System, method and apparatus for end-to-end control of water quality

• US 7,497,957 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2006
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bernard Frank
• Original Assignee: Bernard Frank
• Inventors: Frank, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Griffin; Walter D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Allen; Cameron J
• Application Number:
  US11/533,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20070012628A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 210/85, 210/739, 210/820, 210/748, 210/749, 210/920, 702/184
• US Class Current: 210/739
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/52 by flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/463 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/56 Macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/76 with halogens or compounds of halogens C02F1/4674 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/006 Cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/003 Downstream control, i.e. outlet monitoring, e.g. to check the treating agents, such as halogens or ozone, leaving the process
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/008 comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/05 Conductivity or salinity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/06 pH
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/08 Chemical Oxygen Demand [COD]; Biological Oxygen Demand [BOD]
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/22 O2
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/40 Liquid flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/92 using combined systems of sequential local and regional or municipal sewage systems

Abstract

A method of providing end-to-end water quality control from a water system operator to a point of delivery proximate a consumer, which may be at the point of entry, and/or between the point of entry and point of use, and/or at the point of use. The method includes treating the water and delivering the water to the consumer at the point of delivery, filtering/purifying the water at the point of delivery, monitoring water quality at the point of delivery, and reporting water quality at the point of delivery to the water system operator over a network.

Claims

1. A method of providing end-to-end water quality control from a water system operator to a point of delivery proximate a consumer and outside of a water distribution system of the water system operator, comprising:

treating water using customized filters after the water leaves the water distribution system of the water system operator;

delivering the water to the consumer at the point of delivery;

purifying the water at the point of delivery;

monitoring water quality at the point of delivery;

reporting water quality at the point of delivery to the water system operator over a network; and

wherein the customized filters being customized based on the water quality reported to the water system operator over the network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters are deployed in serial in the same housing.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters are deployed in serial in different housings.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters are deployed in parallel in order to provide a back-up.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters located proximate to a consumer, are at the point of entry.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters located proximate to a consumer, are between the point of entry and the consumer'"'"'s point of use.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters are located proximate to a consumer are at the point of use.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the customized filters are located proximate to a consumer, are at the point of entry, and/or between the point of entry and point of use, and/or at the point of use.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the end-to-end water quality control system is mandated by a controlling authority.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the controlling authority is a governmental authority.

11. A method for providing a replacement customized water filter, comprising:

remotely monitoring water quality over a period of time using one or more sensors at a location proximate a water filter to collect water quality data and sending the water quality data over a network;

customizing a replacement water filter to replace the water filter based on the water quality data;

determining a replacement time associated with the water filter prior to the replacement time.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of customizing the replacement water filter comprises determining one or more components of the replacement water filter based on the water quality data.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of customizing the replacement water filter includes selecting one or more components from the set consisting of an ultra-violet light component, an iodinated resin component, a membrane component, an ozone component, and a distillation component.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the replacement water filter provides for purification of water.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the replacement water filter is housed within a cartridge.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the replacement water filter comprises a plurality of water filtration and purification components.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending the replacement water filter to a location associated with the water filter.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending the replacement water filter to a customer associated with the location of the water filter.

19. The method of claim 11 further comprising sending the replacement water filter prior to the replacement time.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the replacement time being based at least in part on the water quality.