Systems and methods for controlling a plumbing fixture, smart mirror, and the like using projected images

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11852963-B2
Application number	US-202117237713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2021
Priority date	Apr 24, 2020
Publication date	Dec 26, 2023
Grant date	Dec 26, 2023

Abstract

At least one embodiment relates to a mirror assembly. The mirror assembly includes an interior portion and a wall. The wall includes an exterior reflective surface. At least a portion of the wall can allow light to pass from the interior portion through the wall. The mirror assembly includes a light source and a lens located within the interior portion. The lens can be arranged to receive light from the light source and to direct such light through the portion of the wall so as to project an image beyond the exterior reflective surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mirror assembly, comprising:
an interior portion;
a wall comprising an exterior reflective surface, at least a portion of the wall configured to allow light to pass from the interior portion through the wall; and
a light source and a lens located within the interior portion;
wherein the lens is arranged to receive light from the light source and to direct such light through the portion of the wall so as to project an image beyond the exterior reflective surface wherein the perspective of the projected image, relative to a user, is modifiable based on data received from one or more sensors.

2. The mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the interior portion further comprises a plate supporting a stencil, wherein the plate is located between the light source and the lens such that the light source projects light through the stencil of the plate and toward the lens.

3. The mirror assembly of claim 2 , wherein the stencil defines the projected image.

4. The mirror assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises a display, and wherein the projected image is generated using the display, and wherein the projected image includes at least one of a notification, a current weather status, or a current time.

5. The mirror assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more external lights adjacent the reflective surface; at least one sensor; and
a controller communicably coupled to the at least one sensor and the one or more external lights, wherein the controller is configured to:
cause the light source to direct light toward the lens to project the image; detect user interaction with the image; and
generate one or more control signals for controlling the one or more external lights based on the detected user interaction with the image.

6. The mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein the user interaction comprises a push through user input to the image, and wherein the one or more control signals are configured to activate or deactivate the one or more external lights based on the push through user input.

7. The mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein the user interaction comprises a swipe through user input to the image, and wherein the one or more control signals are configured to change a brightness of the one or more external lights based on the swipe through user input.

8. The mirror assembly of claim 7 , wherein the one or more control signals change the brightness of the one or more external lights based on a direction of the swipe through user input to the image.

9. The mirror assembly of claim 5 , further comprising a sensor bar comprising the at least one sensor, the sensor bar arranged along an underside of the mirror assembly adjacent the reflective surface.

10. The mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

11. The mirror assembly of claim 5 , wherein the projected image comprises a hologram projected at a distance from the reflective surface.

12. A mirror assembly, comprising: an interior portion;
a wall comprising an exterior reflective surface, at least a portion of the wall configured to allow light to pass from the interior portion through the wall; and
a light source and a lens located within the interior portion, wherein the lens is arranged to receive light from the light source and to direct such light through the portion of the wall so as to project an image beyond the exterior reflective surface;
one or more external lights located along the wall adjacent the exterior reflective surface; and
a controller communicably coupled to the one or more external lights, wherein the controller is configured to generate one or more control signals for controlling the one or more external lights based on a user interaction with the projected image; and
the controller being further configured to modify the perspective of the projected image, relative to a user, based on data received from one or more sensors.

13. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the interior portion further comprises a plate supporting a stencil, wherein the plate is located between the internal light source and the lens such that the light source projects light through the stencil of the plate and toward the lens.

14. The mirror assembly of claim 13 , wherein the stencil defines the projected image.

15. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the user interaction comprises a push through user input to the image, and wherein the one or more control signals are configured to activate or deactivate the one or more external lights based on the push through user input.

16. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the user interaction comprises a swipe through user input to the image, and wherein the one or more control signals are configured to change a brightness of light from the one or more external lights based on the swipe through user input.

17. The mirror assembly of claim 16 , wherein the one or more control signals change the brightness of the light from the one or more external lights based on a direction of the swipe through user input to the image.

18. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the internal light source comprises a display, and wherein the projected image is generated using the display, and wherein the projected image includes at least one of a notification, a current weather status, or a current time.

19. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the mirror further comprises at least one sensor configured to detect the user interaction with the projected image.

20. The mirror assembly of claim 12 , wherein the projected image comprises a hologram projected at a distance from the reflective surface.

21. A system for controlling a fixture, the system comprising: a mirror assembly comprising:
an interior portion;
a wall comprising an exterior reflective surface, at least a portion of the wall configured to allow light to pass from the interior portion through the wall; and
a light source and a lens located within the interior portion, wherein the lens is arranged to receive light from the light source and to direct such light through the portion of the wall so as to project an image beyond the exterior reflective surface; and
one or more external lights located along the wall adjacent the exterior reflective surface;
a controller communicably coupled to the one or more external lights, wherein the controller is configured to generate one or more control signals for controlling the one or more external lights based on a user interaction with the projected image; and
the controller being further configured to modify the perspective of the projected image, relative to a user, based on data received from one or more sensors.

Assignees

• Kohler Co
• Kohler Mira Ltd

Inventors

• Peel Kevin
• Fitton Craig
• Sansum Nigel
• Chung Chanseol

Classifications

• G03B21/2053 Primary

  Intensity control of illuminating light (controlled by video signal processing H04N5/74 or H04N9/31) · CPC title

• G06F3/017 Primary

  Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883) · CPC title

• H05B47/115

  by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings · CPC title

• A47G1/02 Primary

  Mirrors used as equipment (hand, pocket, or shaving mirrors A45D42/00; {optical viewing means for vehicles B60R1/00}) · CPC title

• F21V33/004

  Sanitary equipment, e.g. mirrors, showers, toilet seats or paper dispensers · CPC title