Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING AMBIANCE SETTINGS IN
A BATHING SYTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of control systems for
bathing unit
systems, and more specifically, to a control system and user control interface
suitable for
facilitating the selection and programming of ambiance settings for the
bathing unit system.
BACKGROUND
Bathing units, such as spas, typically include various bathing unit components
that are used
in operating the bathing unit system. The bathing unit components generally
include pumps
that circulate water through a piping system, pumps for activating water jets,
at least one
heating module to heat the water, a filter system, an air blower, an ozone
generator, a
lighting system, and a control system that activate and manage the various
operational
settings of the bathing unit components. Other types of bathing units that
have similar
components include, for instance, whirlpools, hot tubs, bathtubs, therapeutic
baths, and
swimming pools.
In addition to bathing unit components used for regulating the operation of
the bathing unit
system, additional components that provide added entertainment are
increasingly being
included as part of bathing unit systems. An example of such a feature
includes lighting
elements for providing visual stimulation to users of the bathing unit system.
An example of
a lighting element using multicolor LEDs was described in U.S. patent
6,744,223 entitled
"Multicolor lamp system" issued on June 1, 2004 to B. Laflamme et al. Other
features
include multimedia elements providing audio and/or video functionality.
Examples of audio
systems for spas have been described in U.S. patent publication no.: US
2002/0025050 Al,
entitled "Spa Audio System Operable With A Remote Control" filed on May 24,
2001 by S. S.
Macey; in U.S. patent publication no.: 2004/0047484 Al, entitled "Sound
system, a speaker
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assembly, and a method for providing sound for a spa" filed on September 5,
2003 by W. J.
Gardenier et al. and U.S. patent publication no.: 2010/0070059 Al, entitled
"Bathing unit
control system providing multimedia functionality, telephone functionality
and/or data
network access functionality and bathing unit system including same" filed on
November 16,
2009 by B. Laflamme et al..
Most modern bathing unit systems include a user control interface that is in
communication
with the bathing unit control system. A user of the bathing unit system is
able to interact with
the user control interface in order to adjust and control the activation and
settings of the
various bathing unit components. It is known in the art to have a user control
interface that
provides the user with a display screen and buttons for allowing a user to
control the
functionality of the various bathing unit components.
Traditionally, each operational parameter of a bathing unit is independently
set by a user in
order to achieve a desired total effect in the bathing unit system. For
example, if the user
wishes to achieve a relaxed ambiance in the bathing unit, he/she may select
low lighting, spa
jets at a medium speed, calming music at a low volume and to have the
filtration system
turned off. Each of the parameters is set independently by the user who must
choose an
operational setting for these parameters using the controls provided on a
control interface.
This can be a time-consuming and frustrating activity for the user.
As such, a deficiency with existing control systems and user control
interfaces is that they do
not provide suitable functionality for allowing the user of the bathing unit
system to adjust
and activate the desired operational settings for the bathing unit components
in a relatively
quick and convenient manner. In most cases, when the bathing unit system is
turned on, at
least some of the bathing unit components will be activated in accordance with
a "start-up"
procedure. However, if the user then wants to change the operational settings
of the bathing
unit components, such as increase the heat, deactivate some of the pumps,
adjust the jet
pressure, etc... each one of these adjustments needs to be done independently.
This results in
both a time-consuming and inconvenient procedure for the user of the bathing
unit system.
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As such, there remain deficiencies in existing control systems and user
control interfaces.
One deficiency with existing systems is that they do not provide a suitable
interface for
allowing a user to quickly and easily view the operational settings for
multiple different
types of bathing unit components at the same time, nor do they provide a user
with the
ability to quickly and easily adjust the operational settings that have been
stored in a memory
unit of the bathing system.
Against the background described above, it is clear that there remains a need
in the industry
to provide a control system and associated user control interface that
alleviates at least in
part the problems associated with existing control systems and user control
interfaces.
SUMMARY
In accordance with a broad aspect, the invention provides a method for
displaying, via a user
interface, a ambiance setting for a bathing system. The user interface is
configured to display
at least one display page on a display screen. The method comprises displaying
on the
display screen, a plurality of ambiance settings selectable by a user of the
user interface,
receiving, at a processor, an indication of a selected ambiance setting from
the plurality of
ambiance settings displayed on the display screen and in response to the
selected ambiance
setting, displaying on the display screen a first operational setting for at
least one first type of
bathing unit component and a second operational setting for at least one
second type of
bathing unit component. The first operational setting and the second
operational setting are
pre-programmed in association with the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with a broad aspect, the invention provides a device for use in
connection with
a bathing system. The bathing system comprises a first type of bathing unit
component and a
second type of bathing unit component. The device comprises a display screen
for displaying
a graphical user interface and a processor in communication with the display
screen. The
processor is programmed for displaying on the display screen, a plurality of
ambiance
settings selectable by a user of the user interface, receiving, at a
processor, an indication of a
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selected ambiance setting from the plurality of ambiance settings displayed on
the display
screen and in response to the selected ambiance setting, displaying on the
display screen a
first operational setting for at least one first type of bathing unit
component and a second
operational setting for at least one second type of bathing unit component.
The first
operational setting and the second operational setting are pre-programmed in
association
with the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a bathing
system that
comprises a first type of bathing unit component and a second type of bathing
unit
component, a bathing unit controller for issuing signals for controlling the
first type of
bathing unit component and the second type of bathing unit component and a
user control
interface in communication with the bathing unit controller. The user control
interface is
configured to present at least one display page on a display screen. The user
control interface
is operating for displaying on the display screen a plurality of ambiance
settings selectable
by a user and in response to a selected ambiance setting, displaying on the
display screen a
first operational setting for at least one of the first type of bathing unit
component and a
second operational setting for at least one of the second type of bathing unit
component. The
first operational setting and the second operational setting are pre-
programmed in association
with the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a method for
configuring a
graphical user interface for a bathing system that comprises a set of bathing
unit components.
The graphical user interface is configured to present sequentially a first
display page and a
second display page on a display screen. The method comprising causing the
graphical user
interface to display on the first display page, a plurality of ambiance
settings selectable by a
user, receiving, at a processor, an indication of a selected ambiance setting
from the plurality
of ambiance settings displayed on the first display page and in response to
the selected
ambiance setting, causing the graphical user interface to display on the
second display page,
an operational setting for at least one bathing unit component in the set of
bathing unit
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components, the operational setting being associated with the selected
ambiance setting.
Wherein a display setting of the second display page is configured at least in
part on a basis
of the selected ambiance setting.
5 In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a device for
use in
connection with a bathing system. The bathing system comprises a set of
bathing unit
components. The device comprises a display screen for displaying sequentially
a first display
page and a second display page and a processor in communication with the
display screen.
The processor being programmed for displaying on the first display page a
plurality of
ambiance settings selectable by a user of the device, receiving an indication
of a selected
ambiance setting from the plurality of ambiance settings displayed on the
first display page
and in response to the selected ambiance setting, displaying on the second
display page, an
operational setting for at least one bathing unit component of the set of
bathing unit
components, the operational setting being associated with the selected
ambiance setting,
wherein a display setting of the second display page is configured at least in
part on a basis
of the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, the invention provides a bathing
system,
comprising a set of bathing unit components, a bathing unit controller for
issuing signals for
controlling the set of bathing unit components and a user control interface in
communication
with the bathing unit controller. The user control interface is configured to
present
sequentially a first display page and a second display page. The user control
interface is
operating for displaying on the first display page, a plurality of ambiance
settings selectable
by a user and in response to the selected ambiance setting, displaying on the
second display
page, an operational setting for at least one bathing unit component in the
set of bathing unit
components, the operational setting being associated with the selected
ambiance setting.
Wherein a display setting of the second display page is configured at least in
part on a basis
of the selected ambiance setting.
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In accordance with another broad aspect, a graphical user interface
implemented on a
computing device is described for recording functional settings associated
with a user-
defined ambiance setting. The graphical user interface comprises on a display
page, a first
input area for receiving from the user of the computing device a desired
operational setting
for a first bathing unit component type, on the display page, a second input
area for receiving
from the user of the computing device a desired operational setting for a
second bathing unit
component type and on the display page, a third input area for receiving from
the user of the
computing device an indication that the desired operational setting for the
first bathing unit
component type and the desired operational setting for the second bathing unit
component
type should be recorded in association with the user-defined ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a graphical user interface
implemented on a
computing device is described for displaying to a user at least one
operational setting for a
bathing unit component of a bathing system. The graphical user interface
comprising a first
information area for identifying a ambiance setting stored in a computer-
readable medium, a
second information area providing a pictorial representation of the bathing
unit component
and a first input area for allowing the user of the computing device to enter
a desired
adjustment to a pre-programmed operational setting for the bathing unit
component that is
associated with the ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, an auxiliary computing device is
described for use
in connection with a bathing system. The auxiliary computing device is in
network
connection with the bathing system and the bathing system comprises a set of
bathing unit
components. The auxiliary computing device comprises a display screen. The
auxiliary
computing device also comprises a processor in communication with the display
screen,
wherein the processor is programmed for implementing a graphical user
interface to be
displayed on the display screen. The graphical user interface displays a pre-
programmed
operational setting for at least one bathing unit component in the set of
bathing unit
components and the pre-programmed operational setting is associated with a
selected
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ambiance setting. The processor is also programmed for generating a signal
indicative of the
pre-programmed operational setting associated with the selected ambiance
setting. The
auxiliary computing device further comprises an output for releasing the
signal to the bathing
system over a network connection for causing the at least one bathing unit
component to
implement the pre-programmed operational setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a non-transient computer readable
storage medium
storing computer executable program code is described that when executed by a
computing
unit causes a graphical user interface to be displayed on a display screen.
The graphical user
interface comprises a first display page for displaying a plurality of
ambiance settings
selectable by a user of the user interface. The graphical user interface also
comprises a
second display page for displaying a first operational setting for at least
one first type of
bathing unit component and a second operational setting for at least one
second type of
bathing unit component. The first operational setting and the second
operational setting are
pre-programmed in association with the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a method is described for allowing a
user to control
operational settings in a bathing unit system. The method is implemented by a
programmable
system including at least one programmable processor and comprises generating
a graphic
display on a display device. The graphic display presents the user with a set
of ambiance
settings selectable by the user. The method also comprises providing a control
component in
association with the graphic display. The control component allows the user to
issue an
ambiance selection command and the ambiance selection command conveys an
ambiance
setting selected by the user from the set of ambiance settings. The method
further comprises
following receipt of a specific ambiance selection command conveying a
specific ambiance
setting selected by the user:
= processing the selected ambiance setting to derive corresponding pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with two or more bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system, the derived corresponding operational settings conveying
a first
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operational setting for a bathing unit component of a first type and a second
operational setting for a bathing unit component of a second type;
= presenting the user with a customized set of input options on the display
device for
allowing the user to issue operational settings adjustment commands for
adjusting
operational settings associated with at least some bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system, wherein the customized set of input options presented to
the user
varies at least in part based on the specific ambiance setting selected by the
user.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a computer program product is
described including
instructions tangibly stored on a tangible computer readable storage media,
for allowing a
user to control operational settings in a bathing unit system, wherein the
instructions, when
executed by a programmable device including at least one programmable
processor
implement operations. The operations comprise generating a graphic display on
a display
screen associated with the programmable device. The graphic display presents
the user with a
set of ambiance settings selectable by the user. The operations also comprise
providing a
control component in association with the graphic display. The control
component allows the
user to issue an ambiance selection command and the ambiance selection command
conveys
an ambiance setting selected by the user from the set of ambiance settings.
The operations
further comprise following receipt of a specific ambiance selection command
conveying a
specific ambiance setting selected by the user:
= processing the selected ambiance setting to derive corresponding pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with two or more bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system, the derived corresponding operational settings conveying
a first
operational setting for a bathing unit component of a first type and a second
operational setting for a bathing unit component of a second type;
= presenting the user with a customized set of input options on the display
screen for
allowing the user to issue operational settings adjustment commands for
adjusting
operational settings associated with at least some bathing unit components in
the
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bathing unit system, wherein the customized set of input options presented to
the user
varies at least in part based on the specific ambiance setting selected by the
user.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a computing device is described
suitable for
establishing a network connection with a bathing system having a set of
bathing unit
component. The computing device comprises a display screen. The computing
device also
comprises an input interface for allowing a user to enter information. The
computing device
further comprises at least one processor in communication with the display
screen and with
the input interface. The processor is programmed with computer executable code
for
generating a graphic display on the display screen. The graphic display
presents the user with
a set of ambiance settings selectable by the user. The processor is also
programmed with
computer executable code for providing a control component in association with
the input
interface. The control component allows the user to issue an ambiance
selection command
and the ambiance selection command conveys an ambiance setting selected by the
user from
the set of ambiance settings. The processor is further programmed with
computer executable
code for, following receipt of a specific ambiance selection command conveying
a specific
ambiance setting selected by the user:
= processing the selected ambiance setting to derive corresponding pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with two or more bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system, the derived corresponding operational settings conveying
a first
operational setting for a bathing unit component of a first type and a second
operational setting for a bathing unit component of a second type;
= on the display screen, presenting the user with a customized set of input
options for
allowing the user to issue operational settings adjustment commands for
adjusting
operational settings associated with at least some bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system, wherein the customized set of input options presented to
the user
varies at least in part based on the specific ambiance setting selected by the
user; and
= generating a signal conveying the pre-programmed operational settings
specified by
the specific ambiance setting selected by the user.
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The computing device further comprises an output for releasing the signal to
the bathing
system over the network connection for causing the two or more bathing unit
components in
the bathing unit system to acquire the pre-programmed operational settings
specified by the
specific ambiance setting selected by the user.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a bathing system is described. The
bathing system
comprises a plurality of bathing unit components. The plurality of bathing
unit components
includes a bathing unit component of a first type and a bathing unit component
of a second
type. The bathing system also comprises a bathing unit controller for issuing
signals for
controlling the plurality of bathing unit components. The bathing system
further comprises a
user control interface in communication with the bathing unit controller. The
user control
interface is configured for presenting the user with a set of ambiance
settings selectable by
the user. The user control interface is also configured for providing a
control component
allowing the user to issue an ambiance selection command. The ambiance
selection
command conveys an ambiance setting selected by the user from the set of
ambiance settings.
The user control interface is further configured for, following receipt of a
specific ambiance
selection command conveying a specific ambiance setting selected by the user:
= processing the selected ambiance setting to derive corresponding pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with two or more bathing unit components
amongst
the plurality of bathing unit components in the bathing unit system, the
derived
corresponding operational settings conveying a first operational setting for
the
bathing unit component of the first type and a second operational setting for
the
bathing unit component of the second type; and
= presenting the user with a customized set of input options for allowing
the user to
issue operational settings adjustment commands for adjusting operational
settings
associated with at least some bathing unit components in the bathing unit
system,
wherein the customized set of input options presented to the user varies at
least in
part based on the specific ambiance setting selected by the user.
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In accordance with another broad aspect, a method is described for displaying,
via a user
interface, an ambiance setting for a bathing system. The user interface is
configured to
display at least one display page on a display screen. The method is
implemented by a
programmable system including at least one programmable processor and
comprises
displaying on the display screen, a plurality of ambiance settings selectable
by a user of the
user interface. The method also comprises receiving, at a processor, an
indication of a
selected ambiance setting from the plurality of ambiance settings displayed on
the display
screen. The method further comprises following receipt of the selected
ambiance setting:
= processing the selected ambiance setting to derive corresponding pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with two or more bathing unit components in
the
bathing unit system; and
= displaying on the display screen a background graphic associated with the
selected
ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a method is described for allowing a
user to manage
a bathing unit system via a user interface displayed on a display screen of a
portable
computing device having at least one programmable processor. The method
comprises at the
portable computing device, receiving data originating from the bathing unit
system. The data
conveys operating parameters associated with the bathing unit system. The
method also
comprises generating a graphic display on the display screen of the portable
computing
device. The graphic display presents the user with a plurality of ambiance
settings selectable
by a user of the user interface. The graphic display also presents the user
with a control
component in association with the graphic display. The control component
allows the user to
issue an ambiance selection command and the ambiance selection command conveys
an
ambiance setting selected by the user from the set of ambiance settings. The
graphic display
further presents the user with a maintenance status associated with the
bathing system,
wherein the displayed maintenance status conveys a specific maintenance
activity that needs
to be performed on the bathing unit system. The displayed maintenance status
is derived at
least in part by processing the data conveying operating parameters associated
with the
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bathing unit system. The method further comprises following receipt of a
specific ambiance
selection command conveying a specific ambiance setting selected by the user,
displaying on
the display screen, a first operational setting for at least one first type of
bathing unit
component and a second operational setting for at least one second type of
bathing unit
component, the first operational setting and the second operational setting
being pre-
programmed in association with the selected ambiance setting.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a computer program product is
described
comprising a tangible computer readable storage media and instructions stored
on the
tangible computer readable storage media, for allowing a user to manage a
bathing unit
system, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause a programmable device
including at
least one programmable processor to perform operations. The operations
comprise receiving
data originating from the bathing unit system. The operations also comprise
processing the
data for detecting, at least in part based on the data, a presence of a
specific maintenance due
condition in the bathing unit system. The operations further comprise
generating a graphic
display on the display screen. The graphic display presents the user
concurrently with a set of
input options selectable by the user for adjusting operational settings
associated with at least
some bathing unit components in the bathing unit system. The graphic display
also presents
the user concurrently with a control component in association with the graphic
display. The
control component allows the user to select input options in the set of input
options presented
on the graphic display. The graphic display further presents the user
concurrently with a
notification message conveying the presence of the specific maintenance due
condition in the
bathing unit system detected by processing the data originating from the
bathing unit system,
wherein the notification message conveys a specific maintenance activity that
needs to be
performed on the bathing unit system.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a computing device is described
suitable for
establishing a network connection with a bathing system having a set of
bathing unit
component for allowing a user to manage the bathing unit system. The computing
device
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comprises a display screen. The computing device also comprises an input
interface for
allowing a user to enter information. The computing device further comprises
at least one
processor in communication with the display screen and with the input
interface. The at least
one processor is programmed for receiving data over a communication link. The
data
originates from the bathing unit system. The at least one processor is also
programmed for
processing the data for detecting, at least in part based on the data, a
presence of a specific
maintenance due condition in the bathing unit system. The at least one
processor is further
programmed for generating a graphic display on the display screen. The graphic
display
presents the user concurrently with a set of input options selectable by the
user for adjusting
operational settings associated with at least some bathing unit components in
the bathing unit
system. The graphic display also presents the user concurrently with a control
component in
association with the graphic display. The control component allows the user to
select through
the input interface input options in the set of input options presented on the
graphic display.
The graphic display further presents the user concurrently with a notification
message
conveying the presence of the specific maintenance due condition in the
bathing unit system
detected by processing the data originating from the bathing unit system,
wherein the
notification message conveys a specific maintenance activity that needs to be
performed on
the bathing unit system. The computing device further comprises an output for
releasing the
signal to the bathing system over the network connection for causing bathing
unit
components in the bathing unit system to acquire operational settings
specified by the user
through the graphic display.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a method is described for assisting a
user in
maintaining a bathing unit system. The method is implemented by a programmable
system
including at least one programmable processor and comprises at the
programmable system,
receiving data conveying monitored operational parameters associated with the
bathing unit
system. The method also comprises using the programmable system, detecting a
presence of
a specific operating condition at least in part by processing the data
conveying the monitored
operational parameters in combination with reference operational parameters.
The method
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further comprises, when the presence of the specific operating condition is
detected, using
the programmable system generating a notification message conveying
information
identifying the presence of the specific operating condition and transmitting
the notification
message over a computing network to a remote device associated with the user
of the system.
In accordance with another broad aspect, a computer program product is
described
comprising a tangible computer readable storage media and instructions stored
on the
tangible computer readable storage media, wherein the instructions, when
executed, cause a
programmable device including at least one programmable processor to perform
operations
for assisting a user in maintaining a bathing unit system. The operations
comprise receiving
data conveying monitored operational parameters associated with the bathing
unit system.
The operations also comprise detecting a presence of a specific operating
condition at least in
part by processing the data conveying the monitored operational parameters in
combination
with reference operational parameters. The operations further comprise, when
the presence of
the specific operating condition is detected, generating a notification
message conveying
information identifying the presence of the specific operating condition and
transmitting the
notification message over a computing network to a remote device associated
with the user
of the system.
These and other aspects and features of the present invention will now become
apparent to
those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of
specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention is provided
herein below,
by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows a block diagram of a bathing unit system equipped with a
bathing unit
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control system in accordance with a first non-limiting example of
implementation of the
present invention;
Figure 2 shows a physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 1 in
accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present
invention;
Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a bathing unit system equipped with a
bathing unit
control system in accordance with a second non-limiting example of
implementation of the
present invention;
Figure 4 shows a block diagram of a bathing unit control system and a remote
computing
device in accordance with a non-limiting example of the present invention in
communication
with each other via a network connection;
Figure 5 shows a physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 3 in
accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present
invention, with a
non-limiting example of a display page of a graphical user interface displayed
thereon;
Figure 6 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon;
Figure 7 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon;
Figure 8 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon;
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Figure 9 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon;
Figure 10 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon; and
Figure 11 shows the physical representation of the user control interface of
Figure 5 with an
alternative non-limiting example of display page of a graphical user interface
displayed
thereon.
In the drawings, the embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of
examples. It is to
be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the
purpose of
illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not intended to be a
definition of the
limits of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The description below is directed to a specific implementation of the
invention in the context
of a bathing unit system. It is to be understood that the term "bathing unit
system", as used
for the purposes of the present description, refers to spas, whirlpools, hot
tubs, bathtubs,
therapeutic baths, swimming pools and any other type of bathing unit that can
be equipped
with a control system and associated user control interface for controlling
various
operational settings of the bathing units.
Figure 1 illustrates a block diagram of a bathing unit system 10 in accordance
with a non-
limiting example of implementation of the present invention. The bathing unit
system 10
,
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includes a water receptacle 18 for holding water, a plurality ofjets 20, a set
of drains 22 and
a control system 24. In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 1, the bathing
unit system
further includes a set of bathing unit components comprising a heating module
30, two
water pumps 11 and 13, a filter 26 and an air blower 28. It should be
understood that, in
5 alternate embodiments, the bathing unit system 10 could include more or
less bathing unit
components. For example, although not shown in Figure 1, the bathing unit
system 10 could
include an ozonator, a lighting system for lighting up the water in the
receptacle 18,
multimedia devices such as an MP3 player, a CD/DVD player as well as any other
suitable
device.
In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the control system 24 includes a
controller 34 for
controlling the set of bathing unit components 11, 13, 26, 28, 30 and a user
control interface
35 for enabling a user to enter user commands to the controller 34. In the
embodiment
shown, the user control interface 35 comprises a display screen 33 and a user
input device 32
(which can also be referred to as a user operable input). The user input
device 32 could
include a trackball, mouse, gyroscope remote (which senses movement of the
device in the
air so as to move a cursor), a keypad, a touch sensitive screen, turn-dials,
turn-and-push dials
(such as idrive from BMW), a stylus pen or a microphone, among other
possibilities. The
user input device 32 can include one or a combination of any or all of the
above input
devices.
The user control interface 35 provides an interface that allows a user to
enter commands for
causing the controller 34 to control the various operational settings of the
bathing unit
components 11, 13, 26, 28, 30. Some non-limiting examples of operational
settings include
temperature control settings, jet control settings, and lighting settings,
among other
possibilities. In a non-limiting embodiment where the bathing unit is
connected to
entertainment and/or multimedia modules, the operational settings of the
bathing unit may
also include audio settings and video settings, amongst others. Consequently,
the expression
"operational settings", for the purpose of the present invention, is intended
to cover
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operational settings for any suitable bathing unit component or components
that can be
operated by a user of the bathing unit system.
The control system 24 receives electrical power from an electric power source
36 that is
5 connected to the controller 34 via service wiring 31. The power source 36
supplies the
controller 34 with any conventional power service suitable for residential or
commercial use.
The controller 34 then controls the distribution of power supplied to the
various bathing unit
components 11, 13, 26, 28, 30 on the basis of program instructions and signals
received from
the user control interface 35 in order to cause the desired operational
settings to be
10 implemented. The controller 34 may also receive control signals from
various sensors 71 in
order to cause the desired operational settings to be implemented. Manners in
which the
controller 34 can be used to control the individual bathing unit components of
the bathing
unit system, such as for example the jets 20, the drains 22, the heating
module 30, the water
pumps 11 and 13, the filter 26, the air blower 24, a valve jet sequencer for
massage, a
variable speed pump with a pre-programmed massage setting, a water fall, an
aroma therapy
device and an atomizer, as well as any lighting and multimedia components, are
well known
in the art and are not critical to the invention and as such will not be
described in further
detail here.
In a non-limiting implementation, the power source 36 can supply 240 volts (V)
AC to the
controller 34 via service wiring 31. In an alternative non-limiting
implementation, the power
source 36 can supply 120 volts (V) AC to the controller 34 via service wiring
31. In yet a
further alternative non-limiting implementation, the power source 36 can
supply 120 Volts
and 240 Volts AC to the controller 34 via service wiring 31. It is to be
appreciated that other
voltage supply values or voltage supply combinations, for example depending on
geographical location, are possible. In a non-limiting implementation, the
service wiring 31
is passed through a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) that is adapted
for tripping in the
presence of a current leakage to the ground. The ground fault circuit
interrupter (GFCI)
provides an added safety measure to the bathing unit system.
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In normal operation, water flows from the bathing unit receptacle 18, through
the drains 22
and is pumped by water pump 13 through the heating module 30 where the water
is heated.
The heated water then leaves the heating module 30 and re-enters the bathing
unit receptacle
18 through jets 20. In addition, water flows from the bathing unit receptacle
18, through
different drains 22 and is pumped by water pump 11 through filter 26. The
filtered water
then re-enters the bathing unit receptacle 18 through different jets 20. Water
can flow
through these two cycles continuously while the bathing unit system 10 is in
operation.
Optionally, water can also flow from the bathing unit receptacle 18 through
one or more
drains 22 to an air blower 28 that is operative for delivering air bubbles to
water that re-
enters the bathing unit receptacle 18 through jets 20.
As shown in Figure 1, the controller 34 includes a processing unit 40 and a
memory unit 42
that are in communication with one another over a communication bus. The
processing unit
40 is operative for accessing and processing program instructions stored
within the memory
unit 42 for enabling the controller 34 to control the set of bathing unit
components 11, 13,
26, 28 and 30 at least in part on the basis of those program instructions
and/or inputs
received from a user via the user control interface 35.
The user control interface 35
The user control interface 35 according to the present invention provides an
interface for
allowing a user of the bathing unit system to provide commands or other
information to the
bathing unit controller 34 of the control system 24. The control interface 35
communicates
with the bathing unit components by sending signals through the bathing unit
controller 34.
Similarly, the control interface 35 receives incoming signals from the bathing
unit controller
34, which can include signals conveying operational settings of the bathing
unit. As such, via
the user control interface 35, a user is able to enter commands that can be
implemented by
the controller 34 for controlling the activation and operational settings of
the various bathing
unit components.
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As described above, the user control interface 35 comprises a user input
device 32 (which
can also be referred to as user operable controls) and a display screen 33.
The display screen
33 is operative for displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) to a user that
provides the user
with information regarding the bathing unit system and enables the user to
input commands
for controlling various bathing unit components of the bathing unit system. In
accordance
with a non-limiting example that will be described in more detail below, the
GUI comprises
a plurality of display screens that can be navigated by a user of the GUI via
the user input
device 32 in order to access desired information and provide desired inputs
for adjusting and
activating the operational settings of the bathing unit components.
In accordance with a first non-limiting example of implementation, and as
shown in Figure
1, the user control interface 35 in accordance with the present invention can
be included
within the control system 24 of the bathing unit system 10. In such an
embodiment, the user
control interface 35 may be in communication with the controller 34 via a wire
line data bus
29. In addition, the user control interface 35 is in communication with the
processing unit 40
and the memory unit 42 of the control system 24. It is the processing unit 40
that accesses
and processes program instructions stored within the memory unit 42 for
enabling the user
control interface 35 to implement the graphical user interface and process the
input
commands received from the user via the user input device 32 of the user
control interface
32. It should be appreciated that in an alternative non-limiting embodiment,
the user control
interface 35 may comprise a separate processing unit and memory unit that are
dedicated to
the functionality of the user control interface.
Shown in Figure 2 is a non-limiting physical representation of the user
control interface 35
of Figure 1 that comprises a display screen 33 and a user input device 32. In
the embodiment
shown, the user input device 32 comprises a plurality of buttons 70 that can
be pressed by a
user in order to scroll through and select options offered by the graphical
user interface
displayed on the display screen 32. Although the user input devices 32 shown
in Figure 2
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comprises a plurality of buttons 70, it should be appreciated that any other
type, or
combination, of user input devices known in the art could be used, including a
pointing
device, trackball, mouse, gyroscope remote (which senses movement of the
device in the air
so as to move a cursor), a keypad, a touch sensitive screen, turn-dials, turn-
and-push dials
(such as idrive from BMW), a stylus pen or a microphone, among other
possibilities.
The user control interface 35 is suitable to be located on the top-side of a
bathing unit
receptacle so that it can be accessed by a user positioned in the bathing unit
receptacle, on an
exterior panel of the bathing unit receptacle or in a location remote from the
bathing unit
receptacle. When the user control interface 35 is located remotely from the
bathing unit
receptacle, it may be mounted on a wall (for example in or outside a house) or
it may be
integrated in a free standing structure that can be positioned on a surface in
proximity to the
bathing unit receptacle. The user control interface 35 shown in Figure 1 may
be in
communication with the bathing unit controller 30 over a wireless link (such
as an RF or
infrared link) or a wired communication link.
In accordance with a second non-limiting example of implementation shown in
Figure 3,
instead of being included within the bathing unit control system 24, the user
control interface
35 is included within a remote computing device 72 that is in wireless
connection with the
controller 34, either directly or via a network connection. The remote
computing device 72
could be in RF or infrared communication with the controller 34. However, for
the purposes
of the present description, the remote computing device 72 will be described
as being in
communication with the controller 34 via a network connection. The network
connection can
be any type of connection, such as a WiFi connection, zigbee connection, home
network
connection, Internet connection, wimax connection and plc (power line
communication).
In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the bathing unit control system 24
comprises a control
panel 31 (which may include a display and one or more user input devices) such
that a user
of the bathing unit system 10 can provide command signals to the controller 34
when in
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proximity to the bathing unit receptacle 18. The control system 24 further
comprises a
network interface 68 for allowing the controller 34 to communicate with other
computing
devices, such as the remote computing device 72, over a network connection.
The user control interface 35 is implemented at the remote computing device
72, which also
comprises a network interface 66, for allowing the remote computing device 72
to
communicate with the controller 34 over a network connection. Shown in Figure
4 is a non-
limiting block diagram of the remote computing device 72 and the control
system 24 in
communication with each other over a network connection. Signals are released
from the
user control interface 35 of the remote computing device 72 through the
network interface 66
and travel through a network 74 to the control system 24 of the bathing unit
system 10. The
network 74 may be either a public network, such as the Internet, or a private
network, such
as a private intranet. The signal released from the remote computing device 72
travels
through the network 74 and is received at the bathing unit control system 24
by the network
interface 68 that in turn passes the signal to the controller 34 for
controlling the operation
and activation of the bathing unit components.
As mentioned above, the network can be any type of network known in the art,
including
WiFi, zigbee, a home network, the Internet, wimax and plc (power line
commication). As
shown in Figure 4, both the control system 24 of the bathing system 10 and the
remote
computing device 72 can be in communication with an audio server 65 for
receiving internet
radio, the ability to download mP3s or any other type of streaming audio for
facilitating
ambiance. The audio server 65 may also be able to provide video streaming to
one or both of
the control system 24 or the remote computing device 72 over the network 74.
As will be described in more detail below, the control system 24 of the
bathing system 10
and/or the remote computing device 72 may be in communication with a network
server 69
that stores a plurality of ambiance settings that can be downloaded, or
otherwise delivered, to
the control system 24 and/or the remote computing device 72 over the network
74. A user of
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the bathing system can thus obtain new ambiance settings (which will be
described below)
from an ambiance setting provider, which could be the spa manufacturer or a
third party.
Referring back to Figure 3, the remote computing device 72 further comprises a
processing
5 unit 60 and memory unit 62. The processing unit 60 is operative for
processing program
instructions and data stored in the memory unit 62 for implementing the
functionality of the
remote computing device 72. In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the user
control
interface 35 is in communication with this processing unit 60 and memory unit
62, such that
the processing unit 40 can accesses and processes program instructions stored
within the
10 memory unit 42 for enabling the user control interface 35 to implement
the graphical user
interface on the display screen 33 and process the input commands received
from the user
via the user input device 32 of the user control interface 32. It should be
appreciated that in
an alternative non-limiting embodiment, the user control interface 35 may
comprise a
separate processing unit and memory unit that are dedicated to the
functionality of the user
15 control interface, instead of having the functionality of the user
control interface be
implemented by the processing unit 60 and memory unit 62 of the remote
computing device.
The remote computing device 72 may be any type of computing device known in
the art. For
example, the remote computing device 72 may be a personal computer such as a
desktop or
laptop computer, or the remote computing device 72 may be a portable hand-held
computing
device, such as a PDA, a cell phone, a smart phone (such as a blackberryTM or
an iPhoneTm),
or a web-enabled computing device (such as an iTouchTm, iPadTM or computer
Tablet,
among other possibilities.
It is to be understood that the functionality of the user control interface 35
could be
implemented by any suitable hardware and/or hardware/software combination. In
a non-
limiting example, the user control interface 35 includes a microprocessor. As
described in
both of the embodiments described above, the apparatus implementing the user
control
interface 35 is configured as a computing unit including a processor and a
memory
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connected by a communication bus. The memory includes data and program
instructions.
The processor is adapted to process the data and the program instructions in
order to
implement the functionality of the user control interface, and possibly the
graphical user
interface, described in the specification and depicted in the drawings. The
computing unit
(such as the remote computing device 72 or the bathing control system 24, may
also
comprise a number of interfaces for receiving or sending data elements to
external devices.
Shown in Figure 5 is a non-limiting example of a physical representation of
the user control
interface 35 of Figure 3, implemented on the remote computing device 72. In
the non-
limiting example shown, the remote computing device 72 is an iPhone and the
graphical user
interface implemented thereon, that will be described in more detail below, is
an iPhone App
designed specifically for allowing remote control of a bathing unit system 10.
It should be
appreciated however, that the remote computing device 72 is not limited to an
iPhone and
the GUI is not limited to an iPhone App. As indicated above, the remote
computing device
72 could be any type of computing device, such as those described above, and
the graphical
user interface implemented thereon could be suitable for being run on any such
computing
devices.
The remote computing device 72 comprises a display screen 33 and a user input
device 32.
In the embodiment shown, the user input device 32 comprises a button 78 and a
touch
sensitive screen 76 that can be touched by a user in order to scroll through
and select options
offered by the graphical user interface displayed on the display screen 33.
Each area of the
screen is associated with a respective function that is activated when the
area of the screen is
touched by the user. Although the user input device 32 shown in Figure 5
comprises a touch
sensitive screen 76 and a button 78, it should be appreciated that any other
type, or
combination, of user input devices known in the art could be used, including a
pointing
device, a keypad, a touch sensitive screen, dials, a stylus pen or a
microphone connection to
a speech recognition unit, among other possibilities.
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The user control interface 35 that is implemented on a remote computing device
72, as
described above, is suitable for providing a user with remote access to the
controller 34 of
the bathing unit system 10. More specifically, the remote computing device 72
can
communicate with the bathing unit controller 34 over a network communication
link for
transmitting signals entered by a user via the user control interface 34. In
this manner, a user
can provide commands to the controller 34 in order to activate and/or modify
the operational
settings of the bathing unit components without actually having to be in
proximity to the
bathing unit receptacle 18. For example, a user may be able to initiate
activation of the
bathing unit components, and/or adjust the operational settings of the bathing
unit
components, while the user is travelling home from work, such that the bathing
unit system
10 is ready for the user by the time the user gets home.
Ambiance Settings
As indicated above, the user control interface 34 is able to display a
graphical user interface
to a user for enabling the user to provide instructions to the controller 34
for causing the
activation and/or adjustment of the operational settings of the bathing unit
components. In
order to provide instructions to the controller 34, a user may enter a desired
operational
setting for each individual bathing unit component via the graphical user
interface. For
example, the user may first access the pumps, and provide a desired
operational setting for
the pumps. The user may then access the temperature control and provide a
desired
operational setting for the water temperature. The user may then access the
audio system in
order to select a desired audio output (such as a radio station or an MP3
playlist).
Alternatively, instead of providing a desired operational setting for each
bathing unit
component independently, a user may select, via the graphical user interface,
a particular
ambiance setting for causing a set of bathing unit components to acquire pre-
programmed
operational settings associated with the selected ambiance setting. As such,
when a given
ambiance setting is selected, the controller 34 causes the operational
settings for a set of
bathing unit components to be activated and/or adjusted without the user
having to
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independently provide an operational setting for each individual bathing unit
component in
the set of bathing unit components.
Examples of ambiance settings may include a "relaxation setting", a "beach
party" setting,
an "after work" setting, as well as individual users' favorite settings, such
as "Jen' s favorite
setting" and "Ben's favorite setting". Each setting will include pre-
programmed operational
settings for a set of bathing unit components. For example, in the case of the
"relaxation
setting", the water jets may be pre-programmed to acquire a low jet speed, the
lighting units
may be pre-programmed to provide dim white light, and the audio system may be
pre-
programmed to acquire a soundtrack mimicking sounds of the ocean. In contrast,
in the case
of the "beach party setting", the water jets may be pre-programmed to acquire
a high jet
speed, the lighting units may be pre-programmed to acquire a flashing colors
of light, a
sanitation system is pre-programmed to be on a multi-person level, and the
audio system
may be pre-programmed to play an MP3 playlist of Caribbean music. Obviously,
the
particular operational settings associated with each ambiance setting can vary
significantly
and the present invention is not limited to any specific pre-programmed
operational settings.
The ambiance settings may be programmed by a manufacturer of the bathing unit
system 10
or by an individual user. For example, the manufacturer of the bathing unit
system 10 may
pre-program a plurality of different ambiance settings into the memory unit 42
of the bathing
unit control system 24. It is also possible for a user of the bathing unit
system 10 to program
one or more different ambiance settings into the memory unit 42 of the control
system 24, or
into the memory unit 62 of the remote computing device 72. It is also possible
that the
manufacturer of the bathing unit system 10, or a third party, may offer pre-
programmed
ambiance settings for download to a memory unit of either the control system
24 or the
remote computing device 72.
Non-limiting examples of graphical user interfaces that are implemented by the
user control
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interface 35 will now be described in more detail. It will be apparent to the
person skilled in
the art in light of the present description that embodiments of the invention
having different
graphical interfaces for displaying and providing ambiance settings are also
possible. It will
further be apparent to the person skilled in the art in light of the present
description that
embodiments of the invention providing multiple different graphical user
interfaces for
controlling sub-combinations of the functions described below are also
possible.
Viewing the ambiance settings
In accordance with a non-limiting example of implementation of the present
invention, the
user control interface 35 is operative to present sequentially a first display
page and a second
display page of a graphical user interface. Referring back to Figure 5, on the
display screen
33 is a non-limiting example of a first display page which displays a
plurality of ambiance
settings 80 selectable by a user of the user control interface 35. In the
example shown, the
first display page shows six possible ambiance settings entitled "after work"
80a, "beach
party" 80b, "Ben's favorite" 80c, "Jen' s favorite" 80d, "midnight soak" 80e
and "relaxation"
80f.
In the embodiment shown, each of the ambiance settings is identified by name
and is
provided with a brief description of the setting. In addition, each of the
ambiance settings is
associated with a pictorial icon 82 displaying giving a pictorial or
photographic
representation of the ambiance setting. For example, the "beach party" 80b
ambiance setting
is associated with a pictorial icon 82 displaying a palm tree, and "Ben's
favorite" 80c
ambiance setting is associated with a pictorial icon displaying a photographic
picture of Ben.
These pictorial icons help a user to quickly and easily identify a desired
ambiance setting. In
alternative embodiments, the description of the ambiance setting and the
pictorial icons 82
are not included within the first display page.
In order to select a ambiance setting via the graphical interface the user of
the user control
interface 35 uses the user input device 32 in order to indicate a selected one
of the plurality
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of ambiance settings 80. In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, wherein the user
input device
32 is a touch sensitive screen, the user places his/her finger on the selected
ambiance setting.
In the example that will be described herein, the user selects the "beach
party" 80b ambiance
setting.
5
This selection is received at a processor (such as processor 40 or 60) in
communication with
the user control interface 35, for causing the user control interface 35 to
display via the
graphical user interface the second display page on which are displayed the
operational
settings associated with the ambiance setting for a set of bathing unit
components.
Shown in Figure 6 is a non-limiting example of a second display page showing
the
operational settings associated with the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting
for a set of
bathing unit components. Although the operational settings associated with the
"beach party"
80b ambiance setting are described and shown herein as being displayed on a
second display
page of the graphical user interface, they could be displayed on the same page
as the
plurality of ambiance settings 80, described above with respect to Figure 5.
For example,
upon selection of the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting, the operational
settings associated
therewith could appear on the same page below the list of ambiance settings
80.
When the processor receives the indication of the selected ambiance setting,
in addition to
displaying the pre-programmed operational settings associated with the
selected ambiance
setting (as will be described in more detail below), the processor may also
issue a signal to
the controller 34 for causing the pre-programmed operational settings to be
implemented by
the bathing unit components. However, in an alternative example of
implementation, only
after receiving confirmation from a user that the displayed pre-programmed
operational
settings should be implemented by the bathing unit components, is a signal
released to the
controller 34 for causing adjustment and/or activation of the pre-programmed
operational
settings. In such a case, the graphical user interface may comprise an input
area for enabling
a user to authorize the implementation of the pre-programmed authorized
settings by the
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bathing unit components. As will be described in more detail below, this also
provides the
user with the ability to make adjustments to the pre-programmed operational
settings, before
these operational settings are caused to be implemented by the bathing unit
components.
Referring now to Figure 6, a non-limiting example of a second display page of
a graphical
user interface on which are displayed the operational settings that have been
pre-
programmed in association with the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting. In the
embodiment
shown, the graphical user interface displays operational settings associated
with four
different types of bathing unit components; namely the heating module, the
water pumps, the
lighting units, and the audio system. By displaying the pre-programmed
operational settings
for multiple different bathing unit components, a user is advantageously
provided with a
good visual overview of the operational settings associated with the ambiance
setting.
It should be appreciated that each type of bathing unit component may include
multiple
bathing unit components, and the graphical interface may display the pre-
programmed
operational settings for the multiple bathing unit components of a given type
of bathing unit
component. In the example shown, three different water pumps and an ozonator
are
displayed in connection with the "pump" type of bathing unit component. As
such, a user is
able to quickly view that the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting has pre-
programmed pump
P1 and P2 to be activated, while pumps P2 and the ozonator are deactivated.
Likewise, five
different lighting units are displayed in connection with the "lighting" type
of bathing unit
component. As such, a user is able to quickly view that the "beach party" 80b
ambiance
setting has pre-programmed lights Li and L3 to be activated, while lights L2,
L4 and L5 are
deactivated. The operational settings for the pumps and lighting devices
displayed on the
graphical user interface of Figure 6 show whether or not a given pump or
lighting device is
active or deactive, but not necessarily a level of activation of each bathing
unit component.
In the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting, the heating module is pre-
programmed to cause
the water to acquire a 104 water temperature, and the audio system is pre-
programmed to
broadcast the "Wine, New Bern" internet radio station out of North Carolina.
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Shown in Figure 7 is an alternative non-limiting example of a second display
page of a
graphical user interface on which is displayed operational settings that have
been pre-
programmed in association with the "beach party" 80b ambiance setting. In this
alternative
embodiment, the operational settings associated with the "beach party" 80b
ambiance setting
are different from those shown in Figure 6, demonstrating that the graphical
user interface,
and the operational settings, can vary. The graphical user interface of Figure
7 displays
operational settings associated with five different types of bathing unit
components; namely
the variable speed water pumps for the water jets, the lighting units, the
audio system, the
heating module and the sanitization system. Furthermore, the graphical user
interface not
only shows whether or not a given bathing unit component is active, but it
also shows a level
of activation associated with the bathing unit component. For example, in the
case of
variable speed pumps for the water jets, these pumps can acquire multiple
speeds that can
change the water flow at the jets, it can be seen that the pump speed for seat
3 is set at a
higher operational setting than the pump speed for seats 1 and 2. Furthermore,
and although
not shown in Figure 7, instead of selecting a single speed for a pump, the
user can select a
pre-programmed massage function for each variable speed pump, that provides a
sequence of
different speeds according to a pre-defined massage profile.
As for the light, the user can select the a desired color (not shown in Figure
7) as well as a
desired light intensity. In the case that the user wants to adjust the light
color, this can be
done by moving a finger on a spectrum sample display on the user interface. Or
a list of pre-
programmed color sequences can be selected to create some ambiance effect.
Although the bathing unit types for which operational settings have been
described in
Figures 6 and 7 comprise the water heater, the water pumps, the lighting
units, the variable
speed pumps for the water jets, the audio system, and the sanitization system,
it should be
appreciated that the bathing unit types could also include any other bathing
unit type known
in the art.
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As mentioned above, in addition to causing the user control interface 35 to
display the pre-
programmed operational settings associated with the selected ambiance setting,
the processor
(such as processor 40 or 60) may also issue a signal to the controller 34 for
causing the pre-
programmed operational settings to be implemented by the bathing unit
components.
Alternatively, the processor will wait to receive a confirmation signal from a
user that the
displayed pre-programmed operational settings should be implemented by the
bathing unit
components, before issuing a signal to the controller 34 for causing the pre-
programmed
operational settings to be implemented. In such a case, the graphical user
interface may
comprise an input area, such as an "implement" button, for enabling a user to
authorize the
implementation of the pre-programmed authorized settings by the bathing unit
components.
Included on the graphical user interfaces shown in Figures 6 and 7 is a
plurality of additional
information, other than just the pre-programmed operational settings. For
example, the
graphical user interface comprises an information area 89 for identifying the
ambiance
setting that has been selected by the user. In the embodiment shown, the
identification of the
ambiance setting is a textual indication of "beach party". The graphical user
interfaces
further comprise additional information areas for providing pictorial
representations 84a-d of
the different types of bathing unit components. For example, a pictorial
icon/representation
of a pump 84b is included next to the pump operational settings and a
pictorial
icon/representation 84c of a light bulb is included next to the lighting unit
operational
settings. These pictorial representations 84a-d help a user to quickly and
easily identify a
type of bathing unit component for which pre-programmed operational settings
are provided.
In alternative embodiments, the pictorial icons/representations 84a-d are not
included.
In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment, the graphical user interfaces
further provide
time information 86 associated with the ambiance setting. The time information
86 shown in
Figure 6 is indicative of the amount of time that the selected ambiance
setting has been in
operation, and the time information 86 shown in Figure 7 is indicative of a
countdown of the
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remaining activation time of the selected ambiance setting. Other time
information could
also be included without departing from the invention. For example, the time
information
could be indicative of the local time, the amount of time since the last
change to an
operational setting, the amount of time until the operational settings have
been acquired by
the bathing unit components or any other possible time information that could
be useful to a
user of the bathing unit system. As discussed, the timer can be customized and
different for
each of the ambiance settings.
In addition, the mood ambiance that is selected may change operational
settings over the
course of a given time period. For example, an ambiance setting that may be
called "spa
night" could start with slow music, dim lighting and a water fall setting for
a first period of
time (such as a first hour) during a dinner and cocktail period, then during a
second period of
time (such as a second hour) the operational settings associated with the "spa
night"
ambiance setting will shift towards more up-beat party music, active lighting
and strong jets.
The "spa night" mood setting may then adjust the operational settings again
for a third period
of time (such as a third hour) in order to create a wind-down period which
will have slow
and relaxing music, the variable speed water pumps for the water jets will be
on a massage
setting and the lighting will be dark and soft.
Maintenance Alerts and Reminders
As will be described below, the graphical user interface implemented by the
user control
interface 35 may further display maintenance reminders and alerts.
Conventional bathing
systems require frequent and regular monitoring of the water quality,
temperature and other
parameters in order to ensure that the bathing system is operating in
accordance with a
desired manner. Maintenance, including for example adding different chemicals
to the water
to ensure that the water is sanitary, must also be done at the correct
frequency. In addition,
when problems are detected in a bathing system, for example a blocked pipe or
a high-
temperature condition, some remedial action must take place in order to
rectify the situation.
For bathing system owners, this represents added tasks, in addition to
regularly scheduled
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maintenance. It is not infrequent that bathing system owners simply forget to
perform some
required maintenance, or repairs, on their equipment. This may result in
decreased
performance and longevity of the bathing system.
5 In order to help a bathing system owner perform the necessary maintenance
and repairs on
their bathing system, the controller 34 is operative for monitoring different
parameters of the
bathing system and/or the individual bathing unit components. In order to
perform this
monitoring, the controller 34 may be in communication with a variety of
sensors for
detecting different operational parameters associated with the bathing unit
components.
10 These sensor readings can be processed by the controller 34 against
established operating
parameters, for determining whether there are any operating errors. Many
algorithms and
methods for detecting errors are known in the art and the present invention is
not limited to
any of these methods. The controller 34 may further record when maintenance is
performed
on the bathing system, or individual bathing unit components, such that
reminders can be
15 generated when future maintenance is required.
In accordance with the present invention, the controller 34 is capable of
communicating with
the user control interface 35 in order to cause alerts, reminders or other
notifications
concerning the maintenance or repair of the bathing system to be issued and
displayed to a
20 user. As shown in the Figures, such notifications can be provided to the
user through a
graphical user interface that is displayed to a user on the display screen 33
of the user control
interface 35. In the figures, these notifications can include, but are not
limited to:
- error alerts 88;
- maintenance reminders 90; and
25 - past-due notifications 91.
In the embodiment shown, these notifications are provided on the second
display page of the
graphical user interface. It should however be appreciated that these
notifications can be
provided on any other suitable display page of the graphical user interface,
or via an email,
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text message, pop-up box, phone call or push alert. The user may be able to
select the
preferred method of communication for these notifications.
Shown in Figure 7, is a non-limiting example of an error alert message 88
indicative of a
problem with the radio. Any other type of error alert message may also be
included within
the scope of the present invention. Some non-limiting examples of possible
error messages
include:
- there is a blockage in the circulation pipes;
- the filter is not functioning;
- the heater is not functioning;
- there is an overheat condition;
- etc.
The graphical user interface may further display maintenance reminders 90
advising the user
of maintenance that needs to be done, or updates to that need to be made to
the system. The
graphical user interface shown in Figures 6-8 shows maintenance reminders 90
advising the
user of maintenance issues such as:
- the filter needs to be changed;
- maintenance is going to be performed on the weekend;
Any other type of reminder message or information message could also be
displayed to a
user. This feature may be combined with a maintenance schedule wherein
regularly
scheduled maintenance activities would be programmed into the system, such
that the
controller 34 could cause periodic reminders to be provided to the user. For
example, the
changing of the filter, the addition of chemicals to the water at periodic
intervals, etc. It is
also noted that the maintenance schedule may also be configured to be
adaptable based on
the usage of the spa system. To do so, information concerning usage, for
example for the
user of the pumps, lights and/or other features of the spa system could be
provided in the
computation of the delay between successive maintenances.
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The graphical user interface may further display a status relating to a
particular operating
parameter associated with the bathing unit system 10. For example, and as
shown in Figures
6 and 7, the graphical user interface displays an operating parameter 92
associated with the
water temperature, which is currently indicated as being at 102 F. While the
operating
parameter 92 shown in Figure 6 and 7 is a real-time water temperature, other
parameters,
such as a current maintenance status, whether or not the spa is in use, an
alert that a given
water temperature has been achieved, the filtration status, sanitization
status, audio/visual
status, an alert that a play-list has come to an end, may also be displayed.
Customization of the user interface on a basis of a selected ambiance setting
As indicated above, once a user has selected a desired ambiance setting from a
plurality of
ambiance settings (as shown in Figure 5), the pre-programmed operational
settings
associated with the selected ambiance setting are displayed to the user via a
graphical user
interface. In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment, a display setting
associated with
the display of the pre-programmed operational settings is configured at least
in part on the
basis of the selected ambiance setting. For example, the appearance of the
graphical user
interface may be customized in accordance with the ambiance setting selected
by the user.
The configured display setting may be part of the second display page or, in
the case where
the operational settings are not displayed on a separate display page, a
display setting for the
same display page as the plurality of ambiance settings may be configured. The
configured
display setting may be a background graphic associated with the selected
ambiance setting, a
pictorial icon associated with the selected ambiance setting or a particular
set of bathing unit
components associated with the selected ambiance setting, among other
possibilities.
Figures 6 and 7 show an example wherein the background graphic "display
setting" is
configured on the basis of the selected ambiance setting. In these figures, it
is the "beach
party" 80b ambiance setting that has been selected, and so the background
graphic is
customized so as to be appropriate for the "beach party" ambiance setting. In
the example
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shown, the background graphic shown for the "beach party" ambiance setting is
a palm tree
on a beach which is an image that invokes a beach party atmosphere.
In an alternative embodiment, such as in the case where "Ben's favorite"
ambiance setting
has been selected, the display setting that is configured on the basis of this
selected ambiance
setting may be a pictorial icon. For example, when the operational settings
associated with
this ambiance setting are displayed either on a second display page, the
display may include
a photographic picture of Ben, thereby showing that these operational settings
belong to the
"Ben's favorite" ambiance setting.
In yet a further example of a display setting configured on the basis of the
selected ambiance
setting, the particular set of bathing unit component types that are displayed
may vary and
thus be configured depending on the ambiance setting selected. For example, in
the case of
the "beach party" ambiance setting, the set of bathing unit components for
which operational
settings are displayed may be the heating module, the water pumps, the
lighting units and the
audio system (as shown in Figure 6), whereas in the case of the "relaxation"
ambiance
setting, the set of bathing unit components for which operational settings are
displayed may
be the water jets, the heating module, the lighting units, the sanitization
system and the audio
system.
The graphical user interface can further be customized or configured to
provide the user with
functionality options that are customized in accordance with the ambiance
selection. For
example, depending on the ambiance selection, a listing of options for music
that is
appropriate for the selected ambiance may be presented. For example, although
a default
music selection may be provided for a "beach party" ambiance, alternate music
selections
may also be presented to the user allowing the user to select an alternate
music type for the
same ambiance. The default music selection may be "Caribbean music", but
options for a
"summertime mix" and a "top 40 mix" may also be provided. For the relaxation
ambiance,
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the option displayed to the user for the music selection will be different
than those presented
to the user for the party ambiance selection.
Other customized options may also be presented to a user for other operational
settings, such
as for the lighting, water pumps, water jets, audio-visual components and
temperature,
among other possibilities. In the customized lighting options for the "beach
party" ambiance,
a default lighting setting may be to have all the lights activated. However,
other options may
be to have yellow and green colored lights activated, or to have color lights
be intermittently
activated. The lighting parameter options would be different for the
"relaxation" ambiance
setting. By customizing "display settings" of the graphical user interface,
the user is
presented with a simplified interface control for the spa which facilitates
the usage of the spa
by a novice user.
Adjusting the operational settings of a ambiance setting
Once a user has selected a desired ambiance setting and the pre-programmed
operational
settings associated with the selected ambiance setting have been displayed to
the user via the
graphical user interface, the user can then make adjustments to these pre-
programmed
operational settings. This may be done before or after the pre-programmed
operational
settings are caused to be implemented by the bathing unit components.
For example, in the case of the pre-programmed operational settings associated
with the
"beach party" ambiance setting shown in Figure 6, Pumps P1 and P3 are pre-
programmed to
be the activated pumps. If the user would like to modify these pre-programmed
settings, such
that pump P2 is also activated, for example, the user can use the user input
device 32, which
in the case of the example shown in Figure 6 is a touch sensitive screen, in
order to cause
pump P2 to be activated. This can be done by the user touching the screen over
an input area,
such as the circle designated "P2". The input area for causing the adjustment
to the pre-
programmed operational setting for the pumps type of bathing unit component is
located
next to the pictorial icon 84h representative of the pumps. Shown in Figure 8
is a non-
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limiting example of the graphical user interface of Figure 6, after the user
has adjusted the
operational settings such that pump P2 is also active.
Once a user has indicated that pump P2 should be activated, the processor
(such as processor
5 40 or
60) can then either automatically issue a signal to the controller 34 for
causing the
adjustment or change to be implemented by the bathing unit components, or the
processor
can wait until a user has provided an additional confirmation signal, such as
via an
"implement" button on the graphical user interface. The user may make
adjustments to the
pre-programmed operational setting of one bathing unit component, or multiple
bathing unit
10
components. In addition, the user may adjust the activation or deactivation of
a bathing unit
component, or the user may adjust a level of an operational setting of a
bathing unit
component. For example, in the case of the graphical user interface shown in
Figure 7, a user
may adjust the level of the water pump associated with seat 3, by lowering the
circle
indicator within the vertical track. It should be appreciated that the manner
in which a user
15 can adjust and/or activate/deactivate a bathing unit component can vary.
When adjusting one or more of the pre-programmed operational settings
associated with an
ambiance setting, these adjustments can be treated in the following manner:
- In a first non-limiting example, the adjustments to the pre-programmed
20
operational settings of a given ambiance setting entered by a user are
temporary
adjustments. The adjustments are caused to be implemented by the associated
bathing unit components either as the user is entering the desired adjustments
via
the graphical user interface, or upon receipt of an indication from a user
that the
adjustments should be implemented, such as when the user hits an "implement
25
changes" button, as shown in Figure 7, for example. However, these are
temporary adjustments that are implemented by the bathing unit components, but
are not stored or recorded in association with the ambiance setting. There is
no
permanent adjustment to the pre-programmed operational settings associated
with the selected ambiance setting. If a user were to stop the ambiance
setting
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after having made the adjustments to the pre-programmed operational settings,
and then re-select the ambiance setting at a later time or date, it would be
the
original pre-programmed operational settings that would still be associated
with
that ambiance setting.
- In a second non-limiting example, the adjustments to the pre-programmed
operational settings entered by the user are recorded in association with that
ambiance setting, such that the entered adjustments become the new pre-
programmed operational settings associated with that ambiance setting. In this
manner a user is able to update or tweak the operational settings associated
with
a given ambiance setting. Shown in Figure 9 is a non-limiting example of a
display page showing the pre-programmed operational settings associated with
the "relaxation" ambiance setting. In the example shown, the pre-programmed
operational settings are such that the water jets associated with seat 1, seat
2 and
the feet are active, and the in-water and rim lighting devices are active.
Assuming
that a user wants to adjust the operational settings associated with the
"relaxation" ambiance setting, the user can enter desired adjustments. Shown
in
Figure 10 is a non-limiting example of the adjustments made to the operational
settings. More specifically, in a first input area 96 associated with the
water jets,
the user is able to modify the operational settings for this first type of
bathing
unit component; namely the water jets. In the example shown, the user has
adjusted the operational settings such that only the water jets associated
with seat
1 and seat 3 are active. Then, in a second input area 98, associated with the
lighting devices, the user is able to modify the operational settings for this
second
type of bathing unit component; namely the lighting devices. In the example
shown, the user has adjusted the operational settings such that only the
lighting
device associated with the rim is active. These adjustments to the operational
parameters can be done using a user input device, which in the example shown
is
a touch sensitive screen. Once the user has entered the adjustments to the
operational changes, the user may hit a "save" button on the graphical user
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interface, or on the device itself, in order to cause the adjustments to the
operational changes to be recorded in relation to the ambiance setting. Thus,
if a
user were to stop the "relaxation" ambiance setting after having saved the
desired
adjustments to the pre-programmed operational settings, and then re-select
that
ambiance setting at a later time or date, it would be the new adjusted
operational
settings that would be associated with that ambiance setting. In this manner,
a
user is able to adjust the pre-programmed operational settings associated with
a
ambiance setting to be more desirable to the user.
The user control interface may further comprise functionality for enabling a
user
to revert back to the original pre-programmed operational settings for a given
ambiance setting. For example, if a user saves his/her updated user-defined
operational settings, but then later on decides that the manufacturer-defined
operational settings for that given ambiance setting were preferable, the user
may
cause the user control interface to retrieve the original manufacturer-defined
operational settings. This may be done by accessing a "return to default" menu
item, or button.
- In a third non-limiting example, the user may make
adjustments to the pre-
programmed operational setting of a given ambiance setting, and then record
the
adjusted operational settings in association with a new user-defined ambiance
setting. In this manner, the adjusted operational settings become associated
with
an entirely new ambiance setting. Referring back to Figure 10, and assuming
that
the user has entered the same adjustments to the operational settings as
described
above, instead of hitting the "save" button 100, the user may hit a "save as"
button 102 on the graphical user interface, or on the device itself. The user
would
then be provided with the opportunity to enter a new name for a ambiance
setting
to which the adjusted operational settings would be recorded. Thus, if a user
were
to stop the ambiance setting after having saved the adjustments to the pre-
programmed operational settings, the user would then have to open the new user-
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defined ambiance setting in order to cause the bathing unit components to
implement the adjusted pre-programmed operational settings.
In yet a further alternative embodiment, the user may create his or her own
user-defined
ambiance setting without having to start from an existing ambiance setting. In
such a case,
the user may be provided with a graphical user interface that provides the
user with the
ability to create a user-defined ambiance setting. A non-limiting example of a
graphical user
interface 104 for allowing a user to create a user-defined ambiance setting is
shown in Figure
11. The graphical user interface 104 comprises a first input area 106 for
allowing the user to
provide a first desired operational setting, which in the example shown is a
desired
temperature, a second input area 108 for allowing the user to provide a second
desired
operational setting, which in the example shown is an indication of which
pumps the user
would like to be active, a third input area 110 for receiving from a user an
indication of a
third desired operational setting, which in the example shown is the lighting
devices the user
would like to be active, and a fourth input area 112 for allowing the user to
provide a fourth
desired operational setting, which in the example shown is an indication of
which internet
radio station the user would like to have playing. It should be appreciated
that more or less
input areas could be provided in order to provide a greater or lesser number
of different types
of bathing unit components for which a user can enter a desired operational
setting.
It should be appreciated that it is not necessary for a user to enter a
desired operational
setting for each type of bathing unit component. For example, the user may
leave a given
input area blank, such that the bathing unit components for that type of
bathing unit
component are not active, or an automatic operational setting is implemented
by the bathing
unit components of that type.
The graphical user interface 104 may also comprise an input area 114 for
receiving a title of
the ambiance setting. For example, the title may be "Jen' s favorites" or
"Friday night
bathing". The graphical user interface 104 may further comprises an input area
113 for
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allowing the user to enter a desired icon or picture. In the example shown,
the user interface
includes a "browse" button, such that a user can access an icon or picture
from a stored
memory unit that is located either locally, or on a network server.
The graphical user interface 104 further comprises an input area 116 for
receiving from the
user an indication that the entered operational settings should be stored in
association with
the user-defined ambiance setting that has been given a title in input area
114. This user-
defined ambiance setting will then be added to the list of user-defined
ambiance settings that
is displayed on a display page such as that described above with respect to
Figure 5.
Conclusion
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and
refinements can be
made to the embodiments presented above without detracting from the scope of
the present
invention.
The above description of the embodiments should not be interpreted in a
limiting manner
since other variations, modifications and refinements are possible. The scope
of the
invention is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.
