HK1160896B - Programmable automatic flushometer - Google Patents

Description

Programmable automatic flushing device

The present application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with patent application number 200780044570.9 filed on 12/10/2007.

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No.60/851,790, filed on 13/10/2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to programmable automatic flush devices and methods for communicating with automatic flush valve devices.

Background

It is known to use an automatic actuator (activator) with a flush valve. The use of automatic flush devices is common in most commercial washrooms. Automatic flush valves are superior to devices that can only be manually flushed in terms of hygiene and water usage.

However, the use of automatic flush valves often presents installation and maintenance problems. For example, unlike conventional toilet facilities, in order to install many existing automatic flush devices, the installer needs to be familiar with the electronics. Furthermore, maintenance is typically performed by unskilled personnel, but the often complex electronics of current automatic flush valve devices require specially trained or specialized maintenance personnel to perform with appropriate tools. Furthermore, battery life, sensor alignment and flexibility for a variety of applications are considerations for prior art automatic flush valve devices, as they are typically "one-knife" type devices.

The use of an automatic flush device has the added advantage of being designed to operate in a number of different modes. However, the prior art automatic flush valve devices do not provide a simplified method for programming the automatic flush valve device. Prior art automatic flush valve assemblies typically require manual movement of a portion of the automatic flush device and physical manipulation of components within the automatic flush valve assembly. In addition, due to the nature of automatic flush valve assemblies, particularly those that rely on battery power, there is a need for automatic flush devices that provide an indication of their status, i.e., operable, inoperable, etc.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention relates to systems and methods for automatic flush valve assemblies. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a method for communicating with an automatic flush valve apparatus. The device includes an indicator, such as a visual indicator, that provides information to the user. The device also includes at least one presence sensor and at least one manually actuated handle with which the device can receive input. In one exemplary embodiment, the operational mode of the automatic flush device may be controlled by user input from the presence sensor and/or the handle. The user can set the device to a programmed state and select an operating mode for the device.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention, together with the organization and manner of operation thereof, will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like elements have like numerals throughout the several drawings described below.

Drawings

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an orthographic view of a flush valve with an actuator for the present invention mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view of the actuator of FIG. 1 mounted on a flush valve;

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another embodiment of an automatic flush only device for use with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram of one method for programming a flush device;

FIG. 5 illustrates a set of visual indicators corresponding to certain modes of operation;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of one embodiment of a mode of operation of the present invention, with specific sub-processes as shown in the flow charts of FIGS. 7-13;

FIG. 7 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a battery check process;

FIG. 8 illustrates a flow diagram for one embodiment of an automatic ranging process;

FIG. 9 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of optimal sensing range processing;

FIG. 10 shows a flow diagram of one embodiment of a light illumination sensing and user programming process;

FIG. 11 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a mode setting process;

FIG. 12 illustrates a flow diagram of one embodiment of a flush process; and

FIG. 13 illustrates a flow diagram for one embodiment of a system status and mode reporting process.

Detailed Description

The present invention relates to methods and systems for providing an automatic flush device capable of communicating with a user. As will be further described herein, the communication enables the user to "program" certain operational aspects. In one embodiment, the communication is unidirectional, with the user providing input to the device. In another embodiment, the communication may be bi-directional, i.e. both the user and the device are able to transmit/receive. For example, a user can provide a signal to the device, and the device can communicate that it has received the user's signal. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments described herein may operate on many automatic flush valve devices, including but not limited to those that are "retrofit" and those that are constructed of integrated components.

The present invention relates to a system and method for programming and automatically operating a flush valve. The flush valve may be any of various types known in the art including, but not limited to, diaphragm or piston type. A diaphragm flush valve is shown in U.S. patent No.5,967,182, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The piston-type flush valve may be of the type shown in U.S. patent No.5,881,993, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Further, an automatic actuator may be provided for automatic and manual actuation, allowing a user to manually actuate a flush instead of or in addition to automatically triggering a flush. Automatic and manual actuators that may be used with the present invention are generally described in U.S. Pat. No.6,978,490, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Figures 1-2 illustrate one embodiment of an automatic flush device 11 that allows for manual or automatic actuation. FIG. 3 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the automatic flush device 11 in which actuation is only automatic; no manual actuation handle 140 is provided. Referring generally to fig. 1 and 2, an automatic flush device 11 includes a flush valve 10 having an actuator 12 mounted thereon. The flush valve 10 has a body 14 including a water inlet 16, a water outlet 20 and a vacuum drain (breaker)18 beneath the outlet. Inside the flush valve body 14 is a movable diaphragm or piston (not shown) that controls the flow of water between the water inlet 16 and the water outlet 20 in a conventional manner. A diaphragm or piston (not shown) is associated with a release valve (not shown) whose depending stem (not shown) extends to a point opposite manual actuation mechanism 140.

The main elements of the actuator 12 include a housing 38 and a manual actuation handle 140. A manual actuation handle 140 is pivotally mounted in the housing 38. An interior portion of manual actuation handle 140 is located within housing 38, while an exterior portion extends to the exterior of housing 38 through an aperture in the front cover plate and is operable by a user.

The automatic flush device 11 includes communication mechanisms for providing information to an installer, maintenance personnel, a user, and the like. The communication mechanism may include, but is not limited to: one or more visual indicators 141, one or more audible indicators, or a combination thereof. In embodiments where the flush valve 10 is actuated, the communication mechanism may use typical elements, such as the flush valve 10 itself, to provide an audible (and visual) indication to the user. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication mechanism includes a visual indicator 141, such as, but not limited to, a light emitting diode ("LED"). Preferably, the visual indicator 141 is disposed such that it is viewable from a location on a front face of the automatic flush device 11, such as the front face of the housing 38 shown in fig. 1 and 3, such as from a location of a maintenance person cleaning a toilet.

In one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 includes a presence detector 154 for detecting the presence of a user (presence). Such detection techniques include, but are not limited to: active infrared, capacitive detection, passive optical detection (e.g., photocell), and thermal detection such as passive infrared or thermopile. Such a presence detector 154 may be, but is not limited to, an infrared optical ("IR") sensor. The presence detector 154 is shown in U.S. patent No.6,161,814, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The presence detector 154 provides input to the automatic flush device 11 regarding the status of use of the automatic flush device 11 and provides a means of communication for a user to provide a signal to the automatic flush device 11, such as by placing his or her hand over the sensing area.

During automatic operation of the automatic flush device 11, the presence detector 154 provides information to the automatic flush device 11 that triggers the automatic flush cycle, i.e., the flush valve 10 is triggered. For example, when the presence of a certain predetermined period of time is detected, the actuator 12 initiates a flush without further input from the user, such as the use of a manual handle actuator 140. Thus, when presence is no longer detected (i.e., the user has left the flush valve 10), the automatic flush device 11 will flush. Preferably, in one embodiment, it is done after a predetermined time sufficient to allow the user to leave the vicinity of the automatic flush device 11. One skilled in the art will appreciate that a number of timing patterns may be designed, including patterns specifically designed for certain applications such as urinals or toilets.

In one embodiment, the communication between the device and the user takes a variety of forms. The duration of the user's presence in the sensing zone (not shown) of the presence detector 154 is a user input to the automatic flush device 11. Various operational changes may be implemented using such an input system, and it should be understood that the time interval corresponding to one command need only be unique, but not necessarily a particular time. For example, in one embodiment, a user standing in the sensing region (or placing an object therein) for more than 8 seconds but less than 10 seconds is one command for the automatic flush device 11 to report its status. However, other time ranges or commands may be used.

Another form of communication in the present invention is the duration that manual actuation handle 140 has been depressed, which is detected in one embodiment by ambient light detector 143 as described below. For example, having the manual actuation handle 140 depressed for more than 20 seconds may be a command to cause the automatic flush device 11 to enter a programmed state.

The automatic flush device 11 of the present invention may have several functional states and modes of operation 409. Functional status describes the overall status of the automatic flush device 11 and its current function. For example, the automatic flush device 11 may have an operational state 320, a sleep state 321, and a programmed state 322. In contrast, the operational mode 409 represents specific operational features that may be exhibited by the automatic flush device 11, as will be further described herein.

In the operational state 320, the automatic flush device 11 is operating "normal", i.e., automatic and/or manual flush valve activation may occur, for example, via 1R sensing and automatic flush processing 1200 (fig. 12). In one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 may be programmed to operate in a predetermined manner by selecting a certain operating mode 409, for example, for a toilet, urinal, with or without an inactive flush function. When in the operational state 320, the automatic flush device 11 may exhibit any of a variety of features of function that would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art or within the scope of the present invention. The operational mode 409 reflects the particular settings of the automatic flush device 11 that are generally applicable to a particular condition or use. For example, the automatic flush device 11 may have an operational mode 409 for a toilet in which the period of time during which presence must be detected before entering the automatic flush cycle is relatively long. In contrast, the operational mode 409 for urinals has a relatively short period of time, reflecting the different usage patterns of those environments. Likewise, for the operational mode 409 designed for toilet applications, the depth of the sensing field may be shallow to account for the presence of a door within a few feet of the automatic flush device 11. The inactive flush function is a variation of normal operation in which the flush valve is triggered when inactivity for a certain period of time (e.g., every 24 hours) is detected. This is to wash the drain with water or to maintain a substantially clean condition.

The sleep state 321 represents the recognition by the automatic flush device 11 that its current environment indicates that immediate use of the function is unlikely. In one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 includes a sleep state 321 that represents a low power demand state. It will be appreciated that such a condition will reduce power consumption, for example for embodiments using battery power, will extend battery life and reduce maintenance of the automatic flush device 11. In one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 may enter the sleep state 321 when the ambient light detector 143 detects a few minutes of no light and the presence detector 154 does not detect any presence within its range. Further, as part of the sleep state 321, a "shipping mode" may be set prior to installation, for example, in the event that the automatic flush device 11 enters the sleep state 321 when the IR sensor detects a subject within its field (i.e., box or package) and the ambient light detector 143 does not detect light, in order to reduce energy consumption even more.

In the programming state 322, the automatic flush device 11 is able to send/receive communications regarding the operational mode 409 and settings of the automatic flush device 11, such as those described above. Thus, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the operation of the automatic flush device 11 may be modified without the use of physical tools. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are a variety of operational modes 409 in which the automatic flush device 11 may operate in accordance with the principles of the present invention, such as, but not limited to, for a toilet or urinal setting.

In addition, the automatic flush device 11 may communicate information to a user based on a particular condition. For example, in one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 traverses a series of visual indications. The user may "select" the operational mode 409 by leaving the sensing region, and/or pressing and/or releasing the device handle. The current status of the automatic flush device 11 is then encoded, flagged and stored in memory. The selected status of the automatic flush device 11 is then indicated by the visual indicator 141. For example, when the LED flashes at 4 times per second, i.e., urinal mode and a visual indication of turning on the inactive flush mode function, the user releases the manual actuation handle 140, thereby selecting the indicated mode (urinal with inactive flush mode function). The communication is bi-directional, and once the automatic flush device 11 is signaled from the user, it sends an "echo" (echo) through a visual or audible indication to confirm to the user what input the automatic flush device 11 has received.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that typical IR sensors have minimum and maximum effective ranges, i.e., functional sensing fields. Accordingly, it is desirable to achieve an adjustable sensing field because the automatic flush device 11 can be used in a variety of settings (i.e., toilet, urinal, stadium facility, etc.). In one embodiment, the present invention includes a programmable range for the presence detector 154. The presence detector 154 is assigned a predetermined absolute minimum and maximum value, or a maximum range setting slightly less than background detection. The user may trigger the automatic range adjustment of the presence detector 154 by, for example, activating the manual actuation handle 140 for a predetermined time.

In addition to the presence detector 154, the automatic flush device 11 may include additional sensors for providing environmental information to the automatic flush device 11. For example, the automatic flush device 11 may include a second sensor such as, but not limited to, an ambient light detector 143. The ambient light detector 143 detects light levels in the environment surrounding the automatic flush device 11, which may provide an indication of current use and possible future use. In an exemplary embodiment, the ambient light detector 143 may provide an indication that the automatic flush device 11 switches modes, for example, from the operational state 320 when the ambient is illuminated to the sleep state 321 when no light is detected for a certain period of time. Furthermore, information from the ambient light detector 143 and the presence detector 154 may be used in combination to control the mode of the device. For example, in the event that the presence detector 154 detects an unchanged object, while the ambient light detector 143 detects little or no light, the automatic flush device 11 recognizes that it may be in its package for sale and may thus enter a pre-installation state similar to the sleep state 321, thereby providing a lower power consumption state.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in fig. 1, an ambient light detector 143 is provided in communication with manual actuation handle 140 to determine when manual actuation handle 140 is depressed. A portion of manual actuation handle 140 having an ambient light detector 143 is partially disposed within housing 38 and, when depressed, blocks ambient light from reaching detector 143. Thus, the ambient light detector 143 may be used to indicate activation of the manual actuation handle 140.

For embodiments having both automatic and manual flush capabilities, it will be appreciated that it is desirable to prevent a "double flush" from occurring if the automatic flush cycle has been initiated but the user manually flushes the automatic flush device 11. Thus, in an exemplary embodiment, when the manual actuation handle 140 has been triggered, the automatic flush cycle is exited prior to completion, thereby avoiding a possible "double flush" due to manual actuation during the automatic flush cycle. This embodiment provides improved water use efficiency by avoiding repeated flushes.

Fig. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The automatic flush device 11 detects the presence of a user at 301 and starts a presence timer until the presence is no longer detected. If presence is detected for longer than time "P_af"(typically, a determination of a time indicating the presence of a person using the facility, e.g., 15 seconds), then an automatic flush cycle is initiated at 302, which is completed when the presence is no longer detected, or in one embodiment, after a predetermined period of time after the detected status changes from present to absent (to facilitate the user leaving the vicinity of the automatic flush device 11).

The automatic flush device 11 also monitors 303 the actuation of the manual actuation handle 140 and, upon detecting actuation, starts a manual flush timer until actuation of the manual actuation handle 140 is no longer detected. At 304, if the manual actuation handle 140 is first released and the timer M is less than the predetermined manual flush time "M_f"(determined to represent the time at which an average user wishes to activate a manual flush, e.g., 10 seconds), the flush valve 10 is actuated and a flush of the automatic flush device 11 occurs. At step 305, if the automatic flush device 11 is running an automatic flush cycle, the cycle is terminatedAnd (4) period. If the manual flush timer is running (i.e., the user actuates handle 140) for at least time "M_p"(typically for a time greater than Mf, e.g., 15 seconds), the automatic flush device 11 enters the programmed state 322 at 306. At 1000 (fig. 10), each visual indication associated with each operational mode 409 is cycled through. At 308, the operating mode 409 is selected and an automatic range adjustment cycle 800 (fig. 8) is performed for the new operating mode 409. At 310, the automatic flush device 11 exits the programming state 322 and returns to the operating state 320. At 311 the flush valve 10 is actuated to indicate selection of the operational mode 409.

In order to illustrate the principles of the present invention, the following non-limiting examples are provided. As shown in fig. 1-3, the user may select the mode by actuating the manual actuation handle 140 (e.g., by pressing it down for a certain period of time) so that the automatic flush device 11 enters a "programmed state" 322 indicated by the communication device (e.g., a single flash of the visual indicator 141). Continued actuation of the manual actuation handle 140 will cycle the automatic flush device 11 through its various modes 409. Although multiple modes are possible and within the scope of the present invention, FIG. 5 shows only one exemplary set of modes 409.

In the programmed state 322 shown in FIG. 5, the user presses 401 the manual actuation handle 140 and holds it for a period of time (e.g., 20-30 seconds). This causes the automatic flush device 11 to enter the programmed state 322 in which the user can select the operational mode 409 of the automatic flush device 11 at 402. In one embodiment, during 402, the automatic flush device 11 cycles through multiple operating modes 409, with the status indicating the mode 409 via the visual indicator 141. For the embodiment of fig. 5, modes 409 are a toilet mode (continuous visual indication 410), a toilet mode with inactive flushing (a series of long on-off indications 411), a urinal mode (a series of short on-off indications 412), and a urinal mode with inactive flushing (a long on-off period, a short on-off period, a long on-off period 413). Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the length of time that the visual indicator 141 is displayed may be tailored for a particular condition, such as 20-30 seconds in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

In an exemplary embodiment, after the programming state 322, the automatic flush device 11 enters an automatic range adjustment mode to adjust the range setting of the presence detector 154, as shown, for example, in FIG. 5, which may be indicated by a series of short on-off indications 414. In an exemplary embodiment, an audible signal is also provided when the automatic flush device 11 exits the programming state 322, i.e., when the operating mode 409 has been selected. Such audible signals may also include flushing the automatic flush device 11 a number of times based on the selected operating mode 409. The use of both audible and visual signals allows an installer or maintenance personnel to proceed to the next unit while the existing unit is still cycling through the automatic range adjustment process 800, thereby reducing the time required to install a set of automatic flush valve assemblies 11 in, for example, a commercial washroom.

In one embodiment, the automatic flush device 11 may be queried for its mode of operation 409. For example, in the event that the presence detector 154 detects the object for a certain amount of time, such as, but not limited to, 8 seconds to 15 seconds, the communication mechanism then transmits a signal corresponding to the operational mode 409, such as, but not limited to, a corresponding series of visual indications (e.g., as shown in fig. 5). Thus, in this embodiment, the operational mode 409 or other settings of the automatic flush device 11 may be determined without entering the programming state 322.

Fig. 6-13 illustrate the operation of one embodiment of the present invention as a flow chart. Fig. 6 illustrates the overall function of the automatic flush device 11, and fig. 7-13 illustrate sub-processes performed as part of the overall process. It should be understood that the automatic flush device 11 operates in a continuous manner, but for ease of illustration, the overall process and sub-processes required for this function are shown as separate flow diagrams.

FIG. 6 illustrates the main process 600 of the illustrated embodiment. At 603, the automatic flush device 11 is powered on and "wakes up" from the sleep state 321. If the automatic flush device 11 wakes up from the sleep state 321, a lighting test is run at 604 to determine if the environment is too dark to indicate possible use at 606. If the lighting test indicates that the ambient light is below the predetermined threshold, a wake-up alarm is set at 608, a later wake-up is scheduled, and the automatic flush device 11 returns to the sleep state 321 to re-enter at 603 at the scheduled wake-up time. If at 606 it is determined that the environment is not too dark, the automatic flush device 11 proceeds to an "operation cycle" 611.

At step 603, if the automatic flush device 11 is powered on, the automatic flush device 11 initializes at 605. The automatic flush device 11 performs a self-test at step 607. The automatic flush device 11 then enters the power-on mode and starts a timer (allowing a "timeout" function to set the automatic flush device 11 to the sleep state 321). The automatic flush device 11 then proceeds to 611, operating the cycle.

The operational loop of 611 consists of a battery check process 700 (fig. 7), an automatic range adjustment process 800 (fig. 8), a light illumination sensing and user programming process 1000 (fig. 10), an IR sensing and automatic flush process 1200 (fig. 12), and a system status and mode reporting process 1300 (fig. 13).

Fig. 7 shows a battery check process 700. Upon entering the battery check process 700, the voltage of the battery is measured at 703. It is determined whether the voltage is below a predetermined threshold associated with "low battery". If it is determined at 705 that the voltage measured at 703 is above the threshold, the battery is "flagged" as normal, the flag is stored in the memory of the automatic flush device 11, and the battery check process 700 exits. If it is determined at 705 that the battery voltage is below the threshold, another determination is made at 707 to determine if the measured battery voltage at 703 is below a "dead battery" threshold. If the determination at 707 is no, the battery is flagged as low, stored in memory, and the battery check process 700 exits. If it is determined at 707 that the battery voltage is below the exhausted battery threshold, the battery is marked as exhausted, stored in memory, and the battery check process 700 exits.

As shown in fig. 8, when entering the automatic range adjustment process 800, presence detection is performed at 803. It is determined at 805 whether the presence detector 154 continuously detects presence for more than 45 minutes. If 45 minutes are detected to be present, then the optimal sensing range process 900 is entered. If no presence has been detected for 45 minutes, another determination is made at 807 as to whether no presence has been detected for at least 45 minutes. If the determination at 807 is yes, then the optimal sensing range process 900 is entered. If the determination at 807 is negative, a third determination is made at 809 as to whether presence is detected for less than 8 seconds and repeated within 20 seconds. If the determination at 809 is yes, then the sensitivity of the range is decreased by one "increment" at 811 and the automatic range adjustment process 800 exits. If the determination at 809 is negative, then the automatic range adjustment process 800 exits at 850.

Fig. 9 shows the optimum sensing range processing. Upon entering auto range adjustment process 900, such as described with respect to auto range adjustment process 800, the IR sensor is set to maximum sensitivity at 903. Next, presence detection is performed at 905. At 907 it is determined whether presence has been detected. If not, presence is detected, then the sensitivity is reduced at 915. At 917, the process is indicated as complete and the optimum sensing range process 900 exits at 950. If so, it is determined whether the sensitivity is less than a minimum threshold at 909. If the determination at 909 is no, then the sensitivity is decreased by one increment at 913, and the process returns to 905. If the determination at 909 is yes, an indication (e.g., visual) of the unsettable range is made at 911.

The light illumination sensing and user programming process 1000 of fig. 10 measures the light illumination at 1003 and determines if the manual actuation handle 140 has been pressed. At 1005, it is determined whether the handle is in the "actuated" position. If it is determined at 1005 that the handle is not pressed, then mode setting process 1100 is entered. If the handle is determined to be pressed, a second determination is made at 1007 if the handle is pressed for more than 20 seconds and less than 30 seconds. If so, a first mode request flag is set and stored in the memory of the automatic flush device 11 at 1008 and a visual display is provided indicating the mode of operation. If the determination of 1007 is negative, a third determination is made at 1009. At 1009, it is determined whether the handle is depressed for more than 30 seconds and less than 40 seconds. If so, a second mode request flag is set and stored in memory of the system at 1010 and a visual display indicating the mode is provided. If the determination at 1009 is negative, a fourth determination is made at 1016. It is determined at 1011 whether the handle has been depressed for more than 40 seconds and less than 50 seconds. If so, a third mode request flag is set and stored in the memory of the automatic flush device 11 and a visual display indicating the mode is provided at 1012. If the determination at 1011 is negative, a fifth determination is made at 1013. If so, a fourth mode request flag is set 1008 and stored in the memory of the automatic flush device 11 and a visual display indicating the mode is provided. If the determination of 1013 is negative, a third determination is made at 1015. At 1015, the level of light is determined. If the environment is determined to be too dark at 1015, the wake alarm clock is set 1016 and processing exits. If it is determined at 1015 that it is not too dark, then the light illumination sensing and user programming process is exited.

Fig. 11 depicts a mode setting process 1100. At 1103, it is determined whether the first mode request flag is set (i.e., stored at 1008). If so, the automatic flush device 11 is set 1104 as a toilet without an inactive flush mode function and the determine optimal sensing range process 900 is entered. If not, a third determination is made at 1107 as to whether a third mode request flag is set at 1012. If so, the automatic flush device 11 is set to the urinal function without the inactive flush mode at 1108 and proceeds to the determine optimal sensing range process 900. If not, a fourth determination is made as to whether a fourth mode request flag is set at 1014. If so, the automatic flush device 11 is set to a urinal with an inactive flush mode function at 1110 and the determine optimal sensing range process 900 is entered. If not, the mode setting process 1100 exits. If any mode request flag is set in the light illumination sensing and user programming process 1000, after the determine optimal sensing range process 900 is completed, the user is indicated 1112 that programming is complete.

The flush process 1200 of FIG. 12 begins at 1203 with turning on the motor of the automatic flush device 11 and starting timing the motor on a timer. At 1205, the motor load is measured. At 1207 it is determined whether the peak motor load has been exceeded. If so, the motor is turned off 1211 and the flush process 1200 is exited 1250. If the peak load has not been exceeded, a second determination is made at 1209 as to whether the motor is on for more than 5 seconds. If so, the motor is turned off 1211 and the flush process 1200 is exited. If not, processing returns to 1205.

A system status and mode reporting process 1300 is depicted in fig. 13. At 1303, presence detection is performed. At 1305, it is determined whether presence is detected for more than 8 seconds but less than 10 seconds. If not, the system state and mode reporting process is exited. If so, a mode report request flag is set, stored in system memory, and a visual indication associated with the particular mode is displayed at 1307.

In addition to the programmability of the automatic flush device 11, a communication mechanism may be used to provide various types of information or feedback to a user, installer, or maintenance personnel. The communication device may indicate normal operation, for example by flashing a visible light when an object enters the sensing range. After a predetermined usage time, an indication is given that the automatic flush device 11 has entered the automatic flush cycle, such as by ceasing flashing. Further, when the battery is installed, the motor and mechanism are briefly activated to determine if the automatic flush device 11 is operational and, if so, provide a visual indication that the automatic flush device 11 is operating properly. In another embodiment, a visual indication representing diagnostic information may be given in the event that the automatic flush device 11 is not functioning properly.

In one embodiment, the visual indicator 141 may be a graphical display, such as but not limited to an LCD screen. The textual indication may be used as a visual indication of the mode of operation. Further, graphical or pictorial indications may be used.

In the exemplary embodiment (FIG. 8), the presence detector 154 has an "auto-range process 800" in which the automatic flush device 11 re-determines the optimal range setting. This automatic range process 800 may be manually triggered or set to repeat after a certain period of time. In one embodiment, the user may manually trigger the automatic range cycle by providing some input via the presence detector 154, such as by placing an object within range of the presence sensor 154 for a certain period of time. Further, manual triggering of the presence detector 154 may reset an automatic range adjustment timer that controls when an automatic range adjustment cycle occurs without manual indication; or alternatively, have no effect on the automatic range adjustment. An indication may be given that the object is too close (i.e. within a minimum range) or too far (i.e. no object is within the sensing field). Fig. 8 shows a flow diagram depicting one method of an automatic range adjustment process 800.

In another exemplary embodiment, the communication mechanism is capable of displaying an indication regarding the status of the automatic flush device 11. For example, the automatic flush device 11 may perform self-checks on certain elements, such as a motor (not shown) or the presence detector 154, and may communicate an indication of the results of those self-checks, such as by the visual indicator 141 via a communication mechanism.

In an exemplary embodiment having a motor/cam actuation system (not shown), power savings may be achieved by using the momentum of the cam and motor to complete the rotation required to actuate a full flush valve cycle. For example, the roller cam must rotate the desired angle for a full cycle, but the motor need not actively drive the cam to rotate fully, but rather the voltage/load dependence can be monitored to determine when to turn off the motor, while the cam is still advancing the full 180 degrees. In such an embodiment, the power to the motor is controlled by the presence detector 154.

Various embodiments of the present invention are described as utilizing time ranges. It should be understood that although certain embodiments are described as having a particular time range or manner of presence detection and/or manual actuation to initiate processing or functionality of the automatic flush device 11, any combination of time ranges and patterns that provide unique communication to the automatic flush device 11 is within the scope of the present invention. Also, certain examples of communication from the automatic flush device 11 have been described, such as a visual light display pattern or an audible indication, but it should be understood that various visual and audible communications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The invention is described above with reference to the drawings. These drawings illustrate certain details of specific embodiments that implement the systems, methods, and programs of the present invention. However, describing the invention with drawings should not be construed as imposing on the invention any limitations associated with the features shown in the drawings. The present invention contemplates methods, systems and program products on any machine-readable media to effectuate operations thereof. Embodiments of the invention may be implemented using an existing computer processor, either through a special purpose computer processor incorporated for this or another purpose, or by a hardwired system.

Embodiments may be described in the general context of method processes, which may be implemented by a program product including machine-executable instructions, such as program code, for example, in the form of program modules executed by machines in network environments. Generally, program modules include processes, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc. that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Machine-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of program code for executing methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps.

An exemplary system for implementing the overall system or portions thereof may include a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer, including a processing unit, a system memory, and a system bus that couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit. The system memory may include Read Only Memory (ROM) and Random Access Memory (RAM). The computer may also include a magnetic hard disk drive for reading from and writing to a magnetic hard disk, a magnetic disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk, and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk such as a CD-ROM or other optical media. The drives and their associated machine-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of machine-executable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from application of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various embodiments are suited to the particular use contemplated.

Claims (6)

1. A method for communicating with an automatic flush device having a presence sensor, an ambient light detector, and a manual activation mechanism, the method comprising:

determining ambient light in an environment surrounding an automatic flush valve device

Detecting an actuation or presence detection of a manual flush mechanism determined by measuring a change in ambient light for a first period of time;

entering an automatic flush cycle if the first time period corresponds to a predetermined automatic flush time period;

monitoring actuation of the manual flush device during an automatic flush cycle, whereby if manual actuation is detected within the automatic flush cycle, the automatic flush cycle is aborted; if not, flushing the automatic flushing valve and exiting the automatic flushing cycle;

entering a programming state if manual actuation of the manual activation mechanism is detected for a second period of time;

providing a visual indication of the mode of operation of the automatic flush valve assembly;

selecting an operating mode of the automatic flush valve device; and

and returning to the operating state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a user signal by activating a manual flush mechanism in a predetermined pattern.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether the range of the presence sensor is too short or too long based on a predetermined value.

4. An apparatus for communicating with an automatic flush device having a presence sensor, an ambient light detector, and a manual activation mechanism, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining an ambient light in an environment surrounding the automatic flush valve device;

means for detecting actuation or presence detection of a manual flush mechanism determined by measuring a change in ambient light for a first period of time;

means for entering an automatic flush cycle if the first time period corresponds to a predetermined automatic flush time period;

monitoring components of the manual flush device for actuation during an automatic flush cycle, whereby if manual actuation is detected within the automatic flush cycle, the automatic flush cycle is aborted; if not, flushing the automatic flushing valve and exiting the automatic flushing cycle;

means for entering a programming state if manual actuation of the manual activation mechanism is detected for a second period of time;

means for providing a visual indication of the mode of operation of the automatic flush valve assembly;

means for selecting an operating mode of the automatic flush valve means; and

and returning the components to the operating state.

5. The device of claim 4, further comprising means for generating a user signal by activating the manual flush mechanism in a predetermined pattern.

6. The device of claim 4, further comprising means for determining whether the range of the presence sensor is too short or too long based on a predetermined value.