Systems and methods for pairing a wireless transceiver unit for sanitary ware

Abstract

Systems and methods for pairing a wireless transceiver unit for sanitary ware are provided. An exemplary pairing method includes emitting a pairing instruction signal from a wireless sender of the wireless transceiver unit, receiving the emitted pairing instruction signal at one or more wireless receivers, and detecting a signal intensity of the pairing instruction signal received at each of the one or more wireless receivers. The method further includes returning a pairing response from each of the one or more wireless receivers to the wireless sender. The pairing response includes an ID of the wireless receiver and an indication of the signal intensity detected at the wireless receiver. The method further includes selecting the pairing response indicating the highest detected signal intensity and storing the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for pairing a wireless transceiver unit for sanitary ware, the method comprising:
 emitting a pairing instruction signal from a wireless sender of the wireless transceiver unit;   receiving the emitted pairing instruction signal at one or more wireless receivers and detecting a signal intensity of the pairing instruction signal received at each of the one or more wireless receivers;   returning a pairing response from each of the one or more wireless receivers to the wireless sender, wherein the pairing response returned by a wireless receiver includes an ID of the wireless receiver and an indication of the signal intensity detected at the wireless receiver;   selecting, by the wireless sender, the pairing response indicating the highest detected signal intensity among the pairing responses returned by the one or more wireless receivers; and   storing the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response in a local memory of the wireless sender.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless sender is located in a seat of a toilet and at least one of the wireless receivers is located in a water tank of the toilet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 emitting a pairing determination signal from the wireless sender, the pairing determination signal including the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response;   receiving the emitted pairing determination signal at the one or more wireless receivers; and   determining, by each of the one or more wireless receivers, whether the ID of the wireless receiver included in the pairing determination signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the pairing determination signal further includes an ID of the wireless sender, the method further comprising:
 storing the ID of the wireless sender in a local memory of a wireless receiver in response to a positive determination by the wireless receiver that the ID of the wireless receiver included in the pairing determination signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating, by each of the one or more wireless receivers, a delay time, wherein the delay time calculated by a wireless receiver is based on the detected signal intensity of the pairing instruction signal received at the wireless receiver,   wherein a wireless receiver waits for the delay time calculated by the wireless receiver before returning the pairing response.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein calculating the delay time includes:
 receiving a minimum useful signal intensity, a maximum useful signal intensity, a minimum delay time, and a maximum delay time;   comparing the detected signal intensity with the minimum useful signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity;   using the minimum delay time as the calculated delay time if a result of the comparison reveals that the detected signal intensity is greater than maximum useful signal intensity; and   using the maximum delay time as the calculated delay time if a result of the comparison reveals that the detected signal intensity is less than the minimum useful signal intensity.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein calculating the delay time includes:
 receiving a minimum useful signal intensity, a maximum useful signal intensity, and a minimum delay time;   comparing the detected signal intensity with the minimum useful signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity; and   increasing the calculated delay time from the minimum delay time if a result of the comparison reveals that the detected signal intensity is between the minimum useful signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity, wherein the calculated delay time is increased by an amount proportional to a difference between the detected signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 emitting an operating instruction signal from the wireless sender, the operating instruction signal including the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response;   receiving the emitted operating instruction signal at the one or more wireless receivers;   determining, by each of the one or more wireless receivers, whether the ID of the wireless receiver included in the operating instruction signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination; and   performing, by a wireless receiver, an action instructed by the operating instruction signal in response to a positive determination by the wireless receiver that the ID of the wireless receiver included in the operating instruction signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the pairing instruction signal and the operating instruction signal is emitted by the wireless sender in response to receiving a control signal from a flushing controller,
 wherein the flushing controller generates the control signal based on inputs received from at least one of: a seat position sensor and a sitting pressure sensor.   
     
     
         10 . A system for pairing a wireless transceiver unit for sanitary ware, the system comprising:
 a wireless sender configured to emit a pairing instruction signal;   one or more wireless receivers configured to receive the emitted pairing instruction signal and detect a signal intensity of the pairing instruction signal received at each of the one or more wireless receivers;   wherein each of the one or more wireless receivers is configured to return a pairing response to the wireless sender, wherein the pairing response returned by a wireless receiver includes an ID of the wireless receiver and an indication of the signal intensity detected at the wireless receiver;   wherein the wireless sender is configured to select the pairing response indicating the highest detected signal intensity among the pairing responses returned by the one or more wireless receivers and store the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response in a local memory of the wireless sender.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless sender is located in a seat of a toilet and at least one of the wireless receivers is located in a water tank of the toilet. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless sender is further configured to emit a pairing determination signal including the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response;
 wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to receive the emitted pairing determination signal and determine whether the ID of the wireless receiver included in the pairing determination signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the pairing determination signal further includes an ID of the wireless sender,
 wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to store the ID of the wireless sender, wherein a wireless receiver stores the ID of the wireless sender in response to a positive determination by the wireless receiver that the ID of the wireless receiver included in the pairing determination signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to calculate a delay time, wherein the delay time calculated by a wireless receiver is based on the detected signal intensity of the pairing instruction signal received at the wireless receiver;
 wherein a wireless receiver waits for the delay time calculated by the wireless receiver before returning the pairing response.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to calculate the delay time by comparing the detected signal intensity with a minimum useful signal intensity and a maximum useful signal intensity; and
 increase the calculated delay time from a minimum delay time if a result of the comparison reveals that the detected signal intensity is between the minimum useful signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity, wherein the calculated delay time is increased by an amount proportional to a difference between the detected signal intensity and the maximum useful signal intensity.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the wireless sender is configured to emit an operating instruction signal including the ID of the wireless receiver included in the selected pairing response;
 wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to receive the emitted operating instruction signal and determine whether the ID of the wireless receiver included in the operating instruction signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination; and   wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to perform an action instructed by the operating instruction signal, wherein a wireless receiver performs the action in response to a positive determination by the wireless receiver that the ID of the wireless receiver included in the operating instruction signal matches the ID of the wireless receiver making the determination.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a seat position sensor configured to measure a position of a toilet seat;   a sitting pressure sensor configured to measure an external pressure applied to the toilet seat; and   a flushing controller configured to generate a control signal based on inputs received from at least one of: the seat position sensor and the sitting pressure sensor;   wherein the flushing controller provides the control signal to the wireless sender and wherein the wireless sender is configured to emit at least one of the pairing instruction signal and the operating instruction signal in response to receiving the control signal from the flushing controller.   
     
     
         18 . A method for triggering an instruction signal for a wireless transceiver unit for sanitary ware, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a flushing controller, a first input signal from a seat position sensor and a second input signal from a sitting pressure sensor, wherein the first input signal is based on a position of a toilet seat and the second input signal is based on an external pressure applied to the toilet seat;   generating, by the flushing controller, a control signal based on at least one of the first input signal and the second input signal;   receiving, at a wireless sender, the control signal generated by the flushing controller and emitting at least one of a pairing instruction signal and an operating instruction signal in response to receiving the control signal; and   receiving the emitted instruction signal at one or more wireless receivers and determining, by each of the one or more wireless receivers, whether the instruction signal is a pairing instruction signal or an operating instruction signal;   wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to use the instruction signal to generate and return a pairing response to the wireless sender in response to a determination that the instruction signal is a pairing instruction signal; and   wherein the one or more wireless receivers are configured to use the instruction signal to actuate flushing of the toilet in response to a determination that the instruction signal is an operating instruction signal.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein generating the control signal includes:
 using the first input signal from the seat position sensor to determine a position of the toilet seat;   using the second input signal from the sitting pressure sensor to determine an external pressure applied to the toilet seat; and   generating a control signal instructing the wireless sender to emit a pairing instruction signal in response to a determination, by the flushing controller, that the seat is in an open position and that an external pressure has been applied to the toilet seat a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time period.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein generating the control signal includes:
 using the first input signal from the seat position sensor to determine a position of the toilet seat;   using the second input signal from the sitting pressure sensor to determine an external pressure applied to the toilet seat; and   generating a control signal instructing the wireless sender to emit an operating instruction signal in response to a determination, by the flushing controller, that the seat is in a closed position and that an external pressure has been absent from the toilet seat for a predetermined time period after having been previously applied to the toilet seat.