A method and system for harvesting potential energy from a commercial restroom system as well as monitoring and controlling the system. The method and system includes parallel combinations of energy generators converting passively, in the case of photovoltaic cells and heat to power conversion devices, and converting energy actively, in the case of water turbines, vibration generating devices, and fractional energy sources connected to powered devices. The method and system are employed to give longer life to on board powered devices, and to give momentary power to manual devices which can then communicate using the power generated by the mechanical activation or fractional power source output of the device.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an embedded intelligent water and device monitoring system.
Claims
1. A system for monitoring and control of a washroom, comprising,
a plurality of washroom electronic devices;a plurality of different types of fractional energy sources, at least one of the washroom electronic devices receiving energy from multiple fractional energy sources; anda control system for receiving information from each of the plurality of washroom electronic devices, thereby monitoring and controlling the plurality of washroom electronic devices.
2. The system as defined in claim 1 further including at least one of a wireless communication, an optical source, visual or not visual coupled to each of the plurality of washroom electronic devices for communicating operational status and usage information to and/or from the control system.
3. The system as defined in claim 1 further including a wireless communication coupled to each of the plurality of washroom electronic devices for communicating operational status and usage information from the fractional energy sources.
4. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein the plurality of washroom electronic devices comprises at least one of a faucet, a urinal, a toilet, a soap dispenser, an air purifier, a deodorizer, a tissue dispenser and a towel dispenser.
5. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the fractional energy sources comprise at least one of a solid state battery, a solar cell, a fuel cell, a water turbine and a hot water convection device.
6. The system as defined in claim 1 further including at least one electronic control system having a memory which acts to route fractional energy to a selected one of the electronic devices as needed.
7. The system as defined in claim 1 further including a secondary storage system for accumulating energy for use by the washroom electronic devices.
8. The system as defined in claim 6 further including a secondary storage system for accumulating energy for use by the washroom electronic devices.
9. The system as defined in claim 1 further including an efficiency management protocol embedded in a electronic control system for management of at least one of water usage information from the system, consumable usage information and energy usage information from the system.
10. The system as defined in claim 1 further including an operational status management protocol embedded in a electronic control system for monitoring operating status of at least one of the plurality of washroom electronic devices and the plurality of different fractional energy sources.
11. The system as defined in claim 1, wherein the turbine is disposed upstream of a plumbing device.
Patent Application
20070176774
