System and method for collecting data on product consumption

• US 6,360,181 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1997
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Winder, James A., Oyler, John R., McConnell, Wesley J., Gemmell, Bruce M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoff, Marc S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barbee, Manuel L.
• Application Number:
  US08/997,218
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 364/468.15, 364/468.22, 702/128, 340/673, 340/675, 73/13.6, 341/8, 705/22, 705/28, 363/64, 364/681.5, 36/11, 367/00, 361/08, 700/115
• US Class Current: 702/128
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/32 Dispensers for paper towels or toilet-paper
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/36 with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/3625 with electronic control means
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/38 the web being rolled up with or without tearing edge A47K10/36 and A47K10/46 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 10/42 dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3226 collecting data of usage
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 2010/3668 Detection of the presence of a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1202 dispensing dosed volume A47K5/1201 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty

Abstract

A system and method for collecting data on individual and aggregate use of various washroom products. The system includes one or more product dispensers having a sensor associated therewith for determining product usage. The sensor communicates usage information to local transmitter which responsively generates a data signal. The data signal is transmitted, such as by wireless techniques, to a central data collection unit. The central data collection unit receives and stores the data signal for later analysis. In exemplary embodiments, usage from a plurality of dispensers can be monitored by a single data collection unit.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring product usage at a particular location, said system comprising:

a product dispenser, the dispenser comprising a rotating member;

a sensor device positioned in said dispenser to detect removal of said product, wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser;

a local transmission unit in operative communication with said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format representative of at least product usage and wirelessly broadcasting said data signal; and

a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive said data signal and store usage information representative thereof.

2. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said dispenser is configured to dispense absorbent roll web product.

3. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data collection unit stores said usage information on a removable data card.

4. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data collection unit includes a receiver in operative communication with a processor device, said receiver being powered up continually to await receipt of transmissions.

5. A system as set forth in claim 4, wherein said processor device is normally maintained in a low power mode.

6. A system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for determining when an individual user is in an area to remove product from said dispenser; and

a second local transmission unit in operative communication with said means for determining, said second local transmission unit generating a second data signal of predetermined format and wirelessly broadcasting said second data signal.

7. A system as set forth in claim 6, wherein said dispenser is located in a toilet stall and said means for determining comprises a door sensor positioned to indicate stall door activity.

8. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said data signal includes an address to identify said dispenser to said data collection unit.

9. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local transmission unit is operative to wirelessly broadcast said data signal as a RF signal.

10. A system as set forth in claim 9, wherein said RF signal is a frequency-modulated signal.

11. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said RF signal is broadcast at a carrier frequency of 418 MHZ.

12. A system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said RF signal is broadcast at a carrier frequency of 433.92 MHZ.

13. A system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said local transmission unit is operative to wirelessly broadcast said data signal as an infrared signal.

14. A system for monitoring product usage at a plurality of locations, said system comprising:

a plurality of product dispensers, at least one dispenser having a rotating member;

each of said product dispensers including a sensor device positioned therein to detect removal of said product wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser;

a plurality of local transmission units, each of said local transmission units being associated with a respective dispenser to receive usage information from said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format; and

a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive data signals from all of said local transmission units and store usage information representative thereof.

15. A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said local transmission unit is operative to wirelessly broadcast said data signal to said data collection unit.

16. A system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said local transmission unit is operative to wirelessly broadcast said data signal as a RF signal.

17. A system as set forth in claim 15, wherein said local transmission unit is operative to wirelessly broadcast said data signal as an infrared signal.

18. A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said plurality of product dispensers include dispensers configured to dispense absorbent roll web product.

19. A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said data collection unit stores said usage information on a removable data card.

20. A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said data collection unit includes a receiver in operative communication with a processor device, said receiver being powered up continually to await receipt of transmissions.

21. A system as set forth in claim 20, wherein said processor device is normally maintained in a low power mode.

22. A system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said data signal includes an address to identify said dispenser to said data collection unit.

23. A system as set forth in claim 14, further comprising means to determine the presence of an individual user in an area proximate one or more of said dispensers.

24. A system for monitoring product usage at a particular location, said system comprising:

a product dispenser configured to dispense absorbent roll web product, the dispenser comprising a rotating member;

a sensor device positioned in said dispenser to detect removal of said product wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser, wherein said sensor comprises a roller mounted to rotate against an outer surface of said absorbent roll web product to generate a circumferential distance wherein said circumferential distance comprises an output indicative of a length of product withdrawn by a user;

a local transmission unit in operative communication with said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format which is representative of at least product usage and wirelessly broadcasting said data signal; and

a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive said data signal and store usage information representative thereof.