Passive sensors for automatic faucets and bathroom flushers

• US 20060289819A1
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fatih Guler, Haiou Wu, Kay Herbert, Natan E. Parsons, Xiaxiong Mo, Yue Zhang
• Original Assignee: Fatih Guler, Haiou Wu, Kay Herbert, Natan E. Parsons, Xiaxiong Mo, Yue Zhang
• Inventors: Mo, Xiaxiong, Zhang, Yue, Parsons, Natan E., Herbert, Kay, Guler, Fatih, Wu, Haiou
• Granted Patent: US 7,396,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 251/129.40
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 5/105 touchless, e.g. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0675 Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0058 Optical means, e.g. light transmission, observation ports F16K37/0075 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention is directed to novel optical sensors and novel methods for sensing optical radiation. The novel optical sensors and the novel optical sensing methods are used, for example, for controlling the operation of automatic faucets and flushers. The novel sensors and flow controllers (including control electronics and valves) require only small amounts of electrical power for sensing users of bathroom facilities, and thus enable battery operation for many years. A passive optical sensor includes a light detector sensitive to ambient (room) light for controlling the operation of automatic faucets or automatic bathroom flushers.

Claims

1. A system including optical sensor for controlling a flow valve of an electronic faucet or bathroom flusher, comprising

an optical element located at an optical input port and arranged to partially define a detection field having a selected size and orientation that eliminate invalid targets;

a light detector optically coupled to said optical element and said input port, said light detector being constructed to detect ambient light; and

a control circuit for controlling opening and closing of said flow valve, said control circuit being constructed to receive signal from said light detector corresponding to the detected ambient light and to control said opening and closing by executing a detection algorithm employing detection of increases and decreases of said ambient light due to the presence of a user within said detection field for several time intervals.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuit is constructed to sample periodically said detector.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said control circuit is constructed to sample periodically said detector based on the amount of previously detected light.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuit is constructed to determine said opening and closing of said flow valve based on a background level of said ambient light and a present level of said ambient light.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuit is constructed to open and close said flow valve based on first detecting arrival of a user and then detecting departure of said user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said control circuit is constructed to open and close said flow valve based on detecting presence of a user.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes an optical fiber.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes a lens.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes a pinhole.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes a slit.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element includes an optical filter.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical input port is located inside an aerator of a faucet.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical input port is located next to an aerator of a faucet.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein said valve controls a faucet

28. The system of claim 1 wherein said valve controls a bathroom flusher.

29. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element is further constructed to provide said detection field angled below the horizontal (H).

30. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element is further constructed to provide said detection field angled below the horizontal and symmetrically with respect to a toilet or urinal.

31. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element is further constructed to provide said detection field angled below the horizontal and asymmetrically with respect to a toilet or urinal.

32. The system of claim 1 wherein said optical element is further constructed to provide said detection field angled below the horizontal and above the horizontal (H).

33. The system of claim 1 wherein said light detector is constructed to detect light in the range of 400 to 1000 nanometers.

14. A method of controlling a flow valve of an electronic faucet or bathroom flusher using an optical sensor, comprising

providing an optical element located at an optical input port and arranged to partially define a detection field having a selected size and orientation that eliminate invalid targets;

providing a light detector optically coupled to said optical element and said input port,

detecting ambient light arriving at said light detector;

providing a signal corresponding to said detected light from said light detector to a control circuit; and

controlling opening and closing of said flow valve using said control circuit and said signal corresponding to the detected ambient light, said controlling including executing a detection algorithm employing detection of increases and decreases of said ambient light due to the presence of a user within said detection field for several time intervals.

15. The method of controlling a valve according to claim 14 including periodically sampling said light detector using said control circuit.

16. The method of controlling a valve according to claim 14 including determining by said control circuit said opening and closing of said flow valve based on a background level of said ambient light and a present level of said ambient light.

17. The method of controlling a valve according to claim 15 wherein said control circuit is constructed to constructed to perform said periodic sampling of said detector based on the amount of the amount of light previously detected.

18. The method of controlling a valve according to claim 14 wherein said control circuit is constructed to adjust a sample period based on the detected amount of light after determining whether a facility is in use.

19. The method of controlling a valve according to claim 14 wherein said control circuit is constructed to cycle sleep and measurement periods.

20. A sensor-based faucet system, comprising:

a faucet body including a water conduit having at least one inlet for receiving water and at least one outlet for providing water;

an optical sensor for generating sensor output signals corresponding to detected ambient light provided to an electronic control circuit; and

a main valve controlled by an actuator constructed to receive control signals from said electronic control circuit for switching between an open state of said valve and a closed state of said valve;

said open state permitting water flow, and said closed state of said valve preventing water flow from said outlet.

21. The sensor-based faucet system of claim 20 including an aerator for receiving water from said outlet, said sensor being associated with a sensor port located at least partially in said aerator.

22. The sensor-based faucet system of claim 21 wherein said sensor is an optical sensor optically coupled to said sensor port by an optical fiber.

23. (canceled)

24. A sensor-based automatic flusher system, comprising:

a flusher body including a water conduit having at least one inlet for receiving water and at least one outlet for providing water to a toilet of a urinal;

an optical sensor constructed and arranged to generate sensor output signals corresponding to detected ambient light;

a control circuit arranged to control operation of said optical sensor, and

a main valve controlled by an actuator receiving control signals from said control circuit for switching between an open state of said valve and a closed state of said valve;

said open state permitting water flow, and a closed state of said valve preventing fluid flow from said outlet.

25-26. -26. (canceled)