Assisted Dosing of Aquatic Environments For Maintaining Water Quality Therein, and Systems, Methods, Apparatuses, and Software Relating Thereto

• US 20140019060A1
• Filed: 12/13/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lamotte Chemical Products Company
• Original Assignee: Step Ahead Innovations, Inc.
• Inventors: Clark, James E.
• Application Number:
  US13/713,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019060A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/19
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/04 Arrangements for treating water specially adapted to receptacles for live fish
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/42 from bathing facilities, e.g. swimming pools
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/006 comprising a software program or a logic diagram
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/14 NH3-N
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/15 N03-N
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/18 PO4-P
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/758 using reversible reaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7786 Fluorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/7793 Sensor comprising plural indicators
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/15 Preventing contamination of the components of the optical system or obstruction of the light path
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/77 by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/78 producing a change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8507 Probe photometers, i.e. with optical measuring part dipped into fluid sample
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/88 Investigating the presence of flaws or contamination
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/127 Calibration; base line adjustment; drift compensation
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 31/22 : using chemical indicators G01N31/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 : Water
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 : specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/805 : Optical property
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 : Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/115831 : Condition or time responsive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/12 : Condition responsive control
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/173076 : Nitrite or nitrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/173845 : Amine and quaternary ammonium
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/174614 : Tertiary amine
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/175383 : Ammonia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/193333 : In aqueous solution
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/207497 : Molecular oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25 : including sample preparation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/25375 : Liberation or purification of sample or separation of material from a sample [e.g., filtering, centrifuging, etc.]

Abstract

Methods of assisting human users with dosing of aquatic environments, such as aquariums, pools, hot tubs, ponds, etc., that utilize automated monitoring systems that continually monitor various parameters of the water in the aquatic environments. When one or more measured water parameters of an aquatic environment are out of tolerance, a dosing calculator uses water-quality information from a monitoring system to generate dosing instructions for a human user that instruct the user how to dose the aquatic environment with one or more additives that will put the one or more parameters back into tolerance. In some embodiments, input from a user is used to switch the monitoring system to a dosing mode from a normal monitoring mode to track the progress of the dosing more closely than the normal monitoring mode would.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a human user with dosing water in an aquatic environment with one or more additives to keep a water-quality parameter of the water within an acceptable range, the method comprising:

receiving data concerning the water-quality parameter from a water-quality monitoring system monitoring the water of the aquatic environment;

automatedly analyzing the data to determine whether or not the water-quality parameter is out of the acceptable range;

when said analyzing reveals that the water-quality parameter is out of the acceptable range, automatedly determining dosing requirements for the one or more additives that, if added to the water in the aquatic environment, will put the water-quality parameter back into the acceptable range;

automatedly issuing an alert to the human user indicating that dosing is required to bring the water-quality parameter back into the acceptable range; and

automatedly issuing dosing instructions that are based on the dosing requirements and are understandable by the human user.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said receiving data includes receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system having a chemical indicator apparatus submerged in the water, wherein the chemical indicator apparatus includes a plurality of immobilized dye based chemical indicators.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said receiving data includes receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system having a chemical indicator disc submerged in the water, wherein the chemical indicator apparatus is rotatable by a corresponding monitoring unit.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the aquatic environment is an aquarium, and said receiving data includes receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system monitoring the water of the aquarium.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a response from the human user indicating that the human user is dosing the water and, in response to receiving the response, causing the water-quality monitoring system to enter a dosing monitoring mode in which the water-quality monitoring system monitors the water-quality parameter at a different rate than when the water-quality monitoring system is in a normal monitoring mode.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said automatedly issuing dosing instructions includes automatedly issuing dosing instructions containing a dosing rate limitation selected to inhibit the human user from dosing the one or more additives too quickly in attempt to avoid causing a detrimental effect in the aquatic environment.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said automatedly issuing an alert includes automatedly issuing an alert to a smartphone.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving information about the aquatic environment, and using the information to automatedly generate the dosing instructions so that the dosing instructions are specific to the aquatic environment.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said receiving the information includes receiving the information via a user interface.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein said receiving the information includes receiving information indicating a user-desired growth rate for coral or an aquatic plant, the method further comprising automatedly generating the dosing instructions as a function of the user-desired growth rate.

11. A machine-readable hardware storage medium containing machine-executable instructions for executing a method of assisting a human user with dosing water in an aquatic environment with one or more additives to keep a water-quality parameter of the water within an acceptable range, said machine-executable instructions comprising:

a first set of machine-executable instructions for receiving data concerning the water-quality parameter from a water-quality monitoring system monitoring the water of the aquatic environment;

a second set of machine-executable instructions for analyzing the data to determine whether or not the water-quality parameter is out of the acceptable range;

a third set of machine-executable instructions for, when said analyzing reveals that the water-quality parameter is out of the acceptable range, determining dosing requirements for the one or more additives that, if added to the water in the aquatic environment, will put the water-quality parameter back into the acceptable range;

a fourth set of machine-executable instructions for issuing an alert to the human user indicating that dosing is required to bring the water-quality parameter back into the acceptable range; and

a fifth set of machine-executable instructions for issuing dosing instructions that are based on the dosing requirements and are understandable by the human user.

12. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said first set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system having a chemical indicator apparatus submerged in the water, wherein the chemical indicator apparatus includes a plurality of immobilized dye based chemical indicators.

13. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 12, wherein said first set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system having a chemical indicator disc submerged in the water, wherein the chemical indicator apparatus is rotatable by a corresponding monitoring unit.

14. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the aquatic environment is an aquarium, and said first set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for receiving data from a water-quality monitoring system monitoring the water of the aquarium.

15. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 11, further comprising machine-executable instructions for receiving a response from the human user indicating that the human user is dosing the water and, in response to receiving the response, for causing the water-quality monitoring system to enter a dosing monitoring mode in which the water-quality monitoring system monitors the water-quality parameter at a different rate than when the water-quality monitoring system is in a normal monitoring mode.

16. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 15, wherein said fifth set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for issuing dosing instructions containing a dosing rate limitation selected to inhibit the human user from dosing the one or more additives too quickly in attempt to avoid causing a detrimental effect in the aquatic environment.

17. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 11, wherein said fourth set of machine-executable instructions includes machine-executable instructions for issuing an alert to a smartphone.

18. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 11, further comprising machine-executable instructions for receiving information about the aquatic environment, and for using the information to generate the dosing instructions so that the dosing instructions are specific to the aquatic environment.

19. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said machine-executable instructions for receiving the information includes machine-executable instructions for receiving the information via a user interface.

20. A machine-readable hardware storage medium according to claim 18, wherein said machine-executable instructions for receiving the information include machine-executable instructions for receiving information indicating a user-desired growth rate for coral or an aquatic plant, said machine-executable instructions further comprising machine-executable instructions for generating the dosing instructions as a function of the user-desired growth rate.