Automatic sensor control panel

• US 9,139,987 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2014
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Muirsis, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Muirsis, Inc.
• Inventors: Bedolla, Ralph, Block, Maria, Yeh, Chun-Hui
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sanchez-Medina, Reinaldo
• Application Number:
  US14/585,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20150114474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.04, 137/606, 462/3, 236/12.1, 236/12.15
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/04 Water-basin installations specially adapted to wash-basins or baths valves, faucets, mixing valves, taps F16K
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 2001/0418 having temperature indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8158 With indicator, register, recorder, alarm or inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87684 Valve in each inlet

Abstract

A method for regulating water output from a faucet is presented. The method includes receiving an input at a plurality of sensors, transmitting a signal to a control unit in response to receiving the input, controlling, via the control unit, at least a temperature or volume of water in response to the signal received at the plurality of sensors, outputting the water via a water output device, and outputting, via a display module, a visual indicator for at least the temperature or the volume.

Claims

1. A method for regulating liquid output from a liquid output device, the method comprising:

transmitting a first signal to a control unit in response to receiving a first input at one or more of a plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors when liquid is currently output from the liquid output device,

the plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors comprising a plurality of infra-red temperature sensors and a plurality of infra-red volume sensors, each infra-red volume sensor and each infra-red temperature sensor being configured to operate at a reduced power and being defined at a specific distance in a housing from at least one adjacent infra-red sensor in the housing to mitigate interference with the at least one adjacent infra-red sensor, and each infra-red sensor facing a same direction and having a same angle as each other infra-red sensor that is defined in the housing;

adjusting at least a temperature, a volume, or a combination thereof of a liquid output in response to the first signal; and

outputting, via a plurality of indicators, a visual indication for the temperature and the volume of the liquid output, the plurality of indicators comprising at least a first set of indicators and a second set of indicators.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

Transmitting a second signal to the control unit in response to receiving a second input at an output sensor;

outputting liquid, from a liquid mixing unit to the liquid output device, in response to the second signal.

3. The method of claim 2, in which the second signal is transmitted when the liquid is not output from the liquid output device.

4. The method of claim 2, in which the liquid output has a predetermined first volume and a predetermined first temperature when being output in response to the second input.

5. The method of claim 2, in which the output sensor, the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors, the plurality of infra-red volume sensors, and the plurality of indicators are defined within the housing that is separate from the liquid output device.

6. The method of claim 1, in which the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors are configured to control a temperature of liquid from a first temperature to a second temperature and the plurality of infra-red volume sensors are configured to control a volume of liquid from a first volume to a second volume.

7. The method of claim 2, in which:

adjusting the temperature comprises;

increasing the temperature in response to receiving the second input via at least one first infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors;

or decreasing the temperature in response to receiving the second input via at least one second infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors; and

adjusting the volume comprises;

increasing the volume from a first volume in response to receiving the second input via at least one first infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red volume sensors;

or decreasing the volume from the first volume in response to receiving the second input via at least one second infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red volume sensors.

8. The method of claim 1, in which:

the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors comprise at least four infra-red sensors, each infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors corresponding to a different temperature; and

the plurality of infra-red volume sensors comprise at least four infra-red sensors, each infra-red sensor of the plurality of volume infra-red sensors corresponding to a different volume.

9. A liquid regulating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of infra-red temperature sensors configured;

to control a temperature of liquid from a first temperature to a second temperature in response to receiving a first input; and

to transmit a first signal to a control unit in response to receiving the first input;

a plurality of infra-red volume sensors configured;

to control a volume of liquid from a first volume to a second volume in response to receiving a second input; and

to transmit a second signal to the control unit in response to receiving the second input,

the first signal and the second signal being transmitted when the liquid is currently output from a liquid output device, and

each infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors and the plurality of infra-red volume sensors being configured to operate at a reduced power and being defined at a specific distance in a housing from at least one adjacent infra-red touch free sensor in the housing to mitigate interference with the at least one adjacent infra-red touch free sensor, and each infra-red touch free sensor facing a same direction and having a same angle as each other infra-red touch free sensor that is defined in the housing; and

a plurality of indicators configured to provide a visual indication for the temperature and the volume of a liquid output, the plurality of indicators comprising at least a first set of indicators and a second set of indicators.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the liquid regulating apparatus further comprises:

the liquid output device configured to output liquid;

a first output sensor configured;

to receive a third input to enable continuous liquid output from the liquid output device until a fourth input is received at the first output sensor, and to transmit a third signal to the control unit in response to receiving the third input, the third signal being transmitted when the liquid is not output from the liquid output device, and the liquid output having a predetermined first volume and a predetermined first temperature when being output in response to the third input;

the control unit configured to transmit a signal to a control box in response to receiving an input; and

the control box configured to;

output the liquid to the liquid output device in response to receiving the third input; and

adjust at least a temperature, a volume, or a combination thereof of the liquid in response to receiving the first input, second input, or a combination thereof.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the control box is further configured:

to output the liquid to the liquid output device in response to receiving a fourth signal from a first set of infra-red sensors of at least the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors, the plurality of infra-red volume sensors, or a combination thereof when the liquid is not currently output, the liquid having a predetermined second volume and a predetermined second temperature when being output in response to the fourth signal; and

to output the liquid to the liquid output device in response to receiving a fifth signal from a second set of infra-red sensors of at least the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors, the plurality of infra-red volume sensors, or a combination thereof when the liquid is not currently output, the liquid having a predetermined fourth volume and a predetermined fourth temperature when being output in response to the fifth signal, the first set of infra-red sensors being different from the second set of infra-red sensors.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the control box comprises a liquid mixing control valve body comprising at least two micro gear motors configured to combine hot liquid and cold liquid.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the control unit is further configured to:

increase the temperature in response to receiving the first input via at least one infra-red temperature sensor;

or

decrease the temperature in response to receiving the first input via at least one second infra-red temperature sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the control unit is further configured to:

increase the volume from the first volume in response to receiving the second input via at least one first infra-red volume sensor;

or

decrease the volume from the first volume in response to receiving the second input via at least one second infra-red volume sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the first output sensor, the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors, the plurality of infra-red volume sensors, and the plurality of indicators are defined within the housing that is separate from the liquid output device.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the plurality of indicators are light emitting diodes (LEDs).

17. The apparatus of claim 9, in which the liquid output device is a faucet.

18. The apparatus of claim 9, in which:

the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors comprise at least four infra-red sensors, each infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red temperature sensors corresponding to a different temperature; and

the plurality of infra-red volume sensors comprise at least four infra-red sensors, each infra-red sensor of the plurality of infra-red volume sensors corresponding to a different volume.

19. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a second output sensor that is defined on a surface that is different from the first output sensor, the second output sensor being configured:

to receive a fifth input to enable liquid output from the liquid output device for a predetermined time period, and to transmit a sixth signal to the control unit in response to receiving the fifth input, the sixth signal being transmitted when the liquid is not currently output from the liquid output device.

20. A computer program product for regulating liquid output, the computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, the program code being executed by a processor and comprising;

program code to transmit a first signal to a control unit in response to receiving a first input at one or more of a plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors when liquid is currently output from a liquid output device,

the plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors comprising a plurality of infra-red temperature sensors and a plurality of infra-red volume sensors, each infra-red volume sensor and each infra-red temperature sensor being configured to operate at a reduced power and being defined at a specific distance in a housing from at least one adjacent infra-red sensor in the housing to mitigate interference with the at least one adjacent infra-red sensor, and each infra-red sensor facing a same direction and having a same angle as each other infra-red sensor that is defined in the housing;

program code to adjust at least a temperature, a volume, or a combination thereof of a liquid output in response to the first signal; and

program code to output, via a plurality of indicators, a visual indication for the temperature and the volume of the liquid output, the plurality of indicators comprising at least a first set of indicators and a second set of indicators.

21. An apparatus for regulating liquid output, the apparatus comprising:

a memory unit; and

at least one processor coupled to the memory unit, the at least one processor being configured;

to transmit a first signal to a control unit in response to receiving a first input at one or more of a plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors when liquid is currently output from a liquid output device,

the plurality of touch-free adjusting sensors comprising a plurality of infra-red temperature sensors and a plurality of infra-red volume sensors, each infra-red volume sensor and each infra-red temperature sensor being configured to operate at a reduced power and being defined at a specific distance in a housing from at least one adjacent infra-red sensor in the housing to mitigate interference with the at least one adjacent infra-red sensor, and each infra-red sensor facing a same direction and having a same angle as each other infra-red sensor that is defined in the housing;

to adjust at least a temperature, a volume, or a combination thereof of a liquid output in response to the first signal; and

to output, via a plurality of indicators, a visual indication for the temperature and the volume of the liquid output, the plurality of indicators comprising at least a first set of indicators and a second set of indicators.