A water utility meter arranged to register the volume of water delivered to a consumption site through a distribution network and connect or disconnect the consumption site from the utility distribution network is disclosed. The water utility meter comprises: a flow sensor arranged to measure a flow rate and/or a volume of water delivered to the consumption site; a valve for connecting and disconnecting the consumption site from the distribution network; an actuator for opening and closing the valve; and a controller unit arranged to control the actuator. The controller unit is configured to connect the consumption site to the distribution network by operating the actuator to open the valve. After opening the valve the controller unit analyses flow rate and/or volume measurements from the flow sensor to determine if a reference profile is violated. If the reference profile is violated the controller unit will disconnect the consumption site from the distribution network by closing the valve.

Some embodiments provide a system and method for interfacing with an irrigation controller based on rainfall, the system comprising: an interface unit including a housing and a control unit within the housing and configured to: cause an interruption of one or more watering schedules executed by the irrigation controller, which is separate from the interface unit, based on signaling received from a rain sensor including hygroscopic material, when a sensed expansion of the hygroscopic material is above a set rainfall accumulation threshold parameter, the rain sensor being separate from the interface unit and the hygroscopic material being configured to expand in response to being contacted by the rainfall and to contract in response to an absence of the rainfall; and remove the interruption after a completion of a predetermined interval of time after a sensed contraction of the hygroscopic material indicative of a rainfall stop.

A flow system includes a flow sensor, a first pipe configured to transport fluid from an upstream fluid source to the flow sensor, and a second, separate pipe configured to transport fluid from the flow sensor to a downstream fluid distributor. Proximate the flow sensor, the first pipe has a first interior diameter and the second pipe has a second interior diameter. The flow system further includes at least one of the following: a flow diversion or flow obstruction positioned between the flow sensor and the upstream fluid source a distance or length from the flow sensor that is less than ten times the first interior diameter of the first pipe and/or a flow diversion or flow obstruction positioned between the flow sensor and the downstream fluid distributor a distance or length from the flow sensor that is less than five times the second interior diameter of the second pipe.

A hydraulic lockout lever failure detection system preferably includes a first analog sensor, a second analog sensor, at least one electronic control module (ECU) and a solenoid valve. The voltage output level of the first and second analog sensors is monitored by the ECU. The solenoid valve controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to operate an excavator or other equipment. The operation of the solenoid valve is controlled by the ECU. However, a second ECU may be used to control the operation of the solenoid valve. A hydraulic lockout lever causes the first and second analog sensors to output either a low voltage to indicate a closed position, or to indicate an open position to the ECU. If the first and second analog sensors output a voltage that is above a low set value or above a high set value, a fault is detected.

A flow system includes a flow sensor, a first pipe configured to transport fluid from an upstream fluid source to the flow sensor, and a second pipe configured to transport fluid from the flow sensor to a downstream fluid distributor. Proximate the flow sensor, the first pipe has a first interior diameter and the second pipe has a second interior diameter. The flow system further includes at least one of the following: a flow diversion or flow obstruction positioned between the flow sensor and the upstream fluid source a distance or length from the flow sensor that is less than ten times the first interior diameter of the first pipe and/or a flow diversion or flow obstruction positioned between the flow sensor and the downstream fluid distributor a distance or length from the flow sensor that is less than five times the second interior diameter of the second pipe.

A method of managing a fluid flow within a conduit includes determining a presence of a flow blockage within the conduit, the conduit being equipped with an expandable device, controlling a fluidic actuator to deliver an actuation fluid to the expandable device to expand the expandable device radially, compacting the flow blockage radially along a length of the expandable device to create a channel adjacent the flow blockage, controlling the fluidic actuator to withdraw actuation fluid from the expandable device to collapse the expandable device radially, and exposing the channel to open the conduit to fluid flow.

A raw material supply apparatus includes: a raw material supply path through which a raw material gas is supplied into a processing container; a valve provided in the raw material supply path; a pressure sensor configured to detect an internal pressure of the raw material supply path; a raw material exhaust path connected to the raw material supply path and through which the raw material gas in the raw material supply path is exhausted; an opening degree adjustment mechanism provided in the raw material exhaust path and configured to control the internal pressure of the raw material supply path based on an adjustment of an opening degree of the opening degree adjustment mechanism; and a controller configured to perform the adjustment of the opening degree of the opening degree adjustment mechanism based on a value detected by the pressure sensor.

Disclosed embodiments can provide a system and method for controlling irrigation schedules for a sprinkler system for at least one irrigation zone. The embodiments include automatically updating irrigation schedules based at least in part on watering restriction data from a water authority, such as a water utility authority, and water usage data for a property including the at least one irrigation zone.

The present disclosure pertains to a system configured to prepare and use prediction models for classifying images. Some embodiments may: obtain, via a system return temperature sensor, a system return temperature; obtain, via an appliance return temperature sensor, an appliance return temperature; and responsive to a determination that the appliance return temperature is greater than the system return temperature by at least a first threshold amount, decrease, via a hardware processor, a speed of the appliance pump.

Systems and methods for providing network connectivity and remote monitoring, optimization, and control of pool/spa equipment are provided. “Internet-of-Things” (IoT) functionality is provided for pool and spa equipment in a flexible and cost-effective manner. Network connectivity and remote monitoring/control of pool and spa equipment is provided by various components such as a network communication and local control subsystem installed in pool/spa equipment, and other components. Also disclosed are various control processes (“pool logic”) which can be embodied as software code installed in any of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.