SMART VALVE FOR CONTROLLING A PLUMBING FIXTURE

• US 20160077530A1
• Filed: 09/12/2014
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Moran, Michael T., Baron, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/485,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077530A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/041 having provisions against scalding, e.g. temperature limiting devices, external covers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/16 with a mechanism, other than pulling-or pushing-rod, between fluid motor and closure member with float F16K31/18
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/416 characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/50 Hydropower in dwellings

Abstract

A smart valve for controlling a plumbing fixture includes a control valve, a hydroelectric generator, and one or more sensors. The hydroelectric generator produces electrical power for the smart valve. The smart valve monitors sensor data from the sensors, evaluates the sensor data, and performs control actions in response to evaluating the sensor data. Control actions include restricting or shutting off water flow using the control valve. Control actions also include transmitting control messages to remote computing devices, for example to activate appliances or other home automation devices. The sensors may include a temperature sensor, a flow sensor, a proximity sensor, and/or a humidity sensor. The smart valve may shut off the water flow when a measured sensor value exceeds a predefined threshold value. The smart valve may be coupled inline between a plumbing system and a plumbing fixture. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. A smart valve for controlling water flow in a plumbing fixture, the smart valve comprising:

a body having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the inlet is configured to attach to a plumbing system and the outlet is configured to attach to the plumbing fixture;

a control valve selectively controllable to restrict water flow from the inlet to the outlet;

a power management module to generate electrical power for the smart valve using a hydroelectric generator of the smart valve;

a sensor module to monitor sensor data from one or more sensors of the smart valve; and

a control module to;

(i) evaluate the sensor data and (ii) perform a control action in response to evaluation of the sensor data.

2. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a measured value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the measured value has a predefined relationship to a threshold value; and

to perform the control action comprises to perform the control action in response to a determination that the measured value has the predefined relationship to the threshold value.

3. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein to perform the control action comprises to actuate the control valve to restrict the water flow.

4. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein to perform the control action comprises to transmit a control message to a remote computing device.

5. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises a temperature sensor; and

to perform the control action comprises to display a temperature value as a function of the sensor data.

6. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises a temperature sensor;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a temperature value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the temperature value has a predefined relationship to a threshold temperature value; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate a control valve of the smart valve to shut off the water flow in response to a determination that the temperature value has the predefined relationship to the threshold temperature value.

7. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises a flow sensor;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a water usage value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the water usage value has a predefined relationship to a threshold water usage value; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate the control valve to shut off the water flow in response to a determination that the water usage value has the predefined relationship to the threshold water usage value.

8. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises a proximity sensor;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to determine a proximity value as a function of the sensor data; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate the control valve to restrict the water flow as a function of the proximity value.

9. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises a proximity sensor;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to determine a usage pattern as a function of the sensor data, wherein the usage pattern identifies a likely usage time of day for the smart valve; and

to perform the control action comprises to transmit a control message to a remote computing device prior to the likely usage time of day.

10. The smart valve of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more sensors of the computing device comprises an environmental humidity sensor;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a humidity value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the humidity value has a predefined relationship to a threshold humidity value; and

to perform the control action comprises to transmit a control message to a remote computing device in response to a determination that the humidity value has the predefined relationship to the threshold humidity value.

11. A method for controlling water flow in a plumbing fixture, the method comprising:

generating, by a smart valve coupled between a plumbing system and the plumbing fixture, electrical power for the smart valve using a hydroelectric generator of the smart valve;

monitoring, by a smart valve, sensor data from one or more sensors of the smart valve;

evaluating, by the smart valve, the sensor data; and

performing, by the smart valve, a control action in response to evaluating the sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

evaluating the sensor data comprises (i) determining a measured value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determining whether the measured value has a predefined relationship to a threshold value; and

performing the control action comprises performing the control action in response to determining the measured value has the predefined relationship to the threshold value.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the control action comprises actuating a control valve of the smart valve to restrict water flow to the plumbing fixture.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein performing the control action comprises transmitting a control message to a remote computing device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein:

monitoring the sensor data comprises monitoring sensor data from a temperature sensor of the computing device;

evaluating the sensor data comprises (i) determining a temperature value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determining whether the temperature value has a predefined relationship to a threshold temperature value; and

performing the control action comprises actuating a control valve of the smart valve to shut off water flow to the plumbing fixture in response to determining the temperature value has the predefined relationship to the threshold temperature value.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein:

monitoring the sensor data comprises monitoring sensor data from a flow sensor of the computing device;

evaluating the sensor data comprises (i) determining a water usage value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determining whether the water usage value has a predefined relationship to a threshold water usage value; and

performing the control action comprises actuating a control valve of the smart valve to shut off water flow to the plumbing fixture in response to determining the water usage value has the predefined relationship to the threshold water usage value.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein:

monitoring the sensor data comprises monitoring sensor data from an environmental humidity sensor of the computing device;

evaluating the sensor data comprises (i) determining a humidity value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determining whether the humidity value has a predefined relationship to a threshold humidity value; and

performing the control action comprises transmitting a control message to a remote computing device in response to determining the humidity value has the predefined relationship to the threshold humidity value.

18. One or more computer-readable storage media comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed cause a smart valve to:

generate, by the smart valve coupled between a plumbing system and the plumbing fixture, electrical power for the smart valve using a hydroelectric generator of the smart valve;

monitor sensor data from one or more sensors of the smart valve;

evaluate the sensor data; and

perform a control action in response to evaluating the sensor data.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein:

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a measured value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the measured value has a predefined relationship to a threshold value; and

to perform the control action comprises to perform the control action in response to determining the measured value has the predefined relationship to the threshold value.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein to perform the control action comprises to actuate a control valve of the smart valve to restrict water flow to the plumbing fixture.

21. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein to perform the control action comprises to transmit a control message to a remote computing device.

22. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein:

to monitor the sensor data comprises to monitor sensor data from a temperature sensor of the computing device;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a temperature value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the temperature value has a predefined relationship to a threshold temperature value; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate a control valve of the smart valve to shut off water flow to the plumbing fixture in response to determining the temperature value has the predefined relationship to the threshold temperature value.

23. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein:

to monitor the sensor data comprises to monitor sensor data from a flow sensor of the computing device;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a water usage value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the water usage value has a predefined relationship to a threshold water usage value; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate a control valve of the smart valve to shut off water flow to the plumbing fixture in response to determining the water usage value has the predefined relationship to the threshold water usage value.

24. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein:

to monitor the sensor data comprises to monitor sensor data from a proximity sensor of the computing device;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to determine a proximity value as a function of the sensor data; and

to perform the control action comprises to actuate a control valve of the smart valve to restrict water flow to the plumbing fixture as a function of the proximity value.

25. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 18, wherein:

to monitor the sensor data comprises to monitor sensor data from an environmental humidity sensor of the computing device;

to evaluate the sensor data comprises to (i) determine a humidity value as a function of the sensor data and (ii) determine whether the humidity value has a predefined relationship to a threshold humidity value; and

to perform the control action comprises to transmit a control message to a remote computing device in response to determining the humidity value has the predefined relationship to the threshold humidity value.