# US 12,000,625 B2 · Water heaters with real-time hot water supply determination > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,000,625 B2 - Document ID: US12000625B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/817,060 - Filed: 2022-08-03 - Published: 2022-12-01 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-19 - Assignees: Rheem Manufacturing Company - Applicants: Rheem Manufacturing Company - Inventors: Raheel A. Chaudhry; Lydia Herge - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12000625B2 ## CPC - F24H 9/2021: {Storage heaters} - F24D 19/1051: {for domestic hot water} - F24H 1/202: {with resistances} - F24H 15/174: Supplying heated water with desired temperature or desired range of temperature - F24H 15/225: at different heights of the tank - F24H 15/238: Flow rate - F24H 15/31: of valves having only one inlet port and one outlet port, e.g. flow rate regulating valves - F24H 15/37: of electric heaters - F24H 15/395: Information to users, e.g. alarms - F24H 15/421: using pre-stored data - G05B 15/02: electric - G05D 23/1917: {using digital means} - F24D 19/00: Details (of water or air heaters F24H9/00; of heat-exchange or heat-transfer apparatus, of general application F28F) - F24D 2200/08: Electric heater - F24D 2220/08: Storage tanks - F24H 9/28: characterised by the graphical user interface [GUI] - F24H 15/156: Reducing the quantity of energy consumed; Increasing efficiency - F24H 15/20: characterised by control inputs - F24H 15/242: Pressure - F24H 15/281: Input from user - F24H 15/296: Information from neighbouring devices - F24H 15/45: remotely accessible - F24H 15/486: using timers - G05B 15/00: Systems controlled by a computer (G05B13/00, G05B19/00 take precedence; automatic controllers with particular characteristics G05B11/00) - G05D 23/00: Control of temperature - F24H: FLUID HEATERS, e.g. WATER OR AIR HEATERS, HAVING HEAT-GENERATING MEANS, e.g. HEAT PUMPS, IN GENERAL (steam generation F22) - F24D: DOMESTIC- OR SPACE-HEATING SYSTEMS, e.g. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEMS; DOMESTIC HOT-WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS; ELEMENTS OR COMPONENTS THEREFOR (using steam or condensate extracted or exhausted from steam engine plants for heating purposes F01K17/02) - 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) - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract A water heating system can include a water heater having a tank, an inlet line, and an outlet line, where the inlet line provides unheated water to the tank, and where the outlet line draws heated water from the tank. The water heating system can also include multiple sensing devices, where each sensing device of the plurality of sensing devices measures a parameter associated with the tank. The water heating system can further include a controller communicably coupled to the plurality of sensing devices, where the controller determines an amount of heated water in the tank based on measurements made by the plurality of sensing devices. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A water heating system comprising: a water heater comprising a tank; a lower temperature sensor configured to detect first temperature data of water at a lower location of the tank; an upper temperature sensor configured to detect second temperature data of the water at an upper location of the tank; and a controller configured to: receive the first temperature data from the lower temperature sensor, receive the second temperature data from the upper temperature sensor, in response to the second temperature data exceeding an upper temperature threshold; determine that at least a first portion of the tank, corresponding to the upper location of the tank relative to a height of the tank, comprises hot water; determine, based at least in part on the first temperature data, that a temperature of water at the lower location of the tank exceeds a lower temperature threshold indicative of at least a second portion of the tank corresponding to the lower location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, comprising hot water; and output, based on determining that the temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank exceeds the lower temperature threshold, a message to a user device that the tank is full. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine that a second temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold; and heat, based on determining that the second temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold, the water at the lower location the tank using a lower heating element. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: an upper heating element configured to heat water at the upper location the tank; and a lower heating element configured to heat water at the lower location the tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine that a second temperature of the water at the upper location of the tank does not exceed the upper temperature threshold; and heat, based on determining that the second temperature of the water at the upper location of the tank does not exceed the upper temperature threshold, water at the upper location of the tank using the upper heating element. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine, based at least in part on the first temperature data, the second temperature data, the upper location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, and the lower location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, a current amount of heated water in the tank. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine, based at least in part on the first temperature data and the second temperature data, a location of the heated water in the tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a flow rate sensor configured to measure a flow rate associated with a draw of heated water. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive flow data from the flow rate sensor; and determine whether a current amount of heated water is sufficient to satisfy the draw of heated water. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to: in response to determining that the current amount of heated water is not sufficient to satisfy the draw of water, determine an amount of time required for the water heater to produce an amount of heated water sufficient to satisfy the draw of heated water. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein determining the amount of time required for the water heater to produce the amount of heated water sufficient to satisfy the draw of heated water is based at least in part on an actual capacity of the tank, a temperature of incoming unheated water, a set point of heated water, and a heat output of the water heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to: output a message to a user device, the message being indicative of the amount of time required for the water heater to produce the amount of heated water sufficient to satisfy the draw of heated water. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: output instructions for deactivating a heating device of the water heater in response to determining a temperature of water in the tank exceeds a maximum threshold value. ### Claim 13 A method for a water heating system, the method comprising: detecting, by a lower temperature sensor, a temperature of water at a lower location of a tank; receiving first temperature data from the lower temperature sensor; detecting, by an upper temperature sensor, a temperature of the water at an upper location of the tank; receiving second temperature data from the upper temperature sensor; in response to the second temperature data exceeding an upper temperature threshold; determining that at least a first portion of the tank, corresponding to the upper location of the tank relative to a height of the tank comprises hot water; determining, based at least in part on the first temperature data, that the temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank exceeds a lower temperature threshold indicative of at least a second portion of the tank, corresponding to the lower location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, comprising hot water; and outputting, based on determining that the temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank exceeds the lower temperature threshold, a message to a user device that the tank is full. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining that a second temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold; and heating, based on determining that the second temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold, the water at the lower location the tank using a lower heating element. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: heating, using an upper heating element, the water at the upper location the tank; and heating, using a lower heating element, the water at the lower location of the tank. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining that a second temperature of the water at the upper location of the tank does not exceed the upper temperature threshold; and heating, based on determining that the second temperature of water at the upper location of the tank does not exceed the upper temperature threshold, water at the upper location of the tank using the upper heating element. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising: determining, based at least in part on the first temperature data, the second temperature data, the upper location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, and the lower location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, a current amount of heated water in the tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising: determining, based at least in part on the first temperature data and the second temperature data, a location of the heated water in the tank. ### Claim 19 A controller comprising: one or more processors; and memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the controller to: receive first temperature data from a lower temperature sensor at a lower location of a tank; receive second temperature data from an upper temperature sensor at an upper location of the tank; in response to the second temperature data exceeding an upper temperature threshold; determine that at least a first portion of the tank, corresponding to the upper location of the tank relative to a height of the tank comprises hot water; determine that at least a first portion of the tank, corresponding to the upper location of the tank relative to a height of the tank comprises hot water; determine, based at least in part on the first temperature data, that a temperature of water at the lower location of the tank exceeds a lower temperature threshold indicative of at least a second portion of the tank corresponding to the lower location of the tank relative to the height of the tank, comprising hot water; and output, based on determining that the temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank exceeds the lower temperature threshold, a message to a user device that the tank is full. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The controller of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the controller to: determine that a second temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold; and heat, based on determining that the temperature of the water at the lower location of the tank does not exceed the lower temperature threshold, the water at the lower location the tank using a lower heating element.