Patent ID: 11920327
Assignee: MÉTRICA6 INGENIERÍA Y DESARROLLOS, S.L.
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E | IPC E

Claim 0:
1. A method of operation of a water control system adapted for being installed in a plumbing installation which includes a water supply installation and a gray water collection installation, the water supply installation comprising a supply connection, a general pipe, a branching point in which the general pipe is branched towards a hot water branch and a cold water branch, a non-return valve, situated upstream of the branching point, a water heater, with at least one inlet and at least one outlet, situated in the hot water branch, and at least one cold and/or hot water consumption point with at least one tap and to each one of which a cold pipe arrives coming from the cold water branch and/or a hot water pipe coming from the hot water branch and the gray water collection installation comprising a drain through which the water from a consumption point arrives, a gray water pipe which connects downstream to a gray water utilization pipe, the control system comprising:
at least one power module which comprises a first power supply, a pumping system with variable flow rate, a first electronic controller, at least one first sensor, at least one first signal transceiver, first indicator for notifications, wherein the power module is installed in at least one point of the plumbing installation,
at least one joining module which comprises a second power source, at least one first valve adapted for putting at least two pipes in fluid communication when said first valve is fully open, a second electronic controller, at least one second sensor, at least one second signal transceiver, second indicator for notifications, wherein the joining module is adapted to be situated in at least one point of the plumbing installation,
at least one initiator module which comprises a third power source, activation elements, a third electronic controller, at least one third sensor, at least one third signal transceiver, third indicator for notifications,
at least one IoT communication module which comprises a fourth power supply, a fourth electronic controller, a fourth signal transceiver and fourth indicator for notifications, wherein the IoT communication module is configured to communicate with at least one of the following elements:
i) another module of the water control system, and/or
ii) a sensor external to the IoT communication module and/or
iii) an actuator external to the IoT communication module and/or
iv) a control device external to the IoT communication module,
at least one control and functional extension module which comprises a fifth power supply, at least one second valve adapted for allowing the flow of water in its interior when said second valve is fully open, a fifth electronic controller, at least one fourth sensor, at least one fifth signal transceiver, fifth indicator for notifications, a functional extension bay wherein the control and functional extension module is adapted for being installed at any point between the water supply connection of the water supply installation and the branching point including the supply connection itself and the branching itself,
wherein each module comprises a physical communication interface; and wherein the electronic controller of each module has a memory where the information relating to the characteristics and the operation of the water control system is stored and which are configured for managing methods of operation of the water control system and for managing at least one time variable control element, the method comprising the steps of:
a) proceeding from the water control system whose modules are in a rest state, the third electronic controller receives an activation and/or stop condition, generated by a user or by the water control system itself automatically; which means a change of state of the water control system from rest to operation,
b) the third electronic controller processes the received condition, determining the action to be executed in each module,
c) the initiator module executes the action determined by its controller and sends, using the signal transceiver, a signal to each module with information on the action which each module should execute and, in parallel, sends signals to indicate the method of operation by way of the indicator for notifications,
d) each module of the system, receives the original signal from the initiator module by way of its signal transceiver, being processed by its controller, and executed by at least one controlled element of: a pumping system, a valve, a sensor, an external actuator, an external control device, or an element coupled in the functional extension bay,
e) by way of the indicator for notifications, the at least one module indicates the receipt of the information and the initiation of the method of operation, and sends a return signal to the initiator module by way of the signal transceiver so that it recognizes the initiation of the operation, which is maintained, by way of the controlled elements, until at least one new activation and/stop condition is detected which returns the modules to the rest state,
f) when an activation and/or stop condition is identified in at least one controller, said controller interrupts the operation of its controlled element, sending a signal to the rest of the modules by way of the signal transceiver, and sending signals of the finalization of the method of operation by way of the indicator for notifications,
g) a detection signal of an activation and/or stop condition is received by the rest of the modules which interrupt the operation of its controlled elements, sending signals of the finalization of the method of operation by way of the indicator for notifications, and sending a signal with information indicating the availability of the water control system for an operation restart to the third electronic controller using the signal transceiver,
h) the information of the executed method of operation is stored in a database of at least one controller, the modules remaining in their original rest state awaiting a new activation and/or stop condition.