IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,641,156
Granted Patent B2
US 12,641,156 · App. 18/664,779 · Granted May 26, 2026

Water management system and user interface

Inventors: William Leannah (Milwaukee, WI); Anthony Wilcox (Milwaukee, WI); Richard J. Miezin (Milwaukee, WI); Larry Le (Milwaukee, WI); Michael Job (Milwaukee, WI); Glen Trickle (Milwaukee, WI); Kurt Drier (Milwaukee, WI); Mike Troutman (Milwaukee, WI); Andrew Roy (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: ZURN WATER, LLC
H04L67/12H04W4/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,641,156
App. No.
18/664,779
Filed
May 15, 2024
Granted
May 26, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2689
USPC
340/3.1
Abstract

A water management system including a first end point device in communication with a first fixture, the first end point including a first end point electronic processor configured to receive data associated with the first fixture and a first fixture identifier. The water management system also includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one electronic processor to perform a set of functions, such as receiving the data associated with the first fixture and the first fixture identifier, associating the first fixture identifier with a first location classification and a first type classification, processing the data associated with the first fixture to organize the data based at least in part on the first location classification associated with the first fixture identifier or the first type classification associated with the first fixture identifier, and transmitting the organized data of the first fixture to a user device for display.

Claims (35)

1 . A water management system comprising:

an end point device communicatively coupled to a fixture, wherein the end point device includes a first end point electronic processor configured to activate the fixture; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one electronic processor to perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising:

receiving, from a remote device, a command for activating the fixture, wherein the command includes at least one of a duration time, a flow rate, a target volume, and a scheduled activation time;

storing the received command until an activation time associated with the command is reached;

receiving data from the fixture relating to a completed activation, the data including flow criteria associated with the completed activation;

storing the received data in response to an absence of at least one of network connectivity and electricity; and

transmitting the data to the remote device.

2 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture includes a faucet, a flush valve, a backflow preventer, a grease interceptor, a drain, a soap dispenser, a water service line monitor, an acid neutralization system, a fire distribution system, an irrigation system, a thermostatic mixing valve, a hand dryer, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, a valve sensor, or a flow meter.

3 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture comprises an electro-mechanical (EM) element and wherein activating the fixture includes controlling the EM element within the fixture.

4 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein activation of the fixture includes at least one of a flushing event and a dispensing event.

5 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the scheduled activation time includes a day of the week, a week of the month, or a given time of day.

6 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein activation of the fixture is pre-set to occur when an operational parameter is met; and wherein the operational parameter includes a pre-determined time interval elapsed since a last use of the fixture.

7 . The water management system of claim 1 , wherein the fixture is further configured to be in a lockout condition when a safety parameter is met; and wherein, when the fixture is in the lockout condition, the activation of the fixture is delayed.

8 . The water management system of claim 7 , wherein the safety parameter includes detecting a user in proximity to the fixture.

9 . The water management system of claim 7 , wherein the safety parameter includes a fault condition detected by the end point device.

10 . A water management system comprising:

a first fixture including an electro-mechanical (EM) element;

an end point device including a first end point electronic processor communicatively coupled to the fixture, the end point device being configured to activate the EM element; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one electronic processor to perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising:

associating the first fixture with a location classification and a type classification;

organizing the first fixture into a grouping of fixtures, wherein the grouping of fixtures is based on at least one of the location classification and the type classification;

receiving, from a remote device, a command for activating at least one fixture of the grouping of fixtures, wherein the command includes at least one of a duration time, a flow rate, a target volume, and a scheduled activation time;

determining, based on usage data of the first fixture, whether to execute the received command;

activating the EM element to perform a flush cycle in accordance with the received command, including controlling fluid flow to satisfy at least one of the duration time, flow rate, or target volume specified in the command, when the command is executed;

receiving data from the first fixture relating to a completed activation, the data including flow criteria associated with the completed activation; and

transmitting the data to the remote device.

11 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein EM element includes a valve configured to selectively open or close to allow or prevent fluid flow, respectively, through the first fixture.

12 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein the command may be repeatedly transmitted until a target volume is met.

13 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein associating the first fixture with the location classification includes associating the first fixture with a building in which the first fixture is located, associating the first fixture with a floor on which the first fixture is located, associating the first fixture with a room in which the first fixture is located, and associating the first fixture with a region in which the first fixture is located.

14 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein associating the first fixture with the type classification includes identifying the first fixture as one of a faucet, a flush valve, a soap dispenser, a water service line monitor, a backflow preventer, a grease interceptor, a roof drain, a floor drain, an acid neutralization system, a fire distribution system, an irrigation system, a thermostatic mixing valve, a hand dryer, a pressure sensor, a flow sensor, or a valve sensor.

15 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein the command received from the remote device is a group command configured to selectively activate one or more fixtures associated with the same type classification or location classification.

16 . The water management system of claim 15 , wherein organizing the first fixture into a grouping of fixtures includes assigning the first fixture into a first sub-group and a second sub-group, and wherein activation of the first fixture is selectively performed based on a selection of at least one of the first sub-group and the second sub-group.

17 . The water management system of claim 10 , wherein the usage data includes a number of activations of the first fixture.

18 . The water management system of claim 17 , wherein determining whether to execute the received command includes comparing the usage data against a usage threshold, the usage threshold being a minimum flow frequency.

Assignments (3)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2026
From: WORLD DRYER CORPORATION; EMC WATER LLC; ZURN WATER, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 074945/0904 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2025
From: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
To: ZURN WATER, LLC
Reel/Frame 070231/0698 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 17, 2025
From: LEANNAH, WILLIAM; WILCOX, TONY; MIEZIN, RICHARD J.; SAARI, PAUL; CHOURASIA, ANSHUMAN; ORR, WILLIAM M.; LE, LARRY; JOB, MICHAEL; ANDERSON, WARREN; NYE, ADAM; PESCH, KRYSTAL; FUSI, TAMANJONG; MOLINARO, FRANK; TRICKLE, GLEN; DRIER, KURT; LANGAN, RYAN; PALMER, RYAN; CHAKRABORTY, ARI; TROUTMAN, MIKE; ROY, ANDREW
To: ZURN INDUSTRIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 070240/0196 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 17114441 · Dec 7, 2020
Provisional Application 63059757 · Jul 31, 2020
Provisional Application 63007910 · Apr 9, 2020
Provisional Application 62962024 · Jan 16, 2020
Provisional Application 62944930 · Dec 6, 2019
Related Publication 20240297917A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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