Modular pool/spa control system

• US 9,031,702 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Pruchniewski, David, Potucek, Kevin, Fournier, Gregory, Murdock, James, Blaine, David, Brunetti, Carl L., Sawyer, Douglas Jr., Heon, Robert, Stevens, John, Carter, James, Horrocks, Craig, White, Kenneth Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARTMAN JR, RONALD D
• Application Number:
  US14/211,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20140303757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 424 Days
• Field of Search: 700/90, 700/275, 700/282
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0079 using remote control signal transmission devices, e.g. ultrasonic, infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2033/0083 Illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5012 using the internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5015 using specific interfaces or standards, e.g. USB, serial, parallel
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5058 Sensors or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5082 Temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5084 Acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5087 Flow rate sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 4/14 Parts, details or accessories not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0423 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/21092 At start up, autoconfigure module for proper I-O execution, bootstrap
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0809 Plug-and-play configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 : the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 : Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 : Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5038 : for local use, e.g. in LAN or USB networks, or in a controller area network [CAN]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/00 : Systems for electrical power generation, transmission, distribution or end-user application management characterised by the use of communication or information technologies, or communication or information technology specific aspects supporting them

Abstract

A pool or spa control system includes, a main control panel housing a motherboard, relay bank, and local terminal. The motherboard includes a processor in two-way communication with a relay bank socket via an internal bus. The relay bank is connectable to the relay bank socket and includes a processor, memory, plurality of relays, connector, and an internal bus establishing two-way communication between the relay bank processor and the motherboard processor when the relay bank is connected to the relay bank socket. The local terminal includes a control processor, user interface, and memory, and is in two-way communication with the motherboard processor for allowing user control of the system. The control processor automatically discovers and assigns the relay bank a network address upon connection of the relay bank to the motherboard relay bank socket, and the relay bank returns relay bank parameter information, which the local terminal stores in memory.

Claims

1. A pool or spa control system, comprising:

a main control panel defining a housing;

a motherboard housed in the main control panel, said motherboard including a motherboard processor, an internal bus, and a relay bank socket, the internal bus establishing two-way communication between the motherboard processor and the relay bank socket;

a relay bank connectable to the relay bank socket and including a relay bank processor, a memory, an internal bus, a plurality of relays, and a connector, the internal bus establishing two-way communication between the relay bank processor and the motherboard processor when the relay bank is connected to the relay bank socket via the connector;

a local terminal including a control processor, a user interface, and a memory, the local terminal being in two-way communication with the motherboard processor for allowing a user to control the system,

wherein (i) said control processor communicates with said relay bank processor while said relay bank is connected with said relay bank socket of said motherboard, (ii) said control processor automatically discovering the relay bank and assigning a network address to the relay bank, (iii) said relay bank automatically sending the control processor information regarding parameters of said relay bank upon discovery, and (iv) said control processor storing the information received from the relay bank into the memory of the local terminal.

2. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the control processor broadcasts a query for undiscovered devices, and an undiscovered relay bank broadcasts a response.

3. The pool or spa control system of claim 2, wherein if the control processor does not receive the relay bank response after a number of attempts the control processor indicates an error condition.

4. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein a user programs the relay bank using the local terminal, and assigns a type of device to one or more of the relays of the relay bank.

5. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control unit in communication with the control system.

6. The pool or spa control system of claim 5, wherein the remote control unit is one of a wired control unit and a wireless control unit.

7. The pool or spa control system of claim 6, wherein the wireless control unit communicates with the control system using a radio frequency transmission.

8. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard includes at least one external bus connector in electrical communication with the motherboard internal bus, and wherein the at least one external bus connector allows at least one smart component to be connected to the main control panel motherboard.

9. The pool or spa control system of claim 8, wherein the at least one external bus connector is one of a high speed RS-485 bus connector or a low speed RS-485 bus connector.

10. The pool or spa control system of claim 8, wherein the motherboard includes a high speed RS-485 bus connector and a low speed RS-485 bus connector.

11. The pool or spa control system of claim 8, further comprising an expansion panel connected with the at least one external bus connector, the expansion panel including:

an expansion panel processor;

a connector;

one or more relay bank sockets;

one or more expansion slots; and

an internal bus establishing two-way communication between the expansion panel processor, the connector, the one or more relay bank sockets, and the one or more expansion slots,

wherein (i) said control processor communicates with said expansion panel processor while said expansion panel is connected with said at least one external bus connector of said motherboard, and (ii) said control processor automatically discovers the expansion panel and assigns a network address to the expansion panel.

12. The pool or spa control system of claim 11, further comprising a second relay bank connectable to said one or more relay bank sockets of the expansion panel and including a relay bank processor, a memory, an internal bus, a plurality of relays, and a connector, the internal bus establishing two-way communication between the relay bank processor and the expansion panel processor when the relay bank is connected to the one ere or more relay bank sockets of the expansion panel,

wherein (i) said control processor communicates with said relay bank processor by way of the expansion panel processor while said relay bank is connected with said one or more relay bank sockets of the expansion panel, (ii) said control processor automatically discovering the relay bank and assigning a network address to the relay bank, (iii) said relay bank automatically sending the control processor information regarding parameters of said relay bank upon discovery, and (iv) said control processor storing the information received from the relay bank into the memory of the local terminal.

13. The pool or spa control system of claim 8, further comprising at least one of a radio frequency base station, an expansion panel relay bank, a wall mount terminal, and an input/output expansion module connected to the at least one external bus connector of the motherboard.

14. The pool or spa control system of claim 8, further comprising at least one of chemistry sense module, variable speed pump, and a salt chlorinator connected to the at least one external bus connector of the motherboard.

15. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard further comprises a chlorinator control subsystem including a chlorinator connector.

16. The pool or spa control system of claim 15, further comprising a chlorinator connected to the chlorinator connector of the motherboard.

17. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the internal bus of the motherboard is one of a high speed RS-485 bus and a low speed RS-485 bus.

18. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, further comprising a second internal bus, wherein the first internal bus is a low speed RS-485 bus and the second internal bus is a high speed RS-485 bus.

19. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard includes at least one actuator relay in electrical communication with the motherboard processor and configured to have at least one actuator connected thereto.

20. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard includes at least one low power relay in electrical communication with the motherboard processor and configured to have at least one low power device connected thereto.

21. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the motherboard includes at least one sensor connector in electrical communication with the motherboard processor and configured to have at least one sensor connected thereto.

22. The pool or spa control system of claim 1, wherein the local terminal includes at least one of an Ethernet port, a universal serial bus port, and a micro SD port in electrical communication with the local terminal control processor.

23. The pool or spa control system of claim 22, wherein the system can be updated through the Ethernet port, the universal serial bus port, or the micro SD port.

24. A relay bank for a pool or spa controller, comprising:

a housing;

a relay bank processor;

a memory;

a connector; and

a plurality of relays, the plurality of relays connectable with a controllable device,

wherein the relay bank processor, the memory, the connector, and the plurality of relays are in electrical communication,

wherein the relay bank processor stores a configuration of the relay bank including parameters associated with each of said plurality of relays, and

wherein said relay bank is removably connectable with a pool or spa control system, the relay bank being discoverable by the control system such that the control system automatically discovers the relay bank, assigns the relay bank a network address, configures relays of the relay bank, and transmits control instructions to the relay bank processor.

25. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein said plurality of relays are high voltage relays.

26. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein the controllable device is one of a pump, a heater, a light, and a pH dispense unit.

27. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein a user can configure each of the plurality of relays through the control system.

28. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein the relay bank is connectable to an RS-485 connector of the control system.

29. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein the devices connected to one of the plurality of relays are automatically discovered by the control system and assigned a network address.

30. The relay bank of claim 24, wherein the control system authenticates the relay bank prior to assigning the relay bank a network address.