User friendly systems and devices facilitating water conservation in the smart home

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10745893-B2
Application number	US-201715654000-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2017
Priority date	Jul 19, 2017
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating water conservation and smart water control are provided. Water conservation and smart water control can be achieved using a smart water apparatus having the ability to approximate distance, mass, and/or specific characteristics of an object such as a human or inanimate object and adjust flow rate of water and/or temperature of the water based on the approximated distance, mass, and/or specific characteristics of an object. The smart water apparatus can be embodied, for example, in a network connected shower head or a network connected faucet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A smart water apparatus, comprising:
a water source port;
a water egress port;
flow control valve operative to control flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
power storage;
power control circuitry electrically coupled to the power storage;
a water turbine electrically coupled to the power control circuitry and operative to generate power when water is flowing through the smart water apparatus;
radio frequency (RF) detection circuitry operative to identify a characteristic of an object; and
control circuitry coupled to the flow control valve and the RF detection circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
adjust a temperature of the water being ejected through the water egress port based on the identified characteristic of the object, wherein:
the identified characteristic being indicative of a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature; and
the identified characteristic being indicative of a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.

2. The smart water apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further operative to adjust a flow of water being ejected through the water egress port, wherein the flow of water ranges from a zero flow rate to a maximum flow rate, and the flow control valve adjust the flow to at least one intermediate flow rate existing between the zero and maximum flow rates based on an approximated distance between the object and the smart water apparatus.

3. The smart water apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a light emitting diode (LED) array positioned adjacent to the water egress port and is electrically connected to the control circuitry.

4. The smart water apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is operative to vary a color output of the LED array based on a temperature of the water flowing through the smart water apparatus.

5. The smart water apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the control circuitry is operative to control color output of the LED array according to a time of water usage during a shower event.

6. The smart water apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
memory; and
wireless communications circuitry operative to wirelessly communicate with a remote server, wherein the control circuitry is operative to update software stored in the memory by accessing the remote server.

7. The smart water apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the RF detection circuitry comprises radar.

8. A smart water apparatus, comprising:
a water source port;
a water egress port;
flow control valve operative to control a flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
a temperature sensor operative to monitor a water temperature of water flowing through the smart water apparatus;
communications circuitry operative to communicate with remote circuitry that is coupled to a water temperature control assembly;
radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry operative to detect and characterize an object; and
control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor, the communications circuitry, the flow control valve, and the RF capturing circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
adjust the flow of water, via the flow control valve, being ejected through the water egress port; and
adjust the temperature of the water, via the communications circuitry, based on characterizing the object, wherein:
the object being characterized as a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature; and
the object being characterized as a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.

9. The smart water apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the flow of water ranges from a zero flow rate to a maximum flow rate, and the flow control valve adjusts the flow to at least one intermediate flow rate existing between the zero and maximum flow rates based on an approximated distance between the object and the smart water apparatus and the object.

10. The smart water apparatus of claim 9 , wherein when the object is classified as a first mass quantity, the control circuitry is operative to instruct the flow control valve to adjust the flow to the at least one intermediate flow rate, and wherein when the object is classified as a second mass quantity, the control circuitry is operative to instruct the flow control valve to adjust the flow to the maximum flow rate, wherein the second mass quantity is greater than the first mass quantity.

11. The smart water apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the control circuitry is operative to classify the object as one of a child and an adult, and wherein the water temperature is adjusted to a first water temperature when the object is classified as the child and wherein the water temperature is adjusted to a second water temperature when the object is classified as the adult.

12. A smart water apparatus, comprising:
a water source port;
a water egress port;
flow control valve operative to control a flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
a temperature sensor operative to monitor a water temperature of water flowing through the smart water apparatus;
communications circuitry operative to communicate with remote circuitry that is coupled to a water temperature control assembly;
radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry operative to identify a characteristic of an object; and
control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor, the communications circuitry, the flow control valve, and the RF capturing circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
adjust the flow of water, via the flow control valve, being ejected through the water egress port; and
adjust the temperature of the water based on the identified characteristic of the object, wherein:
the identified characteristic being indicative of a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature; and
the identified characteristic being indicative of a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.

13. A method for operating a smart water apparatus, comprising:
using radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry to: approximate a distance of an object from a fixed point of reference and characterize the object; and
adjusting a water temperature based on the object being characterized, wherein:
the object being characterized as a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature; and

the object being characterized as a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature;
adjusting a flow rate of water exiting the smart water apparatus based on the approximated distance, wherein the flow rate comprises a zero flow rate, a maximum flow rate, and at least one intermediate flow rates existing between the zero and maximum flow rates, wherein the adjusting comprises:
in response to initiation of a hot water event and no object is detected, setting the flow rate to a first intermediate flow rate of the at least one intermediate flow rates to enable the water temperature to reach a first temperature; and
in response to determination that the water temperature reached the first temperature:
setting the flow rate to the zero flow rate or to a second intermediate flow rate that is less than the first intermediate flow rate; and
indicating that the water has reached the first temperature.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
using the radio frequency (RF) capturing circ

Assignees

• Google Llc

Inventors

• Silverstein Brian
• Chang Lawrence
• Reilly Mary
• Sloo David

Classifications

• E03B1/04

  for domestic or like local supply · CPC title

• E03C1/0408

  Water installations especially for showers (E03C1/06 takes precedence; shower heads B05B1/18) · CPC title

• E03C2001/0418

  having temperature indicating means · CPC title

• E03C1/055

  Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like · CPC title

• G01S13/88

  Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications (electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00) · CPC title