Toilet monitoring and intelligent control

Abstract

A toilet monitor uses a toilet tank water level sensor producing a toilet tank water level measurement signal. A processor detects rate of change of the measurement signal and conditionally produce a responsive actuation signal in response to the detected rate of change. A transducer connected to receive the actuation signal and transmit information, provide a humanly-perceptible indication, generate a data log and/or control an electronic water supply valve.

We claim: 
     
       1. A toilet monitor for use with a toilet having a toilet tank and a toilet bowl, the toilet monitor comprising:
 a toilet tank water level sensor producing a toilet tank water level measurement signal indicating water level in the toilet tank; 
 the toilet monitor further comprising: 
 a processor connected to receive the toilet tank water level measurement signal, the processor being connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to detect a rate of change of the toilet tank water level measurement signal and to conditionally produce a responsive actuation signal in response to the detected rate of change; and 
 a transducer connected to receive the actuation signal. 
 
     
     
       2. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory device storing a program, the processor executing the program to evaluate a sequence of water level rates of change to detect toilet operation abnormalities. 
     
     
       3. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory device storing a program, the processor executing the program to detect predetermined sequences of rates of change. 
     
     
       4. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory device storing a program, the processor executing the program to detect rate of change using a rolling block interval analysis. 
     
     
       5. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to use a linear equation to analyze the rate of change measurement signal. 
     
     
       6. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine an anomaly in water flow within the toilet bowl based on the rate of change of the toilet tank water level measurement signal. 
     
     
       7. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet is leaking in response to the rate of change. 
     
     
       8. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet is leaking by tracking the direction and/or the cycles of the rate of change. 
     
     
       9. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet fill valve is defective in response to the rate of change. 
     
     
       10. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet fill valve is defective by tracking the direction of the rate of change followed by the absence of rate change. 
     
     
       11. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet flush valve is open in response to the rate of change. 
     
     
       12. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine the toilet flush valve is open by tracking the absence of the rate of change. 
     
     
       13. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to determine current and/or imminent toilet overflow in response to the rate of change. 
     
     
       14. The toilet monitor of  claim 1  wherein the processor is connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to detect the prolonged absence of double flushes. 
     
     
       15. A method of controlling a flush toilet comprising:
 producing a toilet tank water level measurement signal; 
 detecting the presence or absence of plural successive flushes within a predetermined time period based on the measurement signal and generating an actuation signal to affect toilet tank flush volume; and 
 increasing or decreasing toilet tank flush volume in response to the actuation signal. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  further including evaluating a sequence of rates of change of the measurement signal to detect toilet operation abnormalities. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15  further including tracking the direction of rate of change of the measurement signal. 
     
     
       18. A toilet monitor for use with a toilet having a tank and a bowl, the toilet monitor comprising:
 a housing containing electronics; and 
 a water level sensing probe extending from the housing and connected to the electronics, the probe comprising at least one conductor; wherein the monitor further comprises a portion of the at least one conductor being bent or bendable to hang over a lip of a toilet tank to suspend and support the housing on the toilet tank lip, the at least one conductor having a length such that an additional portion of the at least one conductor extends from the bent/bendable portion into immersion contact with water in the tank. 
 
     
     
       19. The toilet monitor of  claim 18  wherein the electronics comprises a processor connected to receive a measurement signal provided by the water level sensing probe, the processor being connected to a memory storing a program, the processor executing the program to detect the rate of change of the measurement signal and conditionally produce a responsive actuation signal in response to the detected rate of change. 
     
     
       20. The toilet monitor of  claim 19  wherein the processor further executes the program to detect the prolonged absence of double flushes.