Time synchronized leak detection system

1 . A fluid consumption meter configured to measure a flow rate of a fluid and comprising:

a noise detection module for leak detection measurements, and

a control device comprising a bi-directional communication unit;

wherein the control device further comprises a time synchronization module for time synchronization of leak detection measurements with an external device via the bi-directional communication unit with a time synchronization error of less than 1000 micro seconds; and

wherein the control device is arranged to receive a leak detection control signal from the external device via said bi-directional communication unit, to start leak detection measurements at a point in time specified in measurement synchronization information comprised in the received leak detection control signal, and to transmit leak detection measurement data from said leak detection module via said bi-directional communication unit.

2 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the time synchronization error is less than 100 micro seconds.

3 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the received leak detection control signal includes information regarding a time duration for performing the leak detection measurements.

4 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the noise detection module is further arranged to sample and convert the leak detection measurement data to a digital representation.

5 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 4 , wherein the control device or noise detection module is arranged to start the leak detection measurements such that a sampling time is synchronized with the measurement synchronization information comprised in the received leak detection control signal.

6 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 4 , wherein the noise detection module is arranged to sample the leak measurement data with a sampling interval larger than 50 micro seconds.

7 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 6 , wherein the sampling interval is at least double the time synchronization error, preferably five times larger than the time synchronization error, and more preferably ten times larger than the time synchronization error.

8 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the bi-directional communication unit is a 5th generation cellular communication interface.

9 . A leak detection system for leak detection in a fluid supply system comprising:

one or more fluid consumption meters according to claim 1 , and

an external device having at least one bi-directional communication device and comprising a time synchronization module for time synchronization of leak detection measurements with a time synchronization error of less than 1000 micro seconds,

wherein the external device is configured for communication with the communication unit of the one or more fluid consumption meters, and to send the leak detection control signal comprising measurement synchronization information to said one or more fluid consumption meters whereby the leak detection measurements are time synchronized.

10 . The leak detection system according to claim 9 , further comprising at least one leak detection sensor being independent from the one or more fluid consumption meters.

11 . The leak detection system according to claim 10 wherein the external device is arranged to send leak detection control signals to the at least one or more fluid consumption meters and the at least one leak detection sensor being independent from the at least one or more fluid consumption meters, wherein the leak detection control signals comprise measurement synchronization information specifying a time for starting the leak detection measurements which are synchronized for the one or more fluid consumption meters and the at least one leak detection sensor being independent from the one or more fluid consumption meters.

12 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the time synchronization error is less than 10 micro seconds.

13 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 1 , wherein the time synchronization error is less than 1 micro second.

14 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 4 , wherein the noise detection module is arranged to sample the leak measurement data with a sampling interval larger than 100 micro seconds.

15 . The fluid consumption meter according to claim 4 , wherein the noise detection module is arranged to sample the leak measurement data with a sampling interval larger than 200 micro seconds.

16 . A method for leak detection in a water utility distribution network comprising an external device or remote control and a plurality of leak detection sensors having a noise detection module for leak detection, and a control device comprising a bi-directional communication unit and comprising a time synchronization module for time synchronization of noise detection with a time synchronization error of less than 1000 micro seconds, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from the external device or remote control to the plurality of leak detection sensors a leak detection control signal comprising detection synchronization information specifying a point in time for starting noise detections;

receiving in the plurality of leak detection sensors the leak detection control signal;

starting in the plurality of leak detection sensors noise detections at the point in time specified in the detection synchronization information comprised in the received leak detection control signal, whereby noise detections in the plurality of leak detection sensors are time synchronized;

sending from the plurality of leak detection sensors to the external device or remote control noise detection data detected by the noise detection module.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the plurality of leak detection sensors comprises at least one leak detection sensor embedded in a consumption meter and at least one leak detection sensor being independent from the consumption meter.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the noise detection data sent to the external device or remote control from the plurality of leak detection sensors are correlated to detect a leak or a position of the leak.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the leak detection control signal is sent to a subset of the leak detection sensors.