US20120211086A1

US20120211086A1 - Method of controlling water supply by a sensitive faucet capable of automatically adjusting a detected distance

Info

Publication number: US20120211086A1
Application number: US13/423,219
Authority: US
Inventors: Su Huang
Original assignee: Hydrotek Corp
Current assignee: Hydrotek Corp
Priority date: 2009-07-14
Filing date: 2012-03-18
Publication date: 2012-08-23

Abstract

A method of controlling water supply by a sensitive faucet capable of automatically adjusting a detected distance comprises steps of: (A) automatically adjusting a detected distance which uses a transmitting unit to emit a pulse to a background, detects a reflection value of the pulse and adjusts the pulse width via a controlling unit; (B) defining a background value which emits the pulse to the background and detects the reflected pulse for setting the reflection value as a background value; and (C) determining a user state which periodically emits the pulse, detects the reflected pulse and determines a user state according to the reflection value for the controlling unit to control a faucet unit open to supply water. Accordingly, the sensitive faucet automatically adjusts a detected distance, for saving water and electricity.

Description

The current application is a continuation-in-part of, and claims a priority to Ser. No. 12/502,776 filed on Jul. 14, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of controlling water supply by a sensitive faucet, more particularly a sensitive faucet which is able to automatically adjust the detected distance.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional sensitive faucet includes a water outlet 3 disposed on a washbasin 1. Wherein, a top end of the water outlet 3 forms a water jet 4 directing toward an inside 2 of the washbasin 1, and an infrared sensitive apparatus 5 is disposed in the proximity of the water jet 4. The infrared sensitive apparatus 5 continuously emits a pulse to the washbasin 1 and detects a reflected pulse reflected from the washbasin 1. When user's hands enter a detected area of the infrared sensitive apparatus 5, the infrared sensitive apparatus 5 senses a reflected pulse of the hands and emits a reflection value of the pulse to a controlling unit. When the reflection value is larger than a predetermined threshold stored in the infrared sensitive apparatus 5, it turns a supply switch on to automatically activate the sensitive faucet open to supply water through the water jet 4 of the water outlet 3. The purpose of automatically supplying water is attained.
The infrared sensitive apparatus 5 of the conventional sensitive faucet is mainly set to detect a fixed distance. However, the use efficiency of the infrared sensitive apparatus 5 is affected by washbasin with different specifications in the market. When the detected distance is over short, the infrared sensitive apparatus 5 can not successfully operate and control the water supply; in contrast, when the detected distance is overlong, the conventional configuration inevitably increases the consumption of electricity and easily incurs the erroneous detection. Further, objects besides the hands can also cause the automatic operation of the water outlet once the objects are put within the detected area of the infrared sensitive apparatus 5, which results in a waste of water. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,147, the Mauerhofer reference discloses to emit a pulse to a background of the washbasin and use a successive approximation method to define the minimum pulse strength of the background and send the pulse with the minimum pulse strength and another pulse with the pulse strength a bit smaller than the minimum pulse strength at the same time. If the scanning head of the Mauerhofer reference merely detects the pulse, the minimum pulse strength of the background is thence defined to allows the movement of the hands to control the water outlet open while putting the hands into the washbasin. If the reflected pulse is not scanned, the minimum pulse strength of the background should be redefined.
The structure in the Mauerhofer reference may attain to automatically supply water, monitor the background distance of the washbasin and determine when to supply water or redefine the minimum pulse strength of the background. However, if the background conditions of the washbasin are promiscuous enough to change the strength of the reflected pulse and cause the water outlet to erroneously supply water, such erroneous operation can not be obviated or adjusted by itself and will keep supplying water. Therefore, the problems attendant on the erroneous operation are to waste water and break the automatic appliance as disclosed. Therefore, it is necessary to find a method of controlling the water supply by a sensitive faucet which can apply to various backgrounds of washbasins by automatically adjusting the detected distance and accurately control the water supply according to different situations for saving water and electricity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of controlling water supply by a sensitive faucet capable of automatically adjusting a detected distance. The method can automatically adjust the detected distance according to different washbasins as well as situations and attains the effects of water conservation and electricity saving.
In order to achieve the above object, the method in accordance with the present invention includes:
(A) A step of automatically adjusting a detected distance which uses a transmitting unit to emit a pulse to a background, e.g., a washbasin, then uses a monitoring unit to detect a reflection value of the pulse that is reflected from the background as a reflected pulse and send the reflection value to a controlling unit, and then adjusts a pulse width of the transmitting unit according to the reflection value, wherein when the reflection value is higher than a predetermined value stored in the controlling unit, the reflection value considerably causes the pulse width of the transmitting unit to decrease and emits another corresponding pulse, so that when the reflection value is lower than or close to the predetermined value, the pulse width of the transmitting unit is thence saved in the controlling unit.
(B) A step of defining a background value which emits the pulse toward the background and detects the reflected pulse according to the pulse width of the transmitting unit saved in the controlling unit in the step (A), so that the reflection value of the reflected pulse is defined as a background value and stored in the controlling unit for setting to a standby state.
(C) A step of determining a user state which periodically emits the pulse, detects the reflected pulse, and determines a user state according to the reflection value of the reflected pulse, wherein when the reflection value is higher than the background value, the controlling unit controls a faucet unit open to supply water and continuously emits the pulse and detects the reflected pulse, so that when the reflection value is close to the background value, the controlling unit closes the faucet unit and sets to the standby state.
From above, at the first time of operating, the method of the present invention mainly uses the step (A) to automatically adjust the detected distance of the sensitive faucet and uses the step (B) to define the background value so as to attain the adjustment of detected distance for suiting to different washbasins and facilitate the electricity saving effect. By using the step (C) to determine the user state and automatically control the water supply, the present invention can also adjust the detected distance according to different situations and prevent from wasting water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a conventional structure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a circuit board of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view showing a circuit board of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the present invention for automatically adjusting a detected distance and defining a background value;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing the present invention for automatically adjusting a detected distance and defining a background value;

FIG. 8 is a bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while automatically adjusting the detected distance and setting the background value;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing the present invention for determining the user state;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the present invention for determining the user state;

FIG. 11 is a bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while determining the user state;

FIG. 12 is another flow diagram showing the present invention for determining the user state;

FIG. 13 is another schematic view showing the present invention for determining the user state; and

FIG. 14 is another bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while determining the user state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 respectively show a schematic view of the present invention, a front view of a circuit board and a top view of the circuit board. A sensitive faucet 100 of the present invention includes a faucet unit 10 disposed on a washbasin 20, a water jet 11, at the upper end of the faucet unit 10, directing toward an inside 21 of the washbasin 20, and a circuit board 30 disposed in the proximity of the water jet 11. Wherein, the circuit board 30 includes two transmitting units 31, a monitoring unit 32, an alarm device 33 and a controlling unit 34 disposed thereon.
Referring to FIG. 5 showing a flow diagram of the present invention, the present method includes:

(A) A step of automatically adjusting a detected distance between the faucet unit and the background by following processes:
- Transmit a pulse. The present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, uses the transmitting units 31 to emit a pulse 40 to a background of the washbasin 20. Wherein, the transmitting units 31 are preferably adopted by infrared emitters and respectively disposed on the upper end and the lower end of the circuit board 30. The transmitting units 31 emit the pulse 40 with reference to a direction by an angle as shown in FIG. 4 to efficiently increase the accuracy and the detected area and decrease the erroneous detection.
- Detect a reflected pulse. Wherein, the monitoring unit 32 is used to detect the pulse 40 reflected from the background, serving as a reflected pulse with a reflection value, and transmit the reflection value to the controlling unit 34. The controlling unit 34 electrically connects with the transmitting units 31, the monitoring unit 32 and the alarm device 33, respectively. In the preferred embodiment, the monitoring unit 32 can be an infrared detector, the alarm device 33 can be an LED light and the controlling unit 34 can be a microprocessor.
- Adjust the transmitted pulse. According to the reflection value, a pulse width of the transmitting unit 31 is adjusted. Wherein, when the reflection value is higher than a predetermined value stored in the controlling unit 34, the reflection value considerably causes the pulse width of the transmitting unit 31 to decrease and emits another corresponding pulse 40. When the reflection value is lower than or close to the predetermined value, the pulse width of the transmitting unit 31 is thence saved in the controlling unit 34.
(B) A step of defining a background value which emits the pulse 40 toward the background and detects the reflected pulse 40 according to the pulse width of the transmitting unit 31 saved in the controlling unit 34 in the step (A), so that the reflection value of the reflected pulse 40 is defined as a background value and stored in the controlling unit 34 for setting to a standby state.
(C) A step of determining a user state which periodically emits the pulse 40, detects the reflected pulse 40, and determines a user state according to the reflection value of the reflected pulse 40. Wherein, when the reflection value is higher than the background value, the controlling unit 34 controls the faucet unit 10 open to supply water and continuously emits the pulse 40 and detects the reflected pulse 40, and when the reflection value is close to the background value, the controlling unit 34 closes the faucet unit 10 and sets to a standby state.

The features, the technique field and advantages of the present invention over the known prior arts will become more apparent to those of ordinary skilled in the art upon reading the following descriptions in junction with the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 respectively illustrate a flow chart showing the present invention for automatically adjusting a detected distance and defining a background value, a schematic view showing the present invention for automatically adjusting a detected distance and defining a background value, and a bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while automatically adjusting the detected distance and setting the background value. While in the first time of using the sensitive faucet 100, the transmitting unit 31 emits a pulse 41 at fixed voltage and the monitoring unit 32 receives the reflection value 41 a of the pulse. When the reflection value 41 a is higher than the predetermined value 341 stored in the controlling unit 34, the reflection value 41 a considerably causes the pulse width of the transmitting units 34 to decrease and emits another corresponding pulse 42. When the monitoring unit 32 detects the reflection value 42 a of the reflected pulse 42 higher than the predetermined value 341, the reflection value 42 a considerably causes the pulse width of the transmitting units 31 to decrease and emits a further corresponding pulse 43. Then, when the monitoring unit 32 detects the reflected value 43 a of the pulse 43 lower than or close to the predetermined value 341, the pulse width of the transmitting units 31 is then stored in the controlling unit 34. The step of automatically adjusting the detected distance is thence accomplished. Further, to define a background value 50 of the washbasin 20, the present invention emits the pulse 43 toward the background and detects the reflected pulse 43 with the reflection value 43 a according to the pulse width of the transmitting unit 31 saved in the controlling unit 34, so that the reflection value 43 a is defined as the background value 50 and stored in the controlling unit 34 for setting to a standby state. In the preferred embodiment, the controlling unit 34 has a fixed value 342, and the background value 50 is the sum of the reflection value 43 a and the fixed value 342. Because the background value 50 is a bit larger than the reflection value 43 a, the present invention is able to prevent the erroneous detection of the controlling unit 34 subjected to the disturbance of the reflection value when the washbasin is in a promiscuous situation.
FIG. 9, FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 respectively illustrate a flow diagram showing the present invention for determining the user state, a schematic view showing the present invention for determining the user state, and a bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while determining the user state. In the standby state, the transmitting units 31 emit the pulse 40 toward the background and detect the reflected pulse 40 periodically, for example, at intervals of 0.3 seconds in the preferred embodiment. When activating the sensitive faucet 100, the user just needs to make the hands approach the washbasin 20 for the hands to be located within a detected area of the sensitive faucet 100, so that the monitoring unit 32 detects the reflected pulse 43 of the hands and sends the reflection value 43 b of the reflected pulse to the controlling unit 34. At this time, when the reflection value 43 b is higher than the background value 50, the controlling unit 34 controls the faucet unit 10 open to supply water. While supplying water, the sensitive faucet 100 continuously emits the pulse 43 and detects the reflected pulse 43, so that when the reflection value 43 f is lower than the background value 50, the controlling unit 34 then closes the faucet unit 10 to stop the water supply. In addition, a water saving mode is actuated while the faucet unit 10 is set open to supply water. The water saving mode automatically stops supplying water after the faucet unit is set open for 30 seconds so as to prevent the erroneous detection and solves the problem of wasting water. If the user continues operating the sensitive faucet 100, simply approaching the sensitive faucet 100 can satisfy the demand of water supply again.
FIG. 12, FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 respectively illustrate another flow diagram showing the present invention for determining the user state, another schematic view showing the present invention for determining the user state and another bar chart showing the wave form of the transmitting unit and the monitoring unit while determining the user state. While an object 200 is put in the inside 21 in the standby state, the monitoring unit 32 receives the reflected pulse 43 of the object 200 and transmits it to the controlling unit 34. When the reflection value 43 h of the reflected pulse 43 is higher than the background value 50, the controlling unit 34 controls the faucet unit 10 open to supply water and activates the water saving mode. If the object 200 keeps staying in the inside 21 after supplying water for 30 seconds, the controlling unit 34 will make the faucet unit 10 close and determine whether the reflection value 43 f of the reflected pulse 43 is static when the faucet unit 10 lasts close for 3 seconds. In the preferred embodiment, if the reflection value 43 f is dynamic after closing the faucet unit 10 for 3 seconds, the controlling unit 34 will define the reflection value as a user, maintain the close state of the faucet unit 10 and continuously determine whether the user is far away from the detected area. When the user leaves the detected area of the sensitive faucet 100, the sensitive faucet 100 is set to the standby state. In contrast, if the reflection value 43 f is static after closing the faucet unit 10 for 3 seconds, the controlling unit 34 will define the reflection value as the object 200 and the reflection value 43 f of the reflected pulse considerably causes the background value 50 to decrease for rendering the reflection value 34 f lower than or close to the background value 51. In the preferred embodiment, the background value 51 is the sum of the reflection value 43 f and the fixed value 342, which allows the controlling unit 34 to redefine another background value 51 and set to the standby state. If the object 200 is taken out of the inside 21, the monitoring unit 32 receives the reflected pulse 43 of the background and transmits it to the controlling unit 34 for the controlling unit 34 to be able to decrease the background value 50 again and set to the standby state. Wherein, the sensitive faucet 100 efficiently adjusts the background base on different situation and controls the water supply by determining the reflection value, therefore the problem that the sensitive faucet is disable because of activating the water saving mode when the object 200 is left in the inside 21 and ignored by the user is prevented. The water saving mode is able to adjust the time of supplying water according to user's demands to save water and attain the effect of water conservation. If the user continues using the sensitive faucet 100, he or she just needs to approach the sensitive faucet 100 again to output the water for using. Further, a battery or a socket can be used according to the demand to provide the sensitive faucet 100 with electricity. If the battery is used as a resource, the alarm device 33 will be actuated by flashing for warning the user when the battery provides with insufficient electricity.
While the present invention is described in the embodiments, it is recognized that further variations, alternatives and modifications may be apparent to those skilled in the art and be devised without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of controlling water supply by a sensitive faucet capable of automatically adjusting a detected distance comprises:

(A) a step of automatically adjusting a detected distance which uses a transmitting unit to emit a pulse to a background, then uses a monitoring unit to detect a reflection value of said pulse that is reflected from said background as a reflected pulse and send said reflection value to a controlling unit, and then adjusts a pulse width of said transmitting unit according to said reflection value, wherein when said reflection value is higher than a predetermined value stored in said controlling unit, said reflection value considerably causes said pulse width of said transmitting unit to decrease and emits another corresponding pulse, so that when said reflection value is lower than or close to said predetermined value, said pulse width of said transmitting unit is thence saved in said controlling unit;

(B) a step of defining a background value which emits said pulse toward said background and detects said reflected pulse according to said pulse width of said transmitting unit saved in said controlling unit in said step (A), so that said reflection value of said reflected pulse is defined as a background value and stored in said controlling unit for setting to a standby state; and

(C) a step of determining a user state which periodically emits said pulse, detects said reflected pulse, and determines a user state according to said reflection value of said reflected pulse, wherein when said reflection value is higher than said background value, said controlling unit controls a faucet unit open to supply water and continuously emits said pulse and detects said reflected pulse, so that when said reflection value is close to said background value, said controlling unit closes said faucet unit and sets to a standby state, facilitating to attain a sensitive faucet that is able to automatically adjust a detected distance, determine said user state in light of said reflection value and use said controlling unit to control said faucet open to supply water for saving water and electricity.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a water saving mode is actuated while said faucet unit in said step (C) is set open to supply water; said water saving mode automatically stops supplying water after a predetermined period of water supplying, so that said sensitive faucet is then set to a standby state.

3. The method as claimed in claim. 1, wherein said water saving mode automatically stops supplying water after said faucet unit is set open for 30 seconds.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said reflection value of said reflected pulse in said step (C) is larger than said background value and is set static within a predetermined time, said reflection value of said reflected pulse considerably causes said background value to increase.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein said controlling unit controls said faucet unit open to supply water and automatically closes said faucet unit after supplying water for 30 seconds, and after closing said faucet unit, when said reflection value of said reflected pulse is larger than said background value and is set static within 3 seconds, said reflection value of said reflected pulse considerably causes said background value to increase.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a fixed value is stored in said controlling unit and said background value is the sum of said reflection value and said fixed value.

7. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a fixed value is stored in said controlling unit, and said background value is the sum of said reflection value and said fixed value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmitting unit in said step (C) emits said pulse to said background and detects said reflected pulse at intervals of 0.3 seconds.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said faucet uses a battery as a resource and said controlling unit activates an alarm device by flashing for warning when said battery provides with insufficient electricity.