Pulsed infrared sensor to detect the presence of a person or object whereupon a solenoid is activated to regulate fluid flow

• US 5,508,510 A
• Filed: 11/23/1993
• Issued: 04/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coyne & Delany Co.
• Original Assignee: Coyne & Delany Co.
• Inventors: Davis, Steve, Capper, Robert N. Jr., Hamrick, Gary, Walters, Ryp R., Tavares, Chuck, Eichblatt, Timothy, Laverty, Martin J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NICHOLS, STEVEN
• Application Number:
  US08/156,370
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 250/221, 250/222.1, 250/561, 250/559.4, 356/4.01, 251/30.01, 251/30.03, 251/129.04, 251/129.09, 4/304
• US Class Current: 250/221
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/88 Lidar systems specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

Pulsed infrared sensor including a solenoid to detect the presence of a person or object whereupon the solenoid is activated to regulate fluid flow, including a microprocessor for receiving inputs from a plurality of sources and to provide outputs to a plurality of receivers for the control of the fluid flow, and a collection of inputs receivable by the microprocessor from sources activated in response to infrared rays received after transmission from an infrared transmitter including a remote transmitter associated with the microprocessor to activate a fluid supply control to control the supply of fluid to the fixture.

Claims

1. Pulsed infrared sensor including a solenoid to detect the presence of a person or object whereupon the solenoid is activated to regulate fluid flow, comprising:

a control circuit having a power supply for supplying required power to said solenoid for operation thereof;

means including at least one LED (light-emitting diode) for transmitting pulses of infrared light energy with a digital code towards the person or object;

means operatively associated with said transmitting means and responsive only to said digital code for receiving the light energy reflected from the person or object;

a microcontroller responsive to operational amplifier means delivering a train of pulses for recognizing said train of pulses;

means for controlling the distance at which the person or object can be detected;

means for determining the amplitude of the signal reflected and received by said receiving means, including means for adjustment of the amplitude; and

adjustment means coupled with said solenoid and operatively coupled with said microcontroller including means for setting a binary coded decimal switch means for controlling the duration that the sensor will operate the solenoid.

2. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means includes a current regulating circuit for maintaining the output of said at least one infrared light emitting diode constant throughout the life of the power supply.

3. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving means includes a photo-diode sensitive to light in the infrared area of the spectrum with a digital code.

4. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said digital code is a security code to render said receiving means responsive to said transmitting means when transmitting the pulses of infrared light energy with said digital security code.

5. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means includes dual transmitters for transmitting processor controlled encoded signals, and said receiving means includes a receiver having the capability of recognizing error free signals.

6. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distance controlling means for controlling the distance at which a person or an individual can be detected includes voltage comparing means, and an amplifier responsive to the reflected signal received by the photo-diode, said voltage comparing means being responsive to said amplifier output for comparing the amplifier output to a voltage that represents a selected range setting.

7. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said amplitude determining means includes a digital potentiometer for outputting a voltage determining the amplitude of the reflected signal.

8. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means is a remote transmitter, and said amplitude determining means includes a digital potentiometer for outputting a voltage determining the amplitude of the reflector signal.

9. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said amplitude determining means includes a digital potentiometer having a single turn potentiometer whereby to permit adjustment thereof when positioned inside of said sensor.

10. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 9, including adjustment means associated with said digital potentiometer for adjustment thereof externally.

11. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 10 wherein said adjustment means includes a remote control separate from said digital potentiometer for external adjustment thereof.

12. The sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said amplitude determining means includes a manual potentiometer and a digital potentiometer, and wherein said manual potentiometer can override the digital potentiometer and the digital potentiometer can override the manual potentiometer.

13. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power supply is a lithium battery.

14. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, including timer means for activating a flush valve at least once every twenty-four hours, and a remote control separate from the solenoid for overriding said timer means.

15. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, including visible light means associated with an impulse unit for illumination when said microcontroller detects that the battery level has dropped below a point when battery replacement is considered desirable.

16. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said adjustment means is a potentiometer adjustment means.

17. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting means transmits pulses of light energy at a 16°

angle from the horizontal.

18. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said receiving means is responsive to said detecting means and said detecting means detects signals reflected from an individual or object at a 16°

angle from the horizontal plane.

19. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said light emitting means is at least one infrared light emitting diode.

20. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said binary coded decimal switch means is adjustable to operate said solenoid to provide a variable flush time which varies between eight hundred milliseconds and two and one-half seconds.

21. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein said distance controlling means for controlling the distance at which an object or a person can be detected includes a digital potentiometer and an amplifier for receiving the reflected signal and producing an amplifier output, and a fraction of the output selected by said digital potentiometer is compared to a fixed reference voltage.

22. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 1, including a remote control for transmitting an infrared signal with a binary code to operate circuitry for said solenoid so that solenoid is rendered operable.

23. The sensor unit as claimed in claim 22, wherein said binary code digital signal includes a digital signal includes a digital security code to which solely said solenoid circuitry is responsive.