Scheduling delivery of chemical products based on a predicted estimated time of exhaustion
First Claim
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1. A method for routing delivery of chemical products to chemical usage facilities, the method comprising:
- determining usage of a first chemical product dispensed at a first chemical usage facility having a client computer for obtaining measurement data corresponding to a dispensed quantity of the first chemical product during a plurality of specified periods in time, wherein determining usage comprises;
calculating usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time using a plurality of indirect measurements collected at the first chemical usage facility by the client computer during the specified periods in time, wherein the indirect measurements relate to a count of wash cycles; and
adding each of the plurality of indirect measurements to yield a plurality of total count values indirectly representing usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time;
predicting an estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product based on usage determined for each of the plurality of specified periods in time, wherein predicting an estimated time of exhaustion further comprises;
plotting an estimate of remaining the first chemical product following each of the specified periods in time on a time line; and
extrapolating the plotted estimates on the time line to estimate the time of exhaustion of the first chemical product;
transmitting usage of the first chemical product at the first chemical usage facility during each of the plurality of specified periods in time to a central management facility that includes a server computer; and
scheduling, using the server computer, delivery of the first chemical product to the first chemical usage facility based on a predetermined time for replenishment respective to the predicted estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product, wherein scheduling delivery further comprises;
identifying one or more other chemical usage facilities on a predefined route represented as a list of delivery locations for delivery of chemical products;
determining a sequential position on the list of delivery locations in which to insert a delivery location for the first chemical usage facility based on the predetermined time for replenishment of the first chemical product;
adjusting the predefined route by inserting the delivery location for the first chemical usage facility into the determined sequential position on the list; and
delivering the chemical product to the chemical usage facility according to the adjusted predefined route.
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Abstract
A method and system for routing a delivery vehicle to a chemical usage facility is disclosed. The chemical usage facility includes one or more chemical dispense systems that dispense one or more chemical product. The quantity of each chemical product remaining is measured and communicated to a central management facility. The central management facility analyzes a trend in product usage to predict when the product quantity will reach a threshold depletion point. The chemical usage facility is scheduled on the route according to the predicted time associated with the threshold depletion point.
98 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method for routing delivery of chemical products to chemical usage facilities, the method comprising:
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determining usage of a first chemical product dispensed at a first chemical usage facility having a client computer for obtaining measurement data corresponding to a dispensed quantity of the first chemical product during a plurality of specified periods in time, wherein determining usage comprises; calculating usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time using a plurality of indirect measurements collected at the first chemical usage facility by the client computer during the specified periods in time, wherein the indirect measurements relate to a count of wash cycles; and adding each of the plurality of indirect measurements to yield a plurality of total count values indirectly representing usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time; predicting an estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product based on usage determined for each of the plurality of specified periods in time, wherein predicting an estimated time of exhaustion further comprises; plotting an estimate of remaining the first chemical product following each of the specified periods in time on a time line; and extrapolating the plotted estimates on the time line to estimate the time of exhaustion of the first chemical product; transmitting usage of the first chemical product at the first chemical usage facility during each of the plurality of specified periods in time to a central management facility that includes a server computer; and scheduling, using the server computer, delivery of the first chemical product to the first chemical usage facility based on a predetermined time for replenishment respective to the predicted estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product, wherein scheduling delivery further comprises; identifying one or more other chemical usage facilities on a predefined route represented as a list of delivery locations for delivery of chemical products; determining a sequential position on the list of delivery locations in which to insert a delivery location for the first chemical usage facility based on the predetermined time for replenishment of the first chemical product; adjusting the predefined route by inserting the delivery location for the first chemical usage facility into the determined sequential position on the list; and delivering the chemical product to the chemical usage facility according to the adjusted predefined route. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A system for routing delivery of chemical products to chemical usage facilities, the system comprising:
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a chemical usage facility having one or more chemical dispense systems, each chemical dispense system dispensing a chemical product and having a monitor for obtaining measurement data corresponding to a dispensed quantity of the chemical product; a central management facility in operable communication with the chemical usage facility, the central management facility having a server computer receiving transmissions of measurement data collected by a client computer at the chemical usage facility, the central management facility server determining usage of a first chemical product at a first chemical usage facility during a plurality of specified periods in time, wherein determining usage comprises; calculating usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time using a plurality of indirect measurements collected at the first chemical usage facility by the client computer during the specified periods in time, wherein the indirect measurements relate to a count of wash cycles; and adding each of the plurality of indirect measurements to yield a plurality of total count values indirectly representing usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time; predicting an estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product based on usage determined for each of the plurality of specified periods in time, wherein predicting an estimated time of exhaustion further comprises; plotting an estimate of remaining first chemical product following each of the specified periods in time on a time line; and extrapolating the plotted estimates on the time line to estimate the time of exhaustion of the first chemical product; the central management facility server scheduling delivery of the first chemical product to the first chemical usage facility based on a predetermined time for replenishment respective to the predicted time of exhaustion of the first chemical product, wherein scheduling delivery further comprises; identifying one or more other chemical usage facilities on a predefined route represented as a list of delivery locations for delivery of chemical products; determining a sequential position on the list of delivery locations in which to insert a delivery location for the first chemical usage facility based on the predetermined time for replenishment of the first chemical product; and adjusting the predefined route by inserting the delivery location for the first chemical usage facility into the determined sequential position on the list; and a delivery vehicle communicatively connected to the central management facility, receiving the adjusted delivery schedule from the central management facility and delivering the chemical product to the chemical usage facility according to the adjusted delivery schedule. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, the instructions causing a processor to execute a computer process comprising:
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determining usage of a first chemical product dispensed at a first chemical usage facility having a client computer for obtaining measurement data corresponding to a dispensed quantity of the first chemical product during a plurality of specified periods in time, wherein determining usage comprises; calculating usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time using a plurality of indirect measurements collected at the first chemical usage facility by the client computer during the specified periods in time, wherein the indirect measurements relate to a count of wash cycles; and adding each of the plurality of indirect measurements to yield a plurality of total count values indirectly representing usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time; predicting an estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product based on usage determined for each of the plurality of specified periods in time, wherein predicting an estimated time of exhaustion further comprises; plotting an estimate of remaining the first chemical product following each of the specified periods in time on a time line; and extrapolating the plotted estimates on the time line to estimate the time of exhaustion of the first chemical product; transmitting usage of the first chemical product at the first chemical usage facility during each of the plurality of specified periods in time to a central management facility that includes a server computer; and scheduling, using the server computer, delivery of the first chemical product to the first chemical usage facility based on a predetermined time for replenishment respective to the predicted estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product, wherein scheduling delivery further comprises; identifying one or more other chemical usage facilities on a predefined route represented as a list of delivery locations for delivery of chemical products; determining a sequential position on the list of delivery locations in which to insert a delivery location for the first chemical usage facility based on the predetermined time for replenishment of the first chemical product; adjusting the predefined route by inserting the delivery location for the first chemical usage facility into the determined sequential position on the list; and delivering the chemical product to the chemical usage facility according to the adjusted predefined route. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification