METHOD FOR OPERATING A URINAL SYSTEM, URINAL SYSTEM AND WATER CONSUMER SYSTEM WITH A URINAL SYSTEM

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to methods for operating a urinal system having a urinal bowl, a liquid inlet with an inlet valve, a urinal outlet, at least one HF motion sensor provided on the urinal bowl and / or the urinal outlet, and a urinal control coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor and the inlet valve, by which the inlet valve is opened for a predetermined time when draining liquid is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor. Furthermore, the invention relates to a urinal system having a urinal bowl, a liquid inlet with an inlet valve, a urinal outlet, one or at least one HF motion sensor provided on the urinal bowl and / or the urinal outlet, and a urinal control coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor and the inlet valve. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a water consumer system having a urinal system according to the invention.

[0002] Particularly in public facilities such as theaters, sports venues, restaurants, schools, and universities, but also in larger office complexes and similar high-traffic buildings, urinals are often equipped with automatic, touchless flushing due to the large number of users. Various sensor systems can be used to detect use. High-traffic situations can often lead to blockages or other malfunctions in the urinal, which are often only detected very late by a user or during regular maintenance. Until they are detected, these can lead to unnecessarily high water consumption or inadequate cleaning of the urinal.

[0003] A very common approach is to detect possible use of a urinal using a proximity sensor, which automatically triggers a flush when a user is present. Such a system is described in EP 0 597 286 A1. The disadvantage is that the sensor used cannot register whether the approaching person has actually used the urinal. If the person only realizes that the urinal is blocked when standing in front of it, for example, they will not use it; the flush would still be triggered, which could even cause the blocked urinal bowl to overflow.

[0004] Another option for detecting urinal use is the use of capacitive sensors.

[0005] The publication WO 2008 / 017314 A1 describes a method and device for contactless flushing in urinal systems with an electrically controlled water valve. This method uses a capacitive sensor attached to the collecting basin or drain pipe of the urinal, which is electrically connected to a central electronic control and evaluation unit, such as a microcontroller. When the sensor detects the intended use of the urinal based on a changing capacitance when a liquid is introduced, influenced by the resulting change in the dielectric conditions, the sensor transmits a sensor signal to the control and evaluation unit, whereupon the valve is opened by this control and evaluation unit, and a flush is then triggered.After each flushing process of the urinal, either the sensor value of the sensor signal or the switching threshold is recalibrated after a selectable time and thus adapted to the changed conditions of the urinal after the flushing process.

[0006] The document DE 102 61 283 A1 discloses a urinal in which a touchless and automatic flush is triggered after a structure located on the outside and above a urinal outlet, which forms an electrical capacitor, registers use of the urinal via a change in the capacitor's capacitance. Urinal malfunctions, such as blockages in the urinal drain or malfunctions of the inlet valve, cannot be registered by the described structure, since an evaluation is performed solely by calculating an average value from a plurality of measured values ​​from the single capacitor.

[0007] Document EP 1 586 713 A1 describes a device and a method for automatically triggering a flushing device by means of a capacitive sensor. The device comprises a siphon having an inlet, an outlet, and an overflow edge. A capacitive sensor with at least one electrode is arranged on an outer side of the siphon. The at least one electrode is arranged upstream of the overflow edge in the region of the surface of the sealing water, as seen in the direction of flow.

[0008] EP 2 649 246 B1 discloses a sanitary system with a mixing unit connected on the inlet side to a hot water pipe and a cold water pipe, and on the outlet side to several mixing pipes leading to consumers. The sanitary system uses a control unit that controls a controllable mixing unit based on parameter values ​​such as temperature, pressure, flow rate, and / or flow volume. Appropriate sensors are provided to determine the parameter values.

[0009] WO 2009 / 061857 A2 proposes a method for automatically generating work orders for a restroom, wherein not only the states of a plurality of device sensors but also the states of a non-device sensor are detected, and these states are used to determine the state of a device that does not have a sensor. In particular, the need for refilling consumables is calculated.

[0010] In the document US 2011 / 0114202 A1, a valve in a water supply line is closed by means of a controller when an unusual water flow rate is detected by a sensor located in the water supply line and is opened again after a waiting period.

[0011] In document EP 0 783 058 A2, which is considered to be the closest prior art, a control device for a urinal is disclosed.

[0012] The control device comprises a sensor unit mounted in a lower region of a rear wall of the urinal and connected to a flush valve 28 provided at the water inlet and a drain valve mounted on the drain pipe. The motion sensor detects the presence / movement of a user as well as the amount of urine expelled. Based on the detected data, the flush valve is activated, thus initiating a flushing process. Furthermore, the motion sensor serves to monitor the fill level. EP-058 discloses a urinal control coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor and the inlet valve, by which the inlet valve is opened for a predetermined time when the at least one HF motion sensor detects draining liquid.The urinal control has a data processing system that queries and receives data detected by at least one HF motion sensor, evaluates it computationally, and detects that the urinal drain is blocked on the basis of the evaluated data. .

[0013] The publication US 2009 / 0070922 A1 describes a urinal with a high-frequency sensor. The high-frequency sensor can detect the presence of a user or urine flow. The high-frequency sensor is connected to a flush valve, which adjusts or stops the flow of flush water depending on the detected signal.

[0014] It is often difficult to immediately detect a urinal malfunction and / or to correctly assign a urinal malfunction to a specific cause. For example, during a urinal flush, the water flowing from the liquid inlet via the urinal ceramic to the urinal drain passes through the urinal drain with a certain delay. In some urinal systems, such a delay can be caused, for example, by a hydraulic delay in the inlet valve, the path that has to be traveled through hoses / pipes between the inlet valve and the liquid inlet, or by reservoir devices. However, a defective inlet valve or an at least partially blocked urinal drain can also lead to delayed drains. In conventional urinal systems, the specific cause of the problem can usually only be determined by a sanitary technician or service employee, despite the sensors used.

[0015] It is therefore the object of the present invention to increase the functionality of the urinal system mentioned at the outset, the water consumer system mentioned at the outset and the methods mentioned above.

[0016] The problem is solved by a method according to claim 1.

[0017] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the data processing system recognizes a predefined urinal usage situation and / or frequency on the basis of the evaluated data and, based thereon, adapts an opening time and / or opening position and / or an opening frequency of the inlet valve to this in at least one subsequent urinal flushing process.

[0018] The urinal system operated with the method can have one urinal bowl or a plurality of urinal bowls.

[0019] The inlet valve of the urinal system operated by the method is preferably a solenoid valve with a defined opening time and / or opening position and / or opening frequency, which is controlled by the urinal control of the urinal system operated by the method.

[0020] As already explained above, the at least one HF motion sensor is preferably arranged on the urinal bowl and / or the urinal outlet in such a way that it is able to detect the movement of the flushing water flowing from the liquid inlet to the urinal outlet during a urinal flushing process and / or the urine striking the urinal bowl when the urinal system is used.

[0021] Preferably, the at least one HF motion sensor is attached directly or by means of a holding device to the back of the urinal bowl, in particular glued to the back of the urinal bowl. The at least one HF motion sensor is preferably oriented such that it does not point toward any stagnant liquid in the odor trap of the urinal drain. By arranging the at least one HF motion sensor in the immediate vicinity of the urinal drain, the at least one HF motion sensor can advantageously detect draining liquid.

[0022] Preferably, the data captured by the at least one RF motion sensor is queried and / or received by the data processing system via a wireless or mesh data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh. This advantageously enables communication with a mobile device, with a building control system via a cloud or a building management system, and with other sensor products, either directly in the network or indirectly via gateways. This offers the advantage of simplified operation, simple setting and diagnostic options, and simplifies the querying of operating data or the indication of service requirements.

[0023] The data processing system registers deviations from specified reference values ​​or empirical values ​​or its own operating data, for example, regarding the usual flow times associated with a urinal flush or the amount of liquid flowing out during a flush. In the event of deviations, the data processing system can trigger at least one action to prevent the cause of the respective deviation. In addition to the operating data of an individual HF motion sensor, the data processing system can use data from other sensors or from a building control system. For example, break times in a public facility such as a theater or sports venue or the opening hours of a building can be taken into account.

[0024] One possible action that can be triggered by the data processing system to avoid a fault in the urinal system is, in particular, adjusting the opening time and / or the opening position and / or the opening frequency of the inlet valve and / or issuing an error message and / or a service message.

[0025] With regard to the detection of deviations in the sensor signals in the event of a complete or partial blockage, a pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal, a defect in the liquid inlet, a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors and the actions to be triggered by the data processing system in each case, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0026] Advantageously, by computationally evaluating the data of the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor with respect to the data of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors, different errors can be distinguished which lead to the same or similar reactions of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors.

[0027] A lack of response from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors to a previously triggered flush can be attributed, for example, to a complete blockage causing at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors to be blind, to the inlet valve not opening due to a valve defect or an electronic defect, or to errors in the water supply. If at least one pressure sensor simultaneously reports an existing optimal fluid pressure, a fault in the water supply can be ruled out. If at least one flow sensor simultaneously reports that fluid is flowing in, the data processing system will assume a blockage of the urinal drain as the most likely scenario and can trigger appropriate actions, as already described above.

[0028] The evaluation of the sensor data by the data processing system is preferably carried out by means of a classifier or another suitable AI algorithm by comparing typical signal curves of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors in conjunction with data from the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet.

[0029] A pressure drop below a minimum value or an exceedance of a maximum value in the fluid inlet is advantageously detected immediately by the data processing system by evaluating the data from at least one pressure sensor. The data processing system can then trigger appropriate actions, such as preventing further flushing and / or issuing an error and / or service message.

[0030] With regard to the detection of deviations in the sensor signals of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors in the event of a complete or partial blockage, a pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal, a defect in the liquid inlet, a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors, as well as the actions to be triggered by the data processing system in the respective case, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0031] The detection of a predefined urinal usage situation and / or frequency and reaction to this can also be carried out as described above.

[0032] Advantageously, by computationally evaluating the data from the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor with respect to the data from at least one of the at least one RF motion sensors, various errors can be distinguished that lead to identical or similar reactions from at least one of the at least one RF motion sensors. In this regard, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0033] Preferably, the data processing system detects that the urinal drain is blocked and / or the liquid inlet is defective if, despite the inlet valve being open, no draining liquid is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor and / or if it is detected with the aid of the at least one HF motion sensor that at least one lower region within the urinal bowl is filled with standing liquid.

[0034] Advantageously, the data processing system can trigger an immediate action to prevent the urinal bowl from overflowing. Such an action can include preventing further flushing and / or issuing an error and / or service message.

[0035] In particular, the data processing system detects whether the urinal drain is blocked or the liquid inlet is defective if, despite the inlet valve being open and the liquid pressure being detected by the at least one pressure sensor and / or the liquid flow being detected by the at least one flow sensor, no draining liquid is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor and / or if it is detected with the aid of the at least one HF motion sensor that at least one lower region within the urinal bowl is filled with standing liquid.

[0036] With regard to the detection of deviations in the sensor signals of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor in the event of a complete blockage, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0037] The combination of the data of the at least one pressure sensor with those of the at least one flow sensor and those of the at least one RF motion sensor advantageously allows a more precise localization of a possible error.

[0038] As already described above, a lack of response from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors to a previously triggered flush can be attributed, for example, to a complete blockage causing at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors to be blind, to the inlet valve not opening due to a valve defect or an electronic defect, or to errors in the water supply. If at least one pressure sensor simultaneously reports an existing optimal fluid pressure, a fault in the water supply can be ruled out. If at least one flow sensor simultaneously reports that fluid is flowing in, the data processing system will assume a blockage of the urinal drain as the most likely scenario and can trigger appropriate actions, as already described above.

[0039] Preferably, the data processing system detects that the urinal drain is partially blocked and / or the liquid inlet is defective if, despite the inlet valve being open, the at least one HF motion sensor detects that liquid is draining from the urinal bowl with a time delay.

[0040] With regard to the detection of deviations in the sensor signals from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors in the event of a partial blockage, as well as the combination of the data from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors with the data from the at least one flow sensor, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0041] In a further preferred embodiment, the data processing system detects whether the urinal drain is partially blocked or the liquid inlet is defective if, despite the inlet valve being open and the liquid pressure detected by the at least one pressure sensor and / or the liquid flow detected by the at least one flow sensor, the at least one HF motion sensor detects that liquid is draining from the urinal bowl with a time delay.

[0042] With regard to the detection of deviations in the sensor signals from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors in the event of a partial blockage, as well as the combination of the data from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors with the data from the at least one flow sensor and / or the data from the at least one pressure sensor, reference is made in full to the preceding explanations.

[0043] In the method according to the invention, the respective opening time of the inlet valve is preferably adapted to the respective liquid pressure and / or the respective liquid flow in the liquid inlet by the urinal control in the entire pressure and / or flow range, i.e. the respective flush volume is regulated.

[0044] In advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention, if it is detected that a minimum pressure value has been undershot or a maximum pressure value has been exceeded in the fluid inlet, in addition to adjusting the opening time of the inlet valve to the fluid pressure and / or the fluid flow in the fluid inlet, an error or service message is issued by the data processing system and / or the urinal control. The permissible pressure range for the present invention is, for example, 2 to 8 bar.

[0045] In the present invention, the respective opening time of the inlet valve during a flush is preferably continuously adjusted to determined pressure and / or flow values. Thus, at lower pressure and / or flow values, the inlet valve is opened for a longer time to ensure sufficient water flow and thus adequate cleaning of the urinal bowl. At higher pressure and / or flow values, the inlet valve is opened for a shorter time to avoid unnecessary excessive water consumption.

[0046] If the pressure falls below a minimum value, such as below 2 bar, and / or exceeds a maximum value, such as above 8 bar, the data processing system and / or the urinal control preferably issues a service or error message.

[0047] Preferably, the data processing system detects that the liquid inlet is defective if the at least one RF motion sensor detects no liquid flow and / or a permanent liquid flow and / or a liquid flow below a liquid flow threshold value.

[0048] If the fluid inlet is defective, it can happen that the HF motion sensor no longer registers any movement because the valve does not open and no fluid flows, that the HF motion sensor constantly registers movement because the valve does not close completely, or that the HF motion sensor registers a reduced amount of fluid because the valve only opens incompletely and only a reduced amount of water is released during the flushing process.

[0049] If the HF motion sensor registers a permanent liquid flow, the water supply of the urinal system according to the invention can be interrupted by controlling a shut-off valve, preferably via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh, in order to avoid unnecessarily high water consumption or liquid overflow.

[0050] If the at least one HF motion sensor detects no fluid flow over an extended period of time, the data processing system can be used to check whether the at least one HF motion sensor has failed. Advantageously, the urinal control system triggers the at least one HF motion sensor with pulses either continuously or at a certain predetermined interval. If the at least one HF motion sensor fails, the lack of response to the pulses is detected, and an error and / or service message is issued.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the urinal system has an error and / or service message output unit coupled to the data processing system, and the data processing system outputs a service message to the error and / or service message output unit when it detects at least one of the errors.

[0052] This advantageously significantly shortens the time it takes for a user and / or service employee to detect the error. An error and / or service notification can, for example, be sent directly to a smartphone or other mobile device or to a building control system.

[0053] Preferably, the data processing system detects that a pressure fluctuation is present in the wastewater system connected to the urinal bowl if a history of the data from the at least one HF motion sensor results in a series of consecutive urinal incorrect flushing processes on the urinal system and / or a signal pattern of the data from the at least one HF motion sensor corresponds to a characteristic fluctuation of the liquid level in the urinal drain.

[0054] As explained above, a pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system, for example, due to improper installation, such as inadequate venting of the wastewater line, can lead to severe pressure fluctuations during a flush, which can lead to fluctuating water levels in the siphon and even draining. If such a fluctuation is detected as movement by the HF motion sensor, incorrect flushing can be triggered. The data processing system preferably recognizes movement triggered by a fluctuating water level as such.

[0055] In particular, if the data processing system detects that a pressure fluctuation is present in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system, the urinal control changes a sensitivity of the at least one RF motion sensor and / or does not trigger a urinal flushing process if a signal pattern of the data of the at least one RF motion sensor corresponds to a characteristic fluctuation of the liquid level in the urinal drain.

[0056] By changing the sensitivity of at least one HF motion sensor, a fluctuating water level caused by pressure fluctuations is not recognized as regular use in one embodiment of the method according to the invention. This advantageously prevents incorrect flushing and the associated unnecessary increase in water consumption.

[0057] Preventing further urinal flushing when a characteristic fluctuation in the liquid level in the urinal drain is detected also helps to avoid unnecessarily increased water consumption.

[0058] Preferably, the data processing system comprises at least one data processing block that uses machine learning and / or operates on the basis of an artificial neural network and / or is an expert system.

[0059] Advantageously, this enables the data processing system to make intelligent decisions based on its own operating data and additional data from other sensors or a building control system. This allows, for example, water consumption and / or comfort for the user(s) to be optimized and / or the level of human intervention to be reduced.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the urinal system is integrated into a water consumer system which, in addition to the urinal system, has at least one further water consumer on which at least one further sensor is provided, wherein the data processing system is coupled to the at least one further sensor and likewise evaluates the data received from the at least one further sensor by means of computation, wherein at least one flushing time and / or blockage in a drain and / or pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system and / or defect in an inlet device of the at least one further water consumer determined in the process is incorporated into the detection of at least one of the errors.

[0061] The at least one additional water consumer is, for example, a sink or a toilet or at least one additional urinal system.

[0062] The at least one further sensor may be at least one infrared motion or proximity sensor, at least one capacitive motion sensor, at least one contactless push plate, at least one temperature sensor and / or at least one RF motion or proximity sensor.

[0063] The at least one additional sensor can also be used independently of the urinal system, for example, to detect a blockage in the at least one additional water consumer, such as a washbasin, another urinal, or a toilet. In this case, it is possible, but not necessary, for the respective additional water consumer to be controlled by the at least one additional sensor.

[0064] For example, the at least one additional sensor, in relation to the additional water consumer at which it is provided, can merely be a blockage sensor that detects a blockage in the respective water consumer. However, such a blockage can be reported by the at least one additional sensor to the urinal control and / or to at least one additional control of one of the other water consumers.

[0065] With the help of at least one additional sensor, interactions in the water consumption system can also be detected that can influence the urinal control system. For example, flushing a toilet can lead to pressure fluctuations in the urinal system's urinal outlet. Accordingly, an incorrect flush in the urinal system can be prevented. This applies accordingly to other usage situations that can be detected using additional data from the additional sensor.

[0066] The at least one further sensor can be arranged at the outlet of the further water consumer, but also at another position.

[0067] According to the invention, the data acquired by the at least one additional sensor at the at least one additional water consumer can be transmitted to the data processing system and / or the urinal control system. This informs the data processing system and / or the urinal control system that, for example, a toilet is flushing and that pressure fluctuations may occur in the drain and / or the sewage system.

[0068] Advantageously, combining data from multiple sensors enables functions that are not possible with a conventional sensor, or that require human decision-making and human intervention. For example, typical usage situations can be recognized, peak usage times identified, and appropriate and effective water-saving programs can be activated for each situation.

[0069] The determined flush time of at least one additional water consumer can be used to identify a defect in the inlet of the urinal system. For example, a partially open inlet valve can result in deviations from the flush times of at least one additional water consumer.

[0070] A blockage in the drain of at least one additional water consumer or a defect in the inlet device of at least one additional water consumer can lead to more users resorting to the functioning urinal system, resulting in increased frequency. In this case, suitable water-saving programs could be activated.

[0071] Preferably, the water consumers and the urinal system communicate with each other via a meshed and / or wireless local data transmission network.

[0072] This advantageously enables communication with a mobile device, which offers the advantage of simplified operation, as well as simple configuration and diagnostic options. Another advantage is that communication with a building control system via a cloud or building management system is possible, which particularly simplifies querying operating data or indicating service requirements. Another advantage of data transmission via a wireless or mesh data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh, is that it enables communication with other sensor products, either directly within the network or indirectly via gateways.

[0073] Furthermore, a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors preferably occurs when the data processing system does not receive any data from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors or the data received from the at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors by the data processing system cannot be processed by the data processing system and / or at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors outputs at least one service signal.

[0074] Preferably, the urinal control system triggers the at least one HF motion sensor with pulses either continuously or at a certain predetermined interval. If at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors fails, the lack of response to the pulses is detected, and an error and / or service message is issued.

[0075] Advantageously, a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor can be distinguished from a prolonged non-use of the urinal.

[0076] The object is further achieved by a urinal system having a urinal bowl, a liquid inlet with an inlet valve, a urinal outlet, at least one HF motion sensor provided on the urinal bowl and / or the urinal outlet, and a urinal control coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor and the inlet valve, by which the inlet valve is opened for a predetermined time when liquid flowing out is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor, wherein the urinal system further comprises at least one pressure sensor or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet or is coupled to at least one pressure sensor or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet via a meshed data transmission network, and the urinal control comprises a data processing system and / or is connected to a data processing system of the urinal system, which is designedto query and receive data acquired by at least one RF motion sensor and at least one pressure sensor or at least one flow sensor, to evaluate it computationally and to detect on the basis of the evaluated data whether at least one of the following errors is present, and which is designed to trigger at least one action to avoid at least one of the following errors: , that the urinal drain is blocked or that there is a pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system or that a minimum pressure value has been undershot or a maximum pressure value has been exceeded in the liquid inlet or that the liquid inlet and / or the inlet valve is defective or that there is a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor.

[0077] Preferably, the data processing system is designed to recognize a predefined urinal usage situation and / or frequency on the basis of the evaluated data and, based thereon, to adapt an opening time and / or an opening position and / or an opening frequency of the inlet valve to this in at least one subsequent urinal flushing process.

[0078] The HF motion sensors are preferably arranged on the urinal bowl and / or the urinal drain in such a way that they can detect flowing liquids in the area of ​​a drain of the urinal bowl. The HF motion sensors are preferably arranged on the rear side of the urinal bowl in close proximity to the urinal drain. In particular, the HF motion sensors themselves or at least a mounting device comprising the HF motion sensors are glued, screwed, or otherwise attached to the rear side of the urinal bowl.

[0079] The HF motion sensors preferably do not point in the direction of a sealing fluid in the urinal drain's odor trap. The arrangement and orientation of the HF motion sensors advantageously ensures that they are capable of detecting the flush water flowing from the fluid inlet to the urinal drain during a urinal flush and / or the urine hitting and / or flowing out of the urinal bowl during use of the urinal system.

[0080] The data recorded by the HF motion sensors is retrieved and / or received by the data processing system contained in or connected to the urinal control. The data is preferably transmitted via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth, particularly preferably via Bluetooth mesh. This advantageously enables communication with a mobile device, which offers the advantage of simplified operation as well as simple configuration and diagnostic options. Another advantage is that communication with a building control system is enabled via a cloud or a building management system, which particularly simplifies querying operating data or indicating service requirements.Another advantage of data transmission via a wireless or mesh data transmission network is that it enables communication with other sensor products either directly in a network or indirectly via at least one gateway.

[0081] The data processing system has either predefined reference values ​​or, after a certain period of use of the urinal system, empirical values ​​and / or its own operating data, for example, regarding the usual flow times associated with a urinal flush. Deviations from the reference values ​​and / or empirical values ​​are registered, and at least one action is triggered to prevent the cause of the deviation. In addition to the operating data of an individual HF motion sensor, the data processing system can use data from other sensors, such as pressure and / or flow sensors in a water supply system and / or a wastewater system of the urinal system, or from a building control system.

[0082] A possible action that can be triggered by the data processing system can be, for example, an adjustment of the opening time and / or the opening position and / or the opening frequency of the inlet valve and / or the issuing of an error message and / or a service message.

[0083] The inlet valve can, for example, be a solenoid valve with a defined opening time and / or opening position and / or opening frequency, which is controlled by the urinal control.

[0084] A blocked urinal drain causes fluid to accumulate in the urinal bowl. If the sensor area of ​​the urinal bowl is completely filled with fluid, the at least one RF motion sensor typically no longer detects any water flow, as the RF motion sensor usually cannot penetrate the fluid. In this situation, the data processing system no longer detects use and does not trigger a further flush, meaning the inlet valve does not reopen. In addition to reducing the opening frequency of the inlet valve to zero, a blockage notification can be sent to a mobile device or building control system.

[0085] Alternatively, sensory detection of the blockage is also possible, whereby the respective HF motion sensor(s) not only detects movement in the urinal bowl, but can also distinguish between an empty urinal and one that is filled at least up to a mark, for example. For this purpose, a signal analysis of the HF motion sensors is preferably carried out. The strong reflection in the vicinity of the HF motion sensors leads to changed signal levels even in the case of a full urinal bowl, such as a shift in the offset voltage of the respective HF motion sensor. This effect is caused by a change in the phase position of the reflected signal of the respective HF motion sensor, due to the distance and / or material properties of the reflecting standing liquid in the vicinity of the respective HF motion sensor.

[0086] Alternatively, detection of stagnant liquid within the urinal bowl can be achieved using another sensor method. In particular, another RF sensor method suitable for detecting static objects can be used, for example, using at least one frequency-modulated continuous wave radar (FMCW), at least one capacitive sensor, and / or at least one other suitable sensor or sensor system.

[0087] The error that the urinal drain is blocked, which can be avoided using the data processing system, includes a partial or incipient blockage as well as a complete blockage of the urinal drain.

[0088] When a blockage begins, the drain times at or in the urinal drain are delayed, causing the HF motion sensors to register a longer movement or a lower flow rate. Any deviation in the drain times from empirical and / or guideline values, which are preferably stored but can also be entered, is detected by the data processing system and leads to the generation of an error and / or service message.

[0089] Advantageously, the data processing system is capable of detecting when the HF motion sensors do not detect any water flowing out after a flush. In this case, no further flushing process is triggered until motion is detected again, and an error and / or service message is preferably generated.

[0090] If a pressure fluctuation occurs in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system, for example, due to improper or defective installation, such as inadequate venting of the wastewater line, severe pressure fluctuations occur during a flush, which can lead to fluctuating water levels in the siphon and even draining. If such a fluctuation is detected as movement by the HF motion sensors, incorrect flushes can be triggered. Preferably, the data processing system recognizes movement triggered by a fluctuating water level as such and does not trigger a repeat flush. Possible actions include issuing an error and / or a service message and / or preventing a repeat flush.Such a faulty movement signal can be detected by analyzing the signal profile of the usual sensor signals, which, as explained above, can be based on empirical values ​​and / or guidelines. This should be oscillating during a regular flushing process.

[0091] If the fluid supply is defective, the RF motion sensors may either no longer detect any movement because the valve does not open and no fluid flows; the RF motion sensors may continuously detect movement because the valve does not close completely; or the RF motion sensors may detect a reduced fluid flow because the valve only opens incompletely and only a reduced amount of water is released during the flushing process. The action triggered by the data processing system is then preferably the generation of an error and / or service message.

[0092] If the HF motion sensors register a permanent flow of liquid, the water supply of the urinal system according to the invention can be interrupted by controlling a shut-off valve, preferably via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh.

[0093] It is particularly advantageous if the urinal control system triggers the at least one HF motion sensor with pulses either continuously or at a certain predetermined interval. If at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors fails, the data processing system detects a lack of response to the pulses and issues an error and / or service message.

[0094] The data processing system is preferably designed to recognize a predefined urinal usage situation and / or frequency on the basis of the evaluated data and, based thereon, to adapt an opening time and / or an opening position and / or an opening frequency of the inlet valve to this in at least one subsequent urinal flushing process.

[0095] This can advantageously be used, for example, to identify peak usage times and activate appropriate and effective water-saving programs for the respective situation. For example, a flush interval and / or flush volume can be adjusted to a predicted number of users of the urinal system, and a cleaning flush can be triggered at appropriate times with a higher flush volume than the regular flush.

[0096] Preferably, the urinal system further comprises at least one pressure sensor and / or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet and / or is coupled to at least one pressure sensor and / or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet via a meshed and / or a wireless local data transmission network.

[0097] Advantageously, by combining the signals from at least one of the HF motion sensors with the signals from the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor, a distinction can be made between different situations that lead to identical or similar reactions from at least one of the HF motion sensors. A lack of reaction from at least one of the HF motion sensors to a previously triggered flush can be attributed, for example, to a complete blockage that renders at least one of the HF motion sensors blind, the inlet valve not opening due to a valve defect or an electronic defect, or faults in the water supply.

[0098] The at least one pressure sensor in the liquid inlet is expediently capable of detecting whether a water supply is present, while the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet is capable of detecting whether or not water is flowing from the liquid inlet. The corresponding situations can be detected and differentiated from one another based on typical signal profiles of at least one of the at least one RF motion sensors in conjunction with data from the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet, using a classifier or another suitable AI algorithm, i.e., an algorithm using artificial intelligence.

[0099] The urinal system according to the invention can have one urinal bowl or a plurality of urinal bowls.

[0100] The at least one HF motion sensor is preferably arranged on the rear side of the urinal bowl in close proximity to the urinal drain. Preferably, the at least one HF motion sensor is not directed in the direction of any blocking fluid in the urinal drain's odor trap.

[0101] The at least one HF motion sensor can detect incoming and outgoing liquids in the area of ​​the urinal outlet. The at least one HF motion sensor can be glued, screwed, or otherwise attached to the back of the urinal bowl either by itself or by means of at least one holding device containing or holding the at least one HF motion sensor.

[0102] Advantageously, the arrangement and orientation of the motion sensor ensures that it is able to detect the movement of the flush water flowing from the liquid inlet to the urinal outlet during a urinal flushing process and / or the urine hitting and / or flowing out of the urinal bowl when the urinal system is used.

[0103] The urinal system according to the invention further comprises at least one pressure sensor and / or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet and / or is coupled to at least one pressure sensor and / or at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet via a meshed and / or a wireless local data transmission network.

[0104] The at least one pressure sensor in the liquid inlet advantageously detects whether a water supply is present, while the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet detects whether water is flowing out of the liquid inlet or not.

[0105] If the at least one pressure sensor reports a water supply while the at least one RF motion sensor detects no flow during a flushing process, it is likely that either a complete blockage is present or a valve defect or an electronic defect is preventing the inlet valve from opening. If the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet reports that water is flowing from the liquid inlet during a flushing process while the at least one RF motion sensor detects no flow, the data processing system will assume a complete blockage as the most likely scenario.

[0106] Advantageously, by combining the signals of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors with the signals of the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor, a distinction can be made between different situations that lead to identical or similar reactions from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors. The corresponding situations can be identified and differentiated from one another based on typical signal profiles of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors in conjunction with data from the at least one pressure sensor and / or the at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet, for example with the aid of a classifier or another suitable AI algorithm.

[0107] Furthermore, by networking the urinal control system with at least one pressure and / or flow sensor or by directly integrating at least one pressure and / or flow sensor into the urinal system, the flush time can be adjusted depending on the actual water pressure and / or flow, thus allowing the flush volume at the respective urinal to be set much more precisely. If a certain minimum water pressure or flow is undershot for a certain period of time, the urinal system according to the invention can issue an error message and / or a service message.

[0108] The urinal control coupled to the inlet valve has a data processing system and / or is connected to a data processing system. The data recorded by the at least one HF motion sensor is queried and / or received by the data processing system. The data is preferably transmitted via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh. This advantageously enables communication with a mobile device, with a building control system via a cloud or a building management system, and with other sensor products, either directly in the network or indirectly via at least one gateway. This is accompanied by the advantage of simplified operating functions, simple setting and / or diagnostic options, and the simplification of querying operating data or indicating service requirements.

[0109] The data processing system registers deviations from specified reference values ​​or empirical values ​​and / or its own operating data, for example, regarding the usual flow times associated with a urinal flush or the amount of liquid flowing out during a flush. In the event of deviations, the data processing system can trigger at least one action to prevent the cause of the respective deviation. In addition to the operating data of an individual HF motion sensor, the data processing system can use data from other sensors or from a building control system. For example, break times in a public facility, such as a theater or sports venue, or the opening hours of a building can be taken into account.

[0110] One possible action that can be triggered by the data processing system to avoid a fault in the urinal system is, in particular, adjusting the opening time and / or the opening position and / or the opening frequency of the inlet valve and / or issuing an error message and / or a service message.

[0111] The inlet valve can, for example, be a solenoid valve with a defined opening time and / or opening position and / or opening frequency, which is controlled by the urinal control.

[0112] As explained above, a completely blocked urinal drain causes fluid to accumulate in the urinal bowl. Since the at least one HF motion sensor typically cannot penetrate the fluid, it no longer detects water flow once the sensor area of ​​the urinal bowl is completely filled with fluid. If the at least one flow sensor in the fluid inlet simultaneously reports water flow and thus a completed flush, the data processing system detects a possible blockage and does not trigger a further flush, i.e., the inlet valve does not reopen. Furthermore, an error and / or service message can be sent immediately.

[0113] Sensory detection of a complete blockage is also possible by distinguishing between a urinal bowl that is completely filled with liquid, or up to a certain mark, and an empty urinal with a regular water level in the siphon. Such a distinction can be made by analyzing the signal from the RF motion sensor. As already explained above, the distance and / or material properties of the reflecting, standing liquid in the vicinity of the sensor result in a change in the phase position of the reflected signal from the RF motion sensor. This leads to a shift in the offset voltage of the RF motion sensor and thus to changed signal levels, which in turn can be detected by the data processing system.

[0114] Alternatively, the detection of the stagnant liquid can be performed using another sensor method. In particular, another RF sensor method suitable for detecting static objects can be used, for example, using at least one frequency-modulated continuous wave radar (FMCW), at least one capacitive sensor, and / or at least one other suitable sensor or sensor system.

[0115] If the urinal system initially becomes clogged, the HF motion sensor in the urinal system according to the invention registers at least one delayed drain time over a longer period. Thus, in the case of a partial blockage, the same amount of flush water would require a longer drain time than in the case of no blockage. If the data processing system detects such a deviation from empirical and / or reference values, it triggers at least one action to prevent further deviations. Such an action can be the generation of an error and / or service message and / or the prevention of further flushing processes.

[0116] If there is a pressure fluctuation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system, for example due to improper installation such as inadequate venting of the wastewater line, severe pressure fluctuations occur during a flush. These can, in turn, lead to fluctuating water levels in the siphon and even the siphon draining. If such a fluctuation is detected as movement by the at least one HF motion sensor, incorrect flushes can be triggered. Preferably, the data processing system recognizes movement triggered by a fluctuating water level as such and does not trigger a new flush. One possible action is to issue an error and / or service message and / or to prevent a new flush. Such an erroneous movement signal can be detected by analyzing the signal curve of the usual sensor signals based on empirical values ​​and / or guideline values.This should swing out during a regular flushing process.

[0117] A defect in the fluid supply can lead to various scenarios. For example, the at least one HF motion sensor may no longer detect any movement if the valve does not open and no fluid flows. The at least one HF motion sensor may also detect continuous movement if the valve does not close completely. Furthermore, it is possible that the at least one HF motion sensor may detect a reduced fluid flow if the valve only opens incompletely and only a reduced amount of water is released during the flushing process. The action triggered by the data processing system is advantageously the generation of an error and / or service message.

[0118] If the at least one HF motion sensor registers a permanent liquid flow, the water supply of the urinal system according to the invention can be interrupted by controlling a shut-off valve, preferably via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh.

[0119] Advantageously, the urinal control system triggers the at least one HF motion sensor with pulses either continuously or at a certain predetermined interval. If at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors fails, the lack of response to the pulses is detected and an error and / or service message is issued.

[0120] The data processing system is preferably designed to recognize a predefined urinal usage situation and / or frequency on the basis of the evaluated data and, based thereon, to adapt an opening time and / or an opening position and / or an opening frequency of the inlet valve to this in at least one subsequent urinal flushing process.

[0121] This can advantageously be used, for example, to identify peak usage times and activate appropriate and effective water-saving programs for the respective situation. For example, a flush interval and / or flush volume can be adjusted to a predicted number of users of the urinal system, and a cleaning flush can be triggered at appropriate times with a higher flush volume than a regular flush.

[0122] The urinal system according to the invention preferably has an error and / or service message output unit coupled to the data processing system. In the event of an error detected by the data processing system, the error and / or service message output unit is instructed to issue an error message and / or a service message, thereby advantageously significantly shortening the time until the error is detected by a user and / or a service employee.

[0123] In an advantageous embodiment, the data processing system has at least one data processing block that has machine learning and / or an artificial neural network and / or an expert system.

[0124] By using the data processing block comprising at least one machine learning and / or artificial neural network and / or expert system, the data processing system of the urinal system according to the invention is advantageously capable of making intelligent decisions based on its own operating data and additional data from other sensors or from a building control system. In this way, for example, water consumption and / or comfort for the user(s) can be optimized, and the amount of human intervention required, for example, for maintenance of the urinal system, can be reduced.

[0125] The implementation of AI algorithms, i.e., algorithms using artificial intelligence, preferably takes place directly in at least one of the at least one RF motion sensor, as a so-called "embedded AI." Preferably, at least one microcontroller connected to the RF motion sensor has the necessary resources, such as a suitably large memory, appropriate computing power, and / or the availability of other suitable tools.

[0126] The object is further achieved by a water consumer system with a urinal system according to the invention, wherein according to the invention the water consumer system has, in addition to the urinal system, at least one further water consumer on which at least one further sensor is provided, wherein the data processing system is coupled to the at least one further sensor and is designed to also computationally evaluate the data detected by the at least one further sensor and received by the data processing system and to include them in the error detection and / or avoidance.

[0127] The water consumer system according to the invention can comprise a urinal system or a plurality of urinal systems, wherein the urinal system or urinal systems can each comprise a urinal bowl or a plurality of urinal bowls.

[0128] The at least one further water consumer is preferably a washbasin or a toilet or at least one further urinal system.

[0129] The at least one further sensor can be at least one infrared motion or proximity sensor, at least one capacitive motion or proximity sensor, at least one contactless push plate, at least one temperature sensor, and / or at least one RF motion or proximity sensor. For example, the at least one temperature sensor can also be used to detect toilet or urinal use by detecting a temperature change caused by urine flow in a toilet or urinal.

[0130] The at least one additional sensor can also be used independently of the urinal system, for example, to detect a blockage in the at least one additional water consumer, such as a washbasin or toilet. In this case, it is possible, but not necessary, for the respective additional water consumer to be controlled by the at least one additional sensor.

[0131] Furthermore, it is possible to use the at least one further sensor to inform the urinal control of the urinal system of the water consumer system according to the invention that, for example, a toilet located in an adjacent room is being flushed, whereby, for example, a slight pressure fluctuation transmitted to the urinal control by means of a pressure sensor can be attributed to this flushing process.

[0132] For example, the at least one additional sensor, in relation to the additional water consumer at which it is provided, can also simply be a blockage sensor that detects a blockage in the respective water consumer. However, such a blockage can be reported by the at least one additional sensor to the urinal control and / or to at least one additional control of one of the other water consumers.

[0133] The at least one further sensor can be arranged at the outlet of the further water consumer, but also at another position.

[0134] According to the invention, the data acquired by the at least one additional sensor at the at least one additional water consumer can be transmitted to the data processing system and / or the urinal control system. This informs the data processing system and / or the urinal control system that, for example, a toilet is flushing and that pressure fluctuations may occur in the drain and / or the sewage system.

[0135] With the help of at least one additional sensor, interactions in the water consumption system can also be detected, which can influence the urinal control. For example, as mentioned above, flushing a toilet or another urinal can lead to pressure fluctuations in the urinal drain of the urinal system. Accordingly, an incorrect flush in the urinal system can be prevented. This applies accordingly to other usage situations that can be detected using additional data from the additional sensor.

[0136] If a pressure fluctuation occurs in a wastewater system connected to the water consumer system, for example, due to improper installation, such as inadequate venting of the wastewater line, severe pressure fluctuations occur during a flushing process, which can lead to fluctuating water levels in the siphon(s) of the urinal system(s) and / or at least one other water consumer in the water consumer system, even to the point of draining. If such a fluctuation is detected as movement by at least one of the at least one HF motion sensors, incorrect flushing can be triggered.

[0137] Preferably, the data processing system recognizes movement triggered by a fluctuating water level as such and does not trigger a repeat flush. Possible actions include issuing an error and / or service message and / or preventing a repeat flush. Such an erroneous movement signal can be detected by analyzing the signal profile of the usual sensor signals based on empirical values ​​and / or reference values. This signal profile may oscillate during a regular flush. Furthermore, data from other motion sensors within the water consumer system can be evaluated, relating the time of flushing of other urinals or toilets to the signal from the HF motion sensor of the respective urinal system.

[0138] Preferably, the water consumers and the urinal system are connected via a meshed and / or wireless local data transmission network.

[0139] Particularly preferably, this connection and the resulting communication between the water consumers and the urinal system is based on a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh. This form of connection advantageously enables communication between the water consumer system and a mobile device, which offers the advantage of simplified operation as well as simple configuration and diagnostic options. It is also advantageous if communication between the water consumer system and a building control system is enabled via a cloud or a building management system, which particularly simplifies querying operating data or indicating service requirements.Another advantage of data transmission via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh, is that it enables communication with other sensor products either directly in the network or indirectly via at least one gateway.

[0140] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and associated figures, without being limited to these.

[0141] Showing: Figure 1: a schematic view of an embodiment of a urinal system according to the invention during a flushing process; Figure 2: a schematic view of an embodiment of a urinal system according to the invention with a completely blocked urinal drain; Figure 3: a flow diagram of a water pressure-adjusted flush control of a urinal system according to the invention; Figure 4: a flow diagram for detecting a reaction to a blockage of an embodiment of a urinal system according to the invention; Figure 5: a flow diagram for valve diagnostics on an embodiment of a urinal system according to the invention; Figure 6: a flow diagram for water saving on an embodiment of a urinal system according to the invention.

[0142] In Figure 1 a schematic view of an embodiment of a urinal system 10 according to the invention during a flushing process is shown.

[0143] The urinal system 10 has a urinal bowl 1 with a liquid inlet 2 and a urinal outlet 4.

[0144] An inlet valve 3 is provided at the liquid inlet 2, which can be used to open or close the liquid inlet 2. When the inlet valve 3 is open, flush water 6 flows from the liquid inlet 2 via the urinal bowl 1 to the urinal drain 4.

[0145] In the illustrated embodiment, an RF motion sensor 5 is attached to the rear of the urinal bowl 1. In other embodiments of the present invention, multiple RF motion sensors 5 can also be provided on the urinal bowl 1 and / or on the urinal outlet 4.

[0146] The HF motion sensor 5 is aligned such that its detection field 7 lies inside the urinal bowl 1. The HF motion sensor 5 is thus able to register the movement of flowing flush water 6 as soon as it passes through the detection field 7 of the HF motion sensor 5.

[0147] The data recorded by the HF motion sensor 5 are transmitted to a data processing system 9 of a urinal control 8 of the urinal system 10 and evaluated by it. The data processing system 9 is in the Figure 1 In the embodiment shown, the microcontroller is integrated into the urinal control 8, but in other embodiments of the invention, it can also be provided separately from the urinal control 8 and, for example, be a cloud or a gateway. In the embodiment shown, the data processing system 9 is coupled to an error and / or service message output unit 11.

[0148] If at least one error in the urinal system 10 is detected based on this transmitted data, the data processing system 9 can trigger at least one corresponding action to prevent the at least one error. Such an action can, for example, be preventing the inlet valve 3 from reopening and / or sending an error and / or service message to the error and / or service message output unit 11.

[0149] In the liquid inlet 2, in the Figure 1 In the embodiment of the invention shown, a pressure sensor 12 is arranged. In other embodiments of the present invention, a flow sensor can also be arranged instead of the pressure sensor 12 or in addition to the pressure sensor 12. Furthermore, several pressure sensors 12 and / or flow sensors can also be arranged along the course of the liquid inlet 2.

[0150] In the urinal system 10, urine flows through the inside of the urinal bowl 1, typically made of ceramic, into the urinal drain 4. The flowing liquid, i.e., the urine, is detected by the HF motion sensor 5. The HF motion sensor 5 sends a corresponding signal to the urinal control 8, which, upon detecting a certain amount of liquid movement within a defined time, opens the inlet valve 3 in the liquid supply line 2 for a specific time, thus triggering a flush of the urinal.

[0151] For example, for a flushing cycle, inlet valve 3, which is a solenoid valve, is opened for approximately 2 to 8 seconds, depending on the set flush volume. After inlet valve 3 closes, water continues to flow for a certain period of time, due to various effects: hydraulic delay of the inlet valve 3, which is typically in the order of 1 to 2 seconds, and / or slow flow of liquid from hoses or pipes between the inlet valve 3 and the urinal inlet and / or a water reservoir, which can occur over a longer period of up to 30 seconds, and / or slow flow of liquid from the ceramic surface of the urinal bowl 1, which can occur over a period of 5 to 10 seconds, and / or slow flow of liquid due to a partially blocked urinal drain 4, which leads to a longer observation of the flow of liquid by the at least one HF motion sensor 5.

[0152] Because, in the present invention, movement data detected by the at least one HF movement sensor 5 is transmitted continuously or in stages to the urinal control 8, a typical behavior is learned according to the invention by the data processing system 9 connected to the urinal control 8 or integrated therein, wherein deviations from normal operation, such as an incipient blockage due to a slowly increasing drainage time of liquid at the urinal system 10, are detected by a trend analysis also performed by the data processing system 9. In this case, ambient conditions, such as cleaning processes on the urinal system 10 and / or a water pressure detected in the liquid supply line 2, can also be taken into account in the present invention.

[0153] Figure 2 shows a schematic view of a Figure 1designed urinal system 10 with completely blocked urinal drain 4. In the urinal bowl 1 there is a liquid 13 above the blocked urinal drain 4. The Figure 1 The detection area 7 of the HF motion sensor 5 shown in Figure 2 shown state completely covered with the liquid 13.

[0154] Since the HF motion sensor 5 cannot penetrate the liquid 13, it does not register any movement of impinging urine and thus also no use of the urinal. The data processing system 9 therefore does not trigger the opening of the inlet valve 3 of the liquid inlet 2. In addition to preventing the inlet valve 3 from opening again, a blockage can be reported to a mobile device or building control system.

[0155] In Figure 3 is a flow diagram of a water pressure-adjusted flush control of an embodiment of a urinal system 10 according to the invention, which is similar to that in Figure 1 and2 can be formed, which is why the following refers to the Figure 1 and 2 reference symbols used.

[0156] The urinal control 8 is coupled to at least one HF motion sensor 5 for detecting use of the urinal system 10 and at least one actuator for triggering a flush. The at least one actuator is an inlet valve 3, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a solenoid valve. Usage data is recorded by the urinal control 8, among other things, via the at least one HF motion sensor 5. Based on this data, the urinal control 8 determines, for example, the water consumption of the urinal system 10, usage statistics, and / or a temporal progression of a usage process. For example, the urinal control 8 counts flushes, multiplies these by the respective flush volume, and, if necessary, includes pressure and / or flow values.

[0157] In the water supply area of ​​the urinal system 10, parameters such as water pressure and / or flow rate are recorded as operating data of the water supply. For this purpose, at least one pressure sensor 12 and / or at least one flow sensor are arranged in the liquid inlet 2.

[0158] The usage data recorded by the urinal control system 8 and the operating data of the water supply are transmitted to the data processing system 9 and used for computational analysis. The computational analysis is performed using AI algorithms and / or modeling.

[0159] The data processing system 9 analyzes pressure and flow. Overpressure or underpressure, pressure fluctuations, pressure spikes, and other water supply problems are detected, and trends are identified. Furthermore, the data processing system 9 establishes a link with the usage data of the urinal system 10.

[0160] In the event of critical pressure conditions, such as overpressure or underpressure, an error and / or service notification is sent to the building operator(s), an installer, a building management system, a cloud, and / or the responsible water supplier. A warning or alarm can also be triggered.

[0161] Under normal pressure conditions, the urinal control 8 regulates the flush volume at the urinal system 10. A flush time at the urinal system 10 is adjusted to a detected water pressure or flow rate, taking fluctuations and trends into account. The goal is to flush the urinal system 10 correctly, i.e., as completely as possible. Adjusting the flush time also adjusts the operating parameters of the urinal system 10, which are then transmitted to the urinal control 8.

[0162] Figure 4 shows a flow diagram for detecting and reacting to a blockage of an embodiment of a urinal system 10 according to the invention. Here too, the same reference numerals are used as above, with reference to the above description.

[0163] The urinal control 8 is coupled to at least one HF motion sensor 5 for detecting various parameters and to at least one actuator for triggering a flush. The parameters detected by the at least one HF motion sensor 5 are urinal use, flowing flush water 6, drainage behavior and speed, and liquid 13 in the urinal bowl 1 in the form of stagnant water.

[0164] The at least one actuator here is an inlet valve 3, which in the embodiment shown is designed as a solenoid valve.

[0165] Usage data and sensor data are recorded by the urinal control system 8. The usage data includes, for example, the water consumption of the urinal system 10, usage statistics, or the temporal progression of a usage process. The sensor data includes the flush water flow, the drainage velocity, and / or a blockage and / or liquid 13 present in the urinal bowl 1, such as stagnant water.

[0166] In the water supply area of ​​the urinal system 10, parameters such as water pressure, flow rate, water quality, and / or water temperature are recorded as operating data of the water supply. For this purpose, at least one pressure sensor 12 and / or at least one flow sensor and / or at least one temperature sensor are arranged in the liquid inlet 2. Data relating to water quality relate, for example, to the lime content of the water.

[0167] In the area of ​​a wastewater pipe connected to the urinal drain 4, the flow velocity and / or a possible blockage are recorded as operating data of the wastewater pipe.

[0168] The usage data and sensor data from the urinal control system 8, the operating data from the water supply, and the operating data from the wastewater line are then analyzed using AI algorithms. This includes analyzing the drainage behavior, performing a trend analysis to detect changes, detecting existing and incipient blockages, detecting a decrease in drainage performance, and / or identifying service needs.

[0169] If the urinal system 10 is completely blocked, liquid accumulates in the urinal bowl 1, as shown schematically in Figure 2 can be seen. If the Figure 1If the detection area 7 of the HF motion sensor 5 shown in the urinal bowl 1 is filled with liquid, the HF motion sensor 5 no longer detects any liquid flow because the HF signal of the HF motion sensor 5 typically cannot penetrate the stagnant liquid 13. In this situation, no uses are detected, and if the urinal is completely blocked, no flushes are detected either.

[0170] With the present invention, this effect can be detected in a timely manner. Due to the gradually increasing run-on time of fluid at the urinal system 10, the trend analysis performed by the data processing system 9 determines that a blockage is incipient. Environmental conditions such as water pressure, cleaning, and any flushing of other fixtures, etc., can be taken into account when evaluating the run-on time.

[0171] If a blockage, an incipient blockage, or a decreasing drainage capacity is detected in the urinal system 10, the urinal control system 8 and / or the data processing system 9 sends an error and / or service message to the building operator(s), a plumber, a building management system, and / or a cloud. The drain should then be checked and, if necessary, a siphon in the urinal system 10 replaced.

[0172] If neither a blockage nor an incipient blockage or a decreasing drainage capacity is detected, the settings of the urinal system 10 may be adjusted, such as an adjustment of the flush time or an adjustment of the flush interval. Adjusting the flush time and / or the flush interval results in an adjustment of the operating parameters, which are then transmitted to the urinal control system.

[0173] Figure 5is a flow diagram for valve diagnosis on an inlet valve 3 of an embodiment of a urinal system 10 according to the invention, which corresponds to or is similar to that shown in the Figure 1 and 2 which is referred to below.

[0174] In the Figure 5 In the method illustrated and carried out on the urinal system 10, operating parameters are recorded and / or stored continuously or at predetermined time intervals by the urinal control 8 of the urinal system 10. Such operating parameters can, for example, also be operating parameters initiated by the urinal control 8 itself, such as a flushing time at one or more urinals of the urinal system 10 and / or actions performed on the urinal system 10, such as the opening and / or closing of at least one inlet valve 3 of the urinal system 10.

[0175] The urinal control 8 is coupled to at least one HF motion sensor 5 arranged on the urinal bowl 1 and / or the urinal outlet 4. The urinal control 8 can also form a structural unit with the at least one HF motion sensor 5.

[0176] The at least one HF motion sensor 5, together with the urinal control 8, detects, for example, urinal use and / or flowing flush water 6 and / or drainage behavior at a urinal and / or drainage speed at the urinal and / or liquid 13, such as stagnant water, in the urinal bowl 1.

[0177] Furthermore, as already mentioned above, actions carried out on the inlet valve 3, such as triggering a flush and its duration, are recorded and / or stored by the urinal control 8, which is also coupled to at least one inlet valve 3 provided in the liquid inlet 2 and can control this.

[0178] The data recorded and / or stored by the urinal control 8 can be divided into usage data and sensor data.

[0179] The usage data may include data on the water consumption of the urinal system 10 and / or on the usage statistics of the urinal system 10 and / or on the temporal course of uses of the urinal system 10.

[0180] The sensor data may include data on the flush water flow at the urinal system 10 and / or the outflow velocity at the urinal system 10 and / or a blockage at the urinal system 10 and / or the presence of stagnant water in the urinal bowl 1 and / or a current flow at the inlet valve 3.

[0181] In addition, operating data from a water supply connected to the urinal system 10 and / or from an environment of the urinal system 10 are recorded at the urinal system 10. Such operating data can be, for example, a water pressure recorded by the pressure sensor 12 provided in the liquid supply line 2 and / or a water flow recorded in the liquid supply line and / or data on the water quality, such as a lime content, of the water supplied to the urinal system 10 and / or on the water temperature of the water supplied to the urinal system 10.

[0182] The usage data, the sensor data, and the operating data are processed by the data processing system 9. The data processing system 9 operates using artificial intelligence (AI) methods and based on modeling.

[0183] The following processes, individually or in combination, can be carried out in the data processing system 9 based on an analysis of the sensor data, the usage data and the operating data of the water supply: Analysis of pressure and / or flow rate during a flushing process on the urinal system 10 Analysis of a water flow during a flushing process on the urinal system 10 Analysis of a drainage behavior on the urinal system 10 Trend analysis Detection of changes on the urinal system 10 Detection of at least one valve error, based on a failure to open or close, on the inlet valve 3 Detection of insufficient flow rate on the urinal system 10 Analysis of a power consumption on the inlet valve 3 to detect electrical valve errors and / or to draw conclusions about a water flow in the inlet valve 3.

[0184] If at least one of these processes results in the detection of a valve fault on the inlet valve 3, the data processing system 9 triggers at least one step to limit the damage.

[0185] Such a step can, for example, be triggering a repeated valve closing process on the inlet valve 3 and / or preventing further opening of the inlet valve 3, for example, until the next service appointment and / or adjusting a flushing time of the urinal system 10 to a detected flow of liquid through the liquid supply line 2. The step(s) taken to limit damage are recorded as control data in the operating parameters of the urinal system 10 mentioned above, stored by the urinal control 8, and included in further analyses by the data processing system 9.

[0186] Additionally or alternatively, the data processing system 9 can send at least one message to a device operator, an installer, a building management system, and / or a cloud. This message can contain information and / or data regarding the presence of a blockage and / or other malfunction in the urinal system 10. The message can also contain specific instructions, such as instructions for clearing the blockage and / or checking the drain and / or replacing a siphon on the urinal system 10.

[0187] Furthermore, the data processing system 9 preferably transmits a signal to a main shut-off valve, on the basis of which the water supply to the urinal system 10 is shut off if the inlet valve 3 does not close.

[0188] Figure 6shows a flow diagram of processes in an embodiment of a urinal system 10 according to the invention, which can be used to save water. The urinal system 10 can, for example, be the one shown in the Figure 1 and 2 shown urinal system 10, to which reference is made below, or a similar urinal system may be used.

[0189] In the Figure 6In the method shown and carried out on the urinal system 10, operating parameters of the urinal system 10 are recorded and / or stored by a urinal control 8 continuously or at predetermined time intervals.Such operating parameters can be, for example, a flush volume at one or more urinals of the urinal system 10 and / or a sensitivity of at least one sensor used on the urinal system 10 and / or a maximum running time of the urinal system 10 and / or a flow through the urinal system 10 and / or a hybrid mode of the urinal system 10 and / or a water-saving program set on the urinal system 10 and / or actions performed on the urinal system 10, such as the opening and / or closing of at least one inlet valve 3 of the urinal system 10 and / or a cleaning lock and / or a switching off of a water supply to the urinal system 10 and / or performing a thermal disinfection on the urinal system 10 and / or activating a lighting on the urinal system 10 and / or other product-specific actions on the urinal system 10.

[0190] The recorded and / or stored operating parameters and actions are processed in a data processing system 9.

[0191] The urinal control 8 is coupled to at least one HF motion sensor 5 for detecting use of the urinal system 10 and the inlet valve 3 for flushing, which may be a solenoid valve, for example.

[0192] The urinal control 8 is in the embodiment shown, unlike in the Figure 1 and 2 , connected to the data processing system 9 which is designed separately from the urinal control 8 and which, in other embodiments of the invention, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, can also be a component of the urinal control 8.

[0193] From the urinal control 8, in the Figure 6In the exemplary embodiment shown, operating data, which may include, for example, data on water consumption of the urinal system 10, flow data, data on water pressure at the urinal system 10, data on a temporal profile of water consumption, flow and / or water pressure at the urinal system 10 and / or on the user frequency of the urinal system 10, are transmitted to the data processing system 9.

[0194] In the example of Figure 6 become Operating data from a water supply of the urinal system 10, which may include data on water pressure, flow rate, and / or their respective temporal progression, and / or operating data from another building technology system, such as a lighting control system and / or a door control system, which may include, for example, access data from door controls and / or data from motion or presence detectors of the lighting control system, and / or user data from users using the urinal system 10 and / or the building in which the urinal system 10 is located, such as data on presence, age, gender, mood, and / or user feedback from users, and / or data from other data sources, such as at least one timetable, at least one flight schedule, at least one cleaning schedule, at least one game schedule, opening hours, and / or data from at least one weather forecast, from which forecast data is created in addition to the operating data from the urinal control 8 to the data processing system 9.

[0195] The data processing system 9 uses artificial intelligence algorithms and at least one modeling system to further process the transmitted data.

[0196] In the Figure 6 In the embodiment shown, the data processing system 9 creates an operating model by establishing a correlation between the operating data transmitted from the different sources, establishing interactions between different elements, such as between the water supply and water consumers of a water consumer system into which the urinal system 10 is integrated, and recognizing and predicting usage scenarios.

[0197] Such usage scenarios can, for example, be classified by the data processing system 9 into normal operation with occasional use of the urinal system 10, a temporarily high frequency of use of the urinal system 10, such as during a break in a theater, a rest period during which the urinal system 10 is not used, a cleaning or service operation, or other application-specific scenarios.

[0198] Preferably, the data processing system 9 already contains a basic model of the installation to describe the water supply, the water consumers of the water consumption system, the other building technology, the influence of the forecast data, the users, and the interactions between these elements. This model can preferably be continuously or gradually developed and thereby improved by the data processing system 9.

[0199] From the operating model and the basic model, decisions and / or suggestions are preferably created by the data processing system 9, which, for example, relate to or include a prediction of usage situations and / or an optimization of the operating parameters, such as an optimization of the consumption of water and / or other consumables of the urinal system 10 or the water consumer system, an optimization of the user experience of users of the urinal system 10 or the water consumer system and / or a service optimization at the urinal system 10 or the water consumer system and / or a triggering of actions at the urinal system 10 or the water consumer system and / or an output of at least one item of information to users and / or a building management and / or an installer.

[0200] The decisions and / or suggestions are recorded as control data in the operating parameters of the urinal system 10 mentioned above, stored by the urinal control 8 and included in further analyses by the data processing system 9.

[0201] The embodiments explained above can also be combined with each other.

[0202] With the present invention, errors in the at least one RF motion sensor 5 can also be detected. Different errors in the RF motion sensor 5 can sometimes lead to the same or similar effects. For example, if the RF motion sensor 5 does not detect flowing flush water during a flush, this can be due to the following reasons: Complete blockage, whereby the HF motion sensor 5 does not detect any movement because it is "blind", defect in the inlet valve 3 or electronic defect, whereby the inlet valve 3 does not open, fault in the water supply or no water supply to the urinal.

[0203] A distinction between these situations can be made in the data processing system 9 by combining the signals of the RF motion sensor 5 with one or more of the following additional information: at least one pressure sensor 12 in the liquid supply line 2 detects whether the water supply is intact, at least one flow sensor in or on the liquid supply line 2 detects, independently of the at least one HF motion sensor 5, whether water is flowing, information from further sensors as to whether other sensors have detected a fault in the water supply, plausibility / learning of typical signal curves (e.g. a complete blockage is unlikely immediately after detection of use) sensory detection of a complete blockage.

[0204] The corresponding situations can be recognized and differentiated from one another in the data processing system 9 on the basis of typical signal curves in connection with data from other sensors with the aid of a classifier and using artificial intelligence methods.

[0205] By combining data from different sources and methods of artificial intelligence, the invention enables functions that are not possible with a conventional sensor or are only possible through human decisions and human intervention.

[0206] For example, the present invention enables the following applications: For example, a) flush volume control and / or a pressure warning are possible as follows: A urinal system 10 is flushed by opening an inlet valve 3 for a defined time. The flush time is generally set so that, at a defined water pressure (nominal pressure, usually 3 bar), a desired amount of water (flush volume) flows into the urinal bowl 1. The actual flush volume depends on the actual water pressure and can deviate significantly from the desired flush volume.

[0207] An insufficient flush volume can lead to increased urine scale formation or bacterial growth in the siphon or drainpipe due to insufficient flushing of the urinal system 10's siphon, resulting in blockage. An excessive flush volume unnecessarily increases water consumption.

[0208] With low water pressure, even extending the flushing time may not be able to adequately flush the siphon. This can lead to rapid blockage.

[0209] By networking the urinal flushing system, for example via a wireless or meshed data transmission network, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh, with the pressure sensor 12 or a flow sensor or by directly integrating the pressure sensor 12 or a flow sensor into the urinal flushing system of the urinal system 10, the flushing time can be adjusted depending on the actual water pressure or flow and thus the flushing volume can be set much more precisely (flush volume control).

[0210] If a certain minimum water pressure or flow is not reached for a certain period of time, a diagnostic message can be triggered to inform a responsible person about the increased risk of blockage and to initiate appropriate measures.

[0211] Furthermore, b) a blockage or risk of blockage can be detected and reported as follows: In the event of a complete or partial blockage of the urinal drain 4, fluid accumulates in the urinal bowl. In this situation, the at least one HF motion sensor 5 does not detect any use, and the urinal control 8 does not initiate any flushing until the blockage is cleared. This situation is generally only detected by users or cleaning staff when the blockage is complete, and then leads to complaints and / or service calls.

[0212] The at least one HF motion sensor 5, in combination with the urinal control 8 and the associated data processing system 9, evaluates the flow and drainage behavior of the urinal system 10 during and after a flush. Thus, if "no drainage" is detected, it is recognized that a complete blockage may be present, and if "changed drainage behavior" is detected, it is recognized that an incipient blockage may be present. A trend analysis performed in the data processing system 9, which is carried out over a longer period of time, can thus predict the onset of a blockage in a timely manner.

[0213] A complete blockage of one or more urinals of the urinal system 10 can also be detected sensorily by evaluating sensor signals from at least one HF motion sensor 5 or another sensor, as explained above under point a).

[0214] To assess the risk of blockage, the data processing system 9 can use additional data, if available, such as water quality, such as the lime content in the water, the flow velocity in the sewer network, information on the gradient of sewer pipes, or even the respective temperature. All of these factors can influence, for example, the formation of urine scale and bacterial growth and thus the risk of blockage.

[0215] If a complete or partial blockage is detected, a diagnostic message can be output by means of the data processing system 9.

[0216] In addition, it is possible to perform an extended valve diagnosis on the urinal system 10 as follows: For flushing in urinals and other electronic products in the water sector, inlet valves 3 in the form of solenoid valves are used to control the water flow. As electronic components, solenoid valves are always a weak point in the system due to their limited service life, for example, due to contamination. Defective solenoid valves can lead to the malfunction of the urinal system 10 by not flushing, or to the continuous operation of the urinal system 10 by failing to perform a closing function.

[0217] The present invention, however, enables a valve diagnosis on the inlet valve 3.

[0218] The at least one HF motion sensor 5 can detect the flowing and draining liquid during a flush. Thus, the urinal system 10 according to the invention can detect whether water is flowing during a flush and whether the water flow is stopped again after the flush. By combining this with data from other networked sensors, such as pressure sensor(s) 12 and / or flow sensor(s) in the liquid supply line 2 and / or detection of the flow behavior in the drain of the urinal system 10, embodiments of the present invention can distinguish a valve defect from situations such as use directly after a flush, cleaning, a shut-off water supply, and others. For this purpose, rules and methods of artificial intelligence, such as learning typical usage situations, can be used by the data processing system 9.

[0219] If a valve fault is detected, a diagnostic message can be triggered by the data processing system 9. If the fault results in a continuous water flow, the water supply to the affected area, e.g., a room, can be shut off in conjunction with a main shutoff valve, for example, via a wireless or meshed data transmission network 14, such as Bluetooth or Bluetooth mesh.

[0220] Finally, d) the present invention opens up the possibility of a usage profile analysis proceeding as follows and / or the application of the water-saving algorithms described as follows: A standard function of urinal sensors in the prior art is a flush after each use of the urinal. For installations with high user frequency, such as in public buildings, stadiums, etc., water-saving programs can be implemented in known sanitary products that reduce the number of flushes in certain operating situations. The rigid regulations of these operating modes mean that these programs are not effective in many installations because, for example, the criteria for a stadium mode are not met despite high user frequency, or the operating comfort is unnecessarily restricted, so that, for example, fewer flushes are carried out despite low user frequency.

[0221] However, in the present invention, an analysis of the actual usage profile of a urinal system 10 is carried out. In doing so, typical usage scenarios of the urinal system 10 are recognized over a longer period of time, times of high usage of the urinal system 10 are identified, and suitable and effective water-saving programs are activated for the respective situation.

[0222] In addition to the operating data of the at least one HF motion sensor 5, the analysis of the usage profiles can also include further data from other products, e.g., data from other sanitary products in the room that provide a measure of the room's frequency of use, plans / opening times of a building, performance schedules of a theater, and / or flight schedules of an airport, etc., in order to predict peak usage times and activate water-saving programs tailored to the respective situation. Thus, a flush interval and flush volume can be adjusted to the expected number of users, and a cleaning flush with a high flush volume can be triggered at appropriate times.

[0223] Although intervention by the respective user or building operator is possible in principle, it is not necessary for the function of the present invention.

[0224] With the help of the present invention, it is also possible to optimize cleaning cycles of the urinal system 10. For example, consumables such as soap or towels can be refilled before an expected period of use, and cleaning can be performed after a period of use.

Claims

1. Method for operating a urinal system (10) with a urinal bowl (1), a liquid inlet (2) with an inlet valve (3), a urinal outlet (4), at least one HF motion sensor (5) provided on the urinal bowl (1) and / or the urinal outlet (4), and a urinal control (8) coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor (5) and the inlet valve (3), by means of which urinal control (8) the inlet valve (3) is opened for a predetermined time when draining liquid is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor (5), wherein a liquid pressure is detected with at least one pressure sensor (12) or a liquid flow is detected with at least one flow sensor in the liquid inlet (2), and the urinal control (8) comprises a data processing system (9) or is connected to a data processing system (9) which queries and receives data detected at least by the at least one HF motion sensor (5) and the at least one pressure sensor (12) or the at least one flow sensor, evaluates them computationally and, on the basis of the evaluated data, recognizes when at least one of the following errors is present and triggers at least one action to avoid at least one of the following errors: - that the urinal outlet (4) is blocked or - that there is a pressure variation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system (10) or - that there is a falling below of a minimum pressure value or an exceedence of a maximum pressure value in the liquid inlet (2) or - that the liquid inlet (2) and / or the inlet valve (3) is defective or - that there is a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data processing system (9) recognizes that the urinal outlet (4) is partially blocked or the liquid inlet (2) is defective if, despite the inlet valve (3) being open, it is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor (5) that liquid is draining from the urinal bowl (1) with a time delay.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the data processing system (9) recognizes whether the urinal outlet (4) is partially blocked or the liquid inlet (2) is defective if, despite the inlet valve (3) being open and the liquid pressure detected by the at least one pressure sensor (12) or the liquid flow detected by the at least one flow sensor, the at least one HF motion sensor (5) detects that liquid is draining from the urinal bowl (1) with a time delay.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the urinal control (8) adapts the respective opening time of the inlet valve (3) to the respective liquid pressure or the respective liquid flow in the liquid inlet (2).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the data processing system (9) recognizes that the liquid inlet (2) is defective if the at least one HF motion sensor (5) detects no liquid flow or a permanent liquid flow or a liquid flow below a liquid flow threshold value.

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the urinal system (10) comprises an error and / or service message output unit (11) coupled to the data processing system (9), and the data processing system (9) outputs a service message to the error and / or service message output unit (11) when it recognizes at least one of the errors.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data processing system (9) recognizes that a pressure variation is present in the wastewater system connected to the urinal bowl (1) if a course of the data of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) results in a series of consecutive incorrect urinal flushing processes at the urinal system (10) or a signal pattern of the data of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) corresponds to a characteristic variation of the liquid level in the urinal outlet (4).

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that when the data processing system (9) recognizes that a pressure variation is present in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system (10), the urinal control (8) changes a sensitivity of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) or when a signal pattern of the data of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) corresponds to a characteristic variation in the liquid level in the urinal outlet (4), does not trigger a urinal flushing process.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the data processing system (9) comprises at least one data processing block which is machine learning and / or operates on the basis of an artificial neural network and / or is an expert system.

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the urinal system (10) is integrated into a water consumer system which, in addition to the urinal system (10), comprises at least one further water consumer at which at least one further sensor is provided, wherein the data processing system (9) is coupled to the at least one further sensor and likewise evaluates the data received from the at least one further sensor computationally, wherein at least one detected flushing time or blockage in an outlet or pressure variation in a wastewater system or defect in an inlet device of the at least one further water consumer is incorporated into the recognition of at least one of the errors.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the water consumers and the urinal system (10) communicate with each other via a meshed and / or a wireless local data transmission network (14).

12. Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) occurs when the data processing system (9) does not receive any data from at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) or the data received from the at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) by the data processing system (9) cannot be processed by the data processing system (9) or at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5) outputs at least one service signal.

13. Urinal system (10) with a urinal bowl (1), a liquid inlet (2) with an inlet valve (3), a urinal outlet (4), at least one HF motion sensor (5) provided on the urinal bowl (1) and / or the urinal outlet (4), and a urinal control (8) coupled to the at least one HF motion sensor (5) and the inlet valve (3), by means of which urinal control (8) the inlet valve (3) is opened for a predetermined time when draining liquid is detected by the at least one HF motion sensor (5), wherein the urinal system (10) further comprises at least one pressure sensor (12) or at least one liquid flow sensor in the liquid inlet (2) or is coupled to at least one pressure sensor (12) or at least one liquid flow sensor in the liquid inlet (2) via a meshed data transmission network (14), and the urinal control (8) comprises a data processing system (9) or is connected to a data processing system (9) of the urinal system (10) designed to query and receive data detected at least by the at least one HF motion sensor (5) and the at least one pressure sensor (12) or the at least one flow sensor, to evaluate said data computationally, and, on the basis of the evaluated data, to recognize at least one of the following errors, and is designed to trigger at least one action in order to avoid at least one of the following errors: - that the urinal outlet (4) is blocked or - that there is a pressure variation in a wastewater system connected to the urinal system (10) or - that there is a falling below of a minimum pressure value or an exceedence of a maximum pressure value in the liquid inlet (2) or - that the liquid inlet (2) and / or the inlet valve (3) is defective or - that there is a failure of at least one of the at least one HF motion sensor (5).

14. Urinal system according to claim 13, characterized in that the urinal system (10) comprises an error and / or service message output unit (11) coupled to the data processing system (9).

15. Urinal system according to one of claims 13 or 14, characterized in that the data processing system (9) comprises at least one data processing block which is machine learning and / or comprises an artificial neural network and / or comprises an expert system.

16. Water consumer system with a urinal system (10) according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that the water consumer system in addition to the urinal system (10) comprises at least one further water consumer at which at least one further sensor is provided, wherein the data processing system (9) is coupled to the at least one further sensor and is designed to likewise computationally evaluate the data detected by the at least one further sensor and received by the data processing system (9) and to include them in the error detection or avoidance process.

17. Water consumer system according to claim 16, characterized in that the water consumers and the urinal system (10) are connected to one another via a meshed and / or a wireless local data transmission network (14).