Method, apparatus, and system for projecting hot water availability for showering and bathing
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G05D-023/00
B60H-001/00
A47K-003/022
출원번호
UP-0851612
(2004-05-22)
등록번호
US-7520445
(2009-07-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Feinleib, David A.
Burnett, R. Alan
Phillips, Marianne E.
출원인 / 주소
Feinleib, David A.
Burnett, R. Alan
Phillips, Marianne E.
대리인 / 주소
The Law Office of R. Alan Burnett
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
6인용 특허 :
2
초록▼
Methods and apparatus for predicting the availability of hot water for showering and bathing. One or more parameters corresponding to the operation of a water heater are monitored over time. Data corresponding to the monitored parameters are processed to determine a rate at which hot water is being
Methods and apparatus for predicting the availability of hot water for showering and bathing. One or more parameters corresponding to the operation of a water heater are monitored over time. Data corresponding to the monitored parameters are processed to determine a rate at which hot water is being consumed by the shower/bath and/or other hot water consumers. Based on a hot water consumption rate and determination of a current hot water availability condition, a time at which the temperature of hot water supplied by the water heater is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold is determined. In one embodiment, the apparatus include a thermal-modeling computer and a control/monitor interface that is disposed in or proximate to a shower. In one embodiment, the thermal-modeling computer is installed at a water heater and data is transmitted between the thermal-modeling computer and the control/monitor interface via a wireless signal. The techniques also can be used to determine whether an adequate supply of hot water exists for a bath prior to drawing the bath.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A machine-implemented method for projecting the temperature of hot water supplied to a shower, comprising: monitoring at least one parameter over time related to operation of a water heater used to supply the hot water to the shower; determining a time when the temperature of
What is claimed is: 1. A machine-implemented method for projecting the temperature of hot water supplied to a shower, comprising: monitoring at least one parameter over time related to operation of a water heater used to supply the hot water to the shower; determining a time when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the shower is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold, wherein the time that is projected is determined using said at least one parameter as an input to a non-linear thermal model of the water heater used to project the time; and outputting indicia indicating when the temperature of the hot water is projected to fall below the threshold temperature, wherein the foregoing method operations are performed by at least one machine. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user of the shower to specify the minimum temperature threshold. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a warning prior to the time when the temperature of the hot water is projected to fall below the minimum temperature threshold. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the warning comprises an audio warning. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of monitoring at least one parameter related to operation of the water heater comprises monitoring a temperature of the water in a hot water tank of the water heater over time to observe a rate of change of the temperature of the water. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature of the water in the hot water tank is measured at a plurality of respective depths. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the temperature is measured using an elongated sensor configured to measure a substantial average temperature of the water in the hot water tank. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of monitoring at least one parameter related to operation of the water heater comprises monitoring a flow rate of hot water exiting the water heater over time. 9. A machine-implemented method for projecting the temperature of hot water supplied to a shower, comprising: monitoring a flow rate of hot water exiting a water heater used to supply the hot water to the shower; monitoring a temperature of water at one of, a location in the hot water tank, exiting the hot water tank, or in a hot water supply line used to supply hot water to the shower; determining a time when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the shower is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold, wherein the time that is projected is determined as a function of the flow rate of hot water exiting the water heater and the temperature of the water that is monitored; and outputting indicia indicating when the temperature of the hot water is projected to fall below the threshold temperature, wherein the foregoing method operations are performed by at least one machine. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operation of determining the time at which the temperature of the water is projected to fall below the minimum temperature threshold comprises: determining a current flow rate of water exiting the hot water tank; determining a current water temperature by measuring one of: the temperature of water at a location in the hot water tank, the temperature of water exiting the hot water tank, or the temperature of water in the hot water supply line used to supply hot water to the shower; using the current flow rate and water temperature as inputs to one of a computer temperature model or a temperature modeling lookup table to project an amount of time remaining until the temperature of the water falls below the minimum temperature threshold. 11. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; a memory, communicatively coupled to the processor; a timer, 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 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 shower; implementing a non-linear thermal model associated with the water heater to determine a time when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the shower is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold, the non-linear thermal model using the one or more parameters as inputs; and transmitting data via the communication interface indicating the time when the temperature of the hot water is projected to fall below the minimum temperature. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one sensor interface includes a temperature sensor interface to receive temperature measurements from one or more temperature sensors. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said at least one sensor interface includes a flow rate sensor interface via which a signal indicative of a flow rate of water exiting the water heater is received. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication interface includes a wireless antenna and the computer interface is configured to transmit data using a wireless signal sent via the wireless antenna. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the persistent storage means further including data comprising a temperature model lookup table defining at least one time versus temperature curve corresponding to at least one water flow rate that is used by the non-linear thermal model to determine the time. 16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the persistent storage means includes further instructions, which when executed by the processor performs operations including: automatically generating a non-linear thermal model of a water heater; and storing data corresponding to the non-linear thermal model in the persistent storage means. 17. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; a memory, 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 a communication signal via the communication interface, the communication signal containing data corresponding to operating conditions of a water heater; implementing a non-linear thermal model associated with the water heater to determine a time when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the shower is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold, the non-linear model using the data corresponding to the operating conditions of the water heater as an input, and producing an output indicating an amount of time remaining until a water temperature of a shower is projected to fall below a minimum threshold temperature; generating display information including indicia indicating an amount of time remaining until the water temperature of a shower is projected to fall below a minimum threshold temperature; and displaying the display information on the display means. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising: an audio driver communicatively coupled to the processor; a speaker coupled to the audio driver; and instructions stored in one of the persistent storage means or the audio driver, which when executed by the processor or the audio driver generates an audio signal that is used to drive the speaker to produce an audible warning indicating the hot water supply is about to become inadequate to maintain the shower water temperature above the minimum temperature threshold. 19. A system, comprising: means for monitoring at least one parameter over time related to operation of a water heater used to supply the hot water to the shower; means for determining a time when the temperature of the hot water supplied to the shower is projected to fall below a minimum temperature threshold, wherein the time that is projected is determined using said at least one parameter as an input to a non-linear thermal model of the water heater used to project the time; and means for outputting indicia indicating when the temperature of the hot water is projected to fall below the threshold temperature. 20. The system of claim 19, further comprising: a water heater to which the means for monitoring at least one parameter over time related to operation of the water heater is one of built in or attached.
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