WATER DISPENSING SYSTEM UTILIZING A SMART FILTER

• US 20120318723A1
• Filed: 06/16/2011
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: GUESS, RONALD W.
• Application Number:
  US13/161,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20120318723A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/85
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/143 Filter condition indicators
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/10 as part of a potable water dispenser, e.g. for use in homes or offices
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2307/12 as part of household appliances such as dishwashers, laundry washing machines or vacuum cleaners

Abstract

According to one illustrative embodiment, a water dispensing system may include a replaceable water filter comprising (i) a filter medium having an operational life related to an amount of water passed through the filter medium and (ii) a one-bit memory element having a first state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has not expired and having a second state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has expired and an electronic control unit (ECU) remote from the replaceable water filter, the ECU configured to track usage of the replaceable water filter and switch the one-bit memory element from the first state to the second state in response to the usage of the replaceable water filter reaching a threshold value.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

tracking usage of a filter, the filter comprising (i) a filter medium having an operational life related to an amount of fluid passed through the filter medium and (ii) a one-bit memory element having a first state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has not expired and having a second state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has expired; and

switching the one-bit memory element from the first state to the second state in response to the usage of the filter reaching a threshold value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking usage of the filter comprises measuring at least one of the amount of fluid passed through the filter medium and a time period during which fluid passed through the filter medium.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein switching the one-bit memory element comprises irreversibly switching the one-bit memory element from the first state to the second state.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein switching the one-bit memory element comprises applying a burn signal to a fusible link to switch the fusible link between a short circuit and an open circuit.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising switching the one-bit memory element from the second state to the first state when the filter medium has been restored.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the one-bit memory element is in the first state or the second state; and

generating an alert in response to detecting that the one-bit memory element is in the second state.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising preventing fluid from passing through the filter medium in response to detecting that the one-bit memory element is in the second state.

8. A method comprising:

tracking usage of a water filter, the water filter comprising a filter medium and a fusible link, wherein a state of the fusible link indicates whether the operational life of the filter medium has expired; and

applying a burn signal to switch the state of the fusible link between a short circuit and an open circuit, in response to the usage of the filter reaching a threshold value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein applying the burn signal irreversibly switches the state of the fusible link between a short circuit and an open circuit.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying a query signal to detect whether the state of the fusible link is a short circuit or an open circuit; and

generating an alert in response to detecting the state of the fusible link that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has expired.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising preventing water from passing through the filter medium in response to detecting the state of the fusible link that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has expired.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising assessing the presence of a filter detection circuit element of the water filter in response to detecting an open circuit with the query signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising measuring the filter detection circuit element to determine a characteristic of the filter medium.

14. A water dispensing system comprising:

a replaceable water filter comprising (i) a filter medium having an operational life related to an amount of water passed through the filter medium and (ii) a one-bit memory element having a first state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has not expired and having a second state that indicates that the operational life of the filter medium has expired; and

an electronic control unit (ECU) remote from the replaceable water filter, the ECU configured to track usage of the replaceable water filter and switch the one-bit memory element from the first state to the second state in response to the usage of the replaceable water filter reaching a threshold value.

15. The water dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the ECU is configured to measure at least one of the amount of water passed through the filter medium and a time period during which water passed through the filter medium.

16. The water dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the one-bit memory element comprises a fusible link and the ECU is configured to irreversibly switch the fusible link between a short circuit and an open circuit by applying a burn signal to a fusible link.

17. The water dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the ECU is further configured to determine whether the one-bit memory element is in the first state or the second state and generate an alert in response to detecting that the one-bit memory element is in the second state.

18. The water dispensing system of claim 17, wherein the ECU is further configured to prevent water from passing through the filter medium in response to detecting that the one-bit memory element is in the second state.

19. The water dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the replaceable water filter further comprises a filter detection circuit element and the ECU is further configured to assess the presence of the filter detection circuit element.

20. The water dispensing system of claim 19, wherein the ECU is further configured to measure the filter detection circuit element to determine a characteristic of the filter medium.