REPLACEMENT OF A SANITARY FACILITY

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for replacing a sanitary fixture. The present invention also relates to a gateway that carries out the method steps.

[0002] Sanitary fixtures such as toilets, urinals, washbasin fittings, shower and bathtub fittings, hygienic flush valves, and the like are known from the prior art. These fixtures offer extended functionality and, for example, allow configuration regarding operating parameters to be used. For this purpose, the aforementioned sanitary fixtures include electronic controls that implement this extended functionality.

[0003] If a sanitary fixture needs to be replaced, this may also mean that the electronic control system installed within it must be replaced as well. This is problematic because the electronic control system's memory stores values ​​for the sanitary fixture's operating parameters, which must be retained for continued use even after the fixture has been replaced with a device of the same design or type. To date, such a configuration of a replaced sanitary fixture cannot be automatically transferred to a new sanitary fixture, especially without the use of third-party devices (such as the smartphone of a plumber or service technician).

[0004] This is particularly disadvantageous in the case of a networked system comprising a large number of sanitary appliances, since a plumber or service technician carrying out the replacement would need to have access to the system in order to be able to transfer a configuration to the new sanitary appliance, i.e. to its electronic control system.

[0005] US 2015 / 244565 A1 discloses a method for configuring a network. CN 114 205 227 A relates to device synchronization for smart home devices using UWB. CN 108 964 994 A relates to replacing smart home devices. CN 114 448 783 A relates to replacing IoT devices.

[0006] Against this background, the object of the present invention is to provide a solution which enables a plumbing installer or service technician to continue to use an existing configuration for a sanitary facility acting as a replacement device without specific IT-related expertise, without access rights to a given system and without manually setting individual parameters.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method defined in the claims.

[0008] The above solution is based on the realization that if the gateway automatically saves the configurations of all sanitary fixtures connected to a gateway, when a sanitary fixture containing a corresponding electronic control system is replaced, neither access rights to the system into which the sanitary fixture is integrated nor an additional, particularly manual, work step are required. This drastically reduces the demands on the personnel performing the replacement, as specialist knowledge regarding the reconfiguration of a sanitary fixture serving as a repair replacement is no longer required.

[0009] According to the invention, the configuration of the sanitary facility is retained and saved when the sanitary facility was first assigned to the gateway. This ensures that a configuration of the facility is immediately available when it is initially integrated into an existing system.

[0010] Preferably, the configuration of the sanitary facility is retained and saved if at least one parameter of the configuration has been modified. This ensures that the gateway does not retain outdated information, which could potentially be used for a replacement device.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one parameter has been modified by the gateway. Thus, by changing the configuration of the sanitary facility, the gateway itself initiates the availability of a correspondingly updated version of the configuration.

[0012] Advantageously, the at least one parameter has been modified by a user device communicatively connected to the sanitary facility, in particular by an application of the same. In such a scenario, for example, a user device directly accesses the sanitary facility, e.g., via a wireless connection (such as Bluetooth). To ensure that changes to the configuration are recorded by the gateway for storage, it can further be provided that the gateway retrieves and saves the configuration of the sanitary facility at predefined intervals.

[0013] Preferably, an assignment to the gateway is given if the sanitary facility has been assigned a logical address, particularly during an initial enumeration. Since a logical address of a sanitary facility is always assigned by the gateway, this serves as an indicator that an assignment has already been made if a logical address of a sanitary facility exists.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises installing a firmware update on the second sanitary appliance and initiating a restart of the second sanitary appliance before installing the saved configuration on the second sanitary appliance. This has the advantage that, if a second sanitary appliance is equipped with outdated firmware and serves as a replacement device, an incompatible configuration of the replaced sanitary appliance can be prevented from being installed. For example, a firmware update can result in certain parameters of a configuration no longer being present and / or new parameters being added.

[0015] Advantageously, the sanitary fixture provided includes a toilet, a shower toilet, a urinal, a washbasin fitting, a shower or bathtub fitting, an odor extractor, a hygiene flush, an electronic cistern actuator, a hygiene flush unit, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a volume sensor, a mirror cabinet (which, for example, has functions related to ventilation, heating, surface heating, and / or facial or user recognition), a lighting unit, or an electronic control system included in one of the aforementioned devices. Particularly in the case of an arrangement of a plurality of similar sanitary fixtures (such as a plurality of urinals), the solution according to the invention allows for easy replacement of a single device.If the sanitary facility is one of the aforementioned sensors, it can also be provided that such a sensor is connected directly to the gateway, which simplifies the identification of a communicative disconnection and the identification of a replacement device.

[0016] The configuration preferably comprises a) product-specific parameters, in particular the type, physical location of the sanitary fixture, position within an arrangement with other sanitary fixtures, and assigned logical address; b) usage-specific parameters, in particular the number of days of use, the number of flushes, and the number of uses; and / or c) setting-specific parameters, in particular the flush time, run-on time, interval flush interval, interval flush flush time, surge flush interval, surge flush flush time, and cleaning time. For example, the color of a lighting fixture can also be provided as a setting-specific parameter if a sanitary fixture includes one or represents one itself.

[0017] According to the invention, a bus system, particularly via EIA-485 or RS-485, is provided for the communicative connection between the gateway and the sanitary facility. The use of a bus system is advantageous because it enables reliable communication.

[0018] Advantageously, an intermediate converter is provided to establish a communicative connection between the gateway and the sanitary facility. Such a converter enables devices to have a simpler and therefore more cost-effective communication interface. Nevertheless, communication via the bus system is possible, as one converter can be connected to a large number of devices, for example, up to five.

[0019] Preferably, an Inter Device Connection (IDC) is provided for the communicative connection between the converter and the sanitary device, particularly via communication via I 2 < C. This allows for comparatively low implementation effort on the part of the sanitary device.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises issuing a notification upon detection that the type of sanitary facility and the type of the second sanitary facility do not match. For example, the gateway itself can display such a notification on a display, issue an acoustic notification via a gateway speaker, or send a message, for example, by email, to an addressee stored in the gateway. Alternatively or additionally, provision can be made for a notification to be issued or displayed by a user device, in particular by means of an application thereof.

[0021] Furthermore, the above-mentioned object is achieved according to the invention by a gateway defined in the claims.

[0022] According to an alternative, but not claimed, embodiment, it can be provided that the gateway and the sanitary fixture to be replaced are communicatively connected to one another exclusively by means of a radio connection (e.g. via Bluetooth). In such a case, the method according to the invention can be carried out partially automatically by using a second sanitary fixture after the sanitary fixture has been taken out of service. A sanitary installer or service technician then presses a button provided on the gateway, which puts the gateway into a pairing process in which a connection can be established with new devices, such as the second sanitary fixture. A connection from the user device to the gateway is then established by means of an application provided on a user device, e.g. a smartphone, of the sanitary installer or service technician.Without entering a password or other information, the application displays the second plumbing fixture, which has since been detected by the gateway, which is still in pairing mode. After selecting an appropriate function (e.g., "Terminal Replacement" or "Repair Replacement"), the plumber or service technician is prompted to enter a serial number for both the replaced plumbing fixture and the replacing plumbing fixture. This serial number is physically affixed to the respective plumbing fixture, for example, in the form of a sticker or similar. Using these serial numbers, the gateway ultimately uploads the configuration of the plumbing fixture to the second plumbing fixture.

[0023] In this way, a plumbing installer or service technician can replace a plumbing fixture and upload a configuration to the replacement plumbing fixture even without extensive IT knowledge.

[0024] Further details, features and advantages of the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the following embodiments.

[0025] Showing: Fig. 1 shows a schematic overview of a system comprising several sanitary facilities; Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention; Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment for the optional execution of a firmware update within the framework of the method according to the invention; and Fig. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a gateway according to the invention.

[0026] Fig. 1shows a schematic overview of a system comprising several sanitary facilities 20, which are communicatively connected to a gateway 10. A bus system 40 is provided for the connection.

[0027] The sanitary facilities 20 are connected to the gateway 10 either directly via the bus system 40 or via a converter 50. A converter 50 itself acts as a participant in the communication bus, i.e., it is directly connected to the bus system 40, but also establishes a communicative connection to one or more sanitary facilities 20, in this case via an inter-device connection, for example, via an inter-integrated circuit (I 2 < C). The gateway 10 has information about which sanitary facilities 20 are accessible via which converter 50, i.e., which converter is connected to it.

[0028] Furthermore, in Fig. 1It can be seen that sanitary facilities 20 can also be connected directly to the gateway 10, for which purpose a wireless connection 70, for example via Bluetooth, is provided. Such a connection of the sanitary facilities 20 is suitable if the local conditions do not permit the use of a connection via a bus system 40.

[0029] A wireless connection 70 can be provided not only between the gateway 10 and sanitary facilities 20, but also between a sanitary facility 20 and a user device 30, which may be, for example, the smartphone of a plumber or service technician. This allows direct access to the sanitary facility 20, for example, to modify or read data from it.

[0030] In Fig. 1It is schematically shown that a sanitary facility 20 is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway 10, which is illustrated by the corresponding crossed-out element. The fact that a second sanitary facility 25, which is not yet assigned to the gateway 10, is intended to serve as a repair replacement is illustrated by the arrow shown next to it.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The method can be applied to a communication structure according to Fig. 1 In the initial state, a sanitary facility 20 is assigned to a gateway 10 and communicatively connected to it.

[0032] According to method step 210, the gateway 10 receives a configuration of the sanitary facility 20 and saves it. This method step occurs, for example, if the sanitary facility 20 was assigned to the gateway 10 for the first time or if at least one parameter of the configuration of the sanitary facility 20 was modified.

[0033] In this case, the at least one parameter can be modified by the gateway 10 or by a user device 30 communicatively connected to the sanitary facility 20, in particular via a wireless connection 70. Furthermore, it can also be provided that the gateway 10 receives and stores a configuration of the sanitary facility 20 at predefined intervals.

[0034] Subsequently, in method step 220, it is identified that the sanitary facility 20 is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway 10. The trigger for the end of a communicative connection can be, for example, that the sanitary facility 20 has been disconnected from the power supply.

[0035] Subsequently, according to method step 230, a second sanitary facility 25 is identified that is not, or has not yet, been assigned to gateway 10. For this purpose, gateway 10 checks, for example, whether devices that have not yet been assigned a logical address are communicatively accessible. Assigning a logical address to sanitary facilities 20 can be done, for example, as part of an initial enumeration.

[0036] In the subsequent method step 240, the gateway 10 determines a type of the second sanitary facility 25 that was previously identified. The determined type of the second sanitary facility 25 is compared in method step 250 with the type of the sanitary facility 20 that is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway 10. A comparison is possible because the gateway 10 has the configuration of this sanitary facility 20, which also includes the type of the latter.

[0037] After the gateway 10 determines in method step 260 that the type of sanitary facility 20 and the type of the second sanitary facility 25 match, the stored configuration of the sanitary facility 20 is uploaded to the second sanitary facility 25 in method step 270. In this way, for example, the logical address of the replaced sanitary facility 20 is adopted by the replacing second sanitary facility 25.

[0038] Fig. 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment for the optional execution of a firmware update within the scope of the method according to the invention. In method step 310, the sanitary facility 20 is first disconnected from the gateway 10, i.e., the sanitary facility 20 is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway 10.

[0039] Subsequently, in method step 320, the second sanitary facility 25 is connected to the gateway 10. This includes, for example, establishing a power supply for the second sanitary facility 25 and connecting it via the bus system 40.

[0040] Subsequently, in method step 330, the gateway 10 checks whether a firmware update needs to be performed for the second sanitary device 25. To do so, the gateway 10 compares the firmware version currently present on the second sanitary device 25 with the most current firmware version known to the gateway 10. The gateway 10 can independently obtain information regarding the most current firmware version for various types of sanitary devices, for example, via the Internet.

[0041] If a firmware update is necessary, this is performed in method step 340 by transmitting corresponding data from the gateway 10 to the second sanitary device 25, and the second sanitary device 25 receives a command to process this data. Subsequently, i.e., after completion of the firmware update, the second sanitary device 25 is restarted in method step 350.

[0042] After the firmware for the second sanitary device 25 has been updated, according to method step 360, the gateway 10 initiates the restoration of the configuration on the second sanitary device 25.

[0043] This prevents a second sanitary device equipped with outdated firmware from having an incompatible configuration installed on the replaced sanitary device, which could result, for example, from removed and / or newly added parameters.

[0044] However, if the gateway 10 determines in method step 330 that the firmware version present on the second sanitary device 25 already corresponds to the version considered current by the gateway 10, the method steps 340 and 350 are not carried out, but the configuration on the second sanitary device 25 is restored directly according to method step 360.

[0045] Fig. 4 shows a schematic block diagram of an embodiment of a gateway 10 according to the invention.

[0046] The gateway 10 has a processor 10, which controls operations of the gateway 10. Furthermore, the gateway 10 has one or more memories 12, which are used, on the one hand, to store an operating system of the gateway 10 and, on the other hand, to store configurations received from sanitary facilities 20. Furthermore, one or more communication units 13 are provided in the gateway 10. On the one hand, a connection via bus system 40 is possible, and on the other hand, a wireless connection 70, in particular to individual sanitary facilities 20, can be established.

[0047] The figures described above and the exemplary embodiments explained in connection with them serve only to explain the invention and are not limiting thereof. List of reference symbols:

[0048] 10Gateway 11Gateway processor 12Gateway memory 13Gateway communication unit 20Sanitary facility(ies) 25Second sanitary facility (as replacement) 30User facility 40Connection via bus system 50Converter 60Connection via Inter Device Connection 70Wireless connection 210 - 270Process step 310 - 360Process step

Claims

1. A method for replacing a sanitary device (20) that is assigned to and communicatively connected to a gateway (10), wherein the gateway (10) is connected to the internet and a bus system (40) is provided for communicatively connecting the gateway (10) and the sanitary device (20), comprising the following method steps performed by the gateway (10): - obtaining and storing (210) a configuration of the sanitary device (20) if the sanitary device (20) has been assigned to the gateway (10) for the first time, - identifying (220) that the sanitary device (20) is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway (10), - identifying (230) a second sanitary device (25) which is not assigned to the gateway (10), - ascertaining (240) a type of the second sanitary device (25), - comparing (250) the type of the sanitary device (20) with the ascertained type of the second sanitary device (25) on the basis of the stored configuration, - determining (260) that the type of the sanitary device (20) and the type of the second sanitary device (25) match, and - installing (270) the stored configuration of the sanitary device (20) on the second sanitary device (25).

2. The method according to Claim 1, wherein the configuration of the sanitary device (20) is obtained and stored (210) if at least one parameter of the configuration of the sanitary device (20) has been modified.

3. The method according to Claim 2, wherein the at least one parameter has been modified by the gateway (10).

4. The method according to Claim 2, wherein the at least one parameter has been modified by a user device (30) communicatively connected to the sanitary device (20), in particular by means of a wireless connection (70), in particular by an application thereof.

5. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein an assignment to the gateway (10) is provided if the sanitary device (20) has been assigned a logical address, in particular as part of an initial enumeration.

6. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, further comprising installing a firmware update (340) on the second sanitary device (25) and prompting a restart (350) of the second sanitary device (25) before installing (360) the stored configuration on the second sanitary device (25).

7. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein a toilet, a washlet, a urinal, a washbasin tap, a shower or bath fitting, an odor extractor, a hygiene flush, an electronic cistern button, a hygiene flush unit, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a volume sensor, a mirrored cabinet, a light device, or an electronic controller provided in one of the above-mentioned devices are provided as the sanitary device (20, 25).

8. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the configuration comprises - product-specific parameters, in particular the type, physical location of the sanitary device (20), position within an arrangement comprising further sanitary devices, assigned logical addresses, - usage-specific parameters, in particular number of days of use, number of flushes, number of uses, and / or - setting-specific parameters, in particular flush time, overrun time, intermittent flushing interval, intermittent flushing duration, surge flushing interval, surge flushing duration, and cleaning time.

9. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein communication via EIA-485 or RS-485 is provided.

10. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, wherein an interposed converter (50) is provided for communicatively connecting the gateway (10) and the sanitary device (20, 25).

11. The method according to Claim 10, wherein an inter-device connection (60), in particular by means of communication via I2C, is provided for communicatively connecting the converter (50) and the sanitary device (20, 25).

12. The method according to any one of Claims 1 to 11, further comprising: outputting a notification when it is determined that the type of the sanitary device (20) and the type of the second sanitary device (25) do not match.

13. A gateway (10) comprising a processor (11), a memory (12), and a communication unit (13), wherein the gateway (10) is configured to - obtain (210) a configuration from a sanitary device (20) that is assigned to and communicatively connected to the gateway (10) if the sanitary device (20) has been assigned to the gateway (10) for the first time, wherein the gateway is connected to the internet and a bus system (40) is provided for communicatively connecting the gateway (10) and a sanitary device (20), - identify (220) that the sanitary device (20) is no longer communicatively connected to the gateway (10), - identify (230) a second sanitary device (25) which is not assigned to the gateway (10), - ascertain (240) a type of the second sanitary device (25), - compare (250) the type of the sanitary device (20) with the ascertained type of the second sanitary device (25) on the basis of the stored configuration, - determine (260) that the type of the sanitary device (20) and the type of the second sanitary device (25) match, and - install (270) the stored configuration of the sanitary device (20) on the second sanitary device (25).