Method and system for installation and control of a utility device

• US 7,092,793 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ecolab, Inc.
• Inventors: Peterson, Jeff, Flesher, Dan, Sowle, Ed, Howes, Ronald Jr., May, Robert, Lentsch, Steven, Rolando, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US10/699,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20050096788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 700239-241, 700/231, 700265-266, 134/56.R, 134/57.R, 134/57.D, 8158-159
• US Class Current: 700/266
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0021 Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
• 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: A47L 15/241 the dishes moving in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/04 Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/11 Water hardness, acidity or basicity
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/12 Water temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/30 Variation of electrical, magnetical or optical quantities
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/07 Consumable products, e.g. detergent, rinse aids or salt
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for configuring and administering control over operations of a utility device. The utility device is described herein as being a warewash machine, but other utility devices are contemplated. A warewash controller administers control over operations of the warewash machine based on operational settings defined by the process disclosed herein. The operational settings are derived based on environmental parameters (e.g., water type, soil level, selected chemical product, etc.) specified by a field service person through a graphical user interface. If an environmental parameter is changed during the operational life cycle of the warewash machine, the operational settings are modified to accommodate for such a change. Thus, the service performed by the warewash machine is maintained at a consistent quality regardless of changes in the environment. A method for selecting the specific chemical product that will be input as an environmental parameter is also disclosed.

Claims

1. In a computer system, a method for configuring a utility device to perform a service at a service environment, wherein the service performed by the utility device comprises application of a chemical solution to articles, the chemical solution being formed by combining a rinse agent and a chemical product in a solution tank, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface through which a field service person inputs one or more parameters associated with the service environment;

receiving through the graphical user interface a first parameter relating to a soil level on the articles;

receiving through the graphical user interface a second parameter relating to a specific type of water used to form the rinse agent;

receiving through the graphical user interface a third parameter identifying the chemical product;

analyzing the one or more parameters to determine operational settings for use by the utility device in performing the service, wherein the analyzing act comprises evaluating the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter to determine a conductivity setpoint for the chemical solution, wherein the conductivity setpoint is one of the set of operational settings and wherein the conductivity setpoint defines a target percent concentration of the chemical product within the chemical solution;

receiving through the graphical user interface an indication to activate the utility device to perform the service at the service environment; and

in response to the indication, controlling operation of the utility device based on the operational settings determined by the analyzing act, wherein the controlling act comprises;

detecting a current conductivity of the chemical solution in the solution tank; and

dispensing a predetermined amount of the chemical product to the solution tank in response to the current conductivity falling below the conductivity setpoint, wherein the predetermined amount of the chemical product is an operational setting determined by analyzing the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter against a data structure mapping the operational settings to a plurality of parameter groupings, wherein the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter form one of the plurality of parameter groupings.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the utility device is a warewash machine.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the graphical user interface the conductivity setpoint determined by the evaluating act; and

presenting on the graphical user interface an electronic selection screen comprising an interface element for modifying the conductivity setpoint.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the controlling act further comprises:

in response to modification of the conductivity setpoint via the interface element, controlling operation of the utility device based on the modified conductivity setpoint.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is presented to the field service person on a display device coupled to computer system.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface is presented to the field service person on a display device coupled to a client computer communicatively connected to the computer system.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the service comprises performance of a process using a combination of a chemical product and water, the method further comprising:

defining a plurality of candidate chemical products that may be used in the performance of the process at the service environment;

determining a hardness level associated with the water; and

analyzing the hardness level against each of the plurality of candidate chemical products to select therefrom the chemical product, wherein the selected chemical product is one of the one or more parameters input by the field service person through the graphical user interface.

8. A computer program product readable by a computer system and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method of claim 1.

9. In a computer system, a method for configuring a utility device to perform a service at a service environment, wherein the service comprises performance of a process using a combination of a chemical product and water, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface through which a field service person inputs one or more parameters associated with the service environment;

analyzing the one or more parameters to determine operational settings for use by the utility device in performing the service;

defining a plurality of candidate chemical products that may be used in the performance of the process at the service environment;

determining a hardness level associated with the water; and

analyzing the hardness level against each of the plurality of candidate chemical products to select therefrom the chemical product, wherein the selected chemical product is one of the one or more parameters input by the field service person through the graphical user interface;

evaluating a specified consideration to render therefrom a first parameter value indicative of results derived from examination of the specified consideration, wherein the analyzing act analyzes both the hardness level and the first parameter value against each of the plurality of candidate chemical products to administer the selection of the chemical product;

receiving through the graphical user interface an indication to activate the utility device to perform the service at the service environment; and

in response to the indication, controlling operation of the utility device based on the operational settings determined by the analyzing act.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the first parameter value relates to an average level of soil that will be washed from articles by the utility device as a result of performance of the process.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the utility device is a warewash machine.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the utility device is a laundry machine.

13. A computer program product readable by a computer system and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method of claim 9.

14. A computer-implemented method for configuring a utility device to perform a service at a service environment, wherein the service performed by the utility device comprises application of a chemical solution to articles, the chemical solution being formed by combining a rinse agent and a chemical product in a solution tank, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface through which a field service person inputs one or more parameters associated with the service environment;

receiving through the graphical user interface a first parameter relating to a soil level on the articles;

receiving through the graphical user interface a second parameter relating to a specific type of water used to form the rinse agent; and

receiving through the graphical user interface a third parameter identifying the chemical product;

analyzing the one or more parameters to determine a set of operational settings for use by the utility device in performing the service, wherein the analyzing act comprises;

evaluating the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter to determine a conductivity setpoint for the chemical solution, wherein the conductivity setpoint is one of the set of operational settings and wherein the conductivity setpoint defines a target percent concentration of the chemical product within the chemical solution;

saving the set of operational settings to memory for use in controlling operation of the utility device during performance of the service;

receiving through the graphical user interface an indication to activate the utility device to perform the service at the service environment;

in response to the indication, controlling operation of the utility device based on the set of operational settings saved to memory, wherein the controlling act comprises;

detecting a current conductivity of the chemical solution in the solution tank; and

dispensing a predetermined amount of the chemical product to the solution tank in response to the current conductivity falling below the conductivity setpoint, wherein the predetermined amount of the chemical product is an operational setting determined by analyzing the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter against a data structure mapping each of the set of operational settings to a plurality of parameter groupings, wherein the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter form one of the plurality of parameter groupings;

displaying on the graphical user interface the set of operational settings determined by the analyzing act;

presenting on the graphical user interface an electronic selection screen comprising an interface element for modifying at least one of the set of operational settings; and

in response to modification of an operational setting, updating the set of operational settings to include the modified operational setting.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the utility device is a warewash machine.

16. A computer-implemented method for configuring a utility device to perform a service at a service environment, wherein the service performed by the utility device comprises application of a chemical solution to articles, the chemical solution being formed by combining a rinse agent and a chemical product in a solution tank, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface through which a field service person inputs one or more parameters associated with the service environment;

receiving through the graphical user interface a first parameter relating to a soil level on the articles;

receiving through the graphical user interface a second parameter relating to a specific type of water used to form the rinse agent; and

receiving through the graphical user interface a third parameter identifying the chemical product;

analyzing the one or more parameters to determine a set of operational settings for use by the utility device in performing the service, wherein the analyzing act comprises;

evaluating the first parameter, the second parameter and the third parameter to determine a conductivity setpoint for the chemical solution, wherein the conductivity setpoint is one of the set of operational settings and wherein the conductivity setpoint defines a target percent concentration of the chemical product within the chemical solution;

saving the set of operational settings to memory for use in controlling operation of the utility device during performance of the service;

receiving through the graphical user interface an indication to activate the utility device to perform the service at the service environment;

in response to the indication, controlling operation of the utility device based on the set of operational settings saved to memory, wherein the controlling act comprises;

detecting a current conductivity of the chemical solution in the solution tank, and

dispensing a predetermined amount of the chemical product to the solution tank in response to the current conductivity falling below the conductivity setpoint;

displaying on the graphical user interface the set of operational settings determined by the analyzing act;

presenting on the graphical user interface an electronic selection screen comprising an interface element for modifying at least one of the set of operational settings, wherein the interface element is operable to modify the conductivity setpoint; and

in response to modification of an operational setting, updating the set of operational settings to include the modified operational setting, wherein the updating act comprises;

in response to modification of the conductivity setpoint via the interface element, updating the set of operational settings to include the modified conductivity setpoint.

17. A method as defined in claim 16, wherein the controlling act further comprises:

controlling operation of the utility device based on the modified conductivity setpoint.

18. A computer-implemented method for configuring a utility device to perform a service at a service environment, the method comprising:

providing a graphical user interface through which a field service person inputs one or more parameters associated with the service environment;

analyzing the one or more parameters to determine a set of operational settings for use by the utility device in performing the service, wherein the analyzing act comprises;

determining a conductivity offset relating to an inherent conductivity of a rinse agent; and

utilizing the conductivity offset to determine a total dissolved solids parameter for a chemical solution, wherein the displaying act displays the total dissolved solids parameter on the graphical user interface in conjunction with one or more operational settings related to a rinse cycle performed by the utility device to apply the rinse agent to articles during the service;

saving the set of operational settings to memory for use in controlling operation of the utility device during performance of the service;

displaying on the graphical user interface the set of operational settings determined by the analyzing act;

presenting on the graphical user interface an electronic selection screen comprising an interface element for modifying at least one of the set of operational settings; and

in response to modification of an operational setting, updating the set of operational settings to include the modified operational setting.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, wherein the interface element is operable to modify the at least one of the one or more operational settings related to the rinse cycle.

20. A method as defined in claim 19 wherein the utility device is a warewash machine.

21. A computer program product readable by a computer system and tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer system to perform the method of claim 18.

22. A computer program product as defined in claim 21, wherein the computer program product is a communications medium.