Intelligent flushing system

A control method adapted for flush mechanisms in automatic mode, comprising the steps of:

• a) detecting for excrement with an odor sensor, selecting and performing a preinstalled flush procedure in accordance with the signals;
• b) capturing and processing images of optical conditions of the bowl/drainage area of a plumbing product with one or more cameras;
• c) storing selected images as imagery reference representing preferable conditions of a pluming product;
• d) comparing real-time images with imagery reference for detection of conditions, light intensities and litter/wastes in a plumbing product;
• e) applying 2D image processing and 3D modeling technology for determination of nature of wastes, dimensions of solid wastes, need for flush and required flush volume;
• f) selecting and performing preinstalled and diagnostic flush procedures in accordance with image processing results;
• g) assessing flush mechanism performance and activating posterior flush mechanisms in accordance with optical conditions of a plumbing product;
• h) analyzing conditions of a plumbing product, and activating flush mechanism when it is determined that a patron is finished of use and is physically detached from it and risk free of being wetted by flush water;
• i) processing and sending alert to assigned destinations as per operational conditions predefined by an authorized party, such as but not limited to building management and product supplier.

An information based intelligent flushing system constitutes an ‘Intelligent Agent’, which transmits and obtains internal, external and archived information by:

• a) recording duration and frequency in use of a plumbing product;
• b) monitoring operation of components in an intelligent flushing system, resulting data is sent for presentation, storage for statistical analysis and archiving;
• c) storing and retrieving results of image analyses and recognized wastes versus selected flush procedures, identified dimensions of wastes versus computed flush volumes in diagnostic flush procedures and flush performance assessment results on completed flush mechanisms, as well as, other data of the intelligent flushing system operations;
• such information is used for knowledge build-up in refining ongoing computations and self-learning in precise estimations of required flush volumes;
• d) exporting data of the intelligent flushing system to a shared memory unit accessible by control units of other information based intelligent flushing systems of the invention, or directly exporting to them, as well as, other information systems, including those operated by the supplier;
• e) using an information source containing various forms of data, including but not limited to real-time pressure of supply water, accumulated water consumption within a defined time period and targeted total water consumption, as a reference for performing a flush mechanism using the least flush volume for water conservation;
• f) using an information source for determination of temporary entrance to divisional or total power-save mode for power conservation;
• information comprises various sources, including but not limited to real-time washroom occupancy and data obtained from coupled sensors or other external systems, input from human operators, archived data and preset specifications and timer, etc.;
• g) self-diagnosing the entire intelligent flushing system for detection of defunct components and prediction of foreseeable flaws prior to actual occurrence of system malfunction, wherein results including a list of components suggested for replacement is created along with locations of repair, are sent to designated parties.