Plumbing control system with signal recognition

• US 6,769,443 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 08/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sdb Ip Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: I-Con Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Bush, Shawn D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US10/134,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20030201018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 137/624.11, 137/624.12, 137/1, 251/129.04, 462/3, 4DI/G 3
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0641 using a plurality of throttling means G05D7/067 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

A control system is provided having a flow valve, a control valve for controlling flow through the flow valve, a logic circuit for receiving, processing, and transmitting data signals; a central control unit for receiving, processing, and transmitting data signals; and a flow valve actuator. When the flow valve actuator is actuated, the central control unit informs the logic circuit to permit the control valve to allow flow through the flow valve. However, if during a set time period, the flow valve actuator is actuated too often, subsequent actuation is disallowed for a second time period. Also, if during a shut down, subsequent actuation is disallowed. During the second time period or the shut down, any successive actuation is recorded by the central control unit.

Claims

1. A control system for a fluid piping system, comprising:

at least one flow valve having a flow valve fluid inlet and a flow valve fluid outlet;

a control valve in fluid communication with the flow valve and configured to operate the flow valve by controlling the flow of fluid through the fluid piping system through the flow valve fluid inlet and out the flow valve fluid outlet;

a flow valve actuator for requesting activation of the control valve for operation of the flow valve; and

a central control unit adapted for receiving, processing, and transmitting data signals between the flow valve actuator and the control valve for operation of the flow valve such that the central control unit determines whether activation of the control valve based on an activation request from the flow valve actuator would exceed a predetermined allowable activation quantity within a first predetermined time period, prevents activation of the control valve for a second time period if activation of the control valve would exceed a predetermined allowable activation quantity within the first predetermined time period, and records any request for activation of the control valve received from the flow valve actuator during the second time period.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second time period is predetermined.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second time period is based on a remaining time of the first predetermined time period.

4. The control system of claim 1, further comprising a logic circuit in communication with the flow valve actuator, the control valve, and the central control unit and configured to receive, process, and transmit data signals between the flow valve actuator and the control valve through the central control unit.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the central control unit signals an alarm upon receipt of a request for activation of the control valve received from the flow valve actuator during the second time period.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the central control unit signals an alarm if the number of requests for activation of the control valve received from the flow valve actuator during the second time period exceeds a predetermined alarm quantity.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the flow valve is in fluid communication with a fixture.

8. The control system of claim 7, wherein the fixture is one of a toilet, a sink, a water fountain, or a shower.

9. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time period is in the range of about two minutes to about ten minutes.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the second time period is in the range of about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes.

11. The control system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined allowable activation quantity is in the range of two to five.

12. The control system of claim 1, wherein the flow valve actuator is a sensor.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

14. The control system of claim 12, wherein the flow valve actuator is a touch sensor.

15. The control system of claim 1, wherein the central control unit further comprises a control module which allows a user to set the first predetermined time period, the second time period, and/or the predetermined allowable activation quantity.

16. The control system of claim 1, wherein the central control unit prevents activation of the control valve upon an input to start a shut down regardless of whether activation of the control valve would exceed the predetermined allowable activation quantity, continues to prevent activation of the control valve until a second input is received to end the shut down or a shut down time period expires, and records any request for activation of the control valve received from the flow valve actuator during the shut down.

17. The control system of claim 16, further comprising a control module which allows a user to send the input to start the shut down, to send the second input to end the shut down, or to set the shut down time period.

18. A control system for a fluid piping system, comprising:

at least one flow valve having a flow valve fluid inlet and a flow valve fluid outlet;

a control valve in fluid communication with the flow valve and configured to control the flow of fluid through the fluid piping system through the flow valve fluid inlet and out the flow valve fluid outlet;

a logic circuit in communication with the control valve and configured to receive, process, and transmit data signals through a communication line;

a central control unit configured to receive, process, and transmit data signals through the communication line; and

a flow valve actuator in communication with the flow valve via the logic circuit and the control valve;

wherein, when the flow valve actuator is actuated, an activate data signal is communicated to the central control unit, which communicates an allow data signal to the logic circuit, thereby permitting the logic circuit to communicate an allow to activate data signal to the control valve, allowing the control valve to permit fluid flow from the fluid piping system, through the flow valve fluid inlet and out the flow valve fluid outlet;

wherein, if during a first predetermined time period, the flow valve actuator is actuated more than a predetermined allowable activation quantity, the activate data signal is communicated to the central control unit, which communicates a disallow data signal to the logic circuit, thereby not permitting the logic circuit to communicate the allow to activate data signal to the control valve, thereby preventing the control valve to permit fluid to flow through the flow valve, the central control unit continuing to communicate the disallow data signal to the logic circuit for any successive flow valve actuator actuations during a second time period; and

wherein, any successive flow valve actuator actuation during the second time period is recorded by the central control unit.

19. A method for controlling fluid flow through a fluid piping system comprising the steps of:

signaling to a central control unit a request for activation of a control valve;

determining whether activation of the control valve would exceed a predetermined number of activations within a first predetermined time period;

preventing activation of the control valve for a second time period if activation of the control valve would exceed a predetermined number of activations within the first predetermined time period; and

recording in the central control unit any request for activation of the control valve received during the second time period.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising a step of signaling an alarm by the central control unit upon receipt of any request for activation of the control valve received during the second time period.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising a step of signaling an alarm by the central control unit if the number of requests for activation of the control valve received during the second time period exceeds a predetermined alarm quantity.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the first predetermined time period is in the range of about two minutes to about ten minutes.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the second time period is in the range of about 30 minutes to about 90 minutes.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the predetermined allowable activation quantity is in the range of two to five.

25. The control system of claim 19, wherein the second time period is predetermined.

26. The control system of claim 19, wherein the second time period is based on a remaining time of the first predetermined time period.

27. A method for controlling fluid flow through a fluid piping system, comprising the steps of:

signaling to a central control unit a request for activation of a control valve; and

if an input to start a shut down has been received by the central control unit,

preventing activation of the control valve;

recording the prevention of the control valve; and

continuing to prevent activation of the control valve until a second input is received by the central control unit to end the shut down or a shut down time period expires.