Wireless automatic swimming pool cleaners and associated systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025052084-A1
Application number	US-202418926831-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2024
Priority date	Feb 23, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

Concepts relating to automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) are detailed. Some concepts may involve communication with APCs either in or out of the water of swimming pools or spas, while other concepts may concern battery charging or management or other operational aspects of cleaner usage in a pool or spa, among others. Many of the concepts may be applicable to avoid need for a robotic APC to be wired to an external control device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising an on-board battery and a charging control system for controlling at least one of charging of the on-board battery or activities of the APC based on a charge level of the on-board battery.

2 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the charging control system is configured to control charging of the on-board battery by stopping charging of the on-board battery at a predetermined charge level.

3 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the charging control system is configured to control charging of the on-board battery by controlling a charging speed by controlling a current of charge.

4 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the charging control system is configured to control charging of the on-board battery by discharging the on-board battery or stop charging of the on-board battery based on a temperature of the on-board battery.

5 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the charging control system is configured to control charging of the on-board battery by discharging the on-board battery to a charge level less than a full charge level based on the on-board battery being at the full charge level and the APC being connected to a charger for a predetermined time.

6 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the charging control system is configured to schedule charging of the on-board battery based on usage of the APC.

7 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control at least one of:
a motor speed of a motor of the APC based on the charge level of the on-board battery; a cleaning cycle of the APC based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

8 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the control system is configured to control a cleaning cycle of the APC based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

9 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to control the cleaning cycle by controlling a cycle time based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

10 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to control the cleaning cycle by controlling a cycle pattern based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

11 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the control system is configured to control the cleaning cycle by controlling a stopping of the cleaning cycle based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

12 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein, based on a cleaning cycle request from a user, the control system is configured to:
decline a cleaning cycle request from a user based on the charge level of the on-board battery; or propose a type of cleaning cycle based on the charge level of the on-board battery.

13 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the automatic swimming pool cleaner further comprises a body, an antenna enabling a first type of non-wired communication between the automatic swimming pool cleaner with a device external to a swimming pool, and a sensor enabling a second type of non-wired communication with the automatic swimming pool cleaner different from the first type of non-wired communication.

14 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the antenna is on, in, or attached to the body, and wherein the first type of non-wired communication comprises a wireless communication protocol.

15 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect at least one of external contact with the automatic swimming pool cleaner, movement of the automatic swimming pool cleaner, or an orientation of the automatic swimming pool cleaner.

16 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 13 , wherein the automatic swimming pool cleaner is configured to communicate wirelessly with the device external to the swimming pool while the automatic swimming pool cleaner is operating at or near a waterline of the swimming pool.

17 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the on-board battery is configured to switch between operational modes, the operational modes comprising:
a normal operational mode; an off operational mode interrupting the supply of electricity from the on-board battery to the plurality of components of the automatic swimming pool cleaner; and an idle mode allowing the supply of electricity to at a first component of the plurality of components and interrupting the supply of electricity to at least a second component of the plurality of components.

18 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 17 , further comprising a sensor, wherein the on-board battery is configured to switch between operational modes based on information from the sensor.

19 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a physical button, a temperature sensor, a gyroscope, a compass, a pressure sensor, an accelerometer, or a charge detection sensor.

20 . The automatic swimming pool cleaner of claim 18 , wherein the automatic swimming pool cleaner is configured to receive an operation schedule from a user, and wherein the on-board battery is configured to switch between operational modes based on the operation schedule.

Assignees

• Zodiac Pool Care Europe

Inventors

• Lancry Arnaud
• Duffaut Simon
• Favie Louis
• Chafik Mehdi
• Deloche Remi
• Besnier Arnaud

Classifications

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04W4/38

  for collecting sensor information · CPC title

• E04H4/1654 Primary

  Self-propelled cleaners · CPC title