Remote Bathing Unit Monitoring via Centralized Service Gateway
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote control and monitoring systems for bathing units, such as spas and swimming pools, lack centralized control and monitoring capabilities over networks, especially for multiple units owned by different entities, leading to inconvenience and potential damage from malfunctions like power failures.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that implement a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to centrally control and monitor remote network-enabled bathing unit systems, allowing users to view operational status, send invitations for remote access, and manage maintenance through a communication network, with features like sorting, filtering, and error diagnostics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote control and monitoring systems are implemented for individual bathing units, then users can control their own units remotely, but centralized control and monitoring over multiple units owned by different entities is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a universal gateway that serves multiple functions: it enables individual unit control, aggregates data from multiple bathing units owned by different entities, provides centralized monitoring capabilities, and facilitates inter-unit operations. This multi-functional gateway resolves the contradiction by making a single system adaptable to both individual and centralized management needs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a gateway as an intermediary component that mediates between individual bathing units and external control systems. This gateway enables centralized monitoring and control of multiple units while preserving individual unit autonomy, thus resolving the contradiction between remote control capability and centralized multi-entity management versatility.
2Device complexity
If users must return to their residence to verify spa system status and perform tasks, then system simplicity is maintained, but user convenience and response time to malfunctions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables users to remotely monitor and control their bathing units through network-connected devices without needing to physically return to the residence. Users can receive notifications, verify system status, and perform control tasks remotely, maintaining system simplicity while dramatically improving user convenience and response time to malfunctions.
3Loss of energy
If power supply interruption occurs in bathing units, then energy consumption is reduced, but water cleanliness and component safety deteriorate due to lack of filtration and potential freezing
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements monitoring that tracks power supply status and operational parameters of bathing units. When power interruptions or anomalies are detected, the system can send notifications to users and potentially activate backup systems or alert maintenance personnel, thus maintaining water cleanliness and component safety while allowing for energy conservation during normal operation.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and system to facilitate maintenance of a network enabled bathing unit system. A Graphical User Interface (GUI) is presented providing a user operable control for receiving from a customer a service request requesting that a technician contact the customer. The user operable control may in some cases be enabled in response to detection of an operational error in the bathing unit system and disabled otherwise. In response to receipt of the service request through the user operable control, a notification message indicating that the customer has requested to be contacted by a technician is sent over a communication network. In some embodiments, a message responsive to the service request is received to cause the GUI to present user-selectable options to enable the customer to selectively permit the remote control and monitoring of the bathing unit system by a specific remote service technician.