Programmable toilet flush initiating, monitoring and management system and method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toilet flushing initiating, monitoring and management system initiated by the unlocking of a locking member on a door mounted in a stall typically found in a bathroom such as a public bathroom. Signal patterns from flushing controller and a door housing controller are recorded and analyzed to identify associated fault conditions. Notifications of the associated fault conditions are output and communicated to an authorized user, such as a facilities manager.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present Application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 19 / 235,205, filed on Jun. 11, 2025, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 18 / 522,957, filed on Nov. 29, 2023 (and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 12,345,036 on July 1, 2025), which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 745,140, filed on Jan. 16, 2020 (and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,866,922 on January 9, 2024), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a system for managing toilet flushing and monitoring wastewater consumption in toilets, for example, toilets in bathroom stalls, typically found in locations that accommodate a large number of people such as but not limited to airports, college campus buildings, public buildings, sports arenas, and entertainment events.BACKGROUND

[0003] Public bathrooms such as those found in offices, schools, airports, and parks, for example, have toilets located in stalls to maintain privacy for the user. Users typically lock the stall door following entry and unlock the stall door upon exit.

[0004] In toilets designed to serve a large number of people, there are two standard types of toilet flushing mechanisms: manual flushing such as a toilet handle, lever, or button and automatic flushing initiated by a sensor and an automated flushing mechanism.

[0005] In manual flushing, toilets have a handle, lever, or button that is actuated manually and is operably joined to a flushing mechanism that flushes the toilet when actuated. This method relies entirely on the user to intentionally cause the toilet to flush which can be problematic for locations where high sanitation standards are required. Users are often not motivated to flush the toilet because, for example, flushing requires extra time and effort or risks contamination of the user to produce a consequence that to the user is personally insignificant.

[0006] To mitigate the problem in which users fail to flush, many facilities have installed automatic flush toilets. Automatic flush toilets typically have infrared or ultrasonic sensors that detect the distance between the user and the toilet. When the user enters the stall and then leaves moving away from the toilet, a sensor detects that a predetermined distance between user and toilet is met, and the sensor triggers the toilet to flush.

[0007] Automatic toilet flushing systems are very popular and are even required in certain places. These systems keep toilets clean and reduce the incidence of germ transfer and the possibility of transmitting transmissible diseases. Disadvantageously, automatic flushing toilets sometimes do not flush enough or, more commonly, flush too often. Actions such as hanging up a coat, placing down a backpack, or lining a seat with toilet paper may cause the user to unintentionally or unnecessarily trigger the automatic toilet flushing sequence. Extra flushes, particularly for toilets in public bathrooms that may be used hundreds or even thousands of times in a day, can accumulate significantly over time and create a significant amount of water waste.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The primary advantage of the present invention is water saving by significantly more accurately determining when the toilet should be flushed and the frequency with which the toilet has been used compared to the currently existing automatic toilet flushing systems. Prior art systems measure the user's distance from the toilet, which is not an effective predictor of when and if the user has used the toilet due to errors in determining whether a user has actually used the toilet or is engaged in some unrelated behavior as discussed above. The best indicator of toilet use and water consumption is the unlocking of the toilet stall door to open the door so that the user may exit the stall. Because the present invention is based on the reliability of the user to unlock the stall door as the sole indicator that the toilet has been used, the invention uses the stall door unlocking action to determine when to flush the toilet. Accordingly, because no other user behavior initiates any unintentional flush, the likelihood that the toilet will flush and flush only once, as necessary, for each toilet use is improved. Not only is the level of sanitation of the toilet improved compared to existing systems, the number of unnecessary flushes resulting in excessive and undesirable water waste use is markedly limited.

[0009] A second key advantage of the present invention is that flushing does not require the user to be inconvenienced. Because users almost always lock and unlock the stall door to maintain privacy, by modifying the locking-unlocking steps to trigger the toilet to flush, the toilet will flush as the user leaves the toilet stall without any additional effort on the part of the user.

[0010] Optionally, a sign may be added to the inside or outside of the stall door informing the user that the toilet has been equipped to flush automatically when the stall door is unlocked thereby avoiding or reducing inadvertent manual flushing by the user.

[0011] A third key advantage of the present invention is that it includes the same sanitary benefits associated with sensor based automatic toilet flushing systems.

[0012] According to one aspect, the invention relates to a system for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall. The system comprises a door locking member, a toilet flushing controller and a toilet flushing actuator.

[0013] According to another aspect, usage-cycle boundaries may be defined by occupancy indicators other than the stall latch. In such embodiments, a “usage cycle” is delimited by an “Occupancy Entry Event” signifying a user entering or being present within a stall and an “Occupancy Exit Event” signifying a user leaving or no longer being present within the stall. The plotting, benchmarking, and tuning methodologies disclosed herein apply analogously when cycle start and end are defined by such occupancy events rather than by latch lock / unlock.

[0014] Suitable occupancy indicators include, without limitation, thermal or heat-based sensors positioned on a ceiling or wall, ultrasonic presence sensors positioned on a wall or stall partition, floor-mounted pressure or weight sensors, magnetic sensors configured to detect stall door or hinge open / close states, toilet-seat tactile switches indicating presence or seat position, and non-actuating signals from a flushometer or toilet that correlate with user presence or absence. These sensors may be placed within the stall (e.g., door, hinge, walls, ceiling, floor, toilet seat, flushometer) or proximate to the stall (e.g., bathroom door, bathroom walls, bathroom ceiling or floor).

[0015] In such embodiments, the system controller may generate plots of event timing within a usage cycle where the x-axis is standardized in a selected manner, including: (i) percent completion between an Occupancy Entry Event (0%) and an Occupancy Exit Event (100%), optionally with a post-exit offset window; (ii) a fixed duration (for example, 90 seconds) by time-scaling cycles to a common length; or (iii) left unstandardized with filtering to include only cycles within specified duration ranges. The system controller may overlay event distributions and compute similarity or overlap scores using the techniques described herein (e.g., analogous to FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0016] In a further aspect, the system controller may implement multi-objective optimization, for example, prioritizing timing accuracy (e.g., achieving or maintaining a minimum similarity score relative to a reference distribution), water efficiency (e.g., minimizing the number of flushes per usage cycle (which may include Average Gallons per Cycle), phantom flush propensity (e.g. an accidental automatic flush that happens too early in a usage cycle), and / or missed flush propensity (e.g. a usage cycle where a flush does not occur),. The controller may apply configurable priorities, thresholds, or policies to balance these objectives.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, the door locking member of the system includes a door lock chamber, typically attached to a stall post, a slider typically attached to the stall door and aligned with the door lock chamber, a housing enclosing a signal emitter associated with the door locking member, the signal emitter configured to send a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver associated with a toilet flushing mechanism comprising a toilet flushing controller and a toilet flushing actuator. The locking member further includes a sensor for sensing the position of the slider, a door housing controller for receiving input from the sensor and initiating the sending of a signal by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver, and one or more batteries and an SD card enclosed in the housing typically having a cover. The door housing controller further can optionally regulate the function of the batteries and SD card. The SD card can store data received from the door housing controller optionally including without limitation sensor input and signal emitter output.

[0018] The slider is capable of translating from a first position to a second position and comprises a first, or proximal end, and an opposite second, or distal end. In the slider first position the slider first end is inserted in the door lock chamber and in the second position the slider first end is positioned outside of, i.e., is free of, the door lock chamber. The stall door cannot open unless the slider is in the second position. The sensor is configured for sensing the slider when the slider is in the second position, and is operatively connected to the signal emitter, communicating the detected position of the slider to the door housing controller. The door housing controller triggers the signal emitter to send a signal to the flush signal receiver. The toilet flushing controller is operatively joined to the flush signal receiver.

[0019] The toilet flushing actuator is controlled by the toilet flushing controller.

[0020] The signal emitter is configured to transmit to the flush signal receiver a signal, e.g., a Bluetooth® or radio frequency signal, upon sensing the signal sent from the sensor to the door housing controller that the sensor has detected that the slider has been translated to the second position, the toilet flushing controller configured to control the flushing actuator to initiate a single flush when the stall door is unlocked.

[0021] In one embodiment, the system further comprises a system controller configured to set intervals of time between 5 seconds to 240 seconds during which a flush can be activated. The system controller is capable of communicating with both the door housing controller and the toilet flushing controller wirelessly or through hardwire connection. The system controller is capable of setting the duration of flushing intervals for all toilets in the bathroom and / or the duration of flushing intervals for all toilets in a building and may be configured to prevent any toilet from flushing for a period of 5-240 seconds after its previous flush.

[0022] In another embodiment according to the invention, the system further comprises a toilet handle, lever, or button for manually flushing the toilet, and / or one or more photovoltaic cells or batteries for energizing one or more of the sensor, door housing controller, signal emitter, flush signal receiver, toilet flushing controller, and toilet flushing actuator.

[0023] In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a wireless signal from a signal emitter in a stall door latch, the wireless signal indicating a retraction of the slider in the stall door locking member and triggering a flushing actuator to initiate flushing of a toilet in response to receiving the wireless signal.

[0024] In another embodiment, the method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall includes sensing a retraction of a stall latch slider by a sensor; and emitting a wireless signal by a signal emitter in response to sensing the retraction by the slider, wherein the wireless signal is matched to a flush signal receiver. This method may further include receiving the wireless signal by the flush signal receiver and triggering a flushing actuator by a toilet flushing controller in communication with the flush signal receiver in response to the receiving of the wireless signal by the flush signal receiver.

[0025] In still another embodiment, the method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall comprises providing a device comprising a door locking member comprising a slider having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a signal emitter, and a sensor, a flush signal receiver; a toilet flushing controller; and, a toilet flushing actuator. Additionally the method includes transmitting by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver, a signal upon the detection of the position of the second end of the slider by the sensor, controlling the toilet flushing actuator by the toilet flushing controller, initiating by the toilet flushing controller a single toilet flush by the toilet flushing actuator when the slider second end position is detected by the sensor; and, optionally, recording the frequency of slider operation by a door housing controller onto the SD card.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment of the automatic toilet flushing system according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 1B is an illustrative isometric view of one embodiment of the stall door locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 1C is an exploded view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0029] FIG. 1D is an open front view of an exemplary housing enclosing the electronic components of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0030] FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of the stall door slider lock in the closed (first) position of the embodiment of the toilet flushing system illustrated in FIG. 1B according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of the stall door slider lock in the open (second) position of the embodiment of the toilet flushing system illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the housing of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B according to the invention;

[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a slider of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram showing a method of providing information for managing facilities toilet flushing according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram showing a method of adjusting the range or sensitivity of a distance sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a plot diagram showing an embodiment of the timing of flushes as determined by the optional distance sensor overlaid onto the timing of flushes as determined by the unlocking of the stall door according to an aspect of the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONDefinitions

[0037] The following listing comprises exemplary non-limiting definitions of certain terms used throughout the present description:

[0038] Door Locking Member: Components involved in the stall latch mechanism.

[0039] Slider: Mechanism that the user uses to lock and unlock the stall door. A slider is typically attached to the stall door and aligned with a door lock chamber.

[0040] Door Locking Chamber: Component used to secure the slider in the locked position.

[0041] Housing: Receptacle attached to the stall door that contains the sensor, signal emitter, door housing controller, batteries, battery holder, sd card, and has a cover with photovoltaic cells.

[0042] Sensor: Senses the position of the slider.

[0043] Door Housing Controller: Microcontroller for all of the components within the housing. Regulates the function of the sensor and signal emitter.

[0044] Signal Emitter: Sends wireless signal from the housing to the flush signal receiver.

[0045] Cover: Covers door locking member components within housing and can be location for photovoltaic cells.

[0046] Toilet Flushing Mechanism: A system for flushing the toilet that contains the toilet flushing controller, toilet flushing actuator, flush signal receiver, and toilet handle / lever / button.

[0047] Toilet Flushing Actuator: Executes the operation of an automatic flush.

[0048] Flush Signal Receiver: Receives a signal from the signal emitter.

[0049] Toilet Flush Controller: Controls when the toilet flushing actuator initiates a flush.

[0050] Computer: A laptop, desktop, tablet, or smart device with which a facility manager can view signals from the system controller as well as signal to the system controller to initiate certain actions.

[0051] System Controller: A central component of the overall system that receives signals from the door housing controller, toilet flushing controller, and computer, and can also signal the door housing controller and toilet flushing controller to perform flushing actuation, regulate time delays between flushes for one toilet, all toilets in a bathroom, or toilets in an entire building the system controller also can be used to determine and vary flush water volumes. The system controller can be an independent module or integrated into the computer through hardware or software.

[0052] Feedback loop: An occurrence where the door housing controller and toilet flushing Controller emit a signal to the System Controller that an action has been completed, along with an indicator for the action that has been completed (i.e. the toilet has flushed), the date, time, and battery life are recorded.

[0053] Usage Cycle: Process of the user entering the stall, using the toilet, then leaving the stall. While there are multiple possibilities of what could happen during this cycle (i.e., the user does a manual flush or the latch unlocking causes a flush). Each usage should have these three steps in this exact order. This means that the system controller should expect to receive information first from feedback loop 1, then feedback loop 2, then feedback loop 3 in that exact order, for every use. If information received is from the feedback loops out of order, or if there is an absence of information from one or multiple loops, then that could indicate that a component is malfunctioning.

[0054] Time bucket: An interval of time that can range of one hour, to one day, to one week, to one month, to one year, to multiple years. A time bucket can be an arbitrary block of time, or an interval between set times.

[0055] “x” and “y”: Placeholders or variables that indicate values that can be programmed into the system.

[0056] Opt-out Button: An additional component to the door locking member that a user could press to prevent an automatic flush (for example, if the user only uses the stall to change clothes, and did not need the toilet to flush).

[0057] Distance Sensor: A sensor used to actuate a flush based on the user's distance from the automatic toilet. This is the primary method for automatic flushing with existing technology, frequently using infrared technology. In this application, it is an optional and additional method of determining when to flush.

[0058] Occupancy Sensor: A sensor configured to detect stall occupancy or bathroom entry / exit, including without limitation thermal / heat sensors, ultrasonic presence sensors, floor pressure or weight sensors, magnetic sensors associated with a stall door or hinge, toilet-seat tactile switches, or non-actuating signals from a flushometer or toilet that correlate with user presence or absence.

[0059] Occupancy Entry Event: An event indicating a user has entered a stall or is present in a stall, used to mark the commencement of a usage cycle when cycle boundaries are defined by occupancy.

[0060] Occupancy Exit Event: An event indicating a user has exited a stall or is no longer present in a stall, used to mark the completion of a usage cycle when cycle boundaries are defined by occupancy.

[0061] Cycle Boundary Event(s): Events used to define a usage cycle, including latch lock / unlock events or occupancy entry / exit events.

[0062] Average Flushes per Cycle: A derived metric equal to the number of recorded flush events divided by the number of usage cycles in a sample.

[0063] Average Gallons per Cycle: A derived metric equal to Average Flushes per Cycle multiplied by a flush volume, where the representative volume may be computed as the volume of each individual recorded flush (summed over the sample and divided by cycle count), an average flush volume across recorded flushes, or a weighted average of volumes for multi-volume or dual-flush embodiments. This computation may be performed at repeated intervals or continuously (e.g., over time buckets, rolling windows, or upon accumulation of a target sample size) at stall, bathroom, or building scope.

[0064] The present solution without sacrificing user functionality or convenience addresses drawbacks such as too few or too many flushes characteristic of current toilet flushing mechanisms. The present solution is a device and a method thereof that initiates a toilet flushing sequence by the unlocking of a toilet stall door.

[0065] As used herein, a stall may be any walled enclosure with or without a roof or ceiling having a door and any number of sides that will provide sufficient privacy to the typical toilet user to encourage its use and may be any shape including but not limited to rectangular, pyramidal, cylindrical, and trapezoidal.

[0066] The invention disclosed herein is directed to a toilet flush management system and an automated toilet flushing system that does not require manual flushing of a toilet. Manual flushing of a toilet is an option that can be included with the present invention.

[0067] FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate the toilet flushing management system. The overall scheme of the toilet flushing management system 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The system 10 includes a stall door locking member 110 affixed to the door 100 of a stall housing a toilet 7, hereinafter toilet stall.

[0068] The system 10 further includes a toilet flushing mechanism 112 comprising a flush signal receiver 3, a flush actuator 5 and a toilet flushing controller 16 associated with the toilet flushing actuator 5 for initiating a flush by the toilet 7.

[0069] Referring to FIGS. 1B-1D, the locking member 110 includes a slider 12, a housing 19 enclosing a sensor 4 for sensing slider position, a signal emitter 1 for transmitting a signal to the flush signal receiver 3 associated with the toilet flushing mechanism 112, a door housing controller 27, a battery compartment 26 enclosing one or more batteries 25, an SD card 28, and a cover 22. The locking member 110 further includes a lock chamber 6, positioned on a stall post 8. The lock chamber 6 is aligned with the slider 12.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the slider 12 is capable of manual reciprocal movement between a first (closed) position and a second (open) position. In the first position, illustrated in FIG. 2A, proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is inserted in the lock chamber 6 when the stall door 100 is closed and locked. The proximal end 15 of the slider 12 cannot be inserted in the lock chamber 6 unless the stall door 100 is closed.

[0071] In the second position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the proximal end 15 of slider 12 that was inserted in the chamber 6 illustrated in FIG. 1A is positioned outside, i.e., free of, the lock chamber 6. In the second position, a distal end 17 of the slider 12 opposite to slider proximal end 15, contacts and / or is sensed by the sensor 4 initiating a signal from signal emitter 1 enclosed within the housing 19 (FIG. 1D) to emit a signal that is transmitted to flush signal receiver 3 positioned on the toilet or associated toilet plumbing when the stall door 100 is open.

[0072] Each time a stall door is unlocked by moving the slider 12 from the first position where proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is positioned in the lock chamber 6, to the second position where the proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is free of the chamber 6, the opposite distal end 17 of the slider 12 contacts and / or is sensed by the sensor 4. The sensor 4 upon contact with and / or sensing distal end 17 of slider 12 triggers the signal emitter 1 to send a wireless signal such as a radio frequency or Bluetooth® signal or a hardwire signal to the flush signal receiver 3 triggering the toilet flushing controller 16 operatively joined to the flushing actuator 5 on the toilet 7 to initiate a flush.

[0073] The sensor 4 can be a variety of different sensors or a combination of sensors. Examples of possible sensors include but are not limited to: contact sensors, magnetic proximity sensors, vibration sensors, infrared sensors, or ultrasonic sensors.

[0074] In one embodiment of the invention, a contact sensor 4 is positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 such that every time the slider 12 is transferred from the first position to the second position, the slider 12 makes physical contact with the sensor 4. Such contact signals flush actuation.

[0075] In another embodiment, a magnetic proximity sensor 4 positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 is used to detect the presence of a magnet or magnetized material, e.g. piece of metal 14a,b affixed to the slider 12. Upon transfer of the slider 12 to the second position, the magnet or magnetized piece of metal 14a,b triggers the magnetic proximity sensor 4, signaling flush actuation. The number of magnets or magnetized materials are not limited to those illustrated.

[0076] In still another embodiment, a vibration sensor 4, similar to the contact sensor, is positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 such that every time the slider 12 is transferred from the first position to the second position, the slider 12 makes physical contact with the sensor 4. The vibration sensor 4 detects the impact of the slider 12 signaling flush actuation.

[0077] In yet another embodiment, an infrared sensor 4 is affixed in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100. The infrared sensor 4 emits an infrared signal to detect the distance of nearby objects. The infrared sensor is attuned to detect the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor such that it triggers flush actuation upon the movement of the slider 12 from first position to second position.

[0078] In yet another embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor 4 is affixed in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100. The sensor 4 detects sound waves reflected back by nearby objects, thereby allowing the sensor to register distance. For example, the sensor 4 detects sound waves reflected back by slider 12 depending on the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor 4. Based on a predetermined distance between the slider 12 and the sensor 4, flush actuation would be initiated following translation of the slider 12 from the first position to the second position.

[0079] Each locking member signal emitter 1 is matched to a corresponding toilet flush signal receiver 3 and uses unique signals that differ from other of the signal emitters 1 and flush signal receivers 3 in other nearby systems 10, for example, other systems 10 in the same bathroom. By the application of unique signals, one signal emitter 1 is prevented from activating the flushing system of other toilets to flush.

[0080] In one embodiment of the invention, the system 10 further includes a toilet flushing actuator 5 that initiates a flush to occur in the toilet 7. The system 10 described herein could either be retrofitted to current toilets and bathroom stalls as an attachment or manufactured directly onto a new toilet and applied to bathroom toilet stalls or to pre-fabricated bathroom toilet stalls. In one implementation, the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be designed to fit over a manual another illustrative embodiment, the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be designed for mounting externally over existing toilet plumbing and configured to actuate an existing manual flush mechanism. This implementation, does not require water to be shut off to the system and does not directly interact with any flowing water, so there is less reliability risk of electronics being exposed to water. This embodiment of the toilet flushing actuator is comparatively easy and inexpensive to install to existing toilet installations without requiring a plumber to easy installation over existing manual flush mechanisms.

[0081] Embodiments that use an external implementation of the toilet flush controller 5 are not directly connected to the water supply flow, so they are unable to detect a continuous flush by interacting with the flow of water or based on signals from a flush actuator solenoid used in other embodiments, for example. However, in an illustrative embodiment the external implementation of the flush controller may include a sound sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor to detect continuous flushes based on their sound pattern. A sound sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor could be similarly implemented in other flush controller embodiments of the disclosed system in addition to or instead of other flow sensors.

[0082] FIG. 3 illustrates the location of a magnet or magnetizable plate 18 on the portion of the housing 19 that faces an end 17 of the slider 12 that is opposite to the insertable end 15 of the slider 12. The shape of the plate is not limited to the illustrated shape, as the shape could be rectangular, circular, triangular, trapazoidal or another shape. Magnetizable materials include but are not limited to iron, nickel, cobalt, rare-earth metals, and lodestone. The location of magnets or magnetizable materials and the number of magnets or magnetizable materials on the housing 19 are not limited to those illustrated.

[0083] Referring now to FIG. 4, a side view of the slider 12 is illustrated. The location of slider magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b on end 17 of slider 12 are positioned to magnetically interact with magnetic or magnetizable plate 18 on housing 19. The slider magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b are aligned with the magnetic or magnetizable plate 18 of the housing 19 to (i) ensure that proper contact is made between the slider 12 and housing 19 such that the slider 12 is aligned with the sensor 4, (ii) prevent the slider 12 from bouncing back and forth upon the opening and closing of the stall door, and (iii) attract the slider 12 to the housing 19 in the event the user does not slide the slider 12 sufficiently towards the housing 19.

[0084] The strength of the magnets or magnetizable materials are sufficient to attract the slider 12 to connect to the housing 19 immediately upon unlocking, but not so strong that the magnets or magnetizable materials prevent the slider 12 from reaching its extended locked position. The housing 19 and lock slider 12 are either at a predetermined or adjustable distance away from each other such that immediately upon unlocking, i.e., immediately upon moving the slider 12 from the first position illustrated in FIG. 2A to the second position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b of slider 12 contact the magnets or magnetizable materials 18 of the housing 19. This avoids the possibility that when the user unlocks the stall door 100 the slider 12 will not move all the way into the second position, preventing the slider 12 from initiating the process for the signal emitter 1 to emit a signal to be received by the flush signal receiver 3 to initiate the events leading to a flushing. In other words, by fully reaching the second position, which is ensured with the magnets, the sensor 4 adequately senses the presence of the slider 12 in the second position so that a flush signal is emitted by signal emitter 1 to flush signal receiver 3, regardless of the type sensor, for example, the sensors disclosed above, that is being used.

[0085] The electronic circuitry for the electronic components inside the housing 19 may be powered by either one or more photovoltaic cells 23 or by one or more batteries 25 housed in housing 19, for example. The electronic circuitry for the flushing mechanism 112 including the flush signal receiver 3, the toilet flushing controller 16, and the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be powered by either one or more photovoltaic cells or by one or more batteries.

[0086] In one embodiment of the invention, the toilet flushing controller 16 and / or the door housing controller 27 is configured to implement a programmable time delay that is introduced to set minimum intervals between flushes, preferably ranging from, but not limited to, 1-5 seconds, 1-10 seconds, 5 -25 seconds, 5-50 seconds, 25-50 seconds, 50-100 seconds, 100-200 seconds, 150-250 seconds, preferably, 5 to 240 seconds. The programmable time delay setting minimum intervals between flushes may also be set to be less than 5 seconds or more than 240 seconds. The programmable time delay can be manually programmed, or determined through an algorithm that uses machine learning or deep learning techniques to determine an optimal time interval. The programmable time delay prevents users from repeatedly flushing the toilet in short intervals of time by repeatedly switching the slider 12 of the stall locking member 110 back and forth between locked (first position) and unlocked positions (second position). Managers of the bathroom will be able to manipulate the time delay range at their discretion with a system controller 114 for example, a computer, a mobile application, or a combination of various electronics and / or computer based technology.

[0087] In one embodiment, a system controller 114 may be specific to one toilet, alternatively to all the toilets in the same bathroom, or central to all the toilets in the entire building, but with the ability to regulate the time delay in each or every individual toilet.

[0088] In a particular embodiment, a different time delay may be appropriate for a handicap toilet as opposed to a regular toilet because the handicap toilet may be used differently from a non-handicap toilet. The system controller 114 measures how many times the toilets flush, allowing the facility manager to collect data and adjust settings to maximize water efficiency. The system controller 114 sends data to the flush signal receiver wirelessly via Bluetooth® or radio frequency, for example. Also a required daily flush for toilets that were not used can be programmed into the system 10 to keep toilets clean. The system controller 114 records the frequency of slider operation, and optionally may record and store additional functional data and timestamps relating to any action of the system or signals generated by the system, for example.

[0089] A method for automatically actuating a toilet flush using a flush actuating system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to FIG. 5. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system may be programmed and / or configured such that unlatching of a stall door sends a wireless signal to the toilet flush controller that triggers the toilet flushing actuator to initiate a flush. In an illustrative embodiment of the disclosed system and method, an ordinary usage cycle 502 begins when a user enters a toilet stall 504, then the user locks the door 506, then the user uses the toilet 508, then the user unlocks the door 510, then the user leaves the stall. During the ordinary usage cycle, the unlocking of the stall door 510 by the user triggers a flushing of the toilet 512. The ordinary cycle is effective as a substantial water saving technique.

[0090] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the disclosed system and method can be programmed and / or configured to tolerate and / or accommodate toilet stall uses that do not include the ordinary usage cycle. For example, on some occasions, a user only uses a toilet stall to change clothes without using the toilet. On other occasions a male user may choose to refrain from latching the stall door in order to use the toilet as if it were a urinal, for example. On other occasions a user who may not be aware that the stall door latch initiates flushing may intentionally trigger a manual flush. On other occasions maintenance workers may trigger manual flushes to clean the toilet, for example.

[0091] In this illustrative embodiment, the flush actuating system includes a distance sensor in communication with programmable logic circuitry configured to recognize and accommodate toilet stall uses that do not include the ordinary usage cycle. This adaptation to the ordinary usage cycle system and method substantially improves water savings and facilitates improved management techniques. In an illustrative embodiment, the distance sensor and programmable logic circuit functionality adaptation can be enabled or disabled by facility managers, for example.

[0092] According to aspects of the invention, timestamps may be recorded by the feedback loops upon recognition of certain events. An identification of the type of event that occurred may be recorded by the feedback loops along with a corresponding time stamp.

[0093] Some events such as “user does not lock stall door,” which falls in the category of events occurring during feedback loop 1, are not necessarily recorded by feedback loop 1. However, such events may be recognizable by their absence upon the occurrence of an event that usually follows, such as the occurrence of feedback from subsequent feedback loops 2 and 3, for example. In such cases the event may be retroactively recorded by the system. If this is a frequent occurrence of this event, then the facility manager may be alerted to the fact that it is consistently not receiving feedback from feedback loop 1, for example.

[0094] Similarly, while a “toilet does not flush” event may not actively trigger the transmission of a signal in feedback loop 3, the absence of an expected “toilet flushes” event after a “user presses opt-out button” event may be noted after a certain period of time, for example.

[0095] According to another aspect of the present disclosure the ordinary user cycle may be supplemented or adapted to accommodate various system faults. In a first example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when one or more component of the system stop working. In this situation, the system controller may detect that it is only receiving information from feedback loop 2 and feedback loop 3, but not from feedback loop 1, for example. The computer may be configured to recognize when it is not receiving signals from all feedback loops and, in response to sends an alert to a platform having a user interface with which the facility manager views the data. The alert may include an identification of the suspected fault type and a time stamp of the fault recognition.

[0096] In a second example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when all components of the system fail. In an illustrative embodiment, the computer continuously stores data as it is received from the feedback loops. An algorithm executing on the computer sorts data indicating frequency of flushes data into multiple time buckets. The time buckets may include hours, days, weeks, months, and years, for example. In the illustrative embodiment, the computer then can compute the frequency of new flushes within each bucket and compare the computed frequency against historical data for the same time bucket. For example, the computer may compute whether the current frequency is within, higher, or lower than percentage range of the historical value. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the percentage range is selectable by the facility manager. The system notifies the facility manager when the current frequency is outside of the selected range, for example.

[0097] When none of the feedback loops are providing signals, the computer determines that the frequency of flushes is 0%. If this frequency is consistent for a predetermined time interval, during which historical data indicates that there should be a much higher frequency of flushes, then the facility manager is automatically notified. This fault handling system and method enables the facility manager to perform timely checks on the devices in the corresponding stall. In an illustrative embodiment, the facility manager can program and / or configure the system to vary the time buckets during which the frequency determination and fault analysis will occur or the computer may be programmed to automatically complete this process, for example.

[0098] In a third example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may be recognized when one component signals more frequently than expected. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system controller can compare the frequency of signals received within a specified time bucket from any and all feedback loops to the historical data. When a notable discrepancy from the expected results is recognized, such as numerous toilet flushes recorded for only one user lock and unlock sequence, the system controller captures the pertinent data and send it to the computer. The computer can then communicate an appropriate and specific fault alert to the facility manager.

[0099] In a fourth example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when one component signals unexpectedly. When the system controller receives signals out of order, such as a toilet flushing before a user locks or unlocks the door, then the system can send a signal to the computer to alert the facility manager. This can be especially useful information for facilities managers to quickly recognize and repair a toilet that is continuously flushing and wasting a large amount of water. According to an aspect of the present disclosure such continuous flushing is quickly recognized base on constant feedback signals being sent to the system controller.

[0100] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a variety of alerts may optionally be communicated to facility managers. The alerts provided extensive insight regarding real-time and historical functionality of system components and overall bathroom usage. The alerts can be managed by the facilities manager on a user interface of the system controller, or of a platform in communication with the system controller.

[0101] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, facility managers can view toilet flushing records for daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or multiple year periods to determine patterns for best managing toilet flushing, for example. This information can be useful to identify times when a toilet has historically not been flushed, e.g., when the facility is closed. In such cases, the facility manager can schedule a sentinel flush to occur then so as to ensure it does not happen when a user is present. “Sentinel flush” is an industry standard term that refers to an automatic flush that is programmed to occur in order to keep a toilet clean.

[0102] In another example where such data can be useful, the data may allow a facilities manager to recognize when a flushing mechanism was not strong enough to eliminate solid waste. In such cases, the data may indicate that multiple users have manually flushed before using the toilet, and flush again when they leave. If this pattern persists or increases over time, The facility manager can recognize that a problem with a flushing mechanism exists and can then perform a timely replacement or adjustment of the flushing mechanism for example.

[0103] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display the real time or historic frequencies at which signals from feedback loops 1-3 are recorded. The frequencies can be displayed numerically or graphically, for example, and can be sorted by building, bathroom, or by specific toilet / stall. They can also sort between real time and historical recordings.

[0104] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation, facilities managers can configure the system to provide notification of time periods during which frequency of usage is higher or lower than other periods.

[0105] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display, or the system may be configured to automatically display a notification of low battery life for any of the system components. For example, the system may indicate that battery life is low for any component, that component must be replaced in a particular number of days, that that the battery is dead, so the component may be recharged or the battery may be replaced at an appropriate time.

[0106] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display, or the system may be configured to automatically display a notification of an unexpected signal or signal sequence. For example, the system can provide a notification when the system controller does not receive feedback loops 1, 2 and 3 in order. In another example, the system controller may provide a notification when it receives multiple signals from feedback loops 1, 2 or 3 within a single usage cycle. In another example, the system may provide a notification when the system controller is not consistently receiving signals from any or all of the feedback loops. Occurrences of unexpected signals or signal sequences can be recorded and frequencies of such occurrences can be displayed to a facilities manager, for example.

[0107] According to aspects of the present disclosure, facility managers are enabled to respond to certain alerts remotely. Such remote responses can shorten response time and limit the possibility of a catastrophic issue occurring from any of the technology. For example, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a facilities manager can program the system controller, via a computer in communication with the system controller, for example, to set system parameters and control system functionality. Some programming capabilities of a facilities manager according to aspects of the present disclosure include: preventing flushes, delaying flushes, actuating flushes, reducing flush volume, preventing usage of a stall, and / or controlling alerts, for example.

[0108] Although the term facilities manager is used throughout the present application to describe the entity who is responsible for operating and managing the disclosed system, it should be understood that such an entity may not necessarily have a title or function as a facilities manager. Persons skilled in the art should appreciate that in some implementations of the disclosed system persons other than a facilities manager, including virtually any authorized user may operate the system. The authorized user may be a facilities employee or a remote service provider, for example.

[0109] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to prevent flushes by programming the toilet flush controller to stop signaling the toilet flushing actuator to actuate a flush. Alternatively, or in addition, the facilities manager can also program the system to prevent flushes by programming the door housing controller to stop signaling the signal emitter to emit signals to the flush signal receiver. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, preventing flushes can be implemented manually at virtually any time, or the facility manager may set times for this to occur at regular intervals, for example. This programmable functionality to prevent flushes can be used to set long term intervals of when a toilet should not flush, for example when a building is closed at night, the facility manager may want to shut-off flushing functionality during that time. The facility manager can also set this to occur after specific types of feedback, such as, but not limited to, an absence of signal from a specific feedback loop.

[0110] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to cause the toilet flush controller to signal the toilet flushing actuator to actuate a flush. Alternatively or in addition, the facilities manager may program the system controller to have the door housing controller signal the signal emitter to emit a signal to the flush signal receiver to actuate a flush. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, actuation of flushes can be performed manually at any time, or the facility manager may set times for this to occur at regular intervals, for example.

[0111] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to set a default flush volume for ordinary operation, set a specific flush volume and a period of time for which the toilets should flush at that volume.

[0112] In an illustrative embodiment, the system may be configured to allow a facility manager to remotely manipulate the position of the stall latch slider to prevent it from locking or unlocking, for example. This functionality may be implemented when a facility manager notices unusual activity, but does not have time to immediately address the problem. In this embodiment, the system controller may instruct the door locking chamber to prevent the slider from achieving the locked position, for example. This would prevent the user from being able to lock the stall and achieve privacy, therefore subtly discouraging them from using the stall.

[0113] Alternatively the system may be programmed to cause the housing to interfere with the slider travel and thereby to prevent the slider from reaching an unlocked position, for example.

[0114] In another illustrative embodiment, the system controller may be programmed to delay flushes by setting a selected time interval beginning after the instance of a flush, during which the system prevents another flush from occurring until the time interval has passed, for example. In yet another illustrative embodiment, the facility manager can set notifications to be received when a specific percentage threshold of expected, or unexpected, flushes occur within a time bucket, for example.

[0115] In several situations, toilets do not need to flush at their normal volume. In these situations flushing with normal flush volumes wastes a substantial volume of water. An illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes proactive methods for reducing flush volume. According to this embodiment, the system is configured so that a toilet bowl will initially have a lower flush volume than necessary. The system then reacts to adjust the flush volume based on user activity. In one example, this functionality may be useful at times of high facilities usage, such as during halftime of a sporting when urinal overflow often leads to toilets in stalls being used urinals. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a facility manager can program the system controller in such instances in order to temporarily lower the flush volume of each toilet to save water, then return the flush volume to ordinary levels after half time. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a facility manager could also program the system controller through the management system to initiate a flush of all the toilets at once, for example at the end of half time.

[0116] In another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a toilet can be set to constantly operate at a reduced flush volume unless if a user locks the stall, as in these cases the user is more likely to use the toilet to defecate instead of urinate. In an illustrative embodiment, when the signal emitter detects the slider in locked position or transitioning to the locket position, the signal emitter transmits to the original receiver and thereby command the toilet flushing controller to increase the flush volume back to ordinary levels.

[0117] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager can optionally trigger reduced volume flushes for selected times or ranges of times, such as single instances, during a selected time interval, at regular time intervals, or automatically based on user actions for example. A wide range of flush volumes can be triggered for particular times or conditions. In an illustrative embodiment, the flush volume may be set from 0 gallons to 5 gallons of water, for example. Alternatively, the flush volume can be controlled based on an amount of water that is allowed to enter the bowl, and / or an amount of water that is used to flush. Flush volume can also be recorded during the feedback loops, for example.

[0118] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system controller may compute water-efficiency metrics for one or more stalls, bathrooms, or buildings based on recorded usage cycles and flush events. For example, Average Gallons per Cycle may be computed by multiplying Average Flushes per Cycle by a recorded or configured flush volume (or a weighted average volume for multi-volume or dual-flush systems).

[0119] While tuning flush timing and benchmarking against a reference distribution may improve water efficiency, in some instances timing accuracy and water savings may present distinct or competing objectives. The system controller may therefore be configured to select or enforce priorities or thresholds among objectives (e.g., maintain a similarity score at or above a threshold before adjusting volume policy to minimize Average Gallons per Cycle).

[0120] In one illustrative example, the controller evaluates a dual-flush policy that selects a lower or higher flush volume based on cycle duration or other parameters. The controller may (i) apply a first parameter setting (e.g., a 30-second cycle-duration threshold), collect a statistically significant sample of recorded flushes and / or Cycle Boundary Events, and compute Average Gallons per Cycle; (ii) apply an alternative parameter setting (e.g., a 45-second threshold), collect a comparable sample, and compute Average Gallons per Cycle; and (iii) select the setting that yields lower Average Gallons per Cycle while satisfying a timing-accuracy threshold relative to a reference distribution.

[0121] The controller may evaluate or adapt such policies periodically or continuously, and may consider additional inputs such as time of day, day of week, seasonal patterns, bathroom designation (e.g., men's or women's), usage-cycle frequency, manual-flush frequency or ratio, battery state, stall geometry, and distance-sensor sensitivity or timing parameters.

[0122] The controller may implement policy updates by adjusting criteria that determine which flush volume is used (e.g., a dual-flush threshold) and / or by updating sensor-timing parameters (e.g., introducing or modifying a flush delay) or sensitivity / range parameters to maintain or improve timing alignment, analogous to the iterative adjustment process described herein, and such updates may be executed at repeated intervals (for example, on a schedule or upon accumulation of a target sample size) and / or continuously in response to streaming event data, subject to stability constraints (e.g., hysteresis, rate limits) and facility-configured priorities or thresholds.

[0123] Referring again to FIG. 5, each feedback loop depicted therein represents the system controller receiving a signal indicative of the completion of a specific action within the system 500. The expected sequence of events for a usage cycle, as described in paragraph

[0053] , may be as follows: feedback loop 1, corresponding to the locking of the stall door, is recorded first; feedback loop 2, corresponding to the unlocking of the stall door, is recorded second; and feedback loop 3, corresponding to the actuation of the toilet flush, is recorded last. However, it is contemplated that the order in which these feedback loops are recorded may vary. For example, if a user actuates a manual flush button prior to unlocking the stall door, the signal from feedback loop 3 may be recorded before feedback loop 2.

[0124] As described in paragraph

[0104] , during ordinary system operation, facilities managers may configure the system to display, in real time or historically, the frequencies at which signals from feedback loops 1-3 are recorded. One exemplary visualization is a plot of the history of usage cycles over a representative sample, wherein the occurrence of feedback loop 3 (toilet flush) is plotted against the percentage of time elapsed between feedback loop 1 (latch locked) and feedback loop 2 (latch unlocked). In such a plot, the x-axis shows the percentage completion of the usage cycle, thereby equalizing cycles of varying durations (e.g., from 8 seconds to 900 seconds). Specifically, 0% on the x-axis corresponds to the moment the latch is locked, indicating the commencement of the usage cycle; 100% corresponds to the moment the latch is unlocked, indicating the end of the usage cycle; and values from 100% to 150% represent a post-unlock offset period (e.g., 15 seconds), during which subsequent events, such as a delayed flush, are still attributed to the preceding cycle. The duration of time represented in each bin along the x-axis is thus a function of the usage cycle duration. The x-axis can alternatively be shown in units of time for a specific usage cycle duration, or in units of time relative to one or both of feedback loop 1 and feedback loop 2, which may be configured by the facilities manager. For example, the plot could be configured to only show the 15 seconds before and 15 seconds after feedback loop 2 occurs in units of seconds. The y-axis of this plot would represent the number of flushes within the sample that occurred within each bin. Each x-axis bin will have bars extending upwards in the direction of the y-axis which represent either the quantity of flushes or the percent of flushes in that bin out of the total sample. While this describes a histogram, the same data could also be used to calculate other plots like probability density functions or cumulative density functions.

[0125] Analysis of such plots typically reveals that, in accordance with the intended operation of the system 500, the majority of flushes (feedback loop 3) are recorded after the completion of feedback loop 2 (latch unlocked). In instances where feedback loop 3 is recorded prior to feedback loop 2, further analysis may be performed by filtering out flushes triggered by the unlocking of the stall door, thereby isolating flushes initiated by the manual flush button. This filtered analysis generally reveals that the majority or all of the flushes occurring before feedback loop 2 were triggered by the manual flush button, thus confirming that the system operates as expected for the majority if not all of usage cycles when relying solely on the unlocking of the stall door to trigger flushes automatically.

[0126] The described plot may also be utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a distance sensor, as defined in paragraph

[0058] , which is configured to actuate a flush based on the user's proximity to the toilet. The system controller may record and store additional functional data, as described in paragraph

[0089] , including but not limited to, data from the distance sensor. Whether the distance sensor is actively initiating flushes or merely reporting when it would have initiated a flush, such data is considered functional and may be overlaid onto the aforementioned plot for comparative analysis.

[0127] In alternative embodiments, the usage cycle may be defined by Cycle Boundary Events comprising an Occupancy Entry Event and an Occupancy Exit Event as detected by an Occupancy Sensor. In such cases, the x-axis standardization and optional offset window described herein (e.g., relative to latch lock / unlock) are applied analogously with 0% corresponding to the Occupancy Entry Event and 100% corresponding to the Occupancy Exit Event.

[0128] The system controller may record and plot events within an occupancy-anchored cycle, including without limitation flush events, manual button presses, latch-initiated flushes, distance-sensor activations (including non-actuating “would-have-fired” activations), and other functional signals, and may overlay event distributions for benchmarking on common axes.

[0129] The “independent-sensor-analysis” logging and analysis described herein is applicable in occupancy-anchored embodiments; for example, the timing distribution of distance-sensor activations may be compared to a reference distribution defined by occupancy entry / exit events to compute a similarity or overlap score and to inform tuning of distance-sensor timing and sensitivity. This can even be done without having the distance-sensor control the flushing, and instead relying on an alternate sensor, such as the stall latch, to initiate flushes. The benefit of this would be to record how a distance-sensor would perform without any input from the user, such as when the user presses a manual button, which for some distance sensors may affect the timing of a flush.

[0130] In certain analyses, it may be useful to evaluate “inverse” windows, such as the interval between latch unlock and the next latch lock, or, by analogy, the interval between an Occupancy Exit Event and a subsequent Occupancy Entry Event. The filtering, binning, plotting, overlay, similarity scoring, and tuning methodologies described herein may be applied to such inverse windows to characterize behavior when doors are not latched or when usage patterns differ. Likewise, Occupancy Events can be plotted between two other events. For example, Occupancy Entry Events could be plotted between their prior and future flush events.

[0131] A similar benchmarking analysis can also be done by comparing the distributions of durations between any two events. For example, the durations of all usage cycles can be plotted as histograms based on their durations. The mean would indicate the average amount of time that users spent in the stall. A useful application of using two of these distributions could be to subdivide usage cycles by usage cycles where there was just one flush in the cycle and usage cycles where more than one flush per cycle occurred. These two distributions can be compared using the similarity score calculation methodology of FIG. 6, which can help provide insight into what usage cycle duration will be more likely to result in one flush or more than one flush. This can be helpful for informing the time cutoff for a dual-flush toilet to decide whether to flush at a low volume or a high volume. This is just one of many possible examples of how plotting one or more distributions of durations between two events could provide insight to the facility manager and / or inform the system controller of parameters to adjust.

[0132] In some implementations, results from main and inverse analyses may be combined to improve robustness of diagnostics, benchmarking, and control decisions, including policy selection for timing and volume.

[0133] As illustrated by exemplary plot 700 in FIG. 7, in one embodiment, the plot may include a secondary set of bars across the same x-axis bins with a different color from the first set of bars, representing the timing of flushes as determined by the optional distance sensor. A similarity score may be calculated to quantify the degree of overlap between the distribution of flushes initiated by the distance sensor and the distribution of flushes initiated by the unlocking of the stall door. In one example, a Cosine Similarity calculation is employed, wherein a score of 100% indicates identical distributions and a score of 0% indicates no overlap. Alternative similarity metrics, such as Kullback-Leibler Divergence or Earth Mover's Distance, may also be utilized. The similarity score provides a quantitative measure of the effectiveness of the distance sensor in actuating flushes at times consistent with the ideal usage cycle. For instance, a similarity score of 30% may indicate that the distance sensor is more likely to initiate a flush prior to the unlocking of the stall door, which is inconsistent with the intended operation of having feedback loop 3 occur after feedback loop 2.

[0134] For example, such comparative plots and similarity analyses may be valuable tools for manufacturers seeking to benchmark the accuracy of their distance sensors. The distribution of flushes initiated by a given distance sensor may be compared to that of the stall latch-based system 500, to other distance sensors, to manual flush buttons, or to other flushing technologies. Data for such comparisons may be collected in real time or from historical datasets, which may be stored by the system controller or an associated computer. This enables manufacturers to evaluate and advertise the effectiveness of their distance sensors, and to compare performance across different brands or technologies. Benchmarking may be performed relative to latch-anchored or occupancy-anchored reference distributions and may compare across different occupancy-sensor modalities or brands without departing from the analytics described herein.

[0135] FIG. 6 illustrates a process flow 600 of adjusting the range or sensitivity of a distance sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Additionally, the described plot and similarity score calculation may be employed as tools for improving the accuracy of a distance sensor. Many distance sensors are equipped with manual and / or electronic means for adjusting their range, sensitivity, and a programmable delay between when the system determines that a flush should occur (e.g., upon detection of an Occupancy Exit Event or other trigger) and when the flush is actually actuated. Process flow 600 may be implemented to iteratively adjust the distance sensor's parameters, including sensitivity, range, and said actuation delay, to optimize the timing of flushes. This process 600 may be performed at the manufacturing facility, manually by a facilities manager in the field, automatically and dynamically by the toilet flush controller or system controller, or by a combination thereof. Dynamic adjustment allows the distance sensor to adapt to environmental factors such as dirt accumulation, ambient light brightness, stall geometry, water pressure, and battery life, thereby maintaining optimal performance over time. The sample size for such adjustments may range from a single usage cycle to millions, and sample sets may be independent from or overlapping with past sample sets. The adjustment process may target timing-accuracy objectives, water-efficiency objectives, or a combined objective subject to one or more thresholds or priorities configured by a facility manager.

[0136] As described in paragraph

[0092] , the distance sensor and its programmable logic circuit functionality may be enabled or disabled by facilities managers. In some cases, a distance sensor tuned via the described process 600 may be designated as the primary or sole mechanism for determining when to flush, in lieu of the unlocking of the stall door. For example, some users may prefer that the toilet flush prior to exiting the stall. By comparing the distribution of distance sensor-initiated flushes to that of the flushes initiated by the manual flush button (which are indicative of user preference), the distance sensor may be adjusted to optimize flush timing to align with user expectations, such as flushing in the 85%-100% range of cycle completion.

[0137] In addition to, or in place of, the process flow diagram 600, a machine learning or artificial intelligence model may be implemented to adjust the distance sensor's range or sensitivity. Such a model may utilize a variety of inputs, including but not limited to, battery life, usage cycle duration, time of day, frequency of manual flushes, and other relevant data, to predict and implement optimal flush timing based on data from the distance sensor and feedback loops 1 and 2.

[0138] It is further contemplated that the system may be configured to trigger a flush based on a combination of signals from the latch and the distance sensor. For example, the distance sensor may be accurate only for usage cycles of a certain duration or during specific times of day, with the latch serving as a backup indicator outside those parameters. Such configurations may be implemented at the manufacturing facility, in the field by a facilities manager, automatically by the system controller, or by a combination thereof. Factors such as battery life and usage cycle frequency may also influence the optimal combination of signals for flush actuation.

[0139] According to an embodiment, by plotting the timing of flushes relative to the locking and unlocking of the stall door, facilities managers and manufacturers are provided with a powerful tool for visualizing and optimizing the accuracy of the flushing process, regardless of whether flushes are initiated by the unlocking of the stall door, the manual flush button, the distance sensor, or a combination thereof. Multiple flushing technologies may be benchmarked against each other, and the sensitivity or range of one technology may be adjusted to better match another. Adjustments may be made via process flow diagrams, such as process 600, algorithmic comparison of distributions, and / or artificial intelligence or machine learning models, thereby enabling continuous improvement and adaptation of the system to user preferences and environmental conditions. These analyses may be performed relative to latch lock / unlock or other Cycle Boundary Events (e.g., occupancy entry / exit) as disclosed herein.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

Definitions

[0037]The following listing comprises exemplary non-limiting definitions of certain terms used throughout the present description:

[0038]Door Locking Member: Components involved in the stall latch mechanism.

[0039]Slider: Mechanism that the user uses to lock and unlock the stall door. A slider is typically attached to the stall door and aligned with a door lock chamber.

[0040]Door Locking Chamber: Component used to secure the slider in the locked position.

[0041]Housing: Receptacle attached to the stall door that contains the sensor, signal emitter, door housing controller, batteries, battery holder, sd card, and has a cover with photovoltaic cells.

[0042]Sensor: Senses the position of the slider.

[0043]Door Housing Controller: Microcontroller for all of the components within the housing. Regulates the function of the sensor and signal emitter.

[0044]Signal Emitter: Sends wireless signal from the housing to the flush signal receiver.

[0045]Cover: Covers door locking member compon...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present Application is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 19 / 235,205, filed on Jun. 11, 2025, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 18 / 522,957, filed on Nov. 29, 2023 (and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 12,345,036 on July 1, 2025), which is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16 / 745,140, filed on Jan. 16, 2020 (and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 11,866,922 on January 9, 2024), the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a system for managing toilet flushing and monitoring wastewater consumption in toilets, for example, toilets in bathroom stalls, typically found in locations that accommodate a large number of people such as but not limited to airports, college campus buildings, public buildings, sports arenas, and entertainment events.BACKGROUND

[0003] Public bathrooms such as those found in offices, schools, airports, and parks, for example, have toilets located in stalls to maintain privacy for the user. Users typically lock the stall door following entry and unlock the stall door upon exit.

[0004] In toilets designed to serve a large number of people, there are two standard types of toilet flushing mechanisms: manual flushing such as a toilet handle, lever, or button and automatic flushing initiated by a sensor and an automated flushing mechanism.

[0005] In manual flushing, toilets have a handle, lever, or button that is actuated manually and is operably joined to a flushing mechanism that flushes the toilet when actuated. This method relies entirely on the user to intentionally cause the toilet to flush which can be problematic for locations where high sanitation standards are required. Users are often not motivated to flush the toilet because, for example, flushing requires extra time and effort or risks contamination of the user to produce a consequence that to the user is personally insignificant.

[0006] To mitigate the problem in which users fail to flush, many facilities have installed automatic flush toilets. Automatic flush toilets typically have infrared or ultrasonic sensors that detect the distance between the user and the toilet. When the user enters the stall and then leaves moving away from the toilet, a sensor detects that a predetermined distance between user and toilet is met, and the sensor triggers the toilet to flush.

[0007] Automatic toilet flushing systems are very popular and are even required in certain places. These systems keep toilets clean and reduce the incidence of germ transfer and the possibility of transmitting transmissible diseases. Disadvantageously, automatic flushing toilets sometimes do not flush enough or, more commonly, flush too often. Actions such as hanging up a coat, placing down a backpack, or lining a seat with toilet paper may cause the user to unintentionally or unnecessarily trigger the automatic toilet flushing sequence. Extra flushes, particularly for toilets in public bathrooms that may be used hundreds or even thousands of times in a day, can accumulate significantly over time and create a significant amount of water waste.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The primary advantage of the present invention is water saving by significantly more accurately determining when the toilet should be flushed and the frequency with which the toilet has been used compared to the currently existing automatic toilet flushing systems. Prior art systems measure the user's distance from the toilet, which is not an effective predictor of when and if the user has used the toilet due to errors in determining whether a user has actually used the toilet or is engaged in some unrelated behavior as discussed above. The best indicator of toilet use and water consumption is the unlocking of the toilet stall door to open the door so that the user may exit the stall. Because the present invention is based on the reliability of the user to unlock the stall door as the sole indicator that the toilet has been used, the invention uses the stall door unlocking action to determine when to flush the toilet. Accordingly, because no other user behavior initiates any unintentional flush, the likelihood that the toilet will flush and flush only once, as necessary, for each toilet use is improved. Not only is the level of sanitation of the toilet improved compared to existing systems, the number of unnecessary flushes resulting in excessive and undesirable water waste use is markedly limited.

[0009] A second key advantage of the present invention is that flushing does not require the user to be inconvenienced. Because users almost always lock and unlock the stall door to maintain privacy, by modifying the locking-unlocking steps to trigger the toilet to flush, the toilet will flush as the user leaves the toilet stall without any additional effort on the part of the user.

[0010] Optionally, a sign may be added to the inside or outside of the stall door informing the user that the toilet has been equipped to flush automatically when the stall door is unlocked thereby avoiding or reducing inadvertent manual flushing by the user.

[0011] A third key advantage of the present invention is that it includes the same sanitary benefits associated with sensor based automatic toilet flushing systems.

[0012] According to one aspect, the invention relates to a system for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall. The system comprises a door locking member, a toilet flushing controller and a toilet flushing actuator.

[0013] According to another aspect, usage-cycle boundaries may be defined by occupancy indicators other than the stall latch. In such embodiments, a “usage cycle” is delimited by an “Occupancy Entry Event” signifying a user entering or being present within a stall and an “Occupancy Exit Event” signifying a user leaving or no longer being present within the stall. The plotting, benchmarking, and tuning methodologies disclosed herein apply analogously when cycle start and end are defined by such occupancy events rather than by latch lock / unlock.

[0014] Suitable occupancy indicators include, without limitation, thermal or heat-based sensors positioned on a ceiling or wall, ultrasonic presence sensors positioned on a wall or stall partition, floor-mounted pressure or weight sensors, magnetic sensors configured to detect stall door or hinge open / close states, toilet-seat tactile switches indicating presence or seat position, and non-actuating signals from a flushometer or toilet that correlate with user presence or absence. These sensors may be placed within the stall (e.g., door, hinge, walls, ceiling, floor, toilet seat, flushometer) or proximate to the stall (e.g., bathroom door, bathroom walls, bathroom ceiling or floor).

[0015] In such embodiments, the system controller may generate plots of event timing within a usage cycle where the x-axis is standardized in a selected manner, including: (i) percent completion between an Occupancy Entry Event (0%) and an Occupancy Exit Event (100%), optionally with a post-exit offset window; (ii) a fixed duration (for example, 90 seconds) by time-scaling cycles to a common length; or (iii) left unstandardized with filtering to include only cycles within specified duration ranges. The system controller may overlay event distributions and compute similarity or overlap scores using the techniques described herein (e.g., analogous to FIGS. 6 and 7).

[0016] In a further aspect, the system controller may implement multi-objective optimization, for example, prioritizing timing accuracy (e.g., achieving or maintaining a minimum similarity score relative to a reference distribution), water efficiency (e.g., minimizing the number of flushes per usage cycle (which may include Average Gallons per Cycle), phantom flush propensity (e.g. an accidental automatic flush that happens too early in a usage cycle), and / or missed flush propensity (e.g. a usage cycle where a flush does not occur),. The controller may apply configurable priorities, thresholds, or policies to balance these objectives.

[0017] In one embodiment of the invention, the door locking member of the system includes a door lock chamber, typically attached to a stall post, a slider typically attached to the stall door and aligned with the door lock chamber, a housing enclosing a signal emitter associated with the door locking member, the signal emitter configured to send a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver associated with a toilet flushing mechanism comprising a toilet flushing controller and a toilet flushing actuator. The locking member further includes a sensor for sensing the position of the slider, a door housing controller for receiving input from the sensor and initiating the sending of a signal by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver, and one or more batteries and an SD card enclosed in the housing typically having a cover. The door housing controller further can optionally regulate the function of the batteries and SD card. The SD card can store data received from the door housing controller optionally including without limitation sensor input and signal emitter output.

[0018] The slider is capable of translating from a first position to a second position and comprises a first, or proximal end, and an opposite second, or distal end. In the slider first position the slider first end is inserted in the door lock chamber and in the second position the slider first end is positioned outside of, i.e., is free of, the door lock chamber. The stall door cannot open unless the slider is in the second position. The sensor is configured for sensing the slider when the slider is in the second position, and is operatively connected to the signal emitter, communicating the detected position of the slider to the door housing controller. The door housing controller triggers the signal emitter to send a signal to the flush signal receiver. The toilet flushing controller is operatively joined to the flush signal receiver.

[0019] The toilet flushing actuator is controlled by the toilet flushing controller.

[0020] The signal emitter is configured to transmit to the flush signal receiver a signal, e.g., a Bluetooth® or radio frequency signal, upon sensing the signal sent from the sensor to the door housing controller that the sensor has detected that the slider has been translated to the second position, the toilet flushing controller configured to control the flushing actuator to initiate a single flush when the stall door is unlocked.

[0021] In one embodiment, the system further comprises a system controller configured to set intervals of time between 5 seconds to 240 seconds during which a flush can be activated. The system controller is capable of communicating with both the door housing controller and the toilet flushing controller wirelessly or through hardwire connection. The system controller is capable of setting the duration of flushing intervals for all toilets in the bathroom and / or the duration of flushing intervals for all toilets in a building and may be configured to prevent any toilet from flushing for a period of 5-240 seconds after its previous flush.

[0022] In another embodiment according to the invention, the system further comprises a toilet handle, lever, or button for manually flushing the toilet, and / or one or more photovoltaic cells or batteries for energizing one or more of the sensor, door housing controller, signal emitter, flush signal receiver, toilet flushing controller, and toilet flushing actuator.

[0023] In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a wireless signal from a signal emitter in a stall door latch, the wireless signal indicating a retraction of the slider in the stall door locking member and triggering a flushing actuator to initiate flushing of a toilet in response to receiving the wireless signal.

[0024] In another embodiment, the method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall includes sensing a retraction of a stall latch slider by a sensor; and emitting a wireless signal by a signal emitter in response to sensing the retraction by the slider, wherein the wireless signal is matched to a flush signal receiver. This method may further include receiving the wireless signal by the flush signal receiver and triggering a flushing actuator by a toilet flushing controller in communication with the flush signal receiver in response to the receiving of the wireless signal by the flush signal receiver.

[0025] In still another embodiment, the method for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall comprises providing a device comprising a door locking member comprising a slider having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, a signal emitter, and a sensor, a flush signal receiver; a toilet flushing controller; and, a toilet flushing actuator. Additionally the method includes transmitting by the signal emitter to the flush signal receiver, a signal upon the detection of the position of the second end of the slider by the sensor, controlling the toilet flushing actuator by the toilet flushing controller, initiating by the toilet flushing controller a single toilet flush by the toilet flushing actuator when the slider second end position is detected by the sensor; and, optionally, recording the frequency of slider operation by a door housing controller onto the SD card.DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1A illustrates an embodiment of the automatic toilet flushing system according to the invention;

[0027] FIG. 1B is an illustrative isometric view of one embodiment of the stall door locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1 according to the invention;

[0028] FIG. 1C is an exploded view of the device illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0029] FIG. 1D is an open front view of an exemplary housing enclosing the electronic components of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0030] FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of the stall door slider lock in the closed (first) position of the embodiment of the toilet flushing system illustrated in FIG. 1B according to the invention;

[0031] FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of the stall door slider lock in the open (second) position of the embodiment of the toilet flushing system illustrated in FIG. 1B;

[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of the housing of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B according to the invention;

[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a slider of the embodiment of the locking mechanism illustrated in FIG. 1B.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram showing a method of providing information for managing facilities toilet flushing according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a process flow diagram showing a method of adjusting the range or sensitivity of a distance sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a plot diagram showing an embodiment of the timing of flushes as determined by the optional distance sensor overlaid onto the timing of flushes as determined by the unlocking of the stall door according to an aspect of the present disclosure.DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONDefinitions

[0037] The following listing comprises exemplary non-limiting definitions of certain terms used throughout the present description:

[0038] Door Locking Member: Components involved in the stall latch mechanism.

[0039] Slider: Mechanism that the user uses to lock and unlock the stall door. A slider is typically attached to the stall door and aligned with a door lock chamber.

[0040] Door Locking Chamber: Component used to secure the slider in the locked position.

[0041] Housing: Receptacle attached to the stall door that contains the sensor, signal emitter, door housing controller, batteries, battery holder, sd card, and has a cover with photovoltaic cells.

[0042] Sensor: Senses the position of the slider.

[0043] Door Housing Controller: Microcontroller for all of the components within the housing. Regulates the function of the sensor and signal emitter.

[0044] Signal Emitter: Sends wireless signal from the housing to the flush signal receiver.

[0045] Cover: Covers door locking member components within housing and can be location for photovoltaic cells.

[0046] Toilet Flushing Mechanism: A system for flushing the toilet that contains the toilet flushing controller, toilet flushing actuator, flush signal receiver, and toilet handle / lever / button.

[0047] Toilet Flushing Actuator: Executes the operation of an automatic flush.

[0048] Flush Signal Receiver: Receives a signal from the signal emitter.

[0049] Toilet Flush Controller: Controls when the toilet flushing actuator initiates a flush.

[0050] Computer: A laptop, desktop, tablet, or smart device with which a facility manager can view signals from the system controller as well as signal to the system controller to initiate certain actions.

[0051] System Controller: A central component of the overall system that receives signals from the door housing controller, toilet flushing controller, and computer, and can also signal the door housing controller and toilet flushing controller to perform flushing actuation, regulate time delays between flushes for one toilet, all toilets in a bathroom, or toilets in an entire building the system controller also can be used to determine and vary flush water volumes. The system controller can be an independent module or integrated into the computer through hardware or software.

[0052] Feedback loop: An occurrence where the door housing controller and toilet flushing Controller emit a signal to the System Controller that an action has been completed, along with an indicator for the action that has been completed (i.e. the toilet has flushed), the date, time, and battery life are recorded.

[0053] Usage Cycle: Process of the user entering the stall, using the toilet, then leaving the stall. While there are multiple possibilities of what could happen during this cycle (i.e., the user does a manual flush or the latch unlocking causes a flush). Each usage should have these three steps in this exact order. This means that the system controller should expect to receive information first from feedback loop 1, then feedback loop 2, then feedback loop 3 in that exact order, for every use. If information received is from the feedback loops out of order, or if there is an absence of information from one or multiple loops, then that could indicate that a component is malfunctioning.

[0054] Time bucket: An interval of time that can range of one hour, to one day, to one week, to one month, to one year, to multiple years. A time bucket can be an arbitrary block of time, or an interval between set times.

[0055] “x” and “y”: Placeholders or variables that indicate values that can be programmed into the system.

[0056] Opt-out Button: An additional component to the door locking member that a user could press to prevent an automatic flush (for example, if the user only uses the stall to change clothes, and did not need the toilet to flush).

[0057] Distance Sensor: A sensor used to actuate a flush based on the user's distance from the automatic toilet. This is the primary method for automatic flushing with existing technology, frequently using infrared technology. In this application, it is an optional and additional method of determining when to flush.

[0058] Occupancy Sensor: A sensor configured to detect stall occupancy or bathroom entry / exit, including without limitation thermal / heat sensors, ultrasonic presence sensors, floor pressure or weight sensors, magnetic sensors associated with a stall door or hinge, toilet-seat tactile switches, or non-actuating signals from a flushometer or toilet that correlate with user presence or absence.

[0059] Occupancy Entry Event: An event indicating a user has entered a stall or is present in a stall, used to mark the commencement of a usage cycle when cycle boundaries are defined by occupancy.

[0060] Occupancy Exit Event: An event indicating a user has exited a stall or is no longer present in a stall, used to mark the completion of a usage cycle when cycle boundaries are defined by occupancy.

[0061] Cycle Boundary Event(s): Events used to define a usage cycle, including latch lock / unlock events or occupancy entry / exit events.

[0062] Average Flushes per Cycle: A derived metric equal to the number of recorded flush events divided by the number of usage cycles in a sample.

[0063] Average Gallons per Cycle: A derived metric equal to Average Flushes per Cycle multiplied by a flush volume, where the representative volume may be computed as the volume of each individual recorded flush (summed over the sample and divided by cycle count), an average flush volume across recorded flushes, or a weighted average of volumes for multi-volume or dual-flush embodiments. This computation may be performed at repeated intervals or continuously (e.g., over time buckets, rolling windows, or upon accumulation of a target sample size) at stall, bathroom, or building scope.

[0064] The present solution without sacrificing user functionality or convenience addresses drawbacks such as too few or too many flushes characteristic of current toilet flushing mechanisms. The present solution is a device and a method thereof that initiates a toilet flushing sequence by the unlocking of a toilet stall door.

[0065] As used herein, a stall may be any walled enclosure with or without a roof or ceiling having a door and any number of sides that will provide sufficient privacy to the typical toilet user to encourage its use and may be any shape including but not limited to rectangular, pyramidal, cylindrical, and trapezoidal.

[0066] The invention disclosed herein is directed to a toilet flush management system and an automated toilet flushing system that does not require manual flushing of a toilet. Manual flushing of a toilet is an option that can be included with the present invention.

[0067] FIGS. 1A-1D illustrate the toilet flushing management system. The overall scheme of the toilet flushing management system 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1A. The system 10 includes a stall door locking member 110 affixed to the door 100 of a stall housing a toilet 7, hereinafter toilet stall.

[0068] The system 10 further includes a toilet flushing mechanism 112 comprising a flush signal receiver 3, a flush actuator 5 and a toilet flushing controller 16 associated with the toilet flushing actuator 5 for initiating a flush by the toilet 7.

[0069] Referring to FIGS. 1B-1D, the locking member 110 includes a slider 12, a housing 19 enclosing a sensor 4 for sensing slider position, a signal emitter 1 for transmitting a signal to the flush signal receiver 3 associated with the toilet flushing mechanism 112, a door housing controller 27, a battery compartment 26 enclosing one or more batteries 25, an SD card 28, and a cover 22. The locking member 110 further includes a lock chamber 6, positioned on a stall post 8. The lock chamber 6 is aligned with the slider 12.

[0070] Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the slider 12 is capable of manual reciprocal movement between a first (closed) position and a second (open) position. In the first position, illustrated in FIG. 2A, proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is inserted in the lock chamber 6 when the stall door 100 is closed and locked. The proximal end 15 of the slider 12 cannot be inserted in the lock chamber 6 unless the stall door 100 is closed.

[0071] In the second position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the proximal end 15 of slider 12 that was inserted in the chamber 6 illustrated in FIG. 1A is positioned outside, i.e., free of, the lock chamber 6. In the second position, a distal end 17 of the slider 12 opposite to slider proximal end 15, contacts and / or is sensed by the sensor 4 initiating a signal from signal emitter 1 enclosed within the housing 19 (FIG. 1D) to emit a signal that is transmitted to flush signal receiver 3 positioned on the toilet or associated toilet plumbing when the stall door 100 is open.

[0072] Each time a stall door is unlocked by moving the slider 12 from the first position where proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is positioned in the lock chamber 6, to the second position where the proximal end 15 of the slider 12 is free of the chamber 6, the opposite distal end 17 of the slider 12 contacts and / or is sensed by the sensor 4. The sensor 4 upon contact with and / or sensing distal end 17 of slider 12 triggers the signal emitter 1 to send a wireless signal such as a radio frequency or Bluetooth® signal or a hardwire signal to the flush signal receiver 3 triggering the toilet flushing controller 16 operatively joined to the flushing actuator 5 on the toilet 7 to initiate a flush.

[0073] The sensor 4 can be a variety of different sensors or a combination of sensors. Examples of possible sensors include but are not limited to: contact sensors, magnetic proximity sensors, vibration sensors, infrared sensors, or ultrasonic sensors.

[0074] In one embodiment of the invention, a contact sensor 4 is positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 such that every time the slider 12 is transferred from the first position to the second position, the slider 12 makes physical contact with the sensor 4. Such contact signals flush actuation.

[0075] In another embodiment, a magnetic proximity sensor 4 positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 is used to detect the presence of a magnet or magnetized material, e.g. piece of metal 14a,b affixed to the slider 12. Upon transfer of the slider 12 to the second position, the magnet or magnetized piece of metal 14a,b triggers the magnetic proximity sensor 4, signaling flush actuation. The number of magnets or magnetized materials are not limited to those illustrated.

[0076] In still another embodiment, a vibration sensor 4, similar to the contact sensor, is positioned in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100 such that every time the slider 12 is transferred from the first position to the second position, the slider 12 makes physical contact with the sensor 4. The vibration sensor 4 detects the impact of the slider 12 signaling flush actuation.

[0077] In yet another embodiment, an infrared sensor 4 is affixed in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100. The infrared sensor 4 emits an infrared signal to detect the distance of nearby objects. The infrared sensor is attuned to detect the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor such that it triggers flush actuation upon the movement of the slider 12 from first position to second position.

[0078] In yet another embodiment, an ultrasonic sensor 4 is affixed in or on the housing 19 or on the stall door 100. The sensor 4 detects sound waves reflected back by nearby objects, thereby allowing the sensor to register distance. For example, the sensor 4 detects sound waves reflected back by slider 12 depending on the distance of the slider 12 from the sensor 4. Based on a predetermined distance between the slider 12 and the sensor 4, flush actuation would be initiated following translation of the slider 12 from the first position to the second position.

[0079] Each locking member signal emitter 1 is matched to a corresponding toilet flush signal receiver 3 and uses unique signals that differ from other of the signal emitters 1 and flush signal receivers 3 in other nearby systems 10, for example, other systems 10 in the same bathroom. By the application of unique signals, one signal emitter 1 is prevented from activating the flushing system of other toilets to flush.

[0080] In one embodiment of the invention, the system 10 further includes a toilet flushing actuator 5 that initiates a flush to occur in the toilet 7. The system 10 described herein could either be retrofitted to current toilets and bathroom stalls as an attachment or manufactured directly onto a new toilet and applied to bathroom toilet stalls or to pre-fabricated bathroom toilet stalls. In one implementation, the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be designed to fit over a manual another illustrative embodiment, the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be designed for mounting externally over existing toilet plumbing and configured to actuate an existing manual flush mechanism. This implementation, does not require water to be shut off to the system and does not directly interact with any flowing water, so there is less reliability risk of electronics being exposed to water. This embodiment of the toilet flushing actuator is comparatively easy and inexpensive to install to existing toilet installations without requiring a plumber to easy installation over existing manual flush mechanisms.

[0081] Embodiments that use an external implementation of the toilet flush controller 5 are not directly connected to the water supply flow, so they are unable to detect a continuous flush by interacting with the flow of water or based on signals from a flush actuator solenoid used in other embodiments, for example. However, in an illustrative embodiment the external implementation of the flush controller may include a sound sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor to detect continuous flushes based on their sound pattern. A sound sensor and / or an ultrasonic sensor could be similarly implemented in other flush controller embodiments of the disclosed system in addition to or instead of other flow sensors.

[0082] FIG. 3 illustrates the location of a magnet or magnetizable plate 18 on the portion of the housing 19 that faces an end 17 of the slider 12 that is opposite to the insertable end 15 of the slider 12. The shape of the plate is not limited to the illustrated shape, as the shape could be rectangular, circular, triangular, trapazoidal or another shape. Magnetizable materials include but are not limited to iron, nickel, cobalt, rare-earth metals, and lodestone. The location of magnets or magnetizable materials and the number of magnets or magnetizable materials on the housing 19 are not limited to those illustrated.

[0083] Referring now to FIG. 4, a side view of the slider 12 is illustrated. The location of slider magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b on end 17 of slider 12 are positioned to magnetically interact with magnetic or magnetizable plate 18 on housing 19. The slider magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b are aligned with the magnetic or magnetizable plate 18 of the housing 19 to (i) ensure that proper contact is made between the slider 12 and housing 19 such that the slider 12 is aligned with the sensor 4, (ii) prevent the slider 12 from bouncing back and forth upon the opening and closing of the stall door, and (iii) attract the slider 12 to the housing 19 in the event the user does not slide the slider 12 sufficiently towards the housing 19.

[0084] The strength of the magnets or magnetizable materials are sufficient to attract the slider 12 to connect to the housing 19 immediately upon unlocking, but not so strong that the magnets or magnetizable materials prevent the slider 12 from reaching its extended locked position. The housing 19 and lock slider 12 are either at a predetermined or adjustable distance away from each other such that immediately upon unlocking, i.e., immediately upon moving the slider 12 from the first position illustrated in FIG. 2A to the second position illustrated in FIG. 2B, the magnets or magnetizable materials 14a and 14b of slider 12 contact the magnets or magnetizable materials 18 of the housing 19. This avoids the possibility that when the user unlocks the stall door 100 the slider 12 will not move all the way into the second position, preventing the slider 12 from initiating the process for the signal emitter 1 to emit a signal to be received by the flush signal receiver 3 to initiate the events leading to a flushing. In other words, by fully reaching the second position, which is ensured with the magnets, the sensor 4 adequately senses the presence of the slider 12 in the second position so that a flush signal is emitted by signal emitter 1 to flush signal receiver 3, regardless of the type sensor, for example, the sensors disclosed above, that is being used.

[0085] The electronic circuitry for the electronic components inside the housing 19 may be powered by either one or more photovoltaic cells 23 or by one or more batteries 25 housed in housing 19, for example. The electronic circuitry for the flushing mechanism 112 including the flush signal receiver 3, the toilet flushing controller 16, and the toilet flushing actuator 5 may be powered by either one or more photovoltaic cells or by one or more batteries.

[0086] In one embodiment of the invention, the toilet flushing controller 16 and / or the door housing controller 27 is configured to implement a programmable time delay that is introduced to set minimum intervals between flushes, preferably ranging from, but not limited to, 1-5 seconds, 1-10 seconds, 5 -25 seconds, 5-50 seconds, 25-50 seconds, 50-100 seconds, 100-200 seconds, 150-250 seconds, preferably, 5 to 240 seconds. The programmable time delay setting minimum intervals between flushes may also be set to be less than 5 seconds or more than 240 seconds. The programmable time delay can be manually programmed, or determined through an algorithm that uses machine learning or deep learning techniques to determine an optimal time interval. The programmable time delay prevents users from repeatedly flushing the toilet in short intervals of time by repeatedly switching the slider 12 of the stall locking member 110 back and forth between locked (first position) and unlocked positions (second position). Managers of the bathroom will be able to manipulate the time delay range at their discretion with a system controller 114 for example, a computer, a mobile application, or a combination of various electronics and / or computer based technology.

[0087] In one embodiment, a system controller 114 may be specific to one toilet, alternatively to all the toilets in the same bathroom, or central to all the toilets in the entire building, but with the ability to regulate the time delay in each or every individual toilet.

[0088] In a particular embodiment, a different time delay may be appropriate for a handicap toilet as opposed to a regular toilet because the handicap toilet may be used differently from a non-handicap toilet. The system controller 114 measures how many times the toilets flush, allowing the facility manager to collect data and adjust settings to maximize water efficiency. The system controller 114 sends data to the flush signal receiver wirelessly via Bluetooth® or radio frequency, for example. Also a required daily flush for toilets that were not used can be programmed into the system 10 to keep toilets clean. The system controller 114 records the frequency of slider operation, and optionally may record and store additional functional data and timestamps relating to any action of the system or signals generated by the system, for example.

[0089] A method for automatically actuating a toilet flush using a flush actuating system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described with reference to FIG. 5. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system may be programmed and / or configured such that unlatching of a stall door sends a wireless signal to the toilet flush controller that triggers the toilet flushing actuator to initiate a flush. In an illustrative embodiment of the disclosed system and method, an ordinary usage cycle 502 begins when a user enters a toilet stall 504, then the user locks the door 506, then the user uses the toilet 508, then the user unlocks the door 510, then the user leaves the stall. During the ordinary usage cycle, the unlocking of the stall door 510 by the user triggers a flushing of the toilet 512. The ordinary cycle is effective as a substantial water saving technique.

[0090] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the disclosed system and method can be programmed and / or configured to tolerate and / or accommodate toilet stall uses that do not include the ordinary usage cycle. For example, on some occasions, a user only uses a toilet stall to change clothes without using the toilet. On other occasions a male user may choose to refrain from latching the stall door in order to use the toilet as if it were a urinal, for example. On other occasions a user who may not be aware that the stall door latch initiates flushing may intentionally trigger a manual flush. On other occasions maintenance workers may trigger manual flushes to clean the toilet, for example.

[0091] In this illustrative embodiment, the flush actuating system includes a distance sensor in communication with programmable logic circuitry configured to recognize and accommodate toilet stall uses that do not include the ordinary usage cycle. This adaptation to the ordinary usage cycle system and method substantially improves water savings and facilitates improved management techniques. In an illustrative embodiment, the distance sensor and programmable logic circuit functionality adaptation can be enabled or disabled by facility managers, for example.

[0092] According to aspects of the invention, timestamps may be recorded by the feedback loops upon recognition of certain events. An identification of the type of event that occurred may be recorded by the feedback loops along with a corresponding time stamp.

[0093] Some events such as “user does not lock stall door,” which falls in the category of events occurring during feedback loop 1, are not necessarily recorded by feedback loop 1. However, such events may be recognizable by their absence upon the occurrence of an event that usually follows, such as the occurrence of feedback from subsequent feedback loops 2 and 3, for example. In such cases the event may be retroactively recorded by the system. If this is a frequent occurrence of this event, then the facility manager may be alerted to the fact that it is consistently not receiving feedback from feedback loop 1, for example.

[0094] Similarly, while a “toilet does not flush” event may not actively trigger the transmission of a signal in feedback loop 3, the absence of an expected “toilet flushes” event after a “user presses opt-out button” event may be noted after a certain period of time, for example.

[0095] According to another aspect of the present disclosure the ordinary user cycle may be supplemented or adapted to accommodate various system faults. In a first example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when one or more component of the system stop working. In this situation, the system controller may detect that it is only receiving information from feedback loop 2 and feedback loop 3, but not from feedback loop 1, for example. The computer may be configured to recognize when it is not receiving signals from all feedback loops and, in response to sends an alert to a platform having a user interface with which the facility manager views the data. The alert may include an identification of the suspected fault type and a time stamp of the fault recognition.

[0096] In a second example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when all components of the system fail. In an illustrative embodiment, the computer continuously stores data as it is received from the feedback loops. An algorithm executing on the computer sorts data indicating frequency of flushes data into multiple time buckets. The time buckets may include hours, days, weeks, months, and years, for example. In the illustrative embodiment, the computer then can compute the frequency of new flushes within each bucket and compare the computed frequency against historical data for the same time bucket. For example, the computer may compute whether the current frequency is within, higher, or lower than percentage range of the historical value. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the percentage range is selectable by the facility manager. The system notifies the facility manager when the current frequency is outside of the selected range, for example.

[0097] When none of the feedback loops are providing signals, the computer determines that the frequency of flushes is 0%. If this frequency is consistent for a predetermined time interval, during which historical data indicates that there should be a much higher frequency of flushes, then the facility manager is automatically notified. This fault handling system and method enables the facility manager to perform timely checks on the devices in the corresponding stall. In an illustrative embodiment, the facility manager can program and / or configure the system to vary the time buckets during which the frequency determination and fault analysis will occur or the computer may be programmed to automatically complete this process, for example.

[0098] In a third example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may be recognized when one component signals more frequently than expected. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system controller can compare the frequency of signals received within a specified time bucket from any and all feedback loops to the historical data. When a notable discrepancy from the expected results is recognized, such as numerous toilet flushes recorded for only one user lock and unlock sequence, the system controller captures the pertinent data and send it to the computer. The computer can then communicate an appropriate and specific fault alert to the facility manager.

[0099] In a fourth example of system fault handling according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a system fault may occur when one component signals unexpectedly. When the system controller receives signals out of order, such as a toilet flushing before a user locks or unlocks the door, then the system can send a signal to the computer to alert the facility manager. This can be especially useful information for facilities managers to quickly recognize and repair a toilet that is continuously flushing and wasting a large amount of water. According to an aspect of the present disclosure such continuous flushing is quickly recognized base on constant feedback signals being sent to the system controller.

[0100] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a variety of alerts may optionally be communicated to facility managers. The alerts provided extensive insight regarding real-time and historical functionality of system components and overall bathroom usage. The alerts can be managed by the facilities manager on a user interface of the system controller, or of a platform in communication with the system controller.

[0101] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, facility managers can view toilet flushing records for daily, weekly, monthly, yearly or multiple year periods to determine patterns for best managing toilet flushing, for example. This information can be useful to identify times when a toilet has historically not been flushed, e.g., when the facility is closed. In such cases, the facility manager can schedule a sentinel flush to occur then so as to ensure it does not happen when a user is present. “Sentinel flush” is an industry standard term that refers to an automatic flush that is programmed to occur in order to keep a toilet clean.

[0102] In another example where such data can be useful, the data may allow a facilities manager to recognize when a flushing mechanism was not strong enough to eliminate solid waste. In such cases, the data may indicate that multiple users have manually flushed before using the toilet, and flush again when they leave. If this pattern persists or increases over time, The facility manager can recognize that a problem with a flushing mechanism exists and can then perform a timely replacement or adjustment of the flushing mechanism for example.

[0103] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display the real time or historic frequencies at which signals from feedback loops 1-3 are recorded. The frequencies can be displayed numerically or graphically, for example, and can be sorted by building, bathroom, or by specific toilet / stall. They can also sort between real time and historical recordings.

[0104] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation, facilities managers can configure the system to provide notification of time periods during which frequency of usage is higher or lower than other periods.

[0105] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display, or the system may be configured to automatically display a notification of low battery life for any of the system components. For example, the system may indicate that battery life is low for any component, that component must be replaced in a particular number of days, that that the battery is dead, so the component may be recharged or the battery may be replaced at an appropriate time.

[0106] In another illustrative embodiment, during ordinary system operation facilities managers can configure the system to display, or the system may be configured to automatically display a notification of an unexpected signal or signal sequence. For example, the system can provide a notification when the system controller does not receive feedback loops 1, 2 and 3 in order. In another example, the system controller may provide a notification when it receives multiple signals from feedback loops 1, 2 or 3 within a single usage cycle. In another example, the system may provide a notification when the system controller is not consistently receiving signals from any or all of the feedback loops. Occurrences of unexpected signals or signal sequences can be recorded and frequencies of such occurrences can be displayed to a facilities manager, for example.

[0107] According to aspects of the present disclosure, facility managers are enabled to respond to certain alerts remotely. Such remote responses can shorten response time and limit the possibility of a catastrophic issue occurring from any of the technology. For example, according to an aspect of the present disclosure, a facilities manager can program the system controller, via a computer in communication with the system controller, for example, to set system parameters and control system functionality. Some programming capabilities of a facilities manager according to aspects of the present disclosure include: preventing flushes, delaying flushes, actuating flushes, reducing flush volume, preventing usage of a stall, and / or controlling alerts, for example.

[0108] Although the term facilities manager is used throughout the present application to describe the entity who is responsible for operating and managing the disclosed system, it should be understood that such an entity may not necessarily have a title or function as a facilities manager. Persons skilled in the art should appreciate that in some implementations of the disclosed system persons other than a facilities manager, including virtually any authorized user may operate the system. The authorized user may be a facilities employee or a remote service provider, for example.

[0109] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to prevent flushes by programming the toilet flush controller to stop signaling the toilet flushing actuator to actuate a flush. Alternatively, or in addition, the facilities manager can also program the system to prevent flushes by programming the door housing controller to stop signaling the signal emitter to emit signals to the flush signal receiver. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, preventing flushes can be implemented manually at virtually any time, or the facility manager may set times for this to occur at regular intervals, for example. This programmable functionality to prevent flushes can be used to set long term intervals of when a toilet should not flush, for example when a building is closed at night, the facility manager may want to shut-off flushing functionality during that time. The facility manager can also set this to occur after specific types of feedback, such as, but not limited to, an absence of signal from a specific feedback loop.

[0110] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to cause the toilet flush controller to signal the toilet flushing actuator to actuate a flush. Alternatively or in addition, the facilities manager may program the system controller to have the door housing controller signal the signal emitter to emit a signal to the flush signal receiver to actuate a flush. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, actuation of flushes can be performed manually at any time, or the facility manager may set times for this to occur at regular intervals, for example.

[0111] In an illustrative embodiment, a facilities manager can program the system to set a default flush volume for ordinary operation, set a specific flush volume and a period of time for which the toilets should flush at that volume.

[0112] In an illustrative embodiment, the system may be configured to allow a facility manager to remotely manipulate the position of the stall latch slider to prevent it from locking or unlocking, for example. This functionality may be implemented when a facility manager notices unusual activity, but does not have time to immediately address the problem. In this embodiment, the system controller may instruct the door locking chamber to prevent the slider from achieving the locked position, for example. This would prevent the user from being able to lock the stall and achieve privacy, therefore subtly discouraging them from using the stall.

[0113] Alternatively the system may be programmed to cause the housing to interfere with the slider travel and thereby to prevent the slider from reaching an unlocked position, for example.

[0114] In another illustrative embodiment, the system controller may be programmed to delay flushes by setting a selected time interval beginning after the instance of a flush, during which the system prevents another flush from occurring until the time interval has passed, for example. In yet another illustrative embodiment, the facility manager can set notifications to be received when a specific percentage threshold of expected, or unexpected, flushes occur within a time bucket, for example.

[0115] In several situations, toilets do not need to flush at their normal volume. In these situations flushing with normal flush volumes wastes a substantial volume of water. An illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure includes proactive methods for reducing flush volume. According to this embodiment, the system is configured so that a toilet bowl will initially have a lower flush volume than necessary. The system then reacts to adjust the flush volume based on user activity. In one example, this functionality may be useful at times of high facilities usage, such as during halftime of a sporting when urinal overflow often leads to toilets in stalls being used urinals. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a facility manager can program the system controller in such instances in order to temporarily lower the flush volume of each toilet to save water, then return the flush volume to ordinary levels after half time. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a facility manager could also program the system controller through the management system to initiate a flush of all the toilets at once, for example at the end of half time.

[0116] In another illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure, a toilet can be set to constantly operate at a reduced flush volume unless if a user locks the stall, as in these cases the user is more likely to use the toilet to defecate instead of urinate. In an illustrative embodiment, when the signal emitter detects the slider in locked position or transitioning to the locket position, the signal emitter transmits to the original receiver and thereby command the toilet flushing controller to increase the flush volume back to ordinary levels.

[0117] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the facility manager can optionally trigger reduced volume flushes for selected times or ranges of times, such as single instances, during a selected time interval, at regular time intervals, or automatically based on user actions for example. A wide range of flush volumes can be triggered for particular times or conditions. In an illustrative embodiment, the flush volume may be set from 0 gallons to 5 gallons of water, for example. Alternatively, the flush volume can be controlled based on an amount of water that is allowed to enter the bowl, and / or an amount of water that is used to flush. Flush volume can also be recorded during the feedback loops, for example.

[0118] According to an aspect of the present disclosure, the system controller may compute water-efficiency metrics for one or more stalls, bathrooms, or buildings based on recorded usage cycles and flush events. For example, Average Gallons per Cycle may be computed by multiplying Average Flushes per Cycle by a recorded or configured flush volume (or a weighted average volume for multi-volume or dual-flush systems).

[0119] While tuning flush timing and benchmarking against a reference distribution may improve water efficiency, in some instances timing accuracy and water savings may present distinct or competing objectives. The system controller may therefore be configured to select or enforce priorities or thresholds among objectives (e.g., maintain a similarity score at or above a threshold before adjusting volume policy to minimize Average Gallons per Cycle).

[0120] In one illustrative example, the controller evaluates a dual-flush policy that selects a lower or higher flush volume based on cycle duration or other parameters. The controller may (i) apply a first parameter setting (e.g., a 30-second cycle-duration threshold), collect a statistically significant sample of recorded flushes and / or Cycle Boundary Events, and compute Average Gallons per Cycle; (ii) apply an alternative parameter setting (e.g., a 45-second threshold), collect a comparable sample, and compute Average Gallons per Cycle; and (iii) select the setting that yields lower Average Gallons per Cycle while satisfying a timing-accuracy threshold relative to a reference distribution.

[0121] The controller may evaluate or adapt such policies periodically or continuously, and may consider additional inputs such as time of day, day of week, seasonal patterns, bathroom designation (e.g., men's or women's), usage-cycle frequency, manual-flush frequency or ratio, battery state, stall geometry, and distance-sensor sensitivity or timing parameters.

[0122] The controller may implement policy updates by adjusting criteria that determine which flush volume is used (e.g., a dual-flush threshold) and / or by updating sensor-timing parameters (e.g., introducing or modifying a flush delay) or sensitivity / range parameters to maintain or improve timing alignment, analogous to the iterative adjustment process described herein, and such updates may be executed at repeated intervals (for example, on a schedule or upon accumulation of a target sample size) and / or continuously in response to streaming event data, subject to stability constraints (e.g., hysteresis, rate limits) and facility-configured priorities or thresholds.

[0123] Referring again to FIG. 5, each feedback loop depicted therein represents the system controller receiving a signal indicative of the completion of a specific action within the system 500. The expected sequence of events for a usage cycle, as described in paragraph

[0053] , may be as follows: feedback loop 1, corresponding to the locking of the stall door, is recorded first; feedback loop 2, corresponding to the unlocking of the stall door, is recorded second; and feedback loop 3, corresponding to the actuation of the toilet flush, is recorded last. However, it is contemplated that the order in which these feedback loops are recorded may vary. For example, if a user actuates a manual flush button prior to unlocking the stall door, the signal from feedback loop 3 may be recorded before feedback loop 2.

[0124] As described in paragraph

[0104] , during ordinary system operation, facilities managers may configure the system to display, in real time or historically, the frequencies at which signals from feedback loops 1-3 are recorded. One exemplary visualization is a plot of the history of usage cycles over a representative sample, wherein the occurrence of feedback loop 3 (toilet flush) is plotted against the percentage of time elapsed between feedback loop 1 (latch locked) and feedback loop 2 (latch unlocked). In such a plot, the x-axis shows the percentage completion of the usage cycle, thereby equalizing cycles of varying durations (e.g., from 8 seconds to 900 seconds). Specifically, 0% on the x-axis corresponds to the moment the latch is locked, indicating the commencement of the usage cycle; 100% corresponds to the moment the latch is unlocked, indicating the end of the usage cycle; and values from 100% to 150% represent a post-unlock offset period (e.g., 15 seconds), during which subsequent events, such as a delayed flush, are still attributed to the preceding cycle. The duration of time represented in each bin along the x-axis is thus a function of the usage cycle duration. The x-axis can alternatively be shown in units of time for a specific usage cycle duration, or in units of time relative to one or both of feedback loop 1 and feedback loop 2, which may be configured by the facilities manager. For example, the plot could be configured to only show the 15 seconds before and 15 seconds after feedback loop 2 occurs in units of seconds. The y-axis of this plot would represent the number of flushes within the sample that occurred within each bin. Each x-axis bin will have bars extending upwards in the direction of the y-axis which represent either the quantity of flushes or the percent of flushes in that bin out of the total sample. While this describes a histogram, the same data could also be used to calculate other plots like probability density functions or cumulative density functions.

[0125] Analysis of such plots typically reveals that, in accordance with the intended operation of the system 500, the majority of flushes (feedback loop 3) are recorded after the completion of feedback loop 2 (latch unlocked). In instances where feedback loop 3 is recorded prior to feedback loop 2, further analysis may be performed by filtering out flushes triggered by the unlocking of the stall door, thereby isolating flushes initiated by the manual flush button. This filtered analysis generally reveals that the majority or all of the flushes occurring before feedback loop 2 were triggered by the manual flush button, thus confirming that the system operates as expected for the majority if not all of usage cycles when relying solely on the unlocking of the stall door to trigger flushes automatically.

[0126] The described plot may also be utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of a distance sensor, as defined in paragraph

[0058] , which is configured to actuate a flush based on the user's proximity to the toilet. The system controller may record and store additional functional data, as described in paragraph

[0089] , including but not limited to, data from the distance sensor. Whether the distance sensor is actively initiating flushes or merely reporting when it would have initiated a flush, such data is considered functional and may be overlaid onto the aforementioned plot for comparative analysis.

[0127] In alternative embodiments, the usage cycle may be defined by Cycle Boundary Events comprising an Occupancy Entry Event and an Occupancy Exit Event as detected by an Occupancy Sensor. In such cases, the x-axis standardization and optional offset window described herein (e.g., relative to latch lock / unlock) are applied analogously with 0% corresponding to the Occupancy Entry Event and 100% corresponding to the Occupancy Exit Event.

[0128] The system controller may record and plot events within an occupancy-anchored cycle, including without limitation flush events, manual button presses, latch-initiated flushes, distance-sensor activations (including non-actuating “would-have-fired” activations), and other functional signals, and may overlay event distributions for benchmarking on common axes.

[0129] The “independent-sensor-analysis” logging and analysis described herein is applicable in occupancy-anchored embodiments; for example, the timing distribution of distance-sensor activations may be compared to a reference distribution defined by occupancy entry / exit events to compute a similarity or overlap score and to inform tuning of distance-sensor timing and sensitivity. This can even be done without having the distance-sensor control the flushing, and instead relying on an alternate sensor, such as the stall latch, to initiate flushes. The benefit of this would be to record how a distance-sensor would perform without any input from the user, such as when the user presses a manual button, which for some distance sensors may affect the timing of a flush.

[0130] In certain analyses, it may be useful to evaluate “inverse” windows, such as the interval between latch unlock and the next latch lock, or, by analogy, the interval between an Occupancy Exit Event and a subsequent Occupancy Entry Event. The filtering, binning, plotting, overlay, similarity scoring, and tuning methodologies described herein may be applied to such inverse windows to characterize behavior when doors are not latched or when usage patterns differ. Likewise, Occupancy Events can be plotted between two other events. For example, Occupancy Entry Events could be plotted between their prior and future flush events.

[0131] A similar benchmarking analysis can also be done by comparing the distributions of durations between any two events. For example, the durations of all usage cycles can be plotted as histograms based on their durations. The mean would indicate the average amount of time that users spent in the stall. A useful application of using two of these distributions could be to subdivide usage cycles by usage cycles where there was just one flush in the cycle and usage cycles where more than one flush per cycle occurred. These two distributions can be compared using the similarity score calculation methodology of FIG. 6, which can help provide insight into what usage cycle duration will be more likely to result in one flush or more than one flush. This can be helpful for informing the time cutoff for a dual-flush toilet to decide whether to flush at a low volume or a high volume. This is just one of many possible examples of how plotting one or more distributions of durations between two events could provide insight to the facility manager and / or inform the system controller of parameters to adjust.

[0132] In some implementations, results from main and inverse analyses may be combined to improve robustness of diagnostics, benchmarking, and control decisions, including policy selection for timing and volume.

[0133] As illustrated by exemplary plot 700 in FIG. 7, in one embodiment, the plot may include a secondary set of bars across the same x-axis bins with a different color from the first set of bars, representing the timing of flushes as determined by the optional distance sensor. A similarity score may be calculated to quantify the degree of overlap between the distribution of flushes initiated by the distance sensor and the distribution of flushes initiated by the unlocking of the stall door. In one example, a Cosine Similarity calculation is employed, wherein a score of 100% indicates identical distributions and a score of 0% indicates no overlap. Alternative similarity metrics, such as Kullback-Leibler Divergence or Earth Mover's Distance, may also be utilized. The similarity score provides a quantitative measure of the effectiveness of the distance sensor in actuating flushes at times consistent with the ideal usage cycle. For instance, a similarity score of 30% may indicate that the distance sensor is more likely to initiate a flush prior to the unlocking of the stall door, which is inconsistent with the intended operation of having feedback loop 3 occur after feedback loop 2.

[0134] For example, such comparative plots and similarity analyses may be valuable tools for manufacturers seeking to benchmark the accuracy of their distance sensors. The distribution of flushes initiated by a given distance sensor may be compared to that of the stall latch-based system 500, to other distance sensors, to manual flush buttons, or to other flushing technologies. Data for such comparisons may be collected in real time or from historical datasets, which may be stored by the system controller or an associated computer. This enables manufacturers to evaluate and advertise the effectiveness of their distance sensors, and to compare performance across different brands or technologies. Benchmarking may be performed relative to latch-anchored or occupancy-anchored reference distributions and may compare across different occupancy-sensor modalities or brands without departing from the analytics described herein.

[0135] FIG. 6 illustrates a process flow 600 of adjusting the range or sensitivity of a distance sensor according to an aspect of the present disclosure. Additionally, the described plot and similarity score calculation may be employed as tools for improving the accuracy of a distance sensor. Many distance sensors are equipped with manual and / or electronic means for adjusting their range, sensitivity, and a programmable delay between when the system determines that a flush should occur (e.g., upon detection of an Occupancy Exit Event or other trigger) and when the flush is actually actuated. Process flow 600 may be implemented to iteratively adjust the distance sensor's parameters, including sensitivity, range, and said actuation delay, to optimize the timing of flushes. This process 600 may be performed at the manufacturing facility, manually by a facilities manager in the field, automatically and dynamically by the toilet flush controller or system controller, or by a combination thereof. Dynamic adjustment allows the distance sensor to adapt to environmental factors such as dirt accumulation, ambient light brightness, stall geometry, water pressure, and battery life, thereby maintaining optimal performance over time. The sample size for such adjustments may range from a single usage cycle to millions, and sample sets may be independent from or overlapping with past sample sets. The adjustment process may target timing-accuracy objectives, water-efficiency objectives, or a combined objective subject to one or more thresholds or priorities configured by a facility manager.

[0136] As described in paragraph

[0092] , the distance sensor and its programmable logic circuit functionality may be enabled or disabled by facilities managers. In some cases, a distance sensor tuned via the described process 600 may be designated as the primary or sole mechanism for determining when to flush, in lieu of the unlocking of the stall door. For example, some users may prefer that the toilet flush prior to exiting the stall. By comparing the distribution of distance sensor-initiated flushes to that of the flushes initiated by the manual flush button (which are indicative of user preference), the distance sensor may be adjusted to optimize flush timing to align with user expectations, such as flushing in the 85%-100% range of cycle completion.

[0137] In addition to, or in place of, the process flow diagram 600, a machine learning or artificial intelligence model may be implemented to adjust the distance sensor's range or sensitivity. Such a model may utilize a variety of inputs, including but not limited to, battery life, usage cycle duration, time of day, frequency of manual flushes, and other relevant data, to predict and implement optimal flush timing based on data from the distance sensor and feedback loops 1 and 2.

[0138] It is further contemplated that the system may be configured to trigger a flush based on a combination of signals from the latch and the distance sensor. For example, the distance sensor may be accurate only for usage cycles of a certain duration or during specific times of day, with the latch serving as a backup indicator outside those parameters. Such configurations may be implemented at the manufacturing facility, in the field by a facilities manager, automatically by the system controller, or by a combination thereof. Factors such as battery life and usage cycle frequency may also influence the optimal combination of signals for flush actuation.

[0139] According to an embodiment, by plotting the timing of flushes relative to the locking and unlocking of the stall door, facilities managers and manufacturers are provided with a powerful tool for visualizing and optimizing the accuracy of the flushing process, regardless of whether flushes are initiated by the unlocking of the stall door, the manual flush button, the distance sensor, or a combination thereof. Multiple flushing technologies may be benchmarked against each other, and the sensitivity or range of one technology may be adjusted to better match another. Adjustments may be made via process flow diagrams, such as process 600, algorithmic comparison of distributions, and / or artificial intelligence or machine learning models, thereby enabling continuous improvement and adaptation of the system to user preferences and environmental conditions. These analyses may be performed relative to latch lock / unlock or other Cycle Boundary Events (e.g., occupancy entry / exit) as disclosed herein.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

Definitions

[0037]The following listing comprises exemplary non-limiting definitions of certain terms used throughout the present description:

[0038]Door Locking Member: Components involved in the stall latch mechanism.

[0039]Slider: Mechanism that the user uses to lock and unlock the stall door. A slider is typically attached to the stall door and aligned with a door lock chamber.

[0040]Door Locking Chamber: Component used to secure the slider in the locked position.

[0041]Housing: Receptacle attached to the stall door that contains the sensor, signal emitter, door housing controller, batteries, battery holder, sd card, and has a cover with photovoltaic cells.

[0042]Sensor: Senses the position of the slider.

[0043]Door Housing Controller: Microcontroller for all of the components within the housing. Regulates the function of the sensor and signal emitter.

[0044]Signal Emitter: Sends wireless signal from the housing to the flush signal receiver.

[0045]Cover: Covers door locking member compon...

Claims

1. A system for managing toilet flushing in a bathroom stall, comprising:(i) a door housing controller comprising:a door lock chamber,a slider capable of translating from a first position to a second position, the slider comprising a first end and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the slider first end in the first position is inserted in the door lock chamber and the slider first end in the second position is free of the door lock chamber,a signal emitter associated with the door locking member, the signal emitter configured to send a wireless signal to a flush signal receiver when the slider is in the second position,a sensor configured for sensing the slider when the slider is in the second position, the sensor operatively connected to the signal emitter;(ii) a toilet flushing controller operatively joined to the flush signal receiver;(iii) a toilet flushing actuator controlled by the toilet flushing controller, wherein the signal emitter is configured to transmit to the flush signal receiver a signal upon sensing that the slider has been translated to the second position, the toilet flushing controller configured to control the toilet flushing actuator to initiate a single toilet flush when the stall door is unlocked; and(iv) a system controller in communication with the toilet flushing controller and the door housing controller;wherein the system controller is configured to:receive time-stamped event data indicative of events occurring within a usage cycle defined by cycle boundary events;standardize event timing within the usage cycle;generate a distribution of events over the standardized usage cycle;overlay a distribution for at least a second flushing technology on the same axes;compute a similarity measure between distributions; and,based at least in part on the similarity measure, update at least one parameter of a flushing technology and / or a policy governing flush timing or volume.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the cycle boundary events comprise a latch lock event marking commencement of the usage cycle and a latch unlock event marking completion of the usage cycle, and wherein the system controller standardizes the usage cycle between the latch lock event (0%) and the latch unlock event (100%) with an optional post-unlock offset window.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the cycle boundary events comprise an occupancy entry event and an occupancy exit event detected by an occupancy sensor, the occupancy sensor comprising at least one of a thermal sensor, an ultrasonic presence sensor, a floor pressure or weight sensor, a magnetic door or hinge sensor, a toilet-seat tactile switch, or a non-actuating flushometer signal source.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller records distance-sensor activation timestamps indicating when a distance-sensor would have initiated a flush, regardless of whether the distance-sensor actually initiated the flush, and overlays a distribution of the distance-sensor activations with a latch-initiated flush distribution.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the similarity measure comprises at least one of cosine similarity, Kullback-Leibler divergence, or Earth Mover's Distance, and the system controller is configured to output a similarity score quantifying overlap between distributions.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein updating the parameter of a flushing technology comprises adjusting at least one of a distance sensor's sensitivity, range, or a programmable flush delay to increase the similarity measure relative to a reference distribution.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller filters the event data by at least one of: time of day, day of week, usage-cycle duration range, or stall / bathroom / building scope, prior to generating the distribution.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller computes Average Flushes per Cycle and Average Gallons per Cycle and is configured to apply a multi-objective policy that maintains a minimum similarity score threshold while reducing Average Gallons per Cycle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller selects between a lower flush volume and a higher flush volume based on a parameterized policy comprising at least a usage-cycle duration threshold, and iteratively updates the threshold based on measured Average Gallons per Cycle while satisfying a similarity score threshold.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the system controller is further configured to detect abnormal sequences comprising at least one of: a flush occurring before a latch unlock event or occupancy exit event, repeated flushes within a single usage cycle, an absence of an expected flush, or out-of-order signals, and to output targeted notifications indicative of the detected abnormal sequences.

11. A computer-implemented method for analyzing data from a toilet flushing system, comprising:receiving, by a system controller, time-stamped event data comprising cycle boundary events and flushing-related events, the flushing-related events comprising data from at least a stall door latch and a distance sensor or other sensor configured to detect a condition for initiating a flush;defining a usage cycle based on the cycle boundary events;recording distance-sensor activation timestamps indicating when the distance sensor would have initiated a flush, regardless of whether the distance sensor actually initiated the flush;standardizing the time-stamped flushing-related events to the usage cycle;generating a first distribution of flushing-related events over the standardized usage cycle;overlaying, on common axes, a second distribution corresponding to a different flushing technology;computing a similarity measure between the first distribution and the second distribution; andoutputting at least one of: (i) a visualization comprising the first distribution, the second distribution, and the similarity measure, or (ii) a report comprising the similarity measure.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising analyzing an inverse window comprising an interval between a latch unlock event and a next latch lock event, or between an occupancy exit event and a next occupancy entry event, and performing the generating, overlaying, and computing steps for the inverse window.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising benchmarking a plurality of distance sensors or brands deployed at a plurality of stall installations by computing respective similarity measures relative to a latch-anchored or occupancy-anchored reference distribution and outputting a ranking based on at least one of: timing accuracy, phantom flush propensity, missed flush propensity, or water-efficiency metrics.

14. The method of claim 18, wherein applying the update is performed at least in one of the following contexts: during manufacturing, in the field by a facilities manager, automatically and dynamically by the system controller, or a combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 18, wherein the applying comprises using a model configured to receive inputs including at least one of: battery life, usage-cycle duration, time of day, frequency of manual flushes, stall geometry, or historical similarity measures, and to output updated timing or sensitivity parameters.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising aggregating and visualizing distributions and similarity measures at one or more scopes comprising a single stall, an entire bathroom, a plurality of bathrooms, and an entire building or a plurality of buildings, and filtering the visualizations by time bucket.

17. (canceled)18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a system controller, cause the system controller to perform operations comprising:receiving time-stamped cycle boundary events and flushing-related events from a toilet flushing system;standardizing flushing-related events within a usage cycle defined by the cycle boundary events;generating and overlaying distributions for different flushing technologies on common axes;computing a similarity measure between the distributions; andin response to the similarity measure, implementing at least one of: a change to a distance sensor timing or sensitivity parameter, a programmable flush delay, or a volume-selection policy.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause the system controller to enforce a multi-objective optimization policy comprising maintaining a minimum timing-accuracy similarity score and reducing Average Gallons per Cycle, with facility-configurable priorities or thresholds.

20. The system of claim 3, wherein the occupancy sensor is positioned at a location selected from: a stall ceiling, a stall wall, a stall floor, a stall door or hinge, a toilet seat, a flushometer or toilet housing, a bathroom doorway, a bathroom wall, a bathroom ceiling, or a bathroom floor, and wherein the system controller performs the generating, overlaying, and computing relative to occupancy entry and occupancy exit events detected by the occupancy sensor.

21. The method of claim 11, further comprising, based at least in part on the similarity measure, applying an update comprising at least one of: adjusting a distance sensor sensitivity or range, inserting or modifying a flush delay, or updating a policy determining flush volume.

Images