Method, apparatus, and system for projecting hot water availability for bathing

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• at least one sensor interface, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a communication interface, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a persistent storage means communicatively coupled to the processor and having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor causes the apparatus to perform operations including:
• receiving, via the communication interface, information specifying a volume or level of water desired for a bath;
• receiving, via the communication interface, information specifying a temperature of the bath water desired for the bath;
• receiving at least one sensor signal via said at least one sensor interface, said at least one sensor signal corresponding to one or more parameters related to operation of a water heater used to supply hot water to a bathtub;
• deriving data from the at least one sensor signal and employing the data in projecting whether the water heater can supply a sufficient amount of hot water to fill the bathtub with the volume or level of water desired at the specified temperature;
• and
• transmitting data via the communication interface indicating whether the water heater can supply a sufficient amount of hot water to fill the bathtub with the specified volume or level of water at the specified temperature.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a user input means, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a communication interface, communicatively coupled to the processor;
• a display means, including a display driver communicatively coupled to the processor;
• and
• a persistent storage means communicatively coupled to the processor and having instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processor causes the apparatus to perform operations including:
• receiving, via the user input means, data input by a bather information specifying a volume or level of water desired for a bath;
• receiving, via the user input means, data input by a bather specifying a temperature of bath water desired for the bath;
• receiving a communication signal via the communication interface, the communication signal containing data corresponding to operating conditions of a water heater;
• generating display information in response to the data that are received, the display information including indicia indicating whether a hot water supply system can supply a sufficient amount of hot water to fill a bathtub with the specified volume or level of water at the specified temperature;
• and
• displaying the display information on the display means.