# US 12,216,436 B2 · Systems and methods for determining operations of a smart fixture

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- Number: US 12,216,436 B2
- Document ID: US12216436B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/469,841
- Filed: 2023-09-19
- Published: 2024-03-07
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2021-09-03
- Assignees: Zurn Water, LLC
- Applicants: Zurn Industries, LLC
- Inventors: Arindam Chakraborty; Kevin Brockman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12216436B2

## CPC

- G05B 13/0265: {the criterion being a learning criterion}
- G06Q 50/163: Real estate management
- H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks}
- G06Q 10/20: Administration of product repair or maintenance
- 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)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)

## Abstract

A fixture that includes an electro-mechanical (EM) element; a communication interface; a processor; and a computer-readable storage media coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a service via the communication interface, parameters for scheduling an operation of the fixture; determining, based on the parameters, a plurality of commands for the EM element and a respective time to execute each of the commands; providing, at the respective time, each of the commands to the respective EM element for execution; providing, via the communication interface, an indication of completion of the operation of the fixture to the service.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A fixture operation system comprising:
a fixture;
a first electro-mechanical element associated with the fixture;
a second electro-mechanical element associated with the fixture, wherein the second electro-mechanical element is communicatively coupled to the first electro-mechanical element;
a communication interface;
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage media coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
providing, via the communication interface, fixture data determined according to an employment of the first and second electro-mechanical elements,
receiving, via the communication interface, parameters relating to a scheduled automatic operation of the fixture including an execution time;
determining, based on the parameters, at least one command relating to the scheduled fixture operation;
providing the at least one command to the first electro-mechanical element or the second electro-mechanical element for execution at the execution time; and
providing, via the communication interface, an indication of completion of the scheduled automatic operation.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1, wherein the fixture is associated with a facility.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1, wherein parameters for controlling an operation of the fixture are determined based on an input from a user interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The fixture operation system of claim 3, wherein the user interface is a facility device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1 further comprising an endpoint device, wherein the endpoint device comprises the communication interface, the processor, the computer-readable storage media, and an energy source.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1, wherein the first electro-mechanical element is a sensor, and wherein the second electro-mechanical element is an actuator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The fixture operation system of claim 6, wherein the first electro-mechanical element is one of a flow sensor, a position sensor, a proximity sensor, and a thermocouple, and wherein the second electro-mechanical element is one of a valve, an actuator, and a valve actuating solenoid.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1, wherein the fixture is a faucet, a flushometer, a flush valve, a soap dispenser, a handwashing system, a water service line monitor, a backflow preventer, a floor drain, a hand dryer, a pressure sensor, a water use sensor, a flow sensor, a valve sensor, a lavatory, a toilet, a urinal, a water closet, a bottle and glass filler, a drain, a drinking water fountain, an air quality monitor, an air or room quality sensor, a backflow preventer, a leak detection sensor, an occupancy detection sensor, a resource dispenser, a fire protection device or fixture, a waste receptacle, a door handle, a thermal mixing valve, or a contamination monitor.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The fixture operation system of claim 1, wherein, when the first electro-mechanical element is triggered, the first electro-mechanical element is configured to trigger the second electro-mechanical element.

### Claim 10

A fixture operation system comprising:
at least one fixture associated with a facility, the fixture comprising an electro-mechanical element;
a facility device associated with the facility; and
an endpoint device associated with the at least one fixture and communicatively connected with the fixture and the facility device, the endpoint device comprising:
a processor; and
a computer-readable storage device coupled to the processor and having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving, from the facility device, data representing at least one operating parameter, including an execution time, for performing a scheduled automatic operation;
determining, based on the data, at least one command;
providing the at least one command and the execution time to the electro-mechanical element, wherein the electro-mechanical element is configured to:
execute the at least one command at the execution time; and
receiving an indication of completion of the scheduled automatic operation of the fixture.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the at least one operating parameter is a one of a duration of time for an operation, a predetermined volume, and a current time to synchronize an internal clock.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the electro-mechanical element is an actuator or a sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the operations performed by the processor comprises determining, based on the data, a plurality of commands, and wherein the electro-mechanical element is configured to execute the plurality of commands at the execution time.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:
sending, via the endpoint device, the indication of completion of the operation of the fixture to a server.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise:
providing, via the endpoint device, an error condition when the electro-mechanical element fails to execute the provided commands.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The fixture operation system of claim 10, wherein the operating parameters comprise a current time, and wherein the operations further comprise:
synchronizing an internal real-time clock (RTC) based on the current time.

### Claim 17

A method for remotely scheduling and executing a fixture operation comprising:
sending, from a facility device associated with a facility, data representing a scheduled automatic operation including at least one operating parameter and an execution time, to an end point device associated with a fixture in the facility;
receiving, via the endpoint device associated with the fixture, data representing the scheduled automatic operation; and
sending, from the endpoint device to a server, an indication of completion of the scheduled automatic operation of the fixture; and
wherein the endpoint device is configured to determine, based on the operation and the operating parameters, a plurality of commands; and
provide the plurality of commands to a fixture for execution at the execution time.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method for remotely scheduling and executing a fixture operation of claim 17, wherein the electro-mechanical element is a water valve, and wherein the operation is a purge operation.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method for remotely scheduling and executing a fixture operation of claim 17, wherein the at least one operating parameter is one of a duration of time for an operation, a predetermined volume, and a current time to synchronize an internal clock.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method for remotely scheduling and executing a fixture operation of claim 17 further comprising sending, from the end point device to the server, confirmation of a scheduled operation.