Patent Application
20100185972
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable handheld device for entering data and determining calculations for a pool selection and pool operation management.
2. Description of Related Art
It is typical to treat pool water with treatment chemicals to kill/control unhealthy organisms, such as algae, pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Pools are generally treated with chlorine-containing sanitizers so as to contain free available chlorine (FAC) in amounts of from 1 to 3 parts of FAC per million parts of water (ppm). Free available chlorine (FAC) can be established in an aqueous system by adding regularly a source of hypochlorous acid (HOCl) or hypochlorite anion (ClO−), e.g., calcium hypochlorite, to the water comprising the aqueous system.
Hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite anion can be introduced into water to be sanitized by passing the water, or a portion thereof, through a container that contains calcium hypochlorite, e.g., calcium hypochlorite in the form of granules, tablets or other shaped forms. Alternatively, calcium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, e.g., granular calcium hypochlorite, can be added directly to water that is to be treated, e.g., sanitized. When water is introduced into the container containing the calcium hypochlorite, it dissolves, thereby forming an aqueous solution comprising hypochlorite anion, which solution is mixed with the water to be treated.
Periodic batch additions of higher levels of hypochlorite anion can be made to the body of water in addition to the relatively steady and lower level additions described previously. Such batch additions of higher levels of hypochlorite anion are commonly referred to as a “shock treatment” or as “superchlorination” and are made on a periodic basis, e.g., once a week, once a month, or as required by problems or conditions arising in the pool or spa, such as high bather loads, algae blooms, high rainfall, fecal release accidents, and the like. The purpose of a shock treatment is to briefly increase the FAC of the water to, e.g., 5 to 20 mg/L, to consume accumulated organic material, destroy chloramines and/or control algae blooms or pathogen infestations. A shock treatment is administered by, for example, preparing a concentrated aqueous solution of calcium hypochlorite and adding this concentrated solution to the water, or distributing, e.g., broadcasting, an appropriate amount of particulate calcium hypochlorite directly over the surface of the water.
The amounts of chemicals to be added are typically calculated manually by a user or pool service company. It is desirable to provide a portable device for entering data and determining calculations for chemical treatment during pool operation management.
The present invention relates to a portable device for pool operation management. The portable device can be used for determining basic mathematical calculations, pool surface area, pool volume, chemical adjustments and breakpoint superchlorination from measured and entered inputs. In one embodiment, the device includes an LCD display for entering inputs and displaying results. The portable device and also include input devices of a ten digit keypad (0-9), decimal point key, math operation keys (+, −, ×, ÷), mode key, directional arrow keys, on/clear key, enter key and back key.
A data collection template can be displayed on the device to provide a user interface for collecting and displaying data. The data collection template can comprise consecutive questions nested in menus or submenus, data collection prompts and commands for guiding a user through data collection activities and displaying results.
The invention will be more fully described by reference to the following drawings.
Reference will now be made in greater detail to a preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts.
Mode selection key 14 is used for selecting a mode of operation of portable device for pool operation management 10 as described below. Directional arrow keys 16a-16d are used for moving or scrolling in a respective direction of right, left, up or down, through information 13 displayed on display 12.
Numeric keys 18a-18j are used to input numeric values. Mathematical operation keys 20a-20d are used to input a respective mathematical operator of division, addition, multiplication and subtraction. Decimal point key 22 is used to enter decimal point values during input of numeric values. Back key 24 is used to erase a previous entry of information displayed on display 12. Enter key 26 is used to finish an entry and begin a desired process or to obtain the result of previously entered operations. On/Clear key 28 is used for powering on and off portable device for pool operation management 10. Processor 29 can be used for receiving input, performing calculation operations and forwarding output to be displayed on display 12.
In one embodiment, mode 1 is used as a basic calculation mode in which conventional calculations can be performed by processor 29 based on input from depressing of mathematical operator keys 20a-20d. Mode 2 is used for performing surface area calculations of a housing for a body of water, such as a pool or hot tub. The surface area calculator is used for determining surface area used in many pool related calculations. For example, the surface area can be used in calculations for volume, bather load, cover sizing, heater sizing and the like. Information 13 related to mode 2 can be displayed in a data collection template of one or more screen displays or menus on display 12. An example menu 30 is shown in
Mode 3 is used for determining the volume of a housing for a body of water. Information 12 related to mode 3 can be in a data collection template of one or more screen displays or menus on display 12. An example menu 40 is shown in
Mode 4 is used for pool operation management for determining memory values for using processor 29 adjustment of chemicals. Information 13 related to mode 4 can be a data collection template of in one or more screen displays or menus on display 12. An example menu 50 is shown in
Mode 5 is used for pool operation management for determining one or more values for adjustment of superchlorination. Information related to mode 5 can be in a data collection template of one or more screen displays or menus on display 12. An example menu 60 is shown in
It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are illustrative of only a few of the many possible specific embodiments, which can represent applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements can be readily devised in accordance with these principles by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
