Patent ID: 7921480
Filing Date: 2011-04-12
Classification: E03C,E03D,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A system for controlling a valve of an electronic faucet or bathroom flusher, comprising: a first optical element located at a first optical input port constructed and arranged to define a first field of view having a selected size and orientation that eliminate invalid targets; a first light detector optically coupled to said first input port and constructed to detect ambient light arriving to said first detector from said first field of view; a second optical element located at a second optical input port constructed and arranged to define a second field of view having a selected size and orientation that eliminate invalid targets; a second light detector optically coupled to said second input port and constructed to detect ambient light arriving to said second detector from said second field of view; and a control circuit for controlling opening and closing of a flow valve, said control circuit being constructed to receive first data from said first light detector corresponding to the detected ambient light from said first field of view, and to receive second data from said second light detector corresponding to the detected ambient light from said second field of view, said control circuit being constructed to determine each said opening and closing of said flow valve based on a background level of said ambient light and a light level caused by a user, said control circuit being further constructed to control said opening and closing by executing a detection algorithm employing detection of increase and decrease of said ambient light due to the presence of the user within at least one of said fields of view, wherein said detection algorithm processes detection of said increase of ambient light in one of said fields of view and detection of said decrease of ambient light in the other of said fields of view due to the presence of the user.