Process and device for the contactless electronic control of the flow of water in a plumbing unit
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A process for electronic control of fluid flow, the process comprising the steps of:
- providing an electrically operated valve;
determining energy requirements needed to open and close said valve;
providing a control circuit means for opening and closing said valve in response to sensory input;
determining energy requirements needed to properly operate said control circuit means;
substantially continuously measuring power deliverable by a power supply to energize said valve and said control circuit means.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To guarantee a higher reliability of operation, the capacity of a battery to reliably open and close a water valve and to operate a microprocessor is continuously checked. To do so, a plurality of reference voltages are formed. The current voltage of the battery is compared with these reference voltages, and the state of the battery is indicated on the basis of this comparison with, e.g., an LED.
32 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for electronic control of fluid flow, the process comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrically operated valve; determining energy requirements needed to open and close said valve; providing a control circuit means for opening and closing said valve in response to sensory input; determining energy requirements needed to properly operate said control circuit means; substantially continuously measuring power deliverable by a power supply to energize said valve and said control circuit means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A device for electronic control of fluid flow, the device comprising:
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an electrically operated valve; a control circuit means for opening and closing said valve in response to sensory input; indicator means for indicating power deliverability of a battery to energize said valve and said control circuit means to open and close said valve, said indicating means testing said power by sending and measuring a closing pulse to said valve before an opening of said valve. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A process for electronic control of fluid flow, the process comprising the steps of:
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providing an electrically operated valve; providing a control circuit means for opening and closing said valve in response to sensory input; determining a reference voltage V(1) substantially equal to a minimum voltage required to open said valve plus a safety factor; determining a reference voltage V(0) substantially equal to a minimum voltage required to close said valve; determining a reference voltage V(P) substantially equal to a minimum voltage required to properly operate said control circuit means; applying power from a power supply to said control circuit means; measuring an unloaded voltage of said power supply; entering a state B0 if said unloaded voltage immediately after said applying of power is greater than V(1) and entering a state B2 when said unloaded power supply voltage is less than V(1); in said B0 state, substantially continuously measuring said unloaded voltage of said power supply and remaining in said B0 state if said unloaded power supply voltage is greater than V(1) and entering said state B2 when said unloaded power supply voltage is less than V(1); in said B0 state, measuring a loaded voltage of said power supply when said control circuit means one of opens and closes said valve, and remaining in said B0 state if said loaded voltage is greater than V(1) and entering a state B1 when said loaded voltage is less than V(1); in said B1 state, measuring said loaded voltage of said power supply when said control circuit means opens said valve, and remaining in said B1 state if said loaded voltage is greater than V(0) and entering a state B3 when said loaded voltage is less than V(0); in said B2 state, sending a closing pulse to said valve when said sensory input indicates to open said valve, and measuring said loaded voltage during said closing pulse, entering into said B1 state if said loaded voltage is greater than V(0) and entering said state B3 when said loaded voltage is less than V(0). - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification