Method and system for testing spas
First Claim
1. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, wherein said spa system has a spa configuration comprising an installed set of controlled devices, the method comprising:
- selecting a spa configuration from a set of a plurality of spa configurations stored in an electronic memory;
exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime, wherein said exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime comprises running a test script stored in an electronic memory in dependence on said spa configuration;
monitoring an electrical current drawn by the spa system;
determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A test system and method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, and one or more controlled devices. The system and method exercises the controlled devices during a testing regime, and monitors electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime. The electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime can be compared with an expected current draw specification.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, wherein said spa system has a spa configuration comprising an installed set of controlled devices, the method comprising:
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selecting a spa configuration from a set of a plurality of spa configurations stored in an electronic memory; exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime, wherein said exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime comprises running a test script stored in an electronic memory in dependence on said spa configuration; monitoring an electrical current drawn by the spa system; determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14)
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12. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the method comprising:
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exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; monitoring an electrical current drawn by the spa system; determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile; wherein said exercising the plurality of controlled devices comprises; operating each of said plurality of controlled devices one at a time to isolate the current drawn by each controlled device; and wherein said determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile comprises; comparing a measured current drawn by one of said controlled device to a nominal current draw value for said one of said controlled device which has been stored in an electronic memory.
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13. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the method comprising:
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exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; monitoring an electrical current drawn by the spa system; determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile; wherein said exercising the plurality of controlled devices comprises operating all of said controlled devices simultaneously to measure a maximum current load of the spa; and wherein said determining whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is consistent with an expected current profile comprises comparing said measured maximum current load to a nominal maximum current draw value for said spa system which has been stored in an electronic memory.
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15. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the method comprising:
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connecting a test station to the spa system under test; exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; providing power sensor signals to the test station indicative of a magnitude of electrical power drawn by the spa system during the testing regime; using the power sensor signals to generate a test report indicative of a response to the spa system under test to the testing regime; disconnecting the test station from the spa system, wherein the test station is not connected to the spa system during normal spa operation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A test system for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, and a spa configuration including a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the test system comprising:
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a current sensor for sensing a spa current drawn by the spa system and providing a sensor signal indicative of the spa current; a test computer system; a data link between the spa controller system and the test computer system for transmitting spa system data to the test computer system and commands from the test computer system to the spa controller system; a set of test instructions for execution by the test computer system for generating a set of commands to the spa controller to exercise the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; the test comouter system including an electronic memory or server in which is stored a plurality of sets of test instructions each corresponding to a particular one of different spa configurations, said plurality of sets of test instructions including said set of test instructions for execution by the test computer system in dependence on the particular spa configuration of the spa system under test; the test computer system adapted to monitor said sensor signals during the testing regime and to determine whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is within a predetermined specification. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A test system for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the test system comprising:
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means for sensing a spa current drawn by the spa system and providing a sensor signal indicative of the spa current; a test computer system; means for transmitting spa system data to the test computer system and commands from the test computer system to the spa controller system during a test; a set of test instructions for execution by the test computer system for generating a set of commands to the spa controller to exercise the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; the test computer system adapted to monitor said sensor signals during the testing regime and to determine whether the electrical current drawn by the spa system during the testing regime is within a predetermined specification, the test computer system being disconnected from the spa system during normal spa operation.
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37. A method for testing a spa system which includes a spa tub for holding water, an electronic controller system which controls the spa system functions, a plurality of controlled devices controlled by the controller system including a pump for recirculating water in the tub, and a heater for heating water, the method comprising:
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connecting a test station to the spa system under test; exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime; providing power sensor signals to the test station indicative of a magnitude of electrical power drawn by the spa system during the testing regime; using the power sensor signals to generate a test report indicative of a response to the spa system under test to the testing regime; and wherein said spa system has a spa configuration comprising an installed set of controlled devices, the method further comprising selecting a spa configuration from a set of a plurality of spa configurations stored in an electronic memory; and wherein said exercising the plurality of controlled devices during a testing regime comprises running a test script stored in an electronic memory in dependence on said spa configuration. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification