Low Salt Alert System

Abstract

A brine tank salt level detection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing secured to a lid of a brine tank, where the housing supports an infrared emitter and an infrared sensor. The apparatus is configured to emit an infrared signal, receive an infrared signal, and determine whether a salt level in the brine tank is below a predetermined level using, at least in part, the receipt of the infrared signal. A method for determining a salt level in a brine tank is also disclosed. The method can include emitting an outgoing infrared signal, receiving an incoming infrared signal, determining whether the salt level is below a predetermined level based at least in part on the receipt of the incoming infrared signal, and when the salt level is below a predetermined level, alerting a user of the low salt level in the brine tank.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method for monitoring salt level in a brine tank, the method comprising:
 emitting a predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals into the brine tank;   determining a quantity of received reflected infrared signals;   determining whether the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than a predetermined threshold; and   if the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than the predetermined threshold, determining that a low salt condition exists in the brine tank and initiating an alert regarding the low salt condition.   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21 , each of the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being emitted sequentially at a given time. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being no less than 3. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being no less than 10. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 21 , the predetermined threshold being equal to the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 21 , the predetermined threshold being one less than the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 21 , the predetermined threshold being no less than 75% of the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 21 , further comprising receiving a brine tank size indication. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 28 , further comprising adjusting, based on the brine tank size indication, a power supplied to an infrared emitter, the infrared emitter emitting the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , the infrared emitter emitting the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals substantially normal to a bottom of the brine tank. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 21 , wherein initiating the alert includes illuminating a notification light emitting diode. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein initiating the alert further includes transmitting a message via a wireless network. 
     
     
         33 . A brine tank low salt level detection apparatus, comprising:
 an infrared emitter;   an infrared sensor;   at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is in communication with the infrared emitter and the infrared sensor; and   a memory device in communication with the processor, wherein the memory device stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the brine tank low salt level detection apparatus to:
 emit a predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals; 
 determine a quantity of received reflected infrared signals; 
 determine whether the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than a predetermined threshold; 
   if the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than the predetermined threshold, determine that a low salt condition exists in a brine tank; and   if the low salt condition exists, initiate an alert regarding the low salt condition.   
     
     
         34 . The brine tank low salt level detection apparatus according to  claim 33 , further comprising a notification LED configured to be illuminated when the processor determines that salt level in the brine tank is no less than 20 inches from a lid of the brine tank. 
     
     
         35 . The brine tank low salt level detection apparatus according to  claim 34 , each of the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being emitted sequentially at a given time, the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being no less than 3. 
     
     
         36 . The brine tank low salt level detection apparatus according to  claim 35 , the predetermined threshold being one less than the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals. 
     
     
         37 . The brine tank low salt level detection apparatus according to  claim 36 , the memory device further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the brine tank low salt level detection apparatus to:
 receive a brine tank size indication;   adjust a power supplied to the infrared emitter based on the brine tank size indication.   
     
     
         38 . A system for notifying a user of a low salt level in a brine tank, the system comprising:
 an infrared light emitting diode;   an infrared sensor;   a visible light emitting diode;   a computing device in communication with the infrared light emitting diode, the visible light emitting diode and the infrared sensor, wherein the computing device comprises a processor, memory and a wireless module; and   a housing supporting the infrared light emitting diode, the infrared sensor, the visible light emitting diode and the computing device,   wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 emit a predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals, each of the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being emitted sequentially at a given time; 
 determine a quantity of received reflected infrared signals; 
 determine whether the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than a predetermined threshold; and 
 if the quantity of received reflected infrared signals is less than the predetermined threshold, determine that a low salt condition exists in the brine tank and initiate an alert regarding the low salt condition, the alert including illuminating the visible light emitting diode. 
   
     
     
         39 . The system according to  claim 38 , the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals being no less than 5; and
 the predetermined threshold being two less than the predetermined number of outgoing infrared signals.   
     
     
         40 . The system according to  claim 39 , the memory further storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
 receive a brine tank size indication;   adjust a power supplied to the infrared light emitting diode based on the brine tank size indication.