Voice activated liquid management system

• US 6,317,717 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper, Christopher A., Cynthia Kaelin, Kenneth R. Lindsey
• Original Assignee: Cooper, Christopher A., Cynthia Kaelin, Kenneth R. Lindsey
• Inventors: Cooper, Christopher A., Kaelin, Cynthia, Lindsey, Kenneth R.
• Primary Examiner(s): {haeck over (S)}mits, Ta̅livaldis Ivars
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US09/258,326
• Time in Patent Office: 992 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/271, 704/272, 704/274, 704/275, 236/12.12, 251/129.04, 467/8, 461/5, 466/3, 431/3, 455/9, 457/0, 462/2, 467/5, 467/6, 468/2, 137/801, 137/337, 137/624.11, 137/625.17, 137/4, 137/607, 137/559, 700/283, D10/103
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0058 Optical means, e.g. light transmission, observation ports F16K37/0075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8359 Inspection means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87692 With common valve operator

Abstract

A voice activated faucet is provided with a valve coupled between the faucet and a water line for allowing water to flow to the faucet upon the actuation thereof. Further provided is a voice recognition mechanism including a microphone for receiving and recognizing at least one audio signal. Also included is a control mechanism connected to the valve and voice recognition mechanism for actuating the valve upon the recognition of the audio signal by the valve.

Claims

1. A voice activated bathroom system comprising, in combination:

a bathroom including a sink basin having a water outlet in the form of a faucet, a bath tub having a water outlet in the form of a spigot, and a shower having a water outlet in the form of a shower dispenser, and a toilet having a flush actuator adapted to flush the toilet upon the receipt of a flush signal;

a plurality of water control assemblies including a sink basin water control assembly connected to the faucet of the sink basin, a bath tub water control assembly connected to the spigot of the bath tub, and a shower water control assembly connected to the shower dispenser of the shower, the water control assemblies each having a hot water variable valve coupled between the respective water outlet and a hot water line for receiving hot water therefrom, a cold water variable valve coupled between the respective water outlet and a cold water line for receiving cold water therefrom, and a temperature transducer situated between the variable valves and the respective water outlet for generating a temperature signal representing a combined temperature of water received from the variable valves, whereby the valves are adapted to allow the flow of water only upon the receipt of an activation signal;

a remote control panel situated adjacent to the bath tub having a flow toggle switch adapted to generate a flow control signal; and

a central control panel positioned in the bathroom exterior of the bath tub, the central control panel including a housing with a rectilinear configuration having a front face, a rear face, a top face, a bottom face, and a pair of side faces therebetween defining an interior space, the central control panel further including;

a display for depicting a digital number representative of a temperature,

a temperature toggle switch situated below the display for allowing the incremental adjustment of a current temperature,

a flow toggle switch adapted to generate a flow control signal,

a numeric keypad having a plurality of numeric buttons for allowing the manual entering of a discrete number representative of the current temperature,

a plurality of light emitting diodes adapted to illuminate upon the actuation thereof, the light emitting diodes including a shower diode, a bath tub diode, a sink basin diode, and a toilet diode,

a voice recognition mechanism including a microphone situated on the front face of the control panel for receiving unique audio signals, the voice recognition means adapted for generating control signals corresponding to the unique audio signals received via the speaker, the control signals including a “

shower”

signal, a “

sink basin”

signal, a “

toilet signal”

signal, a “

flush”

signal, a “

temperature”

signal, a “

flow”

signal, a “

up”

signal, “

down signal”

, “

on”

signal, and “

off”

signal, and

control means connected to the toilet, remote control panel, display, temperature toggle switch, flow toggle switch, numeric keypad, light emitting diodes, voice recognition mechanism and the valves of the water control assemblies, the control means adapted to transmit to the sink basin, bath tub, and shower water control assemblies an activation signal and actuate the sink basin diode, the bath tub diode, the shower diode upon the receipt of the “

sink basin”

, “

bath tub”

, and “

shower”

signal, respectively, with the subsequent receipt of the “

on”

signal and further cease the transmission of the activation signal thereto and cease the actuation thereof upon the subsequent receipt of the “

sink basin”

, “

bath tub”

, and “

shower”

signal, respectively, with the subsequent receipt of the “

off”

signal, the control means further adapted to govern the valves of the water control assembly that is in receipt of the activation signal such that a total water flow rate thereby afforded is indicative of the flow control signal and a proportion of water flow from the hot and cold water valves is such that the temperature signal received is representative of a temperature equal to the associated current temperature, whereby the current temperature of the sink basin, bath tub, and shower may be adjusted upon the receipt of the “

sink basin”

, “

bath tub”

, and “

shower”

signal, respectively, with at least one of the subsequent manipulation of the temperature toggle switches, manipulation of the keypad, receipt of the “

temperature” and

“

up”

signal, and receipt of the “

temperature” and

“

down”

signal and the current water flow rate of the sink basin, bath tub, and shower may be adjusted upon the receipt of the “

sink basin”

, “

bath tub”

, and “

shower”

signal, respectively, with at least one of the subsequent manipulation of the flow rate toggle switch receipt of the “

flow” and

“

up”

signal, and receipt of the “

flow” and

“

down”

signal, the control means further adapted to transmit the flush signal to the toilet and also actuated the toilet diode upon the receipt of the “

flush”

signal; and

prevention means for selectively preventing actuation of controls on the central control panel, the prevention means selectively covering the front face of the central control panel, the prevention means comprising a front panel slidably mounted on the central control panel, a groove being formed on each of the top and bottom faces of the central control panel, and a pair of elongated protrusions being formed on a top and a bottom face of the front panel of the central control panel, the front panel being transparent for permitting viewing of displays on the front face of the central control panel while actuation of the controls is being prevented, and a locking means for selectively precluding removal of the front panel from a position in front of the front face of the central control panel.

2. A voice activated faucet comprising:

a faucet;

a water line a valve coupled between the faucet and the water line for allowing water to flow to the faucet upon the actuation thereof;

a voice recognition mechanism including a microphone for receiving and recognizing at least one audio signal;

control means connected to the valve and voice recognition mechanism for actuating the valve upon the recognition of the audio signal by the valve, the control means including a central control panel having a plurality of controls thereon;

prevention means for selectively preventing actuation of controls on the central control panel;

wherein the prevention means selectively covers a front face of the central control panel.

3. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 2 wherein the prevention means comprises a front panel slidably mounted on the central control panel, a groove being formed on each of the top and bottom faces of the central control panel, and a pair of elongated protrusions being formed on a top and a bottom face of the front panel of the central control panel.

4. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 3 wherein the front panel is transparent for permitting viewing of displays on a front face of the central control panel while actuation of the controls is being prevented.

5. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 4 wherein the prevention means additionally comprises a locking means for selectively precluding removal of the front panel from a position in front of a front face of the central control panel.

6. A voice activated faucet comprising:

a toilet;

a water line

a valve coupled between the toilet and the water line for allowing toilet to flush upon the actuation thereof;

a voice recognition mechanism including a microphone for receiving and recognizing at least one audio signal;

control means connected to the valve and voice recognition mechanism for actuating the valve upon the recognition of the audio signal by the valve, the control means including a central control panel having a plurality of controls thereon;

prevention means for selectively preventing actuation of controls on the central control panel;

wherein the prevention means selectively covers a front face of the central control panel.

7. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 6 wherein the prevention means comprises a front panel slidably mounted on the central control panel, a groove being formed on each of the top and bottom faces of the central control panel, and a pair of elongated protrusions being formed on a top and a bottom face of the front panel of the central control panel.

8. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 7 wherein the front panel is transparent for permitting viewing of displays on a front face of the central control panel while actuation of the controls is being prevented.

9. A voice activated faucet as set forth in claim 8 wherein the prevention means additionally comprises a locking means for selectively precluding removal of the front panel from a position in front of a front face of the central control panel.