Method of controlling a valve

• US 8,355,822 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delta Faucet Company (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Masco Corporation Of Indiana (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Jonte, Patrick B., Rodenbeck, Robert Wilmer, Ensor, Timothy J., Thorn, Timothy John, Combs, Tom, Storkey, Matthew E. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ, CARLOS R
• Application Number:
  US12/648,554
• Publication Number:
  US 20110155251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 137/801, 700/19, 700/275, 700/282
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/9464 Faucets and spouts

Abstract

A proximity sensor may be incorporated as part of a water delivery device. A holder may align an optical source and sensor of the proximity sensor.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a valve having a first arrangement wherein fluid is provided from an inlet of the valve to an outlet of the valve and a second arrangement wherein fluid is not provided from the inlet of the valve to the outlet of the valve, the valve in fluid communication with a fluid conduit of a water delivery device;

the method comprising the steps of;

emitting in a proximity of the water delivery device a plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy into a detection zone;

receiving through a multi-element sensor, having a plurality of individual pixels, optical energy reflected from the detection zone, the received optical energy having a plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks;

determining a presence of an object in the detection zone based in part on at least one of a spacing between at least two of the plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks of the received optical energy and an intensity of at least two of the plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks of the received optical energy and at least one characteristic of the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams; and

automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement when it is determined that the object is present, wherein the step of determining the presence of the object in the detection zone includes the steps of;

correlating the received optical energy with a function to produce a correlated result;

identifying a first pixel and a second pixel, of the plurality of individual pixels, in the correlated result;

classifying the object based on at least one of a first comparison of intensity values of the first pixel and the second pixel, and a second comparison of a separation of the first pixel and the second pixel; and

determining a location of the object in the detection zone based on the first pixel and the second pixel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid conduit directs the fluid into the detection zone.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the presence of the object in the detection zone includes the step of:

determining a confidence level for the object.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of establishing a baseline position based on the optical energy received from the detection zone.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement is performed when the location of the object in the detection zone is less than the baseline position and the confidence level exceeds a threshold value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the function is a comb function.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first pixel in the correlated result has a corresponding highest peak intensity of the correlated result and

the second pixel in the correlated result has a corresponding second highest peak intensity of the correlated result.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is classified based on both the first comparison of the intensity values of the first pixel and the second pixel and the second comparison of the separation of the first pixel and the second pixel.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first comparison of the intensity values includes the steps of:

computing an intensity difference of an intensity value of the first pixel and an intensity value of the second pixel; and

comparing the intensity difference to a threshold value.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second comparison of the separation of the first pixel and the second pixel includes the steps of:

computing a pixel difference of the first pixel and the second pixel; and

comparing the pixel difference to an expected pixel separation.

11. A method of controlling a valve having a first arrangement wherein fluid is provided from an inlet of the valve to an outlet of the valve and a second arrangement wherein fluid is not provided from the inlet of the valve to the outlet of the valve, the valve in fluid communication with a fluid conduit of a water delivery device;

the method comprising the steps of;

establishing a baseline position for a detection zone;

emitting in a proximity of the water delivery device a plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy into the detection zone;

receiving with a sensor, having a plurality of individual pixels, optical energy reflected from the detection zone, the received optical energy having a plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks;

determining a presence of an object in the detection zone based in part on at least one of a spacing between at least two of the plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks of the received optical energy and an intensity of at least two of the plurality of spatially spaced apart peaks of the received optical energy and at least one characteristic of the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams; and

automatically configuring the valve in the first arrangement when it is determined that the object is present and located at a position less than the baseline position, wherein the step of determining the presence of the object in the detection zone includes the steps of;

correlating the received optical energy with a function to produce a correlated result;

identifying a first pixel and a second pixel, of the plurality of individual pixels, in the correlated result;

classifying the object based on at least one of a first comparison of intensity values of the first pixel and the second pixel, and a second comparison of a separation of the first pixel and the second pixel; and

determining a location of the object in the detection zone based on the first pixel and the second pixel.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement when the object is no longer present.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement when the object is no longer present at the position less than the baseline position.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of automatically configuring the valve in the second arrangement in response to an input from a touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of establishing a new baseline position based on the position of the object in response to the input from the touch sensor.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein a spout includes the fluid conduit that is in fluid communication with the valve, the spout supporting a proximity sensor which emits the plurality of spatially spaced apart beams of optical energy and at least a portion of an exterior of the spout is part of the touch sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fluid is water.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

placing a supply of hot water in fluid communication with the valve;

placing a supply of cold water in fluid communication with the valve; and

regulating at least a temperature of the fluid provided by the outlet of the valve based on at least one user input.