HAND HYGIENE TRACKING SYSTEM

• US 20130262034A1
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Published: 10/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Inventors: Iseri, Mert, Malina, Yuri, Hardman, Jori
• Application Number:
  US13/769,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20130262034A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/187
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• 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

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, a method may comprise collecting at least one instance of user-location information, wherein each instance of the user-location information includes a user identifier, a location identifier, and a user time, and collecting at least one instance of dispense-location information, wherein each instance of the dispense-location information includes the user identifier, the location identifier, and a sanitizer dispense time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting at a network server at least one instance of user-location information, wherein each instance of the user-location information includes a user identifier, a location identifier, and a user time; and

collecting at a network server at least one instance of dispense-location information, wherein each instance of the dispense-location information includes the user identifier, the location identifier, and a sanitizer dispense time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a plurality of user locations at a first plurality of times based on a first plurality of location identifiers and a plurality of user times associated with the user identifier; and

determining a plurality of dispense locations at a second plurality of times based on a second plurality of location identifiers and a plurality of sanitizer dispense times associated with the user identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving at the network server the user identifier and the location identifier at a first time;

determining the user time based on the first time;

receiving at the network server the user identifier, the location identifier, a time period, and a dispense indicator at a second time; and

determining the sanitizer dispense time based on the time period, the dispense indicator, and the second time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the time period comprises a first time difference between a first periodic transmission from an electronic module including the user identifier and a second periodic transmission from the electronic module including the user identifier and the dispense indicator; and

wherein the dispense indicator comprises a time stamp including a second time difference between the first periodic transmission and a sensing of a sanitizer dispensing action.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reading the user identifier from a user identifier memory;

periodically transmitting the user identifier to a network at an interval of time;

sensing a sanitizer dispensing action;

generating a dispense indicator; and

transmitting a time period and the dispense indicator with the next periodic transmission of the user identifier after sensing the dispensing action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the interval is a time from approximately one second to approximately sixty seconds.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the location identifier;

receiving at a network hub the user identifier from an electronic module at a first time;

transmitting, from the network hub to the network server, the user identifier and the location identifier after receiving the user identifier at the network hub at the first time;

receiving at the network hub the user identifier, a time period, and a dispense indicator from the electronic module at a second time; and

transmitting, from the network hub to the network server, the user identifier, the location identifier, the time period, and the dispense indicator to the network server after receiving the user identifier, the time period, and the dispense indicator at the network hub at the second time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the location identifier comprises reading the location identifier from a location identifier memory.

15. The hygiene tracking system of claim 8, further comprising a network hub configured to:

determine the location identifier;

receive the user identifier from an electronic module at a first time;

transmit the user identifier and the location identifier to the network server after receiving the user identifier at the first time;

receive the user identifier, a time period, and a dispense indicator from the electronic module at a second time;

transmit the user identifier, the location identifier, the time period, and the dispense indicator to the network server after receiving the user identifier and the dispense indicator at the second time.

9. A hygiene tracking system, comprising:

a network server configured to;

collect at least one instance of user-location information, wherein each instance of the user-location information includes a user identifier, a location identifier, and a user time; and

collect at least one instance of dispense-location information, wherein each instance of the dispense-location information includes the user identifier, the location identifier, and a dispense time.

10. The hygiene tracking system of claim 9, wherein the network server is further configured to:

determine a plurality of user locations at a first plurality of times based on a first plurality of location identifiers and a plurality of user times associated with the user identifier; and

determine a plurality of dispense locations at a second plurality of times based on a second plurality of location identifiers and a plurality of sanitizer dispense times associated with the user identifier.

11. The hygiene tracking system of claim 9, wherein the network server is further configured to:

receive the user identifier and the location identifier at a first time;

determine the user time based on the first time;

receive the user identifier, the location information, a time period, and a dispense indicator at a second time; and

determine the sanitizer dispense time based on the time period, the dispense indicator, and the second time.

12. The hygiene tracking system of claim 11, wherein:

the time period comprises a first time difference between a first periodic transmission from an electronic module including the user identifier and a second periodic transmission from the electronic module including the user identifier and the dispense indicator;

wherein the dispense indicator comprises a time stamp including a second time difference between the first periodic transmission and a sensing of a sanitizer dispensing action.

13. The hygiene tracking system of claim 9, further comprising an electronic module configured to:

read the user identifier from a user identifier memory;

periodically transmit the user identifier to a network hub at an interval of time;

sense a sanitizer dispensing action;

generate a dispense indicator; and

transmit a time period and the dispense indicator with the next periodic transmission of the user identifier after sensing the sanitizer dispensing action.

14. The hygiene tracking system of claim 11, wherein the interval is a time from approximately one second to approximately sixty seconds.

16. The hygiene tracking system of claim 13, wherein the network hub is configured to read the location identifier from a location identification memory located in the network hub.

17. A hygiene tracking hub, comprising:

a location identification memory configured to store a location identifier; and

a transceiver configured to;

receive the user identifier from an electronic module at a first time;

transmit the user identifier and the location identifier to a network server after receiving the user identifier from the electronic module at the first time;

receive the user identifier and a dispense-information packet from the electronic module at a second time;

transmit the user identifier, the location identifier, and the dispense-information packet to the network server after receiving the user identifier and the dispense-information packet from the electronic module at the second time.

18. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein:

the dispense-information packet includes a time period and a dispense indicator comprising a time stamp;

the time period comprises a first time difference between the first time and the second time; and

the time stamp comprises a second time difference between the first time and a sensing of a sanitizer dispensing action.

19. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:

communicate with the electronic module according to a first communication protocol; and

communicate with the network server according to a second communication protocol, wherein the first communication protocol and the second communication protocol are different.

20. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein the transceiver includes an adjustable range within which the transceiver may communicate with the electronic module.

21. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein:

the transceiver is configured to receive hygiene information, corresponding to the user identifier, from the network server; and

the hygiene tracking hub further comprises a display configured to display the hygiene information.

22. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein:

the hygiene tracking hub is configured to be installed in a stationary location; and

the location identifier corresponds to the stationary location.

23. The hygiene tracking hub of claim 17, wherein the hygiene tracking hub is configured to:

receive the location identifier from a location transmitter; and

write the location identifier to the location memory.

24. A method, comprising:

determining a location identifier;

receiving the user identifier from an electronic module at a first time;

transmitting the user identifier and the location identifier to a network server after receiving the user identifier from the electronic module at the first time;

receiving the user identifier and a dispense-information packet from the electronic module at a second time; and

transmitting the user identifier, the location identifier, and the dispense-information packet to the network server after receiving the user identifier and the dispense-information packet from the electronic module at the second time.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the dispense-information packet includes a time period and a dispense indicator comprising a time stamp;

the time period comprises a first time difference between the first time and the second time; and

the time stamp comprises a second time difference between the first time and a sensing of a sanitizer dispensing action.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein determining the location identifier comprises reading the location identifier from a location identifier memory.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

communicating with the sanitizer dispenser according to a first communication protocol; and

communicating with the network server according to a second communication protocol.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising adjusting the distance from which the hub may communicate with the sanitizer dispenser.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving hygiene information corresponding to the user identifier from the network server; and

displaying the hygiene information.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

receiving the location identifier from a location transmitter; and

writing the location identifier to the location memory.