Systems and Methods Involving Product Dispensers
First Claim
1. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:
- determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor;
dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor;
setting an object clear time value to a first value;
setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer;
starting a second timer with the set first value of the object clear time;
determining whether the first timer has expired past its set first time period;
determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor contemporaneously with and responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired;
determining whether the second timer has expired past the first value responsive to determining that an object is not contemporaneously sensed by the sensor; and
setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor, dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed, setting an object clear time value to a first value, setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the timer, starting a second timer with the set object clear time, determining whether the first timer has expired, determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, determining whether the second timer has expired responsive to determining that an object is not sensed by the sensor, setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:
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determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor; dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; setting an object clear time value to a first value; setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer; starting a second timer with the set first value of the object clear time; determining whether the first timer has expired past its set first time period; determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor contemporaneously with and responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired; determining whether the second timer has expired past the first value responsive to determining that an object is not contemporaneously sensed by the sensor; and setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A dispensing system comprises:
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a sensor; a product dispensing portion; and a processor communicatively connected to the sensor, the product dispensing portion, the processor operative to determine whether an object is sensed by the sensor, dispense a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor, set an object clear time value to a first value, set a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer, start a second timer with the set object first value of the object clear time, determine whether the first timer has expired past its set time period, determine whether an object is sensed by the sensor contemporaneously with and responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, determine whether the second timer has expired past the first value responsive to determining that an object is not contemporaneously sensed by the sensor, set the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:
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determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor; incrementing a dispense counter; dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; determining whether the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than a threshold value; setting the first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the dispense counter has an incremented value greater than the threshold value; determining whether the first timer has expired; and setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the first timer has expired. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for dispensing a product, the method comprising:
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determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor; turning on a visual indicator responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; dispensing a product; determining whether the sensor is obstructed; and turning off the visual indicator responsive to determining that sensor is not obstructed. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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Specification