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US 10,745,893 B2Granted
User friendly systems and devices facilitating water conservation in the smart home
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsBrian Silverstein, Lawrence Chang, Mary Reilly, David Sloo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for facilitating water conservation and smart water control are provided. Water conservation and smart water control can be achieved using a smart water apparatus having the ability to approximate distance, mass, and/or specific characteristics of an object such as a human or inanimate object and adjust flow rate of water and/or temperature of the water based on the approximated distance, mass, and/or specific characteristics of an object. The smart water apparatus can be embodied, for example, in a network connected shower head or a network connected faucet.
Claims20
A smart water apparatus, comprising:
- a water source port;
- a water egress port;
- flow control valve operative to control flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
- power storage;
- power control circuitry electrically coupled to the power storage;
- a water turbine electrically coupled to the power control circuitry and operative to generate power when water is flowing through the smart water apparatus;
- radio frequency (RF) detection circuitry operative to identify a characteristic of an object;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the flow control valve and the RF detection circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
- adjust a temperature of the water being ejected through the water egress port based on the identified characteristic of the object, wherein:
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature;
- and
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.
10 more elements
A smart water apparatus, comprising:
- a water source port;
- a water egress port;
- flow control valve operative to control a flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
- a temperature sensor operative to monitor a water temperature of water flowing through the smart water apparatus;
- communications circuitry operative to communicate with remote circuitry that is coupled to a water temperature control assembly;
- radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry operative to detect and characterize an object;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor, the communications circuitry, the flow control valve, and the RF capturing circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
- adjust the flow of water, via the flow control valve, being ejected through the water egress port;
- and
- adjust the temperature of the water, via the communications circuitry, based on characterizing the object, wherein:
- the object being characterized as a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature;
- and
- the object being characterized as a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.
11 more elements
A smart water apparatus, comprising:
- a water source port;
- a water egress port;
- flow control valve operative to control a flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
- a temperature sensor operative to monitor a water temperature of water flowing through the smart water apparatus;
- communications circuitry operative to communicate with remote circuitry that is coupled to a water temperature control assembly;
- radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry operative to identify a characteristic of an object;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the temperature sensor, the communications circuitry, the flow control valve, and the RF capturing circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
- adjust the flow of water, via the flow control valve, being ejected through the water egress port;
- and
- adjust the temperature of the water based on the identified characteristic of the object, wherein:
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature;
- and
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature.
11 more elements
A method for operating a smart water apparatus, comprising:
- using radio frequency (RF) capturing circuitry to:
- approximate a distance of an object from a fixed point of reference and characterize the object;
- and
- adjusting a water temperature based on the object being characterized, wherein:
- the object being characterized as a toothbrush causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively cold temperature;
- and
- the object being characterized as a razor causes the temperature to be adjusted to a relatively hot temperature;
- adjusting a flow rate of water exiting the smart water apparatus based on the approximated distance, wherein the flow rate comprises a zero flow rate, a maximum flow rate, and at least one intermediate flow rates existing between the zero and maximum flow rates, wherein the adjusting comprises:
- in response to initiation of a hot water event and no object is detected, setting the flow rate to a first intermediate flow rate of the at least one intermediate flow rates to enable the water temperature to reach a first temperature;
- and
- in response to determination that the water temperature reached the first temperature:
- setting the flow rate to the zero flow rate or to a second intermediate flow rate that is less than the first intermediate flow rate;
- and
- indicating that the water has reached the first temperature.
11 more elements
A smart water apparatus, comprising:
- a water source port;
- a water egress port;
- flow control valve operative to control flow of water received at the water source port and ejected through the water egress port;
- radio frequency (RF) detection circuitry operative to identify a characteristic of an object;
- and
- control circuitry coupled to the flow control valve and the RF detection circuitry, wherein the control circuitry is operative to:
- adjust a temperature of the water being ejected through the water egress port based on the identified characteristic of the object, wherein:
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a first type of inanimate object for which the temperature of the water is adjusted to a first temperature;
- and
- the identified characteristic being indicative of a second type of inanimate object for which the temperature of the water is adjusted to a second temperature.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.