US 11,724,945 B2
Systems and methods for water softener salt level detection using smart sensor
Ramakrishna Budampati, Woodbury, MN (US); and John Stauch, Minneapolis, MN (US)
Assigned to PENTAIR RESIDENTIAL FILTRATION, LLC, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed by Pentair Residential Filtration, LLC, Brookfield, WI (US)
Filed on Feb. 12, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/789,259.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/805,078, filed on Feb. 13, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0255301 A1, Aug. 13, 2020
Int. Cl. C02F 1/00 (2023.01); C02F 1/42 (2023.01)
CPC C02F 1/008 (2013.01) [C02F 1/42 (2013.01); C02F 2001/425 (2013.01); C02F 2209/006 (2013.01); C02F 2209/008 (2013.01); C02F 2209/42 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for monitoring the salt level of a brine tank, the system comprising:
a water softener system comprising:
a brine tank including a cover;
a sensor device attached to an interior of the cover of the brine tank, the sensor device comprising:
a sensor configured to measure distance along a principal axis, and
a wireless transceiver configured to communicatively connect to a user device and a gateway device; and
a remote server configured to communicatively connect to the user device and to the wireless transceiver of the sensor device through the gateway device;
the user device comprising a processor configured to execute instructions for:
performing a calibration to account for a capacity of the brine tank, the calibration comprising:
receiving, from the sensor device, a first distance measurement corresponding to a first fill level of the brine tank,
after the first distance measurement has been received, requesting salt be added to the brine tank, and
after salt has been added to the brine tank, receiving, from the sensor device, a second distance measurement corresponding to a second fill level of the brine tank,
wherein the capacity of the brine tank is accounted for based on at least the first distance measurement, the second distance measurement, and a quantity of salt added between receiving the first distance measurement and receiving the second distance measurement.