Patent ID: 7398138

Claim:
A system for controlling aspects of a recreational environment including a water-containing vessel and associated pipes, the system comprising: a. first means for accepting control input from a user, such control input comprising a permitted range of values of at least one of pH or oxidation reduction potential (ORP) of water contained in the vessel; b. means for controlling, based at least in part on the accepted control input, equipment (i) remote from the first accepting means and (ii) configured to affect one or more characteristics of water contained in the vessel, the equipment comprising at least one chemical dispensers, at least one automatic pool cleaner or in-floor pool cleaner, and at least one heater or pump; c. a first sensor adapted to measure a first value of pH or oxidation-reduction potential of water contained in the vessel; and d. a second sensor adapted to measure a second value of temperature of the water contained in the vessel or temperature of ambient air adjacent water contained in the vessel; and in which the control means comprises: (i) means for (A) comparing the first value to the control input and (B) activating the chemical dispenser when the first value is not within the permitted range of values; (ii) means for (A) comparing the second value to a third value and B activating at least one of the heater or pump if the comparison of the second value to the third value indicates water in the pipes is subject to freezing; and (iii) means for assigning a hierarchy to control input such that control input cannot preempt comparison of the second value to the third value while the system is operational.