Management of washroom components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12099951-B2
Application number	US-201915733859-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2019
Priority date	May 31, 2018
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component: a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
accessing, by a hardware processor of a central management system, first operability data from a pivot mounted arm sensor specifying consumable product use from a bath tissue or paper towel dispenser;
accessing, by the hardware processor of the central management system, second operability data from a flush valve sensor operating on a valve of a toilet or urinal, and a water flow sensor specifying an operational state of the toilet or urinal;
analyzing, by the hardware processor of the central management system, the first and second operability data to determine a high consumable product use from the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser by measuring, a change in angular displacement along the pivot mounted arm sensor, and determining a low operational state for the toilet or urinal by determining a lower exit water flow than a normal operational state based on: a flush valve actuation from the flush valve sensor, a water flow reading from the water flow sensor, and a comparison of the water flow reading to a predetermined water flow parameter indicating that the toilet or urinal is clogged;
in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal is clogged, directing the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state and further activating, by a dispense controller of the central management system, a dispenser in the toilet or urinal to release a dissolving agent in a bowl of the toilet or urinal as a treatment to dissolve the clog; and
in response to the treatment not resolving the clog, causing a valve controller to close the valve to prevent the toilet or urinal from overflowing.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
sending, by the hardware processor of the central management system, a message to a washroom attendant to service the toilet or urinal in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal remains clogged.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining, by the hardware processor of the central management system, when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted; and
directing, by the hardware processor of the central management system, the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted.

4. A central management system for managing washroom components comprising:
a hardware processor;
a pivot mounted arm sensor configured to generate first operability data specifying consumable product use from a paper towel dispenser or a bath tissue dispenser;
a flush valve sensor operating on a valve of a toilet or urinal, and a water flow sensor configured to generate second operability data specifying an operational state of the toilet or urinal; and
a hardware processor configured to access and analyze the first and second operability data, the hardware processor configured to:
access the first operability data from the pivot mounted arm sensor specifying the consumable product use from the bath tissue or the paper towel dispenser,
access the second operability data from the flush valve sensor operating on the valve of the toilet or the urinal, and the water flow sensor specifying the operational state of the toilet or urinal,
analyze the first and second operability data to determine a high consumable product use from the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser by measuring, a change in angular displacement along the pivot mounted arm sensor, and determining a low operational state for the toilet or the urinal by determining a lower exit water flow than a normal operational state based on a flush valve actuation from the flush valve sensor, a water flow reading from the water flow sensor, and a comparison of the water flow reading to a predetermined water flow parameter indicating that the toilet or urinal is clogged, and
in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal is clogged, directing the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state;

a dispense controller in the toilet or urinal, executed by the hardware processor, to release a dissolving agent in a bowl of the toilet or urinal as a treatment to dissolve the clog; and
a valve controller, executed by the hardware processor, to close the valve to prevent the toilet or urinal from overflowing in response to the treatment not resolving the clog.

5. The central management system of 4 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
send a message to a washroom attendant to service the toilet or urinal in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal remains clogged.

6. The central management system of 4 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
determine, when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted; and
direct, the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions stored thereon and executed by a hardware processor of a central management system to:
access, first operability data from a pivot mounted arm sensor specifying consumable product use from a bath tissue or paper towel dispenser;
access, second operability data from a flush valve sensor operating on a valve of a toilet or urinal, and a water flow sensor specifying an operational state of the toilet or urinal;
analyze, the first and second operability data to determine a high consumable product use from the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser by measuring, a change in angular displacement along the pivot mounted arm sensor, and determine a low operational state for the toilet or urinal by determining a lower exit water flow than a normal operational state based on: a flush valve actuation from the flush valve sensor, a water flow reading from the water flow sensor, and a comparison of the water flow reading to a predetermined water flow parameter indicating that the toilet or urinal is clogged;
in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal is clogged, direct the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state and further activating, by a dispense controller of the central management system, a dispenser in the toilet or urinal to release a dissolving agent in a bowl of the toilet or urinal as a treatment to dissolve the clog; and
in response to the treatment not resolving the clog, cause a valve controller to close the valve to prevent the toilet or urinal from overflowing.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further executed by the hardware processor of the central management system to:
send, a message to a washroom attendant to service the toilet or urinal in response to the indication that the toilet or urinal remains clogged.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the instructions are further executed by the hardware processor of the central management system to:
determine when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted; and
direct the bath tissue or paper towel dispenser to enter its disabled state when the consumable product in the paper towel or bath tissue dispenser is depleted.

Assignees

• Kimberly Clark Co

Inventors

• Mahaffey Cleary E
• Purcell Ricky W
• Williams Jr Frederick J
• Becker Stephen

Classifications

• G06Q10/20

  Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

• G06Q10/06313

  Resource planning in a project environment · CPC title

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G01D21/02

  Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass · CPC title

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title