METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A NETWORK OF WATER APPLIANCES

• US 20090118871A1
• Filed: 01/12/2009
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dymocom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dymocom, Inc.
• Inventors: DEBOURKE, Patrick, TROKE, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/041 having provisions against scalding, e.g. temperature limiting devices, external covers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1051 for domestic hot water
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2214 Multicontrollers, multimicrocomputers, multiprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23314 Switch between initialisation, program, test, end of programming, erase mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

An appliance control system is described for controlling a plurality of appliances. The system includes a control station located remotely from the appliances and having a control unit for controlling the plurality of appliances, at least one client station being associated with at least one of the plurality of appliances and being adapted for allowing a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one of the plurality of appliances, actuators connected to the control station and the at least one of the plurality of appliances for receiving control signals from the control station and controlling the at least one of the plurality of appliances, and sensors connected to the water appliance and the control station for recording information about the at least one of the plurality of appliances and providing the information to the control station.

Claims

1. An appliance control system for controlling a plurality of sets of appliances in a network, the system comprising:

a) a control station having a control unit for controlling the plurality of sets of appliances and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of appliances;

b) a plurality of actuators connected to the control station for receiving the control signals therefrom, the plurality of actuators being connected to and controlling the plurality of sets of appliances;

c) a plurality of sensors connected to the sets of appliances and the control station for recording information therefrom, the plurality of sensors connected to the control station for providing the recorded information to the control station; and

d) a plurality of client stations, each client station located with one of the plurality of sets of appliances, each client station being connected to the switch unit to allow a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one appliance of the set of appliances located with the client station;

wherein a mean priority number is associated with each client station, the sets of appliances are water appliances, and wherein, during use, when the appliance control system receives water flow requests from two different client stations at the same time, the appliance control system is adapted to give priority to the water appliances associated with the client station that has a higher mean priority number.

2. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is a server, the switch unit is a network switch and each client station is identified by a unique network address.

3. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to collect usage information for the plurality of sets of appliances, and the system further includes an external communications unit for transmitting the usage information.

4. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the sensors associated with the given set of appliances include a proximity sensor for allowing the user to activate one of the water appliances in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the control unit is adapted to store operational parameters for operating the water appliances when activated in a non-touch fashion.

5. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control station further comprises:

a) data conversion circuitry for connecting the control unit to the sensors and to the actuators;

b) a control interface connected to the control unit, the control interface being adapted to allow an administrator to interface with and configure the appliance control system;

c) a memory unit connected to the control unit, the memory unit being adapted to store data and programs for running processes; and

,

d) a power supply unit connected to the control unit, the power supply unit being adapted to provide power to components of the control system.

6. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein a given client station comprises:

a) a client processor for directing operation of the given client station;

b) a client interface connected to the client processor, the client interface being adapted for allowing the user to interact with set of appliances associated with the given client station;

c) a display connected to the client processor, the display being adapted to provide status messages to the user;

d) a data port connected to the client processor, the data port being adapted to communicate with the control station; and

,

e) a supply regulator for regulating the supply of power to components of the given client station.

7. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow an administrator to enter a fixture order which provides a priority order for the control unit for servicing the set of appliances associated with a given client station.

8. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein a given client station includes a display comprising:

a) a mode field for displaying a current mode of operation for the given client station;

b) a description field for providing a description of a type of input the user can enter based on the current mode of operation;

c) a keypad having several touch keys for allowing the user to control the operation of the set of appliances associated with the given client station; and

,

d) a color display field for providing a colored visual display of the status of an operational appliance associated with the given client station.

9. An appliance control system for controlling a plurality of sets of appliances in a network, the system comprising:

a) a control station having a control unit for controlling the plurality of sets of appliances and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of appliances;

b) a plurality of actuators connected to the control station for receiving the control signals therefrom, the plurality of actuators being connected to and controlling the plurality of sets of appliances;

c) a plurality of sensors connected to the sets of appliances and the control station for recording information therefrom, the plurality of sensors connected to the control station for providing the recorded information to the control station; and

d) a plurality of client stations, each client station located with one of the plurality of sets of appliances, each client station being connected to the switch unit to allow a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one appliance of the set of appliances located with the client station;

wherein a given set of appliances includes water appliances and the sensors associated with the given set of appliances includes a temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit is adapted to perform a calibration process for calibrating the temperature sensor for reading water temperature at the water appliances, the calibration process including determining a nominal resistance value and a material constant for the temperature sensor.

10. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein the control unit is a server, the switch unit is a network switch and each client station is identified by a unique network address.

11. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein the control unit is adapted to collect usage information for the plurality of sets of appliances, and the system further includes an external communications unit for transmitting the usage information.

12. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein the sensors associated with the given set of appliances include a proximity sensor for allowing the user to activate one of the water appliances in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the control unit is adapted to store operational parameters for operating the water appliances when activated in a non-touch fashion.

13. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein the control station further comprises:

a) data conversion circuitry for connecting the control unit to the sensors and to the actuators;

b) a control interface connected to the control unit, the control interface being adapted to allow an administrator to interface with and configure the appliance control system;

c) a memory unit connected to the control unit, the memory unit being adapted to store data and programs for running processes; and

,

d) a power supply unit connected to the control unit, the power supply unit being adapted to provide power to components of the control system.

14. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein a given client station comprises:

a) a client processor for directing operation of the given client station;

b) a client interface connected to the client processor, the client interface being adapted for allowing the user to interact with set of appliances associated with the given client station;

c) a display connected to the client processor, the display being adapted to provide status messages to the user;

d) a data port connected to the client processor, the data port being adapted to communicate with the control station; and

,

e) a supply regulator for regulating the supply of power to components of the given client station.

15. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow an administrator to enter a fixture order which provides a priority order for the control unit for servicing the set of appliances associated with a given client station.

16. The appliance control system of claim 9, wherein a given client station includes a display comprising:

a) a mode field for displaying a current mode of operation for the given client station;

b) a description field for providing a description of a type of input the user can enter based on the current mode of operation;

c) a keypad having several touch keys for allowing the user to control the operation of the set of appliances associated with the given client station; and

,

d) a color display field for providing a colored visual display of the status of an operational appliance associated with the given client station.

17. A method for controlling a network of a plurality sets of water appliances, the method comprising:

a) providing a control station including a control unit for centrally controlling the network and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of water appliances;

b) providing a plurality of client stations for the plurality of sets of water appliances, a given client station being located with at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances;

c) providing actuators connected to the control station and the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing control signals from the control station to control the plurality of sets of water appliances;

d) providing sensors connected to the plurality of sets of water appliances and the control station for recording information about the plurality of sets of water appliances and providing the information to the control station;

e) providing several user accounts for one of the client stations and several settings for one of the user accounts;

f) providing a proximity sensor for at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing the user to activate a given water appliance in a non-touch fashion; and

g) storing operational parameters for a given user for operating the given water appliance when activated in a non-touch fashion.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes providing several modes of operation for the network including a user mode, a manual mode, a program mode and an administration mode.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein a given set of water appliances include a plurality of water fixtures and the method further includes allowing an administrator to enter a fixture order for providing a priority order for servicing the water fixtures.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the method further includes providing a color display field for providing a colored visual display of the status of an operational water appliance associated with a given set of water appliances.