Non-contact noise attenuation water flow system and method for detecting washing compliance

• US 9,536,415 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation US (Sealed Air)
• Original Assignee: Sealed Air Corporation US (Sealed Air)
• Inventors: De Luca, Nicholas P., Sato, Koichi, Rivera, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US14/348,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20140320291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 340/573.4, 340/562, 340/567, 340/588, 340/572.1, 340/572.4, 340/572.7, 702/121, 702/123, 702/127
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/20 responsive to moisture
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands

Abstract

A low cost solution for detecting the flow of water in a sink using a non-contact vibration sensor coupled with a computer vision system and a passive switched RFID tag that becomes active upon detection of water flow. In some embodiments, the water flow forms an active antennae system for the RFID tag. The sensor comprises a piezo electric film attached at the underside of a water receptacle, for example, a sink so as to collect the sound generated by water splashing or hitting the sink and a vision system using active detection techniques.

Claims

1. A liquid flow system for monitoring washing compliance comprising:

a sensor disposed near or on a liquid dispenser to generate a vibration signal;

a modulator to modulate said vibration signal by amplification;

a comparator to determine if the modulated signal exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value identifies liquid flow through an output voltage;

a relay that is actuated using the output voltage; and

a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag and an antenna for the RFID tag in electrical contact with the relay, wherein said antenna is sensitive to an ambient Radio Frequency signal and the actuated relay electrically connects the antenna to the RFID tag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one or more of a microphone, a contact pad, a pressure switch, or a combination thereof.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising an RFID reader being connected to a computer, wherein the RFID reader reads the RFID tag when the relay has been actuated.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a vision system for detecting with an output of a camera one or more of:

individuals within an area requiring washing compliance, a location of a body part in the liquid flow, a use of a detergent, a wearing of an ornament while washing, a wearing of a watch while washing, or a wearing of jewelry while washing, wherein the vision system associates the RFID tag with the detecting by the vision system.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an RFID badge and associating the RFID badge with the washing activity occurring.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second RFID tag in electrical contact with the antenna when the relay is not actuated.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a computer network and an external server for the purpose of reporting and data consolidation.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the vision detection system is detecting a hand, a ring, a watch, jewelry, a user, or a combination thereof.

9. A process for monitoring washing compliance comprising:

registering a vibration signal generated from a sensor disposed near or on a liquid dispenser;

modulating said vibration signal by amplification and creating a threshold value to identify liquid flow through an output voltage;

comparing to determine if the modulated signal exceeds a threshold value, wherein the threshold value identifies liquid flow through an output voltage;

actuating a relay using the output voltage; and

transmitting an RFID tag with an antenna wherein said antennae is sensitive to an ambient Radio Frequency signal and the actuated relay electrically connects the antenna and the RFID tag.

10. The process of claim 9, further comprising inputting the RFID tag into a computer with an RFID reader.

11. The process of claim 9, further comprising:

detecting with an output of a vision camera one or more of individuals within an area requiring washing compliance, a location of a body part in a liquid flow from the liquid dispenser, a use of a detergent, a wearing of an ornament while washing, a wearing of a watch while washing, or a wearing of jewelry while washing, or a combination thereof; and

associating the RFID tag with the detecting.

12. The process of claim 9, further comprising:

providing a user with an RFID badge; and

associating the RFID badge with the washing activity occurring within an area requiring hand washing compliance.

13. The process of claim 9, further comprising reporting and data consolidating the washing compliance.