Dryer with communication interface

• US 10,313,458 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Excel Dryer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Excel Dryer Incorporated
• Inventors: Gagnon, William, Schwartz, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskandarnia, Arvin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ling, Chhian (Amy)
• Application Number:
  US14/807,482
• Publication Number:
  US 20160028838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/48 Drying by means of hot air hair-drying devices A45D20/00; curative hot-air baths A61H33/06; electric heating elements H05B
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3226 collecting data of usage
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A forced air hand dryer includes a communication device that communicatively couples to a computing entity in provide data regarding the use of the hand dryer, and/or to set an operating configuration of the hand dryer.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a forced air hand dryer;

a communication device coupled to the forced air hand dryer and configured to communicatively couple to a computing entity in order to wirelessly provide data regarding the use of the forced air hand dryer to the computing entity;

a dispenser; and

a second communication device coupled to the dispenser and configured to communicatively couple to at least one of the computing entity or a second computing entity in order to provide second data regarding the use of the dispense,

wherein the communication device wirelessly provides an identification of the forced air hand dryer to the computing entity based on a wireless scan initiated by the computing entity,

wherein the data also comprises statistics regarding the use of the forced air hand dryer and maintenance condition information of the forced air hand dryer,

wherein the data comprises at least one setting associated with the forced air hand dryer and the communication device receives an adjustment to the at least one setting and applies the adjustment to the forced air hand dryer,

wherein the second communication device is different from the communication device,

wherein the data is protected via a credential that comprises at least one of a personal identification number, a username, and a password.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device comprises a transceiver configured to communicate with the computing entity in accordance with at least one of Wi-Fi communications and BLUETOOTH communications.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the data relates to at least one of a cost associated with the use of the forced air hand dryer and a cost savings associated with the use of the forced air hand dryer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one setting comprises at least one of a motor power setting, a heater temperature setting, and a motion sensitivity setting.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication device applies the adjustment to the forced air hand dryer as part of a test of the forced air hand dryer, and

wherein the computing entity comprises at least one of a server, a personal computer, and a mobile device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is configured to be analyzed to identify at least one of cost and waste in a bathroom in which the forced air hand dryer is located.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data is configured to be analyzed to schedule a maintenance activity in a bathroom in which the forced air hand dryer is located.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense at least paper towels.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second data comprises at least one setting associated with the dispenser, wherein the at least one setting is configured to control at least one operation associated with the dispenser.