Concepts underwater communication with equipment such as automatic swimming pool cleaners
AssigneeZodiac Pool Systems LLC
InventorsPhillip Newman, Hendrikus Johannes van der Meijden
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Techniques and methods for wirelessly communicating underwater with equipment such as, but not necessarily limited to, automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs) are detailed. Such communication avoids any need for conventional wired communication with the APCs. In some cases sounds may be used to communicate, and such sounds may travel through both air and water.
Claims29
An automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising:
- a housing, a communication sensor, and a controller,
- wherein the automatic swimming pool cleaner is configured to be at least partially submerged within water of a swimming pool or spa,
- wherein the communication sensor is configured to receive a sound signal at the automatic swimming pool cleaner while the automatic swimming pool is at least partially submerged, wherein the sound signal is a non-verbal, mechanically-generated sound signal formed by at least one of a user or a mechanical sound maker using a physical mechanism to create the sound signal, wherein the sound signal furnishes an operation instruction to the automatic swimming pool cleaner, and
- wherein the controller is configured to:
- receive an electrical signal from the communication sensor based on the sound signal, the electrical signal comprising at least one characteristic corresponding to the operation instruction;
- determine a control response for the automatic swimming pool cleaner based on the at least one characteristic;
- and
- initiate control of the automatic swimming pool cleaner pursuant to the determined control response.
A pool system comprising:
- a mechanical sound maker comprising a physical mechanism to create the sound signal;
- and
- an automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising:
- a housing, a communication sensor, and a controller,
- wherein the automatic swimming pool cleaner is configured to be at least partially submerged within water of a swimming pool,
- wherein the communication sensor is configured to receive the sound signal from at least one of the mechanical sound maker or a user, wherein the sound signal is a non-verbal, mechanically-generated sound signal, the sound signal furnishing an operation instruction to the automatic swimming pool cleaner while the automatic swimming pool is at least partially submerged, and
- wherein the controller is configured to control the automatic swimming pool cleaner responsive to the received sound signal by identifying the operating instruction based on at least one characteristic of the sound signal and controlling the automatic swimming pool cleaner pursuant to the identified operating instruction.
A method of controlling an automatic swimming pool cleaner within a pool, the method comprising:
- receiving a sound signal using a communication sensor on the automatic swimming pool cleaner, the sound signal comprising at least one characteristic, wherein the sound signal is a non-verbal, mechanically-generated sound signal formed by at least one of a user or a mechanical sound maker using a physical mechanism to create the sound signal;
- determining a control response using a controller on the automatic swimming pool cleaner based on the received sound signal and the at least one characteristic;
- and
- controlling the automatic swimming pool cleaner pursuant to the determined control response.
A method of communicating with an automatic swimming pool cleaner at least partially submerged within water of a swimming pool or spa, comprising creating a sound configured for receipt by a sound-receiving means on the automatic swimming pool cleaner, the sound comprising at least one characteristic furnishing instructions to the automatic swimming pool cleaner, wherein the sound signal is a non-verbal, mechanically-generated sound signal formed by at least one of a user or a mechanical sound maker using a physical mechanism to create the sound signal.
A submersible automatic swimming pool cleaner comprising means on the submersible automatic swimming pool cleaner for receiving and processing a sound signal, wherein the sound signal is a non-verbal, mechanically-generated sound signal formed by at least one of a user or a mechanical sound maker using a physical mechanism to create the sound signal, the sound signal comprising at least one characteristic furnishing an operation instruction to the automatic swimming pool cleaner.
A method of controlling an automatic swimming pool cleaner within a pool, the method comprising:
- causing the automatic swimming pool cleaner to enter a quiet mode, whereby a motor of the automatic swimming pool cleaner is de-energized;
- responsive to entering the quiet mode and while the automatic swimming pool cleaner is in the quiet mode, listening, by the automatic swimming pool cleaner, for a sound signal using a communication sensor on the automatic swimming pool cleaner, the sound signal comprising at least one characteristic;
- and
- controlling the automatic swimming pool cleaner based on the at least one characteristic of the sound signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.