Internet based spa networking system having wireless spa nodes

• US 8,688,280 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Watkins Manufacturing Corporation (Masco Corporation)
• Inventors: Macey, Stephen S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Norton, Jennifer L
• Application Number:
  US13/220,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20120078426A1
• Time in Patent Office: 945 Days
• Field of Search: 700/2, 700/9, 700/19, 700/20, 700/275, 700/286, 700/291, 340/3.1, 702/62, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/286
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5012 using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 4/004 Remote reading of utility meters to a fixed location
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/00 Arrangements for measuring currents or voltages or for indicating presence or sign thereof G01R5/00 takes precedence; for measuring bioelectric currents or voltages A61B5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/00 Testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof monitoring of programme-control systems G05B19/048, G05B19/406
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1081 for peripheral access to main memory, e.g. direct memory access [DMA]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/122 where hardware performs an I/O function other than control of data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/26 with priority control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/02 Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 : Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/30 : Smart metering, e.g. specially adapted for remote reading

Abstract

A spa node comprising a spa controller, a power sense adapter configured to compute power being drawn by selected spa components; a spa network adapter, and a home network adapter, each of the three adapters including a wireless transceiver wherein the spa network adapter is configured to receive power data transmitted over a wireless link by the power sense adapter and to further receive status/performance data from the spa controller. The home network adapter is configured to receive power and status data transmitted by the spa network adapter over a wireless link and to convert that data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point. The home network adapter is further linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and a spa owner or user computer.

Claims

1. Apparatus located at a single spa user site and comprising:

a spa controller at the user site configured to control operation of a plurality of spa components and to generate status data regarding the status of one or more of said components;

a power sense unit at the user site configured to compute power being drawn by one or more selected spa components and having a first wireless transceiver;

a spa network adapter at the user site configured to communicate with said spa controller to receive data from said spa controller and to transmit data and commands to said spa controller, the spa network adapter having a second wireless transceiver;

the spa network adapter further being configured to receive power data computed by said power sense unit and transmitted over a wireless link between said first and second wireless transceivers;

a home network adapter at the user site having a third wireless transceiver and configured to receive data transmitted from said spa network adapter over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers and to convert said data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point;

wherein the spa network adapter is further configured to transmit both the power data and the status data received from the spa controller over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers to said home network adapter; and

wherein the spa controller is configured to signal the spa network adapter that the spa controller is about to turn “

on”

a selected spa component; and

wherein the spa network adapter is configured to respond to said signal from the spa controller to communicate with the power sense unit to cause the power sense unit to sense the incremental increase in power drawn by the selected spa component when activated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said home network adapter is linkable over the Internet to a central server, a dealer computer and/or a spa owner or user computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the spa network adapter is configured to signal the power sense unit to take power readings before and after activation of the selected spa component to determine the power drawn by the selected spa component.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the selected spa component is one of a spa heater or a spa jet pump.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the transmitted power data comprises a measurement of electrical current.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the transmitted power data comprises a measurement of electrical current.

7. Apparatus located at a spa user site comprising:

a spa controller at a spa user site configured to control operation of a plurality of spa components and to generate status data regarding the status of one or more of said components;

a power sense unit at a spa user site configured to compute power being drawn by one or more selected spa components and having a first wireless transceiver;

a spa network adapter at a spa user site configured to communicate with said spa controller to receive data from said spa controller and to transmit data and commands to said spa controller, the spa network adapter having a second wireless transceiver;

the spa network adapter further being configured to receive power data computed by said power sense unit and transmitted over a wireless link between said first and second wireless transceivers;

a home network adapter at a spa user site having a third wireless transceiver and configured to receive data transmitted from said spa network adapter over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers and to convert said data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point;

wherein the spa network adapter is further configured to transmit both the power data and the status data received from the spa controller over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers to said home network adapter; and

wherein the spa network adapter is further configured to acquire power “

off”

data concerning a selected spa component and to then signal the spa controller that said power “

off”

data has been acquired, whereafter the spa controller is configured to turn “

on”

the selected spa component and to signal the spa network adapter that it has turned on the selected spa component, whereafter the spa network adapter is configured to obtain power “

on”

data from the power sense unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the spa network adapter transmits the power “

on”

data to the home network adapter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the home network adapter thereafter transmits the power “

on”

data to a central server.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the selected spa component is one of a spa heater or a spa jet pump.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said power data comprises a measurement of electrical current.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said power data comprises a measurement of electrical current.

13. Apparatus located at a single user site comprising:

a spa controller at the user site comprising of one or more microprocessors or microcontrollers configured to control operation of a plurality of spa components and to generate status data regarding the status of one or more of said components, the controller being configured to switch on or off one or more of a spa jet pump and a spa circulation pump;

a power sense unit at the user site comprising one or more current sensors operatively connected to a power subpanel or breaker box, a microprocessor, and a first wireless transceiver, the power sense unit being configured to compute the amount of current being drawn by a selected spa component;

a spa network adapter at the user site configured to communicate with said spa controller to receive data from said spa controller and to transmit data and commands to said spa controller, the spa network adapter comprising a second wireless transceiver and a microcontroller;

the spa network adapter at the user site further being configured to receive current measurement data generated by said power sense unit and transmitted over a wireless link between said first and second wireless transceivers;

a home network adapter at the user site comprising a third wireless transceiver and a microcontroller and configured to receive data transmitted from said spa network adapter over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers and to convert said data to a form suitable for transmission to an Internet access point;

wherein the spa network adapter is further configured to transmit both current measurement data generated by the power sense unit and spa status data received from the spa controller over a wireless link between said second and third wireless transceivers to said home network adapter; and

wherein the spa network adapter communicates with the power sense unit to cause the power sense unit to sense the incremental increase in current drawn by a selected spa component by acquiring power “

off”

current measurement data concerning the selected spa component and then, signaling the spa controller that said power “

off”

current measurement data has been acquired, whereafter the spa controller is configured to turn “

on”

the selected spa component and to thereafter signal the spa network adapter that it has turned on the selected spa component, whereafter the spa network adapter is configured to obtain power “

on”

current measurement data from the power sense unit;

wherein the spa network adapter transmits current measurement data to the home network adapter; and

wherein the home network adapter thereafter transmits the current measurement data to a central server.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the selected spa component is one of a spa heater or a spa jet pump.