Control for an automatic plumbing device
First Claim
1. An automatic plumbing device, comprising:
- a plumbing body;
a first emitter oriented to yield emissions in a first region of sensitivity;
a second emitter oriented to yield emissions in a second region of sensitivity, a receiver adapted to receive emitted returns from said first region of sensitivity and said second region of sensitivity; and
a controller in communication with said receiver and said first emitter and said second emitter, said controller operable to open and close a valve in response to said emitted returns.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plumbing device uses electronic control circuitry with two infrared emitters and one infrared receiver to detect objects in a particular region of space. In one embodiment, detection of an object using both sensors (in sequential scans) results in the plumbing device turning on. When no object has been detected for a certain amount of time, the plumbing device is turned off. Also, when the plumbing device has run for another certain amount of time, the plumbing device is turned off regardless of whether an object is still being detected. In another embodiment, the output of the IR emitters is partially blocked by one or more mask elements to tailor the region that is covered by both IR emitters and, hence, the region that triggers the opening of the plumbing device valve.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An automatic plumbing device, comprising:
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a plumbing body;
a first emitter oriented to yield emissions in a first region of sensitivity;
a second emitter oriented to yield emissions in a second region of sensitivity, a receiver adapted to receive emitted returns from said first region of sensitivity and said second region of sensitivity; and
a controller in communication with said receiver and said first emitter and said second emitter, said controller operable to open and close a valve in response to said emitted returns. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of controlling a plumbing device system, comprising:
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(1) emitting a first signal and receiving a first reflection at a receiver;
(2) emitting a second signal and receiving a second reflection at the receiver;
(3) comparing the first reflection and the second reflection to determine whether an object has been detected within a sensitivity volume defined at an overlap of the first signal and the second signal; and
(4) activating the plumbing device system to an on position in response to a positive result at said step (3). - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An automatic plumbing device, comprising:
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a plumbing body;
a first IR emitter yielding emissions that are at least partially blocked by a first mask to define a first region of sensitivity;
a second IR emitter yielding emissions that are at least partially blocked by a second mask to define a second region of sensitivity, an IR receiver adapted to receive emitted returns from a sensitivity volume defined by an overlap of said first region of sensitivity and said second region of sensitivity; and
a controller in communication with said IR receiver and said first IR emitter and said second IR emitter, said controller operable to open and close a valve in response to said emitted returns.
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Specification