Systems and methods for controlling chlorinators
First Claim
1. A system for controlling a chlorinator, comprising:
- a chlorinator including a body and a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said body, said chlorinator cartridge including a cartridge body, a cartridge cap having a connector, a plurality of electrolytic plates within the cartridge body, a memory, and a processor in electrical communication with the plurality of plates and the memory of the cartridge;
a controller in electrical communication with said chlorinator, said controller including a control panel for allowing a user to control operation of said chlorinator,wherein said processor of said chlorinator cartridge communicates with said controller to authenticate said chlorinator cartridge, said controller prohibiting operation of said chlorinator cartridge if said chlorinator cartridge is not authenticated;
wherein said cartridge houses said memory, said processor, and said plates; and
wherein said cartridge, said memory, said processor and said plates form a single unit removable from the chlorinator.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for controlling chlorinators for pools and spas are provided. A controller communicates with a processor positioned within a replaceable cell cartridge of a chlorinator, to allow for remote control and diagnosis of the chlorinator and/or cell cartridge. The cell cartridge stores, in non-volatile memory on board the cartridge, one or more parameters associated with the cartridge. The controller can obtain this information from the processor of the cell cartridge, and can use same to configure operation of the chlorinator. Information relating to remaining cell life can be updated by the controller and stored in the non-volatile memory of the cell cartridge. Electrical and software-based mechanisms are provided for ensuring operation of only compatible cell cartridges with the chlorinator. A system for remotely diagnosing errors associated with the chlorinator is also provided.
137 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A system for controlling a chlorinator, comprising:
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a chlorinator including a body and a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said body, said chlorinator cartridge including a cartridge body, a cartridge cap having a connector, a plurality of electrolytic plates within the cartridge body, a memory, and a processor in electrical communication with the plurality of plates and the memory of the cartridge; a controller in electrical communication with said chlorinator, said controller including a control panel for allowing a user to control operation of said chlorinator, wherein said processor of said chlorinator cartridge communicates with said controller to authenticate said chlorinator cartridge, said controller prohibiting operation of said chlorinator cartridge if said chlorinator cartridge is not authenticated; wherein said cartridge houses said memory, said processor, and said plates; and wherein said cartridge, said memory, said processor and said plates form a single unit removable from the chlorinator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for controlling a chlorinator, comprising the steps of:
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establishing a communications link between a chlorinator and a controller, the chlorinator including a body and a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said body, said chlorinator cartridge including a cartridge body, a cartridge cap having a connector, a plurality of electrolytic plates within the cartridge body, a memory, and a processor in electrical communication with the plurality of plates and the memory of the cartridge, wherein said cartridge houses said memory, said processor, and said plates;
wherein said cartridge, said memory, said processor and said plates form a single unit removable from the chlorinator;retrieving an authentication key from the memory of the chlorinator cartridge removably positioned within said chlorinator; transmitting the authentication key from said chlorinator to said controller; processing the authentication key at the controller to determine whether the chlorinator cartridge is authenticated; and operating the chlorinator using the controller if the cartridge is authenticated by the controller. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A chlorinator comprising:
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a chlorinator body including a first flow port and a second flow port on opposite sides of the chlorinator body and being coaxially aligned such that the first flow port and the second flow port share a first axis extending through centers of the first flow port and the second flow port; and a replaceable chlorinator cartridge removably positionable within said chlorinator body along a second axis transverse to the first axis, said chlorinator cartridge including a plurality of electrolytic plates and at least one circuit element in electrical communication with said plurality of plates, said replaceable cartridge housing said plurality of plates and said at least one circuit element, said cartridge, said plurality of plates and said at least one circuit element forming a single unit removable from said chlorinator body, and said plurality of plates of said chlorinator cartridge positioned along said first axis such that water flows along said first axis extending through said first flow port, through said plurality of plates housed in said chlorinator cartridge, and out of the second flow port. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification