Shower head controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9322151-B2
Application number	US-201213660826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 25, 2012
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Apr 26, 2016
Grant date	Apr 26, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus includes a sensor module, a transmission module, a flow reduction module, and a flow return module. The sensor module senses presence of a shower item on a shelf in a shower and senses a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf. The transmission module wirelessly transmits an item missing signal. The item missing signal is transmitted in response to sensing a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf. The flow reduction module reduces water flow to a shower head in the shower from a first flow level to a reduced flow level in response to wirelessly receiving the item missing signal. The flow return module returns water flow to the first flow level in response to expiration of a restore time delay or wirelessly receiving an item return signal in response to sensing a presence of the shower item on the shelf.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor module that senses a presence of a shower item on a shelf in a shower and senses a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf by sensing a change in weight on the shelf;
a transmission module that transmits an item missing signal, the item missing signal transmitted in response to the sensor module sensing a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf, the item missing signal comprising a wireless signal;
a flow reduction module that reduces water flow to a shower head in the shower from a first flow level to a reduced flow level in response to wirelessly receiving the item missing signal;
a flow return module that returns water flow to the first flow level in response to one or more of
expiration of a restore time delay; and
wirelessly receiving an item return signal from the transmission module, the item return signal in response to the sensor module sensing a presence of the shower item on the shelf;

a configuration module that, in response to user input, changes sensitivity settings of the sensor module;
a shower start module that determines that water is flowing through the shower head; and
a sensor reset module that initiates sensing by the sensing module in response to the shower start module determining that water is flowing through the shower head,
wherein the transmission module withholds sending the item missing signal until after the shower start module determines that water is flowing through the shower head, the sensor reset module initiates sensing, and the sensor module senses the presence of the shower item on the shelf and then senses lack of the shower item on the shelf,
wherein the sensor module and the transmission module are integral with the shelf, and wherein the flow reduction module and the flow return module are collocated with the shower head.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item missing signal comprises one or more of a radio frequency identifier (“RFID”) signal and a blue tooth signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the item return signal comprises cessation of the item missing signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module, the transmission module, flow reduction and the flow return module are powered with a low voltage power source.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the low voltage power source is a battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the flow reduction and the flow return module are integral with the shower head.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module and the transmission module are mounted with the shelf.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module blocks the transmission module from sending an RFID signal as the item missing signal until the sensor module detects the lack of presence of the shower item.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sensor module senses the presence of the shower item using one or more of an infrared sensor and an ultrasonic sensor focused on an area above the shelf.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the configuration module that, in response to user input, one or more of
sets the restore time delay;
configures the flow return module to return water flow to the first level after the restore time delay;
configures the flow return module to return water flow to the first level after receiving the item return signal; and
configures the flow return module to return water flow to the first level after receiving the item return signal and after the restore time delay.

11. A system comprising:
a shelf apparatus configured to mount with a shelf in a shower, the shelf apparatus comprising
a sensor module that senses a presence of a shower item on the shelf in a shower and senses a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf by sensing a change in weight on the shelf;
a transmission module that transmits an item missing signal, the item missing signal transmitted in response to the sensor module sensing a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf, the item missing signal comprising a wireless signal;

a shower head apparatus configured to mount with a shower head in the shower, the shower head apparatus comprising
a flow reduction module that reduces water flow to the shower head from a first flow level to a reduced flow level in response to wirelessly receiving the item missing signal; and
a flow return module that returns water flow to the first flow level in response to one or more of expiration of a restore time delay and wirelessly receiving an item return signal from the transmission module, the item return signal in response to the sensor module sensing a presence of the shower item on the shelf;

a configuration module that, in response to user input, changes sensitivity settings of the sensor module;
a shower start module that determines that water is flowing through the shower head; and
a sensor reset module that initiates sensing by the sensing module in response to the shower start module determining that water is flowing through the shower head,
wherein the transmission module withholds sending the item missing signal until after the shower start module determines that water is flowing through the shower head, the sensor reset module initiates sensing, and the sensor module senses the presence of the shower item on the shelf and then senses lack of the shower item on the shelf,
wherein the sensor module and the transmission module are integral with the shelf, and wherein the flow reduction module and the flow return module are collocated with the shower head.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the shower head apparatus is integral to the shower head.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the shower head apparatus is connected to the shower head.

14. An apparatus comprising:
a sensor module that senses a presence of a shower item on a shelf in a shower and senses a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf by sensing a change in weight on the shelf;
a transmission module that transmits an item missing signal, the item missing signal transmitted in response to the sensor module sensing a lack of presence of the shower item on the shelf, the item missing signal comprising one or more of a radio frequency identifier (“RFID”) signal and a blue tooth signal;
a flow reduction module that reduces water flow to a shower head in the shower from a first flow level to a reduced flow level in response to wirelessly receiving the item missing signal;
a flow return module that returns water flow to the first flow level in response to one or more of
expiration of a restore time delay; and
wirelessly receiving an item return signal from the transmission module, the item return signal in response to the sensor module sensing a presence of the shower item on the shelf;

a shower start module that determines that water is flowing through the shower head;
a sensor reset module that initiates sensing by the sensing module in response to the shower start module determining that water is flowing through the shower head; and
a configuration module that, in response to user input, changes sensitivity settings of the sensor module,
wherein modules at the shelf location and modules at the shower head location communicate wirelessly without wires between the shelf location and the shower head location
wherein the transmission module withholds sending the item missing signal until after the shower start module determines that water is flowing through the shower head, the sensor reset module initiates sensing, and the sensor module senses the presence of the shower item on the shelf and the

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Janakiraman Janani
• Madden Dany R
• Sripal Meenakshi

Classifications

• E03C1/057

  touchless, i.e. using sensors · CPC title

• A47K3/281

  Accessories for showers or bathing douches, e.g. cleaning devices for walls or floors of showers (A47K3/30, A47K3/38, A47K3/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• E03C1/0408 Primary

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