In-situ water analysis method and system

• US 7,681,436 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitek Aqua Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hitek Aqua Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Biberger, Maximilian A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rogers; David A.
• Application Number:
  US11/165,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20060292043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 73/530.1, 73 6141- 6151, 73/616.1, 73/617.1, 449/0, 210 85- 95, 340/539.22, 340/539.24, 340/539.26, 374/156, 240/539.22, 240/539.24, 240/539.26
• US Class Current: 73/53.01
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2022/006 specially adapted for measuring or watch purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/18 Water

Abstract

An automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water comprises a sensor for determining chemistry information, a microprocessor for processing chemistry information, and a housing coupled to at least one of the sensor and the microprocessor. Preferably the housing is floatable or mountable. The method of providing chemistry information of a body of water comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of the body of water and determining chemistry information.

Claims

1. A floatable automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water, comprising:

a. a floatation housing;

b. at least one user interface located at a remote location;

c. at least one sensor coupled to the floatation housing, the at least one sensor configured to determine chemistry information for the body of water;

d. a transmitter;

e. a control circuit coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is programmable with at least one acceptable threshold level of chemical composition for the body of water, wherein the system is configured to suggest the at least one acceptable threshold level specifically for the body of water in response to a parameter of a volume and a type of body of water entered, wherein the floatation housing is coupled to the at least one sensor and the control circuit, wherein the at least one sensor and the control circuit are configured to determine at least one amount of chemical needed to be added to the body of water in response to the parameter of the volume and the type of body of water entered in order to bring the chemistry information back within the at least one acceptable threshold, and wherein the control circuit and the transmitter are configured to automatically transmit at least one instruction to the at least one user interface to instruct the user the at least one amount of chemical needed to be added to the body of water; and

f. a chemistry display panel coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the chemistry display panel further comprises an indicator configured to indicate a status when the body of water is safe for human usage based on chemistry information processed by the control circuit, wherein the indicator is one of a green light indicator for safe status for the body of water, a yellow light indicator for a cautionary status for the body of water, and a red light indicator for unsafe conditions for the body of water.

2. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit compares chemistry information determined by the at least one sensor to the at least one acceptable threshold level of chemical composition.

3. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one acceptable threshold level represents an acceptable minimum value of chemistry information for the body of water.

4. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one acceptable threshold level represents an acceptable maximum value of chemistry information for the body of water.

5. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein chemistry information monitored by the system consists one of at least one alkalinity, pH level, temperature, calcium hardness, total hardness, dissolved solids, and a sanitizer of the body of water and a combination of at least two thereof.

6. The floatable automatic system of claim 5, wherein the sanitizer is one of chlorine or bromine.

7. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to monitor chemistry information for the body of water continually while the system is powered on.

8. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the chemistry display panel during a time interval.

9. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to be tethered.

10. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the remote location is one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a custom sign, a computer, a satellite, a wireless device, a phone, a USB port, a pager, and a device configured to add chemicals to the body of water.

11. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to communicate chemistry information to the remote location through at least one of a wireless connection, a cellular connection, a wired connection, an optical connection, an infrared connection, and a custom radio interface connection.

12. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an antenna coupled to the floatation housing and configured to transmit wireless signals.

13. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to selectively float to at least one predetermined water depth measured from a surface of the body of water.

14. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an actuator to relocate the system to at least one predetermined location of the body of water.

15. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a timer coupled to the at least one sensor, the control circuit, and the floatation housing.

16. The floatable automatic system of claim 15, wherein the timer is configured to provide a time stamp to the at least one sensor while the at least one sensor determines chemistry information for the body of water.

17. The floatable automatic system of claim 16, wherein the time stamp and chemistry information are transmitted to the control circuit.

18. The floatable automatic system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises an audible indicator configured to indicate a status of the body of water.

19. The floatable automatic system of claim 18, wherein the audible indicator is configured to indicate a status of the body of water, wherein the status is safe, cautionary, or unsafe.

20. The floatable automatic system of claim 19, wherein the audible indicator is configured to indicate a status of the body of water using a text-to-speech capability.

21. A floatable automatic system for monitoring chemistry information for a body of water, comprising:

a. a floatation housing;

b. at least one user interface located at a remote location;

c. at least one sensor coupled to the floatation housing, the at least one sensor configured to determine chemistry information for the body of water;

d. a transmitter;

e. a control circuit coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the transmitter is coupled to the control circuit, wherein the control circuit is programmable with at least one acceptable threshold level of chemical composition for the body of water, wherein the system is configured to suggest the at least one acceptable threshold level specifically for the body of water in response to a parameter of a volume and a type of body of water entered, wherein the floatation housing is coupled to the at least one sensor and the control circuit, wherein the at least one sensor and the control circuit are configured to determine at least one amount of chemical needed to be added to the body of water in response to the parameter of the volume and the type of body of water entered in order to bring the chemistry information back within the at least one acceptable threshold, and wherein the control circuit and the transmitter are configured to automatically transmit at least one instruction to the at least one user interface to instruct a user the at least one amount of chemical needed to be added to the body of water; and

f. a chemistry display panel coupled to the at least one sensor, wherein the chemistry display panel is configured to show at least the chemistry information, including in a graph form.

22. The floatable automatic system of claim 21, wherein the graph is a pie graph, a bar graph or a line graph.