Restroom convenience center

• US 10,430,737 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2014
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Original Assignee: Sloan Valve Company
• Inventors: Yenni, Edward, Jahrling, Peter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Oluseye
• Application Number:
  US14/553,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20150088570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 702 45, 705 22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A restroom monitoring system for monitoring attributes of fixtures within a restroom using sensors. Additional attributes are determined from the monitored attributes. Consumable usage levels are estimated based on predetermined consumption levels associated with usage states of the fixtures. The restroom monitoring system provides an indication of the need for replenishment of consumables based on the monitored attributes of the fixtures. In addition, restroom monitoring system may provide additional information regarding the restroom attributes to a service provider, a manager or a user.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a state of a restroom comprising:

detecting at least one fixture sensor input from at least one restroom fixture sensor associated with at least one sensorized restroom fixture in the restroom;

detecting a patron count input from a patron sensor in the restroom;

detecting an air quality input from an air quality sensor in the restroom;

determining a state of the restroom based upon the at least one fixture sensor input, the patron count input, and the air quality input;

providing an indication of the state of the restroom;

estimating consumable usage levels for a plurality of consumables wherein the estimating of consumable usage levels comprises, for each of the plurality of consumables, applying a first consumable correlation factor to the at least one fixture sensor input, applying a second consumable correlation factor to the patron count input, and applying a third consumable correlation factor to the air quality input; and

providing an indication for replenishment for any of the plurality of consumables where the estimated consumable usage level has exceeded a threshold for replenishment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one fixture sensor comprises a flush valve.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating consumable usage levels comprises tracking a cumulative patron count and determining if the cumulative patron count has reached a threshold for consumable replenishment.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the indication includes providing a report displayed on a web page.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a restroom patron call device a patron call reporting an unacceptable condition in the restroom.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising upon receiving the restroom patron call, reducing each threshold associated with the unacceptable condition.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving information regarding a compliance check of the restroom and adjusting each state threshold associated with a state found not to be in compliance.

8. A method for detecting a state of a second restroom comprising:

detecting at least one fixture sensor input from at least one restroom fixture sensor associated with at least one sensorized restroom fixture in a first restroom;

detecting a patron count input from a patron sensor in the first restroom;

detecting an air quality input from an air quality sensor in the first restroom;

detecting a patron count input from a second restroom patron sensor in the second restroom;

determining a state of the restroom based upon the first restroom at least one fixture sensor input, the first restroom patron count input, and the first restroom air quality input biased by the second restroom patron count input;

providing an indication of the state of the second restroom;

estimating consumable usage levels for a plurality of consumables by tracking a cumulative patron count and determining if the cumulative patron count has reached a threshold for consumable replenishment; and

providing an indication for replenishment for any of the plurality of consumables where the estimated consumable usage level has exceeded a threshold for replenishment.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one fixture sensor comprises a flush valve.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the estimating of consumable usage levels comprises, for each of the plurality of consumables, applying a first consumable correlation factor to the at least one fixture sensor input, applying a second consumable correlation factor to the patron count input, and applying a third consumable correlation factor to the air quality input.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving from a restroom patron call device a patron call reporting an unacceptable condition in the second restroom.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising upon receiving the restroom patron call, reducing each threshold associated with the unacceptable condition.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving information regarding a compliance check of the second restroom and adjusting each state threshold associated with a state found not to be in compliance.