Restroom maintenance systems having a voice activated virtual assistant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11741960-B2
Application number	US-202117551449-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Mar 20, 2018
Publication date	Aug 29, 2023
Grant date	Aug 29, 2023

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of restroom monitoring systems having a virtual assistants includes a communications gateway located in a restroom. The communications gateway having a processor, memory, short range communications circuitry, long range communications circuitry, a microphone and a speaker. The communications gateway containing logic for listening for a wake up word and upon detecting a wake up word, capturing a request, logic for processing the request to determine what request is being requested, logic for verifying the request with the requester, and one of a plurality of wave files and a voice synthesizer. The system further includes one or more dispensers located in the restroom. The one or more dispensers having short range communications circuitry for communicating status or product level to the communications gateway.

First claim

I/We claim:

1. A restroom monitoring system having a virtual assistant comprising:
a communications gateway located in a restroom;
the communications gateway having
a processor,
memory,
short range communications circuitry,
long range communications circuitry,
a microphone and
a speaker;

the communications gateway containing
logic for listening for a wake up word and upon detecting a wake up word, logic for capturing a verbal service request for a service that needs to be performed in a restroom;
logic for processing the verbal service request for a service that needs to be performed in a restroom to determine what service is being requested;
logic for providing verbal communications to verifying the verbal service request with the requester to ensure that the virtual assistant has identified the correct service that needs to be performed; and
one or more dispensers located in the restroom;

the one or more dispensers having short range communications circuitry for communicating status or product level to the communications gateway.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a master station comprising communication circuitry for receiving signals from and providing signals to the communications gateway.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising logic for providing one or more signals to a remote terminal, wherein the remote terminal provides instructions to complete a request.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a people counter for determining whether a person has entered the room.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the people counter includes communications circuitry for detecting a unique identifier identifying a person.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the unique identifier is a badge.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the communications gateway further comprises a proximity sensor for determining a person is located proximate to the communications gateway and is likely trying to communicate with the communications gateway.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a soap dispenser.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a hand sanitizer dispenser.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising logic for providing a greeting to inform a user of the virtual assistant.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising logic for scanning the service request and for selecting a stored service request that closest aligns to the service request.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprising logic for verifying that the stored service request is what the requester requested.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising logic for comparing the service request with automated data electronically collected from a dispenser.

14. The system of claim 1 further comprising logic for determining whether a sound is indicative of vandalism.

15. The system of claim 1 further comprising logic for determining whether a sound is indicative of dispenses occurring when there is not a person in the restroom.

16. A restroom monitoring system having a virtual assistant comprising:
a communications gateway located in a restroom;
the communications gateway having
a processor,
memory,
communications circuitry,
a microphone and
a speaker;
the communications gateway containing
logic for listening for a wake up word and upon detecting a wake up word, logic for capturing a verbal service request for a service that needs to be performed in a restroom;
logic for processing the verbal service request for a service that needs to be performed in a restroom to determine what service is being requested;
logic for verbally verifying the verbal service request with the requester to ensure that the virtual assistant has identified the correct service that needs to be performed; and
a proximity sensor for determining a person is located proximate to the communications gateway and is likely trying to communicate with the communications gateway and
one or more dispensers located in the restroom;

the one or more dispensers having short range communications circuitry for communicating status or product level to the communications gateway;
a master station containing communications circuitry for receiving one or more requests from the communications gateway.

17. The restroom monitoring system of claim 16 further comprising logic for providing one or more signals to a remote terminal, wherein the remote terminal provides instructions to complete a request.

18. The restroom monitoring system of claim 16 further comprising logic for scanning the service request and for selecting a stored service request that closest aligns to the service request.

19. A restroom monitoring system having a virtual assistant comprising:
a communications gateway located in a restroom;
the communications gateway having a processor, memory,
short range communications circuitry,
long range communications circuitry,
a microphone and
a speaker;
the communications gateway containing
logic for listening for a wake up word and upon detecting the wake up word, capturing a verbal service request for a service that needs to be performed in a restroom;
logic for processing the verbal service request for the service that needs to be performed in a restroom to determine what service is being requested;
logic for providing verbal communication to a requester for verifying the verbal service request with the requester to ensure that the virtual assistant has identified the correct service that needs to be performed; and
a master station having a processor, memory, a display and communications circuitry; and

one or more remote terminals for receiving instructions to perform one of maintenance, refilling products or cleaning.

20. The restroom monitoring system of claim of claim 19 further comprising a proximity sensor for determining a person is located proximate to the communications gateway and is likely trying to communicate with the communications gateway.

Assignees

• Gojo Ind Inc

Inventors

• Kanfer Joseph S
• Wegelin Jackson W
• Slater Jason M
• Dempsey James F
• Bertram April
• Kynkor Sarah E

Classifications

• G10L15/22 Primary

  Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue · CPC title

• G06Q10/20 Primary

  Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

• G07F9/002

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

• G10L15/08

  Speech classification or search · CPC title

• G10L2015/088

  Word spotting · CPC title