Touch-Free Biometric-Enabled Dispenser

• US 20100230435A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOJO Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Wegelin, Jackson W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,245,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/52
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1217 Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/14 Vascular patterns
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/025 wherein the volume is determined during delivery

Abstract

A touch-free dispenser includes a dispenser controller coupled to a memory unit, which includes a database of previously-stored vein patterns. A vein-pattern sensor maintained by the dispenser images the unique vein pattern of a user'"'"'s hand without contact. The imaged vein pattern is subsequently compared with stored vein patterns, such that if there is a match, the dispenser proceeds to dispense material, such as soap, from a refill container. Alternatively, if there is no match between the imaged vein pattern and the stored vein patterns, the dispenser enters a learn mode to allow the imaged vein pattern to be added to the database. Data associated with the use of the dispenser is also collected during its operation, which is stored and associated with the imaged vein patterns for subsequent analysis.

Claims

1. A touch-free dispenser for dispensing material from a refill container into a user'"'"'s hand comprising:

a controller;

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump configured to receive the material from the refill container;

a local memory unit coupled to said controller, said local memory unit adapted to maintain at least one vein pattern; and

a vein-pattern sensor coupled to said controller, said vein-pattern sensor configured to detect at least a portion of the vein pattern of the user'"'"'s hand;

wherein said controller activates said pump to dispense the material from the refill container when said vein-pattern sensor detects said at least portion of said vein pattern of said user'"'"'s hand.

2. The touch-free dispenser of claim 1, wherein said controller generates usage data when the material is dispensed.

3. The touch-free dispenser of claim 2, wherein said usage data is associated with said detected vein pattern.

4. The touch-free dispenser of claim 3, further comprising a dispenser transceiver coupled to said controller to wirelessly communicate said detected vein patterns and said usage data with a remote transceiver.

5. The touch-free dispenser of claim 1, wherein said local memory unit is removable from said controller.

6. The touch-free dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a learn button coupled to said controller to selectively place said dispenser into a learn mode, wherein if the vein pattern identified by said vein-pattern sensor does not match said at least one predetermined vein pattern, and said dispenser is in said learn mode, the vein pattern identified by said vein-pattern sensor is stored at said memory unit.

7. The touch-free dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor and a position indicator each coupled to said controller, wherein said position indicator generates a prompt based on the position of the user'"'"'s hand with respect to said position indicator.

8. The touch-free dispenser of claim 1, further comprising a data port coupled to said controller to transfer said usage data from said controller to a remote computer.

9. A touch-free dispenser for dispensing material from a refill container into a user'"'"'s hand comprising:

a controller;

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump configured to receive the material from the refill container; and

a vein-pattern sensor coupled to said controller;

wherein said controller activates said pump to dispense the material from the refill container if said vein-pattern sensor detects at least a portion of a vein pattern in the user'"'"'s hand.

10. The touch-free dispenser of claim 9, further comprising:

a local memory unit coupled to said controller, said local memory unit adapted to maintain at least one predetermined vein pattern;

wherein upon the detection of said vein pattern, said controller authenticates the detected vein pattern.

11. The touch-free dispenser of claim 10, wherein said controller generates usage data when the material is dispensed.

12. The touch-free dispenser of claim 11, wherein said usage data is associated with said detected vein pattern.

13. The touch-free dispenser of claim 12, wherein the detected vein pattern and said usage data is stored at a local memory unit coupled to said controller if said vein pattern is not authenticated.

14. The touch-free dispenser of claim 13, wherein said local memory unit is portable and removable from said controller.

15. The touch-free dispenser of claim 12, further comprising a dispenser transceiver to wirelessly communicate said vein patterns and said usage data with a remote memory unit maintained by a remote transceiver.

16. The touch-free dispenser of claim 9, further comprising a position sensor and a position indicator each coupled to said controller, wherein said position indicator generates a prompt based on the position of the user'"'"'s hand with respect to said position indicator.

17. A method of dispensing material in a touch-free manner comprising:

providing a dispenser having a vein-pattern sensor;

coupling a refill container in operative communication with said dispenser, said refill container maintaining a quantity of material;

placing at least one hand in proximity to said vein-pattern sensor, such that placement of the user'"'"'s hand activates the vein-pattern sensor; and

dispensing said material from said refill container if a vein pattern is detected at said determining step.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating usage data based on said dispensing step; and

storing said usage data in a database maintained by said controller.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

comparing said detected vein pattern with a database of at least one predetermined vein pattern maintained by said controller; and

performing said dispensing step if said detected vein pattern matches said at least one predetermined vein pattern.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

entering a learn mode to store said detected vein pattern at said database if said vein pattern image and said at least one predetermined vein pattern do not match.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

generating usage data based on said dispensing step; and

associating said usage data with said detected vein pattern at said database.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reviewing said usage data from said database.

23. A touch-free dispenser for dispensing material into a user'"'"'s hand comprising:

a controller;

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump configured to receive the material from the dispenser; and

a biometric sensor coupled to said controller to detect a biometric measure in the user'"'"'s hand without contact thereto;

wherein said controller activates said pump to dispense the material from the dispenser if said biometric sensor detects a biometric measure in the user'"'"'s hand.

24. The touch-free dispenser of claim 23, wherein said controller generates usage data when the material is dispensed.

25. The touch-free dispenser of claim 24, wherein said usage data is associated with said detected biometric measure.

26. The touch-free dispenser of claim 24, further comprising a dispenser transceiver coupled to said controller to wirelessly communicate said detected biometric measure and said usage data with a remote transceiver.

27. A dispenser for dispensing material from a refill container into a user'"'"'s hand comprising:

a controller;

a biometric sensor coupled to said controller, said biometric sensor configured to detect a biometric measure in the user'"'"'s hand; and

a pump coupled to said controller, said pump configured to receive the material from the refill container so as to dispense the material when said biometric sensor senses the biometric measure in the user'"'"'s hand, regardless of whether said biometric sensor has previously sensed the biometric measure of the same user'"'"'s hand, and further wherein said biometric measure is maintained by said controller anonymously, such that it is not associated with the user'"'"'s identity.

28. The touch-free dispenser of claim 27, wherein said controller generates usage data when the material is dispensed.

29. The touch-free dispenser of claim 28, wherein said usage data is associated with said detected biometric measure.

30. The touch-free dispenser of claim 28, further comprising a dispenser transceiver coupled to said controller to wirelessly communicate said detected biometric measure and said usage data with a remote transceiver.