User interface for controlling a bathroom plumbing fixture with outlet and flow pattern selection screens

• US 9,910,578 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler Company
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Freier, Donald P., Rexach, Rafael Alfredo
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawley, Keith
• Application Number:
  US14/727,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20150268848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/0408 Water installations especially for showers E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

A user interface for controlling a plumbing fixture includes an electronic display configured to display multiple different graphical menus for controlling a plurality of valves. The user interface includes a selector control configured to receive input from a user for navigating the multiple different graphical menus and for selecting items displayed in the multiple different graphical menus. A controller receives a first user input from the selector control and causes the electronic display to switch from displaying one of the graphical menus to another of the graphical menus in response to the first user input. The controller receives a second user input from the selector control and causes the plurality of valves to make multiple different adjustments in response to the second user input based on which of the multiple different graphical menus are displayed when the second user input is received.

Claims

1. A control system for a plumbing fixture, the control system comprising:

a plurality of valves, each of the valves fluidly connected to one or more water outlets and configured to control a flow of water to the one or more water outlets;

a user control panel comprising an electronic display configured to display multiple different information screens comprising graphical menus for controlling the plurality of valves and a selector control configured to receive input from a user for navigating the graphical menus and for selecting items displayed in the graphical menus, the information screens including;

an outlet selection screen comprising an outlet selection menu that provides a list of the water outlets and allows a user to select one or more of the listed water outlets via the selector control; and

a flow pattern selection screen comprising a flow pattern menu that provides a list of flow patterns for a selected water outlet and allows a user to select one or more of the listed flow patterns via the selector control; and

a controller in communication with the plurality of valves and the user control panel, wherein the controller receives a first user input from the selector control and causes the electronic display to switch from displaying the outlet selection screen to displaying the flow pattern screen in place of the outlet selection screen in response to a selection of one or more of the water outlets listed in the outlet selection menu via the selector control;

wherein the controller receives a second user input from the selector control and causes the plurality of valves to make multiple different adjustments to the flow of water in response to the second user input based on which of the multiple different graphical menus are displayed when the second user input is received.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein the user control panel comprises a seamless front panel extending over the electronic display and providing a watertight exterior surface of the user control panel, wherein the electronic display is visible through the seamless front panel.

3. The control system of claim 2, wherein the selector control comprises a plurality of switches, each switch responding to a user pressing a different portion of the seamless front panel, wherein one of the switches is configured to receive the first user input and another of the switches is configured to receive the second user input.

4. The control system of claim 2, wherein the selector control comprises a plurality of switches, each switch responding to a user pressing a different portion of the seamless front panel, wherein one of the switches is configured to select a preset operating configuration and another of the switches is configured to toggle the control system between on and off states.

5. The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller causes the outlet selection menu to switch from displaying a first subset of the listed water outlets to a second subset of the listed water outlets in response to a user input received via the selector control.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first user input is the selection of one or more of the water outlets listed in the outlet selection menu;

wherein the second user input is a selection of a flow pattern listed in the flow pattern menu and the controller causes the plurality of valves to provide the selected flow pattern in response to the second user input.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different graphical menus comprise a temperature control menu that displays a current temperature and a setpoint temperature for the water provided to one or more of the water outlets;

wherein the second user input is an adjustment to the setpoint temperature in the temperature control menu and the controller causes the plurality of valves to adjust a temperature of the water provided to the one or more water outlets in response to the second user input.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different graphical menus comprise a programming menu that provides interface options for programming a preset operating configuration.

9. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a radio frequency (RF) receiver connected to at least one of the controller and the user control panel; and

a wireless remote control configured to communicate with the RF receiver;

wherein the controller causes the plurality of valves to make multiple different adjustments to the flow of water in response to a user input received via the wireless remote control.

10. The control system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different graphical menus comprise interface options for controlling multiple different shower subsystems comprising:

a water control system comprising the plurality of valves and configured to control a flow of water to the one or more water outlets located within a shower enclosure;

an audio system comprising speakers located within the shower enclosure; and

a lighting control system comprising a plurality of lighting devices located within the shower enclosure.

11. A user interface for controlling a plumbing fixture, the user interface comprising:

an electronic display configured to display multiple different information screens comprising graphical menus for controlling a plurality of valves, the information screens including;

an outlet selection screen comprising an outlet selection menu that provides a list of water outlets and allows a user to select one or more of the listed water outlets; and

a flow pattern selection screen comprising a flow pattern menu that provides a list of flow patterns for a selected water outlet and allows a user to select one or more of the listed flow patterns;

a selector control configured to receive input from a user for navigating the multiple different graphical menus and for selecting items displayed in the multiple different graphical menus; and

a controller that receives a first user input from the selector control and causes the electronic display to switch from displaying the outlet selection screen to displaying the flow pattern screen in place of the outlet selection screen in response to a selection of one or more of the water outlets listed in the outlet selection menu via the selector control;

wherein the controller receives a second user input from the selector control and causes the plurality of valves to make multiple different adjustments in response to the second user input based on which of the multiple different graphical menus are displayed when the second user input is received.

12. The user interface of claim 11, further comprising a seamless front panel extending over the electronic display and providing a watertight exterior surface of the user interface, wherein the electronic display is visible through the seamless front panel.

13. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the selector control comprises a plurality of switches, each switch responding to a user pressing a different portion of the seamless front panel, wherein one of the switches is configured to receive the first user input and another of the switches is configured to receive the second user input.

14. The user interface of claim 12, wherein the selector control comprises a plurality of switches, each switch responding to a user pressing a different portion of the seamless front panel, wherein one of the switches is configured to select a preset operating configuration and another of the switches is configured to toggle the user interface between on and off states.

15. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the controller causes the outlet selection menu to switch from displaying a first subset of the listed water outlets to a second subset of the listed water outlets in response to a user input received via the selector control.

16. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the first user input is the selection of one or more of the water outlets listed in the outlet selection menu;

wherein the second user input is a selection of a flow pattern listed in the flow pattern menu and the controller causes the plurality of valves to provide the selected flow pattern in response to the second user input.

17. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the multiple different graphical menus comprise a temperature control menu that displays a current temperature and a setpoint temperature for a flow of water controlled by the plurality of valves;

wherein the second user input is an adjustment to the setpoint temperature in the temperature control menu and the controller causes the plurality of valves to adjust a temperature of the water provided to one or more water outlets in response to the second user input.

18. The user interface of claim 11, wherein the multiple different graphical menus comprise interface options for controlling multiple different shower subsystems comprising:

a water control system comprising the plurality of valves and configured to control a flow of water to one or more water outlets located within a shower enclosure;

an audio system comprising speakers located within the shower enclosure; and

a lighting control system comprising a plurality of lighting devices located within the shower enclosure.