Ultrasonic Pool Occupancy Sensing for Dynamic Pump Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pool water circulation and chemical management systems do not effectively adjust to varying occupancy levels, leading to unnecessary energy consumption and additive usage, as they typically operate based on fixed schedules rather than real-time pool occupancy.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing ultrasonic pool occupant sensing devices that transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses to determine the number of occupants within the pool, processing these signals to adjust the water circulation and chemical dispensation accordingly, with a central processing unit coordinating the data from multiple devices to optimize resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If pumps run continuously based on fixed schedules, then water circulation is maintained, but energy is wasted when no one is in the pool
Solution Approach 1:
The pump operation transitions from static fixed-schedule control to dynamic occupancy-based control. The system continuously monitors pool occupancy and adjusts pump operation in real-time, making the circulation system adaptive to actual conditions rather than following a predetermined schedule.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by using occupancy sensors to detect the presence or absence of people in the pool and using this information to automatically adjust pump operation. The control system receives feedback about actual pool conditions and modifies pump behavior accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system.
2Loss of substance
If pumps run continuously to maintain water quality, then clean water is ensured, but additives are overused when unnecessary
Solution Approach 1:
Additive dosing transitions from continuous static application to dynamic variable dosing based on occupancy levels. The system adjusts the rate and amount of additive delivery in real-time according to actual pool conditions, matching chemical treatment to actual need rather than applying fixed schedules.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters (pump speed, additive flow rate) based on occupancy detection. When occupancy is low or zero, the system reduces or suspends additive dosing and adjusts circulation parameters, thereby reducing substance consumption while maintaining water quality standards.
3Loss of information
If turnstiles and toll gates control access, then entry number is tracked, but actual pool occupancy is not known
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary sensing mechanism (occupancy detection system) that directly measures the parameter of interest (actual pool occupancy) rather than inferring it from indirect data (access control records). This intermediary provides accurate real-time occupancy information without requiring changes to the access control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces mechanical access control tracking with electronic/optical sensing for occupancy detection. Instead of relying on mechanical turnstiles and manual counting systems, the invention uses non-contact sensing technologies to automatically detect and track actual pool occupancy in real-time.
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 allows for real-time adjustment of water circulation and chemical dispensation based on actual pool occupancy, reducing energy waste and additive usage, thereby enhancing efficiency and sustainability in pool management.
Implementation Method 1
The core technology of each device is the analysis of the output signal as measured by the receiving transducer. This signal contains the echoes of ultrasonic waves generated by appropriated ultrasonic transducers inside the swimming pool
Implementation Method 2
capable of using ultrasonic pulses to analyze an occupancy level of a pool
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic pool occupant sensing device capable of using ultrasonic pulses to analyze the occupancy level of a swimming pool. An ultrasonic transducer sends and receives ultrasonic pulses. A front end electronics has a driver for controlling the transducer, a pre-amplifier, band-pass filter, and amplifier combination for filtering received signals. The digital processing unit contains a timer unit for generating pulses, an AD converter for digitizing received pulses, a signal processor for determining data about the return pulse, and an I/O unit for transmitting data to the central processing unit. The data may be an estimate of the number of people in the sensor range, or it may be data about the return pulse that can be analyzed by the central processing unit.