Autofill skimmer lid assembly, systems, and methods

Abstract

A lid for a skimmer for an aquatic environment is disclosed. The lid includes a top member having a top side and a bottom side. The lid also includes a main body extending downwardly from the bottom side of the top member and a vision system disposed on the bottom side of the top member. The vision system is designed to detect objects in a filter of the skimmer. The lid includes a controller designed to output a signal to alert that the filter needs to be emptied.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63 / 770,054, filed on Mar. 11, 2025, entitled “AUTOFILL SKIMMER LID ASSEMBLY AND METHOD,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to skimmers for an aquatic environment. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an autofill skimmer lid assembly, systems, and methods for an aquatic environment.BACKGROUND

[0003] Skimmers are an important aspect of maintaining clean water in aquatic environments. Maintaining the proper water level in an aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) is also important because it can impact the efficiency of the filtration system, protect aquatic equipment from damage, ensure proper chemical distribution, and contribute to user safety by preventing issues in the pump and other systems when water levels are too low or too high. However, traditional skimmers do not address the issue of maintaining the proper water level or water chemistry in an aquatic environment. Rather, the existing approaches for maintaining clean and appropriately leveled water in an aquatic environment require the use of more than one device and / or manual labor.SUMMARY

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a lid for a skimmer for an aquatic environment. The lid includes a top member having a top side and a bottom side and a main body extending downwardly from the bottom side of the top member. The lid includes a vision system disposed on the bottom side of the top member and a controller designed to output a signal to alert that the filter needs to be emptied. The vision system is designed to detect objects in a filter of the skimmer.

[0005] In some instances, the lid further includes at least one first sensor and at least one second sensor. The at least one first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and the at least one second sensor is a capacitive sensor. In some instances, the at least one first sensor is disposed on the top member and the at least one second sensor is disposed on the main body.

[0006] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect a water level using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

[0007] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect whether there is a leak in the aquatic environment using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

[0008] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect a bather load using the at least one second sensor.

[0009] In some instances, the vision system includes a camera.

[0010] In some instances, the lid further includes an accelerometer disposed on the top member of the lid and designed to detect whether the lid has been removed from the skimmer.

[0011] In some instances, the lid further includes a solar panel disposed on the top member of the lid.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system for an aquatic environment. The system includes a skimmer lid and a controller disposed within the skimmer lid. The controller is designed to: receive a value for the aquatic environment from at least one sensor; compare a received value for the aquatic environment to a predefined value for the aquatic environment; determine whether the received value for the aquatic environment matches the predefined value for the aquatic environment; determine an action to return the received value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment; and transmit a signal to at least one component of the aquatic environment that instructs the at least one component to carry out the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment.

[0013] In some instances, the aquatic environment is a swimming pool or a spa.

[0014] In some instances, the predefined value is a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

[0015] In some instances, the system further including a memory for storing the predefined value.

[0016] In some instances, the system further includes at least one sensor designed to measure one or more of a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

[0017] In some instances, the at least one component is a chemical dosing mechanism, a drain, a pump, a heater, or a refill device.

[0018] In some instances, the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment includes one or more of adding water to the aquatic environment, draining water from the aquatic environment, adding one or more chemicals to the water of the aquatic environment, or initiating a backwash.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for an aquatic environment. The method includes comprising: receiving a value for a water level of the aquatic environment via a controller of a skimmer lid; comparing the value for the water level of the aquatic environment to a predetermined value provided by a user via the controller of the skimmer lid; determining whether the value for the water level of the aquatic environment matches the predetermined value provided by the user; determining an action to take to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user; and outputting a signal to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user.

[0020] In some instances, outputting the signal to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment includes adding water to the aquatic environment to increase the water level or draining water from the aquatic environment to decrease the water level.

[0021] In some instances, the value for the water level of the aquatic environment is received from one or more sensors in communication with the controller of the skimmer lid.

[0022] In some instances, the predetermined value provided by the user is received from a user device.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram depicting an example aquatic environment and one or more components associated therewith, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 2A is an isometric view of an example skimmer device for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the example skimmer device for an aquatic environment of FIG. 2A taken along the line 2B-2B;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of an example autofill skimmer lid for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a top, front, and left side isometric view of the example autofill skimmer lid of FIG. 3 with a cover removed, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the example autofill skimmer lid of FIG. 4, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a partial top view of an example circuit board of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a top, front, and right side isometric view of the example circuit board of FIG. 6, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view of the example circuit board of FIG. 6, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a schematic of a top view from an example vision system of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5 and / or the example circuit board of FIG. 8, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a top, front, and right side isometric view of an example refill device for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example device that supports systems and methods of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5 and / or the example circuit board of FIGS. 6-8, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an example method for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of an example method for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure; and

[0037] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of an example method for an autofill skimmer lid, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Before any embodiments are described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings, which is limited only by the claims that follow the present disclosure. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,”“comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,”“connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

[0039] The following description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the disclosure. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the disclosure. Thus, embodiments of the disclosure are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the disclosure.

[0040] Additionally, while the following discussion may describe features associated with specific devices, it is understood that additional devices and / or features can be used with the described systems and method that the discussed devices and features are used to provide examples of possible embodiments without being limited.

[0041] The present disclosure is directed to an autofill skimmer lid. The autofill skimmer lid may be designed to measure and restore water levels of a pool. The autofill skimmer lid may also measure and restore the chemistry of the water in the pool. The autofill skimmer lid may automatically measure, restore or adjust water levels and water chemistry without manual labor or manual calculation. The autofill skimmer lid may be configured to measure and report on current water levels and current water chemistry and detect potential water leaks in a pool. Additionally, the autofill skimmer lid may be designed to detect and notify a user when the autofill skimmer lid has been removed from a skimmer. Furthermore, the autofill skimmer lid may be configured to detect and notify a user of the contents of a basket of the autofill skimmer lid and / or notify a user when the basket needs to be emptied. The present disclosure improves current devices and approaches by streamlining the process for maintaining clean and appropriately leveled water in an aquatic environment into a singular device.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of an aquatic environment 100 is depicted. The aquatic environment 100 is provided in the form of one or more pool components 102 designed for use with a pool 110. The one or more pool components 102 may include plumbing (e.g., conduits) and one or more pool management devices that form a closed loop fluid circuit. The one or more pool components 102 can include one or more of an inlet conduit 130, a variable speed pump 122, a booster pump 123, a filter 124, a heater 125, a sanitizer 126, a water chemistry monitor 127, a water chemistry regulator 128, one or more valves 129, one or more discharge conduits 140a-140c, and / or a refill device 142. One or more of the pool components 102 can be located on a pool pad 120.

[0043] In certain instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of a spa and include components designed for use with a spa. In other instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of a pool and a spa and include components that may be used with a pool and spa system. In yet other instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of pool and / or spa components designed for use with a pool and / or a spa in a residential setting or a commercial setting. More particularly, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided as a swimming pool, a hot tub, a spa, a plunge pool, and / or other recreational water venues not specifically discussed herein.

[0044] Portions of water can flow from the pool 110 through the inlet conduit 130 from a drain 112 and / or a skimmer 114 into a suction side of the variable speed pump 122. The variable speed pump 122 and / or the booster pump 123 can provide a driving force for the pool water to flow through the other downstream pool components 102. After the water from the pool 110 exits one or more discharge conduits 140a-140c, the water can be optionally provided directly to the pool 110 and / or provided to additional pool components 102, such as a pool cleaner 116 and / or a water feature 118.

[0045] In some instances, the refill device 142 may be suspended from an edge of the pool 110 as shown in FIG. 1. In other instances, the refill device 142 may not be suspended from an edge of the pool 110. For example, the refill device 142 may be a hose attached to a water faucet (not shown) with a solenoid valve. In other examples, the refill device 142 may be a water refill hose triggered via a solenoid valve and mounted directly into a return line plumbing (e.g., inlet conduit 130) of the pool 110.

[0046] Referring specifically to the pool pad 120, the sanitizer 126 and the water chemistry regulator 128 may be designed to control one or more water treatment chemicals that can be added to the pool 110. For example, in some embodiments, the sanitizer 126 may be designed to add chlorine and / or bromine to the aquatic environment 100. In some embodiments, the water chemistry regulator 128 may be designed to add one or more pool chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, sodium bisulfate, carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid, sodium carbonate, or other water treatment chemicals to the aquatic environment 100. Further, the heater 125 may be optionally included and designed to heat the water in the aquatic environment 100.

[0047] It is to be understood that the one or more pool components 102 can be provided in various configurations (e.g., the order and layout of the pool components 102 can be altered). Further, in some embodiments, the one or more pool components 102 may be omitted or removed from the aquatic environment 100.

[0048] Still referring to FIG. 1, the aquatic environment 100 can further include a central controller 150 and a user device 160 that can interface with the central controller 150 either directly over a local area network or via a cloud network 170. The central controller 150 can be a gateway, a hub, a switch, a router, a server, a switch, or other connection device to allow integration, monitoring, and / or control of multiple aspects of the aquatic environment 100. The user device 160 can be provided in the form of a cell phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or any other similar electronic device that may include a camera and a user interface.

[0049] Although FIG. 1 depicts the central controller 150 in communication with the user device 160 and the network 170, it should be noted that various communication methodologies and connections may be implemented to work in conjunction with, or independent from, one or more local controllers associated with one or more individual components associated with the aquatic environment 100 (e.g., a pump controller, a heater controller, etc.). For example, one or more of the central controller 150 and the local controllers may utilize a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Local Area Network (WLAN), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, an LTE-A Pro network, a New Radio (NR) network, or a network operating in accordance with other systems and radio technologies, including future systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein, to transmit and receive information.

[0050] Now referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an isometric view of an example skimmer 200 for an aquatic environment is depicted. In some examples, the skimmer 200 may be used in the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1, and the skimmer 200 may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1. The skimmer 200 may be provided in the form of a substantially cylindrical body 204 with an opening or mouth 206. In some instances, the opening or mouth 206 may be positioned adjacent to a top portion of the body 204 and may have a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape. In other instances, the opening or mouth 206 may be positioned at a different location on the body 204 and may have a different shape (e.g., ovular or substantially ovular shape). The skimmer 200 may include a lid 208 and one or more connection ports 210 and 212. Additionally, the skimmer 200 may include a weir 214 positioned adjacent to the mouth 206.

[0051] The skimmer 200 may be made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a similar material. In some instances, the skimmer 200 may be positioned adjacent or substantially adjacent to a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the skimmer 200 may be positioned in a wall of the pool near the surface of the pool. The skimmer 200 may facilitate the removal of debris, objects, and / or contaminants from the pool by using water flow to draw the debris, objects, and / or contaminants into the skimmer 200 and pass them through a filter (see, e.g., filter 215 in FIG. 2B). In some examples, one connection port (e.g., the connection port 210) may be connected to a pump line (not shown), and the other connection port (e.g., the connection port 212) may be connected to an equalizer line (not shown), or vice versa. The connection ports 210, 212 may therefore act as an entry point for water in the pool to be pulled from the pool surface into the skimmer 200 and directed to one or more pumps (e.g., the variable speed pump 122 and / or the booster pump 123 of FIG. 1) through plumbing pipes or other conduits. In some instances, the skimmer 200 may have two connection ports as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, with one port connected directly to a pump suction line and the other port connected directly to an equalizer line. In other instances, the skimmer 200 may have more or less than two connection ports.

[0052] As water from the pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) is suctioned or otherwise is drawn into the skimmer 200, the weir 214 may restrict water flow into the skimmer 200. For example, the weir 214 may only allow a top layer of water to enter the skimmer 200. In some instances, the weir 214 may be provided in the form of a floating door and may be movably connected or hinged to one side of the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200.

[0053] Any debris, objects, or contaminants floating on or near the top layer of water in the pool may be suctioned into the skimmer 200 by a pump suction line (not shown). After the water and debris enter the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200, the debris, objects, or contaminants may get trapped in the filter 215. In some examples, the filter 215 may be provided in the form of a removable basket 216, as shown in FIG. 2B. In some instances, the basket 216 may be made out of plastic or other suitable material. In some examples, the basket 216 may include a plurality of small holes to sieve and / or separate the debris or objects from the suctioned pool water. The basket 216 may also include an optional handle 218 to facilitate removal of the basket 216 from the skimmer 200, for example, to inspect or discard the contents of the basket 216 and / or to replace the basket 216.

[0054] The water that is suctioned into the skimmer 200 may proceed through the skimmer 200 into a pump suction line after the water is filtered through the filter 215, and the filtered water may re-enter the pool. One of the connection ports 210, 212 may be connected to an equalizer line and may act as a secondary refill device, for example, by adding more water to the skimmer 200 to prevent the pump suction line from sucking air into the skimmer 200 if the water level of the pool drops below the level of the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200. Minimizing air in the pump suction line and / or the skimmer may facilitate the maintenance of the one or more pumps and / or protect them from damage.

[0055] The lid 208 of the skimmer 200 may function as a cover for the body 204 of the skimmer 200. When the lid 208 is secured to the skimmer 200, the lid 208 may be substantially flush with the surrounding surface or ground. The lid 208 may be used to prevent large debris or objects from entering through a top of the skimmer 200 and clogging the filtration system. Additionally, the lid 208 may function as a safety feature by preventing users of the pool from stepping into or inserting a hand or other appendage into the skimmer 200.

[0056] Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, an example autofill skimmer lid 300 is depicted. The autofill skimmer lid 300 may be installed on a skimmer in place of a lid. In some examples, the skimmer may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, and the lid may be, or include aspects of, the lid 208 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be installed on a skimmer that is used in connection with a pool in an aquatic environment (e.g., the pool 110 of the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1). The autofill skimmer lid 300 may measure and / or determine the water level in the pool and may be designed to measure and / or determine a pH, an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), a temperature, and / or other parameters of the water in the pool.

[0057] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a top member 302, a main body 304, and a skimmer controller 305. In some instances, the top member 302 may be provided in the form of a substantially circular plate, and the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be provided in the form of a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical member. In other instances, the top member 302 may be provided in the form of a substantially ovular plate, rectangular plate or other suitable shape. In some examples, the main body 304 may be formed integrally with or coupled to the top member 302. The top member 302 and / or the main body 304 may be made out of plastic or any other suitable material for a skimmer lid for an aquatic environment.

[0058] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a solar panel 306 and one or more sensors or other devices including, for example, at least one accelerometer 308, one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, one or more capacitive sensors 312, one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, one or more temperature sensors 316, at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, at least one vision system 318, and at least one rain sensor 320. In some instances, two or more of the sensors or devices may be combined into a single device. For example, one or more of the carbon dioxide sensors 314 and one or more of the temperature sensors 316 may be, or may be contained within, a single device.

[0059] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also be equipped with a rechargeable battery (not shown) and / or a communication system (not shown; e.g., a sub gigahertz wireless radio) that may facilitate a connection from the autofill skimmer lid 300 to other components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) in the aquatic environment. The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also be able to connect via a wired or wireless system (e.g., IO Wi-Fi) to facilitate a connection to the other components or devices in the aquatic environment.

[0060] The top member 302 may include a top side 322 and a bottom side 324 disposed opposite the top side 322. In some instances, the solar panel 306 may be positioned on the top side 322 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 so as to be directly exposed to sunlight. The solar panel 306 may be used to convert sunlight into electricity, thereby providing power to the autofill skimmer lid 300.

[0061] In some examples, an optional indicator light 326 may be disposed on the top side 322 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The indicator light 326 may indicate whether the autofill skimmer lid 300 has enough power to operate. In some instances, the indicator light 326 may indicate an amount of power that is available to the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the indicator light 326 may fully illuminate if the power available to the autofill skimmer lid 300 is at, or substantially near 100%, and may only partially illuminate if the power available to the autofill skimmer lid is less than 100% such that the amount of power available to the autofill skimmer lid 300 corresponds to the amount of illumination provided by the indicator light 326.

[0062] In some instances, the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may also include one or more openings 328. In some instances, the one or more openings 328 may be positioned on either side of the solar panel 306. The one or more openings 328 may facilitate removal of the autofill skimmer lid 300 from a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B).

[0063] The main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a top end 330 and a bottom end 332. The top end 330 of the main body 304 may be coupled to or formed integrally with the bottom side 324 of the top member 302. In some instances, the main body 304 may include a removable cover 334. The removable cover 334 may include one or more connection members 336 on a top portion of the removable cover 334 and one or more holes 338 on a bottom portion of the removable cover 334. In some examples, the connection members 336 may be provided in the form of cantilever tab. The connection members 336 may connect the removable cover 334 to the top member 302 via one or more connection receivers 340 on the top member 302. In some instances, the connection receivers 340 may be provided in the form of holes configured to receive the cantilever tabs via a snap fit. In other cases, the removable cover 334 may be coupled to the top member 302 via screws and screw holes, a friction fit, a u-shaped snap fit, an annular snap fit, a torsion tab, or the like.

[0064] The at least one accelerometer 308 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. The at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to measure the rate of change in velocity of the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be positioned on the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to detect positional changes in the autofill skimmer lid 300. For example, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to detect whether the autofill skimmer lid 300 has been removed or lifted from a body of the skimmer (e.g., the body 204 of the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). In some instances, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be provided in the form of a 6-axis accelerometer. In other instances, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be provided in the form of a 3-axis accelerometer or 9-axis accelerometer.

[0065] The one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may be positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, there may be two or more ultrasonic sensors 310 positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may emit high-frequency sound waves, in the form of ultrasonic pulses, which can bounce off the surface of the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may measure the time it takes for one or more sound waves to return to the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 once emitted, which may allow the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 to calculate the water level in the pool. In some instances, similar to the at least one accelerometer 308, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may be able to detect when the autofill skimmer lid 300 is removed from the skimmer.

[0066] The one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be disposed on the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid as best shown in FIG. 5. In some examples, there may be two or more capacitive sensors 312 positioned on an autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may each include two electrodes creating an electrical field. In this example, when the water level changes, the capacitance between the electrodes changes, allowing the one or more capacitive sensors 312 to detect fluctuations in the water level by measuring the change in electrical capacitance.

[0067] In some instances, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may work together to measure the level of water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In addition, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be in direct or indirect, via the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, communication with one or more components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) in an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be in communication with one or more solenoid valves (not pictured) of the one or more components via a wired or wireless connection. A solenoid valve is an electrically operated valve that uses a magnetic coil to open and close, controlling the flow of water in a system or device. A solenoid valve may be found, for example, in a refill device for a pool (e.g., the refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) or connected to the pool's chemical lines allowing for automated dispensing of water and / or chemicals.

[0068] In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may send or transmit a signal to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate the current water level in the pool. If the water level is too low, a solenoid valve (not pictured) in an external refill device (e.g., refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) may be triggered to refill the pool with water. The water level of the pool may be too low when the water level is equal to or below a desired water level. If the water level is too high or the pool is overfilled with excess water, a backwash may be initiated, and a drain (e.g., the drain 112 of FIG. 1) may be triggered to drain the excess water and re-establish the desired water level. In some instances, the desired water level may be set by a user. In other instances, the desired water level may be pre-programmed or a default water level set by the external controller or the skimmer controller 305. The water in a pool may be too high if it is equal to or above the desired water level.

[0069] In other instances, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be able to detect if there is an issue with the water supply (e.g., the refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) or there is a leak. For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may send or transmit one or more signals to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate a current unsatisfactory water level in the pool and that water level needs to be changed (i.e., increased or decreased). In response, the water supply or a draining device (e.g., the drain 112 of FIG. 1) may be activated by the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, and if the water level does not change after a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, etc.), the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may transmit one or more signals to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate that there may be an issue with one or more solenoid valves of the water supply or the draining device since the water level has not changed since the initial signal or command to change the water level was transmitted. In some examples, the predetermined amount of time may be set by a user. In other examples, the predetermined amount of time may be designed or preprogrammed into the sensors, the skimmer controller 305, or the external controller.

[0070] The one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may also work together to detect whether there is a leak in the pool. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312, through the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, may detect a leak based on how many times or how long the one or more solenoid valves are triggered. The information obtained from the one or more solenoid valves, as well as periodic measurements taken of the water level of the pool, can be used to determine whether there is a leak in the pool.

[0071] In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include two or more capacitive sensors 312. For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include eight capacitive sensors 312 that are positioned vertically along a length of the main body 304. For example, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a first capacitive sensor 312a, a second capacitive sensor 312b, a third capacitive sensor 312c, a fourth capacitive sensor 312d, a fifth capacitive sensor 312e, a sixth capacitive sensor 312f, a seventh capacitive sensor 312g, and an eighth capacitive sensor 312h (collectively referred to herein as “capacitive sensors 312”). In other instances, more or less than eight capacitive sensors 312 may be included.

[0072] In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be equally spaced along the length of the main body 304. In other instances, different configurations of the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be used such as uneven spacing or clusters. In many instances, the accuracy and precision of water level measurements are directly correlated to the number of capacitive sensors 312. That is, the more capacitive sensors 312 that are present on a device, the more accurate the water level measurements may be. The use of two or more capacitive sensors 312, along with their specific positioning on the autofill skimmer lid 300, may allow for more precise and accurate measurement of the water levels in the pool.

[0073] The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be disposed on the bottom end 332 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 may be provided in the form of a diffuser (not shown) that encapsulates one or more sensors. For example, the diffuser may allow carbon dioxide gas from the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) into the one or more sensors to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in the water. The one or more temperature sensors 316 may measure and / or determine a temperature of the water in the pool. The at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may measure and / or calculate the alkalinity of the water in the pool.

[0074] The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 and the one or more temperature sensors 316 also may be used to measure and / or calculate the alkalinity of the water in the pool. The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be in a wired or wireless communication with one or more dosing mechanisms (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, and / or the water chemistry regulator 128 of FIG. 1; the chemical control module 708 of FIG. 11) for the pool or spa directly or indirectly via the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller. Based on the information received from the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, a solenoid valve on a chemical line for the pool may be triggered, allowing the corresponding dosing mechanism to provide the pool with chemicals as needed. For example, the dosing mechanism may administer soda ash sodium bicarbonate to the water of the pool to restore the water in the pool to a pre-programmed or desired alkalinity level. In another example, the dosing mechanism may administer muriatic acid to the water of the pool to lower the pH and / or alkalinity of the pool to a pre-programmed or desired pH and / or alkalinity level.

[0075] In some examples, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be directly or indirectly, via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1), connected to and in communication with one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or a device that controls the temperature of the pool via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be directly or indirectly connected to a heater (e.g., the heater 125 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection and may trigger the heater to warm the water in the pool if the measured temperature is below a preprogrammed or desired temperature of the user.

[0076] In some examples, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include at least one rain sensor 320 that may be directly or indirectly, via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1), connected to and in communication with one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or a device, via a wired or wireless connection, to increase the circulation of the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In yet other examples, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be designed to communicate directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless connection, with one or more corresponding dosing mechanisms in an aquatic environment (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, and / or the water chemistry regulator 128 of the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1, and / or the chemical control module 708 of FIG. 11) to adjust the chlorine dosage and / or adjust the salt chlorine generator output to maintain desired oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) levels in the water of the pool in response to the additional water added to the pool by rainfall. For example, in instances where excessive rainfall dilutes the existing chemicals in the pool, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be able to directly or indirectly communicate with the one or more dosing mechanisms to add additional chemicals (e.g., chlorine) to the water of the pool.

[0077] Additionally, the at least one rain sensor 320, in combination with the one or more capacitive sensors 312 and / or the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, may determine when the pool is overfilled, which may trigger an automation to initiate a backwash (e.g., via a hybrid or sand filter) without causing the refilling and / or the auto-filling of the pool to drain some of the excess water. In some examples, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be able to detect the amount of rain that falls into the pool and whether the rainfall is sporadic or constant. In some examples, the at least one rain sensor 320, in combination with the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312, may be able to determine the water levels in the pool after rain has fallen.

[0078] In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include or use a bather load detection algorithm that can be used to detect when a bather is in or around a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the bather load detection algorithm may include the system and methods discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 397,429 titled Swimming Pool Bather Load Detection System and Method, filed on Dec. 27, 2023, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. In some instances, the bather load detection algorithm may use data from one or more motion sensors (not shown) such as a wave or splash sensor positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The motion sensors may be designed to detect water movement in the pool. The amount of movement detected can indicate the level of activity in the pool or the number of bathers. For example, the amount of movement may increase when additional bathers enter the pool.

[0079] The bather load detection algorithm may be used by the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller to send or transmit an alert or notification to one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1). For example, a notification that a bather is in the pool may be sent to a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1).

[0080] In some instances, data from the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be used by the bather load detection algorithm to detect bather load. For example, a bather swimming in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) may create waves that contact the one or more capacitive sensors 312, and the motion of such waves may be used to indicate that a bather is in the pool. For instance, a crest of one or more waves created by the bather may contact a capacitive sensor that is positioned towards the top end 330 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 (e.g., the first capacitive sensor 312a), and a trough of one or more waves may contact a capacitive sensor that is positioned further away from the top end 330 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 (e.g., the sixth capacitive sensor 312f). The difference in the vertical distance between where the capacitive sensor was contacted by the crest of the waves (e.g., closer to the top end 330) and the capacitive sensor contacted by the troughs of the waves (e.g., further away from the top end 330) can be compared to a wave height threshold to determine whether a bather is in the pool. For example, if the vertical distance is equal to or above the wave height threshold, then the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may determine a bather is in the pool, and if the vertical distance is below the wave height threshold, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may determine a bather is not in the pool. A timing parameter may also be included where the wave height threshold must be met or exceeded over a period of time (e.g., 0.5 minute, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes, 3 minutes, etc.) for the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller to determine that a bather is in the pool rather than a wave being created due to an object falling into the pool.

[0081] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include the vision system 318. The vision system may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The vision system 318 may be designed to facilitate the view of objects in or around a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1). For example, the vision system 318 may be positioned such that a user may view the contents of a filter (e.g., the filter 215 and / or the basket 216 of FIG. 2B; the filter 502 and / or the basket 504 of FIG. 9) in the skimmer via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) or another display device.

[0082] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include filter or basket protection capabilities, including a simple machine learning or algorithm that may be able to identify items in the filter of the skimmer. For example, the vision system 318 may detect items covering a top layer of water in the filter. The filter or basket protection capabilities may also be designed to alert a user periodically (e.g., once an hour, once every two hours, once every 3 hours, etc.) regarding what contents, if any, are in the filter. If there are no contents in the filter, then no alert is sent. Additionally, the filter or basket protection capabilities may include an algorithm that is designed to detect the capacity of the filter and / or how full the filter is of unwanted objects. For example, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may be designed to determine when the filter is full or substantially full (e.g., at or over a certain capacity threshold). In such instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may send or transmit an alert to the user when the filter is at least about 30% full, or at least about 40% full, or at least about 50% full, or at least about 60% full, or at least about 70% full, or at least about 75% full, or at least about 80% full, or at least about 85% full, or at least about 90% full, or at least about 95% full, or about 100% full. In other instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may send or transmit an alert to the user when the filter is at least about 40% full to about 100% full. In certain instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may use data obtained from the vision system 318 to determine how full the filter is.

[0083] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also include a user interface (not shown) that may be used to display calculated values and / or measurements taken at a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1; the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). For example, the user interface may display the measured alkalinity levels of the water at the skimmer and / or the temperature of the water at the skimmer. The user interface may also be designed to display reference values or recommended ranges for the water level, alkalinity, pH level, ORP, temperature, or other parameters of the water in the pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1).

[0084] Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, an example circuit board 400 is depicted. The circuit board 400 may include a first board 402 and a second board 404. The first board 402 and the second board 404 may be integrally formed or coupled together and may be situated substantially perpendicular to each other. The circuit board 400 may be used by and positioned within the autofill skimmer lid 300 as described with reference to FIGS. 3-5. For example, the first board 402 may be positioned substantially horizontally in the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300, and the second board 404 may extend substantially vertically along the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The circuit board 400 may carry electrical current through copper conductors 406 to connect components of the autofill skimmer lid 300 to the circuit board 400. For example, the copper conductors 406 may be created by etching a copper sheet to remove unwanted copper and leave behind the desired circuit pattern.

[0085] The circuit board 400 may include the skimmer controller 305 as described with reference to FIGS. 3-5. The circuit board 400 may also include a variety of electrical components 409. The electrical components 409 may include one or more resistors, micro controllers, capacitors, diodes, inductors, and integrated circuits. Additionally, the circuit board 400 may include a variety of sensors and / or devices. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the circuit board 400 may include the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, and / or the vision system 318. In some instances, the at least one accelerometer 308, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 may also be disposed on and / or connected to the circuit board 400.

[0086] FIG. 8 depicts a partial bottom view of the circuit board 400. The vision system 318 may be electronically and physically connected to the underside of the circuit board 400 so that it may be disposed on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 when the circuit board 400 is installed within the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be provided in the form of a camera, as shown in FIG. 8. The vision system 318 may be designed to detect and / or view debris or objects inside a filter (e.g., the filter 215 and / or the basket 216 of FIGS. 2B; the filter 502 and / or the basket 504 of FIG. 9) of a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1; the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). The vision system 318 may be in wired or wireless communication with a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and may notify a user if there are objects or debris in the filter. Additionally, the vision system 318 may be able to view and / or detect when the filter is full and needs to be emptied.

[0087] In some instances, the vision system 318 may be connected to one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or devices of an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) directly or indirectly via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the vision system 318 may send or transmit an alert to the user device, notifying a user that an object in the skimmer has been detected and requires immediate removal. In another example, the vision system 318 may send or transmit an alert to the user device that the filter is full and needs to be emptied. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be able to display an image of the contents of the filter on the user interface.

[0088] Referring now to FIG. 9, an example top view 500 from a vision system of an autofill skimmer lid for a skimmer. In some examples, the vision system (not shown) may be, or include aspects of, the vision system 318 of FIGS. 3-5 and 8. In addition, in some examples, the autofill skimmer lid (not shown) may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some examples, the skimmer (not shown) may be or include aspects of the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0089] In some instances, the vision system may be positioned on a bottom side of the autofill skimmer lid (e.g., the bottom side 324 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5) and, thus, may be able to view the contents of a filter 502 (e.g., the filter 215 of FIG. 2B). In some instances, the filter 502 may be provided in the form of a basket 504 (e.g., the basket 216 of FIG. 2B), which may have an optional handle 506 (e.g., the handle 218 of FIG. 2B). In some examples, the vision system may be able to view objects in the filter 502, including insects 508, debris 510 such as leaves or twigs, live or dead animals 512 such as frogs, snakes, or turtles, and miscellaneous items such as plastic bags 514 and / or small toys or sporting equipment 516. As previously mentioned, some objects may require immediate removal from the filter 502 to prevent clogging of the skimmer and / or the filtration system of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). As such, the vision system may notify a user of the contents in the filter 502.

[0090] Referring now to FIG. 10, an example refill device 600 for an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) is shown. Although one type of refill device 600 is shown, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be compatible with any type of refill device known in the art. In some examples, the refill device 600 may be, or include aspects of, the refill device 142 described in FIG. 1.

[0091] The refill device 600 may include a ground section 602, a spout section 604, an optional user interface 606, a filtered water inlet 608, and a solenoid valve 610. The ground section 602 may be substantially rectangular in shape and may be designed to sit or rest on the ground or surface adjacent an edge of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the user interface 606 may be disposed on a top area of the ground section 602. The user interface 606, may provide a user with information relating to the refill device 600 such as whether the refill device 600 is on / off, whether a water source is connected to the refill device 600, how much water is being added by the refill device 600, a flow rate of the water being added by the refill device 600, a chemical composition of the water being added by the refill device 600, whether the refill device 600 requires maintenance, or the like.

[0092] The spout section 604 may also be substantially rectangular in shape and may be positioned adjacent to the ground section 602 and may extend downwardly therefrom, such as to form an upside down ‘L″ shape with the ground section 602. The spout section 604 may be positioned so that the spout section 604 hangs over the edge of the pool and creates a spout for water to be administered into the pool.

[0093] In some examples, the ground section 602 and the spout section 604 together may form a refill device body 607 in which the filtered water inlet 608 sits. The filtered water inlet 608 may provide a threaded connection for a water source (not shown), such as a garden hose, to be coupled with the refill device 600 to facilitate refilling the pool.

[0094] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may be wired or wirelessly connected to the refill device 600 and may automatically trigger the refill device 600 to begin refilling a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) when the autofill skimmer lid 300 detects that the water level in the pool is too low and / or there is a leak in the pool. For example, if the refill device 600 has been refilling the pool for extended amounts of time per day, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may detect a leak in the pool. In some examples, if the refill device has been on for more than a certain amount of time (e.g., two hours, three hours, four hours, etc.) during the day, then the autofill skimmer lid 300 may detect that there is a leak in the pool.

[0095] Referring now to FIG. 11, a block diagram of an example device 700 that supports systems and methods for an autofill skimmer lid (e.g., the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5) is provided. In some instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the central controller 150 of FIG. 1, as described herein. In other instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In other instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the central controller 150 of FIG. 1, as described herein.

[0096] The device 700 may include a transmitter 702, a receiver 704, a communications manager 706, a water control module 707, a chemical control module 708, one or more user interfaces 710, and one or more output devices 712. The device 700, or one or more components of the device 700 (e.g., the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, and the one or more output devices 712), may include at least one processor 714. The at least one processor 714 may be connected to at least one memory 716 to, individually or collectively, support or enable the described techniques. Each of the components of the device 700 may be in communication with one another via one or more buses 718.

[0097] The receiver 704 may provide a means for receiving one or more signals. The one or more signals may include information such as packets, user data, control information, other signals, and any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, wired or wireless channels, and the like). Information may be passed on to other components of the device 700. The receiver 704 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas. The receiver 704 may be designed to receive information related to a user of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) from one or more user devices (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). The receiver 704 may also be designed to receive a signal or command to turn on one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) and a signal or command to turn off the one or more of the pool components. The receiver 704 may be designed to receive signals with information regarding guidelines and / or recommended actions for refilling the pool with water, draining water from the pool, and / or adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool.

[0098] The transmitter 702 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 700. For example, the transmitter 702 may transmit signal including information such as packets, user data, control information, other signals, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, wired or wireless channels, and the like). In some examples, the transmitter 702 may be co-located with the receiver 704 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 702 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas. The transmitter 702 may also be designed to transmit signals and indications related to refilling a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) with water, draining water from the pool, backwashing, adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool, and / or adjusting water levels in the pool. Further, the transmitter 702 may be configured to transmit a request to a server to provide recurring information regarding suggested guidelines and / or actions for adjusting the water levels in the pool and / or adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool.

[0099] The transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof, may be examples of means for performing various aspects of a method related to an aquatic environment as described herein. For example, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof may be capable of performing one or more of the functions described herein.

[0100] In some examples, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communications management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices (PLD), a microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure. In some examples, the at least one processor 714 and the at least one memory 716 in communication with the at least one processor 714 may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., by one or more processors, individually or collectively, executing instructions stored in the at least one memory 716). In some examples, the at least one processor 714 may be provided in the form of a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a quad-core processor, a hexa-core processor, an octa-core processor, a deca-core processor, or any other type of processor.

[0101] In some examples, the at least one memory 716 may refer to a read access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, or any other type of memory. The at least one memory 716 may be designed to store or otherwise save data related to one or more pool components, different types of operations, various digital maps, user profile data, historical data associated with the aquatic environment 100, and the like.

[0102] Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in processor-executable code 720 (e.g., as communications management software or firmware) executed by the at least one processor 714 (e.g., referred to as a processor-executable code 720). If implemented in code executed by at least one processor 714, the functions of the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, a microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure).

[0103] In some examples, the communications manager 706 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, or both. For example, the communications manager 706 may receive information from the receiver 704, send or transmit information to the transmitter 702, or be integrated in combination with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0104] The communications manager 706 may support the techniques for adjusting the water level and water chemistry of an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with the examples disclosed herein. The communications manager 706 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving information associated with a selected operation related to the aquatic environment, such as a swimming pool or spa (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) from a mobile device or other user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). The communications manager 706 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting information associated with a selected operation related to the aquatic environment from the mobile device or other user device.

[0105] The water control module 707 may support the techniques and / or recommended actions for performing an operation related to an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The water control module 707 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining a water level of the aquatic environment. In additional examples, the water control module 707 may also be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment at a controller of the skimmer lid (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8 or the central controller 150 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the water control module 707, may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for comparing the received value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user at the controller of the skimmer lid. In yet other examples, the water control module 707, may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining whether the received value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user. In some other examples, the water control module 707, may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining an action to take to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In other examples, the water control module 707, may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In some examples, the water control module 708 may be, or include aspects of, the drain 112, the refill device 142 of FIG. 1, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 of FIGS. 3-8, and / or the refill device 600 of FIG. 10). In some examples, a user may select or otherwise provide a value for a water level via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and / or the one or more user interfaces 710.

[0106] The chemical control module 708 may support the techniques and / or recommended actions for performing an operation related to an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The chemical control module 708 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining a water chemistry of the aquatic environment. In additional examples, the chemical control module 708 may also be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment at a controller of the skimmer lid (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8 or the central controller 150 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for comparing the received value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user at the controller of the skimmer lid. In other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining whether the received value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user. In some other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining an action to take to adjust the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) to adjust the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In some examples, the chemical control module 708 may be, or include aspects of, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, or the water chemistry regulator 128 of FIG. 1, and / or the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 and / or temperature sensors 314 of FIGS. 3-7. In some examples, a user may select or otherwise provide a value for the water chemistry via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and / or the one or more user interfaces 710.

[0107] In other examples, the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may also be designed to trigger an alert that the action has been completed. In some examples, the communications manager 706 may cause the one or more user interface 710 or a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to output the alert.

[0108] The one or more user interfaces 710 may include a light emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic LED (OLED) display, or another known display. The one or more user interfaces 710 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support input and / or output signals for the device 700. The one or more user interfaces 710 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the device 700. In some cases, the one or more user interfaces 710 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral. In some cases, the one or more user interfaces 710 may utilize an operating system such as iOS®, ANDROID®, MS-DOS®, MS-WINDOWS®, OS / 2®, UNIX®, LINUX®, or another known operating system. Additionally, or alternatively, the one or more user interfaces 710 may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, the one or more user interface 710 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as the at least one processor 714. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 700 via the one or more user interface 710 or via hardware components controlled by the one or more user interface 710.

[0109] The one or more user interfaces 710 may be configured to display one or more water levels of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). The one or more user interfaces 710 may also be configured to display the current water chemistry levels in the pool. Additionally, the one or more user interfaces 710 may be configured to receive an input to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the pool. The one or more user interfaces 710 may also be designed to output an alert to a user regarding the water level and / or the water chemistry of the pool if they are above or below a threshold set by the user or other predefined or predetermined value.

[0110] In some examples, the one or more user interfaces 710 may be designed to output an alert to a user that there is a leak in the pool and / or output an alert that a filter needs to be emptied or inspected. For example, the communications manager 706 may cause the one or more user interfaces 710 or a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to output the alert.

[0111] In yet other examples, the user interface 710 may be designed to relay water level information and / or water chemistry information and alert a user if any of the parameters (e.g., water level, pH, alkalinity, ORP, or temperature) need manual intervention. In some instances, a recommended water chemistry for a pool may include: a pH range of 7.2 to 7.6; an ORP range of 650 millivolts (mV) to 750 mV; an alkalinity range of 80 parts per million (ppm) to 120 ppm; a calcium hardness range of 200 ppm to 500 ppm, and a cyanuric acid / stabilize of less than 30 ppm. If the pool water chemistry has, for example, a pH of 7.3, an ORP of 700 mV; an alkalinity of 70 ppm; a calcium hardness of 250 ppm, and a cyanuric acid / stabilize of 25 ppm, an alert may be displayed on the user interface 710 that the alkalinity needs to be adjusted. In some instances, the alkalinity may be automatically adjusted by a dosing mechanism (e.g., the chemical control module 708) such that the alkalinity value is returned to a value within the recommended range of 80 ppm to 120 ppm. In other instances, a user may manually adjust the alkalinity so that the alkalinity value is within the recommended range of 80 ppm to 120 ppm. In some examples, the water level may be automatically adjusted by a water supply mechanism (e.g., the water control module 707).

[0112] Some examples of the device 700 may omit a user interface 710, and instead, the device 700 provides signals to an external device (e.g., a mobile device such as the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to provide the functions of the one or more user interfaces 710 as described herein.

[0113] The one or more output devices 712 may include a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some examples, the one or more out devices 712 may include the one or more user interfaces 710. In other examples, the one or more output devices 712 may be provided in the form of one or more speakers or one or more motors to create haptic feedback. However, some examples of the device 700 do not include an output device 712, and instead, the device 700 provides signals to an external device, such as a mobile or other user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1), to provide functions of the output device 712.

[0114] The one or more output devices 712 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting an indication of one or more operation options at the one or more user interfaces 710 or a user interface in association with a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). The one or more output devices 712 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a display of the current water levels and / or the current water chemistry of the pool.

[0115] The one or more output devices 712 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting instructions for at least one action paired with at least one-time frame. The one or more output devices 712 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting an indication to cease the action.

[0116] By including or configuring the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, and the one or more output devices 712 in accordance with examples as described herein, the device 700 (e.g., at least one processor controlling or otherwise coupled with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the output devices 712, or a combination thereof) may support techniques for a method related to an aquatic environment (e.g., aquatic environment 100).

[0117] The device 700 may be able to download, store, or execute software having computer-executable instructions. The software may include one or more modules, such as the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708. The one or more modules may include, for example, algorithms to monitor or store the measurements or other data received from one or more of the system components such as the sensors, valves, tank, or pumps, or may monitor or store real-time and historic flow patterns and usage data. The device 700, via the one or more modules, may also perform calculations or other data analysis or modeling processes to determine various outcomes. The outcomes may include, for example, turning one or more of the components of the system on or off at certain times or intervals or placing one or more of the system components in standby mode.

[0118] The water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may be electronically connected to the one or more user interfaces 710 and other components of the aquatic environment 100, including the various sensors, valves, tank, and pump via one or more wires or may be electronically connected via a communications network. The communications network may be a wired or wireless network such as a personal area network (PAN) or LAN, a cellular network, the Internet, or any other type of network.

[0119] In some examples, the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may be able to self-diagnose or troubleshoot problems that arise without input from one of the various components or a user. Artificial intelligence or machine learning may be used to learn different patterns of usage to predict future behavior.

[0120] In some instances, the one or more modules may include a training module that may be designed to execute instructions related to one or more data analysis and modeling processes. In some examples, the training module may generate and iteratively train itself to provide dynamic data analysis and outcomes, and the advanced analytics may be used to perform system or component diagnostics, generate alerts, notifications, or action items, provide customized recommendations according to user or service provider settings or preferences, and similar processes.

[0121] In some embodiments, one or more metrics or characteristics (e.g., historic water usage data, system pressure, total dissolved solid (TDS) concentration, or water flow rates) may be used as parameters in one or more processes to iteratively train a training model or a plurality of machine learning training models. Processes for “iteratively training the machine learning training model” may include machine learning processes, artificial intelligence processes, and other similar advanced machine learning processes. In various embodiments, the iteratively trained machine learning model(s) may be designed to perform various advanced data analysis and modeling processes. In some embodiments, these processes may be performed by multiple machine learning models, multiple aspects of a single machine learning model (e.g., an ensemble model), or a combination thereof. In one non-limiting example, the machine learning training model(s) may be designed to generate, train, and execute a plurality of nodes, neural networks, gradient boosting algorithms, mutual information classifiers, random forest classifications, and other machine learning and artificial intelligence-related algorithms. The system and processes described herein may include different or additional details, data, measurements, parameters, metrics, or characteristics than those described herein.

[0122] The device 700 may be Bluetooth enabled and have Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. One or more pool components (sensors, valves, feeder, pump, etc.) may be IoT-enabled or communicatively connected smart components.

[0123] In some examples, the at least one processor 714 may be coupled with one or more memories 716 and may be configured to individually or collectively execute the processor-executable code 720 to cause the device 700, or components thereof (e.g., the water control module 707 or the chemical control module 708), to determine a water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment, receive a value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment, compare the received value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user, determine whether the received value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user, determine an action to take to adjust the water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user and output a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user.

[0124] The memory 716 may be configured to store or save the one or more preset or user water level values, one or more preset or user water chemistry values, the information regarding guidelines received from a server, and any such information.

[0125] In some instances, a lookup table of predefined or predetermined values, thresholds, ranges, and other information may be stored in the memory 716 of the device 700. In some instances, a lookup table of predefined or predetermined values, thresholds, ranges, and other information may be stored by a controller (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8, the central controller 150 and / or local controllers of the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1), and the controller may determine an appropriate action based on one or more of the variables discussed herein. Furthermore, the device 700 may be in communication with a network (e.g., the network 170 of FIG. 1) and may be capable of downloading lookup tables. The device 700 may select threshold values (e.g., a threshold permeability value or a threshold temperature value) from the lookup tables based on a number of factors including a determined pressure, flow rate, water level, temperature, pH, turbidity, free chlorine content, ORP value, and / or other parameters.

[0126] The device 700 may work in conjunction with, or independent from, one or more local controllers associated with one or more pool components (e.g., the pool components 102 of FIG. 1) as disclosed herein. Alternatively, one or more local controllers associated with the pool components may work in conjunction with, or independent from, the device 700 to effectuate the operational modes and other methods described herein.

[0127] Referring now to FIG. 12, a flow diagram of an example method 800 for an aquatic environment is provided. The operations of the method 800 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 800 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-9, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102, the refill device 600, and / or the device 700 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0128] The method 800 may start at 802. At 804, a value for a water level and / or a water chemistry of the aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) may be received via a controller of a skimmer lid. In some examples, the skimmer lid may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some examples, the controller may be, or include aspects of the central controller 150 of FIG. 1 and / or the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In some instances, the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment may be received from one or more sensors in communication with the controller of the skimmer lid. In some instances, the one or more sensors may include the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 as described herein with reference to FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the water level of the aquatic environment may be determined by the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 312. In other instances, the water chemistry may be determined by the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317.

[0129] At 806, the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment may be compared to a predetermined value provided by a user via the controller of the skimmer lid. In some instances, the predetermined value provided by the user may be received from a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1).

[0130] At 808, whether the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the predetermined value provided by the user may be determined. In some instances, the controller may determine whether the received value of the determined water level and / or water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user or the other predetermined value.

[0131] At 810, an action to take to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user may be determined. For example, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with one or more aquatic environment components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11) to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment, for example, by actuating a solenoid valve to add water to the aquatic environment. In another example, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with the one or more aquatic environment components, to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment by, for example, initiating a backwash to drain excess water from the aquatic environment. In yet other examples, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with the one or more aquatic environment components, to adjust the water chemistry of the pool, for example, by adding chemicals or other additives to the water of the aquatic environment.

[0132] At 812, a signal to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user may be output. In some instances, outputting the signal to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment comprises adding water to the aquatic environment to increase the water level or draining water from the aquatic environment to decrease the water level. In some examples, the signal may be transmitted from a controller to the user device. In other instances, the signal may be output to one or more user interfaces associated with a skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0133] The method may end at 814.

[0134] Referring now to FIG. 13, a flow diagram of an example method 900 for an aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) is provided. The operations of the method 900 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 900 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-9, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102, the refill device 600, and / or the device 700 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0135] The method 900 may start at 902. At 904, receive a value for the aquatic environment may be received from at least one sensor. In some instances, the at least one sensor may be included on or in a skimmer lid such as the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some instances, the value may be received by a controller that may be, or include aspects of the central controller 150 of FIG. 1 and / or the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the at least one sensor may include the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 as described herein with reference to FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the water level of the aquatic environment may be determined by the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 312. In other examples, the water chemistry may be determined by the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317.

[0136] At 906, the value for the aquatic environment may be compared to a predefined value for the aquatic environment. In some instances, the predefined value may be a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment. In some instances, the predefined value provided by the user may be received from a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). In some instances, the predefined value may be stored in a memory in communication with the controller.

[0137] At 908, whether the value for the aquatic environment matches the predefined value for the aquatic environment may be determined.

[0138] At 910, an action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment may be determined. In some instances, the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment includes one or more of adding water to the aquatic environment, draining water from the aquatic environment, adding one or more chemicals to the water of the aquatic environment, or initiating a backwash.

[0139] At 914, a signal may be transmitted to at least one component of the aquatic environment that instructs the at least one component to carry out the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment. In some instances, the at least one component may be a chemical dosing mechanism, a drain, a pump, a heater, or a refill device (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the drain 112, the water heater 125, the variable speed pump 122, the booster pump 123 of FIG. 1, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11). In some examples, the signal may be transmitted from a controller to the user device. In other instances, the signal may be transmitted to one or more user interfaces associated with a skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0140] The method may end at 914.

[0141] Referring now to FIG. 14, a flow diagram of an example method 1000 for detecting an object in a filter of a skimmer is provided. The operations of the method 1000 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 1000 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the network 170, the user device 160, and / or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-10 and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102 and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0142] The method 1000 may start at 1002. At 1004, a vision system of a lid for a skimmer may detect an object (e.g., insects 508, debris 510, animals 512, bags 514, and / or toys or sporting equipment 516 of FIG. 9) in a filter of the skimmer. In some examples, the vision system may be, or include aspects of the vision system 318 of FIGS. 3-5 and 8. The lid may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. The skimmer may be, or include aspects of the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The filter may be, or include aspects of, the filter 215 or the basket 216 of FIG. 2B or the filter 502 or the basket 504 of FIG. 9.

[0143] At 1006, a controller (e.g., the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305), using one or more processors, may determine whether the filter is at a capacity or the object requires immediate removal. In some instances, the capacity may be a threshold at or above which the filter is determined to be full. In some instances, the threshold may be provided by a user and in other instances the threshold may be provided by guidelines or other information that has been downloaded or otherwise provided to the controller. In some instance, determining if an object requires immediate removal may be determined based on a threshold relating to a size or one or more dimensions of the object, a weight of the object, or whether the object is a living creature (e.g., a frog, snake, turtle, etc.).

[0144] At 1008, the controller may output a signal notifying a user that the filter needs to be emptied. In some examples, the signal may be output to a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). In other instances, the signal may be output to one or more user interfaces associated with the skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0145] The method 1000 may end at 1010.

[0146] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the above disclosure has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the above disclosure is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications, and departures from the embodiments, examples, and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein. Various features and advantages of the above disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0038]Before any embodiments are described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings, which is limited only by the claims that follow the present disclosure. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,”“comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,”“connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, ...

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63 / 770,054, filed on Mar. 11, 2025, entitled “AUTOFILL SKIMMER LID ASSEMBLY AND METHOD,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to skimmers for an aquatic environment. More particularly, the disclosure relates to an autofill skimmer lid assembly, systems, and methods for an aquatic environment.BACKGROUND

[0003] Skimmers are an important aspect of maintaining clean water in aquatic environments. Maintaining the proper water level in an aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) is also important because it can impact the efficiency of the filtration system, protect aquatic equipment from damage, ensure proper chemical distribution, and contribute to user safety by preventing issues in the pump and other systems when water levels are too low or too high. However, traditional skimmers do not address the issue of maintaining the proper water level or water chemistry in an aquatic environment. Rather, the existing approaches for maintaining clean and appropriately leveled water in an aquatic environment require the use of more than one device and / or manual labor.SUMMARY

[0004] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a lid for a skimmer for an aquatic environment. The lid includes a top member having a top side and a bottom side and a main body extending downwardly from the bottom side of the top member. The lid includes a vision system disposed on the bottom side of the top member and a controller designed to output a signal to alert that the filter needs to be emptied. The vision system is designed to detect objects in a filter of the skimmer.

[0005] In some instances, the lid further includes at least one first sensor and at least one second sensor. The at least one first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and the at least one second sensor is a capacitive sensor. In some instances, the at least one first sensor is disposed on the top member and the at least one second sensor is disposed on the main body.

[0006] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect a water level using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

[0007] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect whether there is a leak in the aquatic environment using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

[0008] In some instances, the controller is further designed to detect a bather load using the at least one second sensor.

[0009] In some instances, the vision system includes a camera.

[0010] In some instances, the lid further includes an accelerometer disposed on the top member of the lid and designed to detect whether the lid has been removed from the skimmer.

[0011] In some instances, the lid further includes a solar panel disposed on the top member of the lid.

[0012] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system for an aquatic environment. The system includes a skimmer lid and a controller disposed within the skimmer lid. The controller is designed to: receive a value for the aquatic environment from at least one sensor; compare a received value for the aquatic environment to a predefined value for the aquatic environment; determine whether the received value for the aquatic environment matches the predefined value for the aquatic environment; determine an action to return the received value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment; and transmit a signal to at least one component of the aquatic environment that instructs the at least one component to carry out the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment.

[0013] In some instances, the aquatic environment is a swimming pool or a spa.

[0014] In some instances, the predefined value is a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

[0015] In some instances, the system further including a memory for storing the predefined value.

[0016] In some instances, the system further includes at least one sensor designed to measure one or more of a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

[0017] In some instances, the at least one component is a chemical dosing mechanism, a drain, a pump, a heater, or a refill device.

[0018] In some instances, the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment includes one or more of adding water to the aquatic environment, draining water from the aquatic environment, adding one or more chemicals to the water of the aquatic environment, or initiating a backwash.

[0019] In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for an aquatic environment. The method includes comprising: receiving a value for a water level of the aquatic environment via a controller of a skimmer lid; comparing the value for the water level of the aquatic environment to a predetermined value provided by a user via the controller of the skimmer lid; determining whether the value for the water level of the aquatic environment matches the predetermined value provided by the user; determining an action to take to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user; and outputting a signal to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user.

[0020] In some instances, outputting the signal to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment includes adding water to the aquatic environment to increase the water level or draining water from the aquatic environment to decrease the water level.

[0021] In some instances, the value for the water level of the aquatic environment is received from one or more sensors in communication with the controller of the skimmer lid.

[0022] In some instances, the predetermined value provided by the user is received from a user device.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram depicting an example aquatic environment and one or more components associated therewith, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0024] FIG. 2A is an isometric view of an example skimmer device for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0025] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the example skimmer device for an aquatic environment of FIG. 2A taken along the line 2B-2B;

[0026] FIG. 3 is a top isometric view of an example autofill skimmer lid for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0027] FIG. 4 is a top, front, and left side isometric view of the example autofill skimmer lid of FIG. 3 with a cover removed, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0028] FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the example autofill skimmer lid of FIG. 4, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0029] FIG. 6 is a partial top view of an example circuit board of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0030] FIG. 7 is a top, front, and right side isometric view of the example circuit board of FIG. 6, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0031] FIG. 8 is a partial bottom view of the example circuit board of FIG. 6, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0032] FIG. 9 is a schematic of a top view from an example vision system of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5 and / or the example circuit board of FIG. 8, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0033] FIG. 10 is a top, front, and right side isometric view of an example refill device for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0034] FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an example device that supports systems and methods of the autofill skimmer lid of FIGS. 3-5 and / or the example circuit board of FIGS. 6-8, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0035] FIG. 12 is a flow diagram of an example method for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure;

[0036] FIG. 13 is a flow diagram of an example method for an aquatic environment, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure; and

[0037] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of an example method for an autofill skimmer lid, in accordance with one or more aspects of the present disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Before any embodiments are described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings, which is limited only by the claims that follow the present disclosure. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,”“comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,”“connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.

[0039] The following description is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use embodiments of the disclosure. Various modifications to the illustrated embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles herein can be applied to other embodiments and applications without departing from embodiments of the disclosure. Thus, embodiments of the disclosure are not intended to be limited to embodiments shown but are to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. The following detailed description is to be read with reference to the figures, in which like elements in different figures have like reference numerals. Skilled artisans will recognize the examples provided herein have many useful alternatives and fall within the scope of embodiments of the disclosure.

[0040] Additionally, while the following discussion may describe features associated with specific devices, it is understood that additional devices and / or features can be used with the described systems and method that the discussed devices and features are used to provide examples of possible embodiments without being limited.

[0041] The present disclosure is directed to an autofill skimmer lid. The autofill skimmer lid may be designed to measure and restore water levels of a pool. The autofill skimmer lid may also measure and restore the chemistry of the water in the pool. The autofill skimmer lid may automatically measure, restore or adjust water levels and water chemistry without manual labor or manual calculation. The autofill skimmer lid may be configured to measure and report on current water levels and current water chemistry and detect potential water leaks in a pool. Additionally, the autofill skimmer lid may be designed to detect and notify a user when the autofill skimmer lid has been removed from a skimmer. Furthermore, the autofill skimmer lid may be configured to detect and notify a user of the contents of a basket of the autofill skimmer lid and / or notify a user when the basket needs to be emptied. The present disclosure improves current devices and approaches by streamlining the process for maintaining clean and appropriately leveled water in an aquatic environment into a singular device.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 1, a block diagram of an aquatic environment 100 is depicted. The aquatic environment 100 is provided in the form of one or more pool components 102 designed for use with a pool 110. The one or more pool components 102 may include plumbing (e.g., conduits) and one or more pool management devices that form a closed loop fluid circuit. The one or more pool components 102 can include one or more of an inlet conduit 130, a variable speed pump 122, a booster pump 123, a filter 124, a heater 125, a sanitizer 126, a water chemistry monitor 127, a water chemistry regulator 128, one or more valves 129, one or more discharge conduits 140a-140c, and / or a refill device 142. One or more of the pool components 102 can be located on a pool pad 120.

[0043] In certain instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of a spa and include components designed for use with a spa. In other instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of a pool and a spa and include components that may be used with a pool and spa system. In yet other instances, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided in the form of pool and / or spa components designed for use with a pool and / or a spa in a residential setting or a commercial setting. More particularly, the aquatic environment 100 may be provided as a swimming pool, a hot tub, a spa, a plunge pool, and / or other recreational water venues not specifically discussed herein.

[0044] Portions of water can flow from the pool 110 through the inlet conduit 130 from a drain 112 and / or a skimmer 114 into a suction side of the variable speed pump 122. The variable speed pump 122 and / or the booster pump 123 can provide a driving force for the pool water to flow through the other downstream pool components 102. After the water from the pool 110 exits one or more discharge conduits 140a-140c, the water can be optionally provided directly to the pool 110 and / or provided to additional pool components 102, such as a pool cleaner 116 and / or a water feature 118.

[0045] In some instances, the refill device 142 may be suspended from an edge of the pool 110 as shown in FIG. 1. In other instances, the refill device 142 may not be suspended from an edge of the pool 110. For example, the refill device 142 may be a hose attached to a water faucet (not shown) with a solenoid valve. In other examples, the refill device 142 may be a water refill hose triggered via a solenoid valve and mounted directly into a return line plumbing (e.g., inlet conduit 130) of the pool 110.

[0046] Referring specifically to the pool pad 120, the sanitizer 126 and the water chemistry regulator 128 may be designed to control one or more water treatment chemicals that can be added to the pool 110. For example, in some embodiments, the sanitizer 126 may be designed to add chlorine and / or bromine to the aquatic environment 100. In some embodiments, the water chemistry regulator 128 may be designed to add one or more pool chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, sodium bisulfate, carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid, sodium carbonate, or other water treatment chemicals to the aquatic environment 100. Further, the heater 125 may be optionally included and designed to heat the water in the aquatic environment 100.

[0047] It is to be understood that the one or more pool components 102 can be provided in various configurations (e.g., the order and layout of the pool components 102 can be altered). Further, in some embodiments, the one or more pool components 102 may be omitted or removed from the aquatic environment 100.

[0048] Still referring to FIG. 1, the aquatic environment 100 can further include a central controller 150 and a user device 160 that can interface with the central controller 150 either directly over a local area network or via a cloud network 170. The central controller 150 can be a gateway, a hub, a switch, a router, a server, a switch, or other connection device to allow integration, monitoring, and / or control of multiple aspects of the aquatic environment 100. The user device 160 can be provided in the form of a cell phone, tablet, laptop, desktop, or any other similar electronic device that may include a camera and a user interface.

[0049] Although FIG. 1 depicts the central controller 150 in communication with the user device 160 and the network 170, it should be noted that various communication methodologies and connections may be implemented to work in conjunction with, or independent from, one or more local controllers associated with one or more individual components associated with the aquatic environment 100 (e.g., a pump controller, a heater controller, etc.). For example, one or more of the central controller 150 and the local controllers may utilize a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Local Area Network (WLAN), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 (Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX), IEEE 802.20, Flash-OFDM, a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network, an LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) network, an LTE-A Pro network, a New Radio (NR) network, or a network operating in accordance with other systems and radio technologies, including future systems and radio technologies not explicitly mentioned herein, to transmit and receive information.

[0050] Now referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, an isometric view of an example skimmer 200 for an aquatic environment is depicted. In some examples, the skimmer 200 may be used in the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1, and the skimmer 200 may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1. The skimmer 200 may be provided in the form of a substantially cylindrical body 204 with an opening or mouth 206. In some instances, the opening or mouth 206 may be positioned adjacent to a top portion of the body 204 and may have a rectangular or substantially rectangular shape. In other instances, the opening or mouth 206 may be positioned at a different location on the body 204 and may have a different shape (e.g., ovular or substantially ovular shape). The skimmer 200 may include a lid 208 and one or more connection ports 210 and 212. Additionally, the skimmer 200 may include a weir 214 positioned adjacent to the mouth 206.

[0051] The skimmer 200 may be made of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or a similar material. In some instances, the skimmer 200 may be positioned adjacent or substantially adjacent to a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the skimmer 200 may be positioned in a wall of the pool near the surface of the pool. The skimmer 200 may facilitate the removal of debris, objects, and / or contaminants from the pool by using water flow to draw the debris, objects, and / or contaminants into the skimmer 200 and pass them through a filter (see, e.g., filter 215 in FIG. 2B). In some examples, one connection port (e.g., the connection port 210) may be connected to a pump line (not shown), and the other connection port (e.g., the connection port 212) may be connected to an equalizer line (not shown), or vice versa. The connection ports 210, 212 may therefore act as an entry point for water in the pool to be pulled from the pool surface into the skimmer 200 and directed to one or more pumps (e.g., the variable speed pump 122 and / or the booster pump 123 of FIG. 1) through plumbing pipes or other conduits. In some instances, the skimmer 200 may have two connection ports as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, with one port connected directly to a pump suction line and the other port connected directly to an equalizer line. In other instances, the skimmer 200 may have more or less than two connection ports.

[0052] As water from the pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) is suctioned or otherwise is drawn into the skimmer 200, the weir 214 may restrict water flow into the skimmer 200. For example, the weir 214 may only allow a top layer of water to enter the skimmer 200. In some instances, the weir 214 may be provided in the form of a floating door and may be movably connected or hinged to one side of the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200.

[0053] Any debris, objects, or contaminants floating on or near the top layer of water in the pool may be suctioned into the skimmer 200 by a pump suction line (not shown). After the water and debris enter the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200, the debris, objects, or contaminants may get trapped in the filter 215. In some examples, the filter 215 may be provided in the form of a removable basket 216, as shown in FIG. 2B. In some instances, the basket 216 may be made out of plastic or other suitable material. In some examples, the basket 216 may include a plurality of small holes to sieve and / or separate the debris or objects from the suctioned pool water. The basket 216 may also include an optional handle 218 to facilitate removal of the basket 216 from the skimmer 200, for example, to inspect or discard the contents of the basket 216 and / or to replace the basket 216.

[0054] The water that is suctioned into the skimmer 200 may proceed through the skimmer 200 into a pump suction line after the water is filtered through the filter 215, and the filtered water may re-enter the pool. One of the connection ports 210, 212 may be connected to an equalizer line and may act as a secondary refill device, for example, by adding more water to the skimmer 200 to prevent the pump suction line from sucking air into the skimmer 200 if the water level of the pool drops below the level of the mouth 206 of the skimmer 200. Minimizing air in the pump suction line and / or the skimmer may facilitate the maintenance of the one or more pumps and / or protect them from damage.

[0055] The lid 208 of the skimmer 200 may function as a cover for the body 204 of the skimmer 200. When the lid 208 is secured to the skimmer 200, the lid 208 may be substantially flush with the surrounding surface or ground. The lid 208 may be used to prevent large debris or objects from entering through a top of the skimmer 200 and clogging the filtration system. Additionally, the lid 208 may function as a safety feature by preventing users of the pool from stepping into or inserting a hand or other appendage into the skimmer 200.

[0056] Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, an example autofill skimmer lid 300 is depicted. The autofill skimmer lid 300 may be installed on a skimmer in place of a lid. In some examples, the skimmer may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B, and the lid may be, or include aspects of, the lid 208 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be installed on a skimmer that is used in connection with a pool in an aquatic environment (e.g., the pool 110 of the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1). The autofill skimmer lid 300 may measure and / or determine the water level in the pool and may be designed to measure and / or determine a pH, an oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), a temperature, and / or other parameters of the water in the pool.

[0057] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a top member 302, a main body 304, and a skimmer controller 305. In some instances, the top member 302 may be provided in the form of a substantially circular plate, and the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be provided in the form of a substantially cylindrical or frustoconical member. In other instances, the top member 302 may be provided in the form of a substantially ovular plate, rectangular plate or other suitable shape. In some examples, the main body 304 may be formed integrally with or coupled to the top member 302. The top member 302 and / or the main body 304 may be made out of plastic or any other suitable material for a skimmer lid for an aquatic environment.

[0058] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a solar panel 306 and one or more sensors or other devices including, for example, at least one accelerometer 308, one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, one or more capacitive sensors 312, one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, one or more temperature sensors 316, at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, at least one vision system 318, and at least one rain sensor 320. In some instances, two or more of the sensors or devices may be combined into a single device. For example, one or more of the carbon dioxide sensors 314 and one or more of the temperature sensors 316 may be, or may be contained within, a single device.

[0059] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also be equipped with a rechargeable battery (not shown) and / or a communication system (not shown; e.g., a sub gigahertz wireless radio) that may facilitate a connection from the autofill skimmer lid 300 to other components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) in the aquatic environment. The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also be able to connect via a wired or wireless system (e.g., IO Wi-Fi) to facilitate a connection to the other components or devices in the aquatic environment.

[0060] The top member 302 may include a top side 322 and a bottom side 324 disposed opposite the top side 322. In some instances, the solar panel 306 may be positioned on the top side 322 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 so as to be directly exposed to sunlight. The solar panel 306 may be used to convert sunlight into electricity, thereby providing power to the autofill skimmer lid 300.

[0061] In some examples, an optional indicator light 326 may be disposed on the top side 322 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The indicator light 326 may indicate whether the autofill skimmer lid 300 has enough power to operate. In some instances, the indicator light 326 may indicate an amount of power that is available to the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the indicator light 326 may fully illuminate if the power available to the autofill skimmer lid 300 is at, or substantially near 100%, and may only partially illuminate if the power available to the autofill skimmer lid is less than 100% such that the amount of power available to the autofill skimmer lid 300 corresponds to the amount of illumination provided by the indicator light 326.

[0062] In some instances, the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may also include one or more openings 328. In some instances, the one or more openings 328 may be positioned on either side of the solar panel 306. The one or more openings 328 may facilitate removal of the autofill skimmer lid 300 from a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B).

[0063] The main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a top end 330 and a bottom end 332. The top end 330 of the main body 304 may be coupled to or formed integrally with the bottom side 324 of the top member 302. In some instances, the main body 304 may include a removable cover 334. The removable cover 334 may include one or more connection members 336 on a top portion of the removable cover 334 and one or more holes 338 on a bottom portion of the removable cover 334. In some examples, the connection members 336 may be provided in the form of cantilever tab. The connection members 336 may connect the removable cover 334 to the top member 302 via one or more connection receivers 340 on the top member 302. In some instances, the connection receivers 340 may be provided in the form of holes configured to receive the cantilever tabs via a snap fit. In other cases, the removable cover 334 may be coupled to the top member 302 via screws and screw holes, a friction fit, a u-shaped snap fit, an annular snap fit, a torsion tab, or the like.

[0064] The at least one accelerometer 308 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. The at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to measure the rate of change in velocity of the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be positioned on the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to detect positional changes in the autofill skimmer lid 300. For example, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be used to detect whether the autofill skimmer lid 300 has been removed or lifted from a body of the skimmer (e.g., the body 204 of the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). In some instances, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be provided in the form of a 6-axis accelerometer. In other instances, the at least one accelerometer 308 may be provided in the form of a 3-axis accelerometer or 9-axis accelerometer.

[0065] The one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may be positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, there may be two or more ultrasonic sensors 310 positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may emit high-frequency sound waves, in the form of ultrasonic pulses, which can bounce off the surface of the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may measure the time it takes for one or more sound waves to return to the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 once emitted, which may allow the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 to calculate the water level in the pool. In some instances, similar to the at least one accelerometer 308, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 may be able to detect when the autofill skimmer lid 300 is removed from the skimmer.

[0066] The one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300 and may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be disposed on the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid as best shown in FIG. 5. In some examples, there may be two or more capacitive sensors 312 positioned on an autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may each include two electrodes creating an electrical field. In this example, when the water level changes, the capacitance between the electrodes changes, allowing the one or more capacitive sensors 312 to detect fluctuations in the water level by measuring the change in electrical capacitance.

[0067] In some instances, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may work together to measure the level of water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In addition, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be in direct or indirect, via the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, communication with one or more components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) in an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be in communication with one or more solenoid valves (not pictured) of the one or more components via a wired or wireless connection. A solenoid valve is an electrically operated valve that uses a magnetic coil to open and close, controlling the flow of water in a system or device. A solenoid valve may be found, for example, in a refill device for a pool (e.g., the refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) or connected to the pool's chemical lines allowing for automated dispensing of water and / or chemicals.

[0068] In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may send or transmit a signal to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate the current water level in the pool. If the water level is too low, a solenoid valve (not pictured) in an external refill device (e.g., refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) may be triggered to refill the pool with water. The water level of the pool may be too low when the water level is equal to or below a desired water level. If the water level is too high or the pool is overfilled with excess water, a backwash may be initiated, and a drain (e.g., the drain 112 of FIG. 1) may be triggered to drain the excess water and re-establish the desired water level. In some instances, the desired water level may be set by a user. In other instances, the desired water level may be pre-programmed or a default water level set by the external controller or the skimmer controller 305. The water in a pool may be too high if it is equal to or above the desired water level.

[0069] In other instances, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be able to detect if there is an issue with the water supply (e.g., the refill device 142 of FIG. 1; the refill device 600 of FIG. 10) or there is a leak. For example, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may send or transmit one or more signals to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate a current unsatisfactory water level in the pool and that water level needs to be changed (i.e., increased or decreased). In response, the water supply or a draining device (e.g., the drain 112 of FIG. 1) may be activated by the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, and if the water level does not change after a predetermined amount of time (e.g., 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 2.5 hours, 3 hours, etc.), the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may transmit one or more signals to the skimmer controller 305 or to the external controller to communicate that there may be an issue with one or more solenoid valves of the water supply or the draining device since the water level has not changed since the initial signal or command to change the water level was transmitted. In some examples, the predetermined amount of time may be set by a user. In other examples, the predetermined amount of time may be designed or preprogrammed into the sensors, the skimmer controller 305, or the external controller.

[0070] The one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may also work together to detect whether there is a leak in the pool. In some examples, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312, through the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller, may detect a leak based on how many times or how long the one or more solenoid valves are triggered. The information obtained from the one or more solenoid valves, as well as periodic measurements taken of the water level of the pool, can be used to determine whether there is a leak in the pool.

[0071] In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include two or more capacitive sensors 312. For example, as depicted in FIG. 5, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include eight capacitive sensors 312 that are positioned vertically along a length of the main body 304. For example, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include a first capacitive sensor 312a, a second capacitive sensor 312b, a third capacitive sensor 312c, a fourth capacitive sensor 312d, a fifth capacitive sensor 312e, a sixth capacitive sensor 312f, a seventh capacitive sensor 312g, and an eighth capacitive sensor 312h (collectively referred to herein as “capacitive sensors 312”). In other instances, more or less than eight capacitive sensors 312 may be included.

[0072] In some instances, the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be equally spaced along the length of the main body 304. In other instances, different configurations of the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be used such as uneven spacing or clusters. In many instances, the accuracy and precision of water level measurements are directly correlated to the number of capacitive sensors 312. That is, the more capacitive sensors 312 that are present on a device, the more accurate the water level measurements may be. The use of two or more capacitive sensors 312, along with their specific positioning on the autofill skimmer lid 300, may allow for more precise and accurate measurement of the water levels in the pool.

[0073] The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be positioned on the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some examples, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be disposed on the bottom end 332 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 may be provided in the form of a diffuser (not shown) that encapsulates one or more sensors. For example, the diffuser may allow carbon dioxide gas from the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) into the one or more sensors to determine the amount of carbon dioxide in the water. The one or more temperature sensors 316 may measure and / or determine a temperature of the water in the pool. The at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may measure and / or calculate the alkalinity of the water in the pool.

[0074] The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 and the one or more temperature sensors 316 also may be used to measure and / or calculate the alkalinity of the water in the pool. The one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be in a wired or wireless communication with one or more dosing mechanisms (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, and / or the water chemistry regulator 128 of FIG. 1; the chemical control module 708 of FIG. 11) for the pool or spa directly or indirectly via the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller. Based on the information received from the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, a solenoid valve on a chemical line for the pool may be triggered, allowing the corresponding dosing mechanism to provide the pool with chemicals as needed. For example, the dosing mechanism may administer soda ash sodium bicarbonate to the water of the pool to restore the water in the pool to a pre-programmed or desired alkalinity level. In another example, the dosing mechanism may administer muriatic acid to the water of the pool to lower the pH and / or alkalinity of the pool to a pre-programmed or desired pH and / or alkalinity level.

[0075] In some examples, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be directly or indirectly, via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1), connected to and in communication with one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or a device that controls the temperature of the pool via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317 may be directly or indirectly connected to a heater (e.g., the heater 125 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection and may trigger the heater to warm the water in the pool if the measured temperature is below a preprogrammed or desired temperature of the user.

[0076] In some examples, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include at least one rain sensor 320 that may be directly or indirectly, via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1), connected to and in communication with one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or a device, via a wired or wireless connection, to increase the circulation of the water in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In yet other examples, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be designed to communicate directly or indirectly, via a wired or wireless connection, with one or more corresponding dosing mechanisms in an aquatic environment (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, and / or the water chemistry regulator 128 of the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1, and / or the chemical control module 708 of FIG. 11) to adjust the chlorine dosage and / or adjust the salt chlorine generator output to maintain desired oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) levels in the water of the pool in response to the additional water added to the pool by rainfall. For example, in instances where excessive rainfall dilutes the existing chemicals in the pool, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be able to directly or indirectly communicate with the one or more dosing mechanisms to add additional chemicals (e.g., chlorine) to the water of the pool.

[0077] Additionally, the at least one rain sensor 320, in combination with the one or more capacitive sensors 312 and / or the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, may determine when the pool is overfilled, which may trigger an automation to initiate a backwash (e.g., via a hybrid or sand filter) without causing the refilling and / or the auto-filling of the pool to drain some of the excess water. In some examples, the at least one rain sensor 320 may be able to detect the amount of rain that falls into the pool and whether the rainfall is sporadic or constant. In some examples, the at least one rain sensor 320, in combination with the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310 and the one or more capacitive sensors 312, may be able to determine the water levels in the pool after rain has fallen.

[0078] In some instances, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may include or use a bather load detection algorithm that can be used to detect when a bather is in or around a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). For example, the bather load detection algorithm may include the system and methods discussed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18 / 397,429 titled Swimming Pool Bather Load Detection System and Method, filed on Dec. 27, 2023, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein. In some instances, the bather load detection algorithm may use data from one or more motion sensors (not shown) such as a wave or splash sensor positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The motion sensors may be designed to detect water movement in the pool. The amount of movement detected can indicate the level of activity in the pool or the number of bathers. For example, the amount of movement may increase when additional bathers enter the pool.

[0079] The bather load detection algorithm may be used by the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller to send or transmit an alert or notification to one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1). For example, a notification that a bather is in the pool may be sent to a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1).

[0080] In some instances, data from the one or more capacitive sensors 312 may be used by the bather load detection algorithm to detect bather load. For example, a bather swimming in a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) may create waves that contact the one or more capacitive sensors 312, and the motion of such waves may be used to indicate that a bather is in the pool. For instance, a crest of one or more waves created by the bather may contact a capacitive sensor that is positioned towards the top end 330 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 (e.g., the first capacitive sensor 312a), and a trough of one or more waves may contact a capacitive sensor that is positioned further away from the top end 330 of the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 (e.g., the sixth capacitive sensor 312f). The difference in the vertical distance between where the capacitive sensor was contacted by the crest of the waves (e.g., closer to the top end 330) and the capacitive sensor contacted by the troughs of the waves (e.g., further away from the top end 330) can be compared to a wave height threshold to determine whether a bather is in the pool. For example, if the vertical distance is equal to or above the wave height threshold, then the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may determine a bather is in the pool, and if the vertical distance is below the wave height threshold, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may determine a bather is not in the pool. A timing parameter may also be included where the wave height threshold must be met or exceeded over a period of time (e.g., 0.5 minute, 1 minute, 1.5 minutes, 2 minutes, 2.5 minutes, 3 minutes, etc.) for the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller to determine that a bather is in the pool rather than a wave being created due to an object falling into the pool.

[0081] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include the vision system 318. The vision system may be in communication with the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be positioned on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The vision system 318 may be designed to facilitate the view of objects in or around a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1). For example, the vision system 318 may be positioned such that a user may view the contents of a filter (e.g., the filter 215 and / or the basket 216 of FIG. 2B; the filter 502 and / or the basket 504 of FIG. 9) in the skimmer via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) or another display device.

[0082] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may include filter or basket protection capabilities, including a simple machine learning or algorithm that may be able to identify items in the filter of the skimmer. For example, the vision system 318 may detect items covering a top layer of water in the filter. The filter or basket protection capabilities may also be designed to alert a user periodically (e.g., once an hour, once every two hours, once every 3 hours, etc.) regarding what contents, if any, are in the filter. If there are no contents in the filter, then no alert is sent. Additionally, the filter or basket protection capabilities may include an algorithm that is designed to detect the capacity of the filter and / or how full the filter is of unwanted objects. For example, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may be designed to determine when the filter is full or substantially full (e.g., at or over a certain capacity threshold). In such instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may send or transmit an alert to the user when the filter is at least about 30% full, or at least about 40% full, or at least about 50% full, or at least about 60% full, or at least about 70% full, or at least about 75% full, or at least about 80% full, or at least about 85% full, or at least about 90% full, or at least about 95% full, or about 100% full. In other instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may send or transmit an alert to the user when the filter is at least about 40% full to about 100% full. In certain instances, the skimmer controller 305 or the external controller may use data obtained from the vision system 318 to determine how full the filter is.

[0083] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may also include a user interface (not shown) that may be used to display calculated values and / or measurements taken at a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1; the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). For example, the user interface may display the measured alkalinity levels of the water at the skimmer and / or the temperature of the water at the skimmer. The user interface may also be designed to display reference values or recommended ranges for the water level, alkalinity, pH level, ORP, temperature, or other parameters of the water in the pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1).

[0084] Referring now to FIGS. 6-8, an example circuit board 400 is depicted. The circuit board 400 may include a first board 402 and a second board 404. The first board 402 and the second board 404 may be integrally formed or coupled together and may be situated substantially perpendicular to each other. The circuit board 400 may be used by and positioned within the autofill skimmer lid 300 as described with reference to FIGS. 3-5. For example, the first board 402 may be positioned substantially horizontally in the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300, and the second board 404 may extend substantially vertically along the main body 304 of the autofill skimmer lid 300. The circuit board 400 may carry electrical current through copper conductors 406 to connect components of the autofill skimmer lid 300 to the circuit board 400. For example, the copper conductors 406 may be created by etching a copper sheet to remove unwanted copper and leave behind the desired circuit pattern.

[0085] The circuit board 400 may include the skimmer controller 305 as described with reference to FIGS. 3-5. The circuit board 400 may also include a variety of electrical components 409. The electrical components 409 may include one or more resistors, micro controllers, capacitors, diodes, inductors, and integrated circuits. Additionally, the circuit board 400 may include a variety of sensors and / or devices. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the circuit board 400 may include the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, and / or the vision system 318. In some instances, the at least one accelerometer 308, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 may also be disposed on and / or connected to the circuit board 400.

[0086] FIG. 8 depicts a partial bottom view of the circuit board 400. The vision system 318 may be electronically and physically connected to the underside of the circuit board 400 so that it may be disposed on the bottom side 324 of the top member 302 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 when the circuit board 400 is installed within the autofill skimmer lid 300. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be provided in the form of a camera, as shown in FIG. 8. The vision system 318 may be designed to detect and / or view debris or objects inside a filter (e.g., the filter 215 and / or the basket 216 of FIGS. 2B; the filter 502 and / or the basket 504 of FIG. 9) of a skimmer (e.g., the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1; the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B). The vision system 318 may be in wired or wireless communication with a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and may notify a user if there are objects or debris in the filter. Additionally, the vision system 318 may be able to view and / or detect when the filter is full and needs to be emptied.

[0087] In some instances, the vision system 318 may be connected to one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) or devices of an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) directly or indirectly via the skimmer controller 305 or an external controller (e.g., the central controller 150 of FIG. 1) via a wired or wireless connection. For example, the vision system 318 may send or transmit an alert to the user device, notifying a user that an object in the skimmer has been detected and requires immediate removal. In another example, the vision system 318 may send or transmit an alert to the user device that the filter is full and needs to be emptied. In some instances, the vision system 318 may be able to display an image of the contents of the filter on the user interface.

[0088] Referring now to FIG. 9, an example top view 500 from a vision system of an autofill skimmer lid for a skimmer. In some examples, the vision system (not shown) may be, or include aspects of, the vision system 318 of FIGS. 3-5 and 8. In addition, in some examples, the autofill skimmer lid (not shown) may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some examples, the skimmer (not shown) may be or include aspects of the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B.

[0089] In some instances, the vision system may be positioned on a bottom side of the autofill skimmer lid (e.g., the bottom side 324 of the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5) and, thus, may be able to view the contents of a filter 502 (e.g., the filter 215 of FIG. 2B). In some instances, the filter 502 may be provided in the form of a basket 504 (e.g., the basket 216 of FIG. 2B), which may have an optional handle 506 (e.g., the handle 218 of FIG. 2B). In some examples, the vision system may be able to view objects in the filter 502, including insects 508, debris 510 such as leaves or twigs, live or dead animals 512 such as frogs, snakes, or turtles, and miscellaneous items such as plastic bags 514 and / or small toys or sporting equipment 516. As previously mentioned, some objects may require immediate removal from the filter 502 to prevent clogging of the skimmer and / or the filtration system of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). As such, the vision system may notify a user of the contents in the filter 502.

[0090] Referring now to FIG. 10, an example refill device 600 for an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) is shown. Although one type of refill device 600 is shown, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may be compatible with any type of refill device known in the art. In some examples, the refill device 600 may be, or include aspects of, the refill device 142 described in FIG. 1.

[0091] The refill device 600 may include a ground section 602, a spout section 604, an optional user interface 606, a filtered water inlet 608, and a solenoid valve 610. The ground section 602 may be substantially rectangular in shape and may be designed to sit or rest on the ground or surface adjacent an edge of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the user interface 606 may be disposed on a top area of the ground section 602. The user interface 606, may provide a user with information relating to the refill device 600 such as whether the refill device 600 is on / off, whether a water source is connected to the refill device 600, how much water is being added by the refill device 600, a flow rate of the water being added by the refill device 600, a chemical composition of the water being added by the refill device 600, whether the refill device 600 requires maintenance, or the like.

[0092] The spout section 604 may also be substantially rectangular in shape and may be positioned adjacent to the ground section 602 and may extend downwardly therefrom, such as to form an upside down ‘L″ shape with the ground section 602. The spout section 604 may be positioned so that the spout section 604 hangs over the edge of the pool and creates a spout for water to be administered into the pool.

[0093] In some examples, the ground section 602 and the spout section 604 together may form a refill device body 607 in which the filtered water inlet 608 sits. The filtered water inlet 608 may provide a threaded connection for a water source (not shown), such as a garden hose, to be coupled with the refill device 600 to facilitate refilling the pool.

[0094] The autofill skimmer lid 300 may be wired or wirelessly connected to the refill device 600 and may automatically trigger the refill device 600 to begin refilling a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) when the autofill skimmer lid 300 detects that the water level in the pool is too low and / or there is a leak in the pool. For example, if the refill device 600 has been refilling the pool for extended amounts of time per day, the autofill skimmer lid 300 may detect a leak in the pool. In some examples, if the refill device has been on for more than a certain amount of time (e.g., two hours, three hours, four hours, etc.) during the day, then the autofill skimmer lid 300 may detect that there is a leak in the pool.

[0095] Referring now to FIG. 11, a block diagram of an example device 700 that supports systems and methods for an autofill skimmer lid (e.g., the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5) is provided. In some instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the central controller 150 of FIG. 1, as described herein. In other instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In other instances, the device 700 may be, or include aspects of, the central controller 150 of FIG. 1, as described herein.

[0096] The device 700 may include a transmitter 702, a receiver 704, a communications manager 706, a water control module 707, a chemical control module 708, one or more user interfaces 710, and one or more output devices 712. The device 700, or one or more components of the device 700 (e.g., the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, and the one or more output devices 712), may include at least one processor 714. The at least one processor 714 may be connected to at least one memory 716 to, individually or collectively, support or enable the described techniques. Each of the components of the device 700 may be in communication with one another via one or more buses 718.

[0097] The receiver 704 may provide a means for receiving one or more signals. The one or more signals may include information such as packets, user data, control information, other signals, and any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, wired or wireless channels, and the like). Information may be passed on to other components of the device 700. The receiver 704 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas. The receiver 704 may be designed to receive information related to a user of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) from one or more user devices (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). The receiver 704 may also be designed to receive a signal or command to turn on one or more pool components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) and a signal or command to turn off the one or more of the pool components. The receiver 704 may be designed to receive signals with information regarding guidelines and / or recommended actions for refilling the pool with water, draining water from the pool, and / or adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool.

[0098] The transmitter 702 may provide a means for transmitting signals generated by other components of the device 700. For example, the transmitter 702 may transmit signal including information such as packets, user data, control information, other signals, or any combination thereof associated with various information channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, wired or wireless channels, and the like). In some examples, the transmitter 702 may be co-located with the receiver 704 in a transceiver module. The transmitter 702 may utilize a single antenna or a set of multiple antennas. The transmitter 702 may also be designed to transmit signals and indications related to refilling a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) with water, draining water from the pool, backwashing, adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool, and / or adjusting water levels in the pool. Further, the transmitter 702 may be configured to transmit a request to a server to provide recurring information regarding suggested guidelines and / or actions for adjusting the water levels in the pool and / or adjusting the chemistry of the water in the pool.

[0099] The transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof, may be examples of means for performing various aspects of a method related to an aquatic environment as described herein. For example, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof may be capable of performing one or more of the functions described herein.

[0100] In some examples, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, the at least one processor 714, the at least one memory 716, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in hardware (e.g., in communications management circuitry). The hardware may include at least one of a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices (PLD), a microcontroller, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure. In some examples, the at least one processor 714 and the at least one memory 716 in communication with the at least one processor 714 may be configured to perform one or more of the functions described herein (e.g., by one or more processors, individually or collectively, executing instructions stored in the at least one memory 716). In some examples, the at least one processor 714 may be provided in the form of a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a quad-core processor, a hexa-core processor, an octa-core processor, a deca-core processor, or any other type of processor.

[0101] In some examples, the at least one memory 716 may refer to a read access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, or any other type of memory. The at least one memory 716 may be designed to store or otherwise save data related to one or more pool components, different types of operations, various digital maps, user profile data, historical data associated with the aquatic environment 100, and the like.

[0102] Additionally, or alternatively, the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, or various combinations or components thereof may be implemented in processor-executable code 720 (e.g., as communications management software or firmware) executed by the at least one processor 714 (e.g., referred to as a processor-executable code 720). If implemented in code executed by at least one processor 714, the functions of the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the one or more output devices 712, or various combinations or components thereof may be performed by a general-purpose processor, a DSP, a CPU, an ASIC, an FPGA, a microcontroller, or any combination of these or other programmable logic devices (e.g., configured as or otherwise supporting, individually or collectively, a means for performing the functions described in the present disclosure).

[0103] In some examples, the communications manager 706 may be configured to perform various operations (e.g., receiving, obtaining, monitoring, outputting, transmitting) using or otherwise in cooperation with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, or both. For example, the communications manager 706 may receive information from the receiver 704, send or transmit information to the transmitter 702, or be integrated in combination with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, or both to obtain information, output information, or perform various other operations as described herein.

[0104] The communications manager 706 may support the techniques for adjusting the water level and water chemistry of an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with the examples disclosed herein. The communications manager 706 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving information associated with a selected operation related to the aquatic environment, such as a swimming pool or spa (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1) from a mobile device or other user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). The communications manager 706 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for transmitting information associated with a selected operation related to the aquatic environment from the mobile device or other user device.

[0105] The water control module 707 may support the techniques and / or recommended actions for performing an operation related to an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The water control module 707 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining a water level of the aquatic environment. In additional examples, the water control module 707 may also be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment at a controller of the skimmer lid (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8 or the central controller 150 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the water control module 707, may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for comparing the received value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user at the controller of the skimmer lid. In yet other examples, the water control module 707, may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining whether the received value of the determined water level of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user. In some other examples, the water control module 707, may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining an action to take to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In other examples, the water control module 707, may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In some examples, the water control module 708 may be, or include aspects of, the drain 112, the refill device 142 of FIG. 1, the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 of FIGS. 3-8, and / or the refill device 600 of FIG. 10). In some examples, a user may select or otherwise provide a value for a water level via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and / or the one or more user interfaces 710.

[0106] The chemical control module 708 may support the techniques and / or recommended actions for performing an operation related to an aquatic environment (e.g., the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1) in accordance with examples as disclosed herein. The chemical control module 708 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining a water chemistry of the aquatic environment. In additional examples, the chemical control module 708 may also be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for receiving a value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment at a controller of the skimmer lid (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8 or the central controller 150 of FIG. 1). In some examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for comparing the received value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user at the controller of the skimmer lid. In other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining whether the received value of the determined water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user. In some other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for determining an action to take to adjust the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In other examples, the chemical control module 708, is further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1) to adjust the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user. In some examples, the chemical control module 708 may be, or include aspects of, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, or the water chemistry regulator 128 of FIG. 1, and / or the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314 and / or temperature sensors 314 of FIGS. 3-7. In some examples, a user may select or otherwise provide a value for the water chemistry via a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) and / or the one or more user interfaces 710.

[0107] In other examples, the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may also be designed to trigger an alert that the action has been completed. In some examples, the communications manager 706 may cause the one or more user interface 710 or a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to output the alert.

[0108] The one or more user interfaces 710 may include a light emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic LED (OLED) display, or another known display. The one or more user interfaces 710 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support input and / or output signals for the device 700. The one or more user interfaces 710 may also manage peripherals not integrated into the device 700. In some cases, the one or more user interfaces 710 may represent a physical connection or port to an external peripheral. In some cases, the one or more user interfaces 710 may utilize an operating system such as iOS®, ANDROID®, MS-DOS®, MS-WINDOWS®, OS / 2®, UNIX®, LINUX®, or another known operating system. Additionally, or alternatively, the one or more user interfaces 710 may represent or interact with a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some cases, the one or more user interface 710 may be implemented as part of one or more processors, such as the at least one processor 714. In some cases, a user may interact with the device 700 via the one or more user interface 710 or via hardware components controlled by the one or more user interface 710.

[0109] The one or more user interfaces 710 may be configured to display one or more water levels of a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). The one or more user interfaces 710 may also be configured to display the current water chemistry levels in the pool. Additionally, the one or more user interfaces 710 may be configured to receive an input to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the pool. The one or more user interfaces 710 may also be designed to output an alert to a user regarding the water level and / or the water chemistry of the pool if they are above or below a threshold set by the user or other predefined or predetermined value.

[0110] In some examples, the one or more user interfaces 710 may be designed to output an alert to a user that there is a leak in the pool and / or output an alert that a filter needs to be emptied or inspected. For example, the communications manager 706 may cause the one or more user interfaces 710 or a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to output the alert.

[0111] In yet other examples, the user interface 710 may be designed to relay water level information and / or water chemistry information and alert a user if any of the parameters (e.g., water level, pH, alkalinity, ORP, or temperature) need manual intervention. In some instances, a recommended water chemistry for a pool may include: a pH range of 7.2 to 7.6; an ORP range of 650 millivolts (mV) to 750 mV; an alkalinity range of 80 parts per million (ppm) to 120 ppm; a calcium hardness range of 200 ppm to 500 ppm, and a cyanuric acid / stabilize of less than 30 ppm. If the pool water chemistry has, for example, a pH of 7.3, an ORP of 700 mV; an alkalinity of 70 ppm; a calcium hardness of 250 ppm, and a cyanuric acid / stabilize of 25 ppm, an alert may be displayed on the user interface 710 that the alkalinity needs to be adjusted. In some instances, the alkalinity may be automatically adjusted by a dosing mechanism (e.g., the chemical control module 708) such that the alkalinity value is returned to a value within the recommended range of 80 ppm to 120 ppm. In other instances, a user may manually adjust the alkalinity so that the alkalinity value is within the recommended range of 80 ppm to 120 ppm. In some examples, the water level may be automatically adjusted by a water supply mechanism (e.g., the water control module 707).

[0112] Some examples of the device 700 may omit a user interface 710, and instead, the device 700 provides signals to an external device (e.g., a mobile device such as the user device 160 of FIG. 1) to provide the functions of the one or more user interfaces 710 as described herein.

[0113] The one or more output devices 712 may include a modem, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen, or a similar device. In some examples, the one or more out devices 712 may include the one or more user interfaces 710. In other examples, the one or more output devices 712 may be provided in the form of one or more speakers or one or more motors to create haptic feedback. However, some examples of the device 700 do not include an output device 712, and instead, the device 700 provides signals to an external device, such as a mobile or other user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1), to provide functions of the output device 712.

[0114] The one or more output devices 712 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting an indication of one or more operation options at the one or more user interfaces 710 or a user interface in association with a pool (e.g., the pool 110 of FIG. 1). The one or more output devices 712 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting a display of the current water levels and / or the current water chemistry of the pool.

[0115] The one or more output devices 712 may be capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting instructions for at least one action paired with at least one-time frame. The one or more output devices 712 may be further capable of, configured to, or operable to support a means for outputting an indication to cease the action.

[0116] By including or configuring the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, and the one or more output devices 712 in accordance with examples as described herein, the device 700 (e.g., at least one processor controlling or otherwise coupled with the transmitter 702, the receiver 704, the communications manager 706, the water control module 707, the chemical control module 708, the one or more user interfaces 710, the output devices 712, or a combination thereof) may support techniques for a method related to an aquatic environment (e.g., aquatic environment 100).

[0117] The device 700 may be able to download, store, or execute software having computer-executable instructions. The software may include one or more modules, such as the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708. The one or more modules may include, for example, algorithms to monitor or store the measurements or other data received from one or more of the system components such as the sensors, valves, tank, or pumps, or may monitor or store real-time and historic flow patterns and usage data. The device 700, via the one or more modules, may also perform calculations or other data analysis or modeling processes to determine various outcomes. The outcomes may include, for example, turning one or more of the components of the system on or off at certain times or intervals or placing one or more of the system components in standby mode.

[0118] The water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may be electronically connected to the one or more user interfaces 710 and other components of the aquatic environment 100, including the various sensors, valves, tank, and pump via one or more wires or may be electronically connected via a communications network. The communications network may be a wired or wireless network such as a personal area network (PAN) or LAN, a cellular network, the Internet, or any other type of network.

[0119] In some examples, the water control module 707 and / or the chemical control module 708 may be able to self-diagnose or troubleshoot problems that arise without input from one of the various components or a user. Artificial intelligence or machine learning may be used to learn different patterns of usage to predict future behavior.

[0120] In some instances, the one or more modules may include a training module that may be designed to execute instructions related to one or more data analysis and modeling processes. In some examples, the training module may generate and iteratively train itself to provide dynamic data analysis and outcomes, and the advanced analytics may be used to perform system or component diagnostics, generate alerts, notifications, or action items, provide customized recommendations according to user or service provider settings or preferences, and similar processes.

[0121] In some embodiments, one or more metrics or characteristics (e.g., historic water usage data, system pressure, total dissolved solid (TDS) concentration, or water flow rates) may be used as parameters in one or more processes to iteratively train a training model or a plurality of machine learning training models. Processes for “iteratively training the machine learning training model” may include machine learning processes, artificial intelligence processes, and other similar advanced machine learning processes. In various embodiments, the iteratively trained machine learning model(s) may be designed to perform various advanced data analysis and modeling processes. In some embodiments, these processes may be performed by multiple machine learning models, multiple aspects of a single machine learning model (e.g., an ensemble model), or a combination thereof. In one non-limiting example, the machine learning training model(s) may be designed to generate, train, and execute a plurality of nodes, neural networks, gradient boosting algorithms, mutual information classifiers, random forest classifications, and other machine learning and artificial intelligence-related algorithms. The system and processes described herein may include different or additional details, data, measurements, parameters, metrics, or characteristics than those described herein.

[0122] The device 700 may be Bluetooth enabled and have Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. One or more pool components (sensors, valves, feeder, pump, etc.) may be IoT-enabled or communicatively connected smart components.

[0123] In some examples, the at least one processor 714 may be coupled with one or more memories 716 and may be configured to individually or collectively execute the processor-executable code 720 to cause the device 700, or components thereof (e.g., the water control module 707 or the chemical control module 708), to determine a water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment, receive a value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment, compare the received value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to a value selected by a user, determine whether the received value of the determined water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user, determine an action to take to adjust the water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user and output a signal or command to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level or water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the value selected by the user.

[0124] The memory 716 may be configured to store or save the one or more preset or user water level values, one or more preset or user water chemistry values, the information regarding guidelines received from a server, and any such information.

[0125] In some instances, a lookup table of predefined or predetermined values, thresholds, ranges, and other information may be stored in the memory 716 of the device 700. In some instances, a lookup table of predefined or predetermined values, thresholds, ranges, and other information may be stored by a controller (e.g., the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8, the central controller 150 and / or local controllers of the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1), and the controller may determine an appropriate action based on one or more of the variables discussed herein. Furthermore, the device 700 may be in communication with a network (e.g., the network 170 of FIG. 1) and may be capable of downloading lookup tables. The device 700 may select threshold values (e.g., a threshold permeability value or a threshold temperature value) from the lookup tables based on a number of factors including a determined pressure, flow rate, water level, temperature, pH, turbidity, free chlorine content, ORP value, and / or other parameters.

[0126] The device 700 may work in conjunction with, or independent from, one or more local controllers associated with one or more pool components (e.g., the pool components 102 of FIG. 1) as disclosed herein. Alternatively, one or more local controllers associated with the pool components may work in conjunction with, or independent from, the device 700 to effectuate the operational modes and other methods described herein.

[0127] Referring now to FIG. 12, a flow diagram of an example method 800 for an aquatic environment is provided. The operations of the method 800 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 800 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-9, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102, the refill device 600, and / or the device 700 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0128] The method 800 may start at 802. At 804, a value for a water level and / or a water chemistry of the aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) may be received via a controller of a skimmer lid. In some examples, the skimmer lid may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some examples, the controller may be, or include aspects of the central controller 150 of FIG. 1 and / or the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In some instances, the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment may be received from one or more sensors in communication with the controller of the skimmer lid. In some instances, the one or more sensors may include the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 as described herein with reference to FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the water level of the aquatic environment may be determined by the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 312. In other instances, the water chemistry may be determined by the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317.

[0129] At 806, the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment may be compared to a predetermined value provided by a user via the controller of the skimmer lid. In some instances, the predetermined value provided by the user may be received from a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1).

[0130] At 808, whether the value for the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the predetermined value provided by the user may be determined. In some instances, the controller may determine whether the received value of the determined water level and / or water chemistry of the aquatic environment matches the value selected by the user or the other predetermined value.

[0131] At 810, an action to take to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user may be determined. For example, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with one or more aquatic environment components (e.g., the one or more pool components 102 of FIG. 1, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11) to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment, for example, by actuating a solenoid valve to add water to the aquatic environment. In another example, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with the one or more aquatic environment components, to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment by, for example, initiating a backwash to drain excess water from the aquatic environment. In yet other examples, the one or more sensors may communicate, through the controller, with the one or more aquatic environment components, to adjust the water chemistry of the pool, for example, by adding chemicals or other additives to the water of the aquatic environment.

[0132] At 812, a signal to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level and / or the water chemistry of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user may be output. In some instances, outputting the signal to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment comprises adding water to the aquatic environment to increase the water level or draining water from the aquatic environment to decrease the water level. In some examples, the signal may be transmitted from a controller to the user device. In other instances, the signal may be output to one or more user interfaces associated with a skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0133] The method may end at 814.

[0134] Referring now to FIG. 13, a flow diagram of an example method 900 for an aquatic environment (e.g., a pool or spa) is provided. The operations of the method 900 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 of FIG. 1 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 900 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-9, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102, the refill device 600, and / or the device 700 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0135] The method 900 may start at 902. At 904, receive a value for the aquatic environment may be received from at least one sensor. In some instances, the at least one sensor may be included on or in a skimmer lid such as the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. In some instances, the value may be received by a controller that may be, or include aspects of the central controller 150 of FIG. 1 and / or the skimmer controller 305 of FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the at least one sensor may include the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 320 as described herein with reference to FIGS. 3-8. In some examples, the water level of the aquatic environment may be determined by the one or more ultrasonic sensors 310, the one or more capacitive sensors 312, the at least one vision system 318, and / or the at least one rain sensor 312. In other examples, the water chemistry may be determined by the one or more carbon dioxide sensors 314, the one or more temperature sensors 316, and / or the at least one pH / ORP sensor 317.

[0136] At 906, the value for the aquatic environment may be compared to a predefined value for the aquatic environment. In some instances, the predefined value may be a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment. In some instances, the predefined value provided by the user may be received from a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). In some instances, the predefined value may be stored in a memory in communication with the controller.

[0137] At 908, whether the value for the aquatic environment matches the predefined value for the aquatic environment may be determined.

[0138] At 910, an action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment may be determined. In some instances, the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment includes one or more of adding water to the aquatic environment, draining water from the aquatic environment, adding one or more chemicals to the water of the aquatic environment, or initiating a backwash.

[0139] At 914, a signal may be transmitted to at least one component of the aquatic environment that instructs the at least one component to carry out the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment. In some instances, the at least one component may be a chemical dosing mechanism, a drain, a pump, a heater, or a refill device (e.g., the sanitizer 126, the water chemistry monitor 127, the water chemistry regulator 128, the drain 112, the water heater 125, the variable speed pump 122, the booster pump 123 of FIG. 1, the refill device 600 of FIG. 10, and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11). In some examples, the signal may be transmitted from a controller to the user device. In other instances, the signal may be transmitted to one or more user interfaces associated with a skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0140] The method may end at 914.

[0141] Referring now to FIG. 14, a flow diagram of an example method 1000 for detecting an object in a filter of a skimmer is provided. The operations of the method 1000 may be implemented by the aquatic environment 100 or its components as described herein. For example, some or all of the operations of the method 1000 may be performed by the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the network 170, the user device 160, and / or the one or more pool components 102 as described with reference to FIGS. 1-10 and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11. In some examples, the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305, the vision system 318, the network 170, the user device 160, the one or more pool components 102 and / or the device 700 of FIG. 11 may execute a set of instructions to control the functional elements of the aforementioned components and / or devices to perform the described functions, or may perform aspects of the described functions using special-purpose hardware. In other examples, other components of the aquatic environment 100 may perform aspects of the described functions.

[0142] The method 1000 may start at 1002. At 1004, a vision system of a lid for a skimmer may detect an object (e.g., insects 508, debris 510, animals 512, bags 514, and / or toys or sporting equipment 516 of FIG. 9) in a filter of the skimmer. In some examples, the vision system may be, or include aspects of the vision system 318 of FIGS. 3-5 and 8. The lid may be, or include aspects of, the autofill skimmer lid 300 of FIGS. 3-5. The skimmer may be, or include aspects of the skimmer 114 of FIG. 1 or the skimmer 200 of FIGS. 2A and 2B. The filter may be, or include aspects of, the filter 215 or the basket 216 of FIG. 2B or the filter 502 or the basket 504 of FIG. 9.

[0143] At 1006, a controller (e.g., the central controller 150, the skimmer controller 305), using one or more processors, may determine whether the filter is at a capacity or the object requires immediate removal. In some instances, the capacity may be a threshold at or above which the filter is determined to be full. In some instances, the threshold may be provided by a user and in other instances the threshold may be provided by guidelines or other information that has been downloaded or otherwise provided to the controller. In some instance, determining if an object requires immediate removal may be determined based on a threshold relating to a size or one or more dimensions of the object, a weight of the object, or whether the object is a living creature (e.g., a frog, snake, turtle, etc.).

[0144] At 1008, the controller may output a signal notifying a user that the filter needs to be emptied. In some examples, the signal may be output to a user device (e.g., the user device 160 of FIG. 1). In other instances, the signal may be output to one or more user interfaces associated with the skimmer lid or other pool component (e.g., the user interfaces 710 of FIG. 11).

[0145] The method 1000 may end at 1010.

[0146] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that while the above disclosure has been described above in connection with particular embodiments and examples, the above disclosure is not necessarily so limited, and that numerous other embodiments, examples, uses, modifications, and departures from the embodiments, examples, and uses are intended to be encompassed by the claims attached hereto. The entire disclosure of each patent and publication cited herein is incorporated by reference as if each such patent or publication were individually incorporated by reference herein. Various features and advantages of the above disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0038]Before any embodiments are described in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings, which is limited only by the claims that follow the present disclosure. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,”“comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof, as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,”“connected,”“supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, ...

Claims

1. A lid for a skimmer for an aquatic environment, comprising:a top member having a top side and a bottom side;a main body extending downwardly from the bottom side of the top member;a vision system disposed on the bottom side of the top member, the vision system designed to detect objects in a filter of the skimmer; anda controller designed to output a signal to alert that the filter needs to be emptied.

2. The lid of claim 1, further comprising at least one first sensor and at least one second sensor, wherein the at least one first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor and the at least one second sensor is a capacitive sensor.

3. The lid of claim 2, wherein the at least one first sensor is disposed on the top member and the at least one second sensor is disposed on the main body.

4. The lid of claim 2, wherein the controller is further designed to detect a water level using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

5. The lid of claim 2, wherein the controller is further designed to detect whether there is a leak in the aquatic environment using the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor.

6. The lid of claim 2, wherein the controller is further designed to detect a bather load using the at least one second sensor.

7. The lid of claim 1, wherein the vision system includes a camera.

8. The lid of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer disposed on the top member of the lid and designed to detect whether the lid has been removed from the skimmer.

9. The lid of claim 1, further comprising a solar panel disposed on the top member of the lid.

10. A system for an aquatic environment, the system comprising:a skimmer lid; anda controller disposed within the skimmer lid, wherein the controller is designed to:receive a value for the aquatic environment from at least one sensor;compare a received value for the aquatic environment to a predefined value for the aquatic environment;determine whether the received value for the aquatic environment matches the predefined value for the aquatic environment;determine an action to return the received value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment; andtransmit a signal to at least one component of the aquatic environment that instructs the at least one component to carry out the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the aquatic environment is a swimming pool or a spa.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the predefined value is a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

13. The system of claim 10, further comprising a memory for storing the predefined value.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one sensor designed to measure one or more of a water level, an alkalinity, a pH, or a temperature of water in the aquatic environment.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one component is a chemical dosing mechanism, a drain, a pump, a heater, or a refill device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the action to return the value of the aquatic environment to the predefined value for the aquatic environment includes one or more of adding water to the aquatic environment, draining water from the aquatic environment, adding one or more chemicals to the water of the aquatic environment, or initiating a backwash.

17. A method for an aquatic environment, the method comprising:receiving a value for a water level of the aquatic environment via a controller of a skimmer lid;comparing the value for the water level of the aquatic environment to a predetermined value provided by a user via the controller of the skimmer lid;determining whether the value for the water level of the aquatic environment matches the predetermined value provided by the user;determining an action to take to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user; andoutputting a signal to at least one aquatic environment component to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment to the predetermined value provided by the user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein outputting the signal to adjust the water level of the aquatic environment comprises adding water to the aquatic environment to increase the water level or draining water from the aquatic environment to decrease the water level.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the value for the water level of the aquatic environment is received from one or more sensors in communication with the controller of the skimmer lid.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined value provided by the user is received from a user device.

Images