Advanced touchless plumbing systems

• US 6,250,601 B1
• Filed: 07/17/1998
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Shafer, David C., Burnett, William R., Richter-OʼConnell, David J., Thomas, Carter J., Paese, Andrew J., Heinzmann, Fred Judson, Kolar, Anton J., Tervo, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US09/118,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,075 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 462/3
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/04 Systems determining presence of a target based on relative movement of target G01S13/56
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/18 wherein range gates are used
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/22 using irregular pulse repetition frequency G01S13/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/56 for presence detection presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/03 Details of HF subsystems specially adapted therefor, e.g. common to transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4065 involving a delay line
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section

Abstract

The present invention is a system for controlling a plumbing fixture. The system includes at least two sensors, each sensor including a receiver, and a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the sensors and to generate a control signal in response to the received signals. An actuator is coupled to receive the control signal from the controller and couplable to the plumbing device to act on the bathroom device. The invention is also a method of controlling plumbing fixtures that includes receiving detection signals from a plurality of sensors in a central controller, selecting, in the central controller, which of a plurality of actuators attachable to the plumbing fixtures to operate and directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a plumbing fixture, comprising:

at least two sensors, each sensor including a receiver, wherein the at least two sensors comprise a multi-sensor array and each sensor in the multi-sensor array is oriented to detect objects within a respective detection zone;

a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the sensors and to generate a control signal in response to the received detection signals, wherein the controller includes a memory to store background map information on stationary objects within the detection zones, and is adapted to subtract the background map information from detection signals received from the sensors; and

an actuator coupled to receive the control signal from the controller and couplable to the plumbing fixture to act on the plumbing fixture.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the sensors is an active sensor.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein one of the sensors is a radar-based sensor, the receiver including a receive antenna coupled to an RF signal detector, the RF signal detector generating the detection signals and the controller being coupled to the RF signal detector to receive the detection signals.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the radar-based sensor is non-monostatic, the sensor includes an RF generator coupled to a transmit antenna to radiate probe signals.

5. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the radar-based sensor is monostatic and the receive antenna also includes a transmit antenna, the receive antenna being coupled to an RF signal generator to radiate RF probe signals.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller comprises at least part of the control system of an integrated home electronic control network.

7. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator is connected to a flushing valve of a first toilet and the controller is adapted to delay flushing of other toilets in response to a signal indicating that the first toilet is flushing.

8. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller includes an analyzer coupled to receive fixture use information from one of the at least two sensors and to compare present use with expected use based on past usage patterns.

9. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator couplable to the plumbing fixture includes a valve to flush a toilet or a urinal.

20. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the actuator couplable to the plumbing, fixture includes a valve to permit water to flow through a faucet.

10. A system for controlling a plumbing fixture, comprising:

at least two sensors, each sensor including a receiver, wherein one of the at least two sensors includes a transmission line coupled to receive pulses from a pulse generator and coupled to a detector to detect pulses reflected within the transmission line, a portion of the transmission line having an impedance value variable in response to an effective environmental dielectric constant;

a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the sensors and to generate a control signal in response to the received signals; and

an actuator coupled to receive the control signal from the controller and couplable to the plumbing fixture to act on the plumbing fixture.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the controller is coupled to an alarm to warn a user of the plumbing fixture of abnormal operating conditions.

12. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the controller is coupled to an alarm of a maintenance alarm system to warn a maintainer of the plumbing fixture of abnormal operating conditions.

13. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the at least two sensors senses one of a) a user'"'"'s distance from the plumbing fixture, b) a direction of a user'"'"'s motion relative to the plumbing fixture and c) a depth of fluid in the plumbing fixture.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the at least two sensors comprise a multi-sensor array, wherein each sensor in the multi-sensor array is oriented to detect objects within a respective detection zone, and the sensors are coupled to the controller to transmit detection information thereto.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the controller is adapted to detect an object moving from one of the detection zones to another detection zone.

16. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the multi-sensor array includes range-measuring sensors coupled to transmit range information to the controller, and the controller is adapted to determine an object height in a detection zone in response to the range information.

17. A system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a warning indicator coupled to the controller to receive warning information therefrom to present a warning to one of a user and maintenance personnel in response to the detection information.

18. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the at least two sensors includes a sensor disposed with a toilet bowl and oriented to detect target matter in the toilet bowl.

19. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the at least two sensors includes a fluid supply pressure sensor attached to a fluid supply and coupled to the central controller to transmit pressure signals thereto.

21. A method of controlling plumbing fixtures, comprising

detecting background signals from stationary objects within detection zones of a plurality of sensors;

receiving detection signals from the plurality of sensors in a central controller;

subtracting the background signals from the received detection signals to form object signals;

determining a position of a detected object from the object signals;

selecting, in the central controller, which of a plurality of actuators attachable to the plumbing fixtures to operate; and

directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator.

22. A method of controlling plumbing fixtures, comprising

receiving, in a central controller, detection signals from a plurality of sensors of a multi-sensor array;

detecting presence of a user within a detection zone of one of the sensors of the multi-sensor array;

determining a position of the user in response to a temporal sequence of detection signals received from the multi-sensor array;

selecting, in the central controller, which of a plurality of actuators attachable to the plumbing fixtures to operate; and

directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising detecting a user'"'"'s height and adjusting a height of one of the plumbing fixtures in response to the detected user'"'"'s height.

24. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising detecting a distance between a user and a plumbing fixture and controlling an actuator when the user is detected to be within a predetermined distance of the plumbing fixture.

25. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising detecting the user moving from one detection zone to another detection zone.

26. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising sensing a range between the user and one of the sensors of the plurality of sensors and determining a height of the user from the sensed range.

27. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising recording temporal sequences of detection zones occupied by the user and of ranges between the multi-sensor array and the user and determining actions of the user from the recorded temporal sequences.

28. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising determining that one of movement and position of the user is abnormal and warning one of a user and maintenance personnel in response to the determined abnormality.

29. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising detecting a distance between a user and a plumbing fixture and controlling an actuator when the user is detected within a predetermined distance of the plumbing fixture for a predetermined length of time.

30. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein receiving detection signals from a plurality of sensors in a central controller includes detecting a fluid level in a plumbing fixture.

31. A method as recited in claim 30, wherein directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator includes controlling a fluid flow valve to control flow of fluid into the plumbing fixture in response to the detected fluid height.

32. A method as recited in claim 30, further comprising determining whether the detected fluid level lies outside a predetermined range and warning one of a plumbing fixture maintenance person and a user when the detected fluid level is determined to lie outside the predetermined range.

33. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising determining whether a size of solid matter deposited by a user in a toilet bowl exceeds a predetermined acceptable size.

34. A method as recited in claim 33, further comprising warning one of maintenance personnel and the user that the solid matter exceeds the predetermined acceptable size.

35. A method as recited in claim 33, further comprising increasing a fluid flush volume for the toilet bowl when the size of solid matter exceeds the predetermined acceptable size.

36. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein the selected actuator is connected to a flushing valve for a first toilet and further comprising delaying flushing of other toilets when the first toilet flushes.

37. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising monitoring a supply pressure of fluid supplied to the plumbing fixtures.

38. A method as recited ill claim 37, wherein directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator includes delaying directing a flushing control signal to one of a toilet and a urinal until the supply pressure increases from a value below a predetermined minimum value to above the predetermined minimum value.

39. A method as recited in claim 37, wherein directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator includes directing a control signal to activate the actuator for a period of time longer than a normal-operation period of time when it is determined that the supply pressure is less than a predetermined threshold value.

40. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising detecting that fluid has pooled on a floor close to one of the plumbing fixtures and warning one of maintenance personnel and a user of the detected fluid pool.

41. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising maintaining a history of past plumbing device usage for one or more of the plumbing devices, monitoring present frequency of use of the one or more plumbing devices and providing an indication to maintenance personnel when the present frequency of use indicates that the present frequency of use differs from an expected frequency of use obtained from the history of past plumbing device usage.

42. A method as recited in claim 22, wherein directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator includes activating a fluid flow valve, the fluid flow valve controlling flow of fluid therethrough upon activation.

43. A system for controlling plumbing fixtures, comprising:

means for receiving detection signals from a plurality of sensors of a multi-sensor array;

means for detecting presence of a user within a detection zone of one of the sensors of the multi-sensor array;

means for determining a position of the user in response to a temporal sequence of detection signals received from the multi-sensor array;

means for selecting which of a plurality of actuators attachable to the plumbing fixtures to operate; and

means for directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator.

44. A system as recited in claim 43, wherein the means for directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator includes means for activating a fluid flow valve, the fluid flow valve controlling flow of fluid therethrough upon activation.

45. A system as recited in claim 43, further comprising means for detecting a distance between the user and a plumbing fixture and means for controlling an actuator when the user is detected to be within a predetermined distance of the plumbing fixture.

46. A system as recited in claim 43, further comprising means for detecting a distance between the user and a plumbing fixture and means for controlling an actuator when the user is detected to be remain within a predetermined distance of the plumbing fixture for a predetermined length of time.

47. A system as recited in claim 43, wherein the means for receiving detection signals from a plurality of sensors in a central controller includes means for detecting a fluid level in a plumbing fixture.

48. A system as recited in claim 43, further comprising means for detecting the user'"'"'s height and means for adjusting a height of one of the plumbing fixtures in response to the detected user'"'"'s height.