described herein may be implemented as a primary control mechanism for the sump pump 102, and a traditional float system may be utilized as a back-up. Further still, multiple tethers and sensor assemblies may be installed to thereby have redundant continuous level detection.
The sump pump 102 may fail because of a failure in the motor 106, which renders the entire sump pump 102 inoperable. The failure in the motor 106 may be caused by various factors such as age, fatigue, overheating, poor maintenance, etc. Aside from the failure of the motor 106, the sump pump 102 may fail because of other soft mechanical failures of the components of the sump pump system 100. For example, sediment or debris build-up may cause the motor impeller 118 and/or another sump pump component to stall, thus, rendering the sump pump 102 unable to pump water even though the motor 106 is operational. Additionally or alternatively, the pump activation switch 128 may fail to engage in response to the rising water level and subsequently fail to actuate the motor 106. Additionally or alternatively, the check valve 122 may malfunction, and back flow of the discharged water into the sump pump basin 104 may equal or exceed the amount of water being pumped out by the sump pump 102. Additionally or alternatively, there might be a blockage in the discharge pipe 114, preventing water flow to the outlet 116. Additionally and/or alternatively, an air pocket may cause the sump pump 102 to run dry. As such, mechanisms to maintain the sump pump and/or detect impending sump pump failures may include monitoring for the occurrence of such failures.
Example remedies to soft mechanical failures (such as a blockage or stuck impeller) may include altering a speed of a pump impeller, reversing a direction of spin of the pump impeller, gradually accelerating the impeller, or alternating gradual accelerations of the impeller with gradual decelerations. If desired, the sump pump system 100 may include a variable speed motor or controller for the sump pump 102. In an embodiment, the sump pump motor 106 is a variable speed motor; in an embodiment, it is not. Similarly, in an embodiment, the sump pump controller 146 is a variable speed controller; in an embodiment, it is not. The sump pump controller 146 may implement one or more of the described remedies in response to detecting a soft mechanical failure (e.g., detecting that the water level is rising above the high water mark and the pump 102 is not activating).
For example, in embodiments in which the pump impeller is reversed or adjusted in speed, a variable speed motor or controller may be included for controlling the pump and/or pump impeller in such a manner. In some embodiments, a variable speed motor or controller may detect a blocked impeller by sensing that the position of the rotor or impeller is not changing even though power is applied. To dislodge the mechanical blockage, the controller may spin the motor in reverse direction or alternate gradual acceleration with gradual deceleration in opposite directions. Gradual acceleration upon motor activation and gradual deceleration upon motor disengagement may reduce initial step level force impact of the pump turning on or off, which may benefit the system by lengthening the serviceable life of the motor and the marginal pipe infrastructure.
In operation, if the sensor assembly 134 does not detect a rise in the water level prior to the activation of the pump, then there is either no water in the basin 104 or the water level is below or at the level of the float 140. In some embodiments, if the sensor assembly 134 detects a rise in the water level, followed by a detection that the water level has reached the high water level mark 130 and that the pump 102 is activated, then the primary sump pump activation mechanism is deemed adequate. In any event, it can be assumed that the sump pump system 100 is not experiencing any soft mechanical failure. On the other hand, if the sensor assembly 134 detects that the water level has reached or surpassed the high water level mark 130 and the pump 102 was not activated, a dangerous level of water is present in the sump basin 104, which may be due to either a failure of the pump 102 or a failure to activate the pump 102. If the sensor assembly 134 continues to detect a rise in the water level after the activation of the pump 102, then water may be on the rise and may overflow the sump basin 104, which may be due to a soft mechanical failure that has rendered the sump pump 102 unable to pump out adequate amount of water, a backflow issue, and/or because the water inflow rate exceeds the pump 102 pumping rate.
One can generally assume that the backflow is zero shortly before water in a sump basin hits a high-water mark that triggers activation of the sump pump (because, presumably, the sump pump has been disengaged for a long enough period of time that, to the extent backflow is allowed via the outlet pipe, all of the water that could have backflowed into the sump basin via the outlet pipe has already done so). Further, if a faulty check valve is allowing backflow, backflow most likely presents itself immediately after the sump pump disengages after pumping. As a result, if backflow is a problem, an increase in the water level immediately after disengaging of the pump will result from the sum of the backflow and the standard in-flow from inlet pipes. The rise in the water level immediately before engaging will not include the backflow (that is, the rise in the water level at that time is likely exclusively attributable to the standard water in-flow). Consequently, the rise in the water level or water rise rate at a time shortly before engagement can be compared to (e.g., subtracted from) the rise in the water level or water rise rate shortly after disengagement to detect backflow. If these two water rise rates are roughly the same, one can conclude little or no backflow is occurring. Alternatively, if a significant difference between the two exists, this suggests the sump pump system suffers from backflow.
Generally speaking, disclosed systems automatically detect and resolve failures in sump pump systems. In some embodiments, the controller 146 can use the continuous water level measurements, taken at regular time intervals (e.g., at 1, 5, or 10 second intervals), to estimate the volume of water being pumped, deposited, or backflowing in the sump basin 104. For example, knowing the sump pump basin 104 dimensions, such as a diameter (if the basin is a cylinder), or the bottom diameter, a top diameter, and a height (if the basin is a graduated cylinder) or width and length measurements (if the basin is a rectangular prism), and water level height over time will yield a measurement of water volume increase or decrease over time. The controller 146 may utilize any suitable volume formula to calculate changes in volume (e.g., volume=πr²h for a cylinder). For example, if the basin 104 is a cylinder basin, the controller 146 may be programmed to assume a known basin radius (e.g., 8 inches). The controller 146 may identify the distance from the bottom of the basin 104 to the water level (e.g., based on a water level sensor). This distance may be used for the “h” variable in the volume formula, enabling the controller 146 to calculate volume at any given time it can detect the “height” of the water level. In some instances, the controller 146 may be configured to account for water volume displacement that occurs due to the pump itself being submerged within water. For example, a known volume of the pump at a known height of the water level (which is generally static) may be subtracted from a formula that assumes a perfect cylinder.
Additionally, knowing the sump basin 104 capacity (e.g., in gallons) and water volume increase over time, the controller 146 may calculate an estimate of when the sump pump basin may overflow. For example, in a sump basin with a capacity of 26 gallons and an initial water volume of 0 gallons, the controller 146 may calculate that a water volume increase at 0.1 gallons per second would result in a sump basin overflow in 260 seconds or 4 minutes and 20 seconds. The sump pump controller 146 may generate an alert, communicating an approximated time of the critical event of the sump basin 104 overflowing, or communicating the time (e.g., in minutes or seconds) remaining until the estimated overflow.
Additionally, functions of the sump pump controller 146 of FIG. 1 may be used together with the sensor assembly 134 to detect certain soft mechanical failures, such as when the sump motor 106 becomes stuck and runs indefinitely. This may be due to a mechanical malfunction of the pump activation switch 128 or another activation element. In this scenario, when the sensor assembly 134 detects that water level fell to or below the low water level (for example, low level or mark 132), the sump pump controller 146 may analyze the electrical load waveform of the motor 106 to determine how long the motor 106 is running. In general, if the sump pump 102 is working properly, then the motor 106 will automatically shut off when the falling water carries the pump activation switch 128 back to the initial or low level or mark 132. However, if the pump activation switch 128 jams or otherwise fails, then the sump motor 106 may become stuck and continue to run for a long time. Thus, if the sensor assembly 134 is detecting water level at or below the low level or mark 132 but the sump pump controller 146 is detecting a long period of run time on the part of the sump motor 106 (e.g., if the run time of the sump motor 106 exceeds a certain length of time), then the sump pump 102 may be deemed to be experiencing a soft mechanical failure.
In embodiments, the sensor assembly 134 may include a force sensor, a potentiometer, or a transducer, configured to detect deflection in the tether 136 in response to the force exhorted by the rising or falling water level in the sump basin 104 and translate the measurement into the change in the water level. The sensor assembly 134 may include, for example a piezoelectric crystal, a pneumatic, a hydraulic, an inductive, a capacitive, a magnetostrictive, or a strain gage load cell, or an accelerometer, or any other suitable sensor capable of transducing a force into an electrical signal. In embodiments, the sensor assembly 134 may include an accelerometer that measures inertial acceleration, from which water level in the sump basin 104 can be determined.
In general terms, the load cell or a strain gauge device is a mechanical support with one or more sensors that detect small distortions in the support. The mechanical support may be the tether 136. Distortions in the tether over time correspond to a measureable rate of acceleration, which yield a measurement of water level in the sump basin 104. In an embodiment, the sensor assembly 134 detects voltage and changes in voltage in response to motion. This voltage measurement may be transduced to detect positional displacement of the sensor assembly 134, velocity of the sensor assembly 134, and/or acceleration of the sensor assembly 134.
In embodiments with a mobile anchor point connection of the tether 136 (e.g., a hinge, a spring, or a pivoting joint), the sensor assembly 134 may be positioned at the anchor point 138 or include sensor(s) at the anchor point 138. In some embodiments, the sump pump system 100 may include a first sensor assembly including a first one or more sensors and a second sensor assembly including a second one or more sensors. In some embodiments, the second sensor assembly may be positioned at the mobile anchor point and the first sensor assembly may be positioned at any other location on the tether. As the float 140 rises and falls with the rising or falling water level in the sump basin 104, the displacement in the float's position causes a displacement of the distal end of the tether 136, which in turn translates into a proportional movement of the anchor point when the anchor point is mobile (e.g., a movement of the hinge, the spring, or the pivoting joint). In some embodiments, the second sensor assembly including the second sensor(s) may be configured to detect displacement in the mobile anchor point (e.g., a displacement in the hinge, the spring, or the pivoting joint) as the distal end of the tether pivots around the anchor point. In some embodiments, sensor(s) in the second sensor assembly may measure displacement as a change in distance or a change in angle between components of a hinge or a joint. In some embodiments, sensor(s) in the sensor assembly 134 or an additional sensor assembly may measure displacement as strain at the joint, such as a change in length. One or more controllers may be further configured to continuously calculate a second set of values for the water levels based on the detected displacement in the mobile anchor point (e.g., in the hinge, the spring, or the pivoting joint). This second set of water levels may be referenced as a back-up measurement.
In operation, the float 140 may ascend with a rising water level in the sump basin 104, resulting in displacement of the tether 136, which would be detected by the sensor assembly 134, yielding a change in the water level in the sump basin 104. The controller 146 may utilize the change in the water level to determine, for example, water level rise rate or water volume rise rate in the sump basin 104. If the sensor assembly 134 does not detect a change in the water level, there may be no rise or fall in the water at the level of the tether 136 or the water in the sump basin 104 is standing still. If desired, the water level at the tether 136 in the sump basin 104 may be constant. In other words, water rise rate or inflow rate may equal the rate of water pumped out through the discharge pipe 114 by the sump pump 102. In an example, the sensor assembly 134 may sense a rising water level when the sump pump 102 is operational, indicating that the inflow rate is greater than the rate of water pumped out through the discharge pipe 114 by the sump pump 102 and that the sump pump system 100 is overwhelmed. This may indicate that the water level is rising due to additional inflow (e.g., back flow from the discharge pipe, or the vent 120, or through the floor 110 opening of an uncovered sump basin).
The tether 136 with the sensor assembly 134 may be positioned such that in resting state the sensor assembly 134 is below the low or initial water level or mark 132 in the sump basin 104 corresponding to the bottom of the impeller 118. In operation, if the sensor assembly 134 does not detect a rise in the water level, then the current water level in the basin 104 may be deemed adequately low to avoid, prevent, reduce, etc. corrosion of the impeller 118 and/or another sump pump component due to standing water in the sump basin 104. On the other hand, if the water level sensor assembly 134 detects a rise in the water level, then at least a portion of the impeller 118 and/or another sump pump component may be currently exposed to water and a condition for potential corrosion may exist. Alternatively, the sensor assembly 134 may be configured to detect a water rise or fall rate, water movement (e.g., a disturbance, splashing, sloshing, ripples, etc.) in the sump basin 104 due to the sump pump 102 running, etc. at the level or mark 132.
In some examples, the sump pump controller 146 maintains, tests, etc. the sump pump system 100 by periodically (e.g., every 14 days) running the motor 106 for at least a short duration (e.g., 30 seconds), regardless of the amount of water in the sump basin 104. To reduce, avoid, prevent, etc. corrosion of the impeller 118 due to extended exposure of the impeller 118 to standing, potentially dirty water, in some examples, the sump pump controller 146 periodically activates the motor 106 (e.g., every 14 days) until the level of water in the sump basin 104 as detected by, for example, the sensor assembly 134 is below the bottom of the impeller 118.
Additionally and/or alternatively, following a water event, the sump pump controller 146 may run the motor 106 until a current level of the water in the sump basin 104 as detected by, for example, the sensor assembly 134 is below the bottom of the impeller 118 and/or another sump pump component. Example water events include, but are not limited to, a storm, a flood, a plumbing failure, etc. that causes an initial inrush of incoming water, followed by a slower flow of incoming water. An example method of detecting a water event includes: (i) during a first time period, detecting that a rate at which water is rising in the sump basin exceeds a first threshold; (ii) during a second, later time period, detecting that a rate at which water is rising in the sump basin 104 is less than a second, lower threshold; and (iii) optionally detecting that water has stopped rising in the sump basin. The rate at which water is rising in the sump basin 104 may, additionally and/or alternatively, be determined by counting the number of activations of the motor 106 in a period of time to, for example, maintain a current level of water in the sump basin 104 below the water level or mark 130.
As shown in the illustrated example of FIG. 1 , the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100, may be a smart device that is part of the sump pump network system 160. However, the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100 may, additionally and/or alternatively, operate as a standalone system.
The sump pump controller 146 may convey data, updates, alerts, etc. related to the sump pump system 100 to a smart home hub 158 at the property 150 via any number and/or type(s) of local network(s) 156. The smart home hub 158 may connect to smart home devices (e.g., the sump pump controller 146, the sump pump system 100, doorbells, lights, locks, security cameras, thermostats, etc.) to enable a user 152 (e.g., a homeowner) to install, configure, control, monitor, etc. such devices via an electronic device 154, such as a smartphone, a tablet, a personal computer, or any other computing device. In some embodiments, the smart home hub 158 may send alerts, updates, notifications, etc. when certain conditions occur (e.g., when the sump pump controller 146 detects potential failure conditions) to the user 152 via their electronic device 154. Additionally and/or alternatively, alerts, status updates, notifications, etc. may be provided remotely via any number and/or type(s) of remote network(s) 160, such as the Internet. Thus, the user 152 may receive alerts, status updates, notifications, etc. via their electronic device 154 both when they are at the property 150 and when they are away. Moreover, alerts, status updates, notifications, etc. may be sent to a remote processing server 162 (e.g., a server or servers associated with insurance provider or providers) via the remote network(s) 160 for remote monitoring, control, etc.
While examples disclosed herein are described with reference to the sump pump controller 146 receiving and processing data from the sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 134 to maintain and/or detect failures of the sump pump system 100, additionally and/or alternatively, data from the sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 134 may be sent to the remote processing server 162 for processing to control, maintain and/or detect failures of the sump pump system 100, etc. In some examples, the remote processing server 162 may be part of security system monitoring server.
In some examples, data from the sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 134, and/or alerts, status updates, notifications, trends, etc. determined by the sump pump controller 146 are stored in a cache, datastore, memory, etc. 148 for subsequent recall.
While the example sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the example sump pump system 100 for monitoring sump pumps for failures and/or maintaining sump pumps are illustrated in FIG. 1 , one or more of the elements, processes, devices and/or systems illustrated in FIG. 1 may be combined, divided, re-arranged, omitted, eliminated or implemented in any other way. Further, the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100 may include one or more elements, processes, devices and/or systems in addition to, or instead of, those illustrated in FIG. 1 , and/or may include more than one of any or all of the illustrated elements, processes, devices and/or systems.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an example 200 of the sump controller 146 configured in accordance with described embodiments. For ease of reference, the example 200 may be referred to as the computer, computing system, controller, sump controller, or sump pump controller 200. The example controller 200 may be used to, for example, implement all or part of the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100. The controller 200 may be, for example, a computer, an embedded controller, an Internet appliance, and/or any other type of computing device.
The controller 200 includes, among other things, a processor 202, memory 204, input/output (I/O) interface(s) 206 and network interface(s) 208, all of which are interconnected via an address/data bus 210. The program memory 204 may store software and/or machine-readable instructions that may be executed by the processor 202. It should be appreciated that although FIG. 2 depicts only one processor 202, the controller 200 may include multiple processors 202. The processor 202 of the illustrated example is hardware, and may be a semiconductor based (e.g., silicon based) device. Example processors 202 include a programmable processor, a programmable controller, a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device (PLD), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a field programmable logic device (FPLD), etc. In this example, the processor 202 may implement the functionality or operations generally ascribed to the sump pump controller 146 or the controller 200.
The memory 204 may include volatile and/or non-volatile memory(-ies) or disk(s) storing software and/or machine-readable instructions. For example, the program memory 204 may store software and/or machine-readable instructions that may be executed by the processor 202 to implement the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100. In some examples, the memory 204 is used to store the datastore 148.
Example memories 204 include any number or type(s) of volatile or non-volatile tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable storage medium or disks, such as semiconductor memory, magnetically readable memory, optically readable memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), an optical storage drive, a solid-state storage device, a solid-state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), a random-access memory (RAM), a compact disc (CD), a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blu-ray disk, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID) system, a cache, a flash memory, or any other storage medium or storage disk in which information may be stored for any duration (e.g., permanently, for an extended time period, for a brief instance, for temporarily buffering, for caching of the information, etc.).
As used herein, the term non-transitory, machine-readable medium is expressly defined to include any type of machine-readable storage device and/or storage disk, to exclude propagating signals, and to exclude transmission media.
The controller 200 shown in FIG. 2 includes one or more communication interfaces such as, for example, one or more of the input/output (I/O) interface(s) 206 and/or the network interface(s) 208. The communication interface(s) enable the controller 200 of FIG. 2 to communicate with, for example, another device, system, host system, or any other machine such as the smart home hub 158 and/or the remote processing server 162.
The I/O interface(s) 206 shown in FIG. 2 enable receipt of user input and communication of output data to, for example, the user 152. The I/O interfaces 206 may include any number and/or type(s) of different types of I/O circuits or components that enable the processor 202 to communicate with peripheral I/O devices (e.g., the sensor assembly 134 of FIG. 1 ) or another system. Example I/O interfaces 206 include a universal serial bus (USB) interface, a Bluetooth® interface, a near field communication (NFC) interface, a serial interface, and/or an infrared transceiver. The peripheral I/O devices may be any desired type of I/O device such as a keyboard, a display (a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a light emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, an in-place switching (IPS) display, a touch screen, etc.), a navigation device (e.g., a mouse, a trackball, a capacitive touch pad, a joystick, etc.), a speaker, a microphone, a printer, a button, etc. Although FIG. 2 depicts the I/O interface(s) 206 as a single block, the I/O interface(s) 206 may include any number and/or type(s) of I/O circuits or components that enable the processor 202 to communicate with peripheral I/O devices and/or other systems.
The network interface(s) 208 enable communication with other systems (e.g., the smart home hub 158 of FIG. 1 ) via, for example, one or more networks (e.g., the networks 156 and 160). The example network interface(s) 208 include any suitable type of wired and/or wireless network interface(s) configured to operate in accordance with any suitable protocol(s) like, for example, a TCP/IP interface, a Wi-Fi™ transceiver (according to the IEEE 802.11 family of standards), an Ethernet transceiver, a cellular network radio, a satellite network radio, a coaxial cable modem, a digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, a dialup modem, or any other suitable communication protocols or standards. Although FIG. 2 depicts the network interface(s) 208 as a single block, the network interface(s) 208 may include any number and/or type(s) of network interfaces that enable the processor 202 to communicate with other systems and/or networks.
To provide, for example, backup power for the example sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the example sump pump system 100, the example controller 200 may include any number and/or type(s) of battery(-ies) 212.
To determine the time between events, the example controller 200 includes any number and/or type(s) of timer(s) 214. For example, a timer 214 may be used to periodically trigger (e.g., every 14 days) the activation of the motor 106 for maintenance purposes. A timer 214 may, additionally and/or alternatively, be used to determine the rate at which water is rising in the sump basin (e.g., number of activations of the motor 106 required) during a period of time.
FIGS. 3A-3C depict example states 325, 330, and 350 of a sump pump system 300 for continuously detecting water level in a sump basin by measuring a change in gravity vector at a sensor assembly relative to earth's gravitational field vector and correlating the offset angle to a water level in the basement. The system 300 represents an example embodiment of the system 100 depicted in FIG. 1 . The figures show different operational states of the system responding to different water levels in the sump basin.
At a high level, system 300 relies on sensor(s) configured to detect a sensor(s)' angular tilt (gravity vector relative to the sensor assembly housing) relative to the earth's gravitational field vector, which can be analyzed to calculate water level in the sump basin. These sensors may be accelerometers, three-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, gravity sensors, rotation vector sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), magnetometers, force acceleration sensors, or sensors configured for nine degrees of freedom. For example, accelerometer(s) may be configured to detect a rotated gravitational field vector that can be used to determine pitch and/or roll orientation angles of the sensor(s), which can be analyzed to calculate sensor(s) vertical displacement, further yielding water level in the sump basin. Generally speaking, an accelerometer may be used to detect the gravity vector. For example, an accelerometer may be configured such that, at rest on the surface of the earth, it will measure an acceleration straight up due to the Earth's gravity. Further, an accelerometer may be configured such that, in free fall, it will measure an acceleration of 0. Accordingly, detected acceleration up or down may be utilized to determine a gravity vector (and/or movement of the accelerometer up or down).
In the example system 300, a sump pump 307 is located in a sump basin 301. The sump pump 307 is enclosed in a housing 305. A proximal end 303 of the tether 302 is configured to be proximal to and attached to the housing 305 at an anchor point 309. A distal end 304 of the tether 302 is configured to be distal to the housing 305 and the anchor point 309. The anchor point 309 may be immobile (e.g., a welded or a mechanically fused connection), or mobile (e.g., a hinge or a spring). In some embodiments, the tether 302 may be attached to any other stationary component within the sump basin 301. In the example configuration, a sensor assembly 306 is connectedly attached to the proximal end 304 of the tether 302, and a float 308 is connectedly attached to the sensor assembly 306. It should be appreciated that FIGS. 3A-3C depict only several components of a functional sump pump system, they highlight certain components for illustrative purposes only.
FIG. 3A demonstrates the system 300 at an example state 325 representing a resting state or zero state. The zero state may be defined as a state at which the gravity vector measured by the sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 306 (vector 312) aligns with the earth's gravitational field vector (vector 310); in other words, the state at which there is no (zero) difference between the orientation of the sensor(s) gravity vector relative to the sensor assembly housing and the earth's gravitational field vector. For example, the zero state may be achieved when the tether 302 is parallel to the ground and the sensor assembly 306 is level with the ground. In embodiments where the tether 302 is semi-rigid, the zero state may be the state at which the shortest distance between the proximal end 303 and the distal end 304 of the tether is the greatest straight line distance defining the tether's length, meaning the tether 302 has not undergone deformation (has not exhibited any strain under the stress of the forces of rising or falling water) and is at its resting state. In these scenarios, the zero state may correspond to the first state of the tether, to which the tether is biased. In embodiments where the sensor(s) in the sensor assembly 306 measure tether deflection or strain, the tether may be biased to a state at which the sensor(s) measure zero deflection or strain in the tether, which may also be the zero state. In embodiments, the tether may be biased to the first state which does not correspond to the zero state. Regarding the zero state and positioning of the tether with the sensor assembly and the float in the sump basin, the sensor assembly 306 may be configured to attain the zero state when the water level (such as water mark 314) in the sump basin 301 is at a level deemed adequate or a water level height at which the sump pump gets deactivated, for example the water mark 314 being the low water level mark at which the sump pump 307 gets deactivated. In embodiments, the zero state may be the state at which the sump pump gets activated, the water mark or level 314 being the high water mark.
The continuous water level detection system may be calibrated by the zero state or set up to achieve a zero state at a known water mark corresponding to a known water level height in the basin 301. For example, the tether 302 with the sensor assembly 306 and the float 308 may be attached at a specific anchor point such that the sensor assembly 306 and the tether 302 are aligned with the anchor point 309 at a known water level height (the height of the anchor point 309). In embodiments, the tether, the sensor assembly, and the float do not need to align with the anchor point at the zero state; upon system calibration it may be noted at which water level height the system achieves the zero state (e.g., at a water level height between the low and the high water marks).
FIG. 3B demonstrates the system 300 in a state 330, the system 300 responding to an increased water level, where the water level reaches a mark 316, higher than the initial mark 314. As the water rises, the float 308 rises, the tether 312 correspondingly deflects or changes its' configuration in space, or the distal end 304 changes position, and the sensor assembly 308 correspondingly changes position and orientation. The sensor(s) in the sensor assembly 308 detect the change in orientation of the sensor assembly 308, for example, as a change in the direction of the gravity vector 312, or the angle between the gravity vector 312 and the gravitational field vector 310. Each measurement of the angular difference between the gravity vector 312 and the vector 310 may be configured to correspond to a change in the vertical position of the sensor assembly 306, further corresponding to a water level height in the sump basin 301.
The correlation of water level height from the gravity vector 312 may be configured or calibrated manually by a user, by an installer, or by a manufacturer. For example, the tether-sensor assembly-float system may come pre-assembled or connected, or it may need to be assembled (e.g., according to specific calibration requirements and/or sump pump system specifications). In embodiments, the user may need to select the height and the attachment site of the anchor point 309 to affix the proximal end of the tether 302 inside the sump basin 301 and further calibrate the continuous water level detection system for accurate water level height measurements depending on the selected anchor point. In embodiments, the location of the anchor point 309 may be pre-determined (e.g., by the manufacturer of the sump pump, by the manufacturer of the continuous water level detection system, by an insuring party) according to certain specifications (e.g., at the level of the impeller intake, at the level of on/off switch activation or deactivation, at any level in-between those positions, or at any other suitable level or height). The location of the anchor point 309 may also be determined based on the specific flooding conditions at the installation site, or based on the homeowner's insurance guidelines. In embodiments, the user or installer may choose the location of the anchor point 309 (e.g., within a certain specified range).
Calibration of the continuous water level detection system may include recording or marking at which water level height the system attains the zero state (the state at which gravity vector 312, measured by the sensor assembly, aligns with gravity vector 310, or earth's gravitational field vector). Alternatively, the calibration may include affixing the continuous water level detection system such that the system attains the zero state at a certain desired height (e.g., at the level of the impeller intake, or the at the level of on/off switch activation). The measured falling and rising water levels in the sump basin 301 may be compared to the water level height at the zero state. For example, the system may be calibrated manually by filling the sump basin 301 to known height levels above and below the zero state height (e.g., incrementally by 1, 2, or 5 centimeters or at 10%, 15%, 25%, 50% of the sump basin capacity) and recording the gravity vector value at each of those levels. Alternatively, the system may be calibrated by filling the sump basin 301 to levels at which the float 308 rises or falls incrementally by 1, 2, or 5 cm, or to levels corresponding to 10%, 15%, 25%, 50% of the sump basin capacity and recording the gravity vector value at each of those levels. The water level values in-between the values recorded at calibration may be extrapolated from the obtained values by any suitable means (e.g., by regression analysis, or by employing machine learning techniques) to develop a database of expected vector angles and corresponding water levels. In the example of FIG. 3C, the gravity vector angle measured by the sensor assembly 306 corresponds to water level 316.
FIG. 3C demonstrates the system 300 in a state 350, the system 300 reaching its detected water level threshold. In embodiments, the continuous water level detection system may reach a maximum water level height when the float may not rise any higher than a threshold water level, for example level 318, regardless of the actual water level in the sump basin 301 (such as the illustrated level 320, higher than the level 318). In this configuration the semi-rigid tether may reach its maximum deflection range, where the shortest straight line distance between the proximal and the distal ends is the shortest distance defined by the tether's stiffness (e.g., at 75% of the tether's resting length). This situation may be compensated for by selecting a tether of a defined combination of stiffness and length depending on the dimensions of the sump basin 301. For example, a shorter and more stiff tether may be appropriate for a narrow and tall sump basin, and a longer and less stiff tether may be appropriate for a shallow and wide sump basin. The exact stiffness and length specifications of the tether 302 may be calculated for specific dimensions of each sump basin.
FIG. 4 depicts an example method 400 for continuously detecting water levels in a sump basin and for implementing control of a sump pump based on the continuously detected water levels. A sump pump system (e.g., the system 100) may implement the method 400 to control a sump pump (e.g., activating and deactivating the pump based on detected water levels), monitor the performance of a pump activation/deactivation system, to serve as a backup pump activation/deactivation system, and/or to monitor and detect soft mechanical failures of the sump pump system. By contrast, typical sump pump systems do not detect water levels continuously, much less in the manner described regarding the method 400 (e.g., via continuously detected gravity vectors).
Controlling the sump pump system based on continuously detected water level values offers greater flexibility and versatility than relying solely on a discrete or point level sensor. A sump pump system may implement the method 400 to detect a malfunctioning point level sensor that is used by the pump to detect high-water and low-water marks at which the sump pump activates and deactivates, respectively. As a result, float sensors represent a single point of failure in many sump pump systems. The float sensor may be a point level sensor, which is a sensor designed for point level detection (i.e., detecting a binary condition; water is either detected at a particular point or it is not detected) rather than a “continuous” level of detection. So for example, a float switch that detects only two “points” such as a high-water mark and a low-water mark, is a point level sensor. If the float sensor does not perform as intended, for example gets “stuck” while disengaged or deactivated, the sump pump may fail to detect a high-water mark in the sump basin, resulting in the sump pump failing to activate or engage when one would typically expect, resulting in the sump basin overflowing (and potentially resulting in a flooded basement in which the sump pump is installed, potentially leading to costly water damage to walls, floors, furniture, electronics, etc.). Alternatively, if the float sensor becomes “stuck” after activating or engaging, the sump pump may continuously run. While this may prevent an overflow of the sump basin in the short-term, the sump pump motor may quickly burn out if this condition is not corrected. And at that point, the sump basin is at risk of overflowing.
At a high level, a system implementing the method 400 relies on sensor(s) configured to detect a gravity vector that can be used to determine a roll or tilt orientation angles of the sensor(s), which can be analyzed to calculate water level in the sump basin. These sensors may be accelerometers, three-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, gravity sensors, inertial measurement units (IMUs), magnetometers, force acceleration sensors, or sensors configured for nine degrees of freedom. Generally speaking, the sensor(s) may be disposed on or within the water, and may be responsive to the water level such that, when the water level rises or drops, the sensor(s) responsively and proportionally change vertical position, change horizontal position and/or tilt.
The method 400 may be implemented, in whole or in part, by any suitable hardware logic, machine-readable instructions, hardware implemented state machines, and/or any combination thereof for implementing a system such as the sump pump controller 146 and/or, more generally, the sump pump system 100 of FIG. 1 . The machine-readable instructions may be an executable program or portion of an executable program for execution by a computer processor such as the processor 202 shown in the example processor platform 200 discussed in connection with FIG. 2 . If desired, the smart home hub 158 or the remote processing server 162, for example, may implement the method 400, depending on the embodiment.
At a step 402, a sump pump (e.g., the sump pump 102) is implemented. The sump pump may be configured to operate based on detected water level in the sump basin 104. Among other components, the sump pump 102 may include the motor 106 and the impeller 118 disposed in the housing 108, and attached to the discharge pipe 114. The water level may be detected via a point level sensor, such as the float switch 128 shown in FIG.1.
At a step 404, a float—tether—sensor assembly system is implemented in the sump pump, which comprises the continuous water level monitoring system. In embodiments, the float (e.g., the float 140) is disposed in the sump basin 104 such that it rises and falls in a manner corresponding to rises and falls of the water level in the sump basin 104. The tether (e.g., the tether 136) may include a proximal end that is configured to be proximal to and attached to an anchor point (such as the anchor point 138) in the sump basin 104 such that the proximal end maintains a vertically fixed position regardless of changes of the water level in the sump basin 104, and a distal end that is configured to be distal to the anchor point 138 and to be mechanically linked to the float 140 such that a change in a vertical position of the float causes a corresponding change in the vertical position of the distal end, wherein the tether 136 is positionable and biased to a first state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value and wherein a change in the water level causes the distal end to rotationally move around the proximal end. The sensor assembly (e.g., the sensor assembly 134) including a sensor may be configured to detect values for a gravity vector. The sensor assembly may be attached to the tether such that the sensor detects a change from a first value to a second value for the gravity vector when the distal end rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether.
At a step 406, the one or more controllers (e.g., the controller 146) continuously detect or calculate, via one or more sensors in a sensor assembly such as the assembly 134), gravity vectors as the distal end of the tether rotates around the proximal end. A change in the water level in the sump basin may cause linear and rotational displacement of the sensor assembly 134. As the float 140 rises and falls with the rising and falling water levels, the semi-rigid tether 136 attached to the float 140 will correspondingly move or deflect. For example, in the configuration where the float 140 is attached to the distal end of a semi-rigid tether 136, and the proximal end of the tether 136 is anchored at the anchor point 138 and is immobile at the proximal end, the tether will bend such that the distal end of the tether will move in the direction of the rising or falling water. A rigid or a semi-rigid tether connected at the anchor point 138 via a mobile connection, may not bend with the movement of the float 140 (may keep its shape) and may change its orientation in space. The sensor assembly 134, attached at the tether, will move correspondingly with the point of the tether at which it is attached. As the tether moves proportionally with the changing water levels in the basin, the sensor assembly 134 respectively and proportionally moves in space. In either case, the sensor assembly 134 is configured to tilt in space relative to the horizontal plane. The sensor(s) of the sensor assembly 134 may be configured to measure the tilt (or pitch, roll, or rotation, depending on the sensor(s) orientation) of the sensor(s) or the sensor(s) body. Sensor(s) in the sensor assembly 134 may be configured to detect a change in the gravity vector from the first to the second value correlated to the sensor(s) orientation from a first to a second position as a measurement of change in orientation of the gravity vector or the rotated gravitational field vector relative the sensor assembly body. As the water level increases in the sump basin, the sensor assembly will measure a greater change in its orientation and in its gravity vector from the first value to the second value relative the earth's gravitational field. As the water level drops or decreases in the sump basin, the sensor assembly will measure a smaller difference in its gravity vector relative the earth's gravitational field.
At a step 408, the one or more controllers continuously calculate a water level based on the continuously detected or calculated gravity vector values. The one or more controllers correlate the change in the gravity vector with the change in the water level in the basin. The mechanical configuration of the system is such that every angular measurement of the gravity vector by the sensor assembly 134 corresponds to a known displacement of the sensor assembly 134 relative its known resting or zero position, which corresponds to a distinct water level in the sump basin 134. The zero position of the sensor assembly may be, for example, the position at which the measured gravity vector aligns with the direction of the earth's gravitational field vector (e.g., when the angle between the measured gravity vector and the earth's gravitational field vector is zero). Referring to FIG. 3A, the zero position of the sensor assembly 306 may be the position at which the float 308, the anchor point 309, and the proximal end 304 of the tether 302 are aligned horizontally (where the tether is horizontal to the ground). This configuration may be achieved when the water level in the sump basin 301 is at the water mark 314. In such a configuration, knowing the vertical position of the anchor point 309 relative to the floor of the sump basin 301 yields water level height at the zero position of the sensor assembly 306. As the water level rises, the one or more controllers may use the angular measurements of the gravity vector 312 relative to the gravitational field vector 310 to determine the change in the water level in the sump basin that correspond to a known change in spatial positions of the sensor assembly 306 relative its zero position. Adding the calculated change in the vertical position of the sensor assembly to the known water level height at the zero position will yield water level heights for each respective gravity vector. The accuracy of these translational measurements may be achieved, for example, by calibrating the system on installation.
The system may be configured to measure water levels that fall below the zero position of the sensor assembly, for example the water mark 314. As the water level drops, the sensor assembly respectively moves below the water mark 314, and the sensor assembly measures a change in the gravity vector in the opposite direction of the change measured when the sensor assembly moves above the water mark 314. For example, the negative gravity vector sign may denote a water level that is below the water mark 314.
At a step 410, the one or more controllers implement control of the sump pump based on the determined water level. The control may include the controller 146 activating the sump pump 102 based on a detected high water level in the sump basin 104, for example water level at the high mark 130. The control may include the controller 146 deactivating the pump 102 based on a detected low water level in the sump basin 104.
Additionally or alternatively, the control may include the controller 146 setting (temporarily or permanently, depending on internal and external conditions of the sump pump system) the high water mark to a different level (higher or lower) in the sump basin 104, resulting in an earlier or later activation of the sump pump 102. The control may include the controller 146 activating a backup pump (not shown). The controller 146 may determine the run time of the backup pump, which may be determined based on the rate of the rising water level. The controller 146 may communicate with the smart home hub 158 to evoke other backup systems (not shown). Additionally or alternatively, the controller 146 may activate an alarm to indicate to a user 152 (e.g., a homeowner) of the detected water or water level in the sump basin, or of the detected failure or a condition of the sump pump system. The alarm may be configured to be audible at the sump pump basin 104, or at the property level where the sump pump system is installed, or on the territory of the property 150. The alarm may be a graphical user interface notification made available at an electronic device coupled to the sump pump control system, such as the electronic device 154 (e.g., a smart phone associated with the user 152, or an electronic device associated with insurance provider(s), or an electronic device of an external service that monitors condition of the property 150, etc.). In some embodiments, the alarm may be a notification at the remote processing server 162 (e.g., associated with an insurance provider). In some embodiments, the alarm may be a trigger to order replacement sump pump system components and their necessary fixtures. The trigger may be, for example, a push notification to the user device linked to the user's (e.g., the user 152) account with an online retailer of the user's choice. The notification may be an alert requiring the user's approval to complete the order.
In some embodiments, the controller 146, based on the rise rate measurement, may adjust the pumping rate of the sump pump 102, where the sump pump motor 106 may be a variable speed motor. A known parameter of the dimensions of the sump basin 104 (e.g., diameter or width and length) and the detected water level rise rate would yield a volume of water rise level per unit of time (e.g., gallons per second, or gallons per minute). The controller 146 may adjust the pumping rate of the sump pump 102 to the match or overcome the water rise rate for a specific size of the sump basin 104. The controller 146 may implement this control in addition to or instead of generating an alert to, for example, the user 152.
When implemented in software, any of the applications, services, and engines described herein may be stored in any tangible, non-transitory computer readable memory such as on a magnetic disk, a laser disk, solid state memory device, molecular memory storage device, or other storage medium, in a RAM or ROM of a computer or processor, etc. Although the example systems disclosed herein are disclosed as including, among other components, software or firmware executed on hardware, it should be noted that such systems are merely illustrative and should not be considered as limiting. For example, it is contemplated that any or all of these hardware, software, and firmware components could be embodied exclusively in hardware, exclusively in software, or in any combination of hardware and software. Accordingly, while the example systems described herein are described as being implemented in software executed on a processor of one or more computer devices, persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate that the examples provided are not the only way to implement such systems.
Referencing the method 400 specifically, the described functions may be implemented, in whole or in part, by the devices, circuits, or routines of the system 100 shown in FIG. 1 . The method 400 may be embodied by a set of circuits that are permanently or semi-permanently configured (e.g., an ASIC or FPGA) to perform logical functions of the respective method or that are at least temporarily configured (e.g., one or more processors and a set instructions or routines, representing the logical functions, saved to a memory) to perform the logical functions of the respective method.
Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed concurrently in certain embodiments.
As used herein, any reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).
Further, the phrase “wherein the system includes at least one of X, Y, or Z” means the system includes an X, a Y, a Z, or some combination thereof. Similarly, the phrase “wherein the component is configured for X, Y, or Z” means that the component is configured for X, configured for Y, configured for Z, or configured for some combination of X, Y, and Z.
In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments herein. This description, and the claims that follow, should be read to include one or at least one. The singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
Further, the patent claims at the end of this document are not intended to be construed under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) unless traditional means-plus-function language is expressly recited, such as “means for” or “step for” language being explicitly recited in the claim(s). At least some aspects of the systems and methods described herein are directed to an improvement to computer functionality, and improve the functioning of conventional computers.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system for detecting water levels when implementing control of a sump pump, the system comprising:

a sump pump disposed in a sump basin and configured to pump water out of the sump basin via an outlet pipe;

a float configured to be disposed in the sump basin such that it rises and falls in a manner corresponding to rises and falls of a water level in the sump basin;

a tether including:

(i) a proximal end that is configured to be proximal to and attached to an anchor point in the sump basin such that the proximal end maintains a vertically fixed position regardless of changes of the water level; and

(ii) a distal end that is configured to be distal to the anchor point and to be mechanically linked to the float such that a change in a vertical position of the float causes a corresponding change in the vertical position of the distal end,

wherein the tether is positionable and biased to a state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value and wherein a change in the water level causes the distal end to rotationally move around the proximal end;

a sensor assembly, attached to the tether, including one or more sensors; and

one or more controllers that are communicatively coupled to the one or more sensors in the sensor assembly and that are configured to: (i) continuously detect or calculate, via the one or more sensors, values of a gravity vector observed at the sensor assembly as the distal end of the tether rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether; (ii) continuously calculate the water level based on the continuously detected or calculated values of the gravity vector; and (ii) control the sump pump based on the continuously calculated water level.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors includes a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the state is a first state and wherein the tether is deformable such that it is positionable to a second state in which the shortest straight-line distance is less than the fixed value.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the tether is adapted to be sufficiently rigid such that the tether maintains the shortest straight-line distance within 10% of the fixed value regardless of the water level.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the tether is adapted to be sufficiently rigid such that the shortest distance does not change regardless of the water level.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the tether is attached to the anchor point via a hinge or a spring.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the tether is attached to the anchor point via the hinge;

wherein the sensor assembly is a first sensor assembly and the sensor is a first sensor;

wherein the continuously calculated water level is a first continuously calculated water level;

wherein the system further comprises a second sensor assembly including a second sensor configured to continuously detect displacement in the hinge as the distal end of the tether pivots around the anchor point; and

wherein one or more controllers are further configured to: (i) continuously calculate a second water level based on the detected displacement in the hinge; (ii) compare the second continuously calculated water level to the first continuously calculated water level; and (iii) generate a verification of the first continuously calculated water level in response to determining that the second continuously calculated water level is within a predetermined range of the first continuously calculated water level.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors included in an inertial movement unit (IMU) configured for 9 degrees of freedom (DoF), wherein the 9 DoF includes:

angular velocity measured in three dimensions; a position measured in three dimensions; and an orientation measured in three dimensions.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor assembly and the tether are encased in semi-porous housing.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor assembly and the tether are encased in a water impermeable boot.

11. A method for detecting water levels when implementing control of a sump pump, the method comprising:

implementing the sump pump disposed in a sump basin and configured to pump water out of the sump basin via an outlet pipe, wherein the sump basin includes:

(a) a float configured to rise and fall in a manner corresponding to rises and falls of a water level in the sump basin;

(b) a tether including:

wherein the tether is positionable and biased to a state in which a shortest straight-line distance between the distal end and the proximal end is a fixed value and wherein a change in the water level causes the distal end to rotationally move around the proximal end; and

(c) a sensor assembly attached to the tether and including one or more sensors;

continuously detecting or calculating, via the one or more sensors, values of a gravity vector observed at the sensor assembly as the distal end of the tether rotationally moves around the proximal end of the tether;

continuously calculating the water level based on the continuously detected or calculated values of the gravity vector; and

controlling, via a sump pump controller, the sump pump based on the continuously calculated water level.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors includes a gyroscope, an accelerometer, and a magnetometer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein continuously calculating the water level comprises continuously calculating the water level at the sump pump controller.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein continuously calculating the water level comprises continuously calculating the water level at a controller included in the sensor assembly.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein continuously calculating the water level comprises continuously calculating the water level at a controller that is external to the sensor assembly and that is communicatively coupled to the sump pump controller.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the state is a first state and wherein the tether is deformable such that it is positionable to a second state in which the shortest straight-line distance is less than the fixed value.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the tether is adapted to be sufficiently rigid such that the tether maintains the shortest straight-line distance within 10% of the fixed value regardless of the water level.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the tether is adapted to be sufficiently rigid such that the shortest distance does not change regardless of the water level.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the sump pump based on the continuously calculated water level comprises: activating the sump pump in response to detecting that the continuously calculated water level has exceeded a high water threshold.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein controlling the sump pump based on the continuously calculated water level comprises: deactivating the sump pump in response to detecting that the continuously calculated water level has fallen below a low water threshold.