SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING CLEANING CONDITIONS OF FACILITY USING CLEANING APPARATUS WITH TRACKING FEATURE

• US 20180353999A1
• Filed: 06/11/2018
• Published: 12/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American International Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American International Group Incorporated
• Inventors: McGillicuddy, Rene, Birch, Brian, Sahai, Faye
• Granted Patent: US 10,737,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 13/00 Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 19/02 Measuring coefficient of friction between materials testing of tyres G01M17/02; determinations of friction coefficient used in vehicle braking or traction control systems B60T8/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Systems and methods for monitoring the cleaning conditions of a facility include the use of a cleaning apparatus with a tracking device. The tracking device is adapted to detect an operating parameter of the cleaning apparatus. In embodiments, the operating parameter includes at least one of the location of the cleaning apparatus within a facility over time, the movement of the cleaning apparatus, and the dynamic coefficient of friction encountered by a cleaning head of the cleaning apparatus as it traverses a surface being cleaned in the facility.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a cleaning condition of a facility, the system comprising:

a cleaning apparatus;

a tracking assembly, the tracking assembly configured to monitor movement of the cleaning apparatus within the facility, the tracking assembly including a first tracking unit and a plurality of second tracking units, the first tracking unit associated with the cleaning apparatus, the first tracking unit configured to wirelessly emit a location signal, and the second tracking units located in spaced relationship to each other within the facility, each second tracking unit configured to interact with the first tracking unit to detect when the cleaning apparatus is within a detection area of the respective second tracking unit, the second tracking units configured to transmit location data concerning the cleaning apparatus;

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the non-transitory computer-readable medium bearing a floor condition tracking program;

a processor, the processor in operable arrangement with the second tracking units to receive the location data therefrom and in operable arrangement with the non-transitory, computer-readable medium, the processor configured to execute the floor condition tracking program contained on the non-transitory computer-readable medium;

wherein the floor condition tracking program includes a tracking module configured to analyze the location data from the second tracking units to determine whether a predetermined cleaning operation was performed within a specified time schedule.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user identification device, the user identification device configured to transmit an identification signal configured to identify which one of a plurality of operators is associated with the user identification device;

an identification reader, the identification reader associated with the cleaning apparatus, the identification reader configured to interact with the user identification device to receive the identification signal from the user identification device and to transmit the identification signal to the processor;

wherein the tracking module of the floor condition tracking program is configured to associate the location data received from the cleaning apparatus to the operator associated with the identification signal received from the identification reader.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the tracking module of the floor condition tracking program is configured, in response to determining a cleaning operation was not performed with the time schedule, to generate and send an electronic alert message to at least one recipient to alert the recipient that the cleaning operation did not occur according to the time schedule.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first tracking unit is configured to generate a Bluetooth radio wave on a frequency between 2.402 GHz and 2.480 GHz, and the second tracking units each comprises a Bluetooth beacon.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

a communication bridge, the communication bridge configured to receive location data from the beacons and to transmit the location data to the processor.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a motion detector and a communication device, the motion detector configured to detect movement of the cleaning apparatus upon a surface within the facility during a cleaning operation, the motion detector configured to generate a motion signal indicative of the movement of the cleaning apparatus upon the surface, and the communication device being in electrical communication with the motion detector to receive the motion signal, the communication device configured to transmit the motion signal to the processor, and wherein the tracking module of the floor condition tracking program is configured to analyze the motion signal to determine whether the cleaning operation has been performed within the specified time schedule.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising:

a user identification device, the user identification device configured to transmit an identification signal configured to identify which one of a plurality of operators is associated with the user identification device;

an identification reader, the identification reader associated with the cleaning apparatus, the identification reader configured to interact with the user identification device to receive the identification signal from the user identification device and to transmit the identification signal to the processor;

wherein the tracking module of the floor condition tracking program is configured to associate the location data and the motion signal received from the cleaning apparatus to the operator associated with the identification signal received from the identification reader.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the cleaning apparatus includes a sensor and a communication device, the sensor configured to measure a condition of a surface upon which the cleaning apparatus moves, the sensor configured to generate a condition signal indicative of the condition measured by the sensor, and the communication device in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the condition signal, the communication device configured to transmit the condition signal to the processor, and wherein the floor condition tracking program includes a floor condition module, the floor condition module configured to determine whether a parameter of the surface is within a predetermined range based upon the condition signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a friction condition of the surface upon which the cleaning apparatus moves, and the floor condition module includes a computer executable calculation code segment configured to determine a coefficient of friction encountered by the cleaning apparatus moving upon the surface based upon the condition signal received from the sensor.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises a strain sensor, the strain sensor arranged with the cleaning apparatus such that the strain sensor is configured to measure a resistance encountered by the cleaning apparatus as the cleaning apparatus moves upon the surface, the strain sensor configured to generate a strain signal indicative of the resistance, and wherein the calculation code segment is configured to determine a dynamic coefficient of friction encountered by the cleaning apparatus moving upon the surface based upon the strain signal received from the strain sensor.

11. A method of monitoring a cleaning condition of a facility, the method comprising:

moving a cleaning apparatus upon a surface within the facility;

using a sensor to measure a condition of the surface upon which the cleaning apparatus is moving, the sensor generating a condition signal indicative of the condition measured by the sensor;

transmitting the condition signal to a processor;

using the processor to execute computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine whether a parameter of the surface is within a predetermined range based upon the condition signal.

12. The method of monitoring according to claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises a strain sensor, the strain sensor arranged with the cleaning apparatus such that the strain sensor is configured to measure a resistance encountered by the cleaning apparatus as the cleaning apparatus moves upon the surface, the strain sensor generating a strain signal indicative of the resistance, and the processor determines whether the parameter of the surface is within the predetermined range by calculating a dynamic coefficient of friction encountered by the cleaning apparatus moving upon the surface based upon the strain signal generated by the strain sensor.

13. The method of monitoring according to claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring movement of the cleaning apparatus within the facility using a tracking assembly, the tracking assembly including a first tracking unit and a plurality of second tracking units, the first tracking unit associated with the cleaning apparatus, and the second tracking units located in spaced relationship to each other within the facility, wherein;

each second tracking unit interacts with the first tracking unit to detect when the cleaning apparatus is within a detection area of the respective second tracking unit,

the second tracking units transmit to the processor location data concerning the cleaning apparatus based upon the location signal received from the first tracking unit, and

the processor executes computer executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine the location of the cleaning apparatus within the facility over time;

using the processor to execute computer executable instructions stored on the non-transitory computer-readable medium to determine whether a predetermined cleaning operation was performed by the cleaning apparatus within a specified time schedule based upon the determined location of the cleaning apparatus within the facility over time.

14. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a scrubbing member;

a sensor, the sensor configured to measure a condition of a surface upon which the scrubbing member moves, the sensor configured to generate a condition signal indicative of the condition measured by the sensor;

a communication device, the communication device in electrical communication with the sensor to receive the condition signal, the communication device configured to transmit the condition signal to a remote receiver.

15. The cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a friction condition of the surface upon which scrubbing member moves.

16. The cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a strain sensor, the strain sensor arranged with the scrubbing member such that the strain sensor is configured to measure a resistance encountered by the scrubbing member as the scrubbing member moves along a surface being cleaned, the strain sensor being configured to generate a strain signal indicative of the resistance.

17. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a motion detector, the motion detector configured to detect movement of the scrubbing member upon the surface, the motion detector configured to generate a motion signal indicative of the movement of the scrubbing member upon the surface;

wherein the communication device is in electrical communication with the motion detector to receive the motion signal, the communication device configured to transmit the motion signal to a remote receiver.

18. The cleaning apparatus of claim 17, wherein the motion detector comprises an accelerometer.

19. The cleaning apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

a tracking device, the tracking device configured to wirelessly emit a location signal to a remote receiver for determining a location of the cleaning apparatus.

20. The cleaning apparatus of claim 19, wherein the tracking device is configured to generate a Bluetooth radio wave on a frequency between 2.402 GHz and 2.480 GHz.