Systems and methods for controlling a plurality of touch-free devices in a coordinated manner
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A touch-free dispensing system comprising:
- a touch-free faucet having an first object sensor, wherein the first object sensor has a first sensing range;
a touch-free soap dispenser having an second object sensor, wherein the second object sensor has a second sensing range;
wherein the first sensing range and the second sensing range are configured such that an object may be detected by the first sensing range and the second sensing range while in a stationary position;
the touch-free faucet and the touch-free soap dispenser each havinga) a software controlled processor;
b) communication circuitry for allowing the touch-free faucet to communicate with the touch-free soap dispenser; and
c) memory;
logic stored on at least one of the touch-free faucet memory and the touch-free soap dispenser memory;
the logic containing software controlled processor readable instructions for coordinating operation of the faucet and operation of the soap dispenser;
wherein the coordinated operation determines whether to activate the touch-free faucet or the touch-free soap dispenser when an object is detected in both the first sensing range and the second sensing range; and
wherein the touch-free faucet may be operated at any time when the no object is in the second sensing range and the touch-free soap dispenser may be operated at any time no object is in the first sensing range.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Exemplary embodiments of touch-free devices and systems comprising touch-free devices operating in a concerted effort are disclosed below. An exemplary touch-free device includes a spout, a processor, memory, an object sensor, a communication interface and logic stored on the memory. The logic contains processor readable instructions for causing the touch-free device to communicate with a second touch-free device. Wherein the processor readable instructions coordinate the operation of the touch-free device with respect to the second touch-free device.
14 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A touch-free dispensing system comprising:
-
a touch-free faucet having an first object sensor, wherein the first object sensor has a first sensing range; a touch-free soap dispenser having an second object sensor, wherein the second object sensor has a second sensing range; wherein the first sensing range and the second sensing range are configured such that an object may be detected by the first sensing range and the second sensing range while in a stationary position; the touch-free faucet and the touch-free soap dispenser each having a) a software controlled processor; b) communication circuitry for allowing the touch-free faucet to communicate with the touch-free soap dispenser; and c) memory; logic stored on at least one of the touch-free faucet memory and the touch-free soap dispenser memory; the logic containing software controlled processor readable instructions for coordinating operation of the faucet and operation of the soap dispenser; wherein the coordinated operation determines whether to activate the touch-free faucet or the touch-free soap dispenser when an object is detected in both the first sensing range and the second sensing range; and wherein the touch-free faucet may be operated at any time when the no object is in the second sensing range and the touch-free soap dispenser may be operated at any time no object is in the first sensing range. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A touch-free device comprising:
-
a spout; a software controlled processor; memory located in the touch-free device; an object sensor; a communication interface; and logic stored on the memory; the logic containing software controlled processor readable instructions for causing the touch-free device to communicate with a second touch-free device; wherein the object sensor has a first sensing range that is configure to overlap with a second sensing range of a second object sensor associated with the second touch-free-device; wherein the first sensing range and the second sensing rang are configured such that an object may be detected by the first sensing range and the second sensing range while in a stationary position wherein the software controlled processor readable instructions coordinate the operation of the touch-free device with respect to the second touch-free device; wherein coordinating the operation of the touch-fee device with respect to the second touch-free device determines whether to activate the first touch-free device or the second touch-free device when an object is detected in both the first sensing range and the second sensing range; and wherein the first touch free device may be operated anytime a sensor in the second touch-free device does not receive an activation signal from a sensor in circuit communication with the second touch-free device; wherein the second touch free device also comprises a software controlled processer and memory located in the second touch-free device. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method of controlling a touch-free faucet and a touch-free soap dispenser comprising:
-
providing a touch-free device that is of a touch-free faucet and a touch-free soap dispenser; wherein the touch-free device has a first object sensor with a first sensing range; wherein the touch-free device includes a software controlled processor, memory and communication circuitry for communicating with a second touch-free device that is the other of the touch-free faucet and the touch-free soap dispenser that also includes a software controlled processor, memory and communication circuitry and a second object sensor for sensing a second sensing range; wherein the first sensing range and the second sensing range overlap one another; providing logic on a processer readable medium for preventing the first touch-free device and the second touch-free device from operating at the same time when an object is detected by a first sensor associated with the touch free device and a second sensor associated with the second touch-free device; and wherein the logic determines whether to activate the first touch-free device or the second touch-free device when an object is detected in both the first sensing range and the second sensing range and wherein the touch-free device may be operated at anytime that the second sensor does not detect an object. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification