Faucet including capacitive and ultrasonic sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9976291-B2
Application number	US-201414776559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2014
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A fluid delivery apparatus includes a spout, an ultrasonic sensor, and a capacitive sensor. The ultrasonic sensor is configured to detect the presence of a user adjacent the spout when enabled. The capacitive sensor is configured to define a capacitance sensing field in an area near the spout and also to detect a presence of a user. A controller is coupled to the capacitive sensor and the ultrasonic sensor. The controller is programmed to detect the presence of a user in the capacitance sensing field based on an output signal from the capacitance sensor. The controller is also programmed to enable the ultrasonic sensor in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor, thereby reducing the amount of power used by the ultrasonic sensor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fluid delivery apparatus comprising:
a spout;
a normally disabled ultrasonic sensor located adjacent the spout, the ultrasonic sensor being configured to detect the presence of a user adjacent the spout when enabled;
a capacitive sensor configured to define a capacitance sensing field in an area near the spout to detect a presence of a user; and
a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor and the ultrasonic sensor, the controller being programmed to detect the presence of a user in the capacitance sensing field based on an output signal from the capacitance sensor, the controller also being programmed to enable the ultrasonic sensor in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor, thereby reducing the amount of power used by the ultrasonic sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller causes fluid flow through the spout upon detection of the user in the capacitance sensing field.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller causes fluid flow through the spout upon detection of the user by the enabled ultrasonic sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller also turns on a light in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller, the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are powered by a battery.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller disables the ultrasonic sensor to conserve battery life when the controller detects that the user has moved out away from the spout.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor determines a distance of the user from the spout, the controller decreasing a rate of fluid flow from the spout as the user gets closer to the spout.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are located on the spout.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are located on a pullout wand coupled to the spout.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the controller is programmed to detect a relative position of a rim of a glass located adjacent the spout and an interior surface within the glass based on an output signal from the ultrasonic sensor, the controller being programmed to deactivate an electrically operable valve to stop water flow when the glass is filled to a predetermined level below the glass rim.

11. A method comprising:
providing a spout, a normally disabled ultrasonic sensor adjacent the spout, a capacitive sensor adjacent the spout, and a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor and the ultrasonic sensor;
detecting presence of a user in a capacitance sensing field near the spout based on an output from the capacitive sensor;
enabling the ultrasonic sensor in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor; and
detecting the presence of the user adjacent the spout with the enabled ultrasonic sensor.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing fluid flow through the spout upon detection of the user in the capacitance sensing field.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising causing fluid flow through the spout upon detection of the user by the enabled ultrasonic sensor.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising turning on a light in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising powering the controller, the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor with a battery.

16. The method of claim 11 , further comprising disabling the ultrasonic sensor to conserve battery life when the controller detects that the user has moved out away from the spout.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining a distance of the user from the spout with the ultrasonic sensor, and decreasing a rate of fluid flow from the spout as the user gets closer to the spout.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are located on the spout.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are located on a pullout wand coupled to the spout.

20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising activating an electrically operable valve to start water flow from the spout to fill a glass; detecting a relative position of a rim of the glass located adjacent the spout and an interior surface within the glass based on an output signal from the ultrasonic sensor, and deactivating the electrically operable valve to stop water flow from the spout when the glass is filled to a predetermined level below the glass rim.

21. A fluid delivery apparatus comprising:
a water outlet;
a normally disabled ultrasonic sensor configured to detect the presence of a user adjacent the water outlet when enabled;
a capacitive sensor configured to define a capacitive sensing field in an area near the water outlet to detect the presence of a user;
a controller coupled to the capacitive sensor and the ultrasonic sensor, the controller being configured to detect the presence of a user in the capacitive sensing field based on an output signal from the capacitive sensor, the controller also being configured to enable the ultrasonic sensor in response to detecting the presence of the user in the capacitance sensing field with the capacitive sensor; and
an electrically operable valve coupled to the controller and configured to control water flow to the water outlet, the electrically operable valve being open when the controller enables the ultrasonic sensor and the controller detects the presence of the user adjacent the water outlet with the enabled ultrasonic sensor.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising a spout defining the water outlet, wherein the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are supported by the spout.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller, the ultrasonic sensor and the capacitive sensor are powered by a battery.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the controller disables the ultrasonic sensor to conserve battery life when the controller detects that the user has moved away from the water outlet and out of the capacitive sensing field.

Assignees

• Delta Faucet Co

Inventors

• Sawaski Joel D
• Davidson Kyle R
• Rittenhouse Kent

Classifications

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title

• F21V33/004

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

• G01D5/2405

  by varying dielectric · CPC title

• G01V1/00

  Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting · CPC title

• E03C1/055 Primary

  Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like · CPC title