Water filtration systems and related methods

Abstract

A method includes determining, using a first sensor of a water filtration system, a first value associated with a first component of the water filtration system; determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value; and in response to determining that the first component is degraded, initiating shipping of the replacement component.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This is an international phase application claiming the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18 / 124,920 filed on March 22, 2023, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 341,902 filed on May 13, 2022 and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application No. 18 / 166,865 filed on February 9, 2023, claiming the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 308,322 filed on February 9, 202, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to electronic systems and methods and, in particular embodiments, to water filtration systems and related methods. Background Art

[0004] Water may contain impurities that affect the quality of the water (e.g., for drinking purposes). Water filters, for example, use mechanical, chemical, and / or biological methods to remove impurities. A drinking water filtration system, for example, for domestic use, may include one or more stages that utilize different processes to improve the quality of water for human consumption. For example, Figure 1 Shown is a block diagram of an exemplary reverse osmosis (RO) filtration system 100. The RO filtration system 100 includes a sediment filtration stage 102, a carbon filtration stage 104, a RO filtration stage 106, and a post filtration stage (108).

[0005] The sediment filtration stage 102 typically includes physical membranes for removing impurities such as dirt, rust, and suspended particles.

[0006] The carbon filtration stage 104 typically includes a carbon substrate that removes impurities such as chlorine, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) by adsorption. The carbon filtration stage 104 may also help protect the RO membrane of the RO filtration stage 106.

[0007] The RO filtration stage 106 typically includes an RO membrane that separates ions, unwanted molecules, and large particles from the drinking water. For example, the RO filtration stage 104 can remove fluoride, lead, arsenic, and other minerals from the drinking water. The removed impurities are discarded as waste water, such as into a drain.

[0008] The post-filtration stage 108 may include post-carbon media and remineralization media. The post-carbon media of stage 108 may remove residual chlorine and other remaining organic particles and may improve the taste of the filtered water. The remineralization media of stage 108 typically introduces minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc.) back into the drinking water that are beneficial for human consumption. The output of the remineralization stage is delivered, for example, to a tap.

[0009] When the system 100 is implemented and operates properly without a remineralizing medium, (e.g., at the output of stage 102, 104, 106, or 108) the filtered water has fewer impurities than the input water. Impurities in the water can be measured using a total dissolved solids (TDS) sensor using methods known in the art, and can be reported in TDS ppm. Thus, when the system 100 operates properly, the filtered water has less TDS ppm than the input water.

[0010] When the system 100 is implemented with a remineralizing medium, the water at the output of stage 108 may have a higher TDS ppm than the water at the input of stage 108 .

[0011] Stages 102, 104, 106, and 108 are typically implemented as cartridges that can be attached or detached (eg, for replacement purposes) from the filtration system.

[0012] Figure 2 A block diagram of an exemplary RO filter system 200 is shown. The RO filter system 200 operates in a similar manner to the RO filter system 100. However, the RO filter system 200 includes a water storage tank 202 for storing potable water.

[0013] RO filtration systems without a water storage tank, such as RO filtration system 100, may require a booster pump for pushing water through the filtration stages, and thus may need to be powered by the mains. RO filtration systems with a water storage tank, such as RO filtration system 200, may operate using water pressure from the input water to fill the water storage tank 202, and thus may advantageously avoid being powered by the mains.

[0014] RO filtration systems such as 100 and 200 may be intended for use under a sink.

[0015] Figure 3 Additional details of an exemplary 4-stage RO system 200 below the sink are shown. Figure 3As shown, housing 302 receives input water and provides drinking water. Stages 1-4 are screwed into housing 302. Housing 302 includes water pipes and water storage tank 202, which are used to send water to and from the water filtration stages (e.g., 102, 104, 106, 108). Housing 302 is typically attached to the wall / panel in a cabinet under a kitchen sink.

[0016] The general process for replacing a water filter (eg, 102, 104, 106, and 108) includes: turning off the input water; removing the water filter to be replaced by unscrewing it from the housing 302; screwing a new water filter into the housing 302; and turning on the input water.

[0017] The RO system 200 operates using water pressure, does not include any electronics, and is not bus powered. Summary of the invention

[0018] According to an embodiment, a method includes determining a first value associated with a first component of the water filtration system using a first sensor of the water filtration system, determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value, and initiating shipment of a replacement component in response to determining that the first component is degraded.

[0019] According to an embodiment, a water filtration system includes a plurality of cartridge receivers for a plurality of cartridges. A first cartridge receiver among the plurality of cartridge receivers is configured to receive a water filter cartridge. A water storage tank is coupled to an output terminal of the water filtration system, and a pressure sensor is coupled to the water storage tank and configured to determine a tank pressure of the water storage tank. A control circuit determines whether a first component is degraded based on the tank pressure of the water storage tank, wherein the first component includes one of the plurality of cartridges or the water storage tank.

[0020] According to an embodiment, a method for remotely maintaining a water filtration system includes: receiving data at a remote server, the data being received directly from the water filtration system, the data including sensor information related to a component of the water filtration system; determining, by the remote server, component degradation based on the sensor information; and in response to determining that the component is degraded, shipping a replacement component to a location of the water filtration system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] For a more complete understanding of the present invention and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figures 1 to 3 shows a block diagram of an exemplary RO filtration system;

[0023] Figure 4A Shows a front top perspective view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 4BShows a front top view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4C Shows a front top perspective view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5A Shows a rear top view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5B Shows a rear top view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Fig. 6A shows a rear bottom view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 6B shows a front bottom view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 7 For example, according to an embodiment of the present invention, 4A to 6B Schematic diagram of RO filtration system;

[0031] Figure 8 shows the total volume of water versus the pressure of the water storage tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Fig. 9 A flow chart illustrating an example method for estimating water stored in a water storage tank according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Fig.10 A flow chart illustrating an example method for determining the volume of water flowing through an RO filtration system according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Fig.11 A flow chart showing an embodiment of a method for detecting water leakage in an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Fig.12 A flow chart illustrating an example method for monitoring the health of a water storage tank according to an example embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figures 13 to 17 The invention is shown in the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C A method for automatically transporting replacement parts for an RO filtration system;

[0037] Fig.18 Shows a front view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig.19shows a rear view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Fig. 20 A top view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0040] Fig.21 A bottom view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0041] Fig. 22 Shows a right side view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Fig.23 Shows a left side view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Fig.24 Shows a front perspective view of an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] FIG. 25A to FIG. 25L Various other perspective views showing an RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Fig.26 showing different views of a disassembled RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] FIG. 27A to FIG. 27C Provides views showing how an RO filter system according to an embodiment of the present invention may be disassembled;

[0047] FIG. 28A to FIG. 28E shows different views of a RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Fig.29A and Fig.29B shows the interior of a RO filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0049] Fig. 30A and Fig. 30B Shows FIG. 29A to FIG. 29B A system having an external housing.

[0050] Corresponding numerals and symbols in the different figures generally refer to corresponding parts unless otherwise indicated.The figures are drawn to clearly illustrate the relevant aspects of the preferred embodiments and are not necessarily drawn to scale. Specific embodiments

[0051] The manufacture and use of the disclosed embodiments are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that can be embodied in a variety of specific contexts. The specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to manufacture and use the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0052] The following description describes different specific details to provide a deep understanding of several exemplary embodiments according to the description. The embodiments can be obtained without one or more specific details, or by other methods, components, materials, etc. In other cases, known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail so as not to obscure different aspects of the embodiments. References to "embodiments" in this specification indicate that a specific configuration, structure, or feature described in the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, phrases such as "in one embodiment" that may appear at different points in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment completely. In addition, in one or more embodiments, specific formations, structures, or features may be combined in any appropriate manner.

[0053] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in a specific context, e.g., a closed and removable RO filtration system that is capable of determining the status of the RO filtration system (e.g., water quality, presence of a fault, degradation of a component, etc.), that automatically determines the need for component replacement (e.g., filter cartridges, batteries, water tanks) based on usage, and automatically requests shipment of replacement components. Embodiments of the present invention may be used in other types of water filtration systems, such as non-RO systems, non-removable systems, exposed systems, etc.

[0054] In an embodiment of the present invention, the status of the RO water filtration system (e.g., water quality, presence of faults, degradation of components, etc.) is determined based on the output of one or more sensors (e.g., TDS sensor, pressure sensor). Degradation of a particular component (e.g., filter cartridge, battery cartridge, and / or water storage tank) is determined based on a combination of usage factors and time. Shipment of replacement components (e.g., filter cartridge, battery cartridge, and / or water storage tank) is based on degradation of the component and is triggered based on degradation or replacement of other components of the RO water filtration system.

[0055] 4A to 6B Different views of a RO filter system 400 are shown, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The RO filter system 400 includes a base 402, a cassette 404, and a cover 406 (also referred to as a hood 406).

[0056] For the purpose of the following description, it is assumed that the RO filtration system 400 is implemented as a 4-stage RO water filtration system, including water filter stages 102, 104, 106 and 108 and a water storage tank 202. However, it should be understood that in some embodiments, more than 4 filtration stages (e.g., 5 or more), or less than 4 filtration stages (e.g., 3 or less) may be used. In some embodiments, different types of filtration stages may be used. For example, some embodiments may not include a remineralization stage within the post-filtration stage 108, and instead may only include a post-carbon filter. Some embodiments may not include a post-filter stage 108. Some embodiments may not include an RO filtration stage. In some embodiments, the cartridge in conjunction with the carbon filter (e.g., 104) may include additional resin to remove additional dissolved solids. Other implementations are also possible.

[0057] In some embodiments, the base 402 includes a panel that includes an inlet manifold 502, such as for receiving input water, distributing water to / from a water storage tank (not shown), delivering drinking water to a faucet (not shown), and delivering waste water to a drain. The base 402 also includes a mechanical lever 408 for removing the base 402 from the cassette 404. The base 402 also includes water pipes for directing water to / from the water filtration stages (e.g., 102, 104, 106, 108). In some embodiments, the base 402 also includes electronic circuitry (not shown), sensors (not shown), such as for determining water quality, water flow, etc., and a water valve (not shown).

[0058] In some embodiments, rod 408 may be implemented mechanically (e.g., FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C ), wherein when the rod 408 is in a first position (eg, vertical, as shown 4A to 6B ), the rod 408 is engaged and holds the cassette 404 attached to the base 402, and wherein when the rod 408 is in a second position (e.g., horizontal, FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C When the cassette 404 is attached to the base 402 (not shown), the rod disengages and the cassette 404 is removed from the base 402. In some embodiments, the mechanism for keeping the cassette 404 attached to the base 402 and for removing the cassette 404 from the base 402 can be implemented in other ways, such as by using an electronic switch and using a power mechanism.

[0059] In some embodiments, the base housing 401 covers the sides, top, and bottom of the base 402, for example, 4A to 6B as shown in .

[0060] In some embodiments, cassette 404 includes, for example, receivers (not shown) for receiving water filter stages 102, 104, 106, 108 and a battery receiver (not shown) for receiving a battery (e.g., for powering electronic circuitry of base 402) within cassette housing 403. In some embodiments, cassette 404 also includes one or more sensors (which may be powered by the battery, e.g., via base 402).

[0061] In some embodiments, cassette housing 403 covers the sides and bottom of cassette 404 and partially covers the top of cassette 404, e.g., as shown in FIG. 4A to 6B as shown in .

[0062] In some embodiments, cover 406 includes a latch system 410 for removing cover 406 from cassette 404 , for example, to allow access to install / remove / replace a water filter and / or battery inside cassette 404 .

[0063] like 4A to 6B As shown, in some embodiments, the RO filtration system 400 completely encloses the water filter, battery, electronic circuitry, water pipes, sensors, osmotic pump, and water valve inside the housing (formed by housings 401 and 403 and cover 406), which can advantageously result in less clutter (e.g., under a sink).

[0064] like 4A to 6B As seen in FIG. 4 , in some embodiments, cassette 404 is removable from base 402, which can advantageously allow cassette 404 to be moved to a more accessible area than under the sink (such as in the floor or on a kitchen countertop) for installation, removal, or replacement of the water filter and / or batteries.

[0065] In some embodiments, multiple latching solenoid valves may be used to automatically stop the flow of input water from base 402 to cassette 404 upon actuation of lever 408 , which may advantageously allow replacement of water filters and / or batteries without manually shutting off input water to RO filtration system 400 .

[0066] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of an RO filtration system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0067] like Figure 7As shown, in some embodiments, the base 402 includes a control circuit 702, latching solenoid valves 704 and 706, an osmotic pump 708, a flow restrictor 710, a check valve 712, total dissolved solids (TDS) sensors 714, 718, and 720, a pressure sensor 722, a flow switch 724, a manifold 729b (the manifold 729b includes poppet valves 730b, 732b, 734b, 736b, and 738b), and a transceiver 740. In some embodiments, the manifold 502 of the base 402 includes a water inlet connector 506, a waste connector 508, a faucet connector 504, and a storage tank connector 510.

[0068] In some embodiments, including an internal base 402 (e.g., internal housing 401), all control components (e.g., 702, 704, 706, 708, 738), and most or all sensors (e.g., 714, 718, 720, 722, 724) can advantageously result in a less complex solution from a manufacturing perspective. In some embodiments, having all control components (e.g., 702, 704, 706, 708, 738) within the base 402 (e.g., within housing 401) advantageously avoids separating one or more control components from each other when cassette 404 is removed from base 402.

[0069] like Figure 7 As shown, in some embodiments, cartridge 404 includes filter stages 102, 104, 106, and 108, battery 701, TDS sensor 716, and manifold 729a, which includes poppet valves 730a, 732a, 734a, 736a, and 738a. Filter stages 102, 104, 106, and 108 and battery 701 can be implemented as (e.g., removable) cartridges.

[0070] In some embodiments, manifold 729a coupled to manifold 729b distributes water from base 402 to cassette 404 / from cassette 404 to base 402.

[0071] Also like Figure 7 As shown, poppet valves 730a, 732a, 734a, 736a, and 738a form poppet valve pairs 730, 732, 734, 736, and 738 with poppet valves 730b, 732b, 734b, 736b, and 738b, which advantageously prevent water leakage (from base 402 and from cassette 404) when cassette 404 is removed from base 402. Poppet valves 730a, 732a, 734a, 736a, 738a, 730b, 732b, 734b, 736b, and 738b may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0072] In some embodiments, water flows through water pipes inside base 402 and inside cassette 404. For example, in some embodiments (and as Figure 7 As shown in FIG. 1 , the water inlet connector 506 is connected to the locking solenoid valve 704 via a water pipe; the TDS sensor 714 is connected to the lift valve 730b via a water pipe; the lift valve 730a is connected to the stage 102 via a water pipe; the stage 102 is connected to the stage 104 via a water pipe; the stage 104 is connected to the stage 106 via a water pipe; the stage 106 is connected to the lift valves 732a and 734a using the first and second water pipes, respectively; the lift valve 732b is connected to the flow restrictor 710 via a water pipe; the flow restrictor 710 is connected to the permeate pump 708 ... 4b is connected to the osmotic pump 708 via a water pipe, the osmotic pump 708 is connected to the check valve 712 via a water pipe; the check valve 712 is connected to the waste water connection 508 via a water pipe; the osmotic pump 708 is connected to the latching solenoid valve 706 via a water pipe; the latching solenoid valve 706 is connected to the storage tank connection 510 via a water pipe; the latching solenoid valve 706 is connected to the poppet valve 736b via a water pipe; the poppet valve 736a is connected to the stage 108 via a water pipe; the stage 108 is connected to the poppet valve 738a via a water pipe; and the poppet valve 738b is connected to the faucet connection 504 via a water pipe. In some embodiments, water can be distributed in other ways within the base 402 and the cassette 404. For example, in some embodiments, water can be routed between multiple components using a diverter manifold. The diverter manifold can be implemented with plastic, and components (e.g., valves, flow switches, TDS sensors, etc.) can be installed into the diverter manifold. The diverter manifold can have internal channels that guide water between multiple components. Therefore, in some embodiments, a diverter manifold may be used instead of a water pipe.

[0073] In some embodiments, a tube can be used in conjunction with a flow manifold. For example, if a single (or a few) components are remote from the flow manifold, a tube can be used to connect such single (or a few) components to the flow manifold. As another example, a tube can be used to connect a flow manifold to an osmotic pump. Other implementations are also possible.

[0074] As in Figure 7As can be seen in FIG. 4 , water flows from the water inlet connection 506 into the base 402, then flows to the cassette 404 via the latching solenoid valve 704 and the poppet valve pair 730, and then passes through the filtration stages 102, 104, and 106. Waste water flows back to the base 402 from the stage 106 into the osmotic pump 708 via the poppet valve pair 732, and product water (clean water) flows from the stage 106 to the osmotic pump 708 via the poppet valve pair 734. The osmotic pump 708 delivers the product water to the water storage tank 202 via the latching solenoid valve 706 with the aid of the waste water, and delivers the waste water to the drain via the check valve 712 and the waste connection 508. When the faucet is turned on, clean water flows from the water storage tank 202 to the base 402 (via the storage tank connection 510), and then flows to the stage 108 (in the cassette 404) via the latching solenoid valve 706 and the poppet valve pair 736. Stage 108 delivers the drinking water back to base 402 via poppet valve pair 738 , and base 402 delivers the drinking water out via faucet connection 504 (eg, to a faucet).

[0075] The TDS sensors 714, 716, 718, and 720 are configured to measure impurities in the water of the corresponding water flow (and thus provide a measure of the water quality). For example, the TDS sensor 714 is configured to detect impurities in the input water. The TDS sensor 716 is configured to detect impurities in the water delivered by the carbon filter 104. The TDS sensor 718 is configured to detect impurities in the product water delivered by the RO stage 106. The TDS sensor 720 is configured to detect beneficial minerals and / or impurities in the drinking water (delivered by the stage 108). The TDS sensors 714, 716, 718, and 720 can be implemented in any manner known in the art. For example, in some embodiments, the TDS sensors 714, 716, 718, and 720 may include a water temperature calibration feature. Other implementations are also possible.

[0076] In some embodiments, the TDS sensor may be used elsewhere, such as for monitoring the quality of wastewater (sewage delivered by RO stage 106). In some embodiments, one or more (or all) of TDS sensors 714, 716, 718, and 720 may be omitted. For example, in some embodiments where stage 104 includes only a carbon filter (and no additional filter media), TDS sensor 716 may be omitted.

[0077] In some embodiments, osmotic pump 708 is configured to improve the water efficiency (ratio between product water and waste water) of RO stage 106 by using waste water to create pressure to push product water into storage tank 202 in a known manner. Osmotic pump 708 may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0078] In some embodiments, the check valve 712 is configured to allow wastewater to flow in only one direction (out through the waste connection 508). The check valve 712 may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0079] In some embodiments, the flow restrictor 710 is configured to restrict the flow of wastewater out of the RO stage 106 to maintain a high pressure inside the RO membrane of the RO stage 106. The flow restrictor 710 may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0080] In some embodiments, latching solenoid valves 704 and 706 are configured to open to allow water to flow through them, and close to prevent water from flowing through them based on a control signal (eg, provided by control circuit 702). Latching solenoid valves 704 and 706 may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0081] In some embodiments, the flow switch 724 is configured to detect when water flows into stage 108. The flow switch 724 can be implemented in any manner known in the art. For example, in some embodiments, the flow switch 724 is a mechanical switch that is powered when activated (e.g., when water is flowing) and de-energized when water is not flowing. Therefore, in some embodiments, the flow switch 724 does not consume electricity.

[0082] In some embodiments, stages 102, 104, 106, and 108 may be implemented in any manner known in the art. In some embodiments, one or more of stages 102, 104, 106, and 108 may be omitted or replaced with different types of stages. For example, in some embodiments, stage 108 may be omitted and drinking water may be delivered directly from storage tank 202. In some embodiments, the water filtration process may use more than 4 stages. Other implementations are also possible.

[0083] In some embodiments, water storage tank 202 is configured to store filtered water (eg, from RO stage 106) and deliver filtered water (eg, to stage 108) when the tap is turned on. Water storage tank 202 may be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0084] In some embodiments, the battery 701 is configured to provide power, for example, directly or indirectly, to the control circuit 702, the latching solenoid valves 704 and 706, the TDS sensors 714, 716, 718 and 720, and the pressure sensor 722. The battery 701 can be implemented in any manner known in the art. For example, in some embodiments, the battery 701 is non-rechargeable. In some embodiments, the battery 701 is rechargeable (e.g., via wired or wireless charging). In some embodiments, the battery 701 is completely sealed. In some embodiments, the battery 701 is implemented as a battery pack having, for example, 3 alkaline batteries, each battery having, for example, 1.5V (thereby delivering 4.5V and having an operating range between 3.6V and 4.5V). Other implementations are also possible.

[0085] In some embodiments, a coulomb counter (not shown) may be used to estimate the amount of charge remaining in battery 701. In some embodiments, the voltage delivered by battery 701 is used as an indication of the amount of charge remaining in battery 701.

[0086] In some embodiments, the control circuit 702 is configured to control the latching solenoid valves 704 and 706, receive information from the TDS sensors 714, 716, 718 and 720, the flow switch 724 and the pressure sensor 722, and provide information to a user (e.g., an external device such as a mobile device or a remote server). In some embodiments, the control circuit 702 can be implemented in a printed circuit board (PCB) and can include a general or custom microcontroller or processor coupled to a memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory.

[0087] In some embodiments, the control circuit 702 is connected to communicate with the transceiver 740. The transceiver 740 can be used to transmit information to and / or from the filtration system. For example, the transceiver 740 can communicate wirelessly with WiFi or other networks to share information with a remote server (via the Internet) or a user device (e.g., a smart phone). Alternatively or additionally, the transceiver can communicate directly with the Internet. The embodiment also contemplates that the transceiver 740 communicates with the UE via Bluetooth, as another example. In other embodiments, the transceiver 740 can be hardwired to the network. The method of utilizing this capability will be discussed in more detail below. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 is configured to sense the pressure of the water tank 202. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 is configured to detect the water pressure in the water tank 202, and when the water pressure reaches a set value such as 45psi, the locking solenoid valve 704 is configured to close to prevent the water flow from the water inlet joint 506, and the pressure sensor 722 can be implemented in any manner known in the art.

[0088] In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 can be used to estimate the amount (e.g., volume) of water in the water storage tank 202. For example, in some embodiments, a relationship between the volume of water stored in the water storage tank 202 and the pressure of the water storage tank 202 can be established (e.g., empirically). For example, in some embodiments, multiple (e.g., 30) water storage tanks (e.g., with the same model) can be characterized so as to empirically identify the relationship between the total volume of water stored and the pressure for each tank. An equation that approximates, for example, the average relationship (pressure to water volume) over multiple tanks can be determined using a polynomial fit. This determined relationship (e.g., expressed as an equation) can be used to determine the volume of water stored at a particular water storage tank 202 at any given time.

[0089] Figure 8 The total amount of water is shown versus pressure for a particular water storage tank 202 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Curve 802 shows an empirically determined average relationship between the total volume of water stored at the water storage tank and pressure.

[0090] In some embodiments, the relationship between the volume and pressure of water stored in the water storage tank 202 can be based on the input water pressure (e.g., received at the water inlet connection 506). For example, in some embodiments, when the water storage tank 202 is full, the pressure of the water storage tank 202 is equal to the input water pressure, which can vary depending on the installation. For example, in a first setting, the input water pressure can be 40 psi, and the pressure associated with a full tank can be 40 psi. In a second setting, the input water pressure can be 80 psi, and the pressure associated with a full tank can be 80 psi.

[0091] In some embodiments, an initialization process is performed during installation of the RO filtration system 400 to calibrate (e.g., standardize) the relationship between the volume and pressure of water stored in the water storage tank 202. For example, in some embodiments, after the installation of the RO filtration system 400 (e.g., under a sink) is completed and the water storage tank 202 is filled with water, the pressure sensor 722 measures the pressure of the water storage tank and stores such measured pressure in a non-volatile memory (not shown) of the control circuit 702. By scaling the reference relationship (e.g., as Figure 8 ) generates a calibrated relationship between the volume and pressure of water stored in the water tank 202 such that the maximum water volume corresponds to the measured pressure stored in the non-volatile memory.

[0092] Fig. 9 A flow chart of an exemplary method 900 for estimating water stored in water storage tank 202 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown. Method 900 may be performed by control circuit 702, for example.

[0093] During step 902, a pressure sensor, such as pressure sensor 722, is used to measure the pressure of water storage tank 202. In some embodiments, step 902 is performed when no water is flowing out of faucet connection 504. For example, in some embodiments, step 902 is performed when flow switch 724 indicates no water is flowing.

[0094] During step 904, based on the pressure measured during step 902 and based on a (e.g., calibrated) reference relationship between the volume and pressure of the water storage tank (e.g., Figure 8 ) determines the volume of water stored in the water tank 202. In some embodiments, the reference relationship is stored in a non-volatile memory (eg, of the control circuit 702 or coupled to the control circuit 702) in the form of an equation or a look-up table (LUT).

[0095] In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 can be used to estimate how much water has flowed through the RO filtration system 400. For example, in some embodiments, the amount of water dispensed each time a faucet is turned on can be determined by measuring the amount of water in the tank before the faucet is turned on and after the faucet is turned off (e.g., using method 900). For example, the volume of water dispensed W dis It can be given by the following formula:

[0096] W dis =W b -W a (1)

[0097] Among them, W b represents the volume of water stored in the water tank 202 before the tap is turned on, W a W represents the volume of water stored in the water tank 202 after the tap is closed. b and W a The method 900 may be used to determine before (simultaneously or immediately after) the faucet is opened and (eg, immediately) after or simultaneously with the faucet being closed.

[0098] Fig.10 A flow chart of an example method for determining the volume of water flowing through the RO filtration system 400 according to an example embodiment of the present invention is shown. The method 1000 may be performed by the control circuit 702, for example.

[0099] During step 1002, a flow switch (eg, 724) indicating water flowing through a faucet (eg, via faucet connection 504) is monitored.

[0100] As shown in step 1004, when the flow switch indicates that the faucet is open, the water stored in the water storage tank (e.g., 202) is determined during step 1006 (e.g., using method 900).

[0101] As shown in step 1008, after executing step 1006, when the flow switch indicates that the faucet is closed, the water stored in the water storage tank is determined during step 1010 (eg, using method 900).

[0102] During step 1012, the total volume of water dispensed when the faucet is opened is determined, for example using Equation 1.

[0103] During step 1014, an accumulator (not shown), such as a digital accumulator (e.g., implemented by control circuit 702), is incremented by the estimated amount of water dispensed determined during step 1012. Thus, in some embodiments, the value stored in the accumulator indicates the total volume of water that has flowed through RO filtration system 400.

[0104] In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 can be used to detect a water leak in the RO filtration system 400. For example, in some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 can monitor the pressure of the water storage tank 202 when the faucet is turned off. During normal operation (no leaks), the tank pressure should not drop when the faucet is turned off. When the faucet is turned off, a drop in tank pressure indicates a water leak and can be detected by monitoring the drop in tank pressure when the faucet is turned off. For example, Fig.11 A flow chart of an exemplary method 1100 for detecting a water leak in the RO filtration system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. The method 1100 may be performed by the control circuit 702, for example.

[0105] During step 1102, a pressure sensor (eg, 722) is used to measure the pressure of a water storage tank (eg, 202) when the faucet is closed.

[0106] A timer is started simultaneously or immediately after executing step 1102 (e.g., implemented by control circuit 702). In some embodiments, the timer is set to have a period of minutes, such as 1 minute, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, one hour, or longer. As shown in steps 1106, 1108, and 1110, if the faucet is opened to dispense water before the timer expires, step 1102 is performed again after the faucet is closed.

[0107] During step 1112, once the timer expires (when the programmed time has passed), the pressure sensor measures the tank pressure of the water storage tank. If it is determined during step 1114 that the tank pressure has dropped, a water leak is detected.

[0108] like Fig.11 As shown, the method 1100 may be continuously performed by periodically monitoring the tank pressure of the water storage tank 202 to determine if a water leak exists.

[0109] like Fig.11As shown, leak detection may be performed based on a comparison (step 1114) of the tank pressures measured during steps 1102 and 1112. In some embodiments, method 1100 may be modified to compare (e.g., during step 1114) the estimated water stored in the water storage tank (e.g., determined during steps 1102 and 1112 using, for example, method 900), wherein it is detected when the water stored in the water storage tank drops.

[0110] In some embodiments, the pressure sensor 722 can be used to monitor the health of the water storage tank 202. For example, in some embodiments, a decrease in the rate of change of pressure when the faucet is turned on may indicate that the water storage tank is faulty. For example, in some embodiments, a decrease in the rate of change of pressure when the faucet is turned on may indicate that the water storage tank is low on air and should be re-pressurized or replaced.

[0111] Fig.12 A flow chart of an example method 1200 for monitoring the health of a water storage tank 202 according to an example embodiment of the present invention is shown. The method 1200 may be performed by the control circuit 702, for example.

[0112] like Fig.12 As shown, method 1200 includes a calibration phase 1201 and a testing phase 1211. Calibration phase 1201 includes steps 1202, 1204, 1206, 1208, and 1210. Testing phase 121 includes steps 1212, 1214, 1216, and 1218.

[0113] During step 1202, it is determined whether the water storage tank 202 is full. For example, in some embodiments, this determination can be performed by comparing the tank pressure (e.g., as measured by the pressure sensor 722) to the input water pressure (e.g., when the tank pressure matches the input water pressure, the water storage tank 202 is full). In some embodiments, the water storage tank 202 is determined to be full when the tank pressure stops increasing.

[0114] As shown in steps 1204 and 1206, once the tap is turned on, the rate of change of the tank pressure over time is measured during step 1206. For example, in some embodiments, the tank pressure is measured at times t1 and t2 after the tap is turned on, and the rate of change of the tank pressure dP / dt may be given by:

[0115]

[0116] Wherein, P1 and P2 represent the tank pressure at time t1 and t2, respectively (e.g., as measured by pressure sensor 722). In some embodiments, t1 occurs immediately after the faucet is turned on (e.g., as determined by flow switch 724). In some embodiments, t2 occurs 5 seconds after t1. In some embodiments, times t1 and t2 may occur at other times.

[0117] If it is determined that the calibration period has not ended during step 1208, steps 1202, 1204 and 1206 are repeated. In some embodiments, the calibration period is equal to, for example, a few days (e.g., 5 days, 7 days or more), a few weeks (e.g., 2 weeks, 3 weeks or more) or a month. In some calibration periods, the calibration period can last for more than 1 month, such as 1.5 months, 2 months or longer.

[0118] After the calibration period is complete, the average rate of change of tank pressure is determined during step 1210 .

[0119] Steps 1212 , 1214 , and 1216 may be performed in a similar manner as steps 1202 , 1204 , and 1206 .

[0120] During step 1218, the rate of change of the tank pressure determined during step 1216 is compared to a rate threshold, where the rate threshold may be based on the average rate of change of the tank pressure determined during step 1210. For example, in some embodiments, the rate threshold may be, for example, 80% of the average rate of change of the tank pressure determined during step 1210. Other values ​​may be used.

[0121] If the rate of change of the tank pressure is below a rate threshold, a fault in the water storage tank is detected.

[0122] In some embodiments, the control circuit 702 can warn a user that one or more components of the RO filtration system 400 should be replaced based on the output of one or more sensors (e.g., 714, 716, 718, 720, and 722). In some embodiments, the control circuit 702 and / or the remote server can cause the installation of such components based on the output of one or more sensors (e.g., 714, 716, 718, 720, and 722). In some embodiments, a transceiver 740 coupled to the control circuit can send notifications related to degradation of one or more components of the RO filtration system 400. In some embodiments, the transceiver 740 can communicate with the remote server to initiate replacement of the components.

[0123] Figures 13 to 17A method for automatically shipping replacement parts for an RO filtration system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, one or more of methods 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, and 1700 may be performed simultaneously. For example, in some embodiments, a remote server that obtains information about the status of the RO filtration system 400 from the control circuit 702 (e.g., via the Internet using the transceiver 740) may perform one or more of methods 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, and 1700 and may determine that one or more parts (e.g., a cassette and / or a water storage tank) should be replaced, and such one or more replacement parts may be shipped simultaneously.

[0124] Fig.13 A flow chart of an embodiment method 1300 for automatically transporting replacement water storage tank 202 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, method 1300 can be implemented by control circuit 702 in cooperation with a remote server (not shown). In some embodiments, method 1300 can be implemented entirely by the remote server (e.g., receiving data from control circuit 702, e.g., via the Internet using transceiver 740).

[0125] During step 1302, it is determined whether the last shipment and / or last replacement event of the water storage tank 202 (or the installation time of the RO filtration system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t tank_max If the output of step 1302 is "yes", then during step 1320 the new water storage tank 202 is shipped to, for example, the location where the RO filtration system 400 is installed. If the output of step 1302 is "no", then step 1304 is executed.

[0126] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t tank_max It can be, for example, 60 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t tank_max It may be higher than 60 months (eg, 65 months, 72 months, or higher) or lower than 60 months (eg, 55 months, 48 ​​months, or lower).

[0127] During step 1304, it is determined whether the last shipping or replacement event of the water storage tank 202 (or the installation time of the RO filtration system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t tank_min If the output of step 1304 is "no", then the new water storage tank 202 has been recently shipped and / or recently installed. Therefore, in some embodiments, if the output of step 1304 is "no", step 1304 may be performed periodically until the output of step 1304 becomes "yes". If the output of step 1304 is "yes", step 1306 is performed.

[0128] In some embodiments, executing step 1304 prevents multiple water tanks from being automatically loaded within a short period of time.

[0129] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t tank_min It can be, for example, 12 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t tank_min It may be higher than 12 months (eg, 13 months, 18 months, or higher) or lower than 12 months (eg, 10 months, 6 months, or lower).

[0130] During step 1306 , a reference rate of change of the tank pressure of the water storage tank 202 is received. In some embodiments, the reference rate of change may be determined by the method 1200 .

[0131] During step 1308, a current rate of change of the tank pressure of the water storage tank 202 is received. In some embodiments, the current rate of change of the tank pressure may be obtained by executing steps 1212, 1214, and 1216.

[0132] During step 1310, the current rate of change of the tank pressure (determined during step 1308) is compared to a rate threshold, where the rate threshold may be based on the reference rate of change of the tank pressure received during step 1306. For example, in some embodiments, the rate threshold may be, for example, 80% of the reference rate of change of the tank pressure received during step 1306. Other values ​​may be used.

[0133] If the output of step 1310 is “yes”, step 1320 is executed.

[0134] Fig.14 A flow chart of an embodiment method 1400 for automatically transporting RO membrane cartridges 106 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, the method 1400 can be implemented by a control circuit 702 that cooperates with a remote server (not shown). In some embodiments, the method 1400 can be implemented entirely by a remote server (e.g., receiving data from the control circuit 702, e.g., using a transceiver 740 via the Internet).

[0135] During step 1402, it is determined whether the last shipment of the RO membrane cartridge 106 (or the installation time of the RO filtration system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t RO_smax If the output of step 1402 is "yes", the new RO membrane cartridge 106 is shipped to, for example, the location where the RO filtration system 400 is installed during step 1420. If the output of step 1402 is "no", step 1403 is executed.

[0136] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_smax It can be, for example, 18 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold tRO_smax It may be higher than 18 months (eg, 20 months, 24 months, or higher) or lower than 18 months (eg, 16 months, 12 months, or lower).

[0137] During step 1403, it is determined whether the last replacement event of the RO membrane cartridge 106 (or the installation time of the RO filtration system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t RO_emax If the output of step 1403 is "yes", step 1420 is executed. If the output of step 1403 is "no", step 1404 is executed.

[0138] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_emax It can be, for example, 18 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_emax It may be higher than 18 months (e.g., 20 months, 24 months, or higher) or lower than 18 months (e.g., 16 months, 12 months, or lower). In some embodiments, t RO_emax can be equal to t RO_smax In some embodiments, t RO_emax may be different from (eg, lower or higher than) t RO_smax For example, in some embodiments, t RO_emax It can be 16 months and t RO_smax It can be 18 months.

[0139] During step 1404, it is determined whether the last shipment of the RO membrane cartridge 106 (or the installation time of the RO filtration system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t RO_min If the output of step 1404 is "No", then a new RO membrane cartridge 106 has been recently shipped and / or recently installed. Therefore, in some embodiments, if the output of step 1404 is "No", step 1404 may be periodically executed until the output of step 1404 becomes "Yes". If the output of step 1404 is "Yes", step 1406 is executed.

[0140] In some embodiments, executing step 1404 prevents multiple RO membrane cartridges from being automatically shipped within a short period of time.

[0141] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_min It can be, for example, 6 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_min It may be higher than 6 months (eg, 7 months, 8 months or higher) or lower than 6 months (eg, 5 months, 4 months or lower).

[0142] During step 1406, the retention rate of stage 106 is determined and compared to a predetermined retention threshold T RO_reject_rateIf the output of step 1406 is "yes", step 1420 is executed.

[0143] In some embodiments, the rejection rate of stage 106 can be determined using the output of a TDS sensor (e.g., TDS sensor 714 or 716) that measures the water quality at the input of stage 106 and the output of a TDS sensor (e.g., TDS sensor 718 or 720) that measures the water quality at the output of stage 106. For example, in some embodiments, the rejection rate of a filtration stage or group of stages can be given by:

[0144]

[0145] Where OUT tdsppm represents the TDS ppm at the output of the phase to be measured (eg, as measured by the first TDS sensor), and IN tdsppm Represents the TDS ppm at the input of the phase to be measured (eg, as measured by the first TDS sensor).

[0146] In some embodiments, the predetermined cutoff threshold T RO_reject_rate It can be, for example, 90%. In some embodiments, the predetermined cutoff threshold T RO_reject_rate It may be higher than 90% (eg, 91%, 95%, or higher) or lower than 90% (eg, 85%, 80%, or lower).

[0147] In some embodiments, step 1406 compares the average of the retention rates in the last n days with a predetermined retention threshold T RO_reject_rate For comparison. In some embodiments, n is equal to 7 days. Values ​​higher than 7 days (e.g., 10 days, 14 days, or higher) or lower than 7 days (e.g., 6 days, 4 days, or lower) may also be used.

[0148] During step 1408, the volume of water that has passed through stage 106 since installation stage 106 is compared to a predetermined volume threshold value T RO_volume If the output of step 1408 is "yes", step 1420 is executed.

[0149] In some embodiments, the volume of water that has passed through stage 106 since stage 106 was installed may be determined using method 1000 (eg, using a dedicated accumulator to track the volume of water since stage 106 was installed).

[0150] In some embodiments, the predetermined volume threshold T RO_volume It may be, for example, 1500 gallons. Other values ​​may also be used (e.g., higher than 1500 gallons, such as 1600 gallons or higher, or lower than 1500 gallons, such as 1400 gallons or lower).

[0151] In some embodiments, the threshold t RO_emax and / or RO_smax Can achieve α*T based on RO filtration system 400 in the past RO_volume The time taken is dynamically determined, where α is equal to 100%, 110%, or more. For example, in some embodiments, t RO_emax It can be RO filtration system 400 to reach α*T RO_volume The maximum (or minimum, or average) value between the percentage (e.g., 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% or higher) of time spent by the volume (e.g., last time) and a predetermined threshold (e.g., 18 months).

[0152] Fig.15 A flow chart of an embodiment method 1500 for automated shipment of replacement batteries 701 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, the method 1500 may be implemented by the control circuit 702 in cooperation with a remote server (not shown). In some embodiments, the method 1500 may be implemented entirely by the remote server (e.g., receiving data from the control circuit 702, e.g., via the Internet using the transceiver 740).

[0153] During step 1502, it is determined whether the last shipment of the battery box 701 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t batt_smax If the output of step 1502 is "yes", then during step 1520, new batteries 701 are shipped to, for example, the location where the RO filter system 400 is installed. If the output of step 1502 is "no", step 1503 is executed.

[0154] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_smax It can be, for example, 9 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_smax It may be higher than 9 months (eg, 20 months, 35 months or higher) or lower than 9 months (eg, 8 months, 7 months or lower).

[0155] During step 1503, it is determined whether the last replacement event of the battery box 701 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t batt_emax If the output of step 1503 is "yes", step 1520 is executed. If the output of step 1503 is "no", step 1504 is executed.

[0156] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_emax It can be, for example, 9 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_emaxThe age may be higher than 9 months (e.g., 20 months, 35 months, or higher) or lower than 9 months (e.g., 8 months, 7 months, or lower). In some embodiments, t batt_emax can be equal to t batt_smax In some embodiments, t batt_emax may be different from (eg, lower or higher than) t batt_smax For example, in some embodiments, t batt_emax It can be 35 months and t batt_smax It can be 9 months.

[0157] During step 1504, it is determined whether the last shipment of the battery box 701 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t batt_min If the output of step 1504 is "no", then a new battery pack 701 has been recently shipped and / or recently installed. Therefore, in some embodiments, if the output of step 1504 is "no", step 1404 may be periodically performed until the output of step 1504 becomes "yes". If the output of step 1504 is "yes", step 1506 is performed.

[0158] In some embodiments, executing step 1504 prevents multiple battery cartridges from being automatically shipped within a short period of time.

[0159] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_min It can be, for example, 30 days. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t batt_min It may be higher than 30 days (eg, 35 days, 40 days or higher) or lower than 30 days (eg, 25 days, 15 days or lower).

[0160] During step 1506, the battery voltage is determined and compared to a predetermined voltage threshold T batt_volt If the output of step 1506 is "yes", step 1520 is executed.

[0161] In some embodiments, the battery voltage may be determined by measuring the voltage at the output of the battery 701 (eg, using an ADC). Other methods for measuring the voltage of the battery 701 may also be used.

[0162] In some embodiments, the predetermined battery threshold T batt_volt It may be, for example, a fixed voltage (such as 1 V) or a percentage of the nominal voltage of the battery (eg, 15% of the nominal voltage of the battery when fully charged, such as 15% of 4.5 V). Other values ​​may also be used.

[0163] During step 1508, it is determined whether the RO membrane has been shipped or scheduled to be shipped during the past q days, where q may be, for example, 2 days (values ​​higher than 2 days, such as 3 days or higher, or values ​​lower than 2 days, such as 1 day or lower, may also be used). If the output of step 1508 is "yes", step 1520 is executed.

[0164] Fig.16 A flow chart of an embodiment method 1600 for automatically transporting pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, method 1600 can be implemented by control circuit 702 in cooperation with a remote server (not shown). In some embodiments, method 1600 can be implemented entirely by a remote server (e.g., receiving data from control circuit 702, e.g., using transceiver 740 via the Internet).

[0165] During step 1602, it is determined whether the last shipment of the pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t prefilt_smax If the output of step 1602 is "yes", then during step 1620 a new sediment filter cartridge 102 and carbon filter cartridge 104 are shipped, for example, to the location where the RO filtration system 400 is installed. If the output of step 1602 is "no", then step 1603 is performed.

[0166] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t prefilt_smax It can be, for example, 9 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_smax It may be higher than 9 months (eg, 10 months, 12 months or higher) or lower than 9 months (eg, 8 months, 7 months or lower).

[0167] During step 1603, it is determined whether the last replacement event of the pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t prefilt_emax If the output of step 1603 is "yes", step 1620 is executed. If the output of step 1603 is "no", step 1604 is executed.

[0168] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t prefilt_emax It can be, for example, 9 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t RO_emax It may be higher than 9 months (e.g., 10 months, 12 months, or higher) or lower than 9 months (e.g., 8 months, 7 months, or lower). In some embodiments, t prefilt_emax can be equal to t prefilt_smax In some embodiments, t prefilt_emax may be different from (eg, lower or higher than) t prefilt_smaxFor example, in some embodiments, t prefilt_emax It can be 8 months and t prefilt_smax It can be 9 months.

[0169] During step 1604, it is determined whether the last shipment of the pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t prefilt_min If the output of step 1604 is "No", new pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 have recently been shipped and / or recently installed. Therefore, in some embodiments, if the output of step 1604 is "No", step 1604 can be periodically executed until the output of step 1604 becomes "Yes". If the output of step 1604 is "Yes", step 1606 is executed.

[0170] In some embodiments, executing step 1604 prevents multiple pre-filter cartridges from being automatically shipped within a short period of time.

[0171] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t prefilt_min It can be, for example, 3 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t prefilt_min It may be higher than 3 months (eg, 4 months, 5 months or higher) or lower than 3 months (eg, 2 months, 1 month or lower).

[0172] During step 1606, it is determined whether the post-filter cartridge 108 has been shipped or scheduled for shipment within the past q days, where q may be, for example, 2 days (a value higher than 2 days, such as 3 days or higher, or a value lower than 2 days, such as 1 day or lower, may also be used). If the output of step 1606 is "yes", step 1620 is executed.

[0173] During step 1608, the volume of water that has passed through stage 108 since installation stage 108 is compared to a predetermined volume threshold value T prefilt_volume If the output of step 1608 is "yes", step 1620 is executed.

[0174] In some embodiments, the volume of water that has passed through stage 108 since installation stage 108 may be determined using method 1000 (eg, using a dedicated accumulator to track the volume of water since installation stage 108 was installed).

[0175] In some embodiments, the predetermined volume threshold T prefilt_volume It may be, for example, 800 gallons. Other values ​​may also be used (e.g., higher than 800 gallons, such as 900 gallons or higher, or lower than 800 gallons, such as 700 gallons or lower).

[0176] In some embodiments, the threshold t prefilt_emaxBased on the past RO filtration system 400 can reach T prefilt_volume The time taken is determined dynamically. For example, in some embodiments, t prefilt_emax Can be RO filtration system 400 to T prefilt_volume The maximum value between the percentage of time spent (eg, last time) (eg, 100%, 110%, or higher) and a predetermined threshold (eg, 16 months).

[0177] Fig.17 A flow chart of an embodiment method 1700 for automatically transporting a post-filter cartridge 108 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. In some embodiments, the method 1700 can be implemented by a control circuit 702 that cooperates with a remote server (not shown). In some embodiments, the method 1700 can be implemented entirely by a remote server (e.g., receiving data from the control circuit 702, e.g., using a transceiver 740 via the Internet).

[0178] During step 1702, it is determined whether the last shipment of the post-filter cartridge 108 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t postfilt_smax If the output of step 1702 is "yes", then during step 1720, a new post-filter cartridge 108 is shipped to, for example, the location where the RO filtration system 400 is installed. If the output of step 1702 is "no", step 1703 is executed.

[0179] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_smax It can be, for example, 9 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_smax It may be higher than 9 months (eg, 10 months, 12 months or higher) or lower than 9 months (eg, 8 months, 7 months or lower).

[0180] During step 1703, it is determined whether the last replacement event of the post-filter cartridge 108 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t postfilt_emax If the output of step 1703 is "yes", step 1720 is executed. If the output of step 1703 is "no", step 1704 is executed.

[0181] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_emax It can be, for example, 8 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_emax It may be higher than 8 months (e.g., 10 months, 12 months, or higher) or lower than 8 months (e.g., 7 months, 6 months, or lower). In some embodiments, t postfilt_emax can be equal to t postfilt_smax In some embodiments, t postfilt_emax may be different from (eg, lower or higher than) tpostfilt_smax For example, in some embodiments, t postfilt_emax It can be 8 months and t postfilt_smax It can be 9 months.

[0182] During step 1704, it is determined whether the last shipment of the post-filter cartridge 108 (or the installation time of the RO filter system 400) is greater than a predetermined threshold value t postfilt_min If the output of step 1704 is "no", then a new post-filter cartridge 108 has been recently shipped and / or recently installed. Therefore, in some embodiments, if the output of step 1704 is "no", then step 1704 may be periodically executed until the output of step 1704 becomes "yes". If the output of step 1704 is "yes", then step 1706 is executed.

[0183] In some embodiments, executing step 1704 prevents multiple post-filter cartridges from being automatically shipped within a short period of time.

[0184] In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_min It can be, for example, 3 months. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold t postfilt_min It may be higher than 3 months (eg, 4 months, 5 months or higher) or lower than 3 months (eg, 2 months, 1 month or lower).

[0185] Step 1706 may be performed in embodiments where the remineralization media is implemented as part of the post-filter cartridge 108 (step 1706 may be omitted in embodiments where the remineralization media is not implemented as part of the post-filter cartridge 108).

[0186] During step 1706, the output of the TDS sensor 720 is determined and compared to a predetermined TDS threshold value T postfilt_ppm If the output of step 1706 is "yes," then step 1720 is performed (eg, because the remineralization media is not adding enough minerals back into the drinking water and therefore may be degraded or defective).

[0187] In some embodiments, the TDS threshold T postfilt_ppm It can be a predefined fixed value, such as s 45ppm (higher or lower values ​​can also be used). In some embodiments, the TDS threshold T postfilt_ppm It may be a predefined fixed value above TDS ppm at the input of stage 106. For example, if the output TDS sensor 718 is 30 TDS ppm, and the predefined value is 45 TDS ppm, then step 1706 outputs yes if the output of TDS sensor 720 is below 75 TDS ppm.

[0188] During step 1708, the volume of water that has passed through stage 108 since installation stage 108 is compared to a predetermined volume threshold value T postfilt_volume If the output of step 1708 is "yes", step 1720 is executed.

[0189] In some embodiments, the volume of water that has passed through stage 108 since installation stage 108 may be determined using method 1000 (eg, using a dedicated accumulator to track the volume of water since installation stage 108 ).

[0190] In some embodiments, the predetermined volume threshold T postfilt_volum It may be, for example, 800 gallons. Other values ​​may also be used (e.g., higher than 800 gallons, such as 900 gallons or higher, or lower than 800 gallons, such as 700 gallons or lower).

[0191] In some embodiments, the threshold t postfilt_smax and / or postfilt_emax Can achieve α*T based on RO filtration system 400 in the past postfilt_volume The time taken is dynamically determined, where α is equal to 100%, 110%, or more. For example, in some embodiments, t postfilt_emax It can be RO filtration system 400 to reach α*T postfilt_volume The maximum (or minimum, or average) value between the percentage (e.g., 80%, 90%, 100%, 110% or higher) of time spent (e.g., last time) and a predetermined threshold (e.g., 8 months).

[0192] During step 1710, it is determined whether the pre-filter cartridges 102 and 104 have been shipped or scheduled for shipment within the past q days, where q may be, for example, 2 days (a value higher than 2 days, such as 3 days or higher, or a value lower than 2 days, such as 1 day or lower, may also be used). If the output of step 1710 is "yes", step 1720 is executed.

[0193] like Figures 13 to 17 As shown, some embodiments automatically ship replacement parts based on the outputs of various sensors of the RO filtration system 400. As an alternative or in addition to the automatic shipment of replacement parts, some embodiments may provide an indication (e.g., light, sound, text message or email, etc.) to a user (e.g., a person, an external controller, etc.) that a particular part should be replaced. For example, in some embodiments, instead of or in addition to shipping the corresponding parts, steps 1320, 1420, 1520, 1620, and 1720 provide an indication to a user that the corresponding parts should be replaced.

[0194] The remaining figures show different views of an example of an RO filtration system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig.18 4 shows a front view of an RO filtration system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig.19 shows a rear view, Fig. 20 shows a top view, Fig.21 A bottom view is shown, Fig. 22 shows a right side view, and Fig.23 A left side view is shown.

[0195] Fig.24 A front perspective view of the RO filtration system 400 is shown together with the tank. FIG. 25A to FIG. 25L Various other perspective views of filter system 400 are shown.

[0196] Fig.26 Various views of the disassembly system are shown, and FIG. 27A to FIG. 27B A diagram is provided showing how an example system 400 may be disassembled. Fig.27A In the embodiment, the latch is lowered to allow the upper part to separate from the lower part, as Fig.27B shown. Fig.27C It is shown that the cover can also be removed. Although the upper and lower parts are Fig.27C It should be understood that the two detachable parts are independent.

[0197] FIG. 28A to FIG. 28E A different view of the system 400 is shown with the top separated to expose the filter stages.

[0198] Fig.29A and Fig.29B Shown is the interior of a fully closed system design where the tubing, osmotic pump, electrical components are enclosed in the base and the filter stage and batteries are enclosed in the cassette. Fig. 30A and Fig. 30B A system with an external housing is shown.

[0199] Exemplary embodiments of the invention have been summarized herein. Other embodiments are also apparent from the overall description and claims submitted herein.

[0200] Example 1. A method comprising: determining, using a first sensor of a water filtration system, a first value associated with a first component of the water filtration system; determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value; and initiating shipment of a replacement component in response to determining that the first component is degraded.

[0201] Example 2. The method according to Example 1 further includes: transmitting first data based on the first value to a remote server, wherein determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value includes receiving information from the remote server, the information indicating whether the first component is degraded based on the first data.

[0202] Example 3. The method of any one of Examples 1 or 2, wherein the first sensor comprises a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor monitors a tank pressure of a water tank of the water filtration system.

[0203] Example 4. The method of any of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the first component comprises a water tank and wherein the first value comprises a rate of change of tank pressure.

[0204] Example 5. The method of any one of Examples 1 to 4, wherein determining the rate of change of the tank pressure includes determining a first rate of change of the tank pressure using a pressure sensor based on an output of a flow switch indicating water flowing through the water filtration system, and wherein determining whether the first component is degraded includes comparing the first rate of change of the tank pressure to a reference rate of change of the tank pressure.

[0205] Example 6. The method of any of Examples 1 to 5, wherein the first component is a filter cartridge of a water filtration system, and wherein the first value comprises a volume of water that flows through the water filtration system over a period of time.

[0206] Example 7. The method of any of Examples 1 to 6, wherein determining the volume of water flowing through the water filtration system comprises estimating the water dispensed based on an output of a flow switch and a pressure sensor indicative of water flowing through the water filtration system.

[0207] Example 8. The method of any of Examples 1 to 7, wherein the first sensor comprises a first TDS sensor of a water filtration system.

[0208] Example 9. A method according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the first component includes a post-filter cartridge, wherein the first value includes a first output TDS value associated with an output portion of the post-filter cartridge, and wherein determining whether the post-filter cartridge is degraded includes comparing the first output TDS value with a TDS value threshold, and determining that the post-filter cartridge is degraded when the first output TDS value is higher than the TDS value threshold.

[0209] Example 10. The method according to any one of Examples 1 to 9 further includes: determining a second value associated with the first component using a second sensor of the water filtration system, wherein the second sensor includes a second TDS sensor; and determining a TDS retention rate of the first component based on the first value and the second value, wherein determining whether the first component is degraded includes comparing the TDS retention rate with a reference TDS retention rate, and determining that the first component is degraded when the TDS retention rate is lower than the reference TDS retention rate.

[0210] Example 11. The method of any of Examples 1 to 10, wherein the first component comprises a RO membrane cartridge.

[0211] Example 12. The method of any of Examples 1 to 11, wherein the first component comprises a battery and wherein the first value comprises a voltage of the battery.

[0212] Example 13. A water filtration system comprises: a plurality of cartridge receivers for a plurality of cartridges, wherein a first cartridge receiver of the plurality of cartridge receivers is configured to receive a water filter cartridge; a water storage tank, the water storage tank being connected to an output terminal of the water filtration system; a pressure sensor, the pressure sensor being connected to the water storage tank and being configured to determine a tank pressure of the water storage tank; and a control circuit, the control circuit being configured to determine whether a first component is degraded based on the tank pressure of the water storage tank, wherein the first component comprises one of the plurality of cartridges or the water storage tank.

[0213] Example 14. A water filtration system according to Example 13, wherein the first component includes a water storage tank and wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine a first rate of change of tank pressure using a pressure sensor based on an output of a flow switch connected to the water storage tank; compare the first rate of change of tank pressure with a reference rate of change of tank pressure; and determine that the water storage tank is degraded when the first rate of change of tank pressure is lower than the reference rate of change of tank pressure.

[0214] Example 15. A water filtration system according to any of Examples 13 or 14, wherein the first component includes a water filter cartridge, and wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine the volume of water flowing through the water filter cartridge using a pressure sensor; compare the determined volume of water to a volume threshold; and determine that the water filter cartridge is degraded when the volume of water is above the volume threshold.

[0215] Example 16. The water filtration system according to any one of Examples 13 to 15 also includes a first TDS sensor connected to the output portion of the water filter cartridge, wherein the first component includes the water filter cartridge, and wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine a first TDS value associated with the output portion of the water filter cartridge; compare the first TDS value with a TDS value threshold; and when the TDS value is lower than the TDS value threshold, determine that the water filter cartridge is degraded.

[0216] Example 17. The water filtration system according to any one of Examples 13 to 16 also includes a first TDS sensor connected to the output portion of the water filter cartridge, and a second TDS sensor connected to the input portion of the water filter cartridge, wherein the first component includes the water filter cartridge, and wherein the control circuit is configured to: determine a TDS retention rate based on the first TDS sensor and the second TDS sensor; compare the TDS retention rate with a TDS retention rate threshold; and determine that the water filter cartridge is degraded when the TDS retention rate is lower than the TDS retention rate threshold.

[0217] Example 18 The water filtration system of any of Examples 13 to 17 further includes a transceiver coupled to the control circuit, wherein the transceiver is configured to transmit a notification related to degradation of the first component.

[0218] Example 19. The water filtration system of any of Examples 13 to 18, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with a remote server to initiate replacement of the first component.

[0219] Example 20. A water filtration system according to any one of Examples 13 to 19, wherein the transceiver is configured to send the notification to a UE user equipment.

[0220] Example 21. A method for remotely maintaining a water filtration system, the method comprising: receiving data at a remote server, the data being received directly from the water filtration system, the data comprising sensor information associated with components of the water filtration system; determining, by the remote server, component degradation based on the sensor information; and in response to determining component degradation, shipping a replacement component to a location of the water filtration system.

[0221] Example 22. The method of Example 21, further comprising transmitting the result of determining whether the component is degraded to a communication circuit of the water filtration system.

[0222] Example 23. The method of Example 21 or 22, wherein the sensor information includes information related to the water tank, the information including a rate of change of tank pressure; and wherein transporting the replacement part includes transporting the replacement water tank to a location of the water filtration system.

[0223] Example 24. A method according to any of Examples 21 to 23, wherein the sensor information includes information related to the filter cartridge, the information including the volume of water flowing through the water filtration system over a period of time; and wherein transporting the replacement part includes transporting the replacement filter cartridge to a location in the water filtration system.

[0224] Example 25. The method of Example 21, wherein the sensor information includes information related to the battery, the information including a voltage of the battery; and wherein shipping the replacement part includes shipping the replacement battery to a location of the water filtration system.

[0225] Although the present invention has been described with reference to illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be interpreted in a limiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of the illustrative embodiments and other embodiments of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art after reference to this description. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to cover any such modifications or embodiments.

Claims

1. A method comprising: determining, using a first sensor (714, 716, 718, 720, 722) of a water filtration system (400), a first value associated with a first component (102, 104, 106, 108, 202, 701) of the water filtration system (400); determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value; and In response to determining that the first component is degraded, shipment of a replacement component is initiated (1320, 1420, 1520, 1620, 1720).

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: First data based on the first value is transmitted to a remote server, wherein determining whether the first component is degraded based on the first value includes receiving information from the remote server, the information indicating whether the first component is degraded based on the first data.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first sensor includes a pressure sensor (722) that monitors the tank pressure of the water tank (202) of the water filtration system (400).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The first component includes the water tank (202), and wherein the first value includes a rate of change of tank pressure.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: Determining the rate of change of the tank pressure includes determining (1216) a first rate of change of the tank pressure using the pressure sensor (722) based on an output of a flow switch (724) indicating water flowing through the water filtration system (400), and wherein determining whether the first component is degraded includes comparing (1218) the first rate of change of the tank pressure to a reference rate of change of the tank pressure.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The first component is a filter cartridge (102, 104, 106, 108) of the water filtration system (400), and wherein the first value comprises a volume of water that flows through the water filtration system (400) over a period of time.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: Determining the volume of water flowing through the water filtration system (400) includes estimating (1012) the water dispensed based on an output of a flow switch (724) indicative of water flowing through the water filtration system (400) and the pressure sensor (722).

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The first sensor comprises a first TDS sensor (714, 716, 718, 720) of the water filtration system (400).

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The first component includes a post-filter cartridge (108), wherein the first value includes a first output TDS value associated with an output portion of the post-filter cartridge (108), and wherein determining (1706) whether the post-filter cartridge (108) is degraded includes comparing the first output TDS value with a TDS value threshold, and determining that the post-filter cartridge (108) is degraded when the first output TDS value is higher than the TDS value threshold.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: determining a second value associated with the first component (102, 104, 106, 108, 202, 701) using a second sensor (714, 716, 718, 720, 722) of the water filtration system (400), wherein the second sensor comprises a second TDS sensor (714, 716); and A TDS cutoff rate of the first component is determined based on the first value and the second value, wherein determining whether the first component is degraded includes comparing the TDS cutoff rate with a reference TDS cutoff rate (1406), and determining that the first component is degraded when the TDS cutoff rate is lower than the reference TDS cutoff rate.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The first component includes an RO membrane cartridge (106).

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The first component comprises a battery (701), and wherein the first value comprises a voltage of the battery.

13. A water filtration system (400), comprising: a plurality of cartridge receivers for a plurality of cartridges (102, 104, 106, 108, 701), wherein a first cartridge receiver of the plurality of cartridge receivers is configured to receive a water filter cartridge (102, 104, 106); A water storage tank (202), the water storage tank (202) being connected to an output terminal of the water filtration system (400); a pressure sensor (722) coupled to the water storage tank (202) and configured to determine a tank pressure of the water storage tank; and A control circuit (702) is configured to determine whether a first component is degraded based on the tank pressure of the water storage tank (202), wherein the first component includes one of the plurality of cylinders (102, 104, 106, 108, 701) or the water storage tank (202).

14. The water filtration system (400) according to claim 13, wherein: The first component comprises the water storage tank (202), and wherein the control circuit (702) is configured to: Determining (1308) a first rate of change of tank pressure using a pressure sensor (722) based on an output of a flow switch (724) coupled to the water storage tank (202); comparing the first rate of change of the tank pressure with a reference rate of change of the tank pressure (1310); and When the first change rate of the tank pressure is lower than a reference change rate of the tank pressure, it is determined that the water storage tank is degraded.

15. The water filtration system (400) according to any one of claims 13 or 14, wherein: The first component includes the water filter cartridge (102, 104, 106), and wherein the control circuit (702) is configured to: determining the volume of water flowing through the water filter cartridge (102, 104, 106) using the pressure sensor (722); comparing the determined volume of water to a volume threshold (1408, 1608); and When the volume of the water is above the volume threshold, it is determined that the water filter cartridge is degraded.

16. The water filtration system (400) of any one of claims 13 to 15, further comprising a first TDS sensor (714, 716, 718, 720) coupled to an output of the water filtration cartridge, wherein: The first component includes the water filter cartridge, and wherein the control circuit (702) is configured to: determining a first TDS value associated with an output of the water filter cartridge (102, 104, 106); comparing the first TDS value to a TDS value threshold; and When the TDS value is lower than the TDS value threshold, it is determined that the water filter cartridge is degraded.

17. The water filtration system (400) of any one of claims 13 to 16, further comprising a first TDS sensor (714, 716, 718, 720) coupled to the output of the water filtration cartridge and a second TDS sensor (714, 716, 718, 720) coupled to the input of the water filtration cartridge, wherein: The first component includes the water filter cartridge, and wherein the control circuit (702) is configured to: determining a TDS retention rate based on the first TDS sensor and the second TDS sensor (714, 716, 718, 720); comparing the TDS rejection rate to a TDS rejection rate threshold value (1406); and When the TDS rejection rate is lower than the TDS rejection rate threshold, it is determined that the water filter cartridge is degraded.

18. The water filtration system (400) of any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising a transceiver (740) coupled to the control circuit (702), the transceiver (740) configured to transmit a notification related to degradation of the first component.

19. The water filtration system (400) according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein: The transceiver (740) is configured to communicate with a remote server to initiate replacement of the first component.

20. The water filtration system (400) according to any one of claims 13 to 19, wherein: The transceiver (740) is configured to send the notification to a UE (User Equipment).

21. A method for remotely maintaining a water filtration system (400), the method comprising: receiving data at a remote server, the data being received directly from the water filtration system (400), the data including sensor information associated with components of the water filtration system (400); determining, by the remote server, degradation of the component based on the sensor information; as well as In response to determining that the component is degraded, a replacement component is shipped (1320, 1420, 1520, 1620, 1720) to a location of the water filtration system (400).

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising transmitting a result of determining whether the component is degraded to a communication circuit of the water filtration system (400).

23. The method according to any one of claims 21 or 22, wherein: The sensor information includes information related to the water tank (202), the information including a rate of change of tank pressure; and Wherein, transporting the replacement component includes transporting (1320) the replacement water tank to the location of the water filtration system (400).

24. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein: The sensor information includes information related to the filter cartridge, the information including the volume of water flowing through the water filtration system (400) over a period of time; and Wherein, transporting the replacement component includes transporting (1420, 1620, 1720) the replacement filter cartridge to the location of the water filtration system (400).

25. The method according to any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein: The sensor information includes information related to a battery (701), the information including a voltage of the battery; and Wherein, transporting the replacement component includes transporting (1520) the replacement battery to the location of the water filtration system (400).

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