APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A HABITAT ENVIRONMENT

• US 20120143381A1
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Published: 06/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecotech Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ecotech Marine, LLC
• Inventors: Clasen, Patrick, Marks, Timothy, LAWYER, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 9,166,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/003 Aquaria; Terraria A01K63/04, A01K63/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/02 Receptacles specially adapted for transporting live fish
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 63/06 Arrangements for heating or lighting in, or attached to, receptacles for live fish
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25011 Domotique, I-O bus, home automation, building automation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31434 Zone supervisor, collects error signals from, and diagnoses different zone
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2816 Controlling appliance services of a home automation network by calling their functionalities arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station; in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/26 Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/81 Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances

Abstract

A system is provided for controlling an aquatic habitat. The system for includes a server, a bridge, and a habitat component. The server includes a database containing information associated with a habitat component. The server also includes a communication interface for transmitting operating data for the habitat component. The bridge has a first communication unit configured to communicate with the server communication interface and transmit the operating data received from the server to the habitat component. The habitat component has a second communication unit for receiving operating data from the bridge.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a habitat comprising:

a server comprising a database containing information associated with a habitat component and a communication interface for transmitting operating data for the habitat component;

a bridge having a first communication unit configured to communicate with the server communication interface and transmit the operating data received from the server to the habitat component;

a habitat component having a second communication unit for receiving operating data from the bridge.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface and wherein the server is configured to receive information transmitted from the user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the habitat component comprises a microprocessor for processing the operating data received from the bridge to produce an output to control the operation of the habitat component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the habitat component comprises internal memory configured to store the operating data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the habitat component is capable of storing operating data relating to a day'"'"'s operation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the bridge comprises internal memory configured to store the operating data.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second habitat component comprising a third communication unit configured to receive the operating data from the bridge and a microprocessor for processing the operating data received from the bridge to produce an output to control the operation of the second habitat component.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a monitoring component comprising a fourth communication unit configured to transmit information to the bridge.

9. A system for controlling an aquatic habitat comprising:

a bridge having a first communication unit configured to receive operating data from a user and transmitting the received operating data to a component associated with a habitat;

a pump associated with the habitat comprising a second communication unit for receiving operating data from the bridge and a microprocessor for converting the operating data received from the bridge to produce an output to control the pump.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first pump comprises internal memory configured to store at least a portion of the operating data received by the bridge.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the habitat is an aquatic habitat.

12. The system of claim 9, further comprising a server and wherein the operating data is transmitted from the server to the bridge.

13. A method of controlling an aquatic habitat comprising:

inputting environmental information associated with a habitat to a user interface;

transmitting the environmental information from the user interface to a server;

preparing operating data related to a first component and a second component associated with the habitat;

transmitting the operating data related to the first and second components from the server to a bridge associated with the habitat;

transmitting the operating data related to the first component from the bridge to the first component; and

transmitting the operating data related to the second component from the bridge to the second component.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said inputting environmental information is performed by a user selecting a desired operating mode.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the environmental information relates to a change in the environment of the habitat at a specific time.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first and second components are configured to process the operating data received from the bridge and produce an output to control the operation of the first and second components, respectively.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring individual components of the aquatic habitat and transmitting data relating to the operation of the individual components to the server.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising storing operating data in the bridge.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the bridge, the first component, and the second component are organized into a mesh network.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the first component is a lighting unit and the operating data related to the first component includes instructions to operate on a day and night cycle.