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Systems and methods for wirelessly communicating with automatic swimming pool cleaners

Inactive Publication Date: 2014-10-09
ZODIAC POOL SYST LLC
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]Smart devices are ubiquitous in society. Prevalence of these devices allows for a wide audience to use them for communicating with APCs. Many of the devices already are configured for wireless, radio frequency (RF) communications via Bluetooth or WiFi protocols (or both or others) with sufficient signal strength to allow localized communication through pool water. They also often are configured to download software apps via the In

Problems solved by technology

Rarely do hydraulic APCs—whether or not in operation—provide any diagnostic or other feedback to users, however, as presently unavailable commercially is any mechanism for communicating electronically with hydraul

Method used

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  • Systems and methods for wirelessly communicating with automatic swimming pool cleaners
  • Systems and methods for wirelessly communicating with automatic swimming pool cleaners

Examples

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Embodiment Construction

[0020]Illustrated in the FIGURE is a water-filled swimming pool SP in which APC 10 is operating. As noted above APC 10 preferably (but not necessarily) is of the hydraulic type. Accordingly, APC 10 may be in direct or indirect fluid communication with either an inlet or an outlet of a pump of a water-recirculation system using hose 14. However, unlike conventional hydraulic cleaners, APC 10 includes an on-board power source and a transceiver as well as, optionally, one or more sensors or processors. An example of such an APC is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14 / 205,408, filed Mar. 12, 2014, entitled “Hydraulic Swimming Pool Cleaners With Electricity Generators” (the “'408 Application”).

[0021]Hose 14 itself typically terminates at a fitting 18, a skimmer, or at some other terminus in or associated with pool SP. Moreover, if APC 10 is a hydraulic cleaner, it need not have any electrical cord, as electricity would not be required for its movement within pool SP. Hence, t...

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Abstract

Systems and methods for communicating wirelessly with automatic pool cleaners are addressed. Hydraulic cleaners, in particular, may be provided with on-board electricity-generating capabilities, processors, sensors, and transceivers for purposes of communication. Control of the cleaners may be accomplished using “smart” devices capable of downloading software via, for example, the Internet.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 809449, filed Apr. 8, 2013, entitled “Smart Device Communication with Swimming Pool Cleaner,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by this reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention relates to systems and methods for communicating with mobile cleaning equipment, such as automatic cleaners of swimming pools and spas, and more particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, to employing hand-held devices in the form of “smart” telephones, tablet computers, etc. to communicate with hydraulic-type automatic swimming pool cleaners (APCs), preferably with radio frequency (RF) signals employing protocols such as WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, or Z-Wave (as examples).BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Conventionally, an APC may be considered either “hydraulic” or “electric” depending on the source of energy employed to effect its...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): E04H4/16
CPCE04H4/1654
Inventor VAN DER MEIJDEN, HENDRIKUS JOHANNESNEWMAN, PHILLIP JOHNBAUCKMAN, MARK J.
Owner ZODIAC POOL SYST LLC