Patent Application
20060231782
This invention relates to the use of a charged coupled device (CCD) camera, or other image capture device, utilized to detect the presence of a user in the vicinity of a plumbing product.
In the prior art, plumbing products, and in particular sinks or toilets, are provided with electronic controls to control actuation of the flow of water. The plumbing products typically incorporate an infrared unit, which sends out a light signal. When an object is in the proximity of the plumbing product, such as hands underneath a faucet spout, the signal is reflected and detected by the infrared unit. Water is then actuated.
There are some deficiencies in the current state of the art. In particular, the known controls are typically actuated based simply on a reflection of the signal. Thus, an object that may be stationary within the field could cause actuation of the water. Further, a change of intensity in the light such as may be caused by a change in the surrounding surface area can also cause actuation. As one example, a relatively shiny sink surface can pose a variety of problems for reflected signal control.
It would be desirable to have a more sensitive and intelligent method of determining the need for actuating a plumbing structure.
In a disclosed embodiment of this invention, a control for a plumbing product is provided with a CCD camera. The CCD camera periodically captures an image of an area of interest, and conveys that image to a control memory. The image is analyzed, and a decision is made as to whether to actuate the plumbing product based upon the detected image. The use of the CCD camera provides a much more accurate and sensitive control over the plumbing product. As an example, the shape of the detected object, the color of the detected object, movement of the object can all be analyzed using the CCD images. Thus, the invention is much more sensitive than the existing art.
These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
A system 20 for making a control decision for actuation of a water faucet 24 includes a CCD camera 22. The CCD camera 22 periodically captures an image field 28 adjacent to the plumbing product. The CCD camera 22 supplies its captured images to a control 23. Control 23 is operable to actuate the flow of water from the faucet 24, as is known. However, what is novel here is the use of the CCD camera, and the use of captured images by the control 23.
As known, when a user 26 is detected in the vicinity of the faucet 24, then a decision should be made to actuate the water flow. As shown, a sink 30 surrounding the faucet 24 may have some portions in the captured field 28.
In the prior art, there have sometimes been false detections, and the actuation of water where it was not desired. By utilizing the CCD camera, the present invention provides a more sophisticated analytic ability, and thus the reduction of the number of false actuations.
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An object placed within the sink, in the prior art, would reflect a signal and actuate the flow of water. As mentioned above, by correlating the captured shape of an image to expected images of users, the present invention may eliminate many of these false actuations. Moreover, a user's hands would be within a range of expected colors, and those colors can be compared to a detected image, and the water not actuated unless the detected image is of an expected skin color. Alternatively, the control can be as simple as looking for a dramatic change in the captured image, which would be indicative of a user moving into the vicinity. Further, the control can identify the distance to the “user” such as the distance from a toilet. Here again, a number of false actuations can be eliminated.
The problem of the shiny surface, mentioned above, is completely avoided as reflected signals are not used.
CCD cameras are utilized in the prior art for detection of various images. Thus, software to analyze captured images is available and would be known to a worker of ordinary skill in the art. It is the application of this technology to the specific problem of identifying a need for actuating a plumbing product that is inventive here.
Further, safety and/or other controls can be provided. As an example, the water level 66 can be monitored, and shut off when a desired water level is reached. Thus, a tub could be filled without the user having to monitor the filing of the tub. Moreover, should a user be seen as moving beneath the water level 66, some safety such as opening a drain 67 can be actuated. This would protect a younger user of the tub 60.
While a CCD camera is disclosed, other image capture devices, such as a CMOS device, could be utilized with this invention.
Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
