IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0528256
(2008-02-25)
|
등록번호 |
US-8150552
(2012-04-03)
|
국제출원번호 |
PCT/CA2008/000352
(2008-02-25)
|
§371/§102 date |
20090821
(20090821)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2008/104056
(2008-09-04)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Brochu, Christian
- Robitaille, Mathleu
|
출원인 / 주소 |
- Gecko Alliance Group Inc.
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
30 |
초록
▼
A controller for a bathing unit system comprising a memory unit for storing program instructions, an interface for establishing a communication link with an external memory medium and a processing unit. The controller is operative for controlling a set of bathing unit components at least in part on
A controller for a bathing unit system comprising a memory unit for storing program instructions, an interface for establishing a communication link with an external memory medium and a processing unit. The controller is operative for controlling a set of bathing unit components at least in part on the basis of the program instructions stored in the memory unit. The external memory medium stores update information associated with the program instructions and relevancy information indicative of a characteristic of the update information. The processing unit is operative for detecting the presence of an external memory medium at the interface, accessing the relevancy information stored in the memory medium, processing the relevancy information and causing the program instructions to be updated on the basis of the update information.
대표청구항
▼
1. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising: a) a memory unit storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;b) a c
1. A controller for a bathing unit system, said controller comprising: a) a memory unit storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;b) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;c) a processing unit in communication with said communication interface, said processing unit being programmed for: i) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium;ii) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium: (1) unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the detected configuration information; and(2) operating the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller. 2. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration at least in part by processing the configuration information detected on the external memory medium to unlock a portion of the program code stored on the memory unit of the controller, where the unlocked portion of the program code implements the specific bathing unit configuration. 3. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) operating a first set of bathing unit components when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) operating a second set of bathing unit components when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 4. A controller as defined in claim 3, wherein said second set of bathing unit components is a subset of said first set of bathing unit components. 5. A controller as defined in claim 3, wherein said second set of bathing unit components includes at least one bathing unit component absent from said first set of bathing unit components. 6. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said bathing unit system includes a pump, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) controlling operational settings associated with the pump in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) controlling operational settings associated with the pump in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 7. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said bathing unit system includes a bathing unit component selected from the set consisting of a pump, a water heater and a water filtration module, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) controlling operational settings associated with the bathing unit component in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 8. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein the detected configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes an access code associated with the specific bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations. 9. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein the detected configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes a program element suitable for being processed by the processing unit of the controller for causing the specific bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations to be unlocked. 10. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said processing unit is programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration at least in part by processing: (1) the configuration information detected on the external memory medium; and(2) a user input. 11. A controller as defined in claim 10, wherein said user input includes one of a serial number and a password. 12. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication link is a wireless link. 13. A controller as defined in claim 1, wherein said communication interface includes a USB port. 14. A bathing unit system, comprising: a) a set of bathing unit components including a water heater and a pump; andb) a controller comprising: i) a memory unit storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least a first bathing unit configuration and a second bathing unit configuration;ii) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;iii) a processing unit in communication with said interface, said processing unit being programmed for: (1) accessing an external memory medium through said communication interface to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium;(2) in response to detection of configuration information stored on the external memory medium: (a) unlocking a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the detected configuration information; and(b) operating the set of bathing unit components in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller. 15. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein the processing unit is programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration at least in part by processing the configuration information detected on the external memory medium to unlock a portion of the program code stored on the memory unit of the controller, where the unlocked portion of the program code implements the specific bathing unit configuration. 16. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 15, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) controlling operational settings associated with the pump in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) controlling operational settings associated with the pump in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 17. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein said processing unit is programmed for unlocking the specific bathing unit configuration at least in part by processing: (1) the configuration information detected on the external memory medium; and(2) a user input. 18. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 17, wherein said user input includes one of a serial number and a password. 19. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein said communication link is a wireless link. 20. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein said communication interface includes a USB port configured for engaging a complementary interface associated with the external memory medium. 21. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) operating a first sub-set of the set of bathing unit components when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) operating a second sub-set of the set of bathing unit components when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 22. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 21, wherein said second sub-set of bathing unit components includes at least one bathing unit component absent from said first sub-set of bathing unit components. 23. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein said processing unit is programmed for: a) controlling operational settings associated with bathing unit components in the set of bathing unit components in a first manner when the first bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked; andb) controlling operational settings associated with bathing unit components in the set of bathing unit components in a second manner different from the first manner when the second bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations is unlocked. 24. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein the detected configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes an access code associated with the specific bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations. 25. A bathing unit system as defined in claim 14, wherein the detected configuration information stored on the external memory medium includes a program element suitable for being processed by the processing unit of the controller for causing the specific bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations to be unlocked. 26. An auxiliary device suitable for use with a controller of a bathing unit system, the controller comprising a memory unit that stores program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least two bathing unit configurations, said auxiliary device comprising: a) a communication interface for communicating with external devices;b) a memory medium storing configuration information, said configuration information being associated with a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller;c) in use, the auxiliary device communicating the configuration information to the controller of the bathing unit system over the communication interface for processing by the controller to unlock the specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller. 27. An auxiliary device as defined in claim 16, wherein the configuration information stored on the memory medium includes an access code associated with the specific bathing unit configuration in the set of bathing unit configurations. 28. An auxiliary device as defined in claim 26, wherein the configuration information stored on the memory medium includes a program element for processing by the controller to unlock the specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller. 29. An auxiliary device as defined in claim 26, wherein said communication interface includes a USB port. 30. A method for configuring a controller for a bathing unit system, said method comprising: a) providing a controller having: i) a memory unit storing program code implementing a set of bathing unit configurations, said set of bathing unit configurations including at least two bathing unit configurations;ii) a communication interface for communicating with external devices; andiii) a processing unit in communication with said interface;b) using the processing unit of the controller to access an external memory medium through said communication interface to detect if configuration information is stored on the external memory medium;c) in response to detection by the processing unit of the controller of configuration information stored on the external memory medium: i) using the processing unit to unlock a specific bathing unit configuration from the set of bathing unit configurations implemented by the program code stored in the memory unit of the controller at least in part by processing the detected configuration information; andii) using the processing unit to operate the bathing unit system in accordance with the unlocked specific bathing unit configuration.
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