Networking of discrete plumbing devices

• US 20070030145A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Marcichow, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,569 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.100
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors

Abstract

A network of wirelessly connected sanitary appliances, their associated triggering devices and a remotely located network node is disclosed. The remotely located network node permits the monitoring and gathering of information concerning the appliances and their associated triggering devices. The network node can be connected to a LAN and/or the internet allowing the node to communicate with responsible parties. In addition, a control board having a central processing unit is wirelessly connected as an intermediary between the appliances and triggering devices and the network node. Communication between the appliances and their triggering devices uses low frequency RF signals. Communication to the remotely located network node uses high frequency RF signals.

Claims

1. A sanitary appliance communication and monitoring network, comprising:

at least one sanitary appliance having a control circuit associated therewith;

a triggering device associated with the sanitary appliance and operable to generate an intent message unique to the triggering device;

a local radio frequency transmitter responsive to the triggering device to transmit the intent message;

a local radio frequency receiver capable of receiving the intent message and being electrically connected to the control circuit to selectively activate the sanitary appliance upon receipt of the intent message;

a global radio frequency transmitter electrically connected to one of the control circuit or the triggering device, the global radio frequency transmitter being operable to send an information message unique to said one of the control circuit or triggering device; and

a network node spaced from the appliance and having a global radio frequency receiver capable of receiving said information message.

2. The network of claim 1 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor.

3. The network of claim 1 wherein the triggering device includes a manually-activated switch.

4. The network of claim 1 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor and a manually-activated switch.

5. The network of claim 1 wherein the appliance is an electrically-operated flush valve connected to a urinal.

6. The network of claim 1 wherein the appliance is an electrically-operated flush valve connected to a water closet.

7. The network of claim 1 wherein the appliance is an electrically-operated valve connected to a faucet.

8. The network of claim 1 wherein the appliance is a hand dryer.

9. The network of claim 1 wherein the intent message is transmitted via a low frequency radio signal.

10. The network of claim 9 wherein the information message is transmitted via a high frequency radio signal.

11. The network of claim 1 further comprising a sanitizer having a control circuit, the sanitizer being in fluid communication with said at least one sanitary appliance, a second local radio frequency receiver capable of receiving the intent message and being electrically connected to the sanitizer'"'"'s control circuit to selectively activate the sanitizer upon receipt of the intent message.

12. The network of claim 1 further comprising a sanitizer having a control circuit, the sanitizer being in fluid communication with said at least one sanitary appliance, a second global radio frequency receiver capable of receiving the information message and being electrically connected to the sanitizer'"'"'s control circuit to selectively activate the sanitizer upon receipt of the information message.

13. The network of claim 1 further comprising a second local radio frequency transmitter electrically connected to the local radio frequency receiver of the appliance, the second local radio transmitter sending an acknowledgement signal unique to the appliance when the radio frequency receiver of the appliance receives the intent message, and the triggering device further includes an indicator and a second local radio frequency receiver electrically connected to the indicator, the second local radio frequency receiver of the triggering device being operable to receive the acknowledgement signal and upon receipt thereof cause the indicator to operate.

14. The network of claim 13 wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.

15. The network of claim 13 wherein the acknowledgement message is transmitted via a low frequency radio signal.

16. The network of claim 1 wherein the control circuit includes a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the appliance according to programmed instructions upon receipt of a unique intent message.

17. A sanitary appliance communication and monitoring network, comprising:

at least one sanitary appliance having a flush valve connected to it and a control circuit electrically connected to the flush valve for activating said valve;

a triggering device associated with the sanitary appliance and operable to generate an intent message unique to the triggering device;

a local radio frequency transmitter responsive to the triggering device to transmit the intent message;

a local radio frequency receiver capable of receiving the intent message and being electrically connected to the control circuit to selectively activate the flush valve upon receipt of the intent message;

a global radio frequency transmitter electrically connected to the control circuit, the global radio frequency transmitter being operable upon activation of the flush valve to send an information message unique to said control circuit; and

a sanitizer spaced from the flush valve and in fluid communication with the sanitary appliance, the sanitizer having a global radio frequency receiver capable of receiving said information message and activating the sanitizer in response thereto.

18. The network of claim 17 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor.

19. The network of claim 17 wherein the triggering device includes a manually activated switch.

20. The network of claim 17 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor and a manually activated switch.

21. The network of claim 17 wherein the appliance is an electrically-operated flush valve connected to a urinal.

22. The network of claim 17 wherein the appliance is an electrically-operated flush valve connected to operate a water closet.

23. The network of claim 17 wherein the first radio frequency transmitter is a low frequency radio transmitter.

24. The network of claim 17 wherein the appliance includes a local radio frequency transmitter electrically connected to the control circuit of the appliance and programmed to send an acknowledgement signal unique to the appliance when the local radio frequency receiver of the appliance receives the intent message, and the triggering device includes an indicator and a local radio frequency receiver electrically connected to the indicator, the local radio frequency receiver of the triggering device being programmed to receive the acknowledgement signal and upon receipt thereof cause the indicator to operate.

25. The network of claim 24 wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.

26. The network of claim 24 wherein the local radio frequency transmitter of the appliance is a low frequency radio transmitter.

27. The network of claim 17 wherein the control circuit of the sanitary appliance includes a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the appliance according to programmed instructions upon receipt of unique intent message.

28. The network of claim 17 wherein the global radio frequency transmitter of the appliance transmits signals in the high radio frequency range.

29. A sanitary appliance communication and monitoring network comprising:

at least one sanitary appliance,

a radio frequency receiver electrically connected to each sanitary appliance to cause the associated sanitary appliance to operate upon receiving an operate message, the operate message being unique to the sanitary appliance;

a triggering device associated with each sanitary appliance for signaling an intent to operate the associated sanitary appliance, each triggering device having a radio frequency transmitter electrically connected thereto and operable thereby, each triggering device radio frequency transmitter being operable to send an intent message, the intent message being unique to the triggering device;

a network node remotely spaced from the at least one appliance and having a radio frequency receiver for receiving an information message; and

a control board having a central processing unit electrically connected to a radio frequency receiver and a radio frequency transmitter, the control board'"'"'s radio frequency receiver being capable of receiving the intent message and the control board'"'"'s radio frequency transmitter being capable of sending the operate message;

wherein upon activation of the triggering device the triggering device radio frequency transmitter sends the intent message, and upon receipt of the intent message the central processing unit determines whether to send the operate message to cause operation of the sanitary appliance associated with the triggering device that sent the intent message.

30. The network of claim 29 further characterized in that the information message is unique to the sanitary appliance associated with the triggering device that sent the intent message, and the information message is sent upon the central processing unit determining that the operate message should be sent, the information message being sent by one of the control board'"'"'s radio frequency transmitter or by a radio frequency transmitter electrically connected to each sanitary appliance'"'"'s radio frequency receiver.

31. The network of claim 29 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor.

32. The network of claim 29 wherein the triggering device includes a manually activated switch.

33. The network of claim 29 wherein the triggering device includes an infrared sensor and a manually activated switch.

34. The network of claim 29 wherein the sanitary appliance is an electrically-operated flush valve connected to operate a urinal.

35. The network of claim 29 wherein the information message includes data on the activation of the triggering device and on the operation of the associated sanitary appliance.

36. The network of claim 29 wherein the control board includes a high frequency radio transmitter and a low frequency radio transmitter, the low frequency radio transmitter sends the operate message and the high frequency radio transmitter sends the information message.

37. The network of claim 29 wherein the control board'"'"'s radio transmitter sends the unique operate message and the unique informational message via a high frequency radio signal

38. The network of claim 37 wherein each triggering device includes an indicator and a radio frequency receiver electrically connected to the indicator, the triggering device radio frequency receiver causes operation of the indicator upon receipt of an acknowledgement message unique to the triggering device, and upon activation of the triggering device the triggering device radio frequency transmitter sends the intent message and upon receipt of the intent message, the central processing unit causes the control board'"'"'s radio frequency transmitter to send the acknowledgement message unique to the triggering device that sent the unique intent message and determines whether the control board'"'"'s radio frequency transmitter sends the unique operate message to cause operation of the sanitary appliance associated to the triggering device that sent the intent message and the information message unique to the sanitary appliance associated to the triggering device that sent the intent message.

39. The network of claim 38 wherein the indicator is a light emitting diode.

40. A sanitary appliance communication and monitoring network comprising:

at least one sanitary appliance,

a radio frequency receiver electrically connected to each sanitary appliance to cause the associated sanitary appliance to operate upon receiving an operate message, the operate message being unique to the sanitary appliance;

a triggering device associated with each sanitary appliance for signaling an intent to operate the associated sanitary appliance, each triggering device having a radio frequency transmitter electrically connected thereto and operable thereby, each triggering device radio frequency transmitter being able to send an intent message, the intent message being unique to the triggering device; and

a network node remotely spaced from the at least one sanitary appliance and having a central processing unit electrically connected to a radio frequency receiver and a radio frequency transmitter;

wherein upon activation of the triggering device the triggering device radio frequency transmitter sends the intent message and upon receipt of the intent message by the radio frequency receiver of the network node, the central processing unit determines whether the radio frequency transmitter of the network node sends the unique operate message to cause operation of the sanitary appliance associated with the triggering device that sent the unique intent message.

41. The network of claim 40 wherein the network node records the unique intent message and the unique operation message.