METHOD OF CONTROLLING A VALVE

• US 20110155251A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Jonte, Patrick B., Thorn, Timothy John, Ensor, Timothy J., Storkey, Matthew E.M., Combs, Tom, Rodenbeck, Robert Wilmer
• Granted Patent: US 8,355,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A proximity sensor is disclosed. The proximity sensor may be incorporated as part of a water delivery device. A holder which aligns an optical source and sensor of the proximity sensor is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a valve having a first arrangement wherein fluid is provided from an inlet of the valve to an outlet of the valve and a second arrangement wherein fluid is not provided from the inlet of the valve to the outlet of the valve;

the method comprising the steps of;

emitting a plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy into a detection zone;

receiving through a multi-element sensor optical energy reflected from the detection zone;

determining a presence of an object in the detection zone based in part on the received optical energy and at least one characteristic of the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy; and

automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement when it is determined that the object is present.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received optical energy includes a plurality of spaced apart peaks.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the valve is in fluid communication with a fluid conduit which directs the fluid into the detection zone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the presence of the object in the detection zone includes the steps of:

determining a location of the object in the detection zone; and

determining a confidence level for the object.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of establishing a baseline position based on the optical energy received from the detection zone.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement is performed when the location of the object in the detection zone is less than the baseline position and the confidence level exceeds a threshold value.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining the location of the object in the detection zone includes the steps of:

correlating the received optical energy with a comb function to produce a correlated result; and

selecting a pixel in the correlated result which has the highest intensity, the pixel representing the location of the object in the detection zone.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining a confidence level for the object includes the steps of:

correlating the received optical energy with a comb function to produce a correlated result;

identifying a first pixel in the correlated result which has the corresponding highest peak intensity of the correlated result;

identifying a second pixel in the correlated result which has the corresponding second highest peak intensity of the correlated result; and

classify the object based on at least one of a first comparison of the intensity values of the first pixel and the second pixel and a second comparison of a separation of the first pixel and the second pixel.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the object is classified based on both the first comparison of the intensity values of the first pixel and the second pixel and the second comparison of the separation of the first pixel and the second pixel.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first comparison of the intensity values includes the steps of:

computing an intensity difference of an intensity value of the first pixel and an intensity value of the second pixel; and

comparing the intensity difference to a threshold value.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second comparison of the separation of the first pixel and the second pixel includes the steps of:

computing a pixel difference of the first pixel and the second pixel; and

comparing the pixel difference to an expected pixel separation.

12. A method of controlling a valve having a first arrangement wherein fluid is provided from an inlet of the valve to an outlet of the valve and a second arrangement wherein fluid is not provided from the inlet of the valve to the outlet of the valve;

the method comprising the steps of;

establishing a baseline position for a detection zone;

emitting a plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy into the detection zone;

receiving with a sensor optical energy reflected from the detection zone;

determining a presence of an object in the detection zone based in part on the received optical energy and at least one characteristic of the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy; and

automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement when it is determined that the object is present and located at a position less than the baseline position.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement when the object is no longer present.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement when the object is no longer present at the position less than the baseline position.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement in response to an input from a touch sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of establishing a new baseline position based on the position of the object in response to the input from the touch sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a spout includes a fluid conduit that is in fluid communication with the valve, the spout supporting a proximity sensor which emits the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy and at least a portion of an exterior of the spout is part of the touch sensor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the fluid is water.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

placing a supply of hot water in fluid communication with the valve;

placing a supply of cold water in fluid communication with the valve; and

regulating at least a temperature of the fluid provided by the outlet of the valve based on at least one user input.