Faucet Sensor System Using Passive-Active Triggering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing faucet systems lack efficient and power-effective methods for hands-free and touch-activated fluid delivery, often requiring continuous power for sensors and leading to unnecessary energy consumption and potential false activations.
Innovation Solution
A fluid delivery apparatus incorporating a combination of low-power capacitive sensors and high-power ultrasonic sensors, where the capacitive sensors detect user presence to enable the ultrasonic sensors only when necessary, reducing power usage and preventing false activations by using a controller to manage sensor activation and fluid flow based on user proximity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If active sensors (ultrasonic or light based) are continuously enabled to detect user presence, then detection reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The active sensor operates in periodic intervals rather than continuously. The controller enables the active sensor only when the passive sensor detects a user in the sensing field, and disables it when no user is detected. This periodic activation maintains detection reliability when needed while dramatically reducing overall power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If passive sensors are used to detect user presence, then power consumption is reduced, but detection precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detection function is segmented into two stages: initial detection by the passive sensor and confirmation detection by the active sensor. The passive sensor provides a wide-area initial detection with lower precision but lower power consumption, while the active sensor provides precise confirmation detection only when needed, combining the advantages of both approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The passive sensor acts as an intermediary that triggers the activation of the active sensor. It monitors the sensing field continuously at low power and only activates the high-power active sensor when it detects a potential user presence, thereby mediating between power consumption and detection precision requirements.
3Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are deployed to improve detection accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges passive and active sensing technologies into a unified faucet control system. Both sensor types are integrated with a single controller that coordinates their operation, allowing the system to leverage the complementary strengths of each sensor type while managing complexity through centralized control logic.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables efficient hands-free and touch-activated fluid delivery while minimizing power consumption by selectively enabling high-power sensors only when a user is detected, thereby reducing energy waste and preventing unwanted water flow.
Implementation Method 1
a capacitive sensor configured to define a sensing field in an area near the spout to detect a presence of a user
Implementation Method 2
an ultrasonic sensor located adjacent the spout. The ultrasonic sensor is configured to detect the presence of a user adjacent the spout
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid delivery apparatus includes a spout, an active sensor, and a passive sensor. The active sensor is configured to detect the presence of a user adjacent the spout when enabled. The passive sensor is configured to define a sensing field in an area near the spout and also to detect a presence of a user. A controller is coupled to the passive sensor and the active sensor. The controller is programmed to detect the presence of a user in the sensing field based on an output signal from the active sensor in response to detecting the presence of the user in the sensing field with the passive sensor, thereby reducing the amount of power used by the active sensor.