# US 2019/0168140 A1 · Application based water drain feature for fuel water separators and/or natural gas filters > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168140 A1 - Document ID: US20190168140A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/321,331 - Filed: 2016-08-02 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-02 - Assignees: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc. - Applicants: Cummins Filtration IP, Inc. - Inventors: Abhijeet Vaidya; Abhijit Shimpi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168140A1 ## CPC - B01D 35/143: Filter condition indicators - B01D 35/005: {Filters specially adapted for use in internal-combustion engine lubrication or fuel systems} - B01D 36/005: {Liquid level sensing means, e.g. for water in gasoil-filters} - B01D 36/006: {Purge means} - B01D 37/045: {by level measuring} - F02M 37/28: with means activated by the presence of water, e.g. alarms or means for automatic drainage - F02M 37/32: characterised by filters or filter arrangements - B01D 2201/54: Computerised or programmable systems - B01D 2201/56: Wireless systems for monitoring the filter - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF ## Abstract Systems and methods to remotely drain a filter assembly includes a filter, an intelligent solenoid coupled to the filter, a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent solenoid, the controller configured to: determine, via the filter management circuit, a filter state based, at least in part, on the determination of the fluid amount exceeding the predetermined threshold value, and a remote user device communicatively coupled to the intelligent solenoid, the remote user device configured to: connect, via a network configured for wireless connectivity, to the intelligent solenoid coupled to the filter, receive, from the intelligent solenoid, information corresponding to a filter state indicative of the fluid amount corresponding to the filter assembly, and transmit instructions to the intelligent solenoid configured to actuate the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause a release of fluid responsive to the filter state and the transmitted instructions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus comprising: a controller, the controller configured to: determine, via a filter management circuit, a predetermined threshold value corresponding to a filter assembly comprising an intelligent solenoid; determine, via the filter management circuit, whether a fluid amount in the filter assembly exceeds the predetermined threshold value; determine, via the filter management circuit, a filter state based, at least in part, on the determination of the fluid amount exceeding the predetermined threshold value; and provide, via the filter management circuit, information corresponding to the filter state to a remote user device, wherein the intelligent solenoid is configured for actuation based on instructions wirelessly received from the remote user device. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to determine the fluid amount in the filter assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for operation when a vehicle associated with the filter is in an engine off state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid amount corresponds to a water amount in the filter assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is in a range of a calibrateable floor to a calibrateable ceiling. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the filter state comprises a fault code corresponding to the filter assembly, and wherein the filter state is configured to indicate whether a filter drain is required based on the fault code. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a raised fault code is generated responsive to the fluid amount at least one of meeting or exceeding the predetermined threshold value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a low fault code is generated responsive to the fluid amount not meeting the predetermined threshold value, and wherein the low fault code indicates a filter drain is not required. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the intelligent solenoid is configured to transmit information corresponding to the filter state to the remote user device. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the information provided to the remote user device includes an indication of whether a drain of the filter assembly is required. ### Claim 11 A method for remotely draining a filter assembly, the method comprising: connecting, via a network configured for wireless connectivity, to an intelligent solenoid coupled to a filter assembly; receiving, from the intelligent solenoid, information corresponding to a filter state indicative of a fluid amount corresponding to the filter assembly; and transmitting instructions so as to actuate the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause a release of fluid responsive to the filter state and the transmitted instructions. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the network configured for wireless connectivity is operable via a wireless chip, wireless circuit, wireless communication network, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving an engine state; determining whether a vehicle associated with the filter assembly is in an engine on state or an engine off state; and generating a filter status notification when the vehicle associated with the filter assembly is in the engine on state or the engine off state based on the engine state received. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting, via a vehicle management interface, the filter state. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, via a user selection of a link, an icon, a button, an audio selection, or combinations thereof, an indication configured to transmit instructions to the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause the release of the fluid responsive to the filter state corresponding to a required filter drain. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, via a user selection of a link, an icon, a button, an audio selection, or combination thereof, an indication configured to transmit instructions to the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause the release of the fluid responsive to the filter state corresponding to an optional filter drain. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the intelligent solenoid is configured to actuate a release coupled to the intelligent solenoid to thereby release the fluid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: receiving vehicle management history; and outputting, via a vehicle management interface, the vehicle management history. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the fluid amount corresponds to a water amount. ### Claim 20 An apparatus comprising: a remote user device, the remote user device configured to: connect, via a network configured for wireless connectivity, to an intelligent solenoid coupled to a filter assembly; receive, from the intelligent solenoid, information corresponding to a filter state indicative of a fluid amount corresponding to the filter assembly; and transmit instructions so as to actuate the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause, via a vehicle management interface corresponding to the remote user device, a release of fluid responsive to the filter state and the transmitted instructions. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the network configured for wireless connectivity is operable via a wireless chip, wireless circuit, wireless communication network, or combination thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user device is configured to output, via the vehicle management interface, the filter state. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user device is configured to receive, via a user selection of a link, an icon, a button, an audio selection, or combination thereof, an indication configured to transmit instructions to the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause the release of the fluid responsive to the filter state corresponding to a required filter drain. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user device is configured to receive, via a user selection of a link, an icon, a button, an audio selection, or combination thereof, an indication configured to transmit instructions to the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause the release of the fluid responsive to the filter state corresponding to an optional filter drain. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the intelligent solenoid is configured to actuate a release coupled to the intelligent solenoid to thereby release the fluid. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user device is further configured to receive vehicle management history; and output, via a vehicle management interface, the vehicle management history. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the vehicle management interface is configured for operation when a vehicle associated with the filter is in an engine off state. ### Claim 28 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the remote user device is configured to receive information corresponding to an engine state; determine whether a vehicle associated with the filter assembly is in an engine on state or an engine off state; and generate a filter status notification when the vehicle associated with the filter assembly is in the engine on state or the engine off state based on the engine state received. ### Claim 29 (depends on 20) The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the intelligent solenoid comprises a wireless circuit, and wherein the wireless circuit is energized via at least one of a control circuit, battery, or radio frequency circuit. ### Claim 30 A system, comprising: a filter; an intelligent solenoid coupled to the filter; a controller communicatively coupled to the intelligent solenoid, the controller configured to: determine, via a filter management circuit, a filter state based, at least in part, on a determination of the fluid amount exceeding a predetermined threshold value; and a remote user device configured for wireless operation with the intelligent solenoid, the remote user device configured to: connect, via a network configured for wireless connectivity, to the intelligent solenoid coupled to the filter; receive, from the intelligent solenoid, information corresponding to the filter state indicative of the fluid amount corresponding to the filter; and transmit, to the intelligent solenoid, instructions so as to actuate the intelligent solenoid to thereby cause a release of fluid responsive to the filter state and the transmitted instructions. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the controller is further configured to: determine, via a filter management circuit, a predetermined threshold value corresponding to the filter; determine, via the filter management circuit, whether the fluid amount in the filter exceeds the predetermined threshold value; and provide, via the filter management circuit, information corresponding to the filter state to a remote user device. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, further comprising a sensor configured to determine the fluid amount in the filter. ### Claim 33 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the intelligent solenoid is configured to operate wirelessly via a wireless chip, wireless circuit, wireless communication network, or combinations thereof. ### Claim 34 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the vehicle management interface is configured for operation when a vehicle associated with the filter is in an engine off state. ### Claim 36 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the remote user device is configured to receive information corresponding to an engine state; determine whether a vehicle associated with the filter is in an engine on state or an engine off state; and generate a filter status notification when the vehicle associated with the filter is in the engine on state or the engine off state based on the engine state received. ### Claim 37 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the fluid amount corresponds to a water amount. ### Claim 38 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the instructions transmitted by the remote user device are transmitted directly to the intelligent solenoid. ### Claim 39 (depends on 30) The system of claim 30, wherein the instructions transmitted by the remote user device to the controller, and in response to the transmitted instructions, the controller instructs the intelligent solenoid to cause the release of fluid responsive to the filter state.