Operating utility devices in a master-agent network environment
First Claim
1. A system for managing processes associated with a plurality of chemical dispense devices, wherein each chemical dispense device dispenses a chemical product to a utility device for use in applying the chemical product to one or more objects, the system comprising:
- a first agent control unit communicatively connected to a first chemical dispense device operable to dispense a first chemical product to a first utility device, wherein the first agent control unit locally administers processes associated with the first chemical dispense device;
a second agent control unit communicatively connected to a second chemical dispense device operable to dispense a second chemical product to a second utility device, wherein the second agent control unit locally administers processes associated with the second chemical dispense device; and
a master control unit for use by a field person in monitoring and controlling processes associated with the first chemical dispense device and the second chemical dispense device by issuing instructions in a pre-defined command format recognizable to both the first agent control unit and the second agent control unit, wherein the first and second agent control units locally administer processes associated with the first and second chemical dispense devices in response to receipt of the instructions.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method is disclosed for managing, i.e., control and monitoring, processes associated with a group of utility devices. The utility devices in the group may be of the same or different types of devices. For example, one or all of the utility devices in the group may be a warewashing machine. Regardless of type, each utility device in the group is provided an agent control unit, which is a controller responsible for locally overseeing operation of the various processes performed by each utility device. A master control unit provides a field person with control over and the ability to monitor processes performed by all utility devices in the group by providing a single device operable to communicate with the agent control units associated with the utility devices. In response to receiving an instruction from a field person, the master control unit places the instruction in a format recognizable to all of the agent control units associated with a utility device in the group and transmits same to the appropriate agent control unit. In response to receiving an instruction issued by the master control unit, the associated agent control unit administers the task specified therein.
207 Citations
74 Claims
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1. A system for managing processes associated with a plurality of chemical dispense devices, wherein each chemical dispense device dispenses a chemical product to a utility device for use in applying the chemical product to one or more objects, the system comprising:
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a first agent control unit communicatively connected to a first chemical dispense device operable to dispense a first chemical product to a first utility device, wherein the first agent control unit locally administers processes associated with the first chemical dispense device;
a second agent control unit communicatively connected to a second chemical dispense device operable to dispense a second chemical product to a second utility device, wherein the second agent control unit locally administers processes associated with the second chemical dispense device; and
a master control unit for use by a field person in monitoring and controlling processes associated with the first chemical dispense device and the second chemical dispense device by issuing instructions in a pre-defined command format recognizable to both the first agent control unit and the second agent control unit, wherein the first and second agent control units locally administer processes associated with the first and second chemical dispense devices in response to receipt of the instructions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for enabling a field person to manage processes associated with a plurality of chemical dispense devices, wherein each chemical dispense device dispenses a chemical product to a utility device for use in applying the chemical product to one or more objects, the method comprising acts of:
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receiving a first instruction related to managing one or more processes associated with a first chemical dispense device operable to dispense a first chemical product to a first utility device;
receiving a second instruction related to managing one or more processes associated with a second chemical dispense device operable to dispense a second chemical product to a first utility device;
formatting the first instruction into a first command packet and the second instruction into a second command packet, wherein the first and second command packets are in a pre-defined format recognizable to both a first agent control unit communicatively connected to and locally administering processes associated with the first chemical dispense device and a second agent control unit communicatively connected to and locally administering processes associated with the second chemical dispense device; and
transmitting the first command packet to the first agent control unit and the second command packet to the second agent control unit. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A system for enabling a field person to manage processes associated with a plurality of utility devices, wherein each of the plurality of utility devices is communicatively connected to an agent control unit locally administering processes associated with the utility device, the system comprising:
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means for receiving instructions related to managing one or more processes associated with the plurality of utility devices;
means for formatting the instructions into command packets adhering to a packet-based structure recognizable to each agent control unit communicatively connected to one of the plurality of utility devices, wherein the packet-based structure comprises;
a first field having data identifying a beginning of each packet;
a second field having data identifying an address for an intended destination of each packet, wherein the intended destination is one of the plurality of agent control units;
a third field having data specifying a task to be administered by the intended destination; and
a fourth field having data identifying an end of each packet, and means for transmitting the command packets the agent control units, wherein each agent control unit locally administers processes associated with the utility device to which the agent control unit is connected in response to receipt of a command packet. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A computer program product readable by a computing system and encoding a computer program for executing a computer process for enabling a field person to manage processes associated with a plurality of chemical dispense devices, wherein each chemical dispense device dispenses a chemical product to a utility device for use in applying the chemical product to one or more objects, the computer process comprising acts of:
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receiving a first instruction related to managing one or more processes associated with a first chemical dispense device operable to dispense a first chemical product to a first utility device;
receiving a second instruction related to managing one or more processes associated with a second chemical dispense device operable to dispense a second chemical product to a first utility device;
formatting the first instruction into a first command packet and the second instruction into a second command packet, wherein the first and second command packets are in a pre-defined format recognizable to both a first agent control unit communicatively connected to and locally administering processes associated with the first chemical dispense device and a second agent control unit communicatively connected to and locally administering processes associated with the second chemical dispense device; and
transmitting the first command packet to the first agent control unit and the second command packet to the second agent control unit. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An apparatus for managing one or more processes associated with a plurality of utility devices each controlled and monitored by an agent control unit, wherein a process of the one or more processes relates to dispensing a chemical product to one of the plurality of utility devices, the apparatus comprising:
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an input module receiving an instruction from a field person, the instruction related to management of the dispensing process by a specified agent control unit;
a format module formatting the instruction into a pre-defined packet-based structure recognizable to all agent control units associated with the plurality utility devices; and
a communication module transmitting the instruction to the specified agent control unit and receiving from the specified agent control unit a message in response to receipt of the instruction by the specified agent control unit. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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Specification