In-situ water analysis method and system

• US 20060292043A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitek Aqua Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hitek Aqua Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Biberger, Maximilian A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,436 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/53.01
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2022/006 specially adapted for measuring or watch purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water

Abstract

An automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water comprises a sensor for determining chemistry information, a microprocessor for processing chemistry information, and a housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the microprocessor. Preferably the housing is floatable or mountable. The method of providing chemistry information of a body of water comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of the body of water and determining chemistry information.

Claims

1. A floatable automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water, comprising:

a. a sensor for determining chemistry information for the body of water;

b. a control circuit coupled to the sensor for processing chemistry information; and

c. a floatation housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the control circuit.

2. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit compares chemistry information determined by the sensor to a threshold.

3. The floatable automatic system of claim 2, wherein the threshold represents an acceptable minimum value of chemistry information for the body of water.

4. The floatable automatic system of claim 2, wherein the threshold represents an acceptable maximum value of chemistry information for the body of water.

5. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein chemistry information monitored by the system consists one of at least one alkalinity, pH level, temperature, calcium hardness, total hardness, dissolved solids, and a sanitizer of the body of water and a combination of at least two thereof.

6. The floatable automatic system of claim 5, wherein the sanitizer is one of chlorine or bromine.

7. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to monitor chemistry information for the body of water continually while the system is powered on.

8. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a timer coupled to at least one of the sensor, the microprocessor, and the floatation housing.

9. The floatable automatic system of claim 8, wherein the timer is configured to provide a time stamp to the sensor while the sensor determines chemistry information for the body of water.

10. The floatable automatic system of claim 9, wherein the time stamp and chemistry information are transmitted to the control circuit.

11. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a chemistry display panel coupled to the sensor.

12. The floatable automatic system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the chemistry display panel during a time interval.

13. The floatable automatic system of claim 11, wherein the chemistry display panel further comprises an indicator configured to indicate a status of the body of water based on chemistry information processed by the control circuit.

14. The floatable automatic system of claim 13, wherein the indicator is one of a green light indicator for safe status for a the body of water, a yellow light indicator for a cautionary status for the body of water, and a red light indicator for an unsafe status for the body of water.

15. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be tethered.

16. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to a remote location.

17. The floatable automatic system of claim 16, wherein the remote location is one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a custom sign, a computer, a satellite, a wireless device, a phone, a USB port, a pager, and a device configured to add chemicals to the body of water.

18. The floatable automatic system of claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the remote location through at least one of a wireless connection, a cellular connection, a wired connection, an optical connection, an infrared connection, and a custom radio interface connection.

19. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an antenna coupled to the floatation housing and configured to transmit and receive radio waves.

20. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to selectively float to at least one predetermined water depth measured from the surface of the body of water.

21. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an audible indicator configured to indicate a status of the body of water.

22. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an actuator to relocate the system to at least one predetermined location of the body of water.

23. A mountable automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water, comprising:

a. a sensor for determining chemistry information for the body of water;

b. a control circuit coupled to the sensor for processing chemistry information; and

c. a mountable housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the control circuit.

24. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the control circuit compares chemistry information determined by the sensor to a programmable threshold.

25. The mountable automatic system of claim 24, wherein the threshold represents an acceptable minimum value of chemistry information for the body of the water.

26. The mountable automatic system of claim 24, wherein the threshold represents an acceptable maximum value of chemistry information for the body of the water.

27. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein chemistry information monitored by the system comprises one of at least one alkalinity, pH level, temperature, calcium hardness, total hardness, dissolved solids, and a sanitizer of the body of water and a combination of at least two thereof.

28. The mountable automatic system of claim 27, wherein the sanitizer is one of chlorine or bromine.

29. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the system is configured to monitor chemistry information for the body of water continually while the system is powered on.

30. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the system further comprises a timer coupled to at least one of the sensor, the microprocessor, and the mountable housing.

31. The mountable automatic system of claim 30, wherein the timer is configured to provide a time stamp to the sensor while the sensor determines chemistry information for the body of water.

32. The mountable automatic system of claim 31, wherein the time stamp and chemistry information are transmitted sent to the control circuit.

33. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the system further comprises a chemistry display panel coupled to the sensor.

34. The mountable automatic system of claim 33, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the chemistry display panel during a programmable time interval.

35. The mountable automatic system of claim 33, wherein the chemistry display panel further comprises an indicator configured to indicate a status of the body of water based on chemistry information processed by the microprocessor.

36. The mountable automatic system of claim 35, wherein the indicator is one of a green light indicator for a safe status for the body of water, a yellow light indicator for a cautionary status for the body of water, and a red light indicator for an unsafe status for the body of water.

37. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to a remote location.

38. The mountable automatic system of claim 37, wherein the remote location is one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a custom sign, a computer, a satellite, a wireless device, a phone, a USB port, a pager, and a device configured to add chemicals to the body of water.

39. The mountable automatic system of claim 37, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the remote location through at least one of a wireless connection, a cellular connection, a wired connection, an optical connection, an infrared connection, and a custom radio interface connection.

40. The mountable automatic system of claim 23, wherein the system further comprises an antenna coupled to the mountable housing and configured to transmit and receive radio waves.

41. The mountable automatic system of claim 35, wherein the indicator is configured to be audible.

42. A mountable automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water and introducing chemicals into the body of water, the system comprising:

a. a pump system for collecting a sample of the body of water;

b. a sensor coupled to the pump system for determining chemistry information based on the sample;

c. a microprocessor coupled to the sensor and configured for processing chemistry information, the microprocessor further comprising an instruction that instructs the microprocessor to compare a programmable threshold of chemistry information to chemistry information collected from the sample;

d. a chemical storage unit coupled to the pump system and the microprocessor and configured to release a chemical into the body of water upon command;

e. a safety element coupled to one of the microprocessor and the sensor, the safety element configured for indicating when the body of water is unsafe; and

f. a mountable housing coupled to at least one of the pump system, the sensor, the microprocessor, the chemical storage unit and the safety element,

wherein the microprocessor signals the safety element to alert when the body of water is unsafe once the programmable threshold has been met.

43. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein based on the instruction, the microprocessor signals the chemical storage unit to release the chemical when the programmable threshold has been met.

44. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the programmable threshold represents an acceptable minimum value of chemistry information of the body of water.

45. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the programmable threshold represents an acceptable maximum value of chemistry information of the body of water.

46. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the chemistry information monitored by the system comprises one of alkalinity, pH level, temperature, calcium hardness, total hardness, dissolved solids, and a sanitizer of the body of water and any combination of at least two thereof.

47. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the system further comprises a chemistry display panel coupled to the sensor, the chemistry display panel further comprising an indicator configured to indicate a status of the body of water based on chemistry information of the sample processed and compared by the microprocessor to the programmable threshold.

48. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the body of water is at least one of a spa, a pool, a hot tub, a bath, a fountain, a whirlpool bath, and the like.

49. The mountable automatic system of claim 42, wherein the sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to a remote location.

50. The mountable automatic system of claim 49, wherein the remote location is one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a custom sign, a computer, a satellite, a wireless device, a phone, a USB port, a pager, and a device configured to add chemicals to the body of water.