Abstract:
A fountain which allows interaction by the viewer which alters the fountain&#39;s water display. An apparatus and method are disclosed wherein a person viewing the fountain may provide a control indication which causes the fountain display to vary. The preferred embodiment uses an ultrasonic sensor to determine the height of a viewer&#39;s hand above a sensor and the water pressure delivered to the fountain is adjusted according to position of the viewer&#39;s hand. The invention may use a single or a plurality of sensors to control different groups of jets thereby allowing a large variety of fountain design options.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention concerns the field of ornamental and decorative water fountains, and more particularly addresses fountains whose operation is interactively controlled by a viewer.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Ornamental and decorative water fountains are used in many different environments for a variety of reasons. Ornamental and decorative water fountains typically consist of a water pump which provides pressurized water to one or more output nozzles. The nozzles may be designed to cause the water to exit the nozzle in one of a variety of ways that cause a unique visual effect. Such water fountains are typically configured so that the water output through the nozzles sprays into the air and lands into a collection basin. The collection basin collects most or all of the water sprayed through the nozzles and that water is then re-circulated through the water pump to be again ejected through nozzles for display.  
           [0003]    Decorative or ornamental water fountains are typically constructed so as to be aesthetically pleasing. The size of such fountains may range from relatively small to large enough to be considered architectural features of a building or park. Such fountains may also include physical features which only serve an aesthetic function, such as statues, decorative walls, etc. The placement of the nozzles and the form of the outlet stream are usually selected so as to enhance the aesthetic features of the fountain.  
           [0004]    The benefits of an ornamental or decorative water fountain may also include the pleasant sound generated by the spray of the water and the water&#39;s landing upon the collection basin or other fountain features. The so-called “pink noise” generated by most fountains is not only soothing to the listener, but may be used to mask other sounds in the area of the fountain.  
           [0005]    Ornamental and decorative water fountains sometimes have several nozzles which may be pointed in different directions and/or configured to emit a spray in different patterns. Different nozzles may also be supplied with different or varying water pressures. A fountain design may include varying the water pressure over time in order to create a more time varying or dynamic display for the viewer.  
           [0006]    Larger water fountains are sometimes used as play areas for children. A large collection basin may be placed at or near ground level so that children may enter the basin and play in the water that is sprayed from the nozzles. The water collection basin of such a fountain may also be integrated into a walkway so as to be more inviting for persons or children to enter the fountain.  
           [0007]    Fountains also may incorporate non-water features such as light displays and acoustic displays.  
           [0008]    A drawback to prior art fountains is that they tend to be monotonous. Most fountains only emit water through nozzles and provide illumination and/or sound at a fixed rate and pattern. More elaborate fountains may vary the nozzles used or the pressure, or the illumination and/or sound if used, through the nozzles so as to alter the fountain&#39;s characteristics. Such varying of features is achieved through a pre-programmed pattern that may or may not fit the viewer&#39;s mood or attention span.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    It is an object of the present invention to provide additional functionality to ornamental or decorative water fountains.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide a means of allowing one or more persons to interact with an ornamental or decorative water fountain.  
           [0011]    It is yet a further object of the present invention to allow fountain designers to design ornamental or decorative fountains that have a display that may be interactively varied by one or more viewers of the fountain.  
           [0012]    The present invention satisfies these and further objectives by providing an apparatus and method of allowing a viewer to control a water fountain. The present invention allows a viewer to place a hand or other object above a sensor that detects and measures the distance that the hand or other object is above that sensor and the height of a fountain spray is adjusted, and/or other features may be adjusted by the provision of additional sensors accordingly. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    These and further features and advantages of the present invention are described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a view of an ornamental fountain including buried components utilized by the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a user interface utilized by the present invention; and  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 a  is an illustration showing the present invention operating without interaction by the user;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 b  is an illustration showing the present invention with the user controlling the fountain to create a short fountain spray; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 c  is an illustration showing the present invention with the user controlling the fountain to create a higher fountain spray. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    An illustration of the components of the preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 1. The major components of the present invention are a fountain  100  with a physical water fountain structure  110 ; one or more nozzles  104  that spray a water jet  105  in a desired fashion; one or more variable speed pumps  103  that pump water under pressure into the nozzles  104 ; a user interface  101 , a controller  102  to control the variable speed pumps  103  in response to a control signal received from the user interface  101 ; and a water collection basin  108 . In its most essential form, which is elaborated below, the present invention provides a water fountain  100  which has water jets  105  whose heights are controlled by a user or users who place a hand some distance above at least one user interface  101  to control fountain features such as water spray height, illumination color and/or intensity, and/or sound output.  
         [0020]    The design of the physical water fountain structure  110 , placement of the nozzles  104  and the arrangement of the nozzles  104  and water collection basin  108  are well known to practitioners in the relevant arts and is usually driven by aesthetic concerns. The physical water fountain  110  incorporates one or more nozzles  104  that are configured to spray water into the air in a decorative and aesthetically pleasing fashion. The nozzles  104  of the preferred embodiment are supplied with water under pressure that is provided by one or more variable speed pumps  103 . The pressure supplied by the variable speed pump  103  may be adjusted by adjusting the speed of the variable speed pumps  103 . The speed of the variable speed pumps  103  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention are controlled by one or more controllers  102 . In the preferred embodiment, the variable speed pumps  103  utilize variable frequency AC motors, and controllers  102  produce a variable frequency power output to drive those motors at the desired speed. User interface  101  of the preferred embodiment generates a variable voltage indicating the water pressure desired to be produced by the variable speed pump  103 . The voltage produced by the user interface  101  is received by controller  102  which varies the speed of the associated variable speed pumps  103  in response thereto. Controller  102  of the preferred embodiment is a digital computer equipped with suitable analog-to-digital converters, digital-to-analog converters, programming, power supplies and other ancillary equipment as needed to supply and control the variable speed pumps  103 . A controller  102  and ancillary and appurtenant equipment may be readily designed by practitioners in the relevant arts. The variable speed pumps  103  may be one of a variety of designs which are also known to practitioners in the relevant arts.  
         [0021]    The physical fountain structure  110  may incorporate a plurality of nozzles  104  of which each spray water into different directions, into one of several directions or into different patterns. Each of such a plurality of nozzles  104  may also be driven with different water pressure, supplied by separate variable speed pumps  103 , so as to cause a variety of water spray effects. This plurality of nozzles  104  may be alternatively organized into nozzle groups  106 , wherein each nozzle  104  within a nozzle group  106  is supplied by a common variable speed pump  103 . Such a nozzle group  106  will then have the spray of each nozzle  104  within that nozzle group  106  adjusted in unison with all other nozzles  104  within the same nozzle group  106  as the associated variable speed pump  103  is adjusted. Providing a plurality of nozzle groups  106 , each supplied with water from an associated variable speed pump  103 , allows a wider variety of water spray configurations.  
         [0022]    The exemplary water fountain  100  illustrated in FIG. 1 consists of three nozzle groups  106 ,  106   a  and  106   b  that each comprise a plurality of nozzles  104  that are arranged in a circle. FIG. 1 shows the three nozzle groups  105  as each arranged in circles which are concentric with one other. Each nozzle group  105  in FIG. 1 is supplied with water under variable pressure from a corresponding variable speed pump  103 . FIG. 1 illustrates two variable speed pumps for clarity of illustration, with a not-illustrated third variable speed pump suppling the third nozzle group  105   b.    
         [0023]    The detail design of the user interface  101  utilized by the preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 2. The user interface  101  of the preferred embodiment utilizes an ultrasonic range detection system to determine the distance to an object, such as a hand of a user or other objects, that is placed above the user interface. The user interface  101  utilizes an ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  in order to generate pulsed ultrasonic sound waves that are emitted vertically from the user interface  101  and to receive the reflected ultrasonic sound waves that are reflected from the object above the user interface  101 . The ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  will then transform the measured distance to the object into a proportional output voltage which is output along a cable  205  to the controller  102  in order to control the water pressure delivered to the one or more nozzles associated with interface  101 . The design of such an ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  which measures the distance to an object and which then produces an output voltage that is proportional to the measured distance is readily achieved by practitioners in the relevant arts. Alternative embodiments of the present invention may utilize user interfaces which produce a digital output that represents the distance that the user&#39;s hand is above the user interface  101 . The cable  205  may be a pair of wires, as in the preferred embodiment, or other communications means such as fiber optic cables or wireless communications.  
         [0024]    In order to improve the ruggedness of the user interface against the elements, extended use and even vandalism, the user interface  101  of the preferred embodiment utilizes an indirect ultrasonic beam  204  to measure the distance to the object that is placed above the user interface  101 . The ultrasonic sound wave in the preferred embodiment is generated by the ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  such that the initial ultrasonic wave  206  is emitted in a direction that is to an angle, for example; perpendicular, to the ultimate output ultrasonic wave  204  of the user interface. The initial ultrasonic wave  206  is emitted from the ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  and is directed toward reflector  202 . In the preferred embodiment, reflector  202  is mounted so as to form a forty five degree angle with the initial ultrasonic wave  206  and the output ultrasonic wave  204 . It is obvious that other angles between the reflector  202  and initial ultrasonic wave  206  and output ultrasonic wave  204  are possible with corresponding adjustment of the location of ultrasonic transducer  201  relative to reflector  202 . After the initial ultrasonic wave  206  impinges upon reflector  202 , it become the output ultrasonic wave  204  which is directed toward the user interface ultrasonic port  203 . The user interface ultrasonic port  203  may simply be an opening or, as in the preferred embodiment, an opening that is covered with a solid material that is transparent to the ultrasonic wave  204  generated by interface  101 . Such a solid material covering of the ultrasonic port  203  will decrease the vulnerability of the user interface to debris and other objects which might enter an uncovered user interface ultrasonic port  203 .  
         [0025]    It is obvious that a large variety of alternative designs exist for the user interface  101 . A user interface  101  may use a direct ultrasonic beam wherein the output of the ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  is directly output through the interface ultrasonic port  203 . Such a design might correspond to mounting the ultrasonic transducer/receiver  201  so as to emit the initial ultrasonic wave  206  vertically and directly through the user interface ultrasonic port. Alternative embodiments of the present invention may also use range detection means based upon radio waves, light waves or other techniques which are known to practitioners in the relevant arts.  
         [0026]    The operation of the present invention is illustrated in the three subparts of FIG. 3. For simplicity of illustration, fountain  100  in each of the three parts of FIG. 3 is shown to have only one nozzle  104  and corresponding spray  105 . The single user  301  and nozzle  104  shown in FIG. 3 may, of course, be expanded to a plurality of nozzles  104 , which may or may be grouped into nozzle groups  106 , wherein each nozzle  104  or nozzle group  106  is controlled by a separate user interface  101  and user  301 .  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 a  illustrates a user  301  observing fountain  100 . The user  301  is shown standing near a user interface  101  but the user  301  has not yet placed his hand above the user interface  101 . FIG. 3 a  illustrates a fountain that is operating without interaction by a user  301 . In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle  104  is emitting a spray  105  with a default height established by the design of the fountain  100 . Alternative embodiments may provide that no spray is provided in the absence of interaction by the user  301 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 b  illustrates interaction by the user  301  with the fountain. In the preferred embodiment, the user  301  interacts with the fountain by placing his or her hand  302  at a distance above the user interface unit  101 . FIG. 3 b  illustrates the user  301  placing his or her hand  302  at a relatively short distance above the user interface  101 . The output ultrasonic wave  204   a  in this scenario travels a relatively short distance before being reflected back into the user interface  101 . The user interface therefore monitors the indication by the user, i.e. the distance of the user&#39;s hand  302  above the user interface  101 , and correspondingly produces an output voltage along cable  205  to establish an input into controller  102 . Upon receipt of the voltage along cable  205 , controller  102  responds by establishing a control output to the corresponding variable speed pump  103  which adjusts the water pressure delivered to nozzle  104  so as to cause a short water spray  105   a  to be emitted from nozzle  104 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 c  illustrates interaction by the user with the fountain wherein the user has placed his or her hand a greater distance above the user interface. The correspondingly longer propagation of the output ultrasonic wave  204   b  in this scenario causes the user interface  101  to output a correspondingly higher output voltage to communicate the monitored indication by the user, i.e. the higher placed hand. The controller  102  responds to the higher input voltage, and therefore the indication provided by the user, by increasing the speed of the variable speed pump  103  so as to adjust the water pressure delivered to nozzle  104 . This higher pressure causes the higher output spray  105   b  to be emitted and viewed by user  301 . As long as the user  301  maintains the height of his or her hand at a given level, the height of the fountain spray  105   b  will remain constant. The user  301  may keep his or her hand  302  above the user interface  101  and raise and lower that hand  302  and the height of the spray  105  will correspondingly and continuously raise and lower in response thereto.  
         [0030]    The ornamental fountain may be a conventional fountain or may alternatively be a fountain which allows children or persons to enter into the water spray. The latter type of fountain may utilize nozzles  104  that are incorporated into walkways in order to increase the accessability into the fountain by children or other persons.  
         [0031]    Embodiments of the present invention may utilize multiple user interfaces  101  to control multiple nozzles  104  or nozzle groups  105 . Fountains may be designed which incorporate more involved control logic which allows combinations of user indications observed by the user interfaces  101  so that the emission of each nozzle or nozzle group is a combination of a plurality of user indications.  
         [0032]    In addition or in the alternative, the invention also contemplates the utilization of interactive controls for controlling light and/or sound features of a decorative fountain. The control arrangement set forth above can be applied to vary the output of an illumination system within the fountain and/or sound effects in a manor which will occur to those of skills in the art.  
         [0033]    Alternatively, the ultrasonic sensor and pedestal arrangements can be replaced by any other interactive control arrangement such as knobs, dials, switches, voice command controls and the like without departing from the scope hereof. All that is required is an interactive control arrangement to permit users near by a decorative water fountain to control the various features, e.g. water jets, illumination, sound, etc., from a safe distance in proximity to the fountain.  
         [0034]    Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.