Water treatment apparatus

• US 20060235572A1
• Filed: 09/09/2004
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vws UK Limited (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Original Assignee: OTV S.A. (Veolia Environnement SA)
• Inventors: Underwood, Lee, Fleisig, Jonathan
• Granted Patent: US 7,796,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/273
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00309 operated with bidirectional data transmission between data carrier and locks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00857 where the code of the data carrier can be programmed

Abstract

A water treatment apparatus programmable pass key comprising a data carrier programmed with one or more predetermined codes, each code relating to an operation in or of the water treatment apparatus.

Claims

1. A water treatment apparatus programmable pass key comprising a data carrier programmed with one or more predetermined codes, each code relating to an operation in or of the water treatment apparatus.

2. A pass key as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data carrier is programmable.

3. A pass key as claims in claim 1 wherein the operation comprises one or more of filtration, sanitization and/or recirculation.

4. A pass key as claimed in claim 1 wherein the water treatment apparatus has multiple access points.

5. A pass key as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pass key includes a memory capacity and an ability to read/interrogate the water treatment apparatus and/or vice versa.

6. A pass key as claimed in claim 5, wherein the pass key contains data relating to the water treatment apparatus, such as validation information, process information and/or manufacturing information.

7. A pass key as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pass key is time coded.

8. A pass key as claimed in claim 1 in combination with a water treatment apparatus adapted to receive and read the pass key.

9. A pass key and apparatus combination as claimed in claim 8 wherein the apparatus is accessible in more than one location.

10. A pass key and apparatus combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein the pass key includes electronic circuits which can communicate with electronic circuits within the water treatment apparatus.

11. A pass key as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electronic circuits communicate via transmittable waveforms, such as optical, electromagnetic or magnetic contacts.

12. A pass key as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electronic circuits communicate by physical contact.

13. A method of operating a water treatment apparatus, wherein one or more operations of the water treatment apparatus are only operable by conjunction of a programmable pass key as herein before defined with the water treatment apparatus, said pass key having a or the code adapted to operate the or each operation.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the one or more operations comprise one or more of filtration, sanitization and/or recirculation.