Pool temperature controller

• US 20090204263A1
• Filed: 02/09/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caribbean Heaters Inc.
• Original Assignee: Chris Love
• Inventors: Love, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,370,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/19 characterised by the use of electric means G05D23/1393 takes precedence

Abstract

A device for controlling the temperature of a swimming pool is disclosed. The device measures the temperature of the water as well as other environmental conditions (such as air temperature). The device controls a circulation pump, which circulates water throughout the pool. The pool water exchanges heat with the surfaces of the water (including the side walls, ground and surface air) when a heat differential exists between the water and the surfaces. When the water is circulated throughout the pool it increases the volume of water that exchanges heat with the surfaces, thus cooling or heating the water depending on the temperature of the surfaces. A target temperature is entered into the device and using this target temperature the device automatically controls the pump in order to take advantage of the heat exchange between the water and the water'"'"'s surfaces to alter the water temperature in the direction of the target temperature. Additionally a heating element may be used to supplement the heating operation of the circulation pump.

Claims

1. A pool temperature device for monitoring water temperature of a pool, the device comprising:

a user interface for receiving a target temperature;

an interface for receiving environmental condition information from at least one environmental sensor and for receiving temperature information from a pool water temperature sensor; and

a processor configured for controlling the operation of a heating element to be used in providing for the water temperature of the pool reaching the target temperature based on the received environmental condition information and the received temperature information, the processor further configured for making a decision on whether to activate the heating element based on the received environmental conditions.

2. The controller of claim 1 further comprising a circulation pump for circulating water in the pool, the processor for controlling the operation of the circulation pump.

3. The controller of claim 2 further comprising a flow switch, the flow switch for determining the existence of a pre-determined minimum water flow rate of the circulation pump, the flow switch communicating to the processor, the processor activating the heating element only when a sufficient flow rate of water exists

4. The controller of claim 1, wherein the target temperature is a temperature range.

5. The controller of claim 1, wherein the environmental condition information includes information selected from the group comprising:

an air temperature;

a ground temperature;

solar intensity; and

amount of precipitation.

6. The controller of claim 5, wherein the environmental information is selected from the group comprising:

actual and predicted.

7. The controller of claim 6 wherein the environmental condition information includes at least one of a time of day or a calendar date.

8. The controller of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to operate in a multi-stage operation, such that a portion of the heat used to adjust the water temperature is using the heat element and another portion of the heat used to adjust the water temperature is using the environmental conditions while the heat element is disabled.

9. The controller of claim 8 wherein the multi-stage operation configuration of the processor is for use of the heat element prior to use of the environmental conditions.

10. The controller of claim 1, the user interface for receiving a desired time period, and the processor configured for only activating the heating element to heat the pool water during the desired time period based on the sensed environmental conditions.

11. The controller of claim 1, wherein the heat element is a heat exchanger coupled to an air conditioner and a element sensor is coupled to the device for providing operational state information of the air conditioner to the processor.

12. A method for controlling the temperature of water in a pool comprising:

receiving the temperature of the water in the pool;

receiving environmental condition information;

receiving a target temperature range; and

activating a heating element for heating the pool water when the environmental conditions are determined insufficient to heat the pool water temperature to the target temperature.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the environmental condition information includes the air temperature.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the environmental condition information includes the time of day.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the environmental condition information includes a calendar date.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the environmental condition information includes solar intensity.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the environmental condition information includes precipitation measurements.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising, receiving a target time period, the operation further optimizing the temperature of the pool water based on the target time period, the target temperature, the environmental condition information, and the temperature of the water in the pool.