System for monitoring compliance with apparatuses having predetermined operating parameters

• US 6,236,953 B1
• Filed: 02/23/1998
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Compliance Control, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Compliance Control, Inc.
• Inventors: Segal, Noel B.
• Primary Examiner(s): WACHSMAN, HAL D
• Application Number:
  US09/027,902
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 702/127, 702/45, 702/50, 702/55, 702/114, 702/121-123, 702/130-132, 702/136, 702/176-179, 702/183, 702/187, 702/188, 702/FOR.103, 702/FOR.104, 702/FOR.121, 702/FOR.134, 702/FOR.135, 702/FOR.139, 702/FOR.142, 702/FOR.154, 702/FOR.155, 702/FOR.170, 702/FOR.171, 377/20, 377/21, 377/25, 377/19, 340/573.1, 340/691.6, 340/691.5, 340/539, 340/572.3, 340/540, 340/541, 340/567, 340/588, 340/589, 340/606, 340/618, 340/622, 340/825.31, 340/825.32, 340/825.34, 340/825.3, 340/825.016, 700/3, 700/9, 700/10, 700/11, 700/14, 700/19, 700/79, 700/80, 700/278, 700/281, 700/282, 700/283, 700/285, 700/299, 700/300, 700/306, 462/3, 462/4, 430/4, 430/5, 4DI/G 3, 440/6, 462/6, 461/9, 462/8, 466/8, 463/8, 134/57.R, 134/58.R, 134/103.3, 134/104.1, 134/95.3, 222/52, 222/54, 222/638, 222/639, 624/624-1-6, 624/624.15, 624/624.21, 624/624.27, 422/105, 422/106, 422/116
• US Class Current: 702/127
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/10 together with the recording, indicating or registering of other data, e.g. of signs of identity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/10 using counting means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands

Abstract

A system is provided for monitoring use of an apparatus to determine compliance with predetermined operating parameters by users. The system includes a first data collection device for determining the identity of the user of the apparatus during each use for comparison to the predetermined operating parameters, a second data collection device for determining the time of use of the apparatus by the user for comparison to the operating parameters, a third device for providing supplies or service to the user in a predetermined sequence, a data collection device for determining whether the person using the apparatus has completed the predetermined sequence, and a device for evaluating compliance with the operating parameters by the person based on the determined identity of the person and the sequence completion information.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring usage of a plurality of apparatuses by users, the system comprising:

a plurality of monitoring units, each monitoring unit comprising;

a display;

an activation device for acknowledging a user of the apparatuses;

a timing device for generating time of use data;

at least one ancillary input device for generating at least one ancillary signal upon user actuation of an ancillary device;

a completion input device coupled to said activation, timing, and at least one ancillary input devices, the completion input device generating a completion signal in response to a signal produced by the user, wherein user acknowledgment data, the time of use data, the at least one ancillary signal, and the completion signal comprise a user compliance data set; and

a controller coupled to said completion input device and said display, said controller being configured to couple to the apparatus for controlling at least part of the operation of the apparatus;

one of said monitoring units further comprising;

a memory for storing said user compliance data set generated by said activation, timing, at least one ancillary input, and completion input devices of said one monitoring unit and the user compliance data sets generated by said activation, timing, at least one ancillary input, and completion input devices of at least one other monitoring unit;

a central processing unit programmed to compare each of said user compliance data sets with predetermined operating parameters assigned to each user and stored in said memory and to generate compliance/non-compliance data based on each comparison result for storage in said memory and for presentation to the users by said displays of said monitoring units, the predetermined operating parameters including at least frequency of use parameters; and

a central unit connected over a communications link to receive down loadings of said user compliance data sets and said compliance/non-compliance data from said memory of said one monitoring unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of monitoring units have means for communicating with each other and with ancillary devices.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of monitoring units are located in proximity to the plurality of apparatuses.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said means for communicating includes at least one of a radio frequency transmitter/receiver, an infrared transmitter/receiver, electrical wire, and telephone wire.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apparatuses are a plurality of sinks and the controller is configured to control the delivery of water to the plurality of sinks.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the ancillary device is one of a product dispenser and a drying device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the ancillary device is a product dispenser chosen from a soap dispenser, a sanitizer dispenser, and a lotion dispenser.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a hot water line having a first flow control valve electrically connected to said controller;

a cold water line having a second flow control valve electrically connected to said controller;

a water spout connected to said hot and cold water lines by a mixing union downstream from said first and second flow control valves;

a water dechlorinator positioned upstream from said mixing union on said hot and cold water lines; and

a water ozonator positioned upstream from said mixing union on one of said hot and cold water lines and downstream from said water dechlorinator;

wherein said controller controls said first and second flow control valves to produce a mixed flow of hot and cold dechlorinated, ozonated water through said water spout to the user'"'"'s hands according to a wash sequence determined by a cleansing regimen assigned to each sink user stored in said memory.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein each monitoring unit further comprises a thermostat positioned downstream from said mixing union for electrically transmitting temperature input signals to said controller, said controller further controlling said first and second flow control valves in response to said temperature input signals to maintain a predetermined water temperature in preparation for each wash sequence.

10. The system of claim 5, further comprising a server connected in parallel over first communication links to each of said monitoring units, the server including

a memory for storing the user compliance data sets generated by said activation device, timing device, at least one ancillary input device, and completion input device of each of said monitoring units and transmitted by said respective controllers over the first communication links,

a central processing unit programmed to compare each of the user compliance data sets with a cleansing regimen assigned to each user and stored in the memory and to generate compliance/non-compliance data based on each comparison result for storage in the memory and for presentation to the users by said displays of said monitoring units, and

a central unit connected to the server over a second communications link to receive down loadings of the user compliance data sets and the compliance/noncompliance data from the memory of the server.

11. The system of claim 5, further comprising an access unit for user access to said user compliance data sets.

12. The system of claim 5, further comprising an end-user access unit connected over a communications link to permit an end-user to access user compliance data sets and to access and alter the predetermined operating parameters.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to couple to the water supply of a standard sink.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one ancillary input device includes first and second ancillary input devices, the first ancillary input device generating a first ancillary signal upon user actuation of a first ancillary device and the second ancillary input device generating a second ancillary signal upon user actuation of a second ancillary device.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of apparatuses are a plurality of sinks, the controller is configured to control delivery of water to the sinks, the first ancillary device is a product dispenser, and the second ancillary device is a drying device, and wherein the first ancillary input device generates a first signal upon user actuation of the product dispenser and the second ancillary input device generates a second signal upon user actuation of the drying device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first and second ancillary input devices communicate with each other using one of a radio frequency transmitter/receiver, an infrared transmitter/receiver, and wire.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of apparatuses are a plurality of sinks, and wherein the activation device is an identification device for acknowledging and identifying at least one user of at least one of the sinks when the at least one user enters user identification data into the identification device.

18. A monitoring unit for monitoring usage of an apparatus by users, the monitoring unit comprising:

a display;

an activation device for acknowledging a user of an apparatus;

a timing device for generating time of use data;

an ancillary input device for generating an ancillary signal upon user actuation of an ancillary device;

a completion input device coupled to said activation, timing, and ancillary input devices, the completion input device generating a completion signal in response to a signal produced by the user, wherein user acknowledgment data, the time of use data, the ancillary signal, and the completion signal comprise a user compliance data set;

a controller coupled to said completion input device and said display, wherein said controller is configured to couple to the apparatus for controlling at least part of the operation of the apparatus;

a memory for storing said user compliance data set generated by said activation, timing, ancillary input, and completion input devices of said monitoring unit;

a central processing unit programmed to compare each of said user compliance data sets with predetermined operating parameters assigned to each apparatus user and stored in said memory and to generate compliance/non-compliance data based on each comparison result for storage in said memory and for presentation to the users by said display, the predetermined operating parameters including at least frequency of use parameters; and

a central unit connected over a communications link to receive down loadings of said user compliance data sets and said compliance/non-compliance data from said memory.

19. The monitoring unit of claim 18, wherein the apparatus is a sink, and wherein the activation device is an identification device for acknowledging and identifying at least one user of the sink when the at least one user enters user identification data into the identification device.

20. A sink monitoring device comprising:

an activation device for acknowledging an operator of a sink;

a timing device for determining time of use data;

a completion input device for generating wash completion data when the operator has completed use of the sink;

a memory storage device for storing operator data sets and predetermined frequency of use parameters for operators of the sink, the operator data sets including operator acknowledgment data, time of use data, and wash completion data;

a compliance controller coupled to the memory storage device, the compliance controller being configured to determine if the operator is in compliance with a predetermined sink use regimen by comparing the predetermined frequency of use parameters to the operator data sets, the compliance controller generating a non-compliance signal when an operator is no longer in compliance with the predetermined frequency of use parameter for the operator, wherein the compliance controller is configured to couple to the plumbing of the sink to control the delivery of water to the sink; and

a non-compliance warning device coupled to the compliance controller, the noncompliance warning device being configured to provide a non-compliance warning when the compliance controller generates a non-compliance signal.

21. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the activation device is an identification device for acknowledging and identifying the operator of the sink when the operator enters operator identification data into the identification device.

22. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, further comprising an ancillary input device for generating an ancillary signal upon operator actuation of an ancillary device, the ancillary input device being coupled to the completion input device, wherein the completion input device will not generate a wash completion signal unless the ancillary input device has generated an ancillary signal during operation of the sink.

23. The sink monitoring device of claim 22, wherein the ancillary input device is coupled to a product dispenser, the ancillary input device being configured to generate an ancillary signal when the operator uses the product dispenser.

24. The sink monitoring device of claim 23, wherein the product dispenser is one of a soap dispenser, a sanitizer dispenser, and a lotion dispenser.

25. The sink monitoring device of claim 22, wherein the ancillary input device is coupled to a drying device, the ancillary input device being configured to generate an ancillary signal when the operator uses the drying device.

26. The sink monitoring device of claim 25, wherein the drying device is one of an air dryer and a towel dryer.

27. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the memory storage device stores non-compliance data generated by the compliance controller.

28. The sink monitoring device of claim 27, further comprising a central unit coupled to the memory storage device, the central unit being configured to receive down loadings of the operator data sets and the non-compliance data.

29. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the completion input device is one of a product dispenser and a sensor.

30. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, wherein the compliance controller is configured to couple to the water supply of a standard sink.

31. The sink monitoring device of claim 20, further comprising a flow control valve electrically connected to said compliance controller, said flow control valve being coupled to plumbing of a sink downstream of a mixing union that mixes hot and cold water lines provided to a sink, wherein said compliance controller is configured to actuate said flow control valve to provide a mixture of hot and cold water to a sink.

32. A system for monitoring a plurality of sinks, the system comprising:

a primary sink monitoring device including the sink monitoring device of claim 27, and

at least one secondary sink monitoring device coupled to the memory storage device of the primary sink monitoring device, the at least one secondary sink monitoring device including

an activation device for acknowledging an operator of a secondary sink,

a timing device for determining time of use data,

a completion input device for generating wash completion data when the operator has completed use of the secondary sink, the memory storage device of the primary sink monitoring device further storing operator data sets from the secondary sink monitoring device, and

a wash controller for controlling the delivery of water to a secondary sink.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising a central unit coupled to the memory storage device, the central unit being configured to receive down loadings of the operator data sets and non-compliance data from the memory storage device.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the primary sink monitoring device further comprises a primary flow control valve electrically connected to said compliance controller, said primary flow control valve being coupled to plumbing of a sink downstream of a mixing union that mixes hot and cold water lines provided to a sink, wherein said compliance controller is configured to actuate said primary flow control valve to provide a mixture of hot and cold water to a sink.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the secondary sink monitoring device further comprises a secondary flow control valve electrically connected to said wash controller, said secondary flow control valve being coiled to plumbing of a secondary sink downstream of a mixing union that mixes hot and cold water lines provided to a secondary sink, wherein said wash controller is configured to actuate said secondary flow control valve to provide a mixture of hot and cold water to a secondary sink.

36. The system of claim 32, wherein the secondary sink monitoring device further comprises a secondary flow control valve electrically connected to said wash controller, said secondary flow control valve being coupled to plumbing of a secondary sink downstream of a mixing union that mixes hot and cold water lines provided to a secondary sink, wherein said wash controller is configured to actuate said secondary flow control valve to provide a mixture of hot and cold water to a secondary sink.

37. A method of monitoring usage of at least one sink, the method comprising:

providing a sink monitoring device associated with at least one sink, the sink monitoring device being configured to control water flow to the at least one sink, to identify at least one operator of the at least one sink, to determine the time when the at least one operator uses the at least one sink, to store operator identity data, time of use data, and a predetermined frequency of use parameter, and to provide an alert when the at least one operator is not in compliance with a predetermined use regimen;

identifying the at least one operator of the at least one sink when the at least one operator uses the at least one sink;

storing the time when the at least one operator uses the at least one sink;

determining if the at least one operator is in compliance with the predetermined use regimen by comparing time elapsed since the at least one operator last used the at least one sink with the predetermined frequency of use parameter stored in the sink monitoring device; and

providing an alert of non-compliance of the predetermined sink use regimen by the at least one operator when time elapsed since the at least one operator last used the at least one sink exceeds the predetermined frequency of use parameter.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the usage of the at least one sink comprises:

turning on the water of the at least one sink for a first predetermined amount of time after identifying the at least one operator of the at least one sink;

turning off the water of the at least one sink after the first predetermined amount of time has passed and waiting for a second predetermined amount of time;

turning on the water of the at least one sink after the second predetermined amount of time has passed for a third predetermined amount of time;

turning off the water of the at least one sink after the third predetermined amount of time has passed; and

storing completion of use data in the at least one sink monitoring device after the at least one operator has acknowledged completion of use of the at least one sink.

39. A method of monitoring usage of at least one sink, the method comprising:

providing a sink monitoring device associated with at least one sink, the sink monitoring device being configured to control water flow to the at least one sink, to determine the time elapsed since an operator last used the at least one sink, and to store at least one predetermined frequency of use parameter;

storing the time when the at least one sink is used by an operator;

comparing the time elapsed since the at least one sink was last used to the at least one predetermined frequency of use parameter; and

providing an alert signal when the time elapsed since the at least one sink was last used exceeds the at least one frequency of use parameter.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein usage of the at least one sink comprises:

turning on the water of the at least one sink for a first predetermined amount of time;

turning off the water of the at least one sink after the first predetermined amount of time has passed and waiting for a second predetermined amount of time;

turning on the water of the at least one sink after the second predetermined amount of time has passed for a third predetermined amount of time;

turning off the water of the at least one sink after the third predetermined amount of time has passed; and

storing completion of use data in the sink monitoring device after an operator has acknowledged completion of use of the at least one sink.