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  Swimming pool, spa, and other recreational environment controller systems, equipment, and simulatorsUSPTO Application #: 20080021685Title: Swimming pool, spa, and other recreational environment controller systems, equipment, and simulators Abstract: Systems for controlling aspects of recreational or other environments are described. Such systems are especially, but not exclusively, useful for controlling either or both of pool or spa settings and operations and include equipment that may be connected, in any appropriate way, to personal or other computers or other components capable of accepting and processing input. Operations of the systems additionally are capable of being simulated through software. (end of abstract)
Agent: John S. Pratt, Esq Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP - Atlanta, GA, US Inventors: Kevin Emery, Thomas M. Nornberg, Dave Peterson, Ken Peterson, Dan Kellogg, Han Le, John Bent, John Gjata USPTO Applicaton #: 20080021685 - Class: 703009000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Structural Design, Modeling, Simulation, And Emulation, Simulating Nonelectrical Device Or System, Fluid The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080021685. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/271,205 filed on Nov. 10, 2005, now pending, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to systems and equipment for controlling aspects of recreational environments including, but not limited to, operation and maintenance of swimming pools and spas. The invention additionally relates to simulations of such systems and equipment and, if desired, systems and methods for providing information obtained from the simulators to the controllers themselves. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,019,250 to Lorenzen, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference, describes automatic chemical dispensers for use with swimming pools. The devices are designed to dispense water-sanitization chemicals such as, for example, sodium dichlor granules into water within swimming pools. They additionally include sensors capable of monitoring concentrations of the chemicals in the pool water and signaling controllers accordingly. As noted in the Lorenzen patent, "[w]henever the sensor probe senses a chemical level below a desired level, dispensation of a metered amount of chemical is effected" via the controller. See Lorenzen, col. 7, 11. 8-10 (numeral omitted). [0004] Detailed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,309,538 to Khan are additional automated monitoring and dispensing units for use in spas or other water-containing objects. A unit may comprise a housing developed to float freely within spas as well as "a programmable controller coupled to one or more sensor electrodes for monitoring selected water chemistry parameters at timed intervals." See Khan, col. 2, 11. 52-54. The controller may be [0005] in the form of a microcontroller such as a small computer or computer chip powered by [a] battery pack. The controller is coupled to a data entry panel which includes appropriate keys for entering programming information. Specifically, the data entry panel is utilized to enter information such as time of day, spa size in gallons of water, and a schedule for taking water chemistry readings. In addition, the data entry panel may be used to program the target ranges for water chemistry readings together with associated chemical agent dosages to be added to the spa water in response to water chemistry readings, although such information may be pre-programmed into the controller in the form of a "read only" memory. See id., col. 6, 11. 8-20. The contents of the Khan patent also are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. [0006] The devices of the Lorenzen and Khan patents are highly beneficial for dispensing chemicals within pools, spas, or similar containers of water. However, they are not immediately adaptable to control numerous other aspects of pool or spa operation and maintenance or other aspects of recreational environments. Consequently, devices capable of controlling some or all of these other aspects would be advantageous. In particular, devices able to control such things as operation of heaters, pumps, filters, lights, and automatic electrical or mechanical pool cleaners (including in-floor cleaning systems) within pools or spas, for example, in addition to chemical dispensers such as those of the Lorenzen and Khan patents, could be useful to owners of the vessels. Likewise, devices adapted to control backyard lighting, yard sprinklers, electrically-operable outdoor cooking equipment, security systems, and home HVAC systems, as further examples, additionally could contribute to improving recreational experiences for those using pools and spas. Integrating these control functions into a single, or small number, of modular units also could be advantageous. [0007] Additionally, neither controller of the Lorenzen and Khan patents is the subject of any simulation. As a result, no opportunity exists to evaluate or manipulate either controller other than through actual use in its intended environment. Similarly, no opportunity exists to feed back to the controllers information obtained as a result of simulating their operation. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The present invention provides devices capable of controlling aspects of recreational environments beyond those described in the Lorenzen and Khan patents. Any aspect of pool or spa settings or operations may be managed by the current systems, for example. Control of other electronic or electrically-actuatable devices may occur as well, and the current systems also may cooperate or be used in tandem with home automation systems. [0009] Equipment of the invention may connect in any appropriate way to personal or other computers or other components capable of accepting and processing input. Presently-preferred equipment connects, via Ethernet, serial connectivity, wirelessly, or otherwise to the personal computer ("PC") of a user. Users may access the equipment via their PCs, personal data assistants ("PDAs"), the Internet or other networks, or in any other appropriate manner. Software updates and back-ups may be provided to users from remote locations, and information contained in user records may be downloaded remotely, facilitating diagnosing and trouble-shooting of problems users may encounter with their recreational devices. [0010] Controllers of the present invention may be modular in design. Accordingly, different printed circuit boards may be added to or removed from the equipment to perform different control tasks. Alternatively or additionally, complete functionality may be built into the controller and slave functions turned on and off (via software or hardware) as required or desired. Whether through plug-in boards or toggling slave functions, the present controllers may eliminate need for separate units, providing a single unit useful for all intended purposes. [0011] Operations of current systems additionally are capable of being simulated through, preferably, software. The simulations may provide valuable training tools for pool-equipment installers and for end users, simulating functional run sequences of the equipment as well as mimicking (in a virtual sense) actions of remote handheld units, for example. Preferred simulations allow each function to be accessed via a single screen and include interactive audible (or visual) signals (e.g. alarms) responsive to certain functional conditions. Such audible signals preferably match those of the actual control systems, although users conceivably may input different sound files into the simulation software for different alarms (or for when controlling the systems remotely from a PC, for example). [0012] Software useful as part of the simulations may accept and save input data so that a virtual system, once configured, may continue to be available to a user for simulation without repeated reconfiguring. Configuration or other data from the simulation software additionally may be downloaded to systems of the present invention to effect system changes. Conversely, data from the control systems may be uploaded to the simulation software for trouble-shooting, diagnostic, or other purposes. [0013] Moreover, because no physical heating, cooling, or preparation time is necessary for the virtual equipment of the simulator, cycle time for a series of events may be compressed during the simulations. Consequently, differing combinations or variants of series of events may be simulated more rapidly than they could occur in reality. This in turn permits more such combinations or variants to be evaluated by users of the simulations than otherwise could occur in the same time period for real equipment. [0014] It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems for controlling aspects of recreational environments. [0015] It is an additional optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems managing electronic or electrically-actuatable devices, particularly those associated with pools and spas. [0016] It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems having equipment capable of connecting to or communicating with, among other items, PCs, PDAs, or other devices that may be remote from the equipment. [0017] It is a further optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems in which software updates and back-ups may be provided to users from remote locations and information contained in user records may be downloaded remotely. [0018] It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the present invention to provide systems in which controllers may be modular in design. Continue reading... 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