Connected mixing valve for controlling water temperature

• US 10,642,289 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alarm.com Inc. (Alarm.com Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reeder, Alexander Lawrence
• Primary Examiner(s): Jellett, Matthew W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ballman, Christopher D
• Application Number:
  US15/941,847
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/13 by varying the mixing ratio of two fluids having different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1333 measuring the temperature of incoming fluid
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1366 using a plurality of sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0652 the plurality of throttling means being arranged in parallel

Abstract

Systems and techniques are described for using a connected device that measures water usage and controls temperature of a hot water line. In some implementations, a monitoring system monitors a property that includes one or more sensors located throughout the property and generates sensor data. The monitor control unit receives sensor data and based on the sensor data, determines an action that is likely to occur. Based on the action, determine a water temperature. Generate an instruction specifying the water temperature. The monitoring system includes a connected mixing valve that connects to a hot water supply line and a cold water supply line; receives the instruction specifying the water temperature; and, determines a first amount of hot water from the hot water supply line to combine with a second amount of cold water from the cold water supply line to produce water at the water temperature.

Claims

1. A monitoring system that is configured to monitor a property, the monitoring system comprising:

a water flow meter that is located at the property and that is configured to generate water usage data of the property;

a monitor control unit that is configured to;

receive the water usage data;

based on the water usage data, determine an appliance at the property that is likely consuming water;

based on determining that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water, determine a water temperature needed for the appliance; and

generate an instruction specifying the water temperature; and

a connected mixing valve that is connected to a hot water supply line and a cold water supply line and that is configured to;

receive the instruction specifying the water temperature;

determine a first amount of hot water from the hot water supply line to combine with a second amount of cold water from the cold water supply line to produce water at the water temperature; and

provide, for output, water at the water temperature by combining the first amount of hot water with the second amount of cold water.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the water flow meter is located in the appliance, and

the monitor control unit is configured to;

based on the water usage data, determine an action of the appliance; and

determine the water temperature needed for the appliance by determining the water temperature for the action of the appliance.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to:

based on the water usage data, determine a first signature profile that reflects a water usage pattern of the property;

determine that the first signature profile corresponds to a second signature profile of the appliance that reflects a water usage pattern for the appliance; and

determine that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water based further on determining that the first signature profile corresponds to a second signature profile.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to:

receive, from a manufacturer of the appliance, data indicating the signature profile for the appliance.

5. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a sensor that is located at the property and that is configured to generate sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property,

wherein the monitor control unit is configured to;

determine that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water based further on the sensor data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the connected mixing valve is configured to:

determine that a particular period of time has elapsed since the connected mixing valve began providing water at the water temperature;

based on determining that the particular period of time has elapsed since the connected mixing valve began providing water at the water temperature, provide, for output and for a period of time that is less than the particular period of time, water at a different water temperature; and

after providing, for output and for the period of time that is less than the particular period of time, water at the different water temperature, provide, for output, water at the water temperature.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to:

receive data indicating that the connected mixing valve should provide water at the water temperature for the particular period of time in response to determining that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water; and

generate the instruction specifying the water temperature by generating an instruction specifying the water temperature and the particular period of time to provide water at the water temperature.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor control unit is configured to:

based on the water usage data, determine an additional appliance at the property that is likely consuming water;

based on determining that the additional appliance at the property is likely consuming water, determine a different water temperature needed for the additional appliance; and

generate an additional instruction specifying a higher of the water temperature and the different water temperature.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the monitor control unit is configured to;

receive data indicating that an action is occurring within the property, the connected mixing valve being configured to;

determine a third amount of hot water moving through the connected mixing valve;

determine a fourth amount of cold water moving through the connected mixing valve; and

determine an estimated water temperature of a combination of the third amount of hot water and the fourth amount of cold water, and

the monitor control unit is configured to;

receive data indicating the estimated water temperature of the combination of the third amount of hot water and the fourth amount of cold water; and

generate and store a signature profile for the action, the signature profile indicating to provide water at the estimated water temperature in response to detecting the action.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the connected mixing valve includes:

a cold water input;

a hot water input that receives water from a hot water heater;

a cold water output;

a valve that is configured to combine cold water from the cold water input with hot water from the hot water input; and

a mixed water output that outputs the combined cold water and hot water from the value.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, from water flow meter that is located at a property, water usage data of the property;

based on the water usage data, determining, by the monitoring system, an appliance at the property that is likely consuming water;

based on determining that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water, determining, by the monitoring system, a water temperature needed for the appliance;

determining, by a connected mixing valve of the monitoring system, a first amount of hot water from the hot water supply line to combine with a second amount of cold water from the cold water supply line to produce water at the water temperature; and

providing, for output by the connected mixing valve of the monitoring system, water at the water temperature by combining the first amount of hot water with the second amount of cold water.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

based on the water usage data, determining, by the monitoring system, an action of the appliance; and

determining, by the monitoring system, the water temperature needed for the appliance by determining the water temperature for the action of the appliance.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

based on the water usage data, determining, by the monitoring system, a first signature profile that reflects a water usage pattern of the property;

determining, by the monitoring system, that the first signature profile corresponds to a second signature profile of the appliance that reflects a water usage pattern for the appliance; and

determining, by the monitoring system, that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water based further on determining that the first signature profile corresponds to a second signature profile.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, comprising:

receiving, by the monitoring system, data indicating the signature profile for the appliance from a manufacturer of the appliance.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the monitoring system and from a sensor located at the property, sensor data that reflects an attribute of the property,

wherein determining that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water is based on further on the sensor data.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

determining, by the connected mixing valve, that a particular period of time has elapsed since the connected mixing valve began providing water at the water temperature;

based on determining that the particular period of time has elapsed since the connected mixing valve began providing water at the water temperature, providing, by the connected mixing valve, water at a different water temperature for output and for a period of time that is less than the particular period of time; and

after providing water at the different water temperature for output and for the period of time that is less than the particular period of time, providing, by the connected mixing valve, water at the water temperature for output.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, comprising:

receiving, by the monitoring system, data indicating that the connected mixing valve should provide water at the water temperature for the particular period of time in response to determining that the appliance at the property is likely consuming water; and

generating, by the monitoring system, the instruction specifying the water temperature by generating an instruction specifying the water temperature and the particular period of time to provide water at the water temperature.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

based on the water usage data, determining, by the monitoring system, an additional appliance at the property that is likely consuming water;

based on determining that the additional appliance at the property is likely consuming water, determining, by the monitoring system, a different water temperature needed for the additional appliance; and

generating, by the monitoring system, an additional instruction specifying a higher of the water temperature and the different water temperature.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, comprising:

receiving, by the monitoring system, data indicating that an action is occurring within the property;

determining, by the connected mixing valve, a third amount of hot water moving through the connected mixing valve;

determining, by the connected mixing valve, a fourth amount of cold water moving through the connected mixing valve;

determining, by the connected mixing valve, an estimated water temperature of a combination of the third amount of hot water and the fourth amount of cold water;

receiving, by the monitoring system, data indicating the estimated water temperature of the combination of the third amount of hot water and the fourth amount of cold water;

generating, by the monitoring system, a signature profile for the action; and

storing, by monitoring system, the signature profile for the action, the signature profile indicating to provide water at the estimate water temperature in response to detecting the action.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the connected mixing valve includes:

a cold water input;

a hot water input that receives water from a hot water heater;

a cold water output;

a valve that is configured to combine cold water from the cold water input with hot water from the hot water input; and

a mixed water output that outputs the combined cold water and hot water from the value.