# US 11,305,978 B2 · Modular plural component platform

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- Number: US 11,305,978 B2
- Document ID: US11305978B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/534,867
- Filed: 2019-08-07
- Published: 2020-02-13
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2018-08-13
- Assignees: Carlisle Fluid Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Carlisle Fluid Technologies, Inc.
- Inventors: Jonathan Jean Guernsey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305978B2

## CPC

- B67D 3/0012: {provided with mixing devices}
- G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence}
- B01F 23/405: {Methods of mixing liquids with liquids (B01F23/4105 takes precedence)}
- B01F 35/2111: {Flow rate}
- B01F 35/2209: {Controlling the mixing process as a whole, i.e. involving a complete monitoring and controlling of the mixing process during the whole mixing cycle}
- B01F 35/7176: {using pumps}
- G05D 7/0635: {by action on throttling means (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)}
- G05D 7/0676: {by action on flow sources (G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence)}
- G06F 9/48: Program initiating; Program switching, e.g. by interrupt
- G06F 9/4411: {Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers}
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A method includes receiving, via a processor, a unit configuration for a fluid mixing and dispensing system, where the unit configuration includes one or more fluid hardware components. The method also includes determining one or more software modules corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components and configuring a modular plural component platform by loading the one or more software modules corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method, comprising:
receiving, via a processor, a unit configuration for a fluid mixing and dispensing system, wherein the unit configuration comprises one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the fluid hardware components are configured to provide a coating;
determining one or more software modules corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the software modules include a proportional-integral-derivative controller and a motor controller; and
configuring a modular plural component platform by loading the one or more software modules corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the modular plural component platform comprises channels that reconfigure automatically based on connection to the fluid hardware components, wherein the one or more software modules comprise a flow meter module, a user interface module, or a combination thereof, and wherein the coating is a sprayed paint.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the modular plural component platform comprises the one or more software modules and a hardware abstraction layer (HAL).

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, comprising the HAL abstractly representing one or more control values received from the one or more software modules, determining one or more measured values to be provided to the one or more software modules, or a combination thereof, wherein the one or more measured values based on one or more fluid hardware values received from the one or more components of fluid hardware.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more fluid hardware components comprise a flow meter, a motor, a pump, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising automatically determining the unit configuration based on the one or more fluid hardware components.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising determining the unit configuration based on an input from a user interface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the user interface displays one or more options for the unit configuration via a plural component software application.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising controlling the mixing and delivery of one or more fluids based on one or more control inputs.

### Claim 9

A plural component fluid delivery system, comprising:
a user interface;
one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the fluid hardware components are configured to provide a coating; and
a modular plural component platform comprising a controller and a hardware abstraction layer, wherein the controller comprises a processor and a memory, and wherein the controller is configured to:
receive a unit configuration comprising the one or more fluid hardware components;
determine one or more software modules, wherein the software modules include a proportional-integral-derivative controller and a motor controller, corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components; and
configure the modular plural component platform by loading the one or more software modules corresponding to the one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the modular plural component platform comprises channels that reconfigure automatically based on connection to the fluid hardware components, wherein the one or more software modules comprises a flow meter module, a user interface module, or a combination thereof, and wherein the coating is a sprayed paint.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The plural component fluid delivery system of claim 9, wherein the one or more fluid hardware components comprises a flow meter, a motor, a pump, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The plural component fluid delivery system of claim 10, wherein a software module of the one or more software modules comprises a controller module, and wherein the controller module is configured to iteratively determine adjustments to be made to the flow meter, the motor, the pump, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The plural component fluid delivery system of claim 9, wherein each software module of the one or more software modules is in communication with a respective fluid hardware component of the one or more fluid hardware components via a separate channel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The plural component fluid delivery system of claim 12, wherein the unit configuration comprises a plurality of channels mapped to the one or more software modules and to the one or more fluid hardware components.

### Claim 14

One or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media comprising instructions configured to cause a processor to:
receive a unit configuration for a plural component fluid delivery system, wherein the unit configuration comprises the one or more fluid hardware components, wherein the fluid hardware components are configured to provide a coating;
determine one or more software modules, wherein the software modules include a proportional-integral-derivative controller and a motor controller, corresponding to the unit configuration; and
configure the plural component fluid delivery system by loading the one or more software modules corresponding to the unit configuration, wherein the plural component fluid delivery system comprises channels that reconfigure automatically based on connection to the fluid hardware components, wherein the one or more software modules comprises a flow meter module, a user interface module, or a combination thereof, and wherein the coating is a sprayed paint.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 14, wherein the one or more fluid hardware components comprises a flow meter, a motor, a pump, or a combination thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 14, wherein the instructions are configured to cause the processor to install the one or more software modules corresponding to the unit configuration and uninstall other software modules.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

The one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media of claim 14, wherein the plural component fluid delivery system is configured to enable mixing and dispensing of two fluids.