Remotely controllable outlet for water treatment system

• US 7,364,651 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2004
• Issued: 04/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Access Business Group International LLC (Alticor Incorporated)
• Inventors: Clews, Andrew M., Baarman, David W., Kuennen, Roy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): DRODGE, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US10/892,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20060011526A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,384 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/91, 210/97, 210/143, 241/46.01, 241/46.012, 241/46.013, 379/102.01, 340/660, 340/825, 340/870.01, 340/870.11, 340/3.1, 340/310.11, 700/22, 700/273, 700/275, 700/282
• US Class Current: 210/143
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/32 with ultraviolet light
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/005 Processes using a programmable logic controller [PLC]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/2665 Disintegrating apparatus specially adapted for installation in waste pipes or outlets disintegrating apparatus per se B02C
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2201/40 Arrangement of water treatment devices in domestic plumbing installations
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/04 using light waves, e.g. infrared

Abstract

A remote control system for providing control of an under-counter water treatment system and garbage disposal. The system includes a remote unit that is electrically connected to an existing switched, under-counter AC power outlet. The garbage disposal and water treatment system are connected to and receive power from the remote unit. The system further includes a control unit that is located above-counter and permits a user to control operation of the remote unit and consequently the garbage disposal and water treatment system. The two units may communicate wirelessly using communication signals that are tagged with a unique security code. In one embodiment, the system includes a microprocessor in each of the control unit and the remote unit, the microprocessor in the remote unit communicating the status of the water treatment system to the control unit and the microprocessor of the control unit appropriately displaying the information.

Claims

1. A remotely controllable under-counter water treatment and garbage disposal system comprising:

an under-counter water treatment system with an electrical plug;

an under-counter unswitched garbage disposal with an AC power electrical plug;

an under-counter remote unit with an AC power electrical plug connectable to an under-counter switched AC power wall outlet, said remote unit having at least two AC power outlets, said electrical plug of said under-counter water treatment system and said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal each electrically plugged into one of said AC power outlets of said under-counter remote unit, said under-counter remote unit controlling power to said under-counter water treatment system and said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal, said under-counter remote unit including a receiver;

an above-counter wall switch electrically coupled to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet, wherein said above-counter wall switch operates to selectively provide power to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet; and

an above-counter control unit having an electrical plug connectable to an above-counter AC power wall outlet, said above-counter control unit having a transmitter for transmitting power control signals to said under-counter remote unit, said signals being tagged with a code unique to a corresponding pair of said under-counter remote unit and said above-counter control unit, whereby said under-counter remote unit controls the supply of power to said under-counter water treatment system and said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal only when signals with said code are received.

2. The water treatment system of claim 1 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a first input, said input capable of receiving user input regarding supply of power to said under-counter water treatment system.

3. The water treatment system of claim 2 wherein said under-counter remote unit includes a microprocessor and a data line interconnecting said microprocessor and said water treatment system such that information may be transmit by said under-counter water treatment system to said microprocessor.

4. The water treatment system of claim 3 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a second input capable of receiving user input regarding power to the under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system.

5. The water treatment system of claim 4 wherein said under-counter remote unit includes a first switch for controlling power to said under-counter water treatment system.

6. The water treatment system of claim 5 wherein said under-counter remote unit includes a second switch for controlling power to said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal.

7. The water treatment system of claim 6 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a display for displaying information indicative of the status of said under-counter water treatment system, said receiver of said under-counter remote unit being further defined as a transceiver capable of transmitting water treatment system status information to said above-counter control unit, said transmitter of said above-counter control unit being further defined as a transceiver capable of receiving water treatment system status information from said under-counter remote unit.

8. A remotely controllable under-counter water treatment and garbage disposal system comprising:

an under-counter water treatment system with an electrical plug;

an under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system with an electrical plug;

an under-counter remote unit with an AC electrical plug connectable to an under-counter switched AC power wall outlet and having a first power output including an AC power outlet, said electrical plug of said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system being connected to said first power output, said under-counter remote unit having a switch for selectively controlling supply of power to said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system via said power output, said under-counter remote unit having a second power output including an AC power outlet, said electrical plug of said under-counter water treatment system being electrically connected to said second power output;

an above-counter wall switch electrically coupled to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet, wherein said above-counter wall switch operates to selectively provide power to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet; and

an above-counter control unit having an electrical plug connectable to an above-counter AC power wall outlet, said above-counter control unit having a first input capable of receiving user input regarding supply of power to said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system, said above-counter control unit further including a transmitter for transmitting information to said under-counter remote unit to control the status of said switch in response to user input received via said input, whereby the user controls on/off status of said under-counter unswitched garbage disposal system by operation of said input at said above-counter control unit.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a means for tagging signals transmitted by said above-counter control unit to said under-counter remote unit with a unique code and said under-counter remote unit includes a means for affecting status of said switch only in response to signals tagged with said unique code.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said under-counter control unit includes a display for displaying information regarding a status of said under-counter water treatment system.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said receiver of said under-counter remote unit is further defined as a transceiver and said transmitter of said above-counter control unit is further defined as a transceiver, said transceiver of said undercounter remote unit capable of transmitting water treatment status information to said transceiver.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said under-counter remote unit includes a microprocessor and a data line interconnecting said microprocessor and said under-counter water treatment system, whereby said microprocessor may receive status information from said under-counter water treatment system.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a second input capable of receiving user input regarding supply of power to said under-counter water treatment system;

and

said under-counter remote unit includes a second switch for controlling power to said under-counter water treatment system independently of said first switch.

14. A water treatment and garbage disposal control system comprising:

an above-counter control unit having a disposal input, a treatment input, a display and a transceiver, said transceiver capable of transmitting signals in response to actuation of said disposal input and said treatment input, said transceiver capable of receiving information indicative of the status of an under-counter water treatment system, said display displaying information concerning a status of said under-counter water treatment system;

an under-counter remote unit with an electrical plug connectable to an under-counter switched AC power wall outlet, said under-counter remote unit having a disposal power output and a treatment power output, both of said outputs including AC power outlets, and a transceiver, said transceiver capable of receiving signals transmitted by said above-ground control unit, said under-counter remote unit having a disposal switch for toggling supply of power to said disposal output in response to signals received from said above-counter control unit and a treatment switch for toggling supply of power to said treatment output in response to signals received from said above-ground control unit;

an above-counter wall switch electrically coupled to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet, wherein said above-counter wall switch operates to selectively provide power to said under-counter switched AC power wall outlet;

an under-counter water treatment system having an electrical plug electrically connected to said treatment power output of said under-counter remote unit; and

an under-counter unswitched garbage disposal having an electrical plug electrically connected to said disposal power output of said under-counter remote unit.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said above-counter control unit includes a means for tagging signals transmitted by said above-counter control unit to said under-counter remote unit with a unique code and said under-counter remote unit includes a means for affecting status of said switch only in response to signals tagged with said unique code.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising a data line interconnecting said remote unit and said water treatment system, wherein said remote unit is capable of receiving water treatment system status information from said under-counter water treatment system.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein said under-counter water treatment system includes a transmitter for transmitting water treatment system status information to said above-counter control unit.