Systems and Methods for Controlling Pool/Spa Devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for the control of pool/spa device circuits. A control system may control such circuits in response to command data received from local or remote client devices. Feature circuits and light groups may be defined via a user interface to include a group of pool/spa device circuits or light circuits, respectively. Activating a feature circuit may involve performing an associated logic function. Multiple feature circuits may be assigned to a feature circuit group which, when activated, may activate all feature circuits assigned to the feature group. The control system may control the performance of freeze protection and automatic cleaner functions, and may control light circuits to synchronized, color-changing light effects. Commands may be issued to the control system and system data may be stored and retrieved from a remote database via web servers, web application programming interface servers, and/or inter-server communication buses.

1 . A system comprising:
 a plurality of pool or spa devices;   a wireless transceiver;   a control system coupled to a remote device via an electronic communication network and the wireless transceiver, the control system being configured to selectively control a plurality of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices, the control system comprising:
 a memory device configured to store definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first subset of the plurality of circuits and being associated with the first logic function, the first logic function defining how the first subset of the plurality of circuits is to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated; 
 a plurality of communication ports comprising at least one local area network communication port and a plurality of serial communication ports, the at least one local area communication network port being coupled to the wireless transceiver, and the plurality of serial communication ports being coupled to at least one of the plurality of pool or spa devices; 
 a processor coupled to the plurality of communication ports and the memory device, the processor being configured to execute computer-readable instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 receive command data from the remote device via the electronic communication network; and 
 in response to a first command of the command data, activate the first feature circuit to selectively control the first subset of the plurality of circuits according to the first logic function. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of pool or spa devices comprises a plurality of submersible lights, wherein the plurality of circuits comprises a plurality of light circuits of the plurality of submersible lights, and wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 selectively control a subset of the plurality of light circuits corresponding to a subset of the plurality of submersible lights to control colors output by the subset of the plurality of submersible lights, the subset of the plurality of light circuits corresponding to a light group defined in the memory device of the control system.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the command data comprises a swim command, wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 control the subset of the plurality of light circuits to synchronize the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to output light of the same color;   control the subset of the plurality of light circuits to cause a first light of the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to begin changing color according to a predefined sequence; and   following a predefined period of delay, control the subset of the plurality of light circuits to cause a second light of the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to begin changing color according to the predefined sequence, wherein the first light and the second light are defined according to an ordered list associated with the light group.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 receive a first ambient temperature from a temperature sensor of the pool or spa devices;   compare the first ambient temperature to a predefined ambient temperature threshold to determine that the first ambient temperature is less than or equal to the predefined ambient temperature threshold, defining a freeze condition;   determine that a freeze protection setting is enabled;   activate a freeze protection mode;   activate a second subset of the plurality of circuits that are indicated to be assigned freeze protection, where activating the second subset causes at least one pump of the plurality of pool or spa devices to turn on and causes at least two valves of the plurality of pool or spa devices to turn on;   prevent a heater of the pool or spa devices from being activated while the freeze protection mode is active;   receive a second ambient temperature from the temperature sensor;   determine that the freeze protection mode is active;   compare the second ambient temperature to the predefined ambient temperature threshold to determine that the second ambient temperature is greater than the predefined ambient temperature threshold, indicating an end of the freeze condition;   deactivate the second subset of the plurality of circuits; and   deactivate the freeze protection mode.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 activate an automatic pool cleaner pump of the pool or spa devices based on a second command of the command data;   force a filter pump of the pool or spa devices to activate prior to activating the automatic pool cleaner pump;   determine that a spa pump of the pool or spa devices has been activated;   automatically deactivate the automatic pool cleaner pump in response to determining that the spa pump has been activated;   automatically activate the automatic pool cleaner pump in response to determining that the spa pump has been deactivated;   determine that a solar heater of the pool or spa devices has been activated; and   automatically deactivate the automatic pool cleaner pump for a predetermined time period in response to determining that the solar heater has been activated.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 determine that a second command of the command data corresponds to a single button press at a user interface of the remote device, the single button press being associated with activating a feature circuit group, wherein the first feature circuit and a second feature circuit are assigned to the feature circuit group, and wherein the second feature circuit corresponds to a second subset of the plurality of circuits and a second logic function; and   simultaneously activate the first feature circuit and the second feature circuit in response to the single button press.   
     
     
         7 . A method comprising:
 establishing a connection over a computer network between a controller of a pool control system and one or more servers of the pool control system, the controller comprising a processor, a memory electronically accessible by the processor, a wireless transceiver in electronic communication with the processor and configured to connect to the computer network, and a plurality of communication ports electrically connecting the controller to at least one pool or spa device, the one or more servers being geographically remote from the controller;   receiving first command data on the one or more servers from a client device configured to display a user interface and to generate the first command data in response to a detected interaction with the user interface;   sending, with the one or more servers, the first command data to the controller;   in response to the first command data, storing, by the processor in the memory of the controller, definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function associated with the first feature circuit, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first plurality of circuits corresponding to the at least one pool or spa device, the first logic function defining how the first plurality of circuits is to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated;   receiving second command data on the one or more servers from the client device, the client device being configured to generate the second command data in response to a second detected interaction with the user interface;   receiving, by the processor, the second command data from the one or more servers; and   in response to the second command data:
 determining, by the processor, that the second command data comprises a command to activate the first feature circuit; 
 obtaining, by the processor, the definitions from the memory; 
 identifying, by the processor, the first plurality of circuits based on the definition of the first feature circuit; and 
 selectively controlling, by the processor, the first plurality of circuits according to the first logic function. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , the one or more servers comprising a first server and a second server, the method further comprising:
 receiving, on the first server, the first command data from the client device;   sending, by the first server, the first command data to the second server via a communication bus; and   sending, by the second server, the first command data to the controller.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one pool or spa device comprises a plurality of submersible lights having a plurality of light circuits, the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor via the one or more servers, third command data, the third command data being generated by the client device in response to a third detected interaction with the user interface; and   in response to the third command data, selectively controlling, by the processor, a subset of the plurality of light circuits corresponding to a subset of the plurality of submersible lights to control colors output by the subset of the plurality of submersible lights, the subset of the plurality of light circuits corresponding to a light group defined in the memory .   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the third command data comprises a swim command, the method further comprising:
 controlling, by the processor, the subset of the plurality of light circuits to synchronize the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to output light of the same color;   controlling, by the processor, the subset of the plurality of light circuits to cause a first light of the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to begin changing color according to a predefined sequence; and   following a predefined period of delay, controlling, by the processor, the subset of the plurality of light circuits to cause a second light of the subset of the plurality of submersible lights to begin changing color according to the predefined sequence, wherein the first light and the second light are defined according to an ordered list associated with the light group.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one pool or spa device includes a temperature sensor, a pump, at least two valves, and a heater, the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor, a first ambient temperature value from the temperature sensor;   comparing, by the processor, the first ambient temperature value to a predefined ambient temperature threshold to determine that the first ambient temperature value is less than or equal to the predefined ambient temperature threshold, defining a freeze condition;   determining, by the processor, that a freeze protection setting is enabled;   activating, by the processor, a freeze protection mode;   activating, by the processor, a second plurality of circuits that are indicated to be assigned freeze protection, where activating the second plurality of circuits causes the pump to turn on and causes the at least two valves to turn on;   preventing, by the processor, the heater from being activated while the freeze protection mode is active;   receiving, by the processor, a second ambient temperature from the temperature sensor;   determining, by the processor, that the freeze protection mode is active;   comparing, by the processor, the second ambient temperature to the predefined ambient temperature threshold to determine that the second ambient temperature is greater than the predefined ambient temperature threshold, indicating an end of the freeze condition;   deactivating, by the processor, the second plurality of circuits; and   deactivating, by the processor, the freeze protection mode.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one pool or spa device includes an automatic pool cleaner pump, a filter pump, a spa pump, and a solar heater, the method further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor via the one or more servers, third command data, the third command data being generated by the client device in response to a third detected interaction with the user interface;   activating, by the processor, the automatic pool cleaner pump in response to the third command data;   automatically forcing, by the processor, the filter pump to activate prior to activating an automatic pool cleaner pump;   determining, by the processor, that the spa pump has been activated;   automatically deactivating, by the processor, the automatic pool cleaner pump in response to determining that the spa pump has been activated;   automatically activating, by the processor, the automatic pool cleaner pump in response to determining that the spa pump has been deactivated;   determining, by the processor, that the solar heater has been activated; and   automatically deactivating, by the processor, the automatic pool cleaner pump for a predetermined time period in response to determining that the solar heater has been activated.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the processor via the one or more servers, third command data, the third command data being generated by the client device in response to a third detected interaction with the user interface; and   determine, by the processor, that the third command data corresponds to a single button press at the user interface, the single button press being associated with activating a feature circuit group, wherein the first feature circuit and a second feature circuit are assigned to the feature circuit group, and wherein the second feature circuit corresponds to a second plurality of circuits corresponding to the at least one pool or spa device and to a second logic function; and   simultaneously activate, by the processor, the first feature circuit and the second feature circuit in response to the single button press.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a first web server communicatively coupled an electronic communication network;   a first web application programming interface (API) server coupled to the first web server;   a database server comprising at least one database, the database server being coupled to the first web API server; and   a control system configured to control and collect system data from a plurality of pool and spa devices, the control system comprising:
 a memory device configured to store computer-readable instructions and to store the system data; and 
 a processor configured to execute the computer-readable instructions, which, when executed, cause the processor to:
 periodically upload the system data to the at least one database via the first web server, the first web API server, and the database server; 
 receive command data from a remote client device via the first web API server and the first web server; 
 store, in response to a first command of the command data, definitions of a first feature circuit and a first logic function in a memory device of the control system, the first feature circuit corresponding to a first set of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices, the first logic function defining how the one or more circuits are to be controlled when the first feature circuit is activated; and 
 in response to a second command of the command data:
 determine that the second command includes a request to activate the first feature circuit; 
 obtain the definitions from the memory device; 
 identify the first set of circuits based on the definitions; and 
 control the first set of circuits according to the first logic function. 
 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the system data comprises alert data, and wherein the first web API server is configured to send a notification of an alert corresponding to the alert data to the remote client device, the notification selected from the group consisting of: an e-mail, a short message service message, and a push notification. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second web server communicatively coupled to the remote client device;   a second web API server coupled to the second web server; and   a load balancer configured to assign the remote client device to the second web server and to assign the control system to the first web server according to a scheduling algorithm.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a communication bus coupled between the second web API server and the first web API server, the communication bus being configured to route the command data from the second web API server to the first web API server.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a web gateway coupled between the remote client device and the load balancer, the web gateway being configured to authenticate the remote client device.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:
 periodically send heartbeat signals to the first web API server;   receive heartbeat acknowledgements from the first web API server;   determine that a predetermined number of expected heartbeat acknowledgements have been dropped; and   automatically terminate, then reestablish a connection between the control system and the first web API server.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the computer-readable instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:
 determine that a third command of the command data corresponds to a single button press detected at a user interface of the remote client device, the single button press being associated with activating a feature circuit group, wherein the first feature circuit and a second feature circuit are assigned to the feature circuit group, and wherein the second feature circuit corresponds to a second set of circuits of the plurality of pool or spa devices and to a second logic function; and   simultaneously activate the first feature circuit and the second feature circuit in response to the single button press.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a remote monitoring server cluster coupled between the control system and the database server, and coupled between a remote viewer client and the database server, the remote monitoring server cluster comprising:
 a first API server configured to receive the system data from the control system and to push the system data to the at least one database of the database server; and 
 a second API server configured to retrieve the system data from the database server, and configured to push the system data to the remote viewer client.