MODULAR ATTRIBUTE SENSING DEVICE

• US 20100102959A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: YUAN, YINGQIN, BUENDIA-GARCIA, ALI R., ASHRAFZADEH, FARHAD, MCCOY, RICHARD A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,477,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container having a sensing module, a transmitter module and a power source module. The sensing module is capable of sensing attributes of a substance and providing an output. The transmitter module is configured to transmit an output of the at least one sensing module when operably coupled to the sensing module. The power source module is capable of being operably connected to the sensor module and the transmitter module to power the sensor module and the transmitter module.

Claims

1. A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container, comprising:

at least one sensing module capable of sensing an attribute of a substance and providing an output;

a transmitter module capable of being operably connected to the sensing module configured to transmit an output of the at least one sensing module; and

a power source module capable of being operably connected to the sensor module and the transmitter module to power the sensor module and the transmitter module.

2. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one accessory module operably connected to the power source module.

3. The modular device according to claim 2, wherein the at least one accessory module comprises at least one of a motor, a fan, a mixer, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a dispenser, a sensor, a heater, a cooler, a user authentication device, a user authorization device, a user interface, a battery, memory, an antenna, a dryer, a pump, an ozone generator, a sound generator, a light generator, and a clock.

4. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module comprises an amount sensor.

5. The modular device according to claim 4, wherein the amount sensor comprises at least one of an acoustical sensor, an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a resistive sensor, an evaporative gas sensor, an image sensor, a pressure sensor, a float sensor, an infrared sensor, a strain gauge sensor, and a force sensor.

6. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module comprises a radiation sensor.

7. The modular device according to claim 6, wherein the radiation sensor comprises at least one of an optical sensor, a radio receiver, a heat sensor, a UV sensor, and an image sensor.

8. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module sensing at least one of pressure, temperature, color changes, odor, texture, density, consistency, variability of color or texture, imaging, pH, viscosity, and the presence of specific gases.

9. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter module comprises at least one of a radio frequency transmitter, an acoustic transmitter, a visible light transmitter, an infra-red transmitter, and a radio frequency identification circuit.

10. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter module uses a standard comprising at least one of Bluetooth®

, Zigbee®

Wibree™

, enOcean®

, Z-wave®

, wi-fi, Wireless USB, and wi-max.

11. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter module further comprises a data processor.

12. The modular device according to claim 11, wherein the at least one transmitter module further comprises at least one of a clock, a sound generator, a user interface, a user authentication device, a user authorization device, a power storage device, an antenna, and memory.

13. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the power source module further comprises a power generator.

14. The modular device according to claim 13, wherein the power source derives its power from the natural ambient environment.

15. The modular device according to claim 14, wherein the power source comprises at least one of a battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell, an RFID circuit, an inductive generator, a piezoelectric generator, a thermoelectric generator, and a kinetic micro generator.

16. The modular device according to claim 13, wherein the power source module further comprises a power storage device.

17. The modular device according to claim 13, wherein the power generator comprises at least one of an RFID circuit, an inductive generator, a piezoelectric generator, a thermoelectric generator, a solar cell, and a kinetic micro generator.

18. The modular device according to claim 13, wherein the power source module further comprises a power storage device.

19. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the power source module comprises a power storage device.

20. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising a cover module capable of being operably associated with the modular device, the cover module at least partially shielding the modular device from the substance in the container.

21. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising a cover module capable of being operably associated with the at least one sensing module and at least partially shielding the at least one sensing module from the substance in the container.

22. The modular device according to claim 21, wherein the cover module at least partially shields the transmitter module and the power source module from the substance in the container.

23. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising an interface module having connection points capable of operably connecting to the at least one sensing module, the power source module, and the at least one transmitter module.

24. The modular device according to claim 23, wherein the interface module further comprises at least one of a data processor and power storage.

25. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter module further comprises an interface having connection points for operably connecting to the at least one sensing module, and the power source module.

26. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter module further comprises at least two interfaces each having connection points for operably connecting to another module and a bus communicating power and data between the at least two interfaces.

27. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein each of said modules further comprises at least two interfaces, each having connection points for operably connecting to another module and a bus communicating power and data between the at least two interfaces.

28. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein each of the modules further comprises at least one interface having connection points for operably connecting to any of the other modules.

29. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the modules further comprises an identifier and further wherein the transmitter is capable of transmitting an indicator of the output of the sensor module and the identifier.

30. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one sensing module comprises a sensor for sensing an attribute of substance in the container;

the transmitter module comprises a data processor capable of receiving an output of the sensor, an identifier, and a radio frequency transmitter capable of transmitting an indicator of the output of the amount sensor and the identifier; and

the power source module comprises a micro-generator generating electrical power

31. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two sensor modules, wherein the power supply and a transmitter are capable of being operably coupled to the at least two sensor modules at the same time.

32. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter module further comprises a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained therein;

and wherein, the transmitter is further configured to transmit at least one element of metadata with the output.

33. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna operably connected to the transmitter for transmitting the output of the transmitter module.

34. The modular device according to claim 33, further comprising a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained in the data storage medium.

35. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained therein.

36. A modular system for determining attributes of substances in containers, comprising:

a plurality of sensing modules each having a different type of sensor capable of sensing an attribute of a substance in a container;

at least one transmitter module capable of being operably connected to any of the sensing modules and configured to transmit an output of the sensor of the sensing module to which it is operably connected; and

a plurality of power source modules each capable of being operably connected to any of the sensor modules and at least one transmitter module to power the sensor module and the transmitter module to which it is operably connected.

37. The modular system according to claim 36, wherein the sensors differ from each other by measuring a different attribute.

38. The modular system according to claim 36, wherein the sensors differ from each other by measuring the same attribute by a different process.

39. The modular system according to claim 36, wherein the power source modules differ from each other by generating power by a different power generating process.

40. The modular system according to claim 36, comprising a plurality of transmitter modules, each being capable of being operably coupled to any of the plurality of power supply modules and any of the plurality of sensor modules to receive power for the power supply module and transmit the output of the sensing module to which it is operably coupled.

41. The modular system according to claim 40, wherein each of the plurality of transmitter modules differ from each other by transmitting using a different transmission process.

42. The modular system according to claim 36, wherein each transmitter module further comprises at least two interfaces each having connection points for operably connecting to any one of the other modules and a bus for delivering data and power between the at least two interfaces.

43. The modular system according to claim 36, wherein each module further comprises at least two interfaces each having connection points for operably connecting to any one of the other modules and a bus for delivering data and power between the at least two interfaces.

44. A modular device for determining attribute values of a substance stored in a container, comprising:

a module interface configured to receive a plurality of modules and provide communication between modules when at least two modules are coupled to the module interface;

the at least two modules selected from a sensing module having an identifier and a sensor;

an accessory module;

a transmitter configured to transmit information related to the modular device; and

a processor configured to evaluate data from one of the sensing module and the accessory module for determining the attribute value;

a power source module.

45. The modular device according to claim 44, wherein the modular device is disposed within a container.

46. The modular device according to claim 44, wherein the modular device is disposed within a container lid.

47. The modular device according to claim 44, wherein the information related to the modular device comprises the identifier.

48. The modular device according to claim 44, wherein the information related to the modular device comprises information derived from an output of the sensing module

49. A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container, comprising:

a module interface;

at least one sensing module attached to the module interface having an identifier and a sensor;

at least one accessory module attached to the interface;

a transmitter configured to transmit the identifier and information derived from an output of the sensing module; and

a processor coupled to the module interface and the transmitter configured to control the at least one sensing module and the at least one accessory module;

a power source module connected to the module interface.

50. The modular device according to claim 49, further comprising a lid for removably closing a container, wherein the module interface is attached to the lid.

51. The modular device according to claim 49, further comprising a container and a lid removably attachable to the container for closing the container, wherein the module interface is attached to the lid.

52. A system for dispensing at least one substance from at least one portable container, comprising:

a source of power;

a lid having at least one sensing module receiving power from the source of power and having a sensor configured to sense at least one attribute of a substance contained in the at least one portable container;

at least one accessory module receiving power from the source of power for selectively dispensing substance from the container;

a processor receiving power from the source of power and receiving data from the sensing module, the process being configured to evaluate data from one of the at least one sensing module and actuate the accessory module for dispensing of the at least one substance.

53. The system according to claim 52, wherein the accessory is disposed within a dispenser for dispensing substances into a home appliance process use environment.

54. The system according to claim 52, wherein the accessory module is one of a pump, a valve, a siphon, and a tipping device.

55. The system according to claim 52, wherein the attribute is indicative of an amount of the at least one substance.