US 11,217,082 B2Granted

Water sensor

AssigneesDelta Faucet Company, iDevices, LLC

InventorsMichael C. Sale, Joel D. Sawaski, Michael Tetreault, Hillary C. Tracy, Eric L. Ferguson, Michael A. Daigle, Casey S. Weaver, Jeffrey A. Scarcella

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A water sensor comprises a housing including a top portion and a bottom portion; a controller positioned within the housing; a power source electrically coupled to the controller to energize the controller; and a continuity sensor electrically coupled to the controller and including an inner arcuate portion and an outer arcuate portion, the inner arcuate portion having an electrically conductive surface spanning at least 300 degrees, the outer arcuate portion having an electrically conductive surface spanning at least 300 degrees and substantially surrounding the inner arcuate portion to define an elongate gap therebetween, wherein the water sensor is structured to transition from a first logical state to a second logical state responsive to water bridging the elongate gap, and wherein the controller is structured to transmit a wireless water detection signal responsive to the water sensor transitioning to the second logical state.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A water sensor comprising:

a housing including a top portion and a bottom portion;
a controller positioned within the housing;
a power source positioned within the housing and electrically coupled to the controller to energize the controller;
and
a sensor electrically coupled to the controller, the sensor comprising control logic coupled to the controller, wherein the control logic is structured to transition from a first logical state to a second logical state responsive to water being sensed by the sensor;
wherein the controller is configured to transition from a sleep mode to an active mode in response to the control logic transitioning from the first logical state to the second logical state;
wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a first type of signal when the control logic is in the first logical state and transmit a second type of signal when the control logic is in the second logical state, wherein the first type of signal consumes less power than the second type of signal;
a visual indicator operably coupled to the controller, wherein the visual indicator outputs a first indication in response to a successful pairing between the water sensor and an electronic device;
and
wherein the visual indicator outputs a second indication in response to an unsuccessful pairing between the water sensor and the electronic device.

7 more elements

An electronic device for pairing with a water sensor, the electronic device comprising:

a transceiver;
a processor coupled to the transceiver;
a user interface coupled to the processor;
memory coupled to the processor and comprising instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:
receive, via the transceiver, a leak signal from the water sensor,
wherein the leak signal corresponds to the water sensor sensing water;
display, on the user interface, an alert icon in response to receiving the leak signal;
receive, via the transceiver, a signal strength signal from the water sensor;
display, on the user interface, a signal strength icon corresponding to the signal strength signal received from the water sensor on a user interface of the electronic device;
receive, via the transceiver, a pairing signal from the water sensor;
pair the electronic device with the water sensor to form a wireless personal area network in response to receiving the pairing signal;
and
display, on the user interface, an icon corresponding to the water sensor on the electronic device in response to the electronic device being paired with the water sensor;
wherein the water sensor includes a controller and control logic coupled to the controller, the control logic structured to transition from a first logical state to a second logical state responsive to water being sensed by the water sensor;
and
wherein the controller is further configured to transmit a first type of signal when the control logic is in the first logical state and transmit a second type of signal when the control logic is in the second logical state, wherein the first type of signal consumes less power than the second type of signal.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/745,940Filed 17 Jan 2020 · continuation
Priority: 31 Dec 2015
Published: US 2020/0152046 A114 May 2020
Granted: 4 Jan 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G08B 21/20
Status alarms: responsive to moisture
G01F 23/804
Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment: containing circuits handling parameters other than liquid level
G08B 21/182
Status alarms: level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
H04H 60/88
Accessed over computer networks: which are wireless networks

Family

Application62/273,736Us provisional application · filed 31 Dec 2015
PCT/IB2016/001954Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Dec 2016
US 2020/0152046 A1Pre-grant publication · published 14 May 2020
Application16/067,477Parent of this continuation
US 10,672,252 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2019/0027013 A1Published application
US 11,217,082 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.