Systems and Methods to Adjust and/or Upgrade Configurations of Water Heaters
A water heater including a controller is disclosed. The controller may obtain a command signal from an external device and upgrade a water heater configuration from a base configuration to an upgraded configuration based on the command signal. The water heater may be configured to operate at a higher or lower heating capacity or has a higher or lower count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration.
The present application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/745,857, filed Jan. 16, 2025, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
FIELDThe present disclosure relates to systems and methods to enable a distributor or an end user to adjust and/or upgrade the configuration of a water heater.
BACKGROUNDWater heaters are offered for sale in a variety of configurations, sizes, etc. For example, water heaters available for sale may have different heating capacities (e.g., 100, 200, 250, or 300 British Thermal Units (BTUs) and/or different gallons per hour (GPH) capabilities). Water heaters may also have different features, different tank sizes, and/or the like. Wholesalers or distributors typically store models of different water heaters in their stock to cater to customer demands. Stocking a large count of discretely configured water heaters may increase the inventory cost.
Further, it may be challenging for a distributor to predict the specific model that a customer or a contractor may desire to buy, and thus the distributor may not have the specific model in inventory that the customer desires to purchase. This may cause inconvenience to both the distributor and the customer.
It may be difficult for a distributor to determine an optimal mix of different water heater models to stock in the inventory, which caters to the demands of most of the customers, while at the same time optimizing inventory resources.
The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and/or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and/or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and/or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.
The present disclosure is directed towards a system and method for upgrading the configuration of a water heater. Specifically, the system may enable a wholesaler, distributor, contractor, or end user to conveniently upgrade a configuration of a water heater (e.g., by increasing the water heater's heating capacity, enabling one or more additional features, and/or the like). The water heater may be a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a heat pump water heater, or a water heater that includes any other type or combination of heating elements. Therefore, the system may enable a wholesaler, distributor, contractor, or end user to upgrade the configuration of any type of water heater.
It is known that water heaters that are available for sale have different heating capacities, tank sizes, features, etc. To cater to the customer demands, a distributor may store different models of water heaters in the distributor's inventory. This may consume considerable storage space at the distributor's warehouse and may significantly increase the inventory cost/resources. Further, in some instances, to optimize the inventory resources, the distributor may not store all the available water heater models and may only store the “best-selling” models. Such an approach may cause inconvenience to both the distributor and the customer when the customer desires to check and/or purchase a model that is not available in the distributor's inventory. The system, as disclosed in the present disclosure, enables the distributor (and the entire distributor-to-end user value chain) to overcome the challenges described above and to optimize the inventory resources, while at the same ensuring that customer demands are met, as described below.
In accordance with the present disclosure, a water heater's Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) may ship a plurality of “base” water heaters to the distributor, instead of shipping multiple water heaters of different models/configurations. In some aspect, a base water heater may have a base or basic configuration and a specific tank size (e.g., when the water heater is a tank water heater). In an exemplary aspect, the water heaters shipped by the OEM may have the lowest possible heating capacity and/or the lowest count of features enabled when the water heaters are in the base configuration. For example, the OEM may ship a base water heater with a tank size of 80 gallons, having a heating capacity of 100k British Thermal Units (BTUs) (or lowest possible gallons per hour (GPH) capability), and having the lowest possible count of water heater features enabled that would be needed to make the water heater operational in its lowest possible configuration. In a similar manner, the OEM may ship base water heaters having tank sizes of 100 and 120 gallons, having heating capacities of 100k BTUs, and having the lowest possible count of water heater features enabled.
As an example, in the scenario described above, the OEM may ship 25 base water heaters of 80 gallons tank size, 25 base water heaters of 100 gallons tank size, and 25 base water heaters of 120 gallons tank size to the distributor. This is contrast to the conventional practice, in which the OEM may typically send multiple water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 100k, 200k, 250k, 300k, etc. BTU, and having different sets of features enabled or disabled in each model. For example, the OEM may conventionally ship 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 200k, 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 250k, 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 300k, and some of these models may have advanced features enabled (e.g., BACnet, energy-saver mode, boost or high demand mode, etc. features enabled) while others may have such features disabled. In the conventional practice, the OEM may similarly ship multiple water heaters of 100 and 120 gallons tank size with different heating capacities and features enabled.
It may be appreciated that when the OEM implements the conventional practice, the distributor may receive a large number of water heaters that may require considerable inventory space and resources. On the other hand, when the OEM implements the approach disclosed in the present disclosure of shipping only the base water heaters to the distributor, the distributor may not be required to store multiple water heaters of different configurations but may only store a limited count of base water heaters. The system, as disclosed in the present disclosure, enables the distributor to “upgrade” the base water heater's configuration from the base configuration to an upgraded configuration based on customer's request/requirements, thereby enabling the distributor to “change” the base water heater to an “upgraded” water heater that may have the required heating capacity desired by the customer and/or may have the advanced features enabled (or disabled), as desired by the customer. The details of the system are briefly described below and described in detail later in the description below.
In some aspects, the system may include a first computing device (which may be, for example, a server or a computing unit associated with the OEM), a second computing device (which may be, for example, a user device associated with the distributor), and the base water heater(s) shipped by the OEM to the distributor. When a customer (e.g., a contractor or an end user/facility manager) desires to purchase a water heater from the distributor, the customer may share information associated with the heating capacity of the water heater desired by the customer, one or more additional features (over the “base” features that may already be enabled in the base water heater) that the customer desires to enable in the water heater, the desired fuel type for the water heater (if the water heater is a gas water heater), and/or the like.
Responsive to receiving the information from the customer, the distributor may use the second computing device to generate a “user request” that includes an identifier (e.g., serial number) of the base water heater to be upgraded and the information obtained from the customer as described above. In one exemplary aspect, the water heater's identifier may be visible/attached on the water heater body, and the distributor may manually enter the identifier on the second computing device to generate the user request (i.e., a request to “upgrade” the water heater). In another exemplary aspect, a Quick Response (QR) code or an NFC/UWB tag may be attached on the water heater body, and the distributor may scan the code/tag by using the second computing device to obtain the identifier and generate the user request. In yet another aspect, the water heater (specifically a controller of the water heater) may automatically transmit the identifier to the second computing device, via Bluetooth, NFC, wired connection, etc. when the distributor places the second computing device in proximity to the water heater or connects the second computing device with the water heater.
Responsive to generating the user request, the second computing device may transmit the user request to the first computing device. The first computing device may generate a command signal based on the user request and transmit the command signal to the water heater's controller directly or via the second computing device. Since the first computing device generates the command signal based on the user request (which is indicative of the water heater's heating capacity desired by the customer, one or more additional water heater features to be enabled (or disabled) as desired by the customer, etc.), the command signal is based on or associated with a required configuration of the water heater as desired by the customer.
Responsive to obtaining the command signal from the first computing device, the water heater's controller (“controller”) may adjust the operating parameters of one or more water heater components to upgrade the water heater configuration from the base configuration to an upgraded configuration based on the command signal (and hence based on the user requirements/preferences). For example, the controller may adjust the gas valve opening size, the air inlet opening size, the blower speed settings, or the like when the customer desires to upgrade the heating capacity from 100 BTUs to 250 BTUs (when the water heater is a gas water heater), as determined via the command signal. As another example, the controller may adjust a voltage output or a current modulation of the water heater when the customer desires to upgrade the GPH capability of the water heater (when the water heater is an electric water heater), as determined via the command signal. In some aspects, the controller may turn ON or OFF one or more water heater capabilities or features as well based on the command signal. For example, the controller may turn OFF or ON the BACnet communication depending on how the water heater is being configured.
As another example, the controller may change the fuel type of the water heater from natural gas to Liquid Propane (LP) or vice-versa based on the customer preferences, as determined via the command signal. As yet another example, the controller may adjust a vent capacity or an amount of air allowed to enter a combustion chamber of the water heater (when the water heater is a gas water heater) based on the command signal and/or an elevation above sea level of a geographical area where the water heater may be located.
It may be appreciated that as the elevation above sea level increases, the oxygen available to the water heater drops. This may lead to 15-20% de-rating of the water heater (e.g., instead of 400 BTUs that may be listed on the water heater, the customer may receive just 320 BTUs, if the water heater was tested at sea level and the water heater is installed at 5000 feet above sea level). In this case, to prevent such a de-rating of the water heater, the distributor may input in the user request the elevation above sea level at which the water heater may get installed and transmit the user request to the first computing device. The first computing device may then determine an optimal operating state of one or more water heater components (e.g., the water heater blower, air inlet valve/vent capacity, etc.) to compensate for the loss of oxygen at the elevation provided by the distributor. The first computing device may then generate and transmit the command signal to the controller based on the determined optimal operating state, which may then automatically cause the water heater components to operate at the optimal operating state. In this manner, the first computing device may prevent the de-rating of the water heater due to elevation above sea above of the geographical area where the water heater may be located.
In additional or alternative aspects, the controller may itself determine the elevation above sea level of the geographical area where the water heater may be located (e.g., based on inputs obtained from one or more water heater sensors), and may automatically adjust the vent capacity or the amount of air allowed to enter the combustion chamber of the water heater, the blower operational state, and/or the like, based on the determined elevation.
In further aspects, the controller may enable (or disable) additional features of the water heater (e.g., Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) feature, transmission of regular health and usage reports associated with the water heater to customer's device, feature to limit a set point range associated with the water heater, feature to enable energy saver or high demand/boost mode, etc.) based on the command signal obtained from the first computing device (and hence based on the customer preferences/requirements).
In some aspects, the water heater may be considered to be upgraded to an “upgraded configuration” based on the customer preferences/requirements when the controller makes the changes to the water heater described above. Responsive to the water heater's configuration being upgraded from the base configuration to the upgraded configuration as described above, the distributor may ship the upgraded water heater to the customer (e.g., the facility manager). In this manner, the customer may receive the water heater in the configuration desired by the customer, and at the same time, the distributor is not required to stock multiple water heaters of different configurations in the inventory. The distributor may just upgrade the base water heater to whatever configuration that may be required by the customer to effectively meet the customer's requirements, while at the same time optimizing the inventory resources.
Further, responsive to the water heater's configuration being upgraded from the base configuration to the upgraded configuration as described above (or responsive to receiving the user request for water heater upgrade from the second computing device), the first computing device may generate an invoice and transmit the invoice to the second computing device. Specifically, in an exemplary aspect, the OEM may transmit (via the first computing device) two invoices to the distributor. The OEM may transmit a first invoice to the distributor when the OEM ships the base water heater to the distributor, which may be less than a total price of the water heater (e.g., may be 70% of the total price). The OEM may further transmit a second invoice to the distributor when the distributor upgrades the base water heater to the upgraded configuration as described above. In some aspects, the second invoice may be associated with the finalized heating capacity of the water heater and/or the add-on features enabled by the customer in the water heater. For example, the second invoice may be for the remaining 30% of the total price (or more or less, depending on the configuration/features selected by the customer).
In certain embodiments, (1) the base water heater is in an operational state prior to upgrade; (2) the OEM server generates a “command signal” from a distributor-sourced “user request” and transmits it to the controller (sometimes via the distributor device); (3) the explicit feature toggling (e.g., BACnet enable/disable, setpoint limit, usage/health reports), fuel-type switching, and elevation-based vent/blower may be adjusted; and/or (4) there may be an explicit two-invoice flow tied to base unit shipment and later upgrade.
Although the description above describes an aspect where the distributor upgrades the water heater before shipping the water heater to the customer, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In additional aspects, the customer may also upgrade the water heater configuration in a similar manner as described above, after the distributor ships the water heater to the customer. For example, the customer (e.g., the contractor, the end-user, the facility manager, etc.) may add more features to the water heater (e.g., enable an energy saver mode, purchase extended warranty, etc.) in the same manner as the distributor upgrades the base water heater as described above. In this manner, the system additionally enables the customer to upgrade the water heater anytime in the field. Further system details are described in the description below in conjunction with
Although certain examples of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other examples, embodiments, and implementations of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a variety of examples and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter is described in the context of being a system and method for upgrading a water heater. The present disclosure, however, is not so limited, and can be applicable in other contexts.
Turning now to the drawings,
The system 100 may include a plurality of components/units including, but not limited to, a water heater 102, a first computing device 104 (or an “external device”), a second computing device 106, a third computing device 108, and/or the like, which may be communicatively coupled with each other via one or more networks 110. The network(s) 110 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in various embodiments of this disclosure may communicate. The network(s) 110 may be and/or include the Internet, a private network, public network or other configuration that operates using any one or more known communication protocols such as transmission control protocol/Internet protocol (TCP/IP), Bluetooth®, Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Wi-Fi based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, Ultra-wideband (UWB), and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.
The first computing device 104 may be a server, cloud or a distributed computing system associated with a water heater OEM 112, which may be configured to transmit and receive data to/from a plurality of user devices, computing devices/systems, etc. The second computing device 106 may be, for example, a mobile phone, a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartwatch or any other device with communication capabilities. The second computing device 106 may be a user device associated with a user/distributor 114. The third computing device 108 may be similar to the second computing device 106 and may be associated with a customer 116 (or a contractor 116).
The water heater 102 may be a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a heat pump water heater, a hot water boiler, or a water heater that includes any other type of heating element. The water heater 102 may include a controller 118 and a plurality of water heater components 120. Examples of the water heater components 120 include, but are not limited to, a water inlet valve, a water outlet valve, a mixing chamber, a mixing valve, a gas valve (if the water heater 102 is a gas water heater), a combustion chamber, an air inlet valve, a water tank, one or more heating elements (e.g., electric coils if the water heater 102 is an electric water heater), a dip tube, a blower/fan, and/or the like. The water heater 102 may include a plurality of additional components and/or may include different components than the ones described above. These components are not shown in
As described above, the system 100 may enable the OEM 112 to ship a plurality of “base” water heaters to the distributor 114 (instead of shipping multiple water heaters of different configurations, as is done conventionally), which may facilitate the distributor 114 in optimizing the inventory space and the resource utilization, and at the same time enabling the distributor 114 to effectively meet the customer's water heater requirements. The distributor 114 may upgrade the base configuration of the water heater received by the OEM 112 based on the customer's requirements and then ship the “upgraded” water heater to the customer/contractor 116, as briefly described above and described in detail below.
In operation, at a first step 202 (as shown in
Responsive to receiving the inventory request, the OEM 112 may manufacture the base water heaters and ship the base water heaters to the distributor 114, as shown in a step 204. As described above, a base water heater (e.g., the water heater 102) may have a base configuration. In some aspects, the water heater 102 may be configured to operate at a lowest possible heating capacity (e.g., 100k BTUs or lowest possible GPH) and/or has a lowest count of features enabled in the base configuration. It is to be noted that the base water heater 102 shipped by the OEM 112 to the distributor 114 is in an operational state and is not inoperable. Stated another way, if a customer requires to use the base water heater 102 as-is, the customer may use the base water heater 102 without needing to make any hardware and/or software modifications.
In further aspects, responsive to receiving the inventory request or responsive to shipping the base water heaters 102 to the distributor 114, the OEM 112 may transmit, via the first computing device 104, the first invoice to the distributor 114/second computing device 106, as shown in a step 206. In some aspects, the first invoice may be a partial invoice (e.g., of 70% of the total price of the water heater 102). The second computing device 106 may receive the first invoice from the first computing device 104, and the distributor 114 may pay the first invoice responsive to receiving it, as shown in a step 208. The distributor 114 may further store the base water heaters 102 received from the OEM 112 in the distributor's inventory/warehouse, as shown in a step 209.
During the water heater sale process, when an end-user 210 (e.g., a facility manager) approaches the contractor 116, the end-user 210 may share the user's desired water heater requirements or configuration requirements with the contractor 116, as shown by a step 212. At a step 214, the contractor 116 may check the distributor's inventory/catalogue, and then place an order for a water heater (e.g., via the third computing device 108) with the distributor 114, as per the end-user's requirements, as shown in a step 216. In some aspects, the order may include the end-user's desired water heater requirements or configuration requirements. Responsive to receiving the order from the contractor 116, the distributor 114 may begin a water heater configuration upgrade process, as shown in a step 218. The water heater configuration upgrade process is described below.
Responsive to receiving the order from the contractor 116, the distributor 114 may use the second computing device 106 to generate a “user request” that may include an identifier (e.g., a serial number) of the base water heater 102 to be upgraded (or whose configuration needs to be upgraded from the base configuration) and the details of the end-user's requirements included in the order obtained from the contractor 116. As described above, in one exemplary aspect, the water heater's identifier may be visible/attached on the water heater body, and the distributor 114 may manually enter the identifier on the second computing device 106 to generate the user request (i.e., a request to “upgrade” the water heater 102). In another exemplary aspect, a QR code or an NFC/UWB tag may be attached on the water heater body, and the distributor 114 may scan the code/tag by using the second computing device 106 (as shown in
Since the user request generated by the second computing device 106 includes the details of the end-user's requirements for the water heater, the user request may be indicative of a user desired heating capacity for the water heater 102 (e.g., 250 BTUs, 300 BTUs, or a desired GPH capability) and/or the features (the base features and one or more additional features) that the end-user 210 may require to be enabled (or disabled) in the water heater.
Responsive to generating the user request as described above, the distributor 114 may transmit the user request to the OEM 112. Specifically, the second computing device 106 may transmit the user request to the first computing device 104. The first computing device 104 may then generate a command signal for the controller 118 based on the user request received from the second computing device 106. Since the command signal is based on the user request, the command signal may be based on or associated with the end-user's requirements for the water heater (or the user desired heating capacity for the water heater 102 and/or one or more additional features that may be required to be enabled in the water heater 102).
Responsive to generating the command signal, the first computing device 104 may directly transmit the command signal to the controller 118 or may transmit the command signal to the controller 118 via the second computing device 106. In the latter case, the first computing device 104 may transmit the command signal to the second computing device 106, which may further transmit the command signal to the controller 118.
In some aspects, in addition to transmitting the command signal to the controller 118 as described above, the first computing device 104 may generate a final invoice (or the “second invoice” described above) responsive to transmitting the command signal, as shown in a step 220. In some aspects, the second invoice may be associated with the finalized heating capacity of the water heater 102 and/or the add-on features requested by the distributor 114 to be enabled in the water heater 102 based on the end-user's requirements. As an example, the second invoice may be for the remaining 30% of the water heater's total price (or more or less depending on the configuration/features selected by the distributor 114/contractor 116) when the first invoice was for 70% of the water heater's total price. Responsive to generating the second invoice, the first computing device 104 may transmit the second invoice to the second computing device 106/distributor 114, who may receive and pay the second invoice, as shown in a step 222.
Further, the controller 118 may obtain the command signal from the first computing device 104, and may adjust the operating states of one or more water heater components 120 to upgrade the configuration of the water heater 102 from the base configuration to an upgraded configuration based on the command signal (or based on the user request and hence the end-user's requirements for the water heater). In some aspects, the water heater 102 may be configured to operate at a higher (or lower) heating capacity and/or has a higher (or lower) count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration. The higher (or lower) heating capacity, as described herein, may be equivalent to the user-desired heating capacity (or the heating capacity of the water heater as required by the end-user 210 or requested by the contractor 116/distributor 114). Further, the higher count of features, as described herein, may include the base features that may be enabled in the base configuration of the water heater 102 and one or more additional features that may be desired to be enabled in the water heater 102 by the end-user 210 or requested by the contractor 116/distributor 114.
Example ways in which the controller 118 upgrades the base configuration of the water heater 102 to the upgraded configuration based on the command signal are described below. The example ways described below should not be construed as limiting.
In one exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may adjust the GPH capability or the heating capacity of the water heater 102 based on the command signal. For example, the controller 118 may increase the water heater's base heating capacity of 100k BTUs to 250k BTUs based on the command signal. In some aspects, the controller 118 may increase the water heater's heating capacity by adjusting the heater's gas intake valve and/or an air intake valve (e.g., adjusting the opening sizes of these valves) when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater. In other aspects, the controller 118 may increase the water heater's heating capacity by adjusting the voltage output and/or the current modulation of the water heater 102 when the water heater 102 may be an electric water heater.
In another exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may change a fuel type associated with the water heater 102 (e.g., from natural gas to LP, or vice-versa) based on the command signal when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater. The controller 118 may further to adjust a vent capacity or an amount of air allowed to enter a combustion chamber of the water heater 102 (e.g., increase the vent capacity from 200 to 300 units of air) based on the command signal when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater. Furthermore, as described above, the controller 118 may adjust the vent capacity or the amount of air allowed to enter the combustion chamber of the water heater 102 based on the elevation above sea level of the geographical area where the water heater 102 may be located.
As described above, as the elevation above sea level increases, the oxygen supply to the water heater 102 may drop. This may lead to de-rating of the water heater 102. To prevent such a scenario from happening, the distributor 114 may input in the user request the elevation above sea level at which the water heater 102 may get installed and transmit the user request to the first computing device 104. The first computing device 104 may then determine an optimal operating state of one or more water heater components (e.g., the water heater blower, air inlet valve/vent capacity, etc.) to compensate for the loss of oxygen at the elevation provided by the distributor 114. The first computing device may then generate and transmit the command signal to the controller 118 based on the determined optimal operating state, which may then automatically cause the water heater components 120 to operate at the optimal operating state.
In further aspects, the controller 118 may automatically determine the elevation above sea level of the geographical area where the water heater 102 may be located (e.g., based on the inputs obtained from one or more water heater sensors when the water heater 102 may be installed), and may itself adjust the vent capacity or the amount of air allowed to enter the combustion chamber of the water heater 102, the blower operational state, and/or the like, based on the determined elevation.
In another exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may enable an energy saver mode of the water heater 102 based on the command signal if the end-user 210/contractor 116 desires such a feature. The controller 118 may further enable one or more additional features of the water heater 102 based on the command signal. Examples of such additional features include, but are not limited to, a Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) feature of the water heater 102, a feature that enables generation and transmission of regular health and usage reports associated with the water heater 102 to a user device (e.g., the third computing device 108), a feature that enables a user to limit a set point range associated with the water heater 102, and/or the like. It may be appreciated that BACnet feature enables the water heater 102 to communicate with other products/equipment (e.g., HVAC systems, lighting systems, security systems, etc.) that may be installed in a building of the end-user 210, even when the other products/equipment are made by other manufacturers (e.g., manufacturers different from the OEM 112).
Responsive to the controller 118 adjusting the operating states of one or more heater components 120 to adjust the heating capacity for the water heater 102 and/or enable one or more additional features in the water heater 102 as described above, the water heater 102 may be considered as “upgraded” according to the end-user's requirements (or the water heater configuration may be considered to be changed to the upgraded configuration). Responsive to the water heater 102 getting upgraded, the distributor 114 may ship the upgraded (or pre-configured) water heater 102 to the contractor 116, as shown in a step 224. The contractor 116 may then install the upgraded water heater 102 (which may have the configuration as desired by the end-user 210) at the end-user's home/facility, as shown in a step 226. In some aspects, the contractor 116 may paste a configuration label (e.g., the details of the water heater's upgraded configuration) on the upgraded water heater 102, before shipping and/or installing the upgraded water heater 102 at the end-user's home/facility. In other aspects, the distributor 114 may paste the configuration label on the upgraded water heater 102 before shipping the upgraded water heater 102 to the contractor 116.
In some aspects, the end-user 210 and/or the contractor 116 may further upgrade (e.g., via the third computing device 108) the water heater 102 before or after installation in a similar manner as described above. For example, the end-user 210 may upgrade (e.g., enable additional features in) the water heater 102 post installation, procure an extended warranty post installation, and/or the like, in the similar manner as the distributor 114 upgrades the base water heater as described above. As another example, the end-user 210 may upgrade the water heater 102 to enable an ultra-boost mode/configuration or a high-demand mode/configuration of the water heater 102 based on the hot water demand (e.g., when the hot water demand may be high). In some aspects, the water heater 102 may provide 15-20% more hot water when the water heater 102 may be upgraded to the ultra-boost or the high-demand mode/configuration.
In some aspects, the controller 118 may be configured to send and receive wireless or wired signals, and the signals may be analog or digital signals. The wireless signals may include Bluetooth, BLE, WiFi, ZigBee, infrared, microwave radio, or any other type of wireless communication signals as may be suitable for a particular system application. The hard-wired signals can include communication signals between any directly wired connections between the controller 118 and other heater components. For example, the controller 118 can have a hard-wired 24 Volts Direct Current (VDC) connection to the heater components 120.
Alternatively, the controller 118 may communicate with the heater components 120 (and/or external devices, units, etc.) via a digital connection. The digital connection can include a connection such as an Ethernet or a serial connection and can utilize any suitable communication protocol for the system application, such as Modbus, fieldbus, PROFIBUS, SafetyBus, Ethernet/IP, and/or the like. Furthermore, the controller 118 can utilize a combination of wireless, hard-wired, and analog or digital communication signals to communicate with and control the various heater components 120. A person ordinarily skilled in the art may appreciate that the above configurations are given merely as non-limiting examples and the actual configuration can vary depending on the particular heater application.
The memory 310 may store a program and/or instructions associated with the functions and methods described herein. The processor 305 may be configured to execute the program and/or instructions stored in the memory 310. The memory 310 can include one or more suitable types of memory (e.g., volatile or non-volatile memory, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash memory, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), and the like) for storing files including the operating system, application programs (including, for example, a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine, and or other applications, as necessary), executable instructions and data. One, some, or all of the processing techniques or methods described herein can be implemented as a combination of executable instructions and data within the memory 310.
The communication interface 315 may be configured to send or receive communication signals between the various heater components. The communication interface 315 can include hardware, firmware, and/or software that allows the processor 305 to communicate with the other components via wired or wireless networks, whether local or wide area, private or public, as known in the art. The communication interface 315 can also provide access to a cellular network, the Internet, a local area network, or another wide-area network (e.g., the networks 110 described above in conjunction with
Additionally, the controller 118 may have or be in communication with a user interface (not shown) for receiving inputs from the heater user (e.g., the distributor 114, the contractor 116, the end-user 210, etc.). The user interface may be installed locally on the water heater 102.
The function of the controller 118 is already described above in conjunction with
The method 400 may start at step 402. At step 404, the method 400 may include obtaining, by the controller 118, the command signal from an external device, e.g., the first computing device 104. At step 406, the method 400 may include upgrading, by the controller 118, the water heater configuration from the base configuration to the upgraded configuration based on the command signal, as described above.
The method 400 may stop at step 408.
In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.
It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.
With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.
All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.
Claims
1. A water heater comprising:
- a controller configured to: obtain a command signal from an external device; and upgrade a water heater configuration from a base configuration that is operational to an upgraded configuration based on the command signal, wherein the water heater is configured to operate at a higher or lower heating capacity or has a higher or lower count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration relative to the base configuration.
2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the external device is a first computing device, wherein the first computing device is configured to generate the command signal for the controller based on a user request received from a second computing device, and wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are communicatively coupled with each other.
3. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the first computing device is further configured to transmit the command signal to the controller.
4. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the first computing device is further configured to transmit the command signal to the second computing device, and wherein the second computing device is configured to transmit the command signal to the controller.
5. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the user request is indicative of at least one of: a user desired heating capacity for the water heater or one or more additional features to be enabled or disabled in the water heater.
6. The water heater of claim 5, wherein the higher heating capacity is equivalent to the user desired heating capacity, and wherein the higher count of features comprises the one or more additional features.
7. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the first computing device is a server, and wherein the second computing device is a user device associated with a user.
8. The water heater of claim 2, wherein the first computing device is further configured to:
- generate an invoice based on the user request; and
- transmit the invoice to the second computing device.
9. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the water heater is a gas water heater.
10. The water heater of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to change a fuel type associated with the water heater based on the command signal, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a vent capacity or an amount of air allowed to enter a combustion chamber of the water heater based on the command signal.
11. The water heater of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:
- determine an elevation above sea level of a geographical area where the water heater is located; and
- automatically adjust a vent capacity or an amount of air allowed to enter a combustion chamber of the water heater based on the elevation.
12. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to adjust a Gallons Per Hour (GPH) capability of the water heater based on the command signal, or wherein the controller is further configured to enable an energy saver mode of the water heater based on the command signal.
13. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the water heater is an electric water heater.
14. The water heater of claim 13, wherein the controller upgrades the water heater to the higher heating capacity by adjusting a voltage output or a current modulation of the electric water heater.
15. The water heater of claim 1, wherein to enable the higher or lower count of features in the water heater, the controller is configured to perform at least one of:
- enable or disable a Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) feature of the water heater;
- enable or disable transmission of regular health and usage reports associated with the water heater to a user device; or
- enable or disable a feature to limit a set point range associated with the water heater.
16. A system comprising:
- a first computing device and a second computing device configured to be communicatively coupled with each other, wherein the first computing device is configured to: generate a command signal based on a user request received from the second computing device; and transmit the command signal; and
- a water heater comprising a controller configured to: obtain the command signal directly from the first computing device or via the second computing device; and upgrade a water heater configuration from a base configuration that is operational to an upgraded configuration based on the command signal, wherein the water heater is configured to operate at a higher or lower heating capacity or has a higher or lower count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration relative to the base configuration.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first computing device transmits the command signal directly to the controller or to the second computing device, and wherein the second computing device transmits the command signal to the controller when the first computing device transmits the command signal to the second computing device.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the user request is indicative of at least one of: a user desired heating capacity for the water heater or one or more additional features to be enabled or disabled in the water heater.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the higher heating capacity is equivalent to the user desired heating capacity, and wherein the higher count of features comprises the one or more additional features.
20. A method comprising:
- obtaining, by a controller of a water heater, a command signal from an external device; and
- upgrading, based on the command signal, a water heater configuration from a base configuration that is operational to an upgraded configuration,
- wherein the water heater is configured to operate at a higher or lower heating capacity or has a higher or lower count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration relative to the base configuration.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 14, 2026
Publication Date: Jul 16, 2026
Inventors: Joseph Matthew Krueger (Ventura, CA), Prudhvi Vishnu Vardhan Amaravadhi (Montgomery, AL), Mathias Joseph German (Roswell, GA), Raheel Ashraf Chaudhry (Frisco, TX)
Application Number: 19/448,275
