Method and apparatus for determining when hands are under a faucet for lavatory applications
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a stream of liquid, comprising the steps of:
- calibrating a PSD infrared sensor associated with a spout, said calibrating including the substeps of;
turning on the spout to thereby dispense a stream of liquid from the spout and into a stream space;
emitting infrared energy from said PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream of liquid;
sensing a first position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor from the stream of liquid;
storing first information based upon the first position of the reflected infrared energy;
turning off the spout to thereby inhibit the liquid from being dispensed from the spout;
sensing a second position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor from an object that is fixed relative to said sensor; and
storing second information based upon the second position of the reflected infrared energy;
emitting infrared energy from said PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream space;
sensing a third position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor; and
controlling the spout dependent upon the first information, the second information and the third position.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of controlling a flow of liquid includes calibrating a PSD infrared sensor associated with the spout. The calibrating includes turning on the spout to thereby dispense a stream of liquid from the spout and into a stream space; emitting infrared energy from the PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream of liquid; sensing a first position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to the sensor from the stream of liquid; storing first information based upon the first position of the reflected infrared energy; turning off the spout to thereby inhibit the liquid from being dispensed from the spout; sensing a second position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to the sensor from an object that is fixed relative to the sensor; and storing second information based upon the second position of the reflected infrared energy. Infrared energy is emitted from the PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream space. A third position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to the sensor is sensed. The spout is controlled dependent upon the first information, the second information and the third position.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a stream of liquid, comprising the steps of:
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calibrating a PSD infrared sensor associated with a spout, said calibrating including the substeps of;
turning on the spout to thereby dispense a stream of liquid from the spout and into a stream space;
emitting infrared energy from said PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream of liquid;
sensing a first position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor from the stream of liquid;
storing first information based upon the first position of the reflected infrared energy;
turning off the spout to thereby inhibit the liquid from being dispensed from the spout;
sensing a second position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor from an object that is fixed relative to said sensor; and
storing second information based upon the second position of the reflected infrared energy;
emitting infrared energy from said PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream space;
sensing a third position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor; and
controlling the spout dependent upon the first information, the second information and the third position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of controlling a stream of liquid, comprising the steps of:
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calibrating a PSD infrared sensor associated with a spout, said calibrating including the substeps of;
turning on the spout to thereby dispense a stream of liquid from the spout;
emitting infrared energy from said PSD infrared sensor and toward the stream of liquid;
sensing a first position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor from the stream of liquid; and
storing first information based upon the first position of the reflected infrared energy;
turning on the spout after said calibrating step to thereby dispense a stream of liquid from the spout;
sensing, with the spout turned on, a second position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor; and
deciding whether the spout should be turned off, said deciding being dependent upon the first information and the second position. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 20)
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12. A spout arrangement, comprising:
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a spout having an on position in which said spout dispenses a stream of liquid into a stream space and an off position in which the dispensing of the stream of liquid is inhibited;
a PSD infrared sensor configured to;
emit infrared energy toward the stream space; and
sense a position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor; and
a controller in communication with said spout and with said sensor, said controller being configured to;
store information based upon a position of the reflected infrared energy sensed by said sensor during calibration when the stream of liquid is in the stream space; and
turn said spout to the off position dependent upon the stored information and a position of the reflected infrared energy sensed by said sensor during operation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. A spout arrangement, comprising:
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a spout having an on position in which said spout dispenses a stream of liquid into a stream space and an off position in which the dispensing of the stream of liquid is inhibited;
an infrared sensor including an emitter configured to emit infrared energy toward the stream space, and a receiver configured to sense a position of the infrared energy after the infrared energy has been reflected back to said sensor; and
a controller in communication with said spout and with said sensor, said controller being configured to;
store first information based upon a first position of the reflected infrared energy sensed by said sensor during calibration when the stream of liquid is in the stream space;
store second information based upon a second position of the reflected infrared energy sensed by said sensor during calibration when the stream of liquid is absent from the stream space; and
move said spout between the on position and the off position dependent upon the stored first information, the stored second information, and a position of the reflected infrared energy sensed by said sensor during operation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification