# US 2021/0324846 A1 · Systems and methods for maintaining pool systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0324846 A1 - Document ID: US20210324846A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/209,858 - Filed: 2021-03-23 - Published: 2021-10-21 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-17 - Assignees: Poolside Tech, LLC - Applicants: Poolside Tech, LLC - Inventors: William R. Doan; Stan Reznik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210324846A1 ## CPC - F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers} - E04H 4/1209: {Treatment of water for swimming pools (filters B01D)} - E04H 4/1245: {Recirculating pumps for swimming pool water} - F04B 13/00: Pumps specially modified to deliver fixed or variable measured quantities - F04B 49/06: Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) - F04B 49/20: by changing the driving speed - F04D 13/06: the pump being electrically driven - F04D 15/0066: {by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine} - F04D 15/0077: {Safety measures (F04D15/02 takes precedence)} - F04D 15/0088: {Testing machines} - F04D 15/02: Stopping of pumps, or operating valves, on occurrence of unwanted conditions - F04D 15/0209: {responsive to a condition of the working fluid (F04D15/029 takes precedence)} - F04D 15/0245: {responsive to a condition of the pump} - F04D 27/004: {by varying driving speed} - F04D 29/708: {specially for liquid pumps} - F16K 37/0033: {using a permanent magnet, e.g. in combination with a reed relays} - F16K 37/0041: {for measuring valve parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)} - F16K 37/005: {for measuring fluid parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence)} - F04B 2203/0209: Rotational speed - F04B 2205/09: Flow through the pump - F16K 15/03: with a hinged closure member {or with a pivoted closure member} - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) - E04H: BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL (foundations E02D) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)} ## Abstract One aspect of the invention provides a system including: a liquid filter configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository; a flow sensor in fluidic communication with the liquid filter; a variable-speed pump in fluidic communication with the liquid filter and the flow sensor; and a processor in electronic communication with the flow sensor and the variable-speed pump. The processor is configured to: activate the flow pump at a specified flow rate; monitor a positioning of the flow sensor during the specified flow rate; and determine a performance status of the system from the flow sensor positioning. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a liquid filter configured for fluidic communication with a fluid repository; a flow sensor in fluidic communication with the liquid filter; a variable-speed pump in fluidic communication with the liquid filter and the flow sensor; and a processor in electronic communication with the flow sensor and the variable-speed pump, the processor configured to: activate a calibration procedure comprising: activating the variable-speed pump at a plurality of specified calibration flow rates in a descending order; determining a specified calibration flow rate when the flow sensor is in a closed position; and identifying an underperforming-status threshold from the specified calibration flow rate; activate the variable-speed flow pump at a specified flow rate, wherein the specified flow rate meets or falls below the underperforming status threshold; monitor a positioning of the flow sensor during the specified flow rate; identify the flow sensor is in a closed positioning; determine an underperforming performance status of the system from the flow sensor positioning. ### Claim at position 2 -4. (canceled) ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to identify that the flow sensor is in an open position during the monitoring, and wherein the status is an adequately performing status. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the specified flow rate meets or exceeds an underperforming status threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the variable-speed pump at a plurality of specified flow rates, wherein the specified flow rate is one of the plurality of specified flow rates. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to activate the variable-speed pump for at least a subset of specified flow rates of the plurality of specified flow rates in an order of descending flow rate values, wherein the monitoring occurs for each of the subset of specified flow rates. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the flow sensor comprises a paddle flow switch. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the system is selected from a group consisting of pool and spa maintenance system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a system status alert corresponding to the status of the system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the system status alert is transmitted to an entity selected from a group consisting: of a user and a maintenance professional. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the performance status is indicative of a performance status of the liquid filter. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a subsystem comprising at least a valve configured for fluidic communication with another fluid repository, the liquid filter, the flow sensor, and the variable-speed pump, wherein the processor is further configured to: actuate the valve to fluidically connect the other fluid repository to the variable-speed pump; activate the flow pump at another specified flow rate; monitor the positioning of the flow sensor during the other specified flow rate; and determine a performance status of the subsystem from the flow sensor positioning. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to: compare the performance status of the subsystem with the performance status of the system; and identify a performance issue from the comparison. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a subsystem comprising: another liquid filter configured for fluidic communication with the fluid repository; another flow sensor in fluidic communication with the other liquid filter; and another variable-speed pump in fluidic communication with the other liquid filter and the other flow sensor wherein the processor is further configured to: activate the other flow pump at another specified flow rate; monitor a positioning of the other flow sensor during the other specified flow rate; and determine a performance status of the subsystem from the other flow sensor positioning. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to: compare the performance status of the subsystem to the performance status of the system; and adjust a flow rate for the variable-speed pump, the other variable-speed pump, or both, from the comparison.