Method and system for controlling a network of water appliances

• US 7,477,950 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dymocom, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Dymocom, Inc.
• Inventors: Troke, Matthew, DeBourke, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stevens; Thomas H
• Application Number:
  US11/142,349
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/9, 700/45, 700/275, 700/276, 700/284
• US Class Current: 700/19
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/041 having provisions against scalding, e.g. temperature limiting devices, external covers
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F24D 19/1051 for domestic hot water
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2214 Multicontrollers, multimicrocomputers, multiprocessing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23314 Switch between initialisation, program, test, end of programming, erase mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house

Abstract

An appliance control system is described for controlling a plurality of appliances. The system includes a control station located remotely from the appliances and having a control unit for controlling the plurality of appliances, at least one client station being associated with at least one of the plurality of appliances and being adapted for allowing a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one of the plurality of appliances, actuators connected to the control station and the at least one of the plurality of appliances for receiving control signals from the control station and controlling the at least one of the plurality of appliances, and sensors connected to the water appliance and the control station for recording information about the at least one of the plurality of appliances and providing the information to the control station.

Claims

1. An appliance control system for controlling a plurality of sets of appliances in a network, the system comprising:

a) a control station having a control unit for controlling the plurality of sets of appliances and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of appliances;

b) a plurality of actuators connected to the control station for receiving the control signals therefrom, the plurality of actuators being connected to and controlling the plurality of sets of appliances;

c) a plurality of sensors connected to the sets of appliances and the control station for recording information therefrom, the plurality of sensors connected to the control station for providing the recorded information to the control station; and

d) a plurality of client stations, each client station located with one of the plurality of sets of appliances, each client station being connected to the switch unit and adapted to allow a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one appliance of the set of appliances located with the client station;

wherein the plurality of sets of appliances comprise water appliances, and for a given set of appliances, the system includes a multi-port valve having one input connected to the actuators corresponding with the given set of appliances and multiple output ports for connecting to more than one water appliance associated with the given set of appliances.

2. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the appliance control system is configured to operate in several modes of operation including:

a user mode, a manual mode, a program mode and an administrator mode.

3. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein a mean priority number is associated with each client station, and wherein, during use, when the appliance control system receives water flow requests from two different client stations at the same time, the appliance control system is adapted to give priority to the water appliances associated with the client station that has a higher mean priority number.

4. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the sensors associated with the given set of appliances includes a temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit is adapted to perform a calibration process for calibrating the temperature sensor for reading water temperature at the water appliances, the calibration process including determining a nominal resistance value and a material constant for the temperature sensor.

5. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to store several user accounts for a given client station, and the several user accounts include information for several settings for a given user.

6. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the sensors associated with the given set of appliances include a proximity sensor for allowing the user to activate one of the water appliances in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the control unit is adapted to store operational parameters for operating the water appliances when activated in a non-touch fashion.

7. The appliance control system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow an administrator to enter a fixture order which provides a priority order for the control unit for servicing the set of appliances associated with a given client station.

8. A method for controlling a network of a plurality sets of water appliances, the method comprising:

a) providing a control station including a control unit for centrally controlling the network and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of water appliances;

b) providing a plurality of client stations for the plurality of sets of water appliances, a given client station being associated located with at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances;

c) providing actuators connected to the control station and the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing control signals from the control station to control the plurality of sets of water appliances;

d) providing sensors connected to the plurality of sets of water appliances and the control station for recording information about the plurality of sets of water appliances and providing the information to the control station;

e) providing several user accounts for one of the client stations and several settings for one of the user accounts; and

f) providing a mean priority number for each client station wherein the control station uses the mean priority number when the plurality of sets of water appliances are connected to a common water supply to determine priority for servicing the plurality of sets of water appliances.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further includes providing a proximity sensor for at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing the user to activate a given water appliance in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the method further includes storing operational parameters for a given user for operating the given water appliance when activated in a non-touch fashion.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein a given set of water appliances include a plurality of water fixtures and the method further includes allowing an administrator to enter a fixture order for providing a priority order for servicing the water fixtures.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the method further includes performing calibration for compensating for pipe length and diameter for delivering water to a given water appliance such that a temperature of the delivered water is at a desired level, the calibration including providing control signals from the control station to the given water appliance for providing water at a first calibration temperature;

measuring an actual temperature at the outlet of the water appliance and using controls at the associated client station to adjust the actual temperature to the desired temperature;

storing the amount of adjustment;

driving one of the actuators associated with the given water appliance to a maximum setting;

recording a second calibration temperature at the outlet of the water appliance and storing the second calibration temperature.

12. An appliance control system for controlling a plurality of sets of appliances in a network, the system comprising:

a) a control station having a control unit for controlling the plurality of sets of appliances and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of appliances;

b) a plurality of actuators connected to the control station for receiving the control signals therefrom, the plurality of actuators being connected to and controlling the plurality of sets of appliances;

c) a plurality of sensors, connected to the sets of appliances and the control station for recording information therefrom, the plurality of sensors connected to the control station for providing the recorded information to the control station; and

d) a plurality of client stations, each client station located with one of the plurality of sets of appliances, each client station being connected to the switch unit and adapted to for allow a user to make requests to the control station for using the at least one appliance of the set of appliances located with the client station;

wherein the appliance control system is configured to operate in several modes of operation for the network including a user mode, a manual mode, a program mode and an administration mode.

13. The appliance control system of claim 12, wherein a mean priority number is associated with each client station, the sets of appliances are water appliances, and wherein, during use, when the appliance control system receives water flow requests from two different client stations at the same time, the appliance control system is adapted to give priority to the water appliances associated with the client station that has a higher mean priority number.

14. The appliance control system of claim 12, wherein a given set of appliances includes water appliances and the sensors associated with the given set of appliances includes a temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit is adapted to perform a calibration process for calibrating the temperature sensor for reading water temperature at the water appliances, the calibration process including determining a nominal resistance value and a material constant for the temperature sensor.

15. The appliance control system of claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted to store several user accounts for a given client station, and the several user accounts include information for several settings for a given user.

16. The appliance control system of claim 12, wherein a given set of appliances include water appliances and the sensors associated with the given set of appliances include a proximity sensor for allowing the user to activate one of the water appliances in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the control unit is adapted to store operational parameters for operating the water appliances when activated in a non-touch fashion.

17. The appliance control system of claim 12, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow an administrator to enter a fixture order which provides a priority order for the control unit for servicing the set of appliances associated with a given client station.

18. An appliance control system for controlling a plurality of sets of appliances in a network, the system comprising:

b) a control station having a control unit for controlling the plurality of sets of appliances and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of appliances;

b) a plurality of actuators connected to the control station for receiving the control signals therefrom, the plurality of actuators being connected to and controlling the plurality of sets of appliances;

c) a plurality of sensors, connected to the sets of appliances and the control station for recording information therefrom, the plurality of sensors connected to the control station for providing the recorded information to the control station; and

d) a plurality of client stations, each client station located with one of the plurality of sets of appliances, each client station being connected to the switch unit and adapted to for allow a user to make requests to the control station for using at least one appliance of the set of appliances located with the client station;

wherein the control unit is adapted to store several user accounts for a given client station, and the several user accounts include information for several settings for a given user.

19. The appliance control system of claim 18, wherein a mean priority number is associated with each client station, the sets of appliances are water appliances, and wherein, during use, when the appliance control system receives water flow requests from two different client stations at the same time, the appliance control system is adapted to give priority to the water appliances associated with the client station that has a higher mean priority number.

20. The appliance control system of claim 18, wherein a given set of appliances includes water appliances and the sensors associated with the given set of appliances includes a temperature sensor, and wherein the control unit is adapted to perform a calibration process for calibrating the temperature sensor for reading water temperature at the water appliances, the calibration process including determining a nominal resistance value and a material constant for the temperature sensor.

21. The appliance control system of claim 18, wherein the method further includes providing a proximity sensor for at least one set of a plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing the user to activate a given water appliance in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the method further includes storing operational parameters for a given user for operating the given water appliance when activated in a non-touch fashion.

22. The appliance control system of claim 18, wherein the control unit is adapted to allow an administrator to enter a fixture order which provides a priority order for the control unit for servicing the set of appliances associated with a given client station.

23. A method for controlling a network of a plurality sets of water appliances, the method comprising:

a) providing a control station including a control unit for centrally controlling the network and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of water appliances;

b) providing a plurality of client stations for the plurality of sets of water appliances, a given client station being located with at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances;

c) providing actuators connected to the control station and the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing control signals from the control station to control the plurality of sets of water appliances;

d) providing sensors connected to the plurality of sets of water appliances and the control station for recording information about the plurality of sets of water appliances and providing the information to the control station;

e) providing several user accounts for one of the client stations and several settings for one of the user accounts; and

f) providing several modes of operation for the network including a user mode, a manual mode, a program mode and an administration mode.

24. A method for controlling a network of a plurality sets of water appliances, the method comprising:

a) providing a control station including a control unit for centrally controlling the network and a switch unit for routing control signals in the network, the control station being remotely located from the plurality of sets of water appliances;

b) providing a plurality of client stations for the plurality of sets of water appliances, a given client station being located with at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances;

c) providing actuators connected to the control station and the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing control signals from the control station to control the plurality of sets of water appliances;

d) providing sensors connected to the plurality of sets of water appliances and the control station for recording information about the plurality of sets of water appliances and providing the information to the control station;

e) providing several user accounts for one of the client stations and several settings for one of the user accounts; and

f) performing calibration for compensating for pipe length and diameter for delivering water to a given water appliance such that a temperature of the delivered water is at a desired level, the calibration including providing control signals from the control station to the given water appliance for providing water at a first calibration temperature;

measuring an actual temperature at an outlet of the water appliance and using controls at an associated client station to adjust an actual temperature to an desired temperature;

storing an amount of adjustment;

driving one of the actuators associated with the given water appliance to a maximum setting;

recording a second calibration temperature at the outlet of the water appliance and storing the second calibration temperature.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the method further includes providing a proximity sensor for at least one of the plurality of sets of water appliances for allowing the user to activate a given water appliance in a non-touch fashion, and wherein the method further includes storing operational parameters for a given user for operating the given water appliances when activated in a non-touch fashion.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein a given set of water appliances includes a plurality of water fixtures and the method further includes allowing an administrator to enter a fixture order for providing a priority order for servicing the water fixtures.