Steven M Tervo, Age 633484D 3Rd Ln, Oxford, WI 53952

6388609, May 14, 2002

Mar 26, 2001

09/817592

Andrew J. Paese - Plymouth WI
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI
Carter J. Thomas - Cedarburg WI
William R. Burnett - Menlo Park CA
David C. Shafer - Menlo Park CA
Fred Judson Heinzmann - Los Altos CA

Kohler Company - Kohler WI

G01S 740

342 27, 342 28, 342114, 342204, 340565, 340567

A fluid flow device includes an actuator, an RF transmitter, a gated RF receiver, and a processor. The RF transmitter is configured and arranged to produce a plurality of pulses of RF energy spaced apart in time to form a sensor field. The gated RF receiver is configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field. The processor is coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy. The processor is also coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged to activate the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy to control fluid flow. In addition, a new low power radar sensor operates by providing radar pulses that are non-uniformly spaced in time. In operation, a burst of pulses is initiated in the transmitter. Between each burst is a period of rest time in which the transmitter is not transmitting RF energy.

6568655, May 27, 2003

Mar 4, 2002

10/090970

Andrew J. Paese - Plymouth WI
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI
Carter J. Thomas - Cedarburg WI
William R. Burnett - Menlo Park CA
David C. Shafer - Menlo Park CA
Fred Judson Heinzmann - Los Altos CA

Kohler Company - Kohler WI

E03D 510

25112904, 4304, 4305, 4406, 4623, 137 2, 342 27, 342 28

A fluid flow device includes an actuator, an RF transmitter, a gated RF receiver, and a processor. The RF transmitter is configured and arranged to produce a plurality of pulses of RF energy spaced apart in time to form a sensor field. The gated RF receiver is configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field. The processor is coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy. The processor is also coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged to activate the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy to control fluid flow. In addition, a new low power radar sensor operates by providing radar pulses that are non-uniformly spaced in time. In operation, a burst of pulses is initiated in the transmitter. Between each burst is a period of rest time in which the transmitter is not transmitting RF energy.

6067673, May 30, 2000

Jul 17, 1998

9/118255

Andrew J. Paese - Plymouth WI
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI
Carter J. Thomas - Cedarburg WI
William R. Burnett - Menlo Park CA
David C. Shafer - Menlo Park CA
Fred Judson Heinzmann - Los Altos CA

Kohler Company - Kohler WI

E03C 105

4623

Methods and devices for controlling the flow of fluid in fixtures, such as bathroom, restroom, or kitchen fixtures, using a radar detector with a leaky transmission line and fixtures using such methods and devices are provided. A bathroom fixture, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, includes a fluid conduit, a radar detector for detecting one or more characteristics of one or more objects in a sensor field based on reflected electromagnetic signals from the one or more objects in the sensor field, and a controller coupled to the fluid conduit for controlling a flow of fluid in the fluid conduit in response to the detected one or more characteristics. The radar detector in particular includes a leaky transmission line for transmitting electromagnetic signals to form the sensor field and receiving the reflected electromagnetic signals. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the sensor field is restricted from selected areas associated with spurious signals, such as areas of flowing water, areas near other fixtures, etc. The use of a radar detector with a leaky transmission line can, for example, improve the control of fluid flow in fixtures, such as bathroom fixtures.

6250601, Jun 26, 2001

Jul 17, 1998

9/118461

Anton J. Kolar - Sheboygan WI
Andrew J. Paese - Plymouth WI
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI
Carter J. Thomas - Cedarburg WI
William R. Burnett - Menlo park CA
David C. Shafer - Menlo park CA
Fred Judson Heinzmann - Los Altos CA

Kohler Company - Kohler WI

E03C 105
E03D 510

25112904

The present invention is a system for controlling a plumbing fixture. The system includes at least two sensors, each sensor including a receiver, and a controller coupled to receive detection signals from the sensors and to generate a control signal in response to the received signals. An actuator is coupled to receive the control signal from the controller and couplable to the plumbing device to act on the bathroom device. The invention is also a method of controlling plumbing fixtures that includes receiving detection signals from a plurality of sensors in a central controller, selecting, in the central controller, which of a plurality of actuators attachable to the plumbing fixtures to operate and directing control signals to the selected actuator to operate the selected actuator.

6206340, Mar 27, 2001

Jul 17, 1998

9/118050

Andrew J. Paese - Plymouth WI
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI
Carter J. Thomas - Cedarburg WI
William R. Burnett - Menlo Park CA
David C. Shafer - Menlo Park CA
Fred Judson Heinzmann - Los Altos CA

Kohler Company - Kohler WI

E03D5/10

25112904

A fluid flow device includes an actuator, an RF transmitter, a gated RF receiver, and a processor. The RF transmitter is configured and arranged to produce a plurality of pulses of RF energy spaced apart in time to form a sensor field. The gated RF receiver is configured and arranged to receive RF energy reflected by objects within the sensor field. The processor is coupled to the gated RF receiver for evaluating the reflected RF energy. The processor is also coupled to the actuator and is configured and arranged to activate the actuator in response to the reflected RF energy to control fluid flow. In addition, a new low power radar sensor operates by providing radar pulses that are non-uniformly spaced in time. In operation, a burst of pulses is initiated in the transmitter. Between each burst is a period of rest time in which the transmitter is not transmitting RF energy.

2015032, Nov 12, 2015

Jul 20, 2015

14/803819

- Kohler WI, US
Gregory De Swarte - Sheboygan WI, US
Donald P. Freier - Sheboygan WI, US
Brian C. Wick - Sheboygan Falls WI, US
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI, US
Jeffrey J. Mueller - Manitowoc WI, US
Keith S. Ruh - Elkhart Lake WI, US

E03C 1/05
G05D 7/06

A shower control system includes a water subsystem, a steam subsystem, and a controller in communication with the water subsystem and the steam subsystem. The water subsystem includes one or more electronic valves configured to control a flow rate and a temperature of water dispensed from one or more shower outlets within a shower enclosure. The steam subsystem is configured to generate and dispense steam from one or more steam outlets within the shower enclosure. The controller is configured to control the water subsystem and the steam subsystem to provide a spa experience including a predetermined and coordinated sequence of water outputs from the shower outlets and steam outputs from the steam outlets.

2015021, Aug 6, 2015

Jan 30, 2015

14/610296

- Kohler WI, US
Gregory De Swarte - Sheboygan WI, US
Donald P. Freier - Sheboygan WI, US
Brian C. Wick - Sheboygan Falls WI, US
Steven M. Tervo - Plymouth WI, US
Jeffrey J. Mueller - Manitowoc WI, US
Keith S. Ruh - Elkhart Lake WI, US

E03C 1/05
A61H 33/00
A47K 3/28

A shower control system includes a controller in communication with a plurality of output devices located within a shower enclosure. The controller is configured to control the plurality of output devices. The shower control system further includes a control panel in communication with the controller and configured to provide a graphical user interface for controlling the plurality of output devices. The control panel includes an electronic display configured to present dynamic content, one or more static buttons, and a touch-sensitive panel overlaying both the electronic display and the one or more static buttons. The touch-sensitive panel is configured to detect a user interaction with both the one or more static buttons and the dynamic content presented via the electronic display.