Modular attribute sensing device

• US 8,477,029 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ashrafzadeh, Farhad, Buendia-Garcia, Ali R., McCoy, Richard A., Yuan, Yingqin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lieu, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/256,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,713 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container having a sensing module, a transmitter module and a power source module. The sensing module is capable of sensing attributes of a substance and providing an output. The transmitter module is configured to transmit an output of the at least one sensing module when operably coupled to the sensing module. The power source module is capable of being operably connected to the sensor module and the transmitter module to power the sensor module and the transmitter module.

Claims

1. A modular device for determining attributes of a substance stored in a container, comprising:

a module interface;

at least one sensing module coupled to the module interface having an identifier and a sensor;

at least one accessory module coupled to the interface;

a transmitter configured to transmit the identifier and information derived from an output of the at least one sensing module;

a processor coupled to the module interface and the transmitter, and configured to control the at least one sensing module and the at least one accessory module;

a power source module connected to the module interface; and

a lid for removably closing the container, wherein the module interface is attached to the lid.

2. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory module comprises at least one of a motor, a fan, a mixer, a humidifier, a dehumidifier, a dispenser, a sensor, a heater, a cooler, a user authentication device, a user authorization device, a user interface, a battery, memory, an antenna, a dryer, a pump, an ozone generator, a sound generator, a light generator, and a clock.

3. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module comprises an amount sensor.

4. The modular device according to claim 3, wherein the amount sensor comprises at least one of an acoustical sensor, an optical sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a resistive sensor, an evaporative gas sensor, an image sensor, a pressure sensor, a float sensor, an infrared sensor, a strain gauge sensor, and a force sensor.

5. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module comprises a radiation sensor.

6. The modular device according to claim 5, wherein the radiation sensor comprises at least one of an optical sensor, a radio receiver, a heat sensor, a UV sensor, and an image sensor.

7. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensing module is configured to sense at least one of pressure, temperature, color changes, odor, texture, density, consistency, variability of color or texture, imaging, pH, viscosity, and the presence of specific gases.

8. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises at least one of a radio frequency transmitter, an acoustic transmitter, a visible light transmitter, an infra-red transmitter, and a radio frequency identification circuit.

9. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter uses a standard comprising at least one of Bluetooth®

, Zigbee®

Wibree™

, enOcean®

, Z-wave®

, wi-fi, Wireless USB, and wi-max.

10. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter comprises at least one of a clock, a sound generator, a user interface, a user authentication device, a user authorization device, a power storage device, an antenna, and memory.

11. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the power source module further comprises a power generator.

12. The modular device according to claim 11, wherein the power source module is configured to derive power from the natural ambient environment.

13. The modular device according to claim 11, wherein the power source module comprises at least one of a battery, a fuel cell, a solar cell, an RFID circuit, an inductive generator, a piezoelectric generator, a thermoelectric generator, and a kinetic micro generator.

14. The modular device according to claim 11, wherein the power source module further comprises a power storage device.

15. The modular device according to claim 11, wherein the power generator comprises at least one of an RFID circuit, an inductive generator, a piezoelectric generator, a thermoelectric generator, a solar cell, and a kinetic micro generator.

16. The modular device according to claim 15, wherein the power source module further comprises a power storage device.

17. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the power source module comprises a power storage device.

18. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the module interface comprises a bus communicating power and data.

19. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein:

the transmitter comprises a data processor capable of receiving an output of the sensor and a radio frequency transmitter capable of transmitting an indicator of the output and the identifier; and

the power source module comprises a micro-generator generating electrical power.

20. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising at least two sensing modules, wherein the power source module and the transmitter are capable of being operably coupled to the at least two sensing modules at the same time.

21. The modular device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter further comprises a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained therein, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit at least one element of metadata with the information derived from the output of the at least one sensing module.

22. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna operably connected to the transmitter for transmitting the information derived from the output of the at least one sensing module.

23. The modular device according to claim 22, further comprising a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained in the data storage medium.

24. The modular device according to claim 1, further comprising the container.

25. A modular device for determining an attribute value of a substance stored in a container, comprising:

a module interface configured to receive a plurality of modules and provide communication between modules when at least two modules are coupled to the module interface;

the at least two modules selected from;

a sensing module having an identifier and a sensor, and an accessory module;

a transmitter configured to transmit information related to the modular device; and

a processor configured to evaluate data from at least one of the at least two modules for determining the attribute value.

26. The modular device according to claim 25, further comprising a cover module capable of being operably associated with the modular device, the cover module at least partially shielding the modular device from the substance in the container.

27. The modular device according to claim 26, wherein the cover module at least partially shields the at least two modules from the substance in the container.

28. The modular device according to claim 27, wherein the cover module at least partially shields the transmitter from the substance in the container.

29. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein the module interface comprises a bus communicating power and data between the at least two modules.

30. The modular device according to claim 25, further comprising a plurality of sensing modules, each having an identifier and a sensor, wherein the sensors of the plurality of sensing modules differ from each other by measuring a different attribute.

31. The modular device according to claim 25, further comprising a plurality of sensing modules, each having an identifier and a sensor, wherein the sensors of the plurality of sensing modules differ from each other by measuring the same attribute by a different process.

32. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein the transmitter further comprises at least two interfaces, each having connection points for operably connecting to any one of the at least two modules, and a bus for delivering data and power between the at least two interfaces.

33. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein each of the at least two modules further comprises at least two interfaces, each having connection points, and a bus for delivering data and power between the at least two interfaces.

34. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein the modular device is disposed within a container.

35. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein the modular device is disposed within a container lid.

36. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein the information related to the modular device comprises the identifier.

37. The modular device according to claim 25, wherein one of the at least two modules comprises the sensing module, and the information related to the modular device comprises information derived from an output of the sensing module.

38. A system for dispensing at least one substance from at least one portable container, comprising:

a source of power;

a lid having at least one sensing module receiving power from the source of power and having a sensor configured to sense at least one attribute of the at least one substance contained in the at least one portable container;

at least one accessory module receiving power from the source of power for selectively dispensing the at least one substance from the at least one portable container; and

a processor receiving power from the source of power and receiving data from the at least one sensing module, the processor being configured to evaluate data from the at least one sensing module and actuate the at least one accessory module for dispensing of the at least one substance;

wherein at least one of the processor, the at least one sensing module, and the at least one accessory module further comprises an identifier.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein the at least one accessory module is disposed within a dispenser for dispensing substances into a home appliance process use environment.

40. The system according to claim 38, wherein the at least one accessory module is one of a pump, a valve, a siphon, and a tipping device.

41. The system according to claim 38, wherein the at least one attribute is indicative of an amount of the at least one substance.

42. The system according to claim 38, further comprising an interface module having connection points capable of operably connecting to the at least one sensing module, the source of power, and the at least one accessory module.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein the interface module further comprises at least one of a data processor and power storage.

44. The system according to claim 38, wherein each of the at least one sensing module and the at least one accessory module further comprises at least one interface having connection points.

45. The system according to claim 38, further comprising a data storage medium and at least one element of metadata contained therein.