Systems and Methods for Controlling Pool/Spa Devices
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a plurality of pool or spa devices;
a wireless transceiver;
a control system coupled to a remote device via an electronic communication network and the wireless transceiver, the control system being configured to selectively control a plurality of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices, the control system comprising;
a memory device configured to store definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first subset of the plurality of circuits and being associated with the first logic function, the first logic function defining how the first subset of the plurality of circuits is to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated;
a plurality of communication ports comprising at least one local area network communication port and a plurality of serial communication ports, the at least one local area communication network port being coupled to the wireless transceiver, and the plurality of serial communication ports being coupled to at least one of the plurality of pool or spa devices;
a processor coupled to the plurality of communication ports and the memory device, the processor being configured to execute computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to;
receive command data from the remote device via the electronic communication network; and
in response to a first command of the command data, activate the first feature circuit to selectively control the first subset of the plurality of circuits according to the first logic function.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for the control of pool/spa device circuits. A control system may control such circuits in response to command data received from local or remote client devices. Feature circuits and light groups may be defined via a user interface to include a group of pool/spa device circuits or light circuits, respectively. Activating a feature circuit may involve performing an associated logic function. Multiple feature circuits may be assigned to a feature circuit group which, when activated, may activate all feature circuits assigned to the feature group. The control system may control the performance of freeze protection and automatic cleaner functions, and may control light circuits to synchronized, color-changing light effects. Commands may be issued to the control system and system data may be stored and retrieved from a remote database via web servers, web application programming interface servers, and/or inter-server communication buses.
32 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a plurality of pool or spa devices; a wireless transceiver; a control system coupled to a remote device via an electronic communication network and the wireless transceiver, the control system being configured to selectively control a plurality of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices, the control system comprising; a memory device configured to store definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first subset of the plurality of circuits and being associated with the first logic function, the first logic function defining how the first subset of the plurality of circuits is to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated; a plurality of communication ports comprising at least one local area network communication port and a plurality of serial communication ports, the at least one local area communication network port being coupled to the wireless transceiver, and the plurality of serial communication ports being coupled to at least one of the plurality of pool or spa devices; a processor coupled to the plurality of communication ports and the memory device, the processor being configured to execute computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to; receive command data from the remote device via the electronic communication network; and in response to a first command of the command data, activate the first feature circuit to selectively control the first subset of the plurality of circuits according to the first logic function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method comprising:
-
establishing a connection over a computer network between a controller of a pool control system and one or more servers of the pool control system, the controller comprising a processor, a memory electronically accessible by the processor, a wireless transceiver in electronic communication with the processor and configured to connect to the computer network, and a plurality of communication ports electrically connecting the controller to at least one pool or spa device, the one or more servers being geographically remote from the controller; receiving first command data on the one or more servers from a client device configured to display a user interface and to generate the first command data in response to a detected interaction with the user interface; sending, with the one or more servers, the first command data to the controller; in response to the first command data, storing, by the processor in the memory of the controller, definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function associated with the first feature circuit, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first plurality of circuits corresponding to the at least one pool or spa device, the first logic function defining how the first plurality of circuits is to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated; receiving second command data on the one or more servers from the client device, the client device being configured to generate the second command data in response to a second detected interaction with the user interface; receiving, by the processor, the second command data from the one or more servers; and in response to the second command data; determining, by the processor, that the second command data comprises a command to activate the first feature circuit; obtaining, by the processor, the definitions from the memory; identifying, by the processor, the first plurality of circuits based on the definition of the first feature circuit; and selectively controlling, by the processor, the first plurality of circuits according to the first logic function. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A system comprising:
-
a first web server communicatively coupled an electronic communication network; a first web application programming interface (API) server coupled to the first web server; a database server comprising at least one database, the database server being coupled to the first web API server; and a control system configured to control and collect system data from a plurality of pool and spa devices, the control system comprising; a memory device configured to store computer-readable instructions and to store the system data; and a processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor to; periodically upload the system data to the at least one database via the first web server, the first web API server, and the database server; receive command data from a remote client device via the first web API server and the first web server; store, in response to a first command of the command data, definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function in a memory device of the control system, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first set of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices, the first logic function defining how the one or more circuits are to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated; and in response to a second command of the command data; determine that the second command includes a request to activate the first feature circuit; obtain the definitions from the memory device; identify the first set of circuits based on the definitions; and control the first set of circuits according to the first logic function. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification