# US 2023/0053488 A1 · Continued power for grinder pumps based on elevated load > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0053488 A1 - Document ID: US20230053488A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/821,441 - Filed: 2022-08-22 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-23 - Assignees: Innovative Utility Solutions, LLC - Applicants: Innovative Utility Solutions, LLC - Inventors: Tracy Burt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230053488A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/008: {Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F} - F04B 49/06: Control using electricity (regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04) - F04B 49/065: {and making use of computers} - C02F 2103/005: {Black water originating from toilets} - C02F 2209/001: Upstream control, i.e. monitoring for predictive control - C02F 2209/006: comprising a software program or a logic diagram - C02F 2303/26: Reducing the size of particles, liquid droplets or bubbles, e.g. by crushing, grinding, spraying, creation of microbubbles or nanobubbles - F04B 49/025: by means of floats - F04B 2207/01: Load in general - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - 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) ## Abstract A hardware (e.g., a process and/or circuitry) and/or software-based controller for septic system grinder or chopper units monitors load to the unit. As the unit encounters debris, electrical and mechanical load on the unit increases. In some cases, a signal to stop the unit from grinding/chopping (including but not limited to a signal based a waste-water level) is received while the unit is under the increased load. The controller may override the stop signal and continue sending power to the unit to clear the unit from debris causing increased load. The override may cease when it is determined that the debris has been cleared, such as when it is determined that the increased mechanical and/or electrical load on the unit has decreased or returned to a target load, allowing the unit to stop. The unit may include self-configuration functionality, determining thresholds for signaling override, target load, etc. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: one or more components configured to: control power to a grinder pump, wherein control comprises: subsequent to receipt of a high water start signal, send a signal to send power to the grinder pump; subsequent to receipt of a low water power off signal indicating power should be discontinued: determine that a load on the pump is above an override threshold; and override, based on the determination, the low water power off signal, wherein override causes the power to continue to the grinder pump despite receipt of the low water power off signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more components are configured to: obtain measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculate, based on the measurements of load, the override threshold. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein to control power the grinder pump, the one or more components are configured to: determine that the load on the pump has dropped below a load drop threshold; and discontinue the override of the low water power off signal, wherein discontinue the override causes the power to be discontinued to the grinder pump. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more components are configured to: record measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculate, based on the measurements of load, the load drop threshold. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: the grinder pump, configured to be controlled by a control system configured to perform said send the signal, said determine that the load is above an override threshold, and said override the low water power off signal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the high water start signal and the low water power off signal are generated by a float or transducer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein said one or more components are compliant with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: a load sensor to perform said determine that the load on the pump is above an override threshold; and a relay to perform said override, based on the determination, the low water power off signal. ### Claim 9 A method, comprising: controlling power to a grinder pump, wherein controlling comprises: subsequent to receipt of a low water power off signal indicating power should be discontinued: determining, by a load sensor, that a load on the pump is above an override threshold; and overriding, by at least a relay and based on the determination that the load is above the override threshold, the low water power off signal, wherein overriding causes the power to continue to the grinder pump despite receipt of the low water power off signal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: obtaining measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculating, based on the measurements of load, the override threshold. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining that the load on the pump has dropped below a load drop threshold; and discontinuing the override of the low water power off signal, wherein discontinuing the override causes the power to be discontinued to the grinder pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: recording measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculating, based on the measurements of load, the load drop threshold. ### Claim 13 A control system, comprising: override control circuitry configured to perform: controlling power to a grinder pump, wherein controlling comprises: subsequent to receipt of a low fluid power off signal indicating power should be discontinued due to low fluid level: determining that a load on the pump is above an override threshold; and overriding, based on said determining that the load is above the override threshold, the low fluid power off signal, wherein overriding causes the power to continue to the grinder pump despite receipt of the low fluid power off signal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, further comprising one or more hardware components configured to perform: obtaining measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculating, based on the measurements of load, the override threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, further comprising one or more hardware components configured to perform: recording measurements of load on the grinder pump as the grinder pump pumps wastewater and grinds debris; and calculating, based on the measurements of load, the load drop threshold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the override control circuitry is configured to perform: determining that the load on the grinder pump has dropped below a load drop threshold; and discontinuing the override of the low fluid power off signal, wherein discontinuing the override causes the power to be discontinued to the grinder pump. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the override control circuitry is compliant with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) architecture. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein one or more of the high water start signal and the low water power off signal are received from a float or transducer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the override control circuitry is configured to perform: determining that the load on the pump has dropped below a load drop threshold; and discontinuing the override of the low water power off signal, wherein discontinuing the override causes the power to be discontinued to the grinder pump. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The control system of claim 13, wherein the override control circuitry comprises: a load sensor to perform said determining that the load on the pump is above an override threshold; and a relay to perform said overriding, based on the determination, the low water power off signal.