Shower system

Abstract

The shower system includes one or more valves and a plurality of spray heads. The plurality of spray heads are electrically coupled to each other and configured to receive electrical signals from each other. The plurality of spray heads are fluidly coupled to the one or more valves and configured to receive water from the one or more valves. The plurality of spray heads include an ejector, one or more sensors, and an integrated user interface. The ejector is configured to distribute water provided by the one or more valves. The one or more sensors are configured to record motion gestures made by a user. The integrated user interface is configured to control the operation of the ejector. The one or more sensors generate internal signals corresponding to the motion gestures to the plurality of spray heads. One of the plurality of spray heads is a main spray head.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 146,833, filed on February 8, 2021, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Background Art

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to shower systems and more particularly to shower systems that allow a user to selectively control multiple showerheads through gesture movements. Summary of the invention

[0004] At least one embodiment relates to a shower system. The shower system includes one or more valves and multiple spray heads. The multiple spray heads are electrically coupled to each other and configured to receive electrical signals from each other. The multiple spray heads are fluidly connected to the one or more valves and are configured to receive water from the one or more valves. The multiple spray heads include an ejector, one or more sensors, and an integrated user interface. The ejector is configured to distribute water provided by the one or more valves. The one or more sensors are configured to record motion gestures made by a user. The integrated user interface is configured to control the operation of the ejector. The one or more sensors generate internal signals corresponding to the motion gestures and leading to the multiple spray heads. One of the multiple spray heads is a main spray head.

[0005] Another embodiment relates to a shower system. The shower system includes a plurality of spray heads and one or more valves, wherein the one or more valves are fluidly coupled to the plurality of spray heads. The plurality of spray heads have one or more spray modes, are electrically coupled to each other, and are configured to receive electrical signals from each other. The plurality of spray heads include an ejector, one or more sensors, and an integrated user interface. The ejector is configured to dispense water provided by the one or more valves. The one or more sensors are configured to record motion gestures made by a user. The integrated user interface is configured to control the operation of the ejector. The one or more valves are fluidly coupled to the one or more spray modes to selectively change the spray mode in response to the motion gesture.

[0006] Another embodiment relates to a shower system. The shower system includes a plurality of spray heads, one or more sensors operably coupled to the plurality of spray heads, and a controller operably coupled to the plurality of spray heads. The one or more sensors are configured to record motion gestures performed by a user. The one or more sensors include a first motion sensing sensor, a second motion sensing sensor, and a third motion sensing sensor. The first motion sensing sensor is configured to generate an internal signal. The second motion sensing sensor is configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads. The third motion sensing sensor is configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads. The controller includes a processing circuit configured to receive commands from the one or more sensors. The controller is configured to control the operation of at least one of the plurality of spray heads in response to receiving the commands.

[0007] This summary is illustrative only and should not be considered limiting. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] The present disclosure will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements, and in which:

[0009] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shower system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a shower system according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of another shower system according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 is a front view of a wall-mounted showerhead according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a wall-mounted showerhead according to another exemplary embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional view of a ceiling-mounted rain shower head is shown.

[0015] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the interface shown.

[0016] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a system controller for a shower system according to another exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Before turning to the drawings showing certain exemplary embodiments in detail, it should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for illustrative purposes only and should not be considered as limiting.

[0018] Generally speaking, most conventional shower systems that include multiple water delivery devices (e.g., overhead showers, wall-mounted showerheads, handheld sprayers, etc.) require the user to adjust the settings of the water delivery devices through shower handles or central user interfaces that are separate from and located remotely from the water delivery devices. These remote user interfaces may be difficult or inconvenient to access while showering. In addition, these central user interfaces may not be intuitive for a typical user to operate. Additionally, the user's vision may be impaired while showering (e.g., when using shampoo), which may make it difficult to operate the handles or remote user interfaces.

[0019] Additionally, shower systems provide consumers with limited choices, which results in uniformity across spray heads. Therefore, a system that provides touchless control of a configurable spray head, provides additional features not provided in conventional shower systems, and provides user control of the spray head in an easily controllable manner would be desirable.

[0020] Referring generally to the accompanying drawings, a shower system is disclosed herein, which includes a plurality of water delivery devices, such as wall-mounted spray heads, overhead sprayers, handheld sprayers, etc. The system is configured to allow a user to control the water delivery device through gesture movements or through a touch controller directly disposed on each water delivery device itself, so as to provide an improved user experience. In addition, each water delivery device of the system is configured to be designated as a master control unit, wherein the remaining devices can be designated as slave units to be controlled by the master control unit. According to an exemplary embodiment, the disclosed water delivery device includes one or more spray nozzles, a sensor for recording gestures, and a touch-based interface directly disposed on the device itself. If the user desires, the user can perform gesture movements toward the sensor disposed on the device (e.g., using their hands, arms, fingers, heads, legs) to control the operation of the device. The user can also control the operation of the device through a touch-based interface (e.g., a capacitive sensor, etc.) and / or through voice control. Gestures, touch-based controls, and voice controls can adjust the settings of the water delivery device itself on which the interface is disposed, or adjust the settings of other water delivery devices in the system. Settings may include adjusting water temperature, adjusting water flow rate, and activating or deactivating one or more devices in the system. In this manner, the disclosed system allows for improved control of individual water delivery devices in a shower system.

[0021] According to another exemplary embodiment, gesturing to, touching, and / or providing audio commands to the spray head may adjust various other settings of the water delivery device including, but not limited to, audio speakers, lighting, and spray patterns.

[0022] Reference Figure 1 , a shower system 100 is shown according to an exemplary embodiment. The shower system 100 can include a water delivery device, shown as a spray head 102, although the shower system 100 can include other types of water delivery devices, such as a handheld sprayer. The shower system 100 can also include another water delivery device, which is shown as an overhead "rain shower" spray head 104. According to an exemplary embodiment, the overhead rain shower head 104 can also incorporate an audio speaker and a lighting system.

[0023] The shower system 100 also includes a separate water delivery device, which is shown as a wall-mounted spray head 106. Although two wall-mounted spray heads 106 are shown, the shower system 100 may include any number of wall-mounted spray heads 106. Therefore, the wall-mounted spray heads 106 may be disposed at various locations within the shower system 100. As discussed in more detail herein, the wall-mounted spray heads 106 may be individually controlled by a user performing gesture movements near the respective spray heads 106. Through gesture movements, the user may control various water dispensing settings, such as water temperature, water flow rate, which of the wall-mounted spray heads 106 is active, and shower modes (e.g., different modes that affect the rhythm of water dispensing). The user may also control other functions, including but not limited to enabling or disabling sound, controlling which audio is being played, and lighting settings. As also discussed in more detail herein, the wall-mounted spray heads 106 may also be controlled by direct touch-based interactions with the wall-mounted spray heads 106.

[0024] The shower system 100 may also include a separate interface 108 (e.g., a controller). The interface 108 may communicate with the overhead rain shower head 104 and the wall-mounted shower head 106, and the interface 108 is configured to provide electrical signals to the overhead rain shower head 104 and the wall-mounted shower head 106. The user may utilize the interface 108 to control the settings of the overhead rain shower head 104 and the wall-mounted shower head 106. For example, the user may utilize the interface 108 to enable the overhead rain shower head 104 and the wall-mounted shower head 106 by rotating a knob 110 (e.g., a dial, a handle), touching a touch display 112 (e.g., a touch-enabled controller), and / or pressing a button 114 (e.g., a switch) on the interface 108. The user may also control the interface 108 using a touchless control of the wall-mounted shower head 106. The interface 108 may also be used to program various settings into the interface 108. For example, the user can program the interface 108 to create a program so that when the user first begins using the shower system 100, the interface 108 only enables the wall-mounted shower head 106. After a specified period of time has passed, the interface 108 then enables the overhead rain shower head 104. The user can also program various programs into the interface 108 to control the audio and lighting settings of the overhead rain shower head 104 and the wall-mounted shower head 106.

[0025] In some embodiments, the interface 108 can be an external interface such as a mobile device, or the interface 108 can work in conjunction with an external interface. The external interface can be a mobile smart phone or a "smart home" (e.g., a home with automation enabled). The external interface can provide commands to the interface 108 in the form of electronic signals. The commands can be manually set by the user or automatically generated by the external interface. The interface 108 can receive commands for water distribution settings, including but not limited to enabling or disabling the shower system 100, adjusting the water temperature, or adjusting the water flow rate through the external interface. The interface 108 can receive commands directed to the shower system 100, including but not limited to audio files, shower themes, local news, and local weather forecasts.

[0026] Reference Figure 2, a schematic diagram of a shower system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. The shower system 100 includes a cold water supply 202 (e.g., a conduit, a pipe) and a hot water supply 204 (e.g., a conduit, a pipe). The shower system 100 may also include a mixing valve 206. The mixing valve 206 is disposed behind the wall of the shower system 100 (e.g., not exposed to the user of the shower system 100). The mixing valve 206 is fluidly coupled to the cold water supply 202 and the hot water supply 204, and the mixing valve 206 is configured to receive cold water and hot water and mix the cold water and hot water accordingly. The mixing valve 206 is configured to adjust the water temperature after the user utilizes the interface 108, the spray head 102 or the wall-mounted spray head 106. The mixing valve 206 is also configured to adjust the water flow rate. In some configurations, the water temperature and the water flow rate are controlled by a number of mixing valves 206.

[0027] The shower system 100 may also include a three-way diverter 208 (e.g., a distributor). The three-way diverter 208 may be in fluid communication with the mixing valve 206 and configured to receive mixed water from the mixing valve 206. The three-way diverter 208 is configured to provide mixed water to various water delivery devices of the shower system 100. After the user selects which spray heads (e.g., spray heads 102, overhead rain shower heads 104, and wall-mounted spray heads 106) to enable, the three-way diverter 208 may guide the mixed water to the selected spray heads via a supply conduit. The three-way diverter 208 includes a plurality of shut-off valves. If the user chooses not to use a spray head, the three-way diverter 208 does not provide mixed water to the spray head by enabling the shut-off valve associated with the spray head. Then, the three-way diverter 208 may guide the mixed water to other supply conduits. For example, if the user only uses the spray head 102, the three-way diverter 208 may deactivate the shut-off valve that previously blocked water flow to the spray head 102. According to other exemplary embodiments, shower system 100 includes multiple solenoid valves associated with each wall-mounted spray head 106. The solenoid valves may be in fluid communication with different nozzles of each spray head 106 to selectively provide different spray patterns or spray modes depending on which solenoid valve is activated.

[0028] The wall-mounted sprinkler 106 is electrically coupled to a power source, and the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 is configured to receive power from the power source. In some embodiments, a single wall-mounted sprinkler 106 receives power from the power source. In these embodiments, the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 can be in electronic communication with the remaining wall-mounted sprinkler 106, and the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 is configured to provide power to the other wall-mounted sprinkler 106.

[0029] Each of the wall-mounted sprinklers 106 may also include a sprinkler controller 210 (e.g., a network chip). The sprinkler controller 210 facilitates communication between the wall-mounted sprinklers 106. The sprinkler controller 210 may generate an electronic signal and then provide the electronic signal to the controller 210, which is disposed in each of the remaining wall-mounted sprinklers 106. In this way, a user may provide a single command to the wall-mounted sprinkler 106, which is then transmitted to the remaining wall-mounted sprinklers 106.

[0030] In some embodiments, only a single wall-mounted sprinkler 106 includes a sprinkler controller 210. In these embodiments, the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 can communicate with the remaining wall-mounted sprinkler 106, and the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 is configured to provide commands to and receive commands from the remaining wall-mounted sprinkler 106. In these embodiments, the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 can be connected via a communication conduit, a Bluetooth connection, near field communication (NFC), a Wi-Fi connection, a local area network (LAN), or any other form of local communication protocol.

[0031] The user may designate one of the wall-mounted sprinklers 106 as a master sprinkler. The user may designate the master sprinkler through the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 or through the interface 108. For example, the user may make a specific gesture to one of the wall-mounted sprinklers 106 to designate the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 as the master sprinkler. The master sprinkler allows the user to utilize control over all of the wall-mounted sprinklers 106 by providing commands only to the master sprinkler.

[0032] For example, if the user increases the temperature of the water dispensed on the master spray head, the remaining spray heads will also increase the temperature of the water dispensed by the remaining spray heads. In this way, the user can easily control all the wall-mounted spray heads 106 with a single command. In another exemplary embodiment, when the user increases the temperature of the dispensed water on the master spray head, the master spray head can be configured so that the master spray head does not change the temperature of the dispensed water of the remaining spray heads. Therefore, the user can use the door and / or window of the shower system 100 to ventilate and / or control the ambient temperature of the shower system 100 to obtain a desired temperature.

[0033] In another exemplary embodiment, the user can specify multiple master spray heads. Each master spray head can be configured to subsequently control the spray head specified by the user. For example, if the wall-mounted spray heads 106 are set on two different walls of the shower system 100, the user can specify the master spray head for each wall. Each master spray head can then be configured to control the spray head set on its corresponding wall. In this way, the user can easily control the wall-mounted spray heads 106 of each wall. In another exemplary embodiment, the master spray head can be configured to also control the spray head 102 and / or the overhead rain spray head 104.

[0034] In another exemplary embodiment, the user can provide a command to one of the remaining spray heads to individually control the wall-mounted spray head 106. In this way, the user is provided with the convenience of controlling all wall-mounted spray heads 106 at the same time, while also having the ability to control individual wall-mounted spray heads 106.

[0035] After the user provides a command to the main spray head, the spray head controller 210 of the main controller generates an internal signal and an external signal based on the command. As discussed in more detail herein, the internal signal is used to control the operation of the main spray head. The spray head controller 210 also provides an external signal to the remaining spray heads. The spray head controllers 210 of the remaining spray heads receive the external signal. Then, the received external signal is used to control the operation of the remaining spray heads.

[0036] The ceiling-mounted rain shower head 104 may also include a ceiling-mounted controller 212 (e.g., a network chip). Similar to the shower head controller 210, the ceiling-mounted controller 212 facilitates the ceiling-mounted rain shower head 104 to communicate with the wall-mounted shower head 106. In this way, if the user provides commands to the wall-mounted shower head 106, the ceiling-mounted rain shower head 104 may also be adjusted according to the user commands.

[0037] Reference Figure 3 , shows a schematic diagram of a shower system 100 according to another exemplary embodiment. The spray head controller 210 can communicate with the interface 108, so that when the user utilizes the interface 108, the interface 108 generates an electronic signal and provides the electronic signal to the spray head controller 210. In this way, the user can control the wall-mounted spray head 106 through the interface 108.

[0038] The set-top controller 212 may also be in communication with the interface 108 such that when a user utilizes the interface 108 , the interface 108 generates and provides electronic signals to the set-top controller 212 .

[0039] In some embodiments, the shower system 100 can utilize a digital valve 302. The digital valve 302 is fluidly coupled to the cold water supply 202 and the hot water supply 204, and the digital valve 302 is configured to receive cold water and hot water and mix the cold water and hot water accordingly. The digital valve 302 is configured to adjust the water temperature after the user utilizes the interface 108, the spray head 102, or the wall-mounted spray head 106. The mixing valve 206 is also configured to adjust the water flow rate. According to other exemplary embodiments, the shower system 100 can include a manually operable valve to control the water flow rate, etc.

[0040] The digital valve 302 can also be configured to divert water to the various spray heads of the shower system 100. After the user selects which spray heads to enable (e.g., spray head 102, overhead rain shower head 104, and wall-mounted spray head 106), the digital valve 302 can direct the mixed water to the selected spray heads via their corresponding supply conduits. The digital valve 302 includes a plurality of shutoff valves. If the user does not use a spray head, the digital valve 302 does not provide mixed water to the spray head by enabling the shutoff valve of the spray head. The digital valve 302 can then direct the mixed water through other supply conduits. For example, if the user only utilizes the spray head 102, the digital valve 302 can deactivate the shutoff valve that previously blocked the flow of water to the spray head 102.

[0041] Now refer to Figure 4 , shows a front view of a wall-mounted spray head 106 according to an exemplary embodiment. The wall-mounted spray head 106 includes a spray head housing 402 (e.g., body, closure). The spray head housing 402 is fluidly coupled to the mixing valve 206 or the digital valve 302, and the spray head housing 402 is configured to receive mixed water from either the mixing valve 206 or the digital valve 302. The spray head housing 402 is configured to be rotatable by a user so that the user can further control the manner in which water is dispensed. The spray head housing 402 includes a plurality of seals to prevent water from entering the spray head housing 402. In some embodiments, the spray head housing 402 is disposed in a cavity of a wall of the shower system 100. In various embodiments, the spray head housing 402 is integrated into the wall of the shower system 100.

[0042] The sprinkler housing 402 includes a sprinkler face 404 (e.g., a dispensing surface). The sprinkler face 404 is an exposed portion of the wall-mount sprinkler 106. The sprinkler face 404 includes a variety of sprinkler types. In this manner, a variety of spray options may be provided to the user, including, but not limited to, a larger area water distribution (e.g., dispensing water along an area of ​​the sprinkler face 404), a targeted water distribution pattern (e.g., dispensing water toward a specific location of the sprinkler face 404), or an atomized water distribution pattern (e.g., dispensing a mist of water from the sprinkler face 404).

[0043] The ejector face 404 includes larger ejectors 406 (e.g., ejection nozzles, fluid output devices). Although two larger ejectors 406 are shown, there may be any number of larger ejectors 406 disposed at any location along the ejector face 404. The larger ejectors 406 distribute water over a larger distribution area of ​​a portion of the ejector face than other ejectors disposed on the ejector face 404.

[0044] Ejector face 404 includes a concentration ejector 408 (e.g., an ejection nozzle, a fluid output device). Although a single concentration ejector 408 is shown, there may be multiple concentration ejectors 408 disposed at any location along ejector face 404. In an exemplary embodiment, concentration ejector 408 is configured to dispense a higher flow rate of water than the flow dispensed by the other ejectors. In other embodiments, concentration ejector 408 may include an atomizing nozzle that produces a mist.

[0045] The ejector face 404 may also include a plurality of smaller ejectors 410 (e.g., ejection nozzles, fluid output devices). The plurality of smaller ejectors 410 are disposed in any configuration along the ejector face 404. The plurality of smaller ejectors 410 distribute water over a larger area across the portion of the ejector face 404 than other ejectors disposed on the ejector face 404.

[0046] The jet face 404 can utilize various jets (e.g., a larger jet 406, a concentrated jet 408, and / or a plurality of smaller jets 410) to dispense water in various jet function sequences. For example, in a "massage mode," various jets can be programmed to spray in sequence to provide a massage effect to the user.

[0047] The spray face 404 can utilize various sprays to dispense water in an order corresponding to the audio selected by the user. In an example embodiment, the spray head controller 210 of the wall-mounted spray head 106 receives a signal corresponding to the audio. The spray face 404 can then dispense water from the various sprays in a manner related to the audio. The various sprays can be assigned to different types of tones in the audio file. For example, if the audio file contains a tone in the bass range (e.g., similar to a tone produced by a bass instrument), the larger spray 406 can be configured to dispense water to correspond to the frequency, pitch, and range of the bass tone.

[0048] The spray head housing 402 may also include a first motion sensing sensor 412. The sensor may be a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or any other sensor configured to record a user's gesture. The first motion sensing sensor 412 may be disposed at any location along the wall-mounted spray head 106. In some embodiments, the first motion sensing sensor 412 is disposed adjacent to the wall-mounted spray head 106. When a user makes a gesture at, toward, or near the first motion sensing sensor 412 (e.g., waving their hands, shaking their heads, forming a symbol with their hands), the first motion sensing sensor 412 generates an internal signal. The internal signal may be configured to activate or deactivate the wall-mounted spray head 106. In an exemplary embodiment, making a gesture to activate or deactivate the wall-mounted spray head 106 may also result in the generation of an external signal. The external signal may be transmitted to the remaining wall-mounted spray heads 106 so as to also activate or deactivate the remaining wall-mounted spray heads 106. In another exemplary embodiment, gesturing to activate or deactivate a wall mounted sprinkler 106 results in activating or deactivating only that particular wall mounted sprinkler 106. In various embodiments, various gestures to the first motion sensing sensor 412 may result in, but are not limited to, adjusting water temperature or water flow rate, controlling an audio speaker, controlling a lighting display, and selecting a spray sequence.

[0049] The spray head housing 402 may also include a second motion sensing sensor 414 and a third motion sensing sensor 416. The sensor may be a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or any other sensor configured to record a user's gesture. The second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 may be disposed at any location along the wall-mounted spray head 106. In another exemplary embodiment, the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 are disposed adjacent to the wall-mounted spray head 106. The second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 cooperate so that when a user makes a gesture at, toward, or near the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416, the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 may also record the direction of the user's gesture. For example, if the user waves their hand to first pass through the second motion sensing sensor 414 and then through the third motion sensing sensor 416, the wall-mounted showerhead 106 can then reduce the water temperature by a specified amount. In addition, the speed at which the user gesture passes through the second motion sensing sensor 414 and then through the third motion sensing sensor 416 can lead to a determination of how large the drop in water temperature may be. The shower system 100 calculates the speed at which the user gesture passes through the sensors by recording the time difference between the gesture passing through the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416. For example, if the user waves their hand through the sensor in a short time frame, the shower system 100 can reduce the water temperature by a larger specified amount than if the user waves their hand through the sensor in a longer time frame. The second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 are also configured to operate separately. For example, if the user only waves their hand through the second motion sensing sensor 414, the wall-mounted showerhead 106 can then enable the audio speaker. In another example, if a user places their hand near the third motion sensing sensor 416 for an extended period of time, the wall mounted sprinkler 106 may change the color of the lighting.

[0050] The spray head housing 402 may also include a touch-sensitive surface 418 (e.g., a touch-enabled area). The touch-sensitive surface 418 may include a capacitive sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or any other sensor configured to record a user's touch. In addition, the touch-sensitive surface 418 may include a physical interface, such as a button, a switch, a knob, etc. The touch-sensitive surface 418 may be used in conjunction with a gesture motion sensing sensor to provide the user with more control over the wall-mounted spray head 106. For example, a user may wave their hand over a motion sensing sensor and then select the motion sensing sensor they want to change the water temperature. The user may then slide their hand over the touch-sensitive surface 418 to increase or decrease the temperature. The touch-sensitive surface 418 may be configured to have a designated touch area in which the user touches to adjust the settings of the wall-mounted spray head 106. For example, a user may touch a portion of the touch-sensitive surface 418 designated as the audio volume. The user may then wave their hand over the motion sensing sensor to increase or decrease the audio volume.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, the spray head housing 402 includes a microphone. The microphone is configured to receive and recognize audio commands from a user. The microphone can then provide a signal to the spray head controller 210. In this way, the wall-mounted spray head 106 can also be controlled by voice. For example, a user can speak to the wall-mounted spray head 106 to enable a specific shower mode. The shower system 100 can then enable the shower mode specified by the user. The user can use voice control in conjunction with gesturing and / or touching the wall-mounted spray head 106.

[0052] The spray head housing 402 may also include an illumination surface 420 (e.g., an illumination area). In an exemplary embodiment, the illumination surface 420 is disposed on the outer perimeter of the spray head housing 402. In these embodiments, when enabled, the illumination surface 420 provides the user with an aesthetically pleasing view of the illumination perimeter around the wall-mounted spray head 106. In another exemplary embodiment, the illumination surface 420 is disposed at the rear portion of the spray head housing 402. In these embodiments, the illumination surface 420 illuminates the area of ​​the wall adjacent to the wall-mounted spray head 106 when enabled. In these embodiments, the illumination surface 420 provides the user with an aesthetically pleasing view of the illumination background around the wall-mounted spray head 106. In some embodiments, the spray head housing 402 includes an illumination surface 420 positioned along the perimeter and rear portion of the spray head housing 402. The illumination surface 420 is configured to display colors across the entire color spectrum, and can display several colors simultaneously. In this way, a user can develop a theme by displaying multiple colors.

[0053] In exemplary embodiments, interface 108 may receive weather-related information from an external interface. In these embodiments, the user may set lighting surface 420 to display a color associated with the weather. For example, if it is currently raining, lighting surface 420 may display a blue hue to convey to the user that it is currently raining.

[0054] Now refer to Figure 5 , shows a wall-mounted sprinkler 106 according to another exemplary embodiment. The sprinkler housing 402 may also include an audio speaker 502 (e.g., a speaker). Although shown as being disposed at the center of the wall-mounted sprinkler 106, the audio speaker 502 may be disposed at any location along the sprinkler housing 402, including at a rear portion. In some embodiments, the audio speaker 502 is disposed adjacent to the wall-mounted sprinkler 106. In an exemplary embodiment, a user may play audio of their choice through the audio speaker 502. In an exemplary embodiment, the sprinkler controller 210 of the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 receives a signal corresponding to the audio. The audio speaker 502 may then output the audio. In an exemplary embodiment, the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 works in conjunction to output an audio file through the audio speaker 502. In this manner, the audio speakers 502 cooperate to provide an immersive experience to the user.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, the interface 108 may receive weather-related information from an external interface. In these embodiments, the user may set the audio speaker 502 to output an audio file associated with the weather. For example, if it is currently raining, the audio speaker 502 may output an audio file of rain to convey to the user that it is currently raining.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, the wall-mounted showerhead 106 includes programming modes that control various jets, the lighting surface 420, and the audio speaker 502. For example, a user can select a programming mode that is intended to help the user prepare for sleep at night. The various jets can then be programmed to reduce the water flow rate for the duration of the shower. In addition, the lighting surface 420 can filter blue light and reduce the intensity for the duration of the shower. The audio speaker can output an audio file configured to relax the user.

[0057] Reference Figure 8, a schematic diagram of a system controller 800 for the shower system 100 is shown. The system controller 800 electronically communicates between the spray head 102, the overhead rain shower head 104, the wall-mounted spray head 106, and / or the interface 108 (e.g., via a wired connection, via a wireless connection, etc.). A user can use the system controller 800 to control the settings of the spray head 102, the overhead rain shower head 104, the wall-mounted spray head 106, and / or the interface 108. In an example embodiment, the system controller 800 is disposed and / or integrated in the interface 108. In another example embodiment, the system controller 800 is disposed and / or integrated into the spray head controller 210.

[0058] The system controller 800 includes a processing circuit 802. The processing circuit 802 includes a processor 806 and a memory 808. The processor 806 may include a microprocessor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc., or a combination thereof. The memory 808 may include, but is not limited to, an electronic, optical, magnetic, or any other storage or transmission device capable of providing program instructions to the processor, ASIC, FPGA, etc. The memory 808 may include a memory chip, an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, or any other suitable memory from which the controller 620 can read instructions. The instructions may include codes from any suitable programming language. The memory 808 may include various modules, and the various modules include instructions configured to be implemented by the processor 806.

[0059] The memory 808 includes various modules that can be implemented by the processor 806 to cause various processes to occur. In various implementations, the memory 808 includes a wall-mount sprinkler activation module 810 .

[0060] The wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may be in electronic communication with the first motion sensing sensor 412. The wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 is configured to control the operation of the wall-mounted sprinkler 106. The wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may be activated in response to a trigger from the first motion sensing sensor 412 (e.g., a change in light near the first motion sensing sensor 412, detection of motion past the first motion sensing sensor 412, etc.). For example, the wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may be configured to activate the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 after a user waves their hand past the first motion sensing sensor 412. In another example embodiment, the wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may be configured to activate the illuminated surface 420 on the wall-mounted sprinkler 106. The wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may generate an internal signal to control the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 in which the wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 is disposed, or may generate an external signal to control other wall-mounted sprinklers 106.

[0061] The memory 808 may also include a wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812. The wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 may be in electronic communication with the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416. The wall-mounted sprinkler activation module 810 may be activated in response to a trigger from the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 (e.g., a change in light near the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416, detection of motion past the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416, etc.). The wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 is also configured to detect the speed at which a user waves their hand past the second motion sensing sensor 414 and the third motion sensing sensor 416 by recording the time at which each sensor is activated. The wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 may utilize the speed when adjusting the settings of the wall-mounted sprinkler 106. For example, the wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 may reduce the water temperature by a greater specified amount if the user waves their hand past the sensor in a short time frame than if the user waves their hand past the sensor in a longer time frame. The wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 may generate internal signals to control the wall-mounted sprinkler 106 in which the wall-mounted sprinkler setup module 812 is disposed, or may generate external signals to control other wall-mounted sprinkler 106. As used herein, the term "adjacent" means that particular components are closely related to each other. Therefore, the term should be interpreted to include components that can be disposed anywhere within a shower system.

[0062] Unless otherwise indicated, the terms "approximately," "about," "substantially," and similar terms used herein with respect to numerical ranges generally refer to + / - 10% of the disclosed values. The terms "approximately," "about," "substantially," and similar terms as used herein with respect to structural features (e.g., to describe shape, size, orientation, direction, relative position, etc.) are intended to cover minor variations in structure that may result from, for example, manufacturing or assembly processes, and are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with the common and recognized usage of those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of the present disclosure belongs. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that insubstantial or insignificant modifications or alterations of the described and claimed subject matter are considered to be within the scope of the present disclosure as recorded in the appended claims.

[0063] It should be noted that the term "exemplary" and variations thereof as used herein to describe various embodiments are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representations, or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to mean that these embodiments are necessarily specific or superlative examples).

[0064] As used herein, the term "connection" and variations thereof refer to the direct or indirect connection of two components to each other. Such connection may be static (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). Such connection may be achieved by directly connecting two components to each other, connecting two components to each other using a separate intermediate component and using any additional intermediate components that are connected to each other, or connecting two components to each other using an intermediate component that is integrally formed with one of the two components to form a single monolithic body. If "connection" or a variation thereof is modified by an additional term (e.g., direct connection), the general definition of "connection" provided above is modified by the ordinary language meaning of the additional term (e.g., "direct connection" refers to the connection of two components without any separate intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "connection" provided above. Such connection may be mechanical, electrical, or fluid.

[0065] References to the positions of elements herein (e.g., "top," "bottom," "above," "below") are only used to describe the orientation of the various elements in the drawings. It should be noted that according to other exemplary embodiments, the orientation of the various elements may be different, and these variations are intended to be covered by the present disclosure.

[0066] The hardware and data processing components for implementing the various processes, operations, illustrative logic, logic blocks, modules and circuits described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or executed with a general-purpose single-chip or multi-chip processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gates or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller or state machine. The processor can also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, such as a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in combination with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, specific processes and methods can be performed by circuits specific to a given function. A memory (e.g., a memory, a memory unit, a storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage devices) for storing data and / or computer code to complete or facilitate the various processes, layers and modules described in the present disclosure. The memory may be volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, or include volatile memory or nonvolatile memory, and may include a database component, an object code component, a script component, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in the present disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicatively connected to the processor via the processing circuit, and the memory includes computer code for executing (e.g., by the processing circuit or the processor) one or more processes described herein.

[0067] The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products on any machine-readable medium for completing various operations. The embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using an existing computer processor, or implemented by a dedicated computer processor for an appropriate system (the dedicated computer processor is incorporated for this purpose or another purpose), or implemented by a hard-wired system. Each embodiment within the scope of the present disclosure includes a program product, which includes a machine-readable medium for carrying or having a machine-executable instruction or data structure stored thereon. Such a machine-readable medium may be any available medium that can be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such a machine-readable medium may include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or other optical disk storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium as follows: these media may be used to carry or store desired program codes in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures, and may be accessed by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine with a processor. The above combination is also included in the scope of the machine-readable medium. Machine-executable instructions include instructions and data that, for example, enable a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, or a special-purpose processing machine to perform a specific function or function group.

[0068] Although the drawings and description can show a specific order of method steps, the order of these steps may be different from the order depicted and described, unless otherwise specified above. In addition, unless otherwise specified above, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously.

[0069] It is important to note that any element disclosed in one embodiment may be combined or used with any other embodiment disclosed herein. Figure 5 The audio speaker 502 of the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1 may be incorporated in at least Figure 4 Although only one example of an element from one embodiment that may be combined or used in another embodiment is described above, it should be understood that other elements of various embodiments may be combined or used in any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A shower system, comprising: one or more valves; as well as a plurality of spray heads electrically coupled to each other and configured to receive electrical signals from each other, the plurality of spray heads fluidly coupled to the one or more valves and configured to receive water from the one or more valves, the plurality of spray heads comprising: an ejector configured to distribute water provided by the one or more valves; one or more sensors configured to record motion gestures performed by a user; and an integrated user interface configured to control operation of the injector; wherein the one or more sensors generate an internal signal corresponding to the motion posture and leading to the multiple nozzles, and wherein one of the multiple nozzles is a main nozzle, the main nozzle is configured to generate the internal signal and the external signal corresponding to the motion posture in response to the main nozzle recording the motion posture, the main nozzle is also configured to provide the external signal to the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles, and the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles are configured to control the operation of the injectors of the remaining nozzles in response to receiving the external signal.

2. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein: The main spray head controls operation of the injector of the main spray head based on the internal signal received by one of the one or more sensors.

3. The shower system of claim 1, further comprising a digital valve fluidly coupled to the cold water supply and the hot water supply, the digital valve configured to divert water to one or more of the plurality of spray heads.

4. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein: The user interface includes a master controller configured to receive commands from the master showerhead, and wherein the master controller generates the internal signal and the external signal based on the commands from the master showerhead.

5. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein: One of the plurality of spray heads is an overhead spray head including an overhead controller coupled to the main spray head to control actuation of the overhead spray head.

6. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein: The user provides a motion gesture to the one or more sensors to activate or deactivate water flow between at least one of the plurality of spray heads.

7. A shower system, comprising: a plurality of spray heads having one or more spray modes and electrically coupled to each other and configured to receive electrical signals from each other, one or more valves fluidly coupled to the plurality of spray heads, the plurality of spray heads comprising: an ejector configured to distribute water provided by the one or more valves; one or more sensors configured to record motion gestures performed by a user; and an integrated user interface configured to control operation of the injector; wherein the one or more valves are fluidly coupled to the one or more spray modes to selectively change the spray modes in response to the motion gesture, One of the multiple nozzles is a main nozzle, and the main nozzle is configured to generate an internal signal and an external signal corresponding to the motion posture in response to the main nozzle recording the motion posture. The main nozzle is also configured to provide the external signal to the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles, and the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles are configured to control the operation of the injectors of the remaining nozzles in response to receiving the external signal.

8. The shower system according to claim 7, wherein: The one or more sensors include: a first motion sensing sensor configured to generate the internal signal; a second motion sensing sensor configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads; and A third motion sensing sensor is configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads.

9. The shower system according to claim 8, wherein: Activation of the first motion sensing sensor generates the external signal, and wherein the primary sprayhead transmits the external signal to the remaining sprayheads to change between spray modes of the one or more spray modes.

10. The shower system according to claim 8, wherein: The length of time the motion gesture remains within the sensor range corresponds to a rise or fall in the temperature of the water.

11. The shower system according to claim 7, wherein: The user provides the motion gesture to the one or more sensors to change between the one or more spray modes, and wherein the one or more spray modes are positioned in sequence.

12. The shower system according to claim 7, wherein: The one or more sensors are configured to record an audio command, and wherein, in response to receiving the audio command, the audio command activates one of the one or more spray modes.

13. The shower system according to claim 7, wherein: The one or more sensors are touch sensitive sensors, and wherein the user interacts with the touch sensitive sensors to adjust the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads.

14. A shower system, comprising: Multiple sprinkler heads; One or more sensors operably coupled to the plurality of spray heads and configured to record motion gestures performed by a user, the one or more sensors comprising: a first motion sensing sensor configured to generate an internal signal; a second motion sensing sensor configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads; and a third motion sensing sensor configured to control the temperature of water delivered to the plurality of spray heads; and a controller operably coupled to the plurality of spray heads, the controller comprising processing circuitry configured to receive commands from the one or more sensors; wherein the controller is configured to control operation of at least one of the plurality of spray heads in response to receiving the commands, One of the multiple nozzles is a main nozzle, and the main nozzle is configured to generate the internal signal and the external signal corresponding to the motion posture in response to the main nozzle recording the motion posture. The main nozzle is also configured to provide the external signal to the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles, and the remaining nozzles in the multiple nozzles are configured to control the operation of the injectors of the remaining nozzles in response to receiving the external signal.

15. The shower system according to claim 14, wherein: The length of time the motion gesture remains within the sensor range corresponds to a rise or fall in the temperature of the water. 16 . The shower system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors generate the internal signal corresponding to the motion gesture to one of the plurality of spray heads in response to the user providing the motion gesture to one of the plurality of spray heads.

17. The shower system according to claim 14, wherein: The user provides a motion gesture to the one or more sensors to activate or deactivate water flow between at least one of the plurality of spray heads.

18. The shower system according to claim 14, wherein: The plurality of spray heads include spray heads, ceiling spray heads, and wall-mounted spray heads, and wherein the user utilizes the controller to control the spray heads, the ceiling spray heads, and the wall-mounted spray heads.

Images