Bathtub Remote Control System

Abstract

Disclosed is a bathtub remote control system for automatically controlling the water level, water temperature and the water discharge from remote distance. The bathtub remote control system includes a bathtub driving portion, a bathtub control portion and a remote control portion. The bathtub driving portion is provided with the supply valve, the discharging valve, the water level sensor and the water temperature regulator. The bathtub control portion produces the bathtub control signals on the basis of the setting signals inputted from the key input portion. The remote control portion, which is connected to the bathtub control portion but independently from the bathtub control portion, can input the setting signals by using the wireless remote controller, the internet and the wire or wireless telephone from the remote distance and receive the detection signals. Through the bathtub remote control system as described in the above, a user can set the target values of the level and temperature of water supplied to the bathtub, and automatically regulate the level and temperature of water supplied into the target values in accordance with the setting signals. Therefore, it increase convenience in use and user can see directly the states of the bathtub driving portion from the remote distance because the state of the bathtub driving portion are to be provided on the user's terminals.

1 . A bathtub remote control system comprising:
 a bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) including a supply tube ( 220 ) branching off from a hydrant ( 210 ) and communicated with the inside of the bathtub ( 100 ), a supply valve ( 230 ) for controlling the volume of water supplied through the supply tube ( 220 ), a water level sensor ( 240 ) for sensing the level of water supplied to the bathtub ( 100 ) through the supply tube ( 220 ), and a water temperature regulator ( 250 ) for heating water supplied to the bathtub  100  and sensing the temperature of the same;   a bathtub control portion ( 400 ) including a key-input unit ( 410 ) for setting the states of said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ), a memory ( 430 ) where the data for controlling said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) is stored, and a first mi-com ( 440 ) in which when the setting signals is inputted from the key-input unit ( 410 ), the first mi-com ( 440 ) reads the setting signals on the basis of data pre-stored in the memory ( 430 ) and produces the bathtub control signals for controlling the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) in accordance with reading results, and when the detection signals are inputted, the first mi-com operates on the basis of said detection signals to control the supply valve ( 230 ) and the water temperature regulator ( 250 ) of said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) to be on or off; a communication unit ( 500 ) connected to the communication port of said first mi-com ( 440 ) for sending and receiving the setting signals and the detection signals on RF;   and a remote control portion ( 600 ) for remotely controlling the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) through the emission of the setting signals set by a user to the bathtub control portion ( 400 ) in frequency consistency with said communication unit ( 500 ) after inputting the detection signals.   
   
   
       2 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said water level sensor ( 240 ) comprises:
 a space portion ( 241 ) in which air pressure is induced in proportion to the pressure of water inside said bathtub ( 100 ) and a air trap ( 242 ) installed in communication with said bathtub ( 100 );   an air hose ( 243 ) to be influenced by the pressure induced in said space portion( 241 ) due to the communication with said air trap ( 242 ); and   *a pressure sensor ( 244 ) for sensing the water level, the pressure sensor ( 244 ) being mounted through said air hose ( 243 ) to sense the air pressure which is transmitted through media inside said air hose ( 243 ).   
   
   
       3 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 2 ,  wherein the water temperature regulator ( 250 ) comprises:
 a water circulation tube ( 251 ) mounted with the opposing ends thereof in communication with the bathtub ( 100 );   a temperature sensor ( 252 ) mounted on one end of the water circulation tube ( 251 ) for sensing the temperature of circulating water;   a pump ( 254 ) mounted inside said water circulation tube ( 251 ) for pumping the water to be circulated; and   a heating member ( 255 ) for heating the water circulation tube ( 251 ) and the water therein.   
   
   
       4 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said bathtub control portion ( 400 ) further comprises a displayer ( 420 ) for displaying the states of the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) in response to said detection signals. 
   
   
       5 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said remote control portion ( 600 ) comprises:
 a outside wireless sending and receiving unit ( 610 ) in which the modulation signals corresponding to the setting signals are emitted to the predetermined frequency zones, and the signals received on the predetermined frequency zones are demodulated; a remote controller ( 620 ) including a remote key input portion ( 621 ) for setting the volume and the temperature of water supplied to the bathtub ( 100 ), and a second mi-com ( 622 ) for transferring the setting signals inputted from said remote key input portion ( 621 ) to the modulation signals on predetermined frequency and for outputting the demodulation data of said receiving signals on predetermined frequency; and   a remote displaying portion ( 630 ) for displaying the demodulation data outputted from said second mi-com ( 622 ).   
   
   
       6 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said water level sensor ( 240 ) comprises:
 a fixed electrode ( 242 ) mounted on the bottom side of the bathtub ( 100 ); a plurality of sensing electrodes ( 242   a ,  242   b ,  242   c  . . .  242   n ) which are mounted one side of said bathtub ( 100 ) at vertically consistent interval and electrically connected to said fixed electrode ( 242 ); and   a water level sensing portion ( 243 ) which is electrically connected to said fixed electrode ( 242 ) and each of said sensing electrodes ( 242   a ,  242   b ,  242   c  . . .  242   n ), wherein through which each of said sensing electrodes ( 242   a ,  242   b ,  242   c  . . .  242   n ) including said fixed electrode ( 242 ) are submerged into water from the bottom to the top and applied electric current through the water.   
   
   
       7 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 6 , wherein the water temperature regulator comprises:
 a water circulation tube ( 251 ) mounted with the opposing ends thereof in communication with the bathtub ( 100 );   a temperature sensor ( 252 ) mounted on one end of the water circulation tube ( 251 ) for sensing the temperature of circulating water;   a pump ( 254 ) mounted inside said water circulation tube ( 251 ) for pumping the water to be circulated; and,   a heating member ( 255 ) for heating the water circulation tube ( 251 ) and the water therein.   
   
   
       8 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said bathtub control portion ( 400 ) further comprises a displayer ( 420 ) for displaying the states of the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) in response to said detection signals. 
   
   
       9 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 1 , wherein said remote control portion ( 600 ) comprises: a outside wireless sending and receiving unit ( 610 ) in which the modulation signals corresponding to the setting signals are emitted to the predetermined frequency zones, and the signals received on the predetermined frequency zones are demodulated; a remote controller ( 620 ) including a remote key input portion ( 621 ) for setting the volume and the temperature of water supplied to the bathtub ( 100 ), and a second mi-com ( 622 ) for transferring the setting signals inputted from said remote key input portion ( 621 ) to the modulation signals on predetermined frequency and for outputting the demodulation data of said receiving signals on predetermined frequency; and, a remote displaying portion ( 630 ) for displaying the demodulation data outputted from said second mi-com ( 622 ). 
   
   
       10 . A bathtub remote control system comprising: a bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) including a supply tube ( 220 ) branching off from a hydrant ( 210 ) and communicated with the inside of the bathtub ( 100 ), a supply valve ( 230 ) for controlling the volume of water supplied through the supply tube ( 220 ), a water level sensor ( 240 ) for sensing the level of water supplied to the bathtub ( 100 ) through the supply tube ( 220 ), and a water temperature regulator ( 250 ) for heating water supplied to the bathtub ( 100 ) and sensing the temperature of the same;
 a bathtub control portion ( 400 ) including a key-input unit ( 410 ) for setting the states of said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ), a memory ( 430 ) where the data for controlling said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) is stored, and a first mi-com ( 440 ) in which when the setting signals is inputted from the key-input unit ( 410 ), the first mi-com ( 440 ) reads the setting signals on the basis of data pre-stored in the memory ( 430 ) and produces the bathtub control signals for controlling the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) in accordance with reading results, and when the detection signals are inputted, the first mi-com operates on the basis of said detection signals to control the supply valve ( 230 ) and the water temperature regulator ( 250 ) of said bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) to be on or off; and a remote control portion ( 900 ) for performing data communication with user's terminals ( 800 ) by entraining the detection signals provided from the bathtub control portion ( 400 ) on the communication network ( 700 ), and for remotely controlling the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) through the transmission of the setting signals produced from user's terminals ( 800 ) through the communication network ( 700 ) to the bathtub control portion ( 400 ).   
   
   
       11 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 10 , wherein said communication network ( 700 ) consists of the internet, and said remote control portion( 900 ) comprises a home server includes: a home network control portion ( 920 ) for controlling the pictures related to the home network which is displayed on the display portion ( 910 ); a network memory ( 930 ) in which the bathtub ( 100 ) data in accordance with said detection signals, and ID and secret numbers for confirming the users are stored; a web page storing portion ( 940 ) for storing the web pages provided through the network; and a network interface ( 950 ) through which a user from outside connects to said home network control portion ( 920 ) with internet networks, and sends and receives the data, and said user's terminal ( 800 ) consists of PC which is connectable to the home network control portion ( 920 ) through the network interface ( 950 ). 
   
   
       12 . The bathtub remote control system according to  claim 11 , wherein said communication network ( 700 ) consists of wire or wireless telephone network, said remote control portion ( 900 ) includes the voice transference module ( 970 ) for transferring the detection signals into the voice signals, and said terminals ( 800 ) is wire or wireless telephone to which the setting signals for controlling the bathtub driving portion ( 200 ) on the basis of voice information provided from the voice transference module ( 970 ) are to be input.