Shower with electronic actuation mode conversion

Abstract

A shower system for controlling a spray pattern of water includes a showerhead and a control device. The showerhead includes a housing and an electronic diverter. The housing includes a water inlet and a plurality of water outlets configured to discharge water from the housing to form a plurality of different spray patterns. The electronic diverter is located within the housing and is configured to automatically divert water to different sets of the plurality of water outlets in response to a command signal to form the plurality of different spray patterns. The control device is separate from the showerhead and is configured to provide the command signal to the electronic diverter to cause the electronic diverter to transition between the plurality of different spray patterns.

Description

[0001] Cross-referencing of related patent applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 016,685, filed April 28, 2020, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Background Technology

[0003] This disclosure generally relates to shower systems. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a shower system including a showerhead and a control system, the showerhead having an electronic diverter and related accessories, the control system allowing music to be synchronized with the discharge of water from the showerhead and other water delivery devices in the shower environment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One embodiment of this disclosure relates to a shower system for controlling water spray patterns. The shower system includes a showerhead and a control device. The showerhead includes a housing and an electronic diverter. The housing includes an inlet and a plurality of outlets configured to discharge water from the housing to form multiple different spray patterns. The electronic diverter is located within the housing and is configured to automatically divert water to different sets of the plurality of outlets in response to a command signal to form multiple different spray patterns. The control device is separate from the showerhead and is configured to provide a command signal to the electronic diverter to cause the electronic diverter to switch between multiple different spray patterns.

[0005] In some embodiments, the electronic diverter may include a pattern wheel configured to rotate between multiple different positions to form multiple different spray patterns. In some embodiments, the multiple different positions may include: a first position, in which the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a first spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns; a second position, in which the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a second spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns; and a third position, in which the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a third spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns.

[0006] In some embodiments, the second position may be located between the first and third positions, such that rotation of the pattern wheel from the first position to the third position can cause the pattern wheel to rotate sequentially from the first position to the second position, and then from the second position to the third position. During rotation from the first position to the third position, the electronic diverter may be configured to hold the pattern wheel in the second position for a shorter time than required to form the second spray pattern, so that water discharged from the housing can be converted from the first spray pattern to the third spray pattern without forming the second spray pattern.

[0007] In some embodiments, the electronic diverter may include an actuator configured to rotate the pattern wheel from a first position to a second position of a plurality of different locations within a rotation interval, the rotation interval being less than the amount of time required to discharge water from the housing to form a spray pattern among a plurality of different spray patterns. In some embodiments, the amount of time required to discharge water from the housing to form a spray pattern may be between approximately 0.5 seconds and approximately 0.7 seconds.

[0008] In some embodiments, the sprayer may include a power source contained within a housing. The sprayer may be configured to supply power to an electronic distributor. This power source is configured to be charged using kinetic energy derived from the water flow passing through the sprayer.

[0009] In some embodiments, the control device may include a user interface. The user interface is configured to generate command signals to cause the electronic shunt to switch between multiple different spray patterns based on user input provided through the user interface.

[0010] In some embodiments, the control device may be configured to extract audio features from an audio file. The control device may be configured to generate instruction signals to cause an electronic splitter to switch between multiple different spray patterns based on the audio features of the audio file. In some embodiments, the control device is configured to segment the audio file into multiple segments. The control device may calculate the audio frequency of each segment of the audio file. The control device may generate a spray pattern sequence by matching the audio frequency of each segment of the audio file with a corresponding spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns. The control device may generate instruction signals to cause the electronic splitter to provide the spray pattern sequence. In some embodiments, the control device calculates the audio frequency. Calculating the audio frequency of each segment of the audio file includes performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on each segment.

[0011] In some embodiments, the control device may be configured to segment an audio file into segments with time intervals. The control device may calculate a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the segment. Using the FFT, the control device may determine a first peak and a second peak. The first peak may correspond to a first frequency and a first amplitude. The second peak may correspond to a second frequency and a second amplitude. The control device may use the first and second peaks to calculate a weighted average. The control device may use the calculated weighted average to match the weighted average with a corresponding spray pattern among a plurality of different spray patterns. The control device may generate a command signal to cause the electronic shunt to provide the corresponding spray pattern.

[0012] Another embodiment of this disclosure relates to a showerhead for use in a shower environment. The showerhead includes a housing and an electronic diverter. The housing includes an inlet and a plurality of outlets configured to discharge water from the housing to form a plurality of different spray patterns. The electronic diverter is located within the housing and is configured to switch the water discharged from the housing between the plurality of different spray patterns in response to a command signal. The electronic diverter includes a pattern wheel and an actuator. The pattern wheel is configured to rotate between a plurality of different positions to form a plurality of different spray patterns. The actuator is configured to operate the pattern wheel to rotate between the plurality of different positions.

[0013] In some embodiments, the multiple different positions may include a first position, a second position, and a third position. In the first position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a first spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns. In the second position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a second spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns. In the third position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a third spray pattern among multiple different spray patterns.

[0014] In some embodiments, the second position may be located between the first and third positions, such that rotation of the pattern wheel from the first position to the third position can cause the pattern wheel to rotate sequentially from the first position to the second position and then from the second position to the third position. During rotation from the first position to the third position, the actuator may be configured to hold the pattern wheel in the second position for a time less than the amount of time required to form the second spray pattern, thereby causing the water discharged from the housing to change from the first spray pattern to the third spray pattern without forming the second spray pattern.

[0015] In some embodiments, the actuator may be configured to rotate the pattern wheel from a first position to a second position within a plurality of different positions within a rotation interval, the rotation interval being less than the amount of time required for water to be discharged from the housing to form one of a plurality of different spray patterns. In some embodiments, the amount of time required for water to be discharged from the housing to form a spray pattern may be between approximately 0.5 seconds and approximately 0.7 seconds.

[0016] In some embodiments, the sprayer may further include a power source contained within the housing. This power source may be configured to supply power to an electronic shunt. The power source may also be configured to charge using kinetic energy derived from the water flow passing through the sprayer.

[0017] Another embodiment of this disclosure relates to a method for controlling a shower head in a shower system. The method includes generating a command signal on a control device separate from the shower head to cause the shower head to vary between multiple different spray patterns. The method also includes providing the command signal from the control device to an electronic diverter located within a shower head housing, the housing including an inlet and multiple outlets. The method further includes operating the electronic diverter in response to the command signal to automatically divert water to different sets of the multiple outlets to form multiple different spray patterns.

[0018] In some embodiments, operating the electronic splitter in response to a command signal may include operating the pattern wheel of the electronic splitter to rotate between multiple different positions to form multiple different spray patterns.

[0019] Those skilled in the art will understand that the summary portion of this invention is illustrative only and should not be considered restrictive. Other aspects, inventive features, and advantages of the systems, apparatuses, and / or processes described herein, as defined only by the claims, will become apparent in the detailed description set forth below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a shower environment according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0021] Figure 2 According to exemplary embodiments, for Figure 1 A perspective view of the showerhead in a shower environment.

[0022] Figure 3 This is according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 Another perspective view of the sprayer.

[0023] Figure 4 This is according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 An exploded view of the sprayer.

[0024] Figure 5 According to exemplary embodiments, for Figure 1 A structural diagram of the shower controller for a shower environment.

[0025] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a control panel according to an exemplary embodiment, which can be used as... Figure 5 The sprinkler controller.

[0026] Figure 7 This is according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 6 An exploded view of the control panel.

[0027] Figure 8 According to exemplary embodiments, for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another shower controller in a shower environment.

[0028] Figure 9 This is a perspective view of another control panel according to an exemplary embodiment, which can be used as... Figure 8 The sprinkler controller.

[0029] Figure 10 This is according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 8 An exploded view of the control panel.

[0030] Figure 11 It is a control according to an exemplary embodiment Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the user interface for a shower environment.

[0031] Figure 12 This illustrates, according to an exemplary embodiment, voice-based control. Figure 1 Waveform diagram of the shower environment. Detailed Implementation

[0032] Before turning to the figures that detail certain exemplary embodiments, it should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the details or methods set forth in the specification or shown in the figures. It should also be understood that the terminology used herein is for descriptive purposes only and should not be considered limiting.

[0033] Generally, a shower system may include a shower head that is fluidly connected to water pipes extending into the shower environment. For example, the shower head may be connected to a fixed-position shower column. A shower column may include overhead shower heads (such as deluge heads, spray showers, etc.) or handheld shower heads. Shower columns may include both overhead and handheld shower heads, positioned in different fixed or movable locations within the shower environment. Handheld shower heads typically include extended hoses or flexible conduits that allow the user to remove the shower head from its resting position in the shower environment and selectively place it closer to the user's body to perform tasks such as rinsing.

[0034] Traditional sprinklers (e.g., overhead, handheld, rain sprinklers, etc.) may include an assembly of internal moving mechanical parts behind the spray surface to provide different spray patterns / modes, such as impellers or other moving components. Users can manually adjust the sprinkler by turning a knob or rotating the surface to change the spray pattern. In some implementations, if the sprinkler is in a fixed position above the user's head, the user may find it difficult to actuate the moving parts within the sprinkler. For example, the user may be too short to reach them, or the user may not have the appropriate leverage to actuate the sprinkler.

[0035] In addition, some traditional shower systems include multiple water delivery devices and entertainment systems (e.g., audio systems, lighting systems, etc.) connected within the shower environment to provide a user experience. However, the water discharge from the water delivery devices in these systems is typically controlled separately and independently of any audio or video entertainment provided by the entertainment system.

[0036] It would be advantageous to provide a shower system that includes a shower head and an entertainment system, which can overcome the limitations associated with conventional shower systems and thus provide an improved user experience.

[0037] Reference Figure 1 This image shows a perspective view of a shower environment 100. The shower environment 100 can be a shower enclosure with plastic or tiled sidewalls, and / or any other type of environment where a shower can be installed. The shower environment 100 may include a rain shower 102 and a handheld shower 104. In some embodiments, the shower environment 100 includes one of the rain shower 102 or the handheld shower 104. The rain shower 102 and the handheld shower 104 are configured to receive water flow from a utility pipe 106. The utility pipe 106 may extend from a wall or other vertical or near-vertical surface of the shower environment 100. The utility pipe 106 can be operably opened and closed via an on / off valve 108. The on / off valve 108 can be operated by a user of the shower environment 100.

[0038] The shower environment 100 may further include a manual diverter 110 configured to direct water flow from the common conduit 106 to the deluge shower 102, the handheld shower 104, or both. If a user of the shower environment 100 prefers to use only the deluge shower 102, the user can operate the manual diverter 110 to direct water flow from the common conduit 106 to the deluge shower 102 and prevent water flow to the handheld shower 104. In some embodiments, the manual diverter 110 may be electronically actuated.

[0039] like Figure 1 As shown, the shower environment further includes a control panel 112. Generally, the control panel 112 communicates electronically with the rain shower 102 and the handheld shower 104 to control the spray pattern (e.g., spray mode, etc.) flowing from the rain shower 102 or the handheld shower 104. In some embodiments, the control panel 112 is not present, and the shower environment 100 can be manually controlled by the user, interacting with the rain shower 102, the handheld shower 104, the on / off valve 108, and the manual diffuser 110.

[0040] refer to Figure 2A perspective view of the sprinkler is shown as sprinkler 200. Sprinkler 200 can be a top-mounted sprinkler, a rain sprinkler (e.g., rain sprinkler 102), or a handheld sprinkler (e.g., handheld sprinkler 104). Sprinkler 200 includes an inlet 202 and an outlet 204. In some embodiments, sprinkler 200 has a plurality of outlets 204 forming an outlet pattern 206 (i.e., partial or all of the outlets 204) configured to provide a spray pattern as water flows through sprinkler 200. Sprinkler 200 can be configured to provide one or more different spray patterns, such as a “rain” pattern, a pouring or “rinsing” pattern, a “mist” pattern, or other spray patterns. As used herein, the term “spray pattern” should be understood as a characteristic of the water flowing out of sprinkler 200 through outlet 204. The characteristics of a given spray pattern may include, for example, a specific set or subset of outlets 204 through which water exits the sprayer 200, the flow rate (e.g., volumetric or mass-unit flow rate) of water exiting the sprayer 200 through outlets 204, the diameter or cross-sectional area of ​​the water flow exiting outlets 204, the velocity or speed of the water flow exiting outlets 204, the angle or direction (e.g., parallel flow, divergent flow, etc.) of the water flow exiting outlets 204, or any other property or characteristic that may be used to describe the water output of the sprayer 200. The term “spray pattern” is used interchangeably with “spray pattern” in this disclosure. In some embodiments, the sprayer 200 is configured to provide a plurality of different spray patterns and to switch between different spray patterns by selectively controlling the flow of water to different subsets of outlets 204. The sprayer 200 can provide different spray patterns by operating internal components within the sprayer 200 to direct water to different subsets of the outlet 204 (described in more detail below).

[0041] The sprayer 200 further includes a face 208 and a housing 210. Face 208 includes an outlet configuration 206. Figure 2 As shown, surface 208 can define a generally annular shape, with its outlet pattern 206 forming a radially symmetrical pattern. In some embodiments, surface 208 can define a shape resembling various polygons, such as squares, ellipses, stars, etc. The outer casing 210 can define a conical shape, widest at surface 208 and gradually tapering towards the inlet 202. In some embodiments, the outer casing 210 defines different shapes, such as hemispherical, rectangular prism, conical, pyramidal, or other various shapes. In some embodiments, surface 208 is part of the outer casing 210.

[0042] Reference Figure 3The shower head 200 is shown fluidly connected to the handle 300. The handle 300 defines a first handle end 302 and a second handle end 304. Adjacent to the first handle end 302 may be a handle inlet 306, configured to receive water flow. Adjacent to the second handle end 304 may be a handle outlet 308. Fluidly connected to the handle outlet 308 may be the shower head 200, configured to receive water flow from the handle 300 through the handle outlet 308. Whether fluidly connected to the top portion of the shower environment 100 or fluidly connected to the handle 300, the shower head 200 functions similarly. The shower head 200, more specifically, the electronic diverter within the shower head 200, communicates with the control panel 112 and receives instructions to provide a spray pattern or spray style to the shower environment 100.

[0043] Now for reference Figure 4 According to an exemplary embodiment, an electronic diverter 400 is shown. The electronic diverter 400 is disposed within a sprayer 200. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 is disposed within a cavity defined by a housing 210 and a surface 208. The electronic diverter 400 is configured to receive an electronic signal from a control panel 112 carrying an instruction to change the spray pattern exiting the sprayer 200. The electronic diverter 400 is in fluid communication with an inlet 202 and an outlet 204. In some embodiments, water must pass through the electronic diverter 400 before exiting the sprayer 200 through an outlet pattern 206.

[0044] Generally, the electronic diverter 400 includes an actuator 402 configured to actuate a pattern wheel 404 within the sprayer 200 to change the spray pattern flowing from the sprayer 200 without requiring physical contact between the user and the sprayer 200. The actuator 402 can operate the pattern wheel 404 between a first end position (e.g., always counterclockwise) and a second end position (e.g., always clockwise), the first end position corresponding to a first spray pattern (e.g., "shower") and the second end position corresponding to a second spray pattern (e.g., "mist"). In some embodiments, one or more intermediate positions of the pattern wheel 404 exist between the first end position and the second end position. Each intermediate position may correspond to a different spray pattern, selectable by the actuator 402 moving the pattern wheel 404 to the desired position. In some embodiments, each position of the pattern wheel 404 (e.g., each end position and each intermediate position) corresponds to a different flow pattern. For example, each position of the pattern wheel 404 can direct water within the sprayer 200 to a different subset of the outlet 204, or otherwise influence the characteristics of the water leaving the sprayer 200 to achieve different flow patterns. However, it is conceivable that in some embodiments, two or more positions of the pattern wheel 404 can correspond to the same flow pattern by causing water to leave the outlet 204 with the same characteristics. In some embodiments, the pattern wheel 404 can rotate continuously in either direction, and there is no limiting end position for the rotation of the pattern wheel 404. The pattern wheel 404 can be moved between any given position and any other given position by rotating clockwise or counterclockwise. For example, a transition from position A to position B can be achieved by rotating the pattern wheel 404 clockwise by X degrees (e.g., 30 degrees, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, etc.), or by rotating the pattern wheel counterclockwise by 360-X degrees (e.g., 330 degrees, 270 degrees, 180 degrees, etc.). Furthermore, the pattern wheel 404 can rotate continuously in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, thus eliminating the need to twist the direction to reach a given position.

[0045] Actuator 402 may be an electric motor, a servo motor, or a similar system. In some embodiments, surface 208 may be rotatable relative to housing 210, such that rotation of surface 208 alters the spray pattern exiting sprayer 200. In some embodiments, actuator 402 is operatively coupled to surface 208 and configured to rotate surface 208 and alter the spray pattern exiting sprayer 200. In some embodiments, pattern wheel 404 and surface 208 are combined into a single component. In some embodiments, actuator 402 is coupled to a first gear 405, such as a bevel gear, equal-diameter right-angled helical gear, or worm gear formed of metal, plastic, polymer, nylon, or other suitable gear material. First gear 405 meshes with a second gear 407, which is coupled to pattern wheel 404 and configured to rotate pattern wheel 404 when force is applied to second gear 407 (e.g., by first gear 405, by actuator 402, etc.).

[0046] The electronic shunt 400 may further include a processor, shown as a shunt logic unit 406, a shunt memory 408, and a wireless communication device, shown as a shunt communicator 410. The shunt logic unit 406 may be operatively coupled to the actuator 402 and configured to send electronic signals (e.g., voltage signals, current signals, etc.) to the actuator 402 to operate it. The shunt memory 408 may include instructions that the shunt logic unit 406 can receive to operate the actuator 402. For example, if the shunt logic unit 406 wants to operate the actuator 402 at 3.7 volts for 2 seconds, it can receive instructions to do so from the shunt memory 408.

[0047] Split communicator 410 is a wireless communication device configured to send and receive signals to and from control panel 112 or to any other device capable of providing or receiving signals (e.g., mobile phone, tablet, remote control, etc.). Split communicator 410 can be configured to send and receive Bluetooth signals, radio frequency (RF) signals, near field communication (NFC) signals, Wi-Fi signals, infrared signals, or similar wireless communication signals. For example, split communicator 410 can receive a signal from control panel 112 to change the spray pattern to "water mist". This signal is transmitted to split logic 406, which accesses split memory 408 to obtain instructions on how to operate actuator 402 to set the spray pattern to "water mist". Once split logic 406 receives the instruction, it can send a control signal to actuator 402 to rotate pattern wheel 404 (e.g., face 208) to "water mist".

[0048] In some embodiments, the splitter communicator 410 is configured to send signals to and receive signals from a user device capable of sending wireless signals to the electronic splitter 400. For example, a user of the shower environment 100 may not need to use or purchase a control panel 112 to control the electronic splitter 400, but can instead use a user device (e.g., a personal computing device, mobile phone, tablet, smart home assistant, voice assistant, etc.) to control the electronic splitter 400. For example, the user device can be “paired” with the electronic splitter 400 via a software application downloaded to the user device. The user can then interact with the user device to set the shower pattern. In some embodiments, the electronic splitter 400 further includes a microphone operatively coupled to the splitter logic 406, configured to receive voice commands, translate the voice commands into computer-readable language, and control the actuator 402 and the pattern wheel 404 in response to the translated voice commands.

[0049] The electronic diverter 400 may further include a power supply 412. The power supply 412 may include a disposable battery, a rechargeable battery, or a generator that converts the kinetic energy of water flowing through the sprayer 200 into electrical energy to power the electronic diverter 400. The power supply 412 is configured to energize the diverter logic 406 and the actuator 402. The electronic diverter 400 may also include a flow sensor 414. The flow sensor 414 may be configured to sense the flow of water entering the sprayer 200. In some embodiments, the flow sensor 414 is configured to sense the flow of water entering the electronic diverter 400. The flow sensor 414 may be configured to send an "energized" signal to the electronic diverter 400 in response to detecting water flow entering, leaving, or flowing through the electronic diverter 400 or the sprayer 200. In some embodiments, the flow sensor 414 is configured to send an "de-energized" signal to the electronic diverter 400 in response to detecting substantially no water flow entering, leaving, or flowing through the electronic diverter 400 or the sprayer 200. In some embodiments, the flow sensor 414 is configured to communicate directly with the control panel 112 and to send signals to the control panel 112 to indicate the power status of the electronic diverter 400 (e.g., on, off, standby, etc.) and / or the flow status of the sprinkler 200 (e.g., water is flowing, water is not flowing).

[0050] In some embodiments, actuator 402 further includes a sensor, shown as sensor 416. In some embodiments, sensor 416 is an encoder. Sensor 416 may be an absolute encoder or an incremental encoder. Sensor 416 is configured to cooperate with shunt logic 406 to signal the position of actuator 402 and the position of pattern wheel 404. The position of actuator 402 may directly correspond to the position of pattern wheel 404. The position of pattern wheel 404 may correspond to the spray pattern exiting shower 200. For example, pattern wheel 404 may be set to "shower" when a user of shower environment 100 closes on / off valve 108. Closing on / off valve 108 will stop water flow through electronic shunt 400, causing flow sensor 414 to send a "power off" signal to electronic shunt 400. When a user interacts with the on / off valve 108 and turns on the water, in some embodiments, it may be desirable for the electronic diverter 400 to "remember" the position of the pattern wheel 404 and the currently set spray pattern flowing from the showerhead 200. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 can be reset upon power-on, and is configured to send a signal to the actuator 402 to position the pattern wheel 404 to the default pattern (e.g., "shower," etc.). In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 can be reset before power is turned off, such that upon receiving a "power-off" signal from the flow sensor 414, the diverter logic 406 sends a signal to the actuator 402 to position the pattern wheel 404 to the default pattern. In some embodiments, the current spray pattern is stored in the diverter memory 408 before power is turned off so that the electronic diverter 400 can receive the position of the pattern wheel 404 from the diverter memory 408 upon receiving a "power-on" signal from the flow sensor 414. In some embodiments, actuator 402 includes sensor 416, which is an absolute encoder that can send a position signal of pattern wheel 404 to shunt logic unit 406 when electronic shunt 400 is energized.

[0051] In some embodiments, sensor 416 is integrated into the second gear 407. For example... Figure 4 As shown, sensor 416 can be positioned near the bottom surface of the second gear 407 (e.g., the side of the second gear 407 that does not engage with the first gear 405). The bottom surface of the second gear 407 may include a barcode, magnetic strip, ferrous filler, or similar features detectable by sensor 416. In some embodiments, sensor 416 includes a "contact" encoder, or an encoder that interacts with the second gear 407 to determine the position of the second gear 407, thereby determining the position of the pattern wheel 404. In some embodiments, sensor 416 is a Hall effect sensor and cooperates with the second gear 407 to form a Hall effect encoder, and sensor 416 is configured to detect changes in the magnetic field as the second gear 407 rotates to change the spray pattern.

[0052] like Figure 4 As shown, the electronic shunt 400 includes four sensors 416, shown as a first sensor 418, a second sensor 420, a third sensor 422, and a fourth sensor 424 (e.g., "sensor 416"). The pattern wheel 404 is configured to operate in four different positions to output four different spray patterns. The sensors 416 can be equidistant from each other, spaced n degrees of rotation apart, where n can be or is not approximately 90, 60, 45, or 30 degrees, to name just a few. The second gear 407 may include a single feature, such as a magnet, groove, pin, or similar feature, that can be detected by the sensor 416. Thus, if the pattern wheel 404 is in a third position (e.g., "water mist"), the third sensor 422 can detect this single feature of the second gear 407 and send a signal indicating that the pattern wheel 404 is in the third position or "water mist" to the shunt logic 406. Including four sensors 416 provides the technical advantage of preventing encoder drift because the sensors 416 are configured to detect a single feature. Furthermore, the four sensors 416 provide the technical advantage of allowing the shunt logic 406 to know the position of the sample wheel 404 when the electronic shunt 400 is powered on. For example, if the sample wheel 404 is in the second position when the electronic shunt 400 is de-energized, the second sensor 420 will detect a single feature of the second gear 407. When the electronic shunt 400 is powered on again, this single feature of the second gear 407 will be immediately detected by the second sensor 420 (e.g., within half a second), and the second sensor 420 will send a signal to the shunt logic 406 that the sample wheel 404 is in the second position. This feature provides the technical advantage of avoiding calibration settings by the sensors 416 when the electronic shunt 400 is powered on, since only the single feature of the second gear 407 needs to be detected.

[0053] In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 cannot completely prevent water flow through the shower head 200. For example, if a user of the shower environment 100 opens the on / off valve 108 to shower, water will flow through the shower head 200, and thus through the electronic diverter 400. In some embodiments, this may be desirable to prevent the formation of high pressure in the shower head 200 and to allow the flow sensor 414 to correctly sense the water flow. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 is configured to prevent water flow through the shower head 200.

[0054] The shunt memory 408 may contain a catalog of different spray patterns. The shunt memory 408 can store as few as one spray pattern and as many as 1000 spray patterns. When the shunt logic unit 406 receives an instruction to change the spray pattern, it can receive and execute the change instruction from the shunt memory 408. In some embodiments, the electronic shunt unit 400 does not store instructions in the shunt memory 408, but instead receives instructions directly from the control panel 112 or the user equipment.

[0055] The pattern wheel 404 can be selectively repositioned within the sprinkler 200. The pattern wheel 404 can rotate clockwise, varying between different positions. In some embodiments, the pattern wheel 404 can rotate counterclockwise, varying between different positions. The pattern wheel 404 is defined to include multiple spray patterns, wherein different spray patterns can be activated by rotating the pattern wheel 404 between different positions. The disclosed embodiments allow the pattern wheel 404 to control the spray patterns, thereby preventing disruption of the variation in water flow between different spray patterns. In conventional electronic distributors, each set of outlets is typically fluidly connected to a different water line extending through a pipe that supplies water to the sprinkler and connects to a set of control valves installed inside or behind a wall. In such conventional systems, water flow is significantly controlled upstream of the outlet (e.g., inside a wall) by operating on / off valves that control the flow of water through each individual water line. Therefore, in such conventional systems, switching between different flow patterns often requires the sprayer to drain any (room temperature) water from the newly selected water line before the water at the desired temperature reaches the outlet, resulting in a significant change in the discharged water temperature when switching to a new spray pattern. Advantageously, the sprayer 200 described herein avoids this situation by switching between different spray patterns within the sprayer 200 itself (e.g., by operating the pattern wheel 404), thus preventing a significant change in water temperature when switching between spray patterns.

[0056] The sample wheel 404 is further defined to have a spray pattern formation time. The spray pattern formation time is defined as the amount of time the sample wheel 404 needs to be held in a given position for water discharge to form a corresponding spray pattern. The spray pattern formation time is configured to include a pressure build-up time, where the water pressure in the system may rise before discharge. The pressure build-up time is configured to occur when the sample wheel 404 is in a static position. In some embodiments, the pressure build-up time may be configured to occur when the sample wheel 404 is in a dynamic position (e.g., the sample wheel 404 rotates between different positions). The spray pattern formation time is further defined as a time interval between 0.5 seconds and 0.7 seconds. In some embodiments, the spray formation time may require more than 0.7 seconds to build up water pressure.

[0057] The pattern wheel 404 is configured to include a plurality of spray patterns, wherein different spray patterns can be selectively engaged by rotating the pattern wheel 404. The pattern wheel 404 is further configured to have rapid rotation between positions, such that when the pattern wheel 404 transitions between a first position and a third position, the time spent in the intermediate second position is less than the spray pattern formation time. Therefore, from the user's perspective, when the transition between the first and third positions occurs, even if the pattern wheel 404 rotates through the second position while transitioning between the first and third positions, a spray pattern is not formed in the second position. In some embodiments, the pattern wheel 404 may also rotate through a fourth position when transitioning between the first and third positions.

[0058] Now for reference Figure 5 The control module (e.g., remote control, control interface, etc.) is shown as a spray controller 500. The spray controller 500 is configured to control the sprayer 200 by implementing non-contact control of the electronic distributor 400. The spray controller 500 includes a wireless communication device (e.g., a control communicator 502), a power supply 504, a processing logic unit 506, and a memory 508. Generally, the spray controller 500 can communicate with the distributor communicator 410. The spray controller 500 can send a command to the electronic distributor 400 via the control communicator 502 to change the spray pattern to "massage". The distributor communicator 410 can receive the signal and forward it to the distributor logic unit 406. The distributor logic unit 406 can then drive the actuator 402 to position the pattern wheel 404 in "massage" mode.

[0059] The control communicator 502 is configured to send signals to and receive signals from the splitter communicator 410. The control communicator 502 can send signals such as Bluetooth signals, radio frequency (RF) signals, near field communication (NFC) signals, Wi-Fi signals, and similar signal transmission types.

[0060] Power supply 504 is configured to supply power to sprinkler controller 500. Power supply 504 may include a disposable battery (e.g., alkaline, lithium, zinc-air, etc.) or a rechargeable battery (lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium, etc.). Sprinkler controller 500 can be plugged into a socket to receive AC or DC power. In some embodiments, sprinkler controller 500 is wirelessly powered via inductive charging. For example, sprinkler controller 500 can be wall-mounted with a wireless charger (e.g., copper coil, magnetic loop antenna, etc.) placed behind it. The wireless charger can then be connected to power supply 504, which is configured to wirelessly charge using the wireless charger located behind the wall.

[0061] Processing logic unit 506 is configured to send signals to and receive signals from splitter communicator 410 via control communicator 502. Processing logic unit 506 may be operatively coupled to memory 508, which stores instructions on how to respond to various signals. Memory 508 may be a non-transitory memory containing instructions. In some embodiments, instructions are added to memory 508 during manufacturing and are inaccessible to the user. For example, memory 508 may store instructions on how to control electronic splitter 400 to change the spray pattern from "mist" to "shower". Memory 508 is configured so that the user cannot change how electronic splitter 400 responds to receiving "mist" instructions from spray controller 500.

[0062] A button may be operatively coupled to the spray controller 500 so that button actuation sends a signal to the processing logic unit 506. This button may be a push-button, a capacitive button, a touch sensor, a proximity sensor, a thermal sensor, a beam-off sensor, or be displayed on a screen for operation via touch or a mouse cursor. For example, the spray controller 500 may include a push-button corresponding to the spray pattern "massage". When the "massage" button is actuated, it sends a signal to the processing logic unit 506, causing the processing logic unit 506 to compare the received signal with a set of instructions stored in the memory 508. Once the processing logic unit 506 receives the instructions, it causes the control communicator 502 to send a signal to the electronic shunt 400 to change the spray pattern to "massage". In some embodiments, the spray controller 500 sends the signal regardless of the power state of the electronic shunt 400 (e.g., whether the electronic shunt 400 is on). In some embodiments, the diverter communicator 410 is further configured to send a signal to the shower controller 500 indicating to the processing logic 506 that no water flow is passing through the showerhead 200 (e.g., the electronic diverter 400) without sending a signal. In some embodiments, the shower controller 500 may send signals to two different showerheads (e.g., showerhead 200 and another showerhead 200, a rain showerhead 102 and a handheld showerhead 104). For example, if the shower environment 100 includes a rain showerhead 102 and a handheld showerhead 104, the shower controller 500 may send the same signal (e.g., "shower") to both the rain showerhead 102 and the handheld showerhead 104.

[0063] Turn now Figure 6A first embodiment of the control panel 112 is shown as a control panel 600. The control panel 600 includes a housing 610, a coupling ring 620, a central portion 630, and a mounting body 640. The housing 610 defines a generally annular body. In some embodiments, the housing 610 defines different shapes, such as square, hexagonal, octagonal, and similar shapes. The housing 610 may be made of plastic, metal, wood, resilient material, or similar materials. In some embodiments, the housing 610 may be made of a non-corrosive material that can withstand the humid environment of a shower (e.g., water, soap, etc.). The housing 610 includes a first housing end 612 and a second housing end 614 opposite to the first housing end 612. The coupling ring 620 is coupled to the housing 610 adjacent to the first housing end 612, forming a watertight seal between the housing 610 and the coupling ring 620. A shower controller 500 is housed within the housing 610. In some implementations, a watertight seal between the housing 610 and the engagement ring 620 prevents water from corroding and short-circuiting the spray controller 500 housed within the control panel 600.

[0064] A center portion 630 may be positioned at the center of the engaging ring 620. The center portion 630 forms a watertight seal with the engaging ring 620 to prevent water from entering the housing 610. In some embodiments, the center portion 630 is attached to the housing 610 adjacent to the first housing end 612 by adhesive or fasteners. The engaging ring 620 may be stretched (e.g., positioned, etc.) onto the housing 610 and the center portion 630, acting similarly to an end cap. The center portion 630 may include a decorative front surface 632, including an aesthetically pleasing pattern. In some embodiments, the center portion 630 is formed of metal, and the front surface 632 has a reflective surface treatment. In some embodiments, the front surface 632 may be brushed nickel, hammered copper, stainless steel, sandblasted aluminum, or a similar surface treatment. In some embodiments, the center portion 630 is chrome-plated plastic.

[0065] The engagement ring 620 is configured to be interactive, for example, by a user of the shower environment 100. The engagement ring 620 may be formed of an elastic material that exhibits inherent compliance when pressed. In some embodiments, the engagement ring 620 extends onto the disc housing 610, such that the disc housing 610 is concealed when coupled to the mounting body 640. This may be more preferable in some embodiments because the engagement ring 620, formed of an elastomer, can improve the user's grip on the control disc 600. In other embodiments, the engagement ring 620 serves as a buffer to protect the control disc 600 from scratches, abrasions, and impacts during user operation (such as battery replacement or cleaning).

[0066] Mounting body 640 is configured to attach to a wall or other vertical or near-vertical surface. For example, mounting body 640 may be attached to a wall in shower environment 100. Mounting body 640 is configured to be detachably attached to disc 610 adjacent to the second housing end 614. Disc 610 may be detachably attached to mounting body 640 using a latch, snap, bayonet latch, magnet, or similar latching system. Disc 610 may be attached to mounting body 640 such that rotating disc 610 a quarter turn releases it from mounting body 640.

[0067] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to attach the mounting body 640 to a wall in the shower environment using fasteners, adhesives, double-sided tape, and similar mounting and connection systems. However, the housing 610 may be detachably attached to the mounting body 640 so that the housing 610 can be easily removed from the shower environment 100 by a user. For example, the control panel 600 may include a disposable battery for the power supply 504. To replace the battery, the housing 610 can be removed from the mounting body 640, and thus from the shower environment 100. In some embodiments, the mounting body 640 and the housing 610 form a watertight seal at their junction. This may be more preferable in some embodiments to prevent water, soap, and other foreign matter from corroding the power supply 504.

[0068] Each of the disc housing 610, the engaging ring 620, and the mounting body 640 has a defined diameter, shown as disc diameter 645. Disc diameter 645 may be configured to be comfortable to hold in an adult's palm (e.g., 4 to 5 inches (including the ends)). In some embodiments, disc diameter 645 may be 4.5 inches. When joined together, the outer surfaces of each of the disc housing 610, the engaging ring 620, and the mounting body 640 are adjacent to provide an aesthetically pleasing, smooth outer surface. In some embodiments, if the disc housing 610 is wet, it may be desirable to add ridges to the disc housing 610 to provide a gripping force for the user (e.g., a surface with a higher coefficient of friction than a smooth surface).

[0069] Turn now Figure 7 An exploded view of the control panel 600 is shown. A plurality of buttons 650 may be disposed between the panel housing 610 and the engagement ring 620. When the panel housing 610 is coupled to the engagement ring 620, the plurality of buttons 650 may be disposed between the panel housing 610 and the engagement ring 620, such that a force applied to the engagement ring 620 in a direction generally toward the mounting body 640 may actuate one of the plurality of buttons 650.

[0070] More specifically, the plurality of buttons 650 includes a first button 651, a second button 652, a third button 653, a fourth button 654, a fifth button 655, a sixth button 656, a seventh button 657, and an eighth button 658. Each of the plurality of buttons 650 is operatively coupled to the processing logic unit 506 of the spray controller 500 so that actuation of any of the plurality of buttons 650 sends a signal to the processing logic unit 506, causing the processing logic unit 506 to complete a series of steps.

[0071] The engagement ring 620 may further include a plurality of markings 660. These markings 660 correspond to a plurality of buttons 650 positioned behind the engagement ring 620 (e.g., between the engagement ring 620 and the housing 610). More specifically, the engagement ring 620 may include a first marking 661 corresponding to a first button 651, a second marking 662 corresponding to a second button 652, a third marking 663 corresponding to a third button 653, a fourth marking 664 corresponding to a fourth button 654, a fifth marking 665 corresponding to a fifth button 655, a sixth marking 666 corresponding to a sixth button 656, a seventh marking 667 corresponding to a seventh button 657, and an eighth marking 668 corresponding to an eighth button 658. For example, a force applied to the third marking 663 in a direction generally toward the housing 610 will actuate the third button 653 located behind the engagement ring 620.

[0072] In some embodiments, the mark 660 is a raised bump integrally formed with the engagement ring 620. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the marks 660 to be physically distinguishable from each other, so that a user with their eyes closed in the shower environment 100 can perceive the difference between the marks 660 (e.g., the difference between the first mark 661 and the fourth mark 664), allowing the user to actuate the button they wish to actuate without opening their eyes. In some embodiments, the mark 660 is detachably coupled to the engagement ring 620 so that the mark 660 can be removed and replaced with a new mark (e.g., the first mark 661 can be removed and replaced with a new (e.g., the ninth) mark). The mark 660 can be customized by the user. In some embodiments, the mark 660 is a raised symbol corresponding to the spray pattern produced by actuating the corresponding button. For example, actuation of the first button 651 can signal the electronic diverter 400 to change the spray pattern to "mist". The first mark 661 can be a raised, speckled pattern corresponding to "mist".

[0073] The processing logic unit 506 can be configured to provide instructions for four spray patterns, referred to herein as "Spray 1", "Spray 2", "Spray 3", and "Spray 4". When the first marker 661 is pressed and the first button 651 is actuated, the processing logic unit 506 is prompted to send a signal to the electronic distributor 400 to switch the spray pattern to "Spray 1". Similarly, when the second marker 662 is pressed and the second button 652 is actuated, the processing logic unit 506 is prompted to send a signal to the electronic distributor 400 to switch the spray pattern to "Spray 2". When the third marker 663 is pressed and the third button 653 is actuated, the electronic distributor 400 switches to "Spray 3", and when the fourth marker 664 is pressed and the fourth button 654 is actuated, the electronic distributor 400 switches to "Spray 4". The first button 651, the second button 652, the third button 653, and the fourth button 654 can be collectively referred to as mode buttons 1234. When any of the mode buttons 1234 is activated, the processing logic 506 sends a signal to the electronic diverter 400 to change the spray pattern, maintaining it for an indefinite duration. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 will not change the spray pattern even if the power is turned off and then on again, until the processing logic 506 sends a signal to change the spray pattern. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 restarts each time the power is cut off, changing to "Spray 1" (or other default reset spray pattern) upon restarting. The mode buttons 1234 can be set during manufacturing and cannot be changed by the user of the shower environment 100.

[0074] The fifth button 655, sixth button 656, seventh button 657, and eighth button 658 can be collectively referred to as program buttons 5678. In some embodiments, program buttons 5678 behave similarly to mode buttons 1234 and cannot be changed by the user. In some embodiments, program buttons 5678 are preset by the manufacturer so that, when actuated, processing logic 506 sends a signal to electronic diverter 400 to change the shower pattern, and electronic diverter 400 follows a series of instructions for a certain period of time. For example, if the fifth marker 665 is pressed by the user and the fifth button 655 is actuated, processing logic 506 may be prompted to send a signal to electronic diverter 400 to switch to "spray 1" for 30 seconds, then switch to "spray 2" for 30 seconds, and repeat the pattern for 5 minutes. In such an implementation, the shower user will receive tactile feedback from the showerhead 200 to understand the length of their shower time. Perhaps the user has decided to shorten their shower time in an effort to conserve water. By pressing the fifth mark 665 and activating the fifth button 655, the user is setting the electronic diverter 400 to repeat a pattern for 5 minutes. Once the user feels that the shower pattern is not changing, the user will know how long the shower has lasted and can make an informed decision about whether to exit the shower environment 100 and conserve water.

[0075] refer to Figure 8 Another embodiment of the sprinkler controller is shown as sprinkler controller 800. Sprinkler controller 800 includes a control communicator 802, a power supply 804, a processing logic unit 806, and a memory 808. This sprinkler controller is similar to sprinkler controller 500. The difference between sprinkler controller 800 and sprinkler controller 500 is that sprinkler controller 800 includes a wireless communication device, shown as disk communicator 810. Disk communicator 810 can receive operating instructions (e.g., instructions to change the spray pattern of sprinkler 200, etc.) from an independent computing entity capable of transmitting and receiving wireless signals (e.g., wireless communication signals, wired communication signals, etc.). These signals may include Bluetooth signals, radio frequency (RF) signals, near field communication (NFC) signals, Wi-Fi signals, and similar signal transmission types. The independent computing entity may be a computer, personal computing device, mobile phone, laptop, or similar computing device, shown as user equipment 812. In some embodiments, sprinkler controller 800 may communicate directly with the Internet. User equipment 812 may include a screen capable of displaying a user interface. Users can interact with user equipment 812 and send commands to sprinkler controller 800 via a wireless communication connection between user equipment 812 and sprinkler controller 800. The commands can be received by disk communicator 810, converted into wireless signals by processing logic unit 806, and transmitted by control disk 900 (e.g., sprinkler controller 800) to electronic splitter 400 via control communicator 802.

[0076] Reference Figure 9 Another embodiment of control panel 112 is shown as control panel 900. Control panel 900 is similar to control panel 600. The difference between control panel 900 and control panel 600 is that control panel 900 includes sprinkler controller 800.

[0077] Another difference between control panel 600 and control panel 900 is that control panel 900 may further include an indicator 908 configured to illuminate to indicate the status of disk communicator 810. For example, when disk communicator 810 is not communicating with a user device (e.g., user device 812), indicator 908 may flash slowly (e.g., on for one second, off for one second, and repeat). In some embodiments, indicator 908 may include a flashing red light to indicate that control panel 900 is not wirelessly communicating with another device. When disk communicator 810 is ready to communicate with user device 812 (e.g., ready to pair), indicator 908 may flash rapidly (e.g., on for 0.3 seconds, off for 0.3 seconds, and repeat). When disk communicator 810 is communicating with user device 812 (e.g., wireless communication, uninterrupted communication, etc.), indicator 908 may remain on. In some embodiments, any of the indicator patterns described above may correspond to any of the disk communicator 810 states described above.

[0078] Still referencing Figure 9 The control panel 900 includes a housing 910, a coupling ring 920, a speaker bracket 930, and a mounting body 940. The housing 910 defines a generally annular body. In some embodiments, the housing 910 defines different shapes, such as square, hexagonal, octagonal, and similar shapes. The housing 910 may be made of plastic, metal, wood, elastic material, or similar materials. In some embodiments, the housing 910 may be made of a non-corrosive material that can withstand the humid environment of a shower setting (e.g., water, soap, etc.). The housing 910 includes a first housing end 912 and a second housing end 914 opposite to the first housing end 912. The coupling ring 920 is coupled to the housing 910 adjacent to the first housing end 912, forming a watertight seal between the housing 910 and the coupling ring 920. A shower controller 800 may be housed within the housing 910. In some embodiments, a watertight seal between the housing 910 and the engagement ring 920 can prevent water corrosion and short circuit of the spray controller 800 housed within the control panel 900.

[0079] A speaker bracket 930 may be positioned at the center of the engagement ring 920. The speaker bracket 930 may be formed of a mesh that allows sound to pass through while protecting the internal components of the control panel 900. The speaker bracket 930 may be formed of a metal mesh, plastic mesh, fabric mesh, resin-reinforced composite fabric mesh, or similar materials. In some embodiments, the speaker bracket 930 is configured to allow water flow through the speaker bracket 930 and within the panel housing 910. In some embodiments, the speaker bracket 930 is attached to the panel housing 910 adjacent to the first housing end 912 by adhesives or fasteners. The engagement ring 920 may be stretched onto the panel housing 910 and the speaker bracket 930, behaving similarly to an end cap. The speaker bracket 930 may include a decorative front surface 932, including an aesthetically pleasing pattern. In some embodiments, the speaker bracket 930 is formed of metal, and the front surface 932 has a reflective surface treatment. In some embodiments, the front surface 932 may be brushed nickel, hammered copper, stainless steel, sandblasted aluminum, or a similar surface treatment. In some embodiments, the speaker bracket 930 is made of chrome-plated plastic.

[0080] The engagement ring 920 is configured to be interactive, for example, by a user of the shower environment 100. The engagement ring 920 may be formed of an elastomer that exhibits inherent compliance when pressed. In some embodiments, the engagement ring 920 extends onto the disc housing 910, such that the disc housing 910 is concealed when coupled to the mounting body 940. This may be more preferable in some embodiments because the elastomer-formed engagement ring 920 can improve the user's grip on the control disc 900. In other embodiments, the engagement ring 920 serves as a buffer to protect the control disc 900 from scratches, abrasions, and impacts during user operation, such as battery replacement or cleaning.

[0081] Mounting body 940 is configured to attach to a wall or other vertical or near-vertical surface. For example, mounting body 940 may be attached to a wall in shower environment 100. Mounting body 940 is configured to be detachably attached to disc 910 adjacent to second housing end 914. Disc 910 may be detachably attached to mounting body 940 using a latch, snap, bayonet latch, magnet, or similar latching system. Disc 910 may be attached to mounting body 940 such that rotating disc 910 a quarter turn releases disc 910 from mounting body 940.

[0082] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to attach the mounting body 940 to a wall in the shower environment using fasteners, adhesives, double-sided tape, and similar mounting and connection systems. However, the housing 910 may be detachably attached to the mounting body 940 so that the housing 910 can be easily removed from the shower environment 100 by a user. For example, the control panel 900 may include a disposable battery for the power supply 804. To replace the battery, the housing 910 can be removed from the mounting body 940, and thus from the shower environment 100. In some embodiments, the mounting body 940 and the housing 910 form a watertight seal at their joint. This may be desirable in some embodiments to prevent corrosion of the power supply 804 by water, soap, and other foreign matter.

[0083] Each of the disk housing 910, the engagement ring 920, and the mounting body 940 defines a diameter, shown as disk diameter 945. Disk diameter 945 can be 3.5 inches to 5.5 inches (including the ends). In some embodiments, disk diameter 945 is 4 inches to 5 inches (including the ends). In some embodiments, disk diameter 945 is 4.5 inches. When joined together, the outer surfaces of each of the disk housing 910, engagement ring 920, and mounting body 940 are mating to provide an aesthetically pleasing, smooth outer surface. In some embodiments, if the disk housing 910 is wet, it may be desirable to add ridges to the disk housing 910 to provide a gripping force for the user (e.g., a surface with a higher coefficient of friction than a smooth surface).

[0084] Turn now Figure 10 An exploded view of the control panel 900 is shown. A plurality of buttons 950 may be positioned between the panel housing 910 and the engagement ring 920. When the panel housing 910 is coupled to the engagement ring 920, the plurality of buttons 950 can be positioned between the panel housing 910 and the engagement ring 920, such that a force applied to the engagement ring 920 in the direction toward the mounting body 940 can actuate one of the plurality of buttons 950.

[0085] More specifically, the plurality of buttons 950 includes a first button 951, a second button 952, a third button 953, a fourth button 954, a fifth button 955, a sixth button 956, a seventh button 957, and an eighth button 958. Each of the plurality of buttons 950 is operatively coupled to the processing logic unit 806 of the spray controller 800 so that actuation of any of the plurality of buttons 950 sends a signal to the processing logic unit 806, causing the processing logic unit 806 to complete a series of steps.

[0086] The engagement ring 920 may further include a plurality of markings 960. The markings 960 correspond to a plurality of buttons 950 located behind the engagement ring 920 (e.g., between the engagement ring 920 and the housing 910). More specifically, the engagement ring 920 may include a first marking 961 corresponding to a first button 951, a second marking 962 corresponding to a second button 952, a third marking 963 corresponding to a third button 953, a fourth marking 964 corresponding to a fourth button 954, a fifth marking 965 corresponding to a fifth button 955, a sixth marking 966 corresponding to a sixth button 956, a seventh marking 967 corresponding to a seventh button 957, and an eighth marking 968 corresponding to an eighth button 958. For example, a force applied to the third marking 963 in a direction generally toward the housing 910 will actuate the third button 953 located behind the engagement ring 920.

[0087] In some embodiments, the mark 960 is a raised dot integrally formed with the engagement ring 920. In some embodiments, it may be desirable for the marks 960 to be physically distinguishable from each other, so that a user with their eyes closed in the shower environment 100 can perceive the difference between the marks 960 (e.g., the difference between the first mark 961 and the fourth mark 964), allowing the user to actuate the button they wish to actuate without opening their eyes. In some embodiments, the mark 960 is detachably attached to the engagement ring 920, so that the mark 960 can be removed and replaced with a new mark (e.g., the first mark 961 can be removed and replaced with a new (e.g., the ninth) mark). The mark 960 can be customized by the user. In some embodiments, the mark 960 is a raised symbol corresponding to the spray pattern produced by actuating the corresponding button. For example, actuation of the first button 951 can signal the electronic diverter 400 to change the spray pattern to "mist". The first mark 961 can be a raised, speckled pattern corresponding to "mist".

[0088] Another difference between control panel 600 and control panel 900 is that control panel 900 includes a sound-generating device, shown as speaker 933. Speaker 933 may be disposed within panel housing 910 and located behind speaker bracket 930. Speaker bracket 930 is constructed to protect the diaphragm of speaker 933. In some embodiments, speaker 933 is weatherproof (e.g., capable of withstanding outdoor conditions, but not designed to be submerged in water). Speaker 933 may be controlled and operatively coupled to processing logic 806. Speaker 933 may be configured to play sound, such as podcasts, music, television sound, radio, etc. In some embodiments, sound files are stored in memory 808, received by processing logic 806, and played by speaker 933. In some embodiments, the manufacturer of control panel 900 may include pre-stored sound files in memory 808. In some embodiments, user equipment 812 may wirelessly transmit sound files to panel communicator 810 for playback by speaker 933. In some embodiments, speaker 933 behaves similarly to a Bluetooth speaker and is available in most physical stores.

[0089] A speaker button 934 is disposed adjacent to the speaker bracket 930. The speaker button 934 may be disposed on the speaker bracket 930, on the same plane as the speaker bracket 930, or behind the speaker bracket 930 and in front of the speaker 933 (e.g., between the speaker bracket 930 and the speaker 933). The speaker button 934 may be operatively coupled to the processing logic unit 806, so that actuating the speaker button 934 can control the operation of the speaker 933. A speaker engagement 936 is disposed on one of the outward-facing surfaces of the speaker bracket 930. The speaker engagement 936 is similar to a engagement ring 920. The speaker engagement 936 is operatively connected to the speaker button 934 such that a force applied to the speaker engagement 936 in the direction toward the mounting body 940 will actuate the speaker button 934. The speaker joint 936 can exhibit inherent compliance, such that when a force is applied to the speaker joint 936 in a direction toward the mounting body 940, the speaker joint 936 will bend (e.g., stretch, bias, etc.) and the speaker button 934 will be actuated. The speaker joint 936 can cover the speaker button 934, effectively waterproofing the speaker button 934. In some embodiments, the speaker button 934 can be positioned behind the speaker bracket 930, and the speaker joint 936 extends through and behind the speaker bracket 930, providing a watertight seal with respect to the speaker button 934. Although Figure 9 The speaker joint 936 has a shape similar to a play button (e.g., its sides are equilateral triangles), but the speaker joint 936 can be many polygonal shapes, including a star, a capital letter 'K', a square, etc.

[0090] The control panel 900 may further include a volume controller 970. The volume controller 970 may be disposed on the outer surface of the disk housing 910. In some embodiments, the volume controller 970 may include a volume wheel that a user can rotate to control the volume. In some embodiments, the volume controller 970 may be a series of capacitive touch sensors that a user can interact with by swiping with a finger or hand. The volume controller 970 is operatively connected to a processing logic unit 806 (e.g., a speaker 933) to control the volume of an audio file played through the speaker 933. The volume controller 970 may include a capacitive interface disposed on the disk housing 910. A user can slide on the volume controller 970 to control the volume. For example, a user can slide clockwise (relative to the control panel 900) on the volume controller 970 to increase the volume of the speaker 933 and slide counterclockwise on the volume controller 970 to decrease the volume. In some embodiments, the volume controller 970 may send a signal to the user device 812 via the disk communicator 810 to decrease the volume of the user device 812. In some embodiments, the volume controller 970 controls the local volume of the speaker 933 without sending a signal to the user device 812.

[0091] The control panel 900 may further include a volume indicator 972. User interaction with the volume controller 970 can alter the volume indicator 972. In some embodiments, the volume indicator 972 is a series of lights (e.g., a row of ten small lights, a light strip, etc.) that change as the volume increases and decreases. For example, if the user increases the volume using the volume controller 970, the volume indicator 972 may become brighter, for example, by increasing the number of energized lights or by increasing the intensity of lights that are already on. In some embodiments, the user equipment 812 includes a device volume controller. When the device volume controller is operated by the user, the user equipment 812 may send a signal to the processing logic 806 to reduce the volume of the speaker 933, which may also alter the volume indicator 972, for example, by reducing the number of energized lights or by reducing the intensity of lights that were already on before the device volume controller was operated.

[0092] Processing logic unit 806 is configured to provide instructions for four spray patterns, referred to herein as "Spray 1", "Spray 2", "Spray 3", and "Spray 4". When the first marker 961 is pressed and the first button 951 is actuated, processing logic unit 806 is prompted to send a signal to electronic splitter 400 to switch the spray pattern to "Spray 1". Similarly, when the second marker 962 is pressed and the second button 952 is actuated, processing logic unit 806 is prompted to send a signal to electronic splitter 400 to switch the spray pattern to "Spray 2". When the third marker 963 is pressed and the third button 953 is actuated, electronic splitter 400 switches to "Spray 3", and when the fourth marker 964 is pressed and the fourth button 954 is actuated, electronic splitter 400 switches to "Spray 4". The first button 951, the second button 952, the third button 953, and the fourth button 954 may be collectively referred to as mode buttons 1234. When any mode button 1234 is actuated, the processing logic 806 sends a signal to the electronic diverter 400 to change the shower pattern for an indefinite period of time. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 does not change the shower pattern even if the power is turned off and then on again, until the processing logic 806 sends a signal to change the shower pattern. In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 restarts each time the power is cut off, and upon restarting, it changes to "Spray 1" (or some other default reset shower pattern). The mode buttons 1234 can be set during the manufacturing process and cannot be changed by the user of the shower environment.

[0093] The fifth button 955, sixth button 956, seventh button 957, and eighth button 958 can be collectively referred to as program buttons 5678. In some embodiments, program buttons 5678 behave similarly to mode buttons 1234 and cannot be changed by the user. In some embodiments, program buttons 5678 are preset by the manufacturer, such that when actuated, the processing logic 806 sends a signal to the electronic diverter 400 to change the shower pattern, and the electronic diverter 400 follows a series of instructions for a certain period of time. For example, if the fifth marker 965 is pressed and the fifth button 955 is actuated by the user, the processing logic 806 may be prompted to send a signal to the electronic diverter 400 to switch to "Spray 1" for 30 seconds, then switch to "Spray 2" for 30 seconds, and repeat the pattern for 5 minutes. In such an implementation, the shower user will receive tactile feedback from the showerhead 200 to understand the length of their shower time. Perhaps the user has decided to shorten their shower time in an effort to conserve water. By pressing the fifth mark 965 and actuating the fifth button 955, the user sets the electronic diverter 400 to repeat a pattern for 5 minutes. Once the user feels that the shower pattern is not changing, the user will know how long the shower has lasted and can make an informed decision about whether to exit the shower environment 100 and conserve water.

[0094] In some embodiments, the electronic diverter 400 can rapidly switch between spray patterns to simulate a pulsed shower. For example, actuation of the sixth button 956 can cause the processing logic 806 to send a signal to the electronic diverter to switch between "spray 2" and "spray 3" per second for a predetermined time period.

[0095] The user can use user device 812 to modify or program button 5678. The user can download a software application to user device 812 that allows the user to interact with the shower system and personalize it to suit their needs. For example, when actuated, the fifth button 955 can cause the electronic diverter 400 to repeat the spray pattern: "Spray 3" for 10 seconds, "Spray 2" for 10 seconds, and then repeat. The user can reprogram the processing logic 806 so that actuation of the fifth button 955 causes the electronic diverter 400 to repeat a different spray pattern, such as "Spray 1" for 15 seconds, "Spray 4" for 20 seconds, "Spray 2" for 5 seconds, and then repeat.

[0096] Reference Figure 11 User device 812 can display a "custom" control 1002 on the screen. The user can select the custom control 1002 to open a custom window 1010. Within the custom window 1010, the user can select a spray pattern 1015, a spray duration 1020, a repeat length 1025, and a program button selection 1030. Each selection can be made using a drop-down menu. For example, the user can decide they want a "mist" for three minutes, a "shower" for one minute, and they want the pattern to repeat "always" (e.g., until a new button is selected (e.g., mode button 1234, program button 5678), regardless of whether the electronic shunt 400 is powered off). If the user wants to add another spray pattern to the custom program, the user can select the add pattern selection 1027. Selecting the add pattern selection 1027 displays the repeat of the spray pattern 1015 and the spray duration 1020 on the custom window 1010, allowing the user to add it to the program. The user can then interact with the program button selection 1030. As shown in the figure, the user can choose to select the fifth button 955, the sixth button 956, or the seventh button 957. The user can select one of the options from the drop-down menu. Thus, when the button selected in program button selection 1030 is activated by the user within the shower environment 100, the program will execute... Figure 11 The steps are shown below. Finally, the user can select the "SYNC" button 1040 near the bottom of the screen to send instructions to the processing logic unit 806. Although Figure 11It is shown that only the fifth button 955, the sixth button 956, and the seventh button 957 can be programmed by the user using the user device 812. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the user can program any of the multiple buttons 950 using the user device 812. In some embodiments, no single button (e.g., mode button 1234, program button 5678) is programmable.

[0097] Generally, the spray controller 800 (e.g., spray controller 500), and more specifically, the processing logic 806 (e.g., processing logic 806), can be configured to analyze an audio file and change the spray pattern flowing out of the sprayer 200 in response to the audio file. (For example, changing the operation of the electronic splitter 400 in response to the attributes of the audio file). For example, the audio file may be a song that changes volume (e.g., decibels (dB), amplitude, etc.) during the duration of the song. The processing logic 806 can send a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to set the spray pattern to "Spray 1" when the audio file outputs sound in the range of 0 to 50 dB, "Spray 2" for 50 to 60 dB, "Spray 3" for 60 to 70 dB, and "Spray 4" for 70 to 80 dB. These ranges are by way of example and are not intended to be limiting. Users can interact with the user interface of user device 812 to adjust the spray pattern leaving sprinkler 200 and the threshold range responded to by electronic diverter 400.

[0098] In some embodiments, the processing logic unit 806 sends a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to change the spray pattern according to the frequency (e.g., pitch) of the audio file. Go to Figure 12 The sample audio file is displayed. Processing logic 806 segments the audio file into segments (e.g., segments 1102). Each segment 1102 is divided at a constant time interval to make them of equal length, and is displayed as segment 1102 of the time interval 1104 between the first segment 1106 and the second segment 1108. The time interval 1104 can be as long as the length of the audio file or as short as the Nyquist sampling rate (assuming the upper limit of human hearing is 20,000 Hz, approximately 0.000025 seconds). In some embodiments, the time interval 1104 is between 0 and 30 seconds (inclusive). In some embodiments, the time interval 1104 is between 0.25 and 10 seconds (inclusive). In some embodiments, the time interval 1104 is 0.5 seconds.

[0099] The spray controller 800 is configured to change the spray pattern of the electronic splitter 400 based on segment 1102 and time interval 1104. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 takes the average frequency (e.g., arithmetic mean, geometric mean, etc.) of the audio file within segment 1102 and sends a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to change the spray pattern according to the calculated average frequency. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 may perform a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on segment 1102. By calculating the FFT, the processing logic 806 can select the peak values ​​of the FFT as the "modal frequencies" of segment 1102 and change the spray pattern according to the modal frequencies. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 can select a finite number of peak values ​​(e.g., 2, 3, 4, etc.) from the FFT and average the frequencies of these finite number of peak values ​​to calculate the average frequency. In some embodiments, the processing logic unit 806 may, upon instruction, segment the audio file into 0.5-second segments, measure the average frequency of the audio file between segments (e.g., using a Fast Fourier Transform), match the average frequency to a spray pattern, and send a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to actuate the actuator 402 and the pattern wheel 404 to change the spray pattern. For example, a popular vocal (such as a tenor) may have a frequency range of approximately C3 to C5, or 130 Hz to 530 Hz. A graph may be present in the memory 808 of the spray controller 800, matching the frequency range to the corresponding spray pattern (e.g., "water mist" represents frequencies between 100 Hz and 1000 Hz (inclusive); "spray 3" represents frequencies between 10000 Hz and 100000 Hz (inclusive), etc.). If the audio file includes a popular vocal segment, the processing logic unit 806 may measure an average frequency of 320 Hz between segments. Then, the processing logic unit 806 can match the measured average frequency with the spray pattern "water mist" and send a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to change the spray pattern.

[0100] like Figure 12As shown, the audio file is divided into 0.5-second segments. At each segmentation (e.g., first segment 1106, second segment 1108), the spray pattern changes. Specifically, between the first segment 1106 and the second segment 1108, the frequency of segment 1102 is averaged, and the average frequency matches the spray pattern, which is initiated at the end of segment 1102 or at the second segment 1108. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 can plan and actively change the spray pattern. For example, the processing logic 806 can calculate the average frequency of segment 1102 before playing it through the speaker 933. Therefore, the processing logic 806 can signal the electronic shunt 400 to change the spray pattern in response to the average frequency of segment 1102 at the first segment 1106. This can be feasible when the audio file is pre-loaded into memory 808. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 may intentionally delay the playback of an audio file via the speaker 933, for example, when the audio file is being streamed directly from the Internet or from the user device 812, in order to proactively change the spray pattern. This can be advantageous because the user will experience the spray pattern while the corresponding audio file segment is playing, rather than experiencing the spray pattern corresponding to an audio file segment that was just played in the past (e.g., before time interval 1104).

[0101] In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 segments the audio file into segments and measures a weighted average frequency within each segment, weighted according to the corresponding loudness level (e.g., decibels). For example, the audio file may include loud low-frequency sounds (e.g., bass, kick drum, 808 bass beats, etc.) in the 20 Hz to 50 Hz range, and relatively soft (e.g., low volume) high-pitched sounds (e.g., soprano, violin, etc.) in the 600 Hz to 1000 Hz range. If only the frequencies are averaged, the soft high-frequency sounds, given their higher values, will disproportionately outweigh the low-frequency sounds. To compensate for this, the volume level of the audio file (e.g., decibel level, amplitude, loudness, etc.) may also be included in the averaging calculation, giving loud bass notes a higher weight than soft treble notes.

[0102] In some embodiments, the sound file is not pre-loaded into the memory 808 of the spray controller 800. For example, the sound file can be wirelessly transmitted from the user equipment 812 to the speaker 933 (e.g., wireless cast, streaming, etc.). In such embodiments, the processing logic 806 can analyze the sound file in real time, averaging the frequency and loudness as the sound file is played. In some embodiments, the processing logic 806 can continuously change the spray pattern in response to the sound file, rather than segmenting the sound file. For example, the sound file may include a kick drum played once per beat at 100 bpm (beats per minute). This means the kick drum is played once every 0.6 seconds. The processing logic 806 can send a signal to the electronic splitter 400 to change the spray pattern to "massage" each time the kick drum is played, but remain in "shower" mode otherwise. Thus, instead of averaging the sound file over time intervals, the processing logic 806 reacts to the sound file immediately. As can be understood, the steps of averaging the sound file, determining the spray pattern, sending a signal to the electronic diverter 400, and actuating the electronic diverter 400 occur so rapidly that the user's perception of the shower environment 100 is simultaneous (e.g., imperceptible to human senses). For the user of the showerhead 200, they will feel a "shower" most of the time, but the "massage" will pulsate in rhythm with the sound file, creating a unique shower experience for the user.

[0103] In some embodiments, the control panel 900 can be directly connected to the Internet and can be configured to continuously listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks, etc., directly from the Internet via streaming services such as Spotify, Audiobooks, iTunes, Apple Music, Soundclou, Prime Music, etc. In some embodiments, the control panel 900 is configured to pair with a voice assistant device, such as Google Home, Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod, and similar devices (e.g., Google Assistant, Apple Assistant, etc.). In some embodiments, the control panel 900 is a voice assistant device, including a microphone, and is configured to respond to user voice commands.

[0104] As used herein, the terms “generally,” “approximately,” “substantially,” and similar terms are intended to have a broad meaning and are consistent with common and generally accepted usage by those skilled in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure relates. Those skilled in the art who review this disclosure will understand that these terms are intended to allow for the description of certain features described and claimed, without limiting the scope of those features to the precise numerical range provided. Therefore, these terms should be interpreted as indicating that non-substantial or insignificant modifications or alterations to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure set forth in the appended claims.

[0105] It should be noted that the term "exemplary" and its variations used herein to describe various embodiments are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, representative or illustrative of possible embodiments (and such terms are not intended to imply that such embodiments are necessarily special or superior examples).

[0106] As used herein, the term "connection" and its variations refer to the direct or indirect linking of two components to each other. Such a connection can be fixed (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., removable or releasable). This connection can be achieved by directly linking two components together, by linking two components together using a single intermediate component and any additional intermediate components, or by linking two components together using an intermediate component that, together with one of the two components, forms a single unit. If "connection" or its variations are modified by additional terms (e.g., direct connection), the general definition of "connection" provided above is modified by the common linguistic meaning of the additional terms (e.g., "direct connection" means the linking of two components without any separate intermediate component), resulting in a narrower definition than the general definition of "connection" provided above. Such a connection can be mechanical, electrical, or fluid.

[0107] The term "or" as used herein is used in its inclusive sense (not its exclusive sense), and therefore, when used to connect lists of elements, the term "or" means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Connective language such as "at least one of X, Y, and Z" should be understood, unless otherwise specified, to mean that the elements can be X, Y, Z; X and Y; X and Z; Y and Z; or X, Y, and Z (i.e., any combination of X, Y, and Z). Therefore, unless otherwise stated, such connective language generally does not imply that certain implementations require at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z to be present.

[0108] The references to the location of elements (e.g., "top", "bottom", "above", "below") are merely for describing the orientation of the various elements in the diagram. It should be noted that the orientation of the various elements may differ from other exemplary embodiments, and such variations are intended to be covered by this disclosure.

[0109] All structural, electrical, and functional equivalents of the elements described below that are known to those skilled in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be included in the present claims. Unless expressly stated otherwise, reference to a singular element does not imply that there is only one, but should be understood as at least one. No element of any claim herein shall be construed under paragraph 6 of 35 U.S.SC § 112 unless the element is expressly referred to as “means.” Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in this disclosure is intended to be made public, whether or not it is expressly referred to in the claims.

[0110] As described above, embodiments within the scope of this disclosure include program products for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon on a non-transitory machine-readable medium. Such a machine-readable medium can be any available medium accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine with a processor. For example, such a machine-readable medium may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), read-only optical disc storage (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and is accessible by a general-purpose or special-purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Therefore, any such combination is appropriately referred to as a machine-readable medium. The above combinations are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions include, for example, instructions and data that cause a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or special-purpose processor to perform a function or a set of functions.

[0111] As previously described, embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented in a network environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers with processors. Those skilled in the art will understand that such network computing environments can include many types of computers, including personal computers, handheld devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network computers (PCs), microcomputers, mainframes, etc. Embodiments of this disclosure can also be implemented in a distributed computing environment where tasks are performed by local and remote processing devices connected via a communication network (via hardwired links, wireless links, or a combination of hardwired and wireless links). In a distributed computing environment, program modules can reside in local and remote memory storage devices.

[0112] Exemplary systems used to implement the entire or part of this disclosure may include one or more computers, including processors, system memory, or databases, and a system bus connecting various system components, including system memory, to the processor. The database or system memory may include read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM). The database may also include magnetic hard disk drives for reading from and writing to magnetic hard disks, magnetic disk drives for reading from or writing to removable magnetic disks, and optical disk drives for reading from or writing to removable optical discs such as CD-ROMs or other optical media. Drives and their associated machine-readable media provide a computer with non-volatile storage of machine-executable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data. The user interface described herein may include a computer with a display, a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a joystick, or other input devices that perform similar functions.

[0113] The order or sequence of any element or device may be changed or replaced according to alternative embodiments. Therefore, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure. Such changes will depend on the chosen software and hardware system and the designer's choices. It is understood that all such changes are within the scope of this disclosure. Similarly, the software and network implementations of this disclosure can be implemented using standard programming techniques, employing rule-based logic and other logic to perform various database search steps, association steps, comparison steps, and decision steps.

Claims

1. A shower system of the spray type for controlling water, the shower system comprising: Sprinklers, including: The housing includes an inlet and multiple outlets, the multiple outlets being configured to discharge water from the housing to form multiple different spray patterns; An electronic diverter, located within the housing and configured to automatically divert water to different sets of the plurality of outlets in response to a command signal, to form a plurality of different spray patterns; A control device separate from the sprayer, the control device being configured to provide command signals to the electronic distributor to cause the electronic distributor to switch between the multiple different spray patterns. The electronic diverter includes a pattern wheel and an actuator. The pattern wheel is configured to rotate between multiple different positions to form multiple different spray patterns. The actuator is configured to rotate the pattern wheel from a first position to a second position within a rotation interval, the rotation interval being less than the amount of time required to discharge water from the housing to form one of the multiple different spray patterns.

2. The shower system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of different locations include: In a first position, the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a first spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns; In the second position, the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a second spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns; as well as In the third position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a third spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns.

3. The shower system according to claim 2, wherein: The second position is located between the first position and the third position, such that the rotation of the pattern wheel from the first position to the third position causes the pattern wheel to rotate sequentially from the first position to the second position, and then from the second position to the third position; and During rotation from the first position to the third position, the electronic diverter is configured to cause the pattern wheel to remain in the second position for a shorter amount of time than is required to form the second spray pattern, thereby causing the water discharged from the housing to switch from the first spray pattern to the third spray pattern without forming the second spray pattern.

4. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the amount of time required for water to be discharged from the housing to form the spray pattern is between about 0.5 seconds and about 0.7 seconds.

5. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the showerhead includes a power source, the power source being included within the housing and configured to supply power to the electronic splitter, the power source being configured to be charged using kinetic energy obtained from the water flow passing through the showerhead.

6. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the control device includes a user interface and is configured to generate the instruction signal to cause the electronic diverter to switch between the plurality of different spray patterns based on user input provided through the user interface.

7. The shower system of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to extract audio features from a sound file and generate the instruction signal to cause the electronic splitter to switch between multiple different spray patterns based on the audio features of the sound file.

8. The shower system according to claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to: The audio file is divided into multiple segments; Calculate the audio frequency of each segment of the audio file; A spray pattern sequence is generated by matching the audio frequency of each segment of the audio file with a corresponding spray pattern from among the plurality of different spray patterns; and The instruction signal is generated to cause the electronic shunt to provide the spray pattern sequence.

9. The shower system of claim 8, wherein calculating the audio frequency of each segment of the sound file comprises performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on each segment.

10. The shower system of claim 7, wherein the control device is configured to: The audio file is divided into segments with a time interval; Calculate the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the segment; Determine the first peak and the second peak of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), wherein the first peak corresponds to a first frequency and a first amplitude, and the second peak corresponds to a second frequency and a second amplitude; Calculate the weighted average of the first peak value and the second peak value; The weighted average value is matched with the corresponding spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns; as well as The command signal is generated to cause the electronic shunt to provide the corresponding spray pattern.

11. A showerhead for use in a shower environment, the showerhead comprising: The housing includes an inlet and multiple outlets, the multiple outlets being configured to discharge water from the housing to form multiple different spray patterns; An electronic diverter located within the housing, configured to switch the water discharged from the housing between a plurality of different spray patterns in response to a command signal, the electronic diverter comprising: A pattern wheel, the pattern wheel being configured to rotate between multiple different positions to form the multiple different spray patterns; as well as An actuator configured to operate the pattern wheel to rotate between a plurality of different positions and to rotate the pattern wheel from a first position to a second position within a rotation interval, the rotation interval being less than the amount of time required to discharge water from the housing to form one of the plurality of different spray patterns.

12. The sprayer of claim 11, wherein the plurality of different locations include: In a first position, the pattern wheel causes water discharged from the housing to form a first spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns; In the second position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a second spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns; as well as In the third position, the pattern wheel causes the water discharged from the housing to form a third spray pattern among the plurality of different spray patterns.

13. The sprayer according to claim 12, wherein: The second position is located between the first position and the third position, such that rotation of the pattern wheel from the first position to the third position causes the pattern wheel to rotate sequentially from the first position to the second position, and then from the second position to the third position; and During rotation from the first position to the third position, the actuator is configured to hold the pattern wheel in the second position for less time than required to form the second spray pattern, such that water discharged from the housing changes from the first spray pattern to the third spray pattern without forming the second spray pattern.

14. The sprayer of claim 11, wherein the amount of time required for water to be discharged from the housing to form the spray pattern is between about 0.5 seconds and about 0.7 seconds.

15. The sprayer of claim 11, further comprising a power source, the power source being included within the housing and configured to supply power to the electronic shunt, the power source being configured to charge using kinetic energy generated by the water flow through the sprayer.

16. A method for controlling a shower head in a shower system, the method comprising: A command signal is generated on a control device separate from the sprayer to enable the sprayer to switch between multiple different spray patterns; The control device provides the command signal to an electronic distributor located inside the housing of the sprayer, the housing including an inlet and multiple outlets; The electronic diverter operates in response to the command signal to automatically divert water to different sets of the plurality of outlets, thereby forming the plurality of different spray patterns. The operation of the electronic diverter in response to the command signal includes operating the pattern wheel of the electronic diverter to rotate between multiple different positions to form multiple different spray patterns. The pattern wheel rotates from a first position to a second position within a rotation interval, the rotation interval being less than the amount of time required to discharge water from the housing to form one of the multiple different spray patterns.

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