Self monitoring pool cover system

• US 7,132,954 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Automatic Pool Covers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Automatic Pool Covers Incorporated
• Inventors: Caron, Michael, Shebek, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/884,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20050012629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 340/679, 340/545.2, 340/545.6, 340/672, 340/676, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/573.1, 340/573.6, 340/545.1, 450/2, 450/4, 160/133, 160/311
• US Class Current: 340/679
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/08 responsive to the presence of persons in a body of water, e.g. a swimming pool; responsive to an abnormal condition of a body of water
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/06 using electric transmission , e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources

Abstract

System and method for monitoring a working status of a swimming pool cover assembly. The system comprises a pool cover assembly operably connected to an alarm apparatus; both may be operably connected to a plurality of sensors capable of detecting a working status of the pool cover assembly and sending a signal to the alarm apparatus. The alarm apparatus continually produces at least one humanly perceptible indication corresponding to a working status of the pool cover assembly. The alarm apparatus includes at least one alarm-producing device, such as an audio or visual device, or combination of the two, a receiver operably connected to the plurality of sensors for receiving the signals, a processor operably coupled with the receiver for processing and recognizing the received signals, and software operably coupled with the processor enabling the alarm-producing device to produce the humanly perceptible indication corresponding to the recognized signal.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a working status of a pool cover assembly for a swimming pool comprising:

a pool cover assembly having;

a pool cover;

a drive mechanism connected to said pool cover for retracting and extending said pool cover; and

an alarm apparatus operably connected to said pool cover assembly, said alarm apparatus including an output device capable of producing a humanly perceptible indication corresponding to a working status of said pool cover assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a sensor operably connected to said alarm apparatus and said pool cover assembly, said sensor capable of detecting the working status of said pool cover assembly, producing a signal corresponding to the working status, and sending said signal to said alarm apparatus.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of sensors operably connected to said alarm apparatus and said pool cover assembly.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said output device includes a light emitting diode.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a user disable device coupled to said drive mechanism so that operations of said alarm apparatus and said pool cover assembly may be disabled by a user.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising a user reset device so that said operations of said alarm apparatus and said pool cover assembly may be reset.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein said pool cover assembly further comprises:

a drive control operably connected to said drive mechanism for driving said drive mechanism to extend and retract said pool cover over the swimming pool; and

a power source connected to said drive control for supplying power to operate said drive control.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said output device includes at least one of:

an audio device, a visual device, and a combination thereof, wherein said audio device is capable of producing predetermined sounds, and wherein visual device is capable of producing predetermined light.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said alarm apparatus further comprises a key switch operably connected to said pool cover assembly for turning on and shutting off said pool cover assembly.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said key switch is operably connected to said alarm-producing device for turning on and shutting off said alarm-producing device.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said alarm apparatus further comprises:

a receiver for receiving the signal from said sensor;

a processor operably coupled with said receiver for processing the received signal; and

software operably coupled with said processor capable of selectively enabling said alarm-producing device to produce the humanly perceptible indication.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said processor determines changes over time in electric current running through said alarm apparatus.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said software enables said alarm-producing device to produce a flashing red LED light.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said sensor is electronically coupled to said alarm apparatus, said sensor capable of producing an electronic signal, and said receiver of said alarm apparatus is adapted to receive the electronic signal.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein said alarm apparatus includes a sensor and a transmitter for transmitting the signal over a radio frequency, and said receiver of said alarm apparatus is adapted to receive the radio frequency.

16. The system of claim 7 wherein said alarm apparatus includes a power source sensor operably coupled to said power source for detecting a working status of said power source.

17. The system of claim 7 wherein said alarm apparatus includes a drive control sensor operably coupled to said drive control for detecting a working status of said drive control.

18. The system of claim 7 wherein said alarm apparatus includes a drive mechanism sensor operably connected to said drive mechanism for detecting a working status of said drive mechanism.

19. The system of claim 7 wherein said alarm apparatus includes a sensor capable of detecting a working status of more than one of said power source, said drive control, said drive mechanism, and said alarm apparatus.

20. An alarm apparatus adapted to be used with a pool cover assembly having components including a pool cover, a drive mechanism connected to the pool cover, a drive control operably connected to the drive mechanism for driving the drive mechanism to extend and retract the pool cover over a swimming pool, and a power source connected to said drive control for supplying power to operate the drive control, comprising:

at least one alarm-producing device capable of producing a plurality of humanly perceptible indications;

a sensor coupled to said at least one alarm-producing device and adapted to be operably coupled with the pool cover assembly, said sensor capable of detecting working statuses of the pool cover assembly and producing a signal associated with the status;

said at least one alarm-producing device capable of producing one of said humanly perceptible indications in response to the signals.

21. The alarm apparatus of claim 20 wherein said at least one alarm-producing device includes at least one of:

an audio device, a visual device, and a combination thereof.

22. The alarm apparatus of claim 20 further comprising a plurality of sensors coupled to said at least one alarm-producing device adapted to be operably coupled with the pool cover assembly and producing signals associated with the statuses.

23. The alarm apparatus of claim 22 further comprising a key switch operably connected to said pool cover assembly for operating said pool cover assembly.

24. The alarm apparatus of claim 23 wherein said key switch is operably connect to said at least one alarm-producing device for operating said at least one alarm-producing device.

25. The alarm apparatus of claim 24 further comprising

a receiver operably connected to said plurality of sensors for receiving signals;

a processor operably coupled with said receiver for processing and recognizing the received signals; and

software operably coupled with said processor enabling said at least one alarm-producing device to produce a humanly perceptible indication in response to the signals.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein each of said plurality of sensors is electronically connected to said alarm apparatus, each said sensor producing an electronic signal, said receiver adapted to receive the electronic signal, and said processor adapted to process and recognize said electronic signal.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein at least one of said plurality of sensors includes a transmitter for transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal, said receiver adapted to receive the RF signal, and said processor adapted to process and recognize the RF signal.

28. The system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of sensors includes a power source sensor adapted to be operably connected to the power source for detecting a working status of the power source.

29. The system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of sensors includes a drive control sensor adapted to be operably connected to said drive control for detecting a working status of the drive control.

30. The system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of sensors includes a drive mechanism sensor adapted to be operably connected to the drive mechanism for detecting a working status of the drive mechanism.

31. The system of claim 22 wherein said plurality of sensors includes an alarm apparatus sensor capable of detecting a working status of more than one of said power source, said drive control, said drive mechanism, and said alarm apparatus.

32. A method for monitoring a working status of a pool cover assembly having components including a pool cover, a drive mechanism connected to the pool cover, a drive control operably connected to the drive mechanism for driving the drive mechanism to extend and retract the pool cover over a swimming pool, and a power source connected to said drive control for supplying power to operate the drive control, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an alarm apparatus,

(b) detecting a working status of a pool cover assembly, and

(c) producing a humanly perceptible indication corresponding to the detected status of the pool cover assembly.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising the steps of:

(d) producing a signal representing the status of the pool cover assembly;

(e) receiving the signal; and

(f) processing and recognizing the signal.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said step of (d) producing a signal includes at least one of:

producing an electrical pulse signal, a radio frequency (RF) signal, infrared signal, ultrasound signal, and microwave signal.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of (c) producing a humanly perceptible indication includes at least one of:

producing an audio alarm signal, and producing a visual alarm signal.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said step of (b) detecting a working status of pool cover assembly includes detecting a fault condition.

37. The method of claim 36 further includes the steps of:

(g) correcting the fault condition.