Universal dispenser interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10685528-B2
Application number	US-201715850469-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Apr 9, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2020
Grant date	Jun 16, 2020

Abstract

The present invention provides a dispenser interface, associated methods and systems, and dispensers employing the dispenser interface and associated systems and methods. An example embodiment provides a product dispenser assembly for dispensing a product. The dispenser comprises a dispenser controller having a first communication interface; and a communication controller having a second communication interface. The second communication interface is operatively connected to the first communication interface. The communication controller is configured to be in communication with one or more devices. The communication controller is configured to receive a command from one of the one or more devices; and provide the command to the dispenser controller. The dispenser controller and communication controller are configured to cause (a) product to be dispensed, (b) dispenser data to be stored, or (c) dispenser data to be communicated in accordance with the command.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A method of configuring a communication interface of a dispenser controller configured to control a dispenser for dispensing products, the method comprising:
operatively connecting a communication controller to the communication interface of the dispenser controller, (i) the dispenser controller (a) is a main board of the dispenser and (b) comprises a first memory and (ii) the communication controller (a) comprises a second memory, separate from the first memory, that stores configuration information and (b) is configured to communicate with one or more remote computing devices; and
responsive to initialization of the dispenser, transmitting, via the communication interface and from the communication controller and to the dispenser controller, at least a portion of the configuration information, the configuration information comprising at least one of:
an indication of a communication protocol to be used in communications between the communication controller and the dispenser controller,
instructions identifying (a) a type of dispenser event and (b) dispenser information corresponding to the type of dispenser event to be communicated to the communication controller by the dispenser controller responsive to the occurrence of a dispenser event of the type of dispenser event, or
instructions indicating how to communicate dispenser information associated with the type of dispenser event to the communication controller,
wherein responsive to receiving the configuration information, the dispenser controller writes at least one parameter to the first memory of the dispenser controller based on at least a portion of the configuration information and, responsive to a first occurrence of a dispenser event of the type of dispenser event occurring, the dispenser controller communicates the occurrence of the dispenser event of the type of dispenser event to the communication controller in accordance with the at least one parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuration information is transmitted within a set time period after the initialization of the dispenser.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the types of dispenser events comprise at least one of: dispense events indicating the dispensation of the product, maintenance events indicating the dispenser requires regular maintenance, or fault events indicating a fault event occurred.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the dispenser information associated with a dispense event comprises at least one of a time associated with the dispense event, a date associated with the dispense event, information configured to identify an individual associated with the dispense event, an amount of product dispensed during the dispense event, and a type of product dispensed during the dispense event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication controller is configured to communicate with one or more remote computing devices via at least one of Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, low power radio communication, Wi-Fi, and cellular network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the instructions indicating how to communicate the dispenser information comprises a priority indicator and the priority indicator associated with a dispenser event is one of high priority, indicating the dispenser information associated with the dispenser event should be communicated in real time or near real time, and low priority, indicting the dispenser information associated with the dispenser event should be stored for later communication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication controller is configured to communicate dispenser information associated with at least one dispenser event to at least one remote computing device during a predetermined communication window.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the at least one dispenser event is associated with a low priority event indicator.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication controller is configured to communicate dispenser information associated with at least one dispenser event to at least one remote computing device in real time or near real time based on a high priority event indicator being associated with the at least one dispenser event.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the product dispensed is at least one of:
tissues, paper towels, wipes, nonwovens, napkins, other sheet products, liquid soap, gel soap, foam soap, hand sanitizer, air freshener, fragrance product, odor controlling agent, plastic cutlery, cups, plates, cup lids, or condiments.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication controller is configured to receive one or more commands from at least one of the one or more remote computing devices and provide the one or more commands to the communication interface for execution via dispenser controller.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication controller is configured to receive on or more firm ware updates from at least one of the one or more remote computing devices and provide the one or more firm ware updates to the communication interface.

13. A product dispenser assembly for dispensing a product, the dispenser comprising:
a dispenser controller having (a) a first communication interface and (b) a first memory; and
a communication controller having (a) a second communication interface and (b) a second memory separate from the first memory, the second communication interface connected to the first communication interface via a connector, the communication controller (a) stores configuration information in the second memory and (b) is configured to be in communication with one or more remote computing devices, wherein the communication controller provides at least a portion of the configuration information to the dispenser controller via the first and second communication interfaces responsive to initialization of the dispenser, the configuration information comprises at least one of:
an indication of a communication protocol to be used in communications between the communication controller and the dispenser controller,
instructions identifying (a) a type of dispenser event and (b) dispenser information corresponding to the type of dispenser event to be communicated to the communication controller by the dispenser controller responsive to the occurrence of a dispenser event of the type of dispenser event, or
instructions indicating how to communicate dispenser information associated with the type of dispenser event to the communication controller,
wherein responsive to receiving the configuration information, the dispenser controller writes at least one parameter to the first memory of the dispenser controller based on at least a portion of the configuration information and, responsive to a first occurrence of a dispenser event of the type of dispenser event occurring, the dispenser controller communicates the occurrence of the dispenser event of the type of dispenser event to the communication controller in accordance with the at least one parameter.

14. The product dispenser of claim 13 wherein the configuration information is transmitted in a set time period after the initialization of the dispenser.

15. The product dispenser of claim 13 wherein the first communication interface is connected to the second communication interface via a ribbon connector.

16. The product dispenser of claim 13 wherein the communication controller is configured to communicate with one or more remote computing devices via at least one of Bluetooth, Bluetooth low energy, a USB port, low power radio communication, Wi-Fi, or cellular network.

17. The pro

Assignees

• Gpcp Ip Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Murphy David Warren

Classifications

• G07F9/023

  Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising · CPC title

• G07F9/002 Primary

  Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines · CPC title

• G07F9/001

  Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices · CPC title

• G07F17/18 Primary

  for washing or drying persons · CPC title

• G07F9/006

  Details of the software used for the vending machines · CPC title