MXPA06011478A - Distributed control system for a whirlpool tub - Google Patents

Abstract

A control system for plumbing equipment includes a user interface and a main controller. Only the user interface is customized and unique to a specific model of the plumbing equipment, and stores main software program that is tailored to operate the particular components of that specific model. The main controller is generic and is able to be used on several different models of the plumbing equipment. Upon activation of the control system the main software program is transferred to the main controller which configures the main controller to operate the specific model of the plumbing equipment.

Description

CONTROL SYSTEM DISTRIBUTED FOR A SWIRLING TUB FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to bathroom furniture, such as whirlpool tubs and spas; and more particularly to control systems for operating the components of the whirlpool or spa.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Whirlpool tubs and whirlpool spas provide therapeutic massage action by supplying water through various nozzles in the walls of the tub to create a circulating flow of turbulent water. The water in the tub is extracted through a drain to a pump and then forced out through the nozzles to create jets of water in the tub. Air can be added to the circulating water at a controlled speed in each nozzle to increase the action of massage and turbulence of the water leaving the nozzles. Frequently each nozzle can be pivoted to direct its water jet towards a desired area of the body of the bathing suit. Some nozzles still allow the adjustment of the amount of water flow or the amount of air that mixes with the water. The valves are operated to create a pulsating water flow that provides a massage effect that replicates Ref. 176202 rhythmic manipulation of tissue performed by a male masseur or female masseuse. The flow of water can be fed consecutively through a series of jets to provide a progressive stimulation along the spine of the swimsuit which is particularly soothing to the back and neck of an individual. To improve the experience of bathed underwater lamps can be controlled to produce light intensity and color variants. The typical manufacturer of whirlpool tubs produces a product line that comprises a number of models starting with one that has very basic functions and continuing to the top of the line model with the full range of functions. The top of the line model makes it possible for the swimsuit to activate selected jets and define the flow configuration for different groups of jets. Each swirl tub model has a controller for operating the various components, i.e. valves, pumps, heater, lights, etc., in response to the signals of an operator control panel usually mounted on the edge of the tub. Because different models have different combinations of components, the controller and operator control panel must be unique to a particular model. This requires that a series of operator control panels and matched controllers be developed for the swirl line. It is desirable to use as many common components as possible in the different models of whirlpool tubs as it reduces the number of different components which have to be designed and manufactured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A control system for a bathroom cabinet, such as a whirlpool tub, having a plurality of components which are electrically operated, comprises a main controller and an input controller. The main controller includes a first microprocessor, a first memory connected to the first microprocessor, and a plurality of outputs that couple the first microprocessor to the plurality of components in the bathroom cabinet. The input controller comprises an input device by which a bath furniture user is able to input commands to selectively operate the plurality of components. The input device is connected to an input controller that includes a second microprocessor which is connected to a second memory. The second memory stores a first software program for execution by the second microprocessor to process the commands of the input device, and also stores a second software program for execution by the first microprocessor to control the plurality of components. A transfer mechanism is provided to transport the second software program from the first memory to the second memory by activating the control system. This configuration of the control system only makes it possible for the control circuit input controller to be unique for a particular whirlpool model. Only that the pre-assembly contains the devices and software which are built to a particular whirlpool model. The main controller circuitry and software permanently stored in it are generic and suitable for controlling any of the plurality of swirl tub models.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Figure 1 is an isometric view of a whirlpool tub embodying the present invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control circuit in the whirlpool tub.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Figure 1, a whirlpool tub 10 includes a tub 12 having a plurality of conventional swirl nozzles 14 projecting through an interior side wall 16. The floor of the tub has a standard drain opening 18. One end of the tub has an end wall 20 with a plurality of nozzles 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 that are placed in pairs. Four of the pairs of nozzles 21, 22, 23 and 24 are arranged one above the other and the fifth pair of nozzles 25 is located horizontally on either side of the fourth pair of nozzles 24. As will be described, the flow of water through of each nozzle 21-25 is controlled by a separate valve so that its flow can be regulated independently of the other nozzle pairs. A soft cushion 30 is attached to the edge of the tub end wall 20. The cushion 30 is formed of an outer cover of a vinyl material with a soft filler inside. The cushion 30 has a central cut-out section in which a separate removable pillow 32 is located. The pillow 32 has a U-shaped internal pad of resilient material that conforms to the neck of the bathing suit. The pad is covered by a porous fabric membrane to form a rectangular shaped pillow that allows water currents to pass here through the jets located under the pillow. The additional valves independently control the flow of water through the pillow in a pulsating or continuous manner to massage the neck of the swimsuit.

A control panel 34 is mounted on the edge of the tub 12 and is part of a control circuit 40 shown in Figure 2. Alternatively for whirlpool tubs that are mounted in an opening in a bathing platform, the control panel 34 can be located on this platform adjacent to the whirlpool tub. The control panel 34 more particularly is part of an input controller 35 which is electrically coupled to a main controller 42 located remote from the control panel 34 in a separate housing 43 below the tub adjacent to the valves, pump and other components of electrically operated swirl tub. The control panel 34 is used by the swimsuit to select various functions and components of the swirl vat 10 to activate and this selection communicates with the main controller 42 which controls the operation of those components. The main controller 42 contains a first microcomputer 45 having a first microprocessor 44 which executes the software programs stored within a first non-volatile memory 48. The first memory 48 also stores the data used by those programs. The first input / output (I / O) circuits 50 interconnect the sensors, such as a water level sensor 36 mounted on the side wall of the tub 16 in figure 1, and other input devices to the first microprocessor 44. The execution of the software program by the first microprocessor 44 produces output signals the limes are processed by a set of output circuits 52-55 to drive the components of the swirl tub 10. One of those output signals is processed by a pump output circuit 52 for controlling pump 56 of the swirl tub. A group of other output signals is applied to a set of circuits 53 that operate the valves 57 that control the flow of water through the swirl jets. Another output signal from the first microprocessor 44 is applied to a heater control circuit 54, which controls the heater for the whirlpool tub. Other types of output circuits can be provided, such as light control circuit 55 which receives the output signals to govern the operation of the lights 38 within the whirlpool. The main controller 42 processes the control commands of the input controller 35 via a communication line 60. The input controller 35 comprises a user interface 62 on the input panel 34 by which the swimsuit selects different functions to be activated and the intensity or other parameters of the selected function. The user interface 62 provides input commands to a second microcomputer 63 which has a second microprocessor 64, which executes a program stored within a second non-volatile memory 66 that governs the operation of the input controller 35. The second microcomputer 63 it includes second circuits 1/0 68 which interconnect the second microprocessor 64 to the user interface 62 and the communication line 60. The second microprocessor 64 responds to the input commands of the user interface 62 by generating control commands which are sent via the communication line 60 to the main controller 42. The control commands are transmitted to the first microprocessor 44. The main controller 42 it also receives the input signals provided by the operator directly from a wireless remote control 70 which is similar to such devices commonly used with electronic consumer equipment. The wireless remote control 70 has a plurality of switches 72 for the various functions of the whirlpool tub. The switches 72 are connected to an encoder 74 that produces a control command that indicates which of the switches has been activated by the swimsuit. The control command is modulated on a radiofrequency (RF) carrier by a transmitter 76 which produces and transmits a remote control signal 78. The remote control signal 78 is detected by an RF receiver 80 on the main controller 42 on the which retrieves and applies the control command to an input of the first microprocessor 44. The main controller 42 is generic to a plurality of different swirl tub models having various combinations of features, functions and components 38, 56-58. The first memory 48 in the main controller 42 permanently stores routines for driving and operating all the different components that are used in any of those various swirl tub models. Specifically, the first memory contains software drivers for the different types of pumps, valves, heaters, lights and other devices. Therefore, regardless of which specific whirlpool model the generic master controller 42 is incorporated into, it has all the software routines to drive the employer specific output devices in this model. Similarly, the first memory 48 permanently stores the software routines to process the input signals received by the first I / O circuits 50 of the sensors, input controller 35 and RF receiver 80. The various input routines, output and communication stored within the memory are generic, being used in a number of different models of whirlpool tubs in which the <; Main controller 42 can be incorporated. In contrast to the generic master controller 42, the input controller 35 is unique to a specific whirlpool model. In other words, the user interface 62 and other components of the input controller 35 are configured for only the functions used in a particular model. The second memory 66 contains the software for processing the signals of the user interface 62 in specific control commands for the functions of the available whirlpool tub. Therefore a separate version of the input controller 35 is created for each different swirl tub model. The second memory 66 of the input controller 35 also contains the software program for execution by the first microprocessor 44 in the main controller 42. This control program is also unique to the particular model of the whirlpool tub, when it must be specifically configured to operate the functions and components that are provided in this particular model. In the activation of the control circuit 40, the main controller software program stored within the second memory 66 is transferred from the input controller 35 to the first memory 48 in the main controller 42. This transfer is performed by the second microprocessor 64. , consecutively entering each storage location within the second memory 66 and reading the corresponding program instruction.

Those program instructions are transmitted via the communication line 60 to the first microprocessor 44 which consecutively stores the instructions in a section of the first memory 48 in the main controller 42. The activation of the control circuit 40, which activates the transfer of the software program, can be the application of electrical energy from the building circuits to the whirlpool tub 10, the activation of a main power button on the entrance panel 34 by a swimsuit, or some other event which occurs at the beginning of the use of the whirlpool tub. This transfer of the software stored within the second memory 66 configures the main controller 42 for the particular swirl tub model. As a consequence, only the input controller 35 of the control circuit 40 has to be unique for a particular whirlpool model. The circle of the main controller 42 and the software permanently stored therein are generic and suitable for controlling any of the plurality of swirl tub models. However, it will be understood that if a particular whirlpool model does not have a specific component, such as heater 58, the corresponding output line of the output control circuits 52-55 will be disconnected. This greatly simplifies the manufacture of the whirlpool control circuit and reduces the number of different parts which must be manufactured and kept in inventory. The foregoing description is directed primarily to a preferred embodiment of the invention. Although some attention is given to various alternatives within the scope of the invention, it is anticipated that one skilled in the art will likely make additional alternatives that are now apparent from the description of the embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined from the following claims and is not limited by the foregoing description. It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS Having described the invention as above, the contents of the following claims are claimed as property:

1. Control system for a bathroom cabinet having a plurality of components which are electrically operated, characterized in that it comprises: a main controller with a first microprocessor, a first memory connected to the first microprocessor, and a plurality of outputs that couple the first microprocessor to the plurality of components; an input controller with an input device by which a user of the bathroom cabinet is able to enter commands to selectively operate the plurality of components, the input device is connected to a second microprocessor which is connected to a second memory that contains a first software program for execution by the second microprocessor to process the commands of the input device, and the second memory also contains a second software program for execution by the first microprocessor to operate the plurality of components, and a mechanism transfer to transport the second software program from the second memory to the first memory by activating the control system. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer mechanism transports the second software program from the first memory to the second memory by applying electric power to the control system. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the transfer mechanism transports the second software program from the first memory to the second memory in the operation of the input device by the user. 4. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the first memory is a non-volatile memory device. 5. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the second memory permanently contains software routines to operate the plurality of components. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the main controller is generic for controlling a plurality of models of bathroom furniture having different pluralities of components; and the input controller is unique to one of the plurality of bathroom furniture models and the second program software is unique to control only those components in one of the plurality of bathroom furniture models. Control system according to claim 1, characterized in that the main controller is located in a housing that is separate and remote from the input controller. 8. Method for controlling a whirlpool tub having a plurality of components which are electrically operated, characterized in that it comprises: providing a main controller having a first microprocessor, a first memory connected to the first microprocessor, and a plurality of outputs that couple the first microprocessor to the plurality of components; providing an input controller having an input device by which a user of the whirlpool tub is able to input input commands to selectively operate the plurality of components, the input device is connected to a second microprocessor which is connected to a second memory; storing a first software program and a second software program in the second memory; by activating the control system, transferring the second software program from the second memory to the first memory; executing the first software program by means of the second microprocessor to process the input commands of the input device and transmit the control commands to the main controller; and executing the second software program by the first microprocessor to control the plurality of components in response to the control commands. 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized by the activation of the control system comprising the application of electrical energy to the control system. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the activation of the control system comprises the operation of the input device by the user.