Data processing system for managing chemical product usage

• US 6,377,868 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 04/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Gardner, James P. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/428,841
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/232, 700/236, 700/238, 700/239, 700/241, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/236
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 95/00 Laundry systems or arrangements of apparatus or machines; Mobile laundries D06F31/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A data processing system is used to manage and track use of chemical product in a washing machine. A detergent dispenser distributes the chemical products (e.g., detergent, rinse agent, and bleach) to the washing machine. The dispenser includes a monitor that detects dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the dispenser. A database is coupled to the dispenser and stores an account identifier and an alignment identifier in association with the dispenser data of the dispenser. The database further stores corporate data in associating with the dispenser data, the account identifier, and the alignment identifier. An analysis application analyzes the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system and provide a feedback loop. The analysis application can limit its analysis to data associated with a given account identifier or a given alignment identifier.

Claims

1. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the data processing system comprising:

a chemical product dispenser distributing the chemical product to the chemical application system;

a monitor module detecting dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the chemical product dispenser;

a database coupled to the chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with the dispenser data of the chemical product dispenser;

the database further storing corporate data in association with the dispenser data and the account identifier, wherein the database is adapted to store database data associated with a plurality of customer accounts, including the first customer account and a second customer account;

an analysis application analyzing the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system; and

an alignment identifier associated with the first customer account and the second customer account, wherein the analysis application is capable of limiting analysis to database data associated with the first and second customer accounts based on the alignment identifier.

2. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the data processing system comprising:

a chemical product dispenser distributing the chemical product to the chemical application system;

a monitor module detecting dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the chemical product dispenser;

a database coupled to the chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with the dispenser data of the chemical product dispenser;

the database further storing corporate data in association with the dispenser data and the account identifier; and

an analysis application analyzing the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system, wherein the corporate data relates to business operations of a facility at which the chemical application system is operating and the corporate data describes a utility cost of a facility at which the chemical application system is operating.

3. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the data processing system comprising:

a first chemical product dispenser distributing the chemical product to the chemical application system;

a second chemical product dispenser distributing the chemical product to the chemical application system;

a monitor recording dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the first chemical product dispenser;

a database coupled to the first chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with the dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser;

the database further storing dispenser data of the second chemical product dispenser coupled and corresponding to a second customer account;

an alignment identifier identifying a peer relationship between the first and second customer accounts; and

an analysis application analyzing dispenser data of the first and second customer accounts, both associated with the alignment identifier, to characterize the use of the chemical product in the first chemical application system.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the database further stores corporate data in relation to the dispenser data associated with the first account identifier.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the database further stores corporate data in relation to the dispenser data associated with the alignment identifier.

6. The system of claim 3 wherein the database further stores data associated with a third customer account and the analysis application uses the alignment identifier to analyze data corresponding to the first and second accounts in the database in exclusion of the data associated with the third customer account.

7. The system of claim 3 wherein the dispenser data includes data detected by the dispenser.

8. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

a remote detector remotely coupled to the dispenser, wherein the dispenser data includes data detected by the remote detector.

9. The system of claim 3 further comprising:

a remote detector remotely coupled to the chemical application system, wherein the dispenser data include data detected by the remote detector.

10. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the chemical application system receiving the chemical product from a chemical product dispenser, the data processing system comprising:

a database coupled to the chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with dispenser data of the chemical product dispenser, the database further storing corporate data in relation to the dispenser data associated with the first account identifier;

an analysis application analyzing the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system;

a target parameter specifying a desired data characteristic for chemical product usage relating to the first customer account, wherein the analysis application identifies data that fails to satisfy the target parameters; and

a target parameter derived from an average of historical detected dispenser data recorded in the database, wherein the analysis application identifies dispenser data that fails to satisfy the target parameter.

11. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the chemical application system receiving the chemical product from a chemical product dispenser, the data processing system comprising:

a database coupled to the chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with dispenser data of the chemical product dispenser, the database further storing corporate data in relation to the dispenser data associated with the first account identifier;

an analysis application analyzing the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system;

a target parameter specifying a desired data characteristic for chemical product usage relating to the first customer account, wherein the analysis application identifies data that fails to satisfy the target parameters; and

a target parameter derived from an average of historical corporate data recorded in the database, wherein the analysis application identifies corporate data that fails to satisfy the target parameter.

12. A data processing system managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the chemical application system receiving the chemical product from a chemical product dispenser, the data processing system comprising:

a database coupled to the chemical product dispenser and storing the account identifier in association with dispenser data of the chemical product dispenser, the database further storing corporate data in relation to the dispenser data associated with the first account identifier;

an analysis application analyzing the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system;

a target parameter specifying a desired data characteristic for chemical product usage relating to the first customer account, wherein the analysis application identifies data that fails to satisfy the target parameters; and

a target parameter derived from an average of historical product usage data derived from corporate data and dispenser data recorded in the database, wherein the analysis application identifies, product usage data that fails to satisfy the target parameter.

13. A method of managing use of chemical product in a chemical application system corresponding to a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the method comprising:

distributing the chemical product to the chemical application system via a first chemical product dispenser;

recording first dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the chemical product dispenser;

recording the account identifier in association with the dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser;

storing second dispenser data from a second chemical product dispenser corresponding to a second customer account; and

analyzing the first dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser relative to the second dispenser data of the second chemical product dispenser to characterize the use of the chemical product in the chemical application system;

recording an alignment identifier associated with the first and second customer accounts; and

limiting analysis of the first dispenser data and the second dispenser data in accordance with the alignment identifier in exclusion of other recorded dispenser data.

14. A method of managing use of chemical product in a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the method comprising:

collecting dispenser data from a first chemical product dispenser;

collecting corporate data corresponding to the account identifier collecting dispenser data from a second chemical product dispenser of a second customer account;

analyzing the dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser relative to the corporate data and the dispenser data of the second chemical product dispenser to characterize the use of the chemical product in the first customer account; and

distributing results of the analyzing operation as feedback to the first customer account to facilitate management of chemical product usage.

15. A method of managing use of chemical product in a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the method comprising:

collecting dispenser data from a first chemical product dispenser;

collecting corporate data corresponding to the account identifier

collecting dispenser data from a second chemical product dispenser of a second customer account;

analyzing the dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser relative to the corporate data and the dispenser data of the second chemical product dispenser to characterize the use of the chemical product in the first customer account; and

distributing results of the analyzing operation as feedback to the first customer account to minimize procedural errors relating to the chemical application system.

16. A method of managing use of chemical product in a first customer account identified by an account identifier, the method comprising:

collecting dispenser data from a first chemical product dispenser;

collecting corporate data corresponding to the account identifier

collecting dispenser data from a second chemical product dispenser of a second customer account;

analyzing the dispenser data of the first chemical product dispenser relative to the corporate data and the dispenser data of the second chemical product dispenser to characterize the use of the chemical product in the first customer account; and

distributing results of the analyzing operation as feedback to the first customer account to minimize unnecessary expenses caused by excessive loads per occupied room.