Control system for one or more bathing devices

Abstract

A control system (100) for one or more bathing devices (1, 7). The control system includes: a mixer valve (118), the mixer valve (118) having a first inlet (134) and a second inlet (136) and an outlet (138), the first inlet (134) and the second inlet (136) being configured to receive a supply of hot water and cold water, the outlet (138) being configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof as an output flow for supplying water to one or more bathing devices (1, 7) located downstream of the mixer valve (118); and a controller 120. The controller (120) is configured to: obtain one or more current operation signals related to a flow rate of the output flow generated by the mixer valve; compare each of the one or more current operation signals with a corresponding historical operation signal, the historical operation signal being an operation signal previously obtained by the controller; and generate a diagnostic signal based on the comparison. A method performed by the control system (100) is also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to a control system for one or more bathing devices, such as a shower system, a faucet, a tap, or any combination of such bathing devices. The present application also relates to a method performed by such a control system. More specifically, the present application relates to the control of an electronically controlled bathing device such as a digital shower or a faucet. Background Art

[0002] An electronically controlled shower and faucet or digital shower and faucet may include a mixer valve unit provided with a cold water input and a hot water input from which a mixed output flow is produced in response to an electrical control signal. A temperature sensor may be used in the output flow to create a feedback loop to control the temperature of the output flow by mixing appropriate levels of input hot and cold water. The feedback loop is used to maintain the output flow at a target temperature.

[0003] In a digital shower or faucet system, the temperature and flow rate of the output stream can be remotely controlled by the user using a separate user interface. This is typically located remotely from the mixer valve unit, so that the mixer valve unit and the user interface form a control system. The user interface allows the user to set the desired water output characteristics such as the desired temperature and / or flow rate, and can provide more complex control functions such as allowing a pre-programmed or customized shower experience to be provided.

[0004] Digital shower / faucet systems have many advantages in terms of improved functionality and user experience by providing greater and more convenient control over the output water flow. However, the effective operation of the shower / faucet system relies on the absence of undesired blockages or restrictions to the water flow that develop over time. This may be caused by the accumulation of sediment in the outlet orifice or filter, or may be caused by user modification of the outlet diverter or restrictor. If the flow is restricted compared to the flow available when the system was designed, installed or calibrated, there will likely be a loss of performance such as incorrect temperature control.

[0005] Therefore, a general problem to be solved is how to avoid performance losses of bathing devices such as digital showers / faucets caused by restricted water flow. Summary of the invention

[0006] A first aspect provides a control system for one or more bathing devices, the control system comprising any one or more of the following:

[0007] a mixer valve having first and second inlets configured to receive supplies of hot and cold water and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof as an output stream for supplying water to one or more bathing devices located downstream of the mixer valve; and

[0008] Controller, the controller is configured as:

[0009] obtaining one or more current operating signals related to a flow rate of an output flow produced by a mixer valve;

[0010] comparing each of the one or more current operation signals with a corresponding historical operation signal, the historical operation signal being an operation signal previously obtained by the controller; and

[0011] A diagnostic signal is generated based on the comparison.

[0012] By comparing the current operating signal with the corresponding historical operating signal, changes over time can be detected to provide an indirect indication that some form of restriction to flow exists. The diagnostic signal can be used to provide an indication whether a blockage has occurred or a flow restriction device has been installed and appropriate action taken.

[0013] The control system may further comprise a flow rate sensor arranged to generate a flow rate signal indicative of the flow rate of water flowing in the output flow, wherein one or more current operating signals may comprise a current flow rate signal obtained from the flow rate sensor and the corresponding historical operating signal is a historical flow rate signal previously obtained from the flow rate sensor.

[0014] The controller may be configured to generate a diagnostic signal if the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than a historical flow rate or less than a threshold proportion of the historical flow rate.

[0015] The mixer valve may include a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member and the second valve member forming a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve, the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve being arranged to control the flow between an inlet and an outlet. The controller may be configured to control the position of the valve member to control the output flow. The one or more operating signals may include a current target position or current actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member in the valve member. The corresponding historical operating signal is a corresponding historical target position or actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member in the valve member.

[0016] The controller may be configured to generate a diagnostic signal if the comparison indicates that a current opening of the first control valve, the second control valve, or both the first and second valve members exceeds or is greater than a threshold amount compared to corresponding historical target or actual positions of the valve members.

[0017] The controller may be arranged to store at least one operating signal to serve as a historical operating signal in order to perform the comparison.

[0018] The controller may be configured to store the current operating signal on which the comparison is based to serve as a historical operating signal for use in a later comparison.

[0019] The current operating signal may have an associated operating condition, and wherein the controller may be arranged to compare the current operating signal with historical operating signals having the same or similar associated operating condition.

[0020] The historical operating signals on which the comparison is based may relate to operation of the bathing apparatus during installation and / or calibration of the control system and the bathing apparatus.

[0021] The controller may also be configured to control the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal.

[0022] The controller may be arranged to control the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal to at least temporarily reduce the flow rate or target flow rate of hot and / or cold water through the mixer valve or to change one or more target output water characteristics.

[0023] The controller may be arranged to send or transmit the diagnostic signal. The controller may be configured to send the diagnostic signal to a user interface and / or a remote device for display and / or storage. The controller may be configured to send the diagnostic signal via a wireless connection or via a wired connection.

[0024] The controller may be arranged to transmit the diagnostic flag via a wireless network to a server at a location remote from the control system.

[0025] The controller may further comprise a memory.The controller may be arranged to store the diagnostic signal in the memory.

[0026] The control system may include a plurality of outlets, each outlet configured to output water from the mixer valve, the plurality of outlets configured to supply multiple water outlets of the same bathing fixture and / or a plurality of bathing fixtures.

[0027] The control system may further comprise one or more shut-off valves (eg formed by solenoids), each shut-off valve being arranged to control flow in each of the outlets.The one or more shut-off valves may be activated in response to the diagnostic signal.

[0028] A piping manifold may be provided downstream of the mixer valve where the output flow is split between separate conduits for each water output.

[0029] In a second aspect, there is provided a method performed by a control system of a bathing device, the control system comprising a mixer valve, the mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet and the second inlet being configured to receive a supply of hot water and cold water, the outlet being configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof as an output flow for supplying water to one or more bathing devices located downstream of the mixer valve, the method comprising:

[0030] obtaining one or more current operating signals related to a flow rate of an output flow produced by the mixer valve; and

[0031] comparing each current operation signal of the one or more current operation signals with a corresponding historical operation signal, the historical operation signal being a previously obtained operation signal; and

[0032] A diagnostic signal is generated based on the comparison.

[0033] The one or more current operating signals may include a current flow rate signal indicative of a flow rate of water flowing in the output flow, and the corresponding historical operating signal may be a historical flow rate signal of the output flow.

[0034] If the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than the historical flow rate or less than a threshold proportion of the historical flow rate, a diagnostic signal may be generated.

[0035] The mixer valve may include a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member and the second valve member forming a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve, the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve being arranged to control the flow between an inlet and an outlet. One or more operation signals may include a current target position or a current actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member in the valve member. The corresponding historical operation signal may be a corresponding historical target position or an actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member in the valve member.

[0036] If the comparison indicates that the current opening of the first flow control valve, the second flow control valve, or both flow control valves exceeds or is greater than a threshold amount compared to at a corresponding historical target valve member position or actual valve member position, a diagnostic signal may be generated.

[0037] The method may further include storing at least one operating signal to serve as a historical operating signal in order to perform the comparison.

[0038] Storing the at least one operating signal may include storing a current operating signal on which the comparison is based to serve as a historical operating signal for use in a later comparison.

[0039] The current operating signals may have associated operating conditions, and wherein comparing one or more current operating signals may include comparing the current operating signals to historical operating signals having the same or similar associated operating conditions.

[0040] The historical operating signals on which the comparison is based may relate to operation of the bathing apparatus during installation and / or calibration of the control system and the bathing apparatus.

[0041] The method may further include controlling a mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal.

[0042] Controlling the mixer valve may include controlling the mixer valve to at least temporarily reduce a flow rate or a target flow rate of hot and / or cold water through the mixer valve or to change one or more target output water characteristics in response to the diagnostic signal.

[0043] The method may include sending or transmitting a diagnostic signal. The method may include sending the diagnostic signal to a user interface and / or a remote device for display and / or storage. Sending the diagnostic signal may include sending the diagnostic signal via a wireless connection or via a wired connection.

[0044] The method may include sending a diagnostic signal to a server via a wireless network.

[0045] The method may also include storing the diagnostic signal in a local memory of the controller.

[0046] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that features described with respect to any one of the above aspects may be applied to any other aspect, unless mutually exclusive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0048] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a bathing device with a control system according to an embodiment;

[0049] Figure 2 Shows the formation Figure 1 A close-up schematic diagram of a mixer valve unit that is part of a control system is shown;

[0050] Figure 3 and Figure 4 Shows the formation Figure 2 A perspective view and a side view of a mixer valve that is part of a mixer valve unit;

[0051] Figure 5 Shown along Figure 4 A cross section taken along the line CC marked in FIG. 1 ; and

[0052] Figure 6 A method performed by a control system according to an embodiment is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] Figure 1 The figure shows a first bathing device 1 in the form of a shower system. The shower system comprises two water outlets: a first water outlet as a wall-mounted shower head 2 and a second water outlet as a ceiling-mounted shower head 3. The water outlets are installed in a shower enclosure 4. Figure 1 Also shown is a second bathing device in the form of a nozzle 6 which provides water to a bathtub 7 .

[0054] Despite Figure 1 Three water outlets (nozzle, overhead shower head and wall-mounted shower head) are shown, but other quantities may be provided. For example, the shower system 1 may have only a single water outlet (e.g., a single shower head or nozzle), or may have three or more water outlets (e.g., an additional mid-level shower head). The present application relates to other types of bathing devices, which may, for example, be faucets (e.g., faucets) provided for sinks, wash basins, or other similar purposes. In other embodiments, each bathing device may be a mixture of faucets and shower heads. In some embodiments, a bathtub and a shower may be combined (e.g., so that the shower is an over-bath shower).

[0055] Figure 1 Also shown is a control system 100 which provides a controlled supply of water to the various water outlets of the shower system and the bathtub. Thus, the control system may be referred to as a control and supply system. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the control system 100 provides a controlled water supply to two separate bathing devices. In other embodiments, any other number of bathing devices may be supplied and controlled, for example, only one or three or more bathing devices. For example, the control system may be connected only to a shower system or only to a nozzle.

[0056] The water supply is mixed by the hot water supply and the cold water supply to give the desired water temperature. The control system 100 generally includes a mixer valve unit 102, a user interface 104 and a remote on / off control 106. The mixer valve unit 102 receives the cold water supply via a cold water conduit 108, which is connected to the plumbing system of the building where the shower system 1 is located. The cold water conduit provides a suitable cold water supply. In some embodiments, the cold water supply is provided by the main cold water supply, or can be provided by a water tank such as a header tank (not shown in the figure) instead. The mixer valve unit 102 also receives a hot water supply via a hot water conduit 110 connected to the plumbing system. The hot water conduit provides a supply of water that has been heated by a water heater 112 provided as part of the plumbing system. The water heater 112 can be an instantaneous water heater (such as a combination boiler) or a storage water heater. Any other suitable water heater can be used. The mixer valve unit 102 supplies a mixed water flow to three output conduits 114a, 114b, 114c, which is produced by mixing a cold water source and a hot water source, as will be described in more detail later. The output conduits 114a, 114b, 114c are fluidly connected to the water outlets 2, 3, 6 of the bathing devices 1, 6. The mixer valve unit 102 can have any appropriate number of water outlets so that various forms of bathing devices (with various numbers of water outlets as described above) can be supplied. In some embodiments, the mixer valve unit can have more water outputs than a bathing device or a plurality of bathing devices supplied. If not needed, any such redundant outlet can be capped.

[0057] The user interface 104 is mounted within the shower enclosure 4 and is arranged to display information to the user and receive user input to control the shower system. A remote on / off control 106 is located outside the shower enclosure to allow the user to turn the shower on and off before entering the shower enclosure 4. In other embodiments, a separate remote on / off control 106 may not be provided, and the shower is turned on and off from the user interface 104. A separate user interface (not visible in the figure) may be provided on the bathtub nozzle 6 to allow control of the water flow from the nozzle.

[0058] The control system 100 may also include, or may be adapted to communicate with, a portable user device 116, which may be used to remotely control the shower system. The portable user device 116 may be a dedicated device, or may take the form of a smartphone or the like, on which an appropriate application may be installed to interface with the control system 100. The portable user device 116 communicates wirelessly with the mixer valve unit 102 via any appropriate wireless connection, such as Bluetooth or via a WiFi network. Figure 1In the illustrated embodiment, the portion of the control system 100 that is remote from the mixer valve unit 102 has a wired connection to the mixer valve unit 102. In other embodiments, a wired or wireless connection may be used between any separate portions of the control system 100. For example, the user interface 104 and the remote on / off control 106 may be wirelessly connected.

[0059] The mixer valve unit 102 may be located in a loft or floor space typically above a shower system. In other embodiments, the mixer valve unit 102 may be located in any other suitable location, such as under a bathtub or in a cabinet.

[0060] Now refer to Figure 2 , the mixer valve unit 102 is shown in more detail. The mixer valve unit 102 generally includes a mixer valve 118; a controller 120; a pump 122; a first flow shutoff valve 124a, a second flow shutoff valve 124b, and a third flow shutoff valve 124c; and a first water outlet 128a, a second water outlet 128b, and a third water outlet 128c. These components are mounted within a housing 132. The water flow through the mixer valve unit 102 is determined by Figure 2 The arrow icon in . Figure 2 The water conduits shown in and the paths they take are schematic examples only to illustrate the general flow of water through the mixer valve unit 102. The water conduits may have any suitable size and shape as desired to allow adequate water flow and fit within the housing 132.

[0061] In the presently described embodiment, the mixer valve includes a first water inlet 134 and a second water inlet 136, each of which is arranged to receive a hot water supply or a cold water supply. Either of the inlet 134 and the inlet 136 can be coupled to the hot water supply or the cold water supply, wherein the other inlet is coupled to the other of the hot water supply and the cold water supply. In the presently described embodiment, the first water inlet 134 is coupled to the hot water conduit 110 and is referred to as the hot water inlet. The second water inlet 136 is coupled to the cold water conduit 108 and is referred to as the cold water inlet.

[0062] The mixer valve also includes an outlet 138 configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof as an output flow for supplying water to the bathing devices 1, 6 located downstream of the mixer valve 118. The mixer valve 118 includes one or more valve members that can be moved to change the water flow rate between the hot inlet and the cold inlet and the outlet to control the mixed flow. An example of a mixer valve 118 suitable for the mixer valve unit 102 will be described in more detail later.

[0063] The mixed flow generated by the mixer valve 118 flows through the mixer valve outlet 138 (via a flow rate sensor as will be described later) to the pump 122. The pump 122 is also arranged to separate the mixed flow into separate output flows. Each of these separate flows is used to supply each of the water outlets provided by the bathing device (e.g., the wall-mounted shower head 2 and the overhead shower head 3 and the bath nozzle 6). Although Figure 2 The pump in produces three separate output streams, but any suitable number of outputs may be provided by dividing the mixed stream into a suitable number of separate streams. If only one output from the mixer valve unit 102 is required, the pump has a single input and output.

[0064] The individual output stream from pump 122 flows through the first stop valve 124a, the second stop valve 124b and the 3rd stop valve 124c respectively. The stop valve can be moved between the closed state and the open state respectively, to provide the independent control of the water to each water outlet of the bathing device. This can allow the user to select those water outlets they wish to use, and independently control the flow through each water outlet in the range between the maximum flow provided by the mixer valve 118 and the zero flow. The stop valve can be a solenoid valve. However, other types of stop valves can be used. Each output of the mixer valve unit can be provided with a corresponding stop valve. In other embodiments, stop valve may not be provided.

[0065] The shut-off valves 124a, 124b, 124c are fluidly coupled to the respective first water outlets 128a, 128b, and 128c. The first outlet 128a and the second outlet 128b are fluidly coupled to the output conduits 114a, 114b to supply the water outlets of the shower system, such as Figure 1 As shown, the third outlet 128c is fluidly coupled to the third output conduit 114c to supply the nozzle 6.

[0066] The pump 122 is arranged to increase the pressure of the output flow from the mixer valve 118. The pump 122 can be set where the control system 100 is to be supplied with a low-pressure hot and / cold water supply (e.g., water from a cold / hot water storage tank, rather than a tap water supply). The pump 122 is located downstream of the flow rate sensor (described below) and before the stop valves 124a, 124b, 124c. In other embodiments, a pump can be provided at any appropriate point in the control and supply system to increase the pressure when needed. In other embodiments, there is no pump. Such an embodiment is suitable for use in the absence of a pump but the supply pressure is sufficient (e.g., in the case of providing tap water pressure rather than water from a hot or cold water storage tank). In the case where a pump is not provided, it can be replaced by a pipe system manifold that connects a single output flow from the mixing valve to each of the outlets 128a, 128b, 128c via a stop valve.

[0067] The controller 120 is arranged to control the operation of various components of the control system 100. The controller 120 is in operational communication with the mixer valve 118, the shutoff valves 124a, 124b, 124c, the user interface 104, the remote on / off control 106 and the portable user device 116 via appropriate wired or wireless connections. The controller 120 includes a memory 142 and one or more processors 140, the memory 142 being arranged to store computer-readable instructions that can be executed by the processor 140 to perform any of the functions of the controller described herein. The controller also includes a wireless communication module in the form of a Bluetooth module 144 and a WiFi module 146, which is arranged to allow wireless communication between the controller 120 and remotely located parts of the control system. The wireless communication module is also arranged to provide communication over the Internet via a wireless local area network (Wi-Fi network), a cellular network or any other appropriate wireless network. The WiFi module can be a separate module connected to the main PCBA of the controller 120 via a wired connection, such as Figure 2 In the depicted embodiment, the WiFi module is mounted within the housing 132, but in other embodiments, the WiFi module may be located away from the housing 132. In other embodiments, the WiFi module 146 is located on the main PCBA of the controller.

[0068] The controller 120 also includes a wired connection point 148 to which a wired connection can be made to a mixer valve unit or other components of the control system 100. In the presently described embodiment, only a single wired connection point 148 is shown. However, there may be any suitable number (e.g., three), such that there is one or more wired connection points.

[0069] exist Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the processor 140 and the memory 142 form a microcontroller (MCU) configured to perform any function of the controller described herein. In other embodiments, the controller may take different forms. The controller may include any combination of hardware and software that operates to control and process information and execute programming instructions. The controller may include any appropriate processing circuit, including a microprocessor, a programmable logic device, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application specific instruction set processor (ASIP), etc. The controller 120 may be any device suitable for controlling the operation of the control system by processing information (e.g., information received from a sensor, stored in a local memory, or received from an external source) and outputting instructions to the components of the control system (e.g., mixer valves and shut-off valves, respectively) according to the functions (or additional functions) defined herein. In some embodiments, the controller 120 may be formed by distributed components, some or all of which may be located outside the mixer valve unit 102. For example, the controller 120 may be located away from the housing 132 and may have a suitable wired or wireless connection to the components in the housing. In the described embodiment, a single controller is provided to control a single mixer valve unit 102, in which a single mixer valve is included to provide mixed water to the water outlets of any number of bathing devices. In other embodiments, the controller may be arranged to control multiple mixer valve units 102, for example, each mixer valve unit having a separate mixer valve 118 and receiving a separate hot water supply and cold water supply. For example, Figure 2 The controller 120 shown can control Figure 2 The mixer valve unit shown is similar to another mixer valve unit, but does not require a second controller.

[0070] The control system also includes one or more sensors arranged to provide measurements of various operating parameters to the controller 120. Figure 2 Not shown, the sensor may be operatively coupled to the controller 120 by wire or wirelessly to send signals thereto.

[0071] The control system includes an output flow sensor arranged to generate an output flow signal indicative of various water properties of the mixed output flow of the mixer valve 118. Figure 2In the illustrated embodiment, the output flow sensors include an output temperature sensor 150 and an output flow rate sensor 152. In other embodiments, an output pressure sensor (not shown) may also be provided. These sensors are positioned to measure the properties of the water flow at any location downstream of the mixer valve 118 (e.g., downstream of the point where the mixed flow is generated within the mixer valve, which may be included within the mixer valve itself, such as downstream of a valve member that controls the flow through the valve). These sensors may be located within the mixer valve unit 102, such as Figure 2 As shown. For example, these sensors can be located between the mixer valve 118 and the pump 122 or manifold pipe workpiece, where the output flow is divided. However, these sensors can be located at any suitable position within the mixer valve unit. In other embodiments, these sensors can be arranged further downstream of the mixer valve unit.

[0072] The control system further comprises a first temperature sensor 154a arranged to generate a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of water flowing through or supplied to the first water inlet 134 of the mixer valve. The first temperature sensor 154a may be located adjacent to the respective water inlet orifice of the mixer valve, or may be located further downstream at any point before the water flow is mixed within the mixer valve (thus, the first temperature sensor 154a may be located within the mixer valve itself). The first temperature sensor may be located within the mixer valve unit 102, such as Figure 2 Alternatively, the first temperature sensor may be located further upstream, and may be located upstream of the mixer valve unit 102 .

[0073] The control system further comprises a second temperature sensor 154b arranged to generate a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of water flowing through or supplied to the second water inlet 136 of the mixer valve 118. The second temperature sensor 154b may be located adjacent to the respective water inlet orifice of the mixer valve, or may be located further downstream at any point before the water flow is mixed within the mixer valve (thus, the second temperature sensor 154b may be located within the mixer valve itself). The second temperature sensor 145b may be located within the mixer valve unit 102, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 Alternatively, the second temperature sensor may be located further upstream, and may be located upstream of the mixer valve unit 102 .

[0074] In the described embodiment, both a first temperature sensor and a second temperature sensor are provided to measure a temperature signal indicative of the temperature of the hot water supply or the cold water supply to the mixer valve 118. The first temperature sensor or the second temperature sensor may measure the hot water supply temperature signal or the cold water supply temperature signal, depending on which of the first inlet 134 and the second inlet 136 is used to deliver hot and cold water. In the described embodiment, the first temperature sensor 154a is a hot inlet temperature sensor that measures a hot temperature signal and the second temperature sensor 154b is a cold inlet temperature sensor that measures a cold temperature signal. Once the system is connected, the user may select which inlet is which via appropriate user input.

[0075] In other embodiments, only one temperature sensor may be provided. In such embodiments, the first inlet 134 and the second inlet 136 are configured to receive only one of a hot water supply or a cold water supply (eg, the first inlet 134 and the second inlet 136 are not interchangeable).

[0076] In the described embodiment, the mixer valve includes a valve position sensor 156 that is arranged to measure an actual valve position signal indicating the actual position of a valve member or multiple valve members within the mixer valve 118. The position of the valve member can be measured relative to a valve seat, which is associated with the valve member to provide feedback on how much hot water or cold water is allowed to flow through the mixer valve 118. The valve position sensor 156 can be an encoder (e.g., a rotary encoder) that can be any suitable type of inductive, magnetic, Hall effect, or resistive sensor. In other embodiments, a target position of the valve member can be relied upon, rather than the measured actual valve member position. In such an embodiment, the valve position sensor 156 is not required and is therefore absent.

[0077] Any temperature sensor described herein may include a thermistor. However, other types of temperature sensors may be used such as thermocouples, semiconductor sensors, infrared sensors, or any other suitable sensor.

[0078] Any flow rate sensor described herein may include a flow turbine, an ultrasonic sensor, a differential pressure sensor, or any other suitable type of flow rate sensor.

[0079] Figure 2 The locations of the sensors shown are for illustration purposes only. The sensors may be located at any suitable location to provide measurements of desired properties of water flowing through the control system or of the control system itself. Any sensor described herein is configured to generate a signal received and processed by the controller to perform any of the functions described herein. The signals received by the processor may be converted to other formats for processing or storage by the processor.

[0080] The number and type of sensors provided in the control system are selected based on the desired functionality of the controller. Figure 2 Any one or more of the sensors shown in the drawings may be used for certain functions, for example, they may not be present if they are not needed to generate diagnostic or indicator signals according to any function of the controller described herein. Figure 2 Any one or more of the sensors shown in .

[0081] The controller is configured to control the mixer valve 118 according to one or more target output water properties. Water properties refer to properties of the water, including the temperature, flow rate or pressure of the water. The target output water properties are set by the user via the user interface 104 or via the portable removal device 116 using an appropriate application running on the device, or may be defined by a shower program stored in the memory 142 of the controller. The controller is arranged to control the mixer valve in response to measurements from the output flow sensor so as to change the water flow through the mixer valve (e.g. through each flow control device having the mixer valve) to achieve or maintain the desired target output water property.

[0082] Now refer to Figures 3 to 5 , an example of a mixer valve 200 suitable for use in the mixer valve unit 102 is shown in more detail. This will be understood as having only one example of an alternative mixing valve that provides the desired controlled mixing of hot and cold flows apparent to those skilled in the art. The mixer valve 200 comprises a housing 201 having an orifice 202 forming a first water inlet and an orifice 204 forming a second water inlet. The housing 201 also comprises an orifice 206 to form an outlet.

[0083] The housing 201 houses a first flow control valve 208a and a second flow control valve 208b. The first flow control valve 206 is arranged to control the flow of water from the first inlet 202 to the mixing chamber 210. The second flow control valve 208 is arranged to control the flow of water from the second inlet 204 to the mixing chamber 210. Water flows from the mixing chamber 210 to the outlet 206. The first flow control valve and the second flow control valve can control the flow of hot water or cold water, depending on whether the first water inlet 134 and the second water inlet 136 are connected to a hot water supply or a cold water supply.

[0084] like Figure 5As can be seen, the first flow control valve 208a includes a first valve member 212a and a second valve member 212b, each mounted to a shaft 214. The valve members are arranged to seal against associated valve seats 216a, 216b. The shaft 214 can be moved via an actuator 218. The second flow control valve 208b includes a first valve member 212a' and a second valve member 212b', respectively, and the first valve member 212a' and the second valve member 212b' have associated valve seats 216a', 216b'. The valve member of the second flow control valve is mounted to the shaft 214' moved by the actuator 218'. The valve member controlling the hot water flow is referred to as a hot valve member in this article, and the valve member controlling the cold water flow is referred to as a cold valve member. In some embodiments, only one valve member is provided for each of the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve. These valve members can be referred to as the first valve member and the second valve member elsewhere in this article.

[0085] The actuators 218, 218' are adapted to control the linear position of the shafts 214, 214' and thus control the position of the first valve member and the second valve member relative to the valve seat. The actuators 218, 218' may each include a stepper motor coupled to a lead screw arranged to linearly move the associated shaft 214, 214' in an axial direction. Any suitable actuator for controlling the linear motion of the shaft may be used in place of the stepper motor, including but not limited to a linear actuator. The controller 120 is in communication with the actuators 118, 118' (e.g., via a wired connection) such that the flow of water through the valve may be controlled as described above. The controller may also be in communication with a provided valve member position sensor.

[0086] Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The mixer valve shown is only one such example. For example, the mixer valve may be a mixer valve as described in International Patent Application No. PCT / IB2013 / 001646 (WO2013 / 190381) or PCT / GB2018 / 053122 (WO2019 / 092401), which are hereby incorporated by reference. In other embodiments, the mixer valve may include any suitable number of mating valve members and valve seats to control the flow of hot water and cold water into the mixing chamber.

[0087] In any of the embodiments described herein, the sensors disposed in the mixer valve unit may alternatively be located remote from the mixer valve unit while still in communication with the controller 120. For example, the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor may be disposed further upstream, such as in the water supply conduits 108, 110, rather than being part of the mixer valve unit itself. Similarly, the outlet temperature sensor may be located downstream of the mixer valve unit.

[0088] In some embodiments, Figure 1 The user interface 104 and remote on / off control 106 shown in the figure may not be provided as part of the control system 100 described or claimed herein. In such an embodiment, the user interaction may only be provided with a mobile device 116 or other form of wired or wireless interface. Therefore, the control system described or claimed herein may be a mixer valve unit 102 (including any internal or connected remotely located sensors).

[0089] Diagnostic signal generation:

[0090] The controller of the present application is configured to generate a diagnostic signal, which indicates that flow restriction or flow rate attenuation has occurred over time when using a bathing device. The controller 120 is arranged to obtain one or more current (i.e., current or currently occurring) operation signals related to the operating parameters of the control system. The operation signal is directly or indirectly related to the flow rate of the mixed flow generated by the mixer valve (for example, the flow rate of the mixed output flow generated by the mixer valve, or the position of the valve member controlling the flow rate). Based on a current operation signal or multiple current operation signals obtained, the controller is configured to generate a diagnostic signal by performing a comparison with the corresponding historical expected operation signal. The historical operation signal was previously obtained by the controller. History refers to any time point obtained before the current operation signal, such as during the same use period of the bathing device, during a separate previous use period, or during the installation or calibration use period. The historical operation signal is a signal obtained when the current operation signal is expected to change in the operation of the bathing device. The comparison performed by the controller allows the value of the operation signal to be detected over time, which provides an indirect indication that the flow rate has been attenuated, which means that there may be a blockage or flow restriction.

[0091] The operating signal obtained by the controller can take a variety of different forms depending on different types of operating parameters. The operating parameters generally relate to information about the operating state of the control system and / or the water flowing through the control system. The operating signal may include a sensor signal indicating a water property measured at a corresponding point within the control system. Such a sensor signal may be measured by a sensor provided in the control system described herein.

[0092] Diagnostic signal generation based on flow rate signal:

[0093] The operational signal based on which the comparison is made may be a flow rate signal obtained from the flow rate sensor 152. The controller 120 is configured to obtain a current flow signal from the flow rate sensor 152, which is configured to generate a flow rate signal indicating the flow rate of water flowing in the output flow produced by the mixer valve 118. The historical expected operational signal is then a historical expected flow rate signal previously obtained from the same sensor. The controller 120 is configured to compare the obtained current flow rate signal with the historical expected flow rate and to generate a diagnostic signal based on the comparison. The controller 120 is configured to generate a diagnostic signal if the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than or less than a threshold proportion of the expected historical flow rate (e.g., less than the expected flow rate or less than 95% of the expected flow rate). This allows the controller to determine that a reduction in flow rate has occurred compared to the expected flow rate, thereby giving an indication that something is restricting the flow of water. This particular method (diagnostic signal generation based on the flow rate signal) is advantageous in systems where the flow control is open loop - that is, the flow rate is monitored but is not continuously adjusted throughout the duration of the shower to maintain a constant flow rate). However, this particular method can also be used with closed loop flow control.

[0094] The controller is configured to obtain a suitable historical flow rate signal based on which the comparison is performed. The controller is arranged to store at least one flow rate signal that has been previously generated by the flow rate sensor for use as the historical flow rate signal in order to perform the comparison. The at least one historical flow rate signal may be stored locally in the controller memory 142, or remotely in any suitable storage device accessible by the controller 120 so that the historical flow rate signal may be obtained. The controller may also be configured to store a current flow rate signal based on which the comparison is performed for use as the historical flow rate signal for further comparison later.

[0095] The stored historical values ​​may be compared to the current flow rate signal by the controller 120 to detect any changes in flow rate which may be caused by a blockage forming in the flow path supplying the bathing device, thereby preventing the expected flow rate level in the output flow.

[0096] For example, a clogged filter or shower head can reduce the flow level detected downstream of the mixer valve compared to past use before the blockage occurred. Therefore, this can be detected by the controller and the appropriate diagnostic signal generated so that appropriate action can be taken (see below). The reduction in expected flow rate can also provide an indication that the flow from the outlet of the bathing device (for example, from above the shower head or bathtub nozzle) has been deliberately restricted. This may occur in the case where the user installs a diverter outlet of "multi-mode", "low flow mode", and the user can change the shower head mode (and therefore the flow rate) through the diverter outlet of "multi-mode", "low flow mode". Restriction on flow may result in reduced thermal performance unless the controller is properly adjusted or cleared. By comparing the current flow rate with the past flow rate before any restriction, it is possible to identify the existence of changes made by the user and take appropriate actions.

[0097] At least one historical flow rate measurement on which the comparison is based is recorded under known associated operating conditions. The current flow rate signal also has associated operating conditions. The controller is arranged to compare the current flow rate signal with historical flow rate signals having the same or similar associated operating conditions. This allows similar comparisons to be performed. The operating conditions may include any relevant parameters of the control system or the water flowing through the control system, such as the actual position or target position of a valve member in a mixer valve, an input water temperature, or a target output temperature or flow rate.

[0098] A plurality of historical flow rate signals may be available to the controller (e.g. stored in a memory of the controller or other suitable memory accessible to the controller). A plurality of flow rate signals may be associated with a range of operating conditions with which they are stored in association. The controller may be arranged to determine the operating condition corresponding to the current flow rate signal and obtain a suitable historical flow rate signal having the same or similar operating condition. This may be achieved by searching for a suitable historical flow rate signal from a database in which a plurality of historical flow rate signals are stored.

[0099] The historical flow rate signal may include flow rates measured during installation and calibration of the control system and bathing fixture. This may provide a benchmark for optimal operation against which current flow rate measurements may later be compared. This may also allow detection of flow restriction devices retrofitted by the user after installation.

[0100] The historical flow rate signal may additionally or alternatively include flow rate signals measured at various intervals by the controller during use of the bathing device. Therefore, the controller is arranged to record the current flow rate signal for comparison thereon, or otherwise obtain the flow rate signal to generate an appropriate historical flow rate signal for later comparison. The historical flow rate signal may include a signal measured during a previous use of the bathing device, or include a flow rate signal measured within the same use period. The latter may allow the user to detect restricted flow when using the shower.

[0101] Diagnostic signal generation based on valve member target or actual position:

[0102] As a supplement or alternative to the flow rate signal comparison described above, the diagnostic signal may alternatively be based on the current target position or actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both the first valve member and the second valve member. As described above, the controller 120 is configured to control the mixer valve 118 to achieve a specific target output water property (e.g., temperature, flow rate). To this end, the controller 120 adjusts the position of the valve members of the first flow control valve 208a and the second flow control valve 208b relative to the corresponding valve seat to control the water flow. In order to control the output mixed flow, the controller 120 is configured to generate a target position for setting the position of each valve member in the valve member. The target position is based on a comparison between the target water output characteristic (e.g., set by the user or required by the shower program) and the output flow signal measured by the output flow sensor. The above-mentioned valve position sensor 156 can be used instead of the target position set by the controller to determine the actual position of the valve member.

[0103] This method (generated based on the diagnostic signal of the valve member target position or actual position) can be advantageously used in a system with closed-loop flow control, i.e., the valve member is continuously adjusted to maintain a constant user-defined output flow (and temperature). However, the method can also be used with open-loop flow control.

[0104] The one or more operating signals based on which the diagnostic signal is generated may include a first valve member (eg, Figure 5 The historical expected operation signal is then the corresponding historical expected target position or actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member. The controller is configured to generate a diagnostic signal when the comparison indicates that the flow control valve 208a, 208b is currently open at the corresponding historical expected target position or actual position of the valve member by more than or greater than a threshold amount (for example, the valve member is located farther away from the corresponding valve seat than expected). If the valve member is opened by more than a threshold amount greater than expected, a diagnostic signal can be generated. This helps reduce false positives if there is only a slight difference between the current value and the historical value.

[0105] If one or both of the flow control valves 208a, 208b are open by a greater amount than expected, this may indicate that an obstruction has occurred resulting in a reduced flow rate. If an obstruction or restriction has occurred, the controller 120 may open the flow control valve by a greater amount than if no obstruction existed. By detecting the difference between the current position and the historical position of the valve member, flow obstruction / restriction may be detected in a manner similar to using the more direct flow rate measurement described above.

[0106] When the operating signal is based on the valve member or member target position or actual position instead (or vice versa), any feature in the aforementioned part related to the flow rate signal can be applied in the same manner. For example, the target position or actual position of the valve member can be similarly stored (locally or remotely) by the controller for comparison, which includes the current value based on which the comparison is based. The comparison can also be performed using the valve member position with the corresponding operating conditions of the control system in the same manner as the flow rate comparison, and the comparison can involve searching for matching operating conditions from a database of multiple operating conditions (flow rate and / or valve member position) stored under various operating conditions. The valve member position can be similarly related to those positions that exist when the bathing device is installed and calibrated or at any other time point before obtaining the current value.

[0107] Actions in response to diagnostic signal generation:

[0108] Once the diagnostic signal has been generated by any one or more methods defined herein, the controller 120 can responsively control the operation of a bathing device or multiple bathing devices to which it supplies water. In one embodiment, the controller 120 is configured to control the mixer valve 118 in response to the diagnostic signal. In this embodiment, the controller is configured to at least temporarily reduce the flow rate or target flow rate of the hot water and / or cold water flowing through the mixer valve 118 in response to the diagnostic signal to ensure that optimal thermal performance can still be provided. This can be achieved by moving the valve member position in the mixer valve 118 toward its corresponding closed position.

[0109] The controller may be arranged to vary one or more target output water properties by which the water output is controlled in response to the diagnostic signal.For example, a temperature or flow rate set point may be adjusted to take account of a restricted flow.

[0110] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 120 is also configured to send diagnostic signals to the user interface 104 and / or the remote device 116 for display to a user and / or storage device. An indication of a response performed by the controller based on the diagnostic signal may also be sent and displayed to the user.

[0111] This may inform the user that a reduction in the expected flow rate has been detected. This information may be used to pre-warn the user that service is due (preventive maintenance) or that they should clean or unblock any filters. It may also indicate to the user that they should remove any retrofitted restrictive devices as this may result in a loss of performance. The diagnostic signal may also serve as a warning that the plumbing system used to supply water to the control system may have a reduced pressure. The controller 120 is configured to send the diagnostic signal via a wireless communication module (e.g., via a Bluetooth or WiFi network) or via a wired connection.

[0112] The controller 120 may also be arranged to send diagnostic signals (and / or controller response information) to a remote location such as a service center via the Internet. The diagnostic signals may be sent to a remote server system for appropriate processing. This may allow the performance of the shower system to be remotely monitored by its manufacturer or a repair company. This allows a third party such as a manufacturer / service company to determine that service is due or that it is not the shower control system (or shower) that is faulty and causing any performance shortfall, but rather a blocked filter or restriction that was modified by the user that is faulty and causing any performance shortfall.

[0113] The diagnostic signal may also be stored in the controller's memory 142 so that it can be accessed at a later date or form part of a performance log. This may be displayed to the user or communicated to the manufacturer / service company.

[0114] Reference Figure 6 , a method 300 performed by a control system of a bathing device or a plurality of bathing devices is illustrated. The control system and the bathing device may be defined as in conjunction with any other embodiment described herein. As described above, the control system includes a mixer valve having a first water inlet, a second water inlet and an outlet, the first water inlet being configured to receive a supply of one of hot water or cold water, the second water inlet being configured to receive a supply of the other of hot water or cold water, and the outlet being configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture thereof as an output stream for supplying water to a bathing device located downstream of the mixer valve. The mixer valve includes a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member and the second valve member forming a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve, the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve being arranged to control the flow between the inlet and the outlet, as described above. The method 300 may include steps for performing any function (e.g., the function of the controller 120) of the control system 100 as defined elsewhere herein.

[0115] The method 300 includes an obtaining step 304 of obtaining one or more current operating signals related to operating parameters of the control system. Once the current operating signals are obtained, the method 300 includes a comparing step 306 of comparing the one or more current operating signals to corresponding historical operating signals. Thereafter, the method includes a generating step 308 of generating a diagnostic signal based on the comparison. As described above, the current operating parameters are compared to historical values ​​to determine if a flow restriction or blockage exists.

[0116] The current operating signal and the historical operating signal can take a variety of different forms. In the currently described embodiment, the one or more current operating signals include a current flow rate signal indicating the flow rate of water flowing in the output flow, and the historical expected operating signal is a historical expected flow rate signal. The method 300 includes an obtaining step 304a of obtaining a current flow rate signal indicating the flow rate of water flowing the output flow of the mixer valve. As described above, this is obtained from the output flow rate sensor 150.

[0117] Once the current flow rate signal is obtained, the method 300 includes a comparison step 306a of comparing the current flow rate signal with the historical expected flow rate signal. Thereafter, the method includes a generation step 308a of generating a diagnostic signal based on the comparison. The diagnostic signal can be generated using any of the methods described elsewhere herein. For example, if the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than the expected historical flow rate or less than a threshold ratio of the expected historical flow rate, a diagnostic signal is generated.

[0118] In the currently described embodiment, one or more current operation signals also include a target position or actual position of a first valve member, a second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member disposed in the flow control valve, and the historical expected operation signal is a corresponding historical expected target position or actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the first valve member and the second valve member. Therefore, the method including the obtaining step 304 may include an obtaining step 304b of obtaining a target position signal or an actual position signal of the valve member. The target position of the valve member may be obtained from the group so as to control the operation of the mixer valve to achieve the desired output water properties. Additionally or alternatively, the actual position signal may be obtained from the valve position sensor 156. The comparison step 306 may also include a comparison step 306b of comparing the current actual / target valve member position with a corresponding historical value. As described elsewhere herein, in step 308, a diagnostic signal is generated based on the comparison. For example, if the comparison indicates that the first flow control valve, the second flow control valve, or both are currently open more (or more open by a threshold amount) than at the corresponding historical expected target position or actual valve member position, a diagnostic signal is generated.

[0119] The historical operation signals (i.e., historical flow rate signals or target / actual valve member positions) may be obtained from a local or remote storage device accessible to the controller. In this embodiment, the method 300 includes a step 302 of storing at least one historical operation signal (at least one flow rate signal or valve member target / actual position) for use as the historical operation signal. Figure 6 As can be seen, this storage step occurs before obtaining the current operating signal. As previously mentioned, the historical expected operating signal based on which the comparison is based can be measured or otherwise set or obtained during installation and / or calibration of the control system and the bathing device or at any other time point during operation of the bathing device before obtaining the current value.

[0120] The method 300 also includes a storage step 310 of storing the current operating signal on which the comparison is based to be used as a historical expected operating signal. This means that it can be obtained for later comparison. In other embodiments, this step can be omitted, or this step can be performed only on some operating signals.

[0121] As described above, the current operating signal has an associated operating condition, and the comparison step 306 includes comparing the current operating signal with a historical operating signal having the same or similar associated operating condition. Therefore, the method may also include searching a database of multiple historical operating signals having various associated operating conditions for a historical operating signal having a matching (i.e., the same or similar) associated operating condition.

[0122] Refer again Figure 6 , the method 300 also includes a control step 312 of controlling the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal generated in step 308. The control step 312 of controlling the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal includes controlling 314 the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal to at least temporarily reduce or otherwise adjust a flow rate or target flow rate of hot water and / or cold water through the mixer valve.

[0123] In addition or in lieu of providing further control of the control system, the diagnostic signal may be stored, displayed, or transmitted as described above. Method 300 also includes a sending step 316 of sending the diagnostic signal to a user interface and / or remote device for display and / or storage. The diagnostic signal may also be sent to a manufacturer or service company to help inform the user how to solve a problem with the shower. The diagnostic signal may be sent to a remote server system for appropriate processing. The diagnostic signal may be sent via a wireless connection (e.g., a Bluetooth or WiFi network) or via a wired connection as described above.

[0124] Finally, the method comprises a storing step 318 of storing the diagnostic signal in a local memory. This may allow the diagnostic signal to be used as part of a performance log or to be accessed by a user or an engineer performing a service.

[0125] Although Figure 6 The illustrated method 300 includes various steps performed in response to or using a diagnostic signal, but in some embodiments, any of these steps may be omitted or combined in any combination. Figure 6 It is shown that the diagnostic signal generation is based on both flow rate and valve member position, but in some embodiments, the diagnostic signal generation can be based on only one of the flow rate and valve member position. For example, in some embodiments, steps 304a and 306a related to flow rate can be omitted. Alternatively, steps 304b and 306b related to valve member position can be omitted.

[0126] Those skilled in the art will appreciate various modifications without departing from the scope of the claims. The embodiments described above should be understood to be exemplary only. Any feature of any aspect or embodiment of the present disclosure may be used alone or in combination with any other feature of the same or different aspect or embodiment of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure includes any feature or feature combination disclosed herein.

[0127] Although embodiments of the present application described in conjunction with electronically controlled bathing devices (e.g., digital showers) are not limited to only those embodiments, the control system described or claimed herein may be adapted for use with manually operated showers in which only a flow rate sensor is provided and any other sensor is required to determine operating conditions based on which to obtain a suitable historical flow rate signal.

Claims

1. A control system for one or more bathing devices, the control system comprising: a mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet configured to receive a supply of hot water and cold water and an outlet configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture of the cold water and the hot water as an output stream for supplying water to the one or more bathing devices located downstream of the mixer valve; as well as A controller, wherein the controller is configured to: obtaining one or more current operating signals related to a flow rate of the output flow produced by the mixer valve; comparing each of the one or more current operation signals with a corresponding historical operation signal, the historical operation signal being an operation signal previously obtained by the controller; and generating a diagnostic signal based on the comparison, the diagnostic signal indicating that flow restriction or flow rate decay has occurred over time while using the bathing device, wherein the current operating signal has an associated operating condition, and wherein the controller is arranged to compare the current operating signal with historical operating signals having the same or similar associated operating conditions, The controller is further configured to control the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal to at least temporarily reduce a flow rate or a target flow rate of hot and / or cold water through the mixer valve or to change one or more target output water characteristics.

2. A control system according to claim 1, further comprising a flow rate sensor arranged to generate a flow rate signal indicative of the flow rate of water flowing in the output flow, wherein The one or more current operation signals include a current flow rate signal obtained from the flow rate sensor, and the corresponding historical operation signal is a historical flow rate signal previously obtained from the flow rate sensor.

3. The control system according to claim 2, wherein: The controller is configured to generate the diagnostic signal if the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than a historical flow rate or less than a threshold proportion of the historical flow rate.

4. A control system according to any preceding claim, wherein: the mixer valve comprising a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member and the second valve member forming a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve, the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve being arranged to control flow between the inlet and the outlet; the controller being configured to control a position of the valve member to control the output flow; The one or more operating signals include a current target position or a current actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the valve members; and The corresponding historical operation signals are corresponding historical target positions or actual positions of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the valve members.

5. The control system according to claim 4, wherein: The controller is configured to generate the diagnostic signal if the comparison indicates that a current opening of the first flow control valve, the second flow control valve, or both the first and second valve members exceeds or is greater than a threshold amount compared to the corresponding historical target or actual positions of the valve members.

6. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The controller is arranged to store at least one operating signal to serve as a historical operating signal in order to perform the comparison.

7. The control system according to claim 6, wherein: The controller is configured to store the current operating signal on which the comparison is based to serve as a historical operating signal for use in a later comparison.

8. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The historical operating signals on which the comparison is based relate to operation of the bathing device during installation and / or calibration of the control system and the bathing device.

9. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The controller is further configured to send the diagnostic signal to a user interface and / or a remote device for display and / or storage, and optionally wherein the controller is configured to send the diagnostic signal via a wireless connection or via a wired connection.

10. The control system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The controller further comprises a memory, and the controller is arranged to store the diagnostic signal in the memory.

11. A method performed by a control system of a bathing device, the control system comprising a mixer valve, the mixer valve having a first inlet and a second inlet and an outlet, the first inlet and the second inlet being configured to receive a supply of hot water and cold water, the outlet being configured to output cold water, hot water, or a mixture of the cold water and the hot water as an output flow for supplying water to one or more bathing devices located downstream of the mixer valve, the method comprising: obtaining one or more current operating signals related to a flow rate of the output flow produced by the mixer valve; as well as comparing each current operation signal of the one or more current operation signals with a corresponding historical operation signal, the historical operation signal being a previously obtained operation signal; as well as generating a diagnostic signal based on the comparison, the diagnostic signal indicating that flow restriction or flow rate decay has occurred over time while using the bathing device, wherein the current operating signal has an associated operating condition, and comparing the one or more current operating signals comprises comparing the current operating signal to a historical operating signal having the same or similar associated operating condition, The method further includes controlling the mixer valve in response to the diagnostic signal to at least temporarily reduce a flow rate or a target flow rate of hot and / or cold water through the mixer valve or to change one or more target output water characteristics.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The one or more current operating signals include a current flow rate signal indicative of a flow rate of water flowing in the output flow, and the corresponding historical operating signal is a historical flow rate signal.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: If the comparison indicates that the current flow rate is less than a historical flow rate or less than a threshold proportion of the historical flow rate, the diagnostic signal is generated.

14. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: the mixer valve comprising a first valve member and a second valve member, the first valve member and the second valve member forming a first flow control valve and a second flow control valve, the first flow control valve and the second flow control valve being arranged to control flow between the inlet and the outlet; The one or more operating signals include a current target position or a current actual position of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the valve members; and The corresponding historical operation signals are corresponding historical target positions or actual positions of the first valve member, the second valve member, or both of the valve members.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein: The diagnostic signal is generated if the comparison indicates that a current opening of the first flow control valve, the second flow control valve, or both exceeds or is greater than a threshold amount compared to at the corresponding historical target valve member position or actual valve member position. 16 . The method according to claim 11 , further comprising storing at least one operation signal to serve as a historical operation signal in order to perform the comparison.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein: Storing at least one operating signal includes storing the current operating signal on which the comparison is based to serve as a historical operating signal for use in a later comparison.

18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein: The historical operating signals on which the comparison is based relate to operation of the bathing device during installation and / or calibration of the control system and the bathing device.

19. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising any one or more of the following steps: Step a) sending the diagnostic signal to a user interface and / or a remote device for display and / or storage, wherein optionally, sending the diagnostic signal comprises sending the diagnostic signal via a wireless connection or via a wired connection; and Step b) storing the diagnostic signal in a local memory of the controller.

Images