Hygienic sensor device, system, and method for monitoring hygienic dispenser usage and compliance

• US 10,490,057 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Inventors: Malina, Yuri F., Racke, Thomas F., Rajabather, Harikrishna K., Wang, Horace Y., Peck, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US15/867,402
• Time in Patent Office: 685 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/22 Social work or social welfare, e.g. community support activities or counselling services
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The disclosed device, system, and method can be used for monitoring hygienic dispenser usage and compliance. A hygienic dispenser dispenses a hygienic substance such as sanitizer, soap, a glove, or the like. A hygienic sensor adapter device is proximately disposed to the hygienic dispenser. The hygienic sensor adapter device detects a presence of a human hand within an activation area of the dispenser. The hygienic sensor adapter device includes a sensor to detect badges worn by corresponding human subjects. A remote cloud-based computer server can determine a particular human subject from among the human subjects to which the human hand belongs. Accordingly, the hygienic sensor adapter device is able to monitor the activations of all models of hand hygiene dispensers with little to no configuration or modification. The hygienic sensor adapter device rejects false triggers, captures every dispenser activation, and identifies the subject responsible for the dispenser activation.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring hygienic dispenser usage and compliance, the system comprising:

a hygienic dispenser configured to dispense a hygienic substance;

a hygienic sensor adapter device proximately disposed to the hygienic dispenser, wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to detect a presence of a human hand within an activation area of the hygienic dispenser, and wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device includes a radio unit configured to detect one or more badges worn by corresponding one or more human subjects; and

a remote cloud-based computer server including a subject prediction logic section configured to determine a particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs;

wherein;

the hygienic sensor adapter device includes a capacitive fluctuation validation logic section that is configured to receive and interpret capacitive fluctuations due to the presence of the human hand within the activation area of the hygienic dispenser; and

the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to at least one of (i) store the capacitive fluctuations in a storage device of the hygienic sensor adapter device or (ii) transmit the capacitive fluctuations to the remote cloud-based computer server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more human subjects each wearing a badge;

the hygienic sensor adapter device includes a micro-controller unit configured to determine a threshold number of nearest badges from among the one or more badges worn by the corresponding one or more human subjects;

the radio unit of the hygienic sensor adapter device includes an antenna that is configured to wirelessly transmit badge identifiers for the threshold number of the nearest badges to the remote cloud-based computer server; and

the subject prediction logic section of the remote cloud-based computer server is configured to determine the particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs based on the badge identifiers for the threshold number of the nearest badges.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

the radio unit is configured to sense one or more received signal strength information (RSSI) patterns; and

the micro-controller unit is configured to determine the threshold number of the nearest badges from among the one or more badges worn by the corresponding one or more human subjects based on the RSSI patterns.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more human subjects each wearing a badge;

the radio unit of the hygienic sensor adapter device includes an antenna that is configured to wirelessly transmit badge identifiers for all of the one or more badges to the remote cloud-based computer server; and

the subject prediction logic section of the remote cloud-based computer server is configured to determine the particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs based on the badge identifiers for all of the one or more badges.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the radio unit is configured to sense one or more received signal strength information (RSSI) patterns, and to wirelessly transmit the one or more RSSI patterns to the remote cloud-based computer server; and

the subject prediction logic section of the remote cloud-based computer server is configured to determine the particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs based on the RSSI patterns.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote cloud-based computer server includes a capacitive fluctuation validation logic section that is configured to receive and interpret the capacitive fluctuations due to the presence of the human hand within the activation area of the hygienic dispenser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the capacitive fluctuation validation logic section of at least one of (i) the hygienic sensor adapter device or (ii) the remote cloud-based computer server is configured to compare the capacitive fluctuations to predetermined valid capacitive fluctuations to determine whether the capacitive fluctuations indicate a valid hand signal.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the hygienic sensor adapter device includes an infrared sensor configured to detect infrared signals;

the hygienic sensor adapter device includes a visible light camera configured to gather one or more images; and

the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to at least one of (i) store the infrared signals and the one or more images in the storage device of the hygienic sensor adapter device or (ii) transmit the infrared signals and the one or more images to the remote cloud-based computer server.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the subject prediction logic section of the remote cloud-based computer server is configured to determine the particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs based on at least one of (i) the infrared signals or (ii) the one or more images.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of hygienic dispensers including the hygienic dispenser, each of the plurality of hygienic dispensers being configured to dispense the hygienic substance;

a plurality of hygienic sensor adapter devices including the hygienic sensor adapter device, each of the plurality of hygienic sensor adapter devices being proximately disposed to a corresponding one of the hygienic dispensers, wherein the plurality of hygienic sensor adapter devices are each configured to detect a presence of a human hand within an activation area of the corresponding one of the plurality of hygienic dispensers, and wherein each of the plurality of hygienic sensor adapter devices includes a corresponding radio unit configured to detect the one or more badges worn by the corresponding one or more human subjects; and

the remote cloud-based computer server is communicatively coupled to the plurality of hygienic sensor adapter devices.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device further comprises a display screen configured to show a visual indication about at least one of (i) a status or (ii) an operation of the hygienic sensor adapter device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to store hygiene event information associated with hand activations of the hygienic dispenser in the storage device; and

the hygiene event information includes instances in which each subject from among the one or more human subjects used the hygienic dispenser.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to store a hub location of the hygienic sensor adapter device within a healthcare facility in the storage device.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device includes an accelerometer configured to detect at least one of (i) movement of the hygienic sensor adapter device or (ii) tampering with the hygienic sensor adapter device.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to catch the hygienic substance, and is in the form of at least one of (i) a drip guard or (ii) a drip tray.

16. A system for monitoring hygienic dispenser usage and compliance, the system comprising:

a hygienic dispenser configured to dispense a hygienic substance;

a hygienic sensor adapter device proximately disposed to the hygienic dispenser, wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device is configured to detect a presence of a human hand within an activation area of the hygienic dispenser, and wherein the hygienic sensor adapter device includes a radio unit configured to detect one or more badges worn by corresponding one or more human subjects; and

a remote cloud-based computer server including a subject prediction logic section configured to determine a particular human subject from among the one or more human subjects to which the human hand belongs;

wherein the remote cloud-based computer server further comprises a false positive logic section that is configured to perform checking of operational behavior data associated with the hygienic dispenser to rule out false positive activations thereof.