Power consumption management methods and systems for product dispensers

• US 10,213,068 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2016
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: GPCP IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Diamond, Russell
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggoner, Timothy R
• Application Number:
  US15/298,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20170112335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/34 dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3687 with one or more reserve rolls
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3226 collecting data of usage
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3253 with one or more reserve rolls

Abstract

Certain dual roll dispensers and methods of dispensing sheet product are provided. In one example, the method includes receiving, by the controller, a first trigger from at least one motion sensor. The method includes determining an active product being dispensed by the dispenser, and powering, in response to the first trigger, a measurement device configured to measure an amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser. The method also includes receiving, from the measurement device, dispense event information associated with the measured amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser during a dispense event, and storing the dispense event information.

Claims

1. A method of managing power consumption at a dispenser comprising a controller, the method comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a first trigger from at least one motion sensor, wherein the controller is in an awake state before the first trigger is received;

determining an active product being dispensed by the dispenser;

causing, in response to the first trigger, a measurement device to enter an awake state, wherein the measurement device is configured to measure an amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser;

receiving, from the measurement device, dispense event information associated with the measured amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser during a dispense event; and

storing or transmitting the dispense event information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dispense event information includes a length of dispensing time, an active product identifier, a dispensing direction of the active product, a speed of dispensing, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the length of dispensing time comprises a quiet time interval that occurs after the dispense event is complete.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising waiting for a predetermined time interval after the first trigger is received by the controller before storing or transmitting the dispense event information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispenser comprises a first motion sensor and a second motion sensor, and the first trigger is received from either the first motion sensor or the second motion sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising waiting for a predetermined time interval after the first trigger is received by the controller before storing or transmitting the dispense event information.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a second trigger from either the first motion sensor or the second motion sensor; and

restarting the predetermined time interval.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the dispenser comprises a first dispenser portion comprising the active product and a second dispenser portion comprising an inactive product;

the first motion sensor is positioned at a first side of the dispenser; and

the second motion sensor is positioned at a second side of the dispenser.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the active product is different from the inactive product.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

timing out after a maximum operation period, wherein the maximum operation period is measured between consecutive triggers received by the controller; and

depowering the measurement device after timing out.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing or transmitting chronological information associated with the first trigger or the dispense event information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the active product being dispensed by the dispenser comprises receiving a dispenser portion identifier from an active product sensor associated with the active product.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second trigger from the at least one motion sensor;

causing the controller to enter the awake state responsive to the second trigger, wherein the second trigger is received before the first trigger, and wherein the measurement device remains in a power save mode after the second trigger is received.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the measurement device is a rotary encoder configured to contact the active product.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispense event information is stored, the method further comprising communicating the stored dispense event information to a remote server via wireless communication.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the active product dispensed by the dispenser comprises tissue paper.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the dispense event information comprises the length of tissue paper dispensed per usage.

19. A dispenser comprising:

at least one motion sensor;

an energy source;

one or more measurement devices; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the at least one motion sensor, the energy source, and the one or more measurement devices, the controller comprising a memory having computer-executable instructions operable to, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to implement a method comprising;

receiving a first trigger from the at least one motion sensor, wherein the controller is in an awake state before the first trigger is received;

determining an active product being dispensed by the dispenser;

causing, in response to the first trigger, one of the one or more measurement devices to enter an awake state, wherein the one of the one or more measurement devices is configured to measure an amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser;

receiving, from the measurement device in the awake state, dispense event information associated with the measured amount of the active product dispensed by the dispenser during a dispense event; and

storing or transmitting the dispense event information in the memory.

20. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the dispenser comprises a first motion sensor and a second motion sensor, and the first trigger is received by the controller from either the first motion sensor or the second motion sensor.

21. The dispenser of claim 20, wherein the dispenser comprises a first dispenser portion comprising the active product and a second dispenser portion comprising an inactive product;

the first motion sensor is positioned at a first side of the dispenser; and

the second motion sensor is positioned at a second side of the dispenser.

22. The dispenser of claim 21, wherein the active product is different from the inactive product.

23. The dispenser of claim 19, further comprising an active product sensor configured to determine the active product being dispensed by the dispenser.

24. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the at least one motion sensor is a passive infrared sensor.

25. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the one or more measurement devices is a rotary encoder configured to contact the active product.

26. The dispenser of claim 19, wherein the active product dispensed by the dispenser comprises tissue paper.