Systems and methods for water re-use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12209397-B2
Application number	US-202117527240-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 16, 2021
Priority date	Nov 25, 2020
Publication date	Jan 28, 2025
Grant date	Jan 28, 2025

Abstract

A water use management system may be installed in a setting that contains a primary infrastructure for water use to provide an alternate, modular infrastructure for water use. Fresh water used at various points of use, such as a shower or sink, may be diverted into the modular infrastructure prior to draining into the primary infrastructure. Once diverted, the precedent use water is received at a reservoir system where it is treated for a subsequent use. Treatment may include filtration and/or chemical treatment, and may be based upon sensor feedback from the reservoir system. Once treated, the water is ready for subsequent use and may flow from the reservoir system, via the modular infrastructure, to a subsequent point of use, such as a toilet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
(a) capturing, by a water capture device, a precedent use water prior to disposal at a precedent point of use;
(b) transporting, by the water capture device, the precedent use water to a reservoir system;
(c) receiving, by a processor, a set of data describing the precedent use water;
(d) determining, by the processor, a set of characteristics of the precedent use water based on the set of data;
(e) identifying, by the processor, a modification to the set of characteristics based on a configured set of desirable characteristics;
(f) providing, by a treatment module, a chemical treatment configured to cause the modification to the set of characteristics and convert the precedent use water to subsequent use water;
(g) providing, by the reservoir system, the subsequent use water to a subsequent point of use;
(h) receiving, by a recipient device, water use data from one or more reservoirs including the reservoir system;
(i) generating, by the recipient device, a usage pattern based on the received water use data;
(i) generating, by the recipient device, a configuration change based on the usage pattern; and
(k) providing, by the recipient device, the configuration change to a second recipient device, wherein the configuration change is configured to modify the operation of the second recipient device.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second recipient device is the reservoir system, and wherein the operation of the reservoir system is modified to configure the set of desirable characteristics.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second recipient device is a user device, and wherein the operation of the user device is modified to cause the user device to display one or more of:
(a) a suggested time to use the subsequent use water at the subsequent point of use;
(b) an indication that the conversion of the precedent use water to the subsequent use water is complete; or
(c) an indication of the efficiency with which water is allegedly being used by a user of the user device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
(a) receiving, by the recipient device, a use request indicating a desired use of the subsequent use water; and
(b) modifying, by the recipient device, the usage pattern based on the use request.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein:
(a) the use request specifies a requested point of use; and
(b) the modified usage pattern is configured to cause the second recipient device to configure the set of desirable characteristics based on the requested point of use.

6. A method, comprising:
(a) capturing, by a water capture device, a precedent use water prior to disposal at a precedent point of use;
(b) transporting, by the water capture device, the precedent use water to a reservoir system;
(c) receiving, by a processor, a set of data describing the precedent use water;
(d) determining, by the processor, a set of characteristics of the precedent use water based on the set of data;
(e) identifying, by the processor, a modification to the set of characteristics based on a configured set of desirable characteristics;
(f) providing, by a treatment module, a chemical treatment configured to cause the modification to the set of characteristics and convert the precedent use water to subsequent use water;
(g) providing, by the reservoir system, the subsequent use water to a subsequent point of use;
(h) displaying, by a user device, a water management interface based on data received from one or more reservoir systems;
(i) displaying, by the water management interface, the set of data;
(j) displaying, by the water management interface, a suggested time to use the subsequent use water;
(k) displaying, by the water management interface, a suggested change in chemical treatment associated with water use;
(l) displaying, by the water management interface, a panel status that describes the availability of subsequent use water; and
(m) displaying, by the water management interface, a warning associated with operation of one or more reservoir systems.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the warning indicates one or more of:
(a) unavailability of subsequent use water;
(b) unavailability of the chemical treatment;
(c) presence of a contaminant; or
(d) undesirable characteristics of the subsequent use water, the precedent use water, or both.

8. A method, comprising:
(a) capturing, by a water capture device, a precedent use water prior to disposal at a precedent point of use;
(b) transporting, by the water capture device, the precedent use water to a reservoir system;
(c) receiving, by a processor, a set of data describing the precedent use water;
(d) determining, by the processor, a set of characteristics of the precedent use water based on the set of data;
(e) identifying, by the processor, a modification to the set of characteristics based on a configured set of desirable characteristics;
(f) providing, by a treatment module, a chemical treatment configured to cause the modification to the set of characteristics and convert the precedent use water to subsequent use water;
(g) providing, by the reservoir system, the subsequent use water to a subsequent point of use;
(h) determining, by the processor, a set of potential subsequent uses for the precedent use water based on the set of data and a set of chemicals available to the treatment module;
(i) determining, by the processor, an ideal subsequent use based on the set of potential subsequent uses and a usage pattern that describes past water usage; and
(j) determining, by the processor, the set of desirable characteristics based on the ideal subsequent use.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
(a) determining, by the processor, that no potential subsequent uses exist in the set of potential subsequent uses; and
(b) in response, transporting, by the water capture device, the precedent use water to a disposal.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Clarke Colin John
• Beznik Frantz
• Connolly Anna L

Classifications

• C02F1/008 Primary

  Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F · CPC title

• C02F2209/008

  comprising telecommunication features, e.g. modems or antennas · CPC title

• C02F2209/006

  comprising a software program or a logic diagram · CPC title

• C02F2209/001

  Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control · CPC title

• C02F2103/002

  Grey water, e.g. from clothes washers, showers or dishwashers · CPC title