Electronic faucet with voice, temperature, flow and volume control

A touchless flow control faucet adapted for use with an external source of water, the faucet comprising:

• a faucet stem pivotally attached to a mounting base such that said stem has freedom of pivotal motion through an arc of stem movement with respect to the mounting base;
• a water supply conduit extending through the stem and adapted for connection, in use, to an external source of water, wherein said conduit includes at least a first selectable path segment that provides a fixed volume delivery of water, and a second selectable path segment that provides flow controlled delivery of water;
• said first path segment comprises means for regulating water pressure, a precision orifice at a location downstream of said means for regulating water pressure, and means for monitoring water pressure at an output of said means for regulating water pressure, wherein said means for regulating water pressure outputs water at a fixed pressure to said precision orifice, thereby providing water at a controlled flow rate, and said precision orifice provides resistance to flow and outputs water at a controlled flow rate, thereby adapting the first path segment to provide fixed volume delivery of water;
• said second path segment comprises a flow control valve adapting the second path segment to provide flow controlled water delivery, wherein said second path segment is relatively larger in size than said precision orifice;
• a spout connected to said water supply conduit to receive water and having at least two selectable water outlets, each providing a different flow pattern, wherein the spout is arranged for delivering water through a selected one of said water outlets, wherein said spout is alternatively engagable with the stem, wherein when engaged with the stem, the stem supports the spout for pivotal motion through said arc of stem movement, and wherein the spout is removable from the stem for hand held use;
• outlet selection means for variably selecting one of the water outlets to deliver water;
• flow on-off selecting means for variably switching water flow “on” or “off” in said water supply conduit;
• and
• an electronic controller receiving a user initiated signal indicative of a user preselected, measured volume of water to be delivered, chosen from a plurality of available measured volumes of water, and in response selecting said first path segment and controlling said outlet selection means, turning on said flow on-off selecting means to allow water flow through the first path segment, receiving water pressure readings from said means for monitoring water pressure in the first path segment, deriving the time necessary to deliver the measured volume of water;
• and turning off said flow on-off selecting means to end water flow through the first path segment when the measured volume of water has been delivered.

A touchless water temperature and flow control faucet adapted for use with external sources of hot and cold water, the faucet comprising:

• a faucet stem pivotally attached to a mounting base such that said stem has freedom of pivotal motion through an arc of stem movement with respect to the mounting base;
• a water supply conduit extending through the stem and adapted for connection, in use, to external sources of hot and cold water;
• a spout engagable with the stem in a home position in which the stem supports the spout for pivotal motion through said arc of stem movement, and wherein the spout is connected to said water supply conduit for receiving water into the spout;
• an electronic controller adapted to selectively establish at least a setup mode and a normal mode of faucet operations;
• angle monitoring means for monitoring and communicating angular position of the faucet stem with respect to said mounting base to said electronic controller;
• a downward directed sensor in said spout controlled by said electronic controller such that when the electronic controller is in setup mode and the stem is moved through the arc of stem movement, the downward directed sensor maps the particular external contours below the spout over the arc of stem movement and communicates mapping data to the electronic controller, and when the electronic controller is in normal mode, the downward directed sensor monitors the area intermediate the downward directed sensor and the mapped contour below the sensor to detect, in use, the presence of an object other than a mapped contour and to communicate data indicative of the detected object to the electronic controller;
• water temperature adjusting means for variably mixing hot and cold water from said sources of hot and cold water in the water supply conduit;
• a temperature sensor measuring actual water temperature in the water supply conduit and providing a signal indicative of measured water temperature;
• flow rate adjusting means for varying water flow rate in the water supply conduit;
• flow on-off selecting means for variably switching water flow on or off in the water supply conduit;
• a user control interface adapted to receive user control instructions indicating desired water temperature and desired flow rate and to send a corresponding signal to said electronic controller;
• wherein the electronic controller is adapted to receive data from said angle monitoring means and the downward directed sensor, when in setup mode establishing and retaining a map, and when in normal mode determining an on-off flow selection by decision derived from a comparison to said retained map, and wherein the electronic controller is further adapted to receive said signal indicative of measured water temperature and said user control instructions from said user control interface respectively indicative of user-desired water temperature and user-desired flow rate, and in response to control said water temperature adjusting means and flow rate adjusting means;
• and
• a series array of indicator lights capable of selectively displaying at least two colors, located on said spout, wherein said array is responsive to said user control instruction indicating desired water temperature by lighting an indicator light of a first color within said array at a proportional location in the array indicating desired temperature, and wherein the array is responsive to the electronic controller by indicating the actual water temperature by lighting an indicator light of a second color within the array at a proportional location in the array indicating actual water temperature.