US 12,093,008 B2Granted

Systems, methods, and apparatus to monitor and control an aquatic facility

AssigneeSentry Valve Co., Inc.

InventorsMark G. Pleva, Patrick D. Gasche

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility comprising a water basin, a water supply subsystem, and other subsystems. A simplified, centralized, scalable control subsystem comprises a base controller including with inputs and outputs and a human-machine interface. Sensors are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly sense one of a pre-selected set of parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility. Actuators are operatively connected to the base controller and adapted to directly or indirectly actuate one of a pre-selected set of operations of the aquatic facility. The base controller is programmable relative to setpoints or other operational criteria of the aquatic facility; and actuation of at least a base subset of the actuators and graphical representation of the facility and the water supply, and the at least one subsystem, and the pre-selected operations of the aquatic system.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An automatic control system to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility comprising:

(a) a swimming pool for holding pool water;
(b) a water circulation subsystem in operative connection to the swimming pool to circulate water to and from the swimming pool;
(c) water heater subsystem in operative connection to the water circulation subsystem to heat the pool water;
(d) water treatment subsystem in operative connection to the water circulation subsystem to clean and disinfect the pool water;
(e) a control subsystem comprising:
(1) a base controller including:
(a) a plurality of inputs;
(b) a plurality of outputs;
(2) a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the base controller;
(3) a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the inputs, to sense parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
and
(4) a plurality of actuators operatively connected to the outputs to actuate operations related to operation of the aquatic facility;
(f) wherein the base controller receives signals from the sensors and then automatically actuates the actuators in response to the signals without human intervention;
(g) wherein the HMI provides:
(1) quantification of the parameters in response to the sensor signals;
(h) wherein the control subsystem is customizable in a scalable manner such that one or more additional sensors and/or one or more additional actuators can be operatively connected to the base controller via one or more of the plurality of inputs and/or one or more of the plurality of outputs, further wherein corresponding programming is added to the base controller;
(i) wherein the base controller is programmable with a common programming format relative to:
(1) one or more configurable setpoints, values, or states for one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors;
and
(2) actuation of one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators;
(i) wherein the HMI is programmable with the common programming format.

18 more elements

A method of automatically monitoring and controlling operation of an aquatic facility comprising a swimming pool to be filled with pool water;

a water supply subsystem in operative connection to the swimming pool;
a heater subsystem in operative connection to the water supply subsystem;
a water chemical supply subsystem in operative connection to the water supply subsystem;
a filter subsystem in operative connection to the water supply subsystem;
the method comprising:
(a) installing a control subsystem comprising:
(1) a base controller including;
(a) a plurality of inputs;
(b) a plurality of outputs;
(2) a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the base controller;
and
(3) a power supply operatively connected to the base controller and HMI;
(4) a plurality of sensors operatively connected to the inputs of the base controller, each sensor adapted to sense one of a pre-selected set of parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
(5) a plurality of actuators operatively connected to the outputs of the base controller, each actuator adapted to automatically actuate one of a pre-selected set of operations related to operation of the aquatic facility in response to signals from the sensors, without human intervention;
(b) wherein the base controller is programmed with a common programming format relative to:
(i) one or more configurable setpoints, values, or states for one or more sensors of the plurality of sensors;
and
(ii) actuation of one or more actuators of the plurality of actuators;
(c) wherein the HMI is programmed with the common programming format for
(i) visual quantification of:
(1) the pool water and the subsystems;
and
(2) differences between pre-selected operational setpoints, values, or states compared to present operational setpoint, values, or states of the aquatic system;
(d) wherein the control subsystem is customizable in a scalable manner such that one or more additional sensors and/or one or more additional actuators can be operatively connected to the base controller via one or more of the plurality of inputs and/or one or more of the plurality of outputs, further wherein corresponding programming is added to the base controller.

21 more elements

An automatic control system to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility, the control system comprising:

a base controller comprising:
one or more inputs;
one or more outputs;
a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the base controller;
one or more sensors operatively connected to the one or more inputs, to sense one or more parameters related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
one or more actuators operatively connected to the one or more outputs to actuate one or more operations related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
wherein the base controller receives one or more signals from at least one of the one or more sensors and then automatically actuates at least one of the one or more actuators based on at least one of the one or more signals;
wherein the control system is customizable in a scalable manner such that one or more additional sensors and/or one or more additional actuators can be operatively connected to the base controller via at least one of the one or more inputs and/or at least one of the one or more outputs, further wherein corresponding programming is added to the base controller;
wherein the base controller is programmable with a common programming format relative to:
one or more configurable setpoints, values, or states for one or more of the one or more sensors;
and
actuation of one or more of the one or more actuators;
wherein the HMI is programmable with the common programming format.

10 more elements

An automatic control system to monitor and control operation of an aquatic facility, the control system comprising:

a base controller comprising an input and an output;
a human-machine interface (HMI) operatively connected to the base controller;
a sensor operatively connected to the input to sense a parameter related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
an actuator operatively connected to the output to actuate an operation related to the operation of the aquatic facility;
wherein the base controller receives a signal from the sensor and then automatically actuates the actuator based on the signal;
wherein the base controller is programmable with a common programming format relative to:
configurable setpoints, values, or states for the sensor;
and
actuation of the actuator;
wherein the HMI is programmable with the common programming format.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 18/059,829Filed 29 Nov 2022 · continuation
Priority: 2 Oct 2020
Published: US 2023/0168653 A11 Jun 2023
Granted: 17 Sep 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G05B 19/042
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: using digital processors
G05B 2219/2605
Pc applications: wastewater treatment
G05B 2219/2642
Pc applications: domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
G05B 2219/2658
Pc applications: heat pump

Family

Application16/948,848Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Oct 2020
US 2023/0168653 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Jun 2023
US 11,567,468 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2022/0107614 A1Published application
US 12,093,008 B2This patent

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