Electronic module for tracking hand hygiene

• US 8,988,228 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Swipesense Incorporated
• Inventors: Iseri, Mert, Malina, Yuri, Hardman, Jori
• Primary Examiner(s): HUNNINGS, TRAVIS R
• Application Number:
  US13/769,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1208 by means of a flexible dispensing chamber
• CPC Class Codes: A47K 5/1215 applied by a peristaltic action
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/0054 Cartridges, i.e. containers specially designed for easy attachment to or easy removal from the rest of the sprayer attachment arrangements between pump and container B05B11/1043
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/026 Membranes separating the content remaining in the container from the atmospheric air to compensate underpressure inside the container
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/04 Deformable containers producing the flow, e.g. squeeze bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 11/103 without substantial movement of the nozzle in the direction of the pressure stroke
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/52 for removal of clogging particles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/245 Reminder of hygiene compliance policies, e.g. of washing hands
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

In accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure, an electronic module may comprise a sensor configured to detect a dispensing action, a processor configured to record a dispense indicator when the sensor detects a dispensing action and read a user identifier from a user identifier memory configured to interchangeably operate in conjunction with a plurality of sanitizer dispensers, and a transceiver configured to transmit the user identifier to a network and transmit the dispense indicator to the network.

Claims

1. An electronic module comprising:

a sensor configured to detect a dispensing action;

a processor configured to;

record a dispense indicator when the sensor detects a dispensing action; and

read a user identifier from a user identifier memory configured to interchangeably operate in conjunction with a plurality of sanitizer dispensers; and

a transceiver configured to;

periodically transmit the user identifier to a network at an interval of time; and

transmit the dispense indicator and a time period to the network with the user identifier at a next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the dispensing action;

wherein the time period is a time from a previous periodic transmission of the user identifier to the next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the dispensing action.

2. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the electronic module is configured to be interchangeably placed within one of the plurality of sanitizer dispensers.

3. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the memory is located on an interchangeable memory card.

4. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the interval is a time from approximately one second to approximately sixty seconds.

5. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the dispense indicator comprises a time stamp comprising a time from a previous periodic transmission of the user identifier to the dispensing action.

6. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein:

the transceiver is further configured to;

receive a location identifier from a location transmitter; and

transmit a location identifier to a network; and

the processor is further configured to record the location identifier.

7. The electronic module of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured according to the ANT protocol.

8. A method, comprising:

reading a user identifier from a user identifier memory;

periodically transmitting a user identifier to a network at an interval;

sensing an occurrence of a dispensing action;

recording a dispense indicator corresponding to the dispensing action;

transmitting the dispense indicator to the network; and

transmitting a time period with the dispense indicator;

wherein the dispense indicator and the time period are transmitted with a next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the sensing of the occurrence of the dispensing action; and

wherein the time period is a time from a previous periodic transmission of the user identifier to the next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the dispensing action.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising dispensing a dose of sanitizer.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user identifier memory is located on an interchangeable memory card.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the interval is a time from approximately one second to approximately sixty seconds.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the dispense indicator comprises a time stamp comprising a time from a previous periodic transmission of the user identifier to the occurrence of the dispensing action.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a location identifier from a location transmitter; and

transmitting the location identifier to the network with periodic transmissions of the user identifier.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the transmission of the user identifier and the transmission of the dispense indicator occur in compliance with the ANT protocol.

15. A sanitizer dispenser comprising:

a sanitizer pump; and

an electronic module comprising;

a sensor configured to detect a dispensing action;

a processor configured to;

record a dispense indicator when the sensor detects a dispensing action; and

read a user identifier from a user identifier memory configured to interchangeably operate in conjunction with a plurality of sanitizer dispensers; and

a transceiver configured to;

periodically transmit the user identifier to a network at an interval of time; and

transmit the dispense indicator and a time period to the network with the user identifier at a next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the dispensing action;

wherein the time period is a time from a previous periodic transmission of the user identifier to the next periodic transmission of the user identifier following the dispensing action.

16. The sanitizer dispenser of claim 15, wherein the memory is located on an interchangeable memory card.