Systems and methods for providing network connectivity and remote monitoring, optimization, and control of pool/spa equipment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11720085-B2
Application number	US-202016905661-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2020
Priority date	Jan 22, 2016
Publication date	Aug 8, 2023
Grant date	Aug 8, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing network connectivity and remote monitoring, optimization, and control of pool/spa equipment are provided. “Internet-of-Things” (IoT) functionality is provided for pool and spa equipment in a flexible and cost-effective manner. Network connectivity and remote monitoring/control of pool and spa equipment is provided by various components such as a network communication and local control subsystem installed in pool/spa equipment, and other components. Also disclosed are various control processes (“pool logic”) which can be embodied as software code installed in any of the various embodiments of the present disclosure.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for monitoring and controlling operation of a heating system comprising:
a first pressure sensor configured to measure exhaust pressure of a venting system of the heating system;
a second pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of natural gas into the heating system;
a current sensor configured to measure current of an electric motor of the heating system;
a flow sensor configured to measure a flow rate of water into the heating system; and
a control subsystem configured to:
compare each of the measurements of the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the current sensor, and the flow sensor with at least one of a plurality of measurement thresholds,
compare a determined difference between the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a stored last recorded measurement of the exhaust pressure of the venting system and a last recorded determined difference, and
control operation of the heating system based on at least one of the comparisons.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a minimum pressure threshold,
determines whether the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is less than the minimum pressure threshold.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a minimum pressure threshold,
determines whether the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold,
compares the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a maximum pressure threshold when the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the maximum pressure threshold.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a minimum pressure threshold,
determines whether the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold,
compares the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and a maximum pressure threshold when the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold,
determines the difference between the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and the stored last recorded measurement of the exhaust pressure of the venting system when the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system is less than the maximum pressure threshold, and
controls operation of the heating system based on at least one of the comparison between the determined difference and the last recorded determined difference and the determined difference relative to at least one of a plurality of predetermined pressure thresholds.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the control subsystem transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the determined difference between the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and the stored last recorded measurement of the exhaust pressure of the venting system is greater than the last recorded difference and the determined difference between the measured exhaust pressure of the venting system and the stored last recorded measurement of the exhaust pressure of the venting system exceeds a predetermined high pressure threshold.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system and a minimum current threshold,
determines whether the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system is greater than the minimum current threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system is less than the minimum current threshold.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system and a minimum current threshold,
determines whether the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system is greater than the minimum current threshold,
compares the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system and a maximum current threshold when the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system is greater than the minimum current threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured current of the electric motor of the heating system is greater than the maximum current threshold.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured flow rate of water into the heating system and a minimum flow rate threshold,
determines whether the measured flow rate of water into the heating system is greater than the minimum flow rate threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured flow rate of water into the heating system is less than the minimum flow rate threshold.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
compares the measured pressure of natural gas into the heating system and a minimum pressure threshold,
determines whether the measured pressure of the natural gas into the heating system is greater than the minimum pressure threshold, and
transmits a diagnostic message to at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and terminates operation of the heating system when the measured pressure of the natural gas into the heating system is less than the minimum pressure threshold.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one polymeric positive temperature coefficient (PPTC) device positioned between the control subsystem and at least one of the first pressure sensor, the second pressure sensor, the current sensor and the flow sensor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control subsystem
generates a graphic user interface, the graphic user interface being displayed on at least one of a display of the heating system and a remote device and comprising a plurality of input fields for configuring at least one of a temperature threshold of a pool or spa, an energy consumption threshold of the pool or spa, and the temperature threshold of the pool or spa relative to the energy consumption threshold of the pool or spa, and
transmits an alert when at least one of the temperature threshold of the pool or spa is exceeded, the energy consumption threshold of the pool or spa is exceeded, and the temperature threshold of the pool or spa relative to the energy consumption threshold of the pool or spa is exceeded, the alert being transmitted to and displayed by at least one of the display of the heating system and the remote device.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the alert can be at least one of an energy consumption repo

Assignees

• Hayward Ind Inc

Inventors

• Roy William
• Willis Vance
• Corn Benjamin
• Murdock James

Classifications

• G05B19/416 Primary

  characterised by control of velocity, acceleration or deceleration (G05B19/19 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/06

  using rotating vanes with tangential admission · CPC title

• G01F15/061

  for remote indication · CPC title

• G01K3/005

  Circuits arrangements for indicating a predetermined temperature (fire detection G08B17/00) · CPC title

• G01L13/00

  Devices or apparatus for measuring differences of two or more fluid pressure values · CPC title