Systems and methods involving product dispensers
First Claim
1. A method for dispensing a product, comprising:
- determining that an object is sensed by a sensor;
dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor;
setting an object clear time parameter to a first value;
setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer;
setting a second timer to the first value and starting the second timer;
determining that the first timer has not expired past the first time period;
determining that the sensor is obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired;
re-setting the second timer to the first value and re-starting the second timer responsive to determining that the sensor is obstructed;
determining that the first timer has expired past the first time period;
determining that the sensor is not obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has expired; and
setting the object clear time parameter to a second value responsive to determining that the sensor is not obstructed.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method includes determining whether an object is sensed by a sensor, dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed, setting an object clear time value to a first value, setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the timer, starting a second timer with the set object clear time, determining whether the first timer has expired, determining whether an object is sensed by the sensor responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, determining whether the second timer has expired responsive to determining that an object is not sensed by the sensor, setting the first timer to a second time period and starting the first timer responsive to determining that the second timer has expired.
18 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for dispensing a product, comprising:
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determining that an object is sensed by a sensor; dispensing a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor; setting an object clear time parameter to a first value; setting a first timer to a first time period and starting the first timer; setting a second timer to the first value and starting the second timer; determining that the first timer has not expired past the first time period; determining that the sensor is obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired; re-setting the second timer to the first value and re-starting the second timer responsive to determining that the sensor is obstructed; determining that the first timer has expired past the first time period; determining that the sensor is not obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has expired; and setting the object clear time parameter to a second value responsive to determining that the sensor is not obstructed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A dispensing system comprising:
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a sensor; a product dispensing portion; a memory storing executable instructions; and a processor communicatively connected to the sensor, the product dispensing portion, and the memory, the processor operative to execute the executable instructions to determine that an object is sensed by a sensor, dispense a product responsive to determining that the object has been sensed by the sensor, set an object clear time parameter to a first value, set a first timer to a first time period and start the first timer, set a second timer to the first value and start the second timer, determine that the first timer has not expired past the first time period, determine that the sensor is obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has not expired, reset the second timer to the first value and restart the second timer responsive to determining that the sensor is obstructed, determine that the first timer has expired past the first time period, determine that the sensor is not obstructed responsive to determining that the first timer has expired, and set the object clear time parameter to a second value responsive to determining that the sensor is not obstructed. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification