Method, device and system for use in configuring a bathing unit controller

• US 9,078,802 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
• Inventors: Brochu, Christian, Robitaille, Mathieu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman, Sean
• Assistant Examiner(s): STEVENS, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US13/359,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20120130550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 700/282, 726 2- 5, 726/22, 713/182
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5007 computer controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 33/005 Electrical circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23306 Load program from host, remote load, non volatile card to volatile, ram
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A controller for a bathing unit system comprising a memory unit for storing program instructions, an interface for establishing a communication link with an external memory medium and a processing unit. The controller is operative for controlling a set of bathing unit components at least in part on the basis of the program instructions stored in the memory unit. The external memory medium stores update information associated with the program instructions and relevancy information indicative of a characteristic of the update information. The processing unit is operative for detecting the presence of an external memory medium at the interface, accessing the relevancy information stored in the memory medium, processing the relevancy information and causing the program instructions to be updated on the basis of the update information.

Claims

1. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising:

a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

b) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, wherein said processing unit is programmed for;

i) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface and processing data stored on the external memory medium to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium, wherein the configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least one bathing unit configuration;

ii) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium;

(1) processing the detected configuration information at least in part based on a user input for unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored on the external memory medium;

(2) causing the controller to operate the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration.

2. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with the external memory medium.

3. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein the set of bathing unit configurations includes at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration.

4. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said user input includes at least one of a serial number and a password.

5. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication interface includes a wireless port for communicating with the external memory medium over a wireless communication link.

6. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising:

a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

b) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, wherein said processing unit is programmed for;

i) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface and processing data stored on the external memory medium to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium, wherein the configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;

ii) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium;

(1) operating a first set of bathing unit components when the first bathing unit configuration is unlocked; and

(2) operating a second set of bathing unit components when the second bathing unit configuration is unlocked.

7. A controller as defined in claim 6, wherein said second set of bathing unit components is a subset of said first set of bathing unit components.

8. A controller as defined in claim 6, wherein said second set of bathing unit components includes at least one bathing unit component absent from said first set of bathing unit components.

9. A controller for a bathing unit system, the bathing unit system including a bathing unit component selected from the set consisting of a pump, a water heater and a water filtration module, said controller comprising:

a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

b) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, wherein said processing unit is programmed for;

i) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface and processing data stored on the external memory medium to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium, wherein the configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes program code implementing a set a bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;

ii) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium;

(1) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration is unlocked; and

(2) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration is unlocked.

10. A bathing unit system comprising;

a) a set of bathing unit components including a water heater and a pump; and

b) a controller for controlling the set of bathing unit components, said controller comprising;

i) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

ii) a promising unit in communication with said communication interface, wherein said processing unit is programmed for;

(1) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface and processing data stored on the external memory medium to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium, wherein the configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least one bathing unit configuration;

(2) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium;

(a) processing the detected configuration information at least in part based on a user input for unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored on the external memory medium;

(b) causing the controller to operate the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration.

11. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 10, wherein the set of bathing unit configurations includes at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration.

12. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 10, wherein said user input includes at least one of a serial number and a password.

13. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 10, wherein said communication interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with the external memory medium.

14. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising:

a) a memory unit storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;

b) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

c) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, said processing unit being programmed for;

i) receiving through said communication interface configuration information;

ii) unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the received configuration information; and

iii) operating the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller.

15. A controller as defined in claim 14, wherein said processing unit is programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the received configuration information and a user input.

16. A controller as defined in claim 15, wherein said bathing unit system includes a bathing unit component selected from the set consisting of a pump, a water heater and a water filtration module, wherein said processing unit is programmed for:

a) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration is unlocked; and

b) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration is unlocked.

17. A controller as defined in claim 15, wherein said user input includes at least one of a serial number and a password.

18. A controller as defined in claim 14, wherein said processing unit is programmed for:

a) operating a first set of bathing unit components when the first bathing unit configuration is unlocked; and

b) operating a second set of bathing unit components when the second bathing unit configuration is unlocked.

19. A controller as defined in claim 18, wherein said second set of bathing unit components is a subset of said first set of bathing unit components.

20. A controller as defined in claim 18, wherein said second set of bathing unit components includes at least one bathing unit component absent from said first set of bathing unit components.

21. A controller as defined in claim 14, wherein said communication interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with an external memory medium.

22. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising:

a) a memory unit for storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least one bathing unit configuration;

b) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

c) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, said processing unit being programmed for;

i) receiving through said communication interface configuration information;

ii) unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the received configuration information; and

iii) operating the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller.

23. A controller as defined in claim 22, wherein said processing unit being programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the received configuration information and a user input.

24. A controller as defined in claim 22, wherein said communication interface includes a wireless port for communicating with the external memory medium over a wireless communication link.

25. A controller as defined in claim 22, wherein said interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with the external memory medium.

26. A portable auxiliary device suitable for use with a controller of a bathing unit system, the controller comprising a memory unit for storing program code for implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least one bathing unit configuration, said portable auxiliary device comprising:

a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

b) a memory medium storing configuration information, said configuration information being associated with a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller, wherein said configuration information includes at least one of an access code and a set of program instructions;

c) in use, the auxiliary device communicating the configuration information to the controller of the bathing unit system over the communication interface for processing by the controller to unlock the specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller for causing the controller to operate the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller.

27. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising:

a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;

b) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, said processing unit being programmed for;

i) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface and processing data stored on the external memory medium to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium, wherein said configuration information includes an access code for unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from a set of bathing unit configurations implemented by program code stored on the controller, wherein the specific bathing unit configuration specifies a manner of operating components of the bathing unit system;

ii) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium, processing the configuration information to unlock the specific bathing unit configuration and operate components of the bathing unit system in accordance with the manner specified by the specific bathing unit configuration.

28. A controller as defined in claim 27, wherein said communication interface includes a wireless port for communicating with the external memory medium over a wireless communication link.

29. A controller as defined in claim 27, wherein said interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with the external memory medium.