Water supply control system
First Claim
1. A water supply control system having light-emitting means for periodically emitting light, light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from the light-emitting means and reflected from a portion of the body of a user, and control means for controlling a faucet to supply water based on a detected signal from the light-detecting means, wherein said control means comprises auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling said light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a period shorter than the period at which the light is periodically emitted thereby, when a user is detected on the basis of the detected signal from said light-detecting means, and decision means for counting the number of times in which the light is detected by said light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by said auxiliary light-emitting means, and for controlling said faucet based on the counted number.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A water supply control system has a faucet actuating means for actuating a water supply faucet to supply water, a light-emitting means for intermittently emitting light at at least a first period, a light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from the light-emitting means and reflected by a portion of the body of a user of the faucet, and for producing a detected signal indicative of whether the light is detected or not, and a control means for controlling the faucet actuating means to actuate the faucet based on the detected signal from the light-detecting means. The control means comprises an auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling the light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a second period shorter than the first period, based on the detected signal from the light-detecting means, and a decision means for applying a control signal to the faucet actuating means to control the faucet based on the number of times in which the light is detected by the light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by the auxiliary light-emitting means through the light-emitting means.
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Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A water supply control system having light-emitting means for periodically emitting light, light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from the light-emitting means and reflected from a portion of the body of a user, and control means for controlling a faucet to supply water based on a detected signal from the light-detecting means, wherein said control means comprises auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling said light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a period shorter than the period at which the light is periodically emitted thereby, when a user is detected on the basis of the detected signal from said light-detecting means, and decision means for counting the number of times in which the light is detected by said light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by said auxiliary light-emitting means, and for controlling said faucet based on the counted number.
- 5. A water supply control system having light-emitting means for periodically emitting light, light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from the light-emitting means and reflected from a portion of the body of a user, and control means for controlling a faucet to supply water based on a detected signal from the light-detecting means, wherein said control means comprises auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling said light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a period shorter than the period at which the light is periodically emitted thereby, after a user is detected on the basis of the detected signal from said light-detecting means and when said detected signal is eliminated, and decision means for counting the number of times in which the light is detected by said light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by said auxiliary light-emitting means, and for controlling said faucet based on the counted number.
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8. A water supply control system comprising:
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faucet actuating means for actuating a water supply faucet to supply water; light-emitting means for intermittently emitting light at least a first period; light-detecting means for detecting light emitted from said light-emitting means and reflected by a portion of the body of a user of the faucet, and for producing a detected signal indicative of whether the light is detected or not; and control means for controlling said faucet actuating means to actuate the faucet based on the detected signal from said light-detecting means; said control means comprising auxiliary light-emitting means for enabling said light-emitting means to effect a plurality of light emissions at a second period shorter than said first period, based on the detected signal from said light-detecting means; and decision means for applying a control signal to said faucet actuating means to control the faucet based on the number of times in which the light is detected by said light-detecting means, among the light emissions caused by said auxiliary light-emitting means through said light-emitting means. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification