Optimizing a dispensing parameter of a product dispenser based on product usage data

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9645561-B2
Application number	US-201514604232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2015
Priority date	Jan 23, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for optimizing a value of a dispensing parameter of a product dispenser based at least in part on product usage data. The dispensing parameter may include any suitable adjustable parameter of the product dispenser including, but not limited to, a dispense duration, a volume of product (e.g., a shot size), a sheet length, a capability of a user sensor to distinguish between genuine and false triggers of the sensor, a delay setting that specifies a delay time between successive dispenses, or the like. The value of the dispensing parameter may be optimized to align an actual performance outcome with a target performance outcome. The target performance outcome may include, for example, minimizing product usage per user, maximizing user sensor reliability (e.g., a percentage of dispenses that occur in response to genuine user-initiated triggering events), and so forth.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A method, the method comprising:
determining, by a controller of a product dispenser, a first value of a dispensing parameter;
causing, by the controller, a dispensing mechanism of the product dispenser to perform each of a first number of dispenses of the product in accordance with the first value of the dispensing parameter during a first dispensing period;
sensing, by at least one of a user sensor of the product dispenser, a tear sensor of the product dispenser, or other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the first number of dispenses;
sensing, by a time sensor of the product dispenser, time data associated with each of the first number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the first number of dispenses or a time period between each of the first number of dispenses;
determining, by the controller, a first number of unique users associated with the first number of dispenses;
determining, by the controller, a first usage rate of the product for the first dispensing period, wherein the first usage rate is indicative of a first ratio of i) a first aggregate amount of the product dispensed for the first number of dispenses to ii) the first number of unique users;
determining, by the controller, a second value of the dispensing parameter, wherein the second value of the dispensing parameter is different from the first value of the dispensing parameter;
causing, by the controller, the dispensing mechanism to perform each of a second number of dispenses of the product in accordance with the second value of the dispensing parameter during a second dispensing period;
sensing, by the at least one of the user sensor of the product dispenser, the tear sensor of the product dispenser, or the other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the second number of dispenses;
sensing, by the time sensor of the product dispenser, time data associated with each of the second number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the second number of dispenses or a time period between each of the second number of dispenses;
determining, by the controller, a second number of unique users associated with the second number of dispenses;
determining, by the controller, a second usage rate of the product for the second dispensing period, wherein the second usage rate is indicative of a second ratio of i) a second aggregate amount of the product dispensed for the second number of dispenses to ii) the second number of unique users; and
determining, by the controller, whether to increase, decrease, or maintain the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain a third value of the dispensing parameter for a third dispensing period based at least in part on a first comparison of the first value of the dispensing parameter to the second value of the dispensing parameter and a second comparison of the first ratio to the second ratio.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises:
determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is less than the first value of the dispensing parameter;
determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is less than the second ratio; and
increasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises:
determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is less than the first value of the dispensing parameter;
determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is greater than the second ratio; and
decreasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises:
determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is greater than the first value of the dispensing parameter;
determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is less than the second ratio; and
decreasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the previous value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises:
determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is greater than the first value of the dispensing parameter;
determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is greater than the second ratio; and
increasing, by the controller, the previous value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a first portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the first portion occurred more than a threshold time apart from any other dispense of the first number of dispenses;
determining a second portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the second portion occurred less than the threshold time apart from at least one other dispense in the second portion;
determining a third number of dispenses in the first portion and a fourth number of dispenses in the second portion;
determining a first estimated number of unique users equal to the third number of dispenses;
determining a second estimated number of unique users by dividing the fourth number of dispenses by two to obtain an integer result, wherein the integer result is the second estimated number of unique users; and
determining the first number of users by summing the first estimated number of unique users and the second estimated number of unique users.

7. A method, the method comprising:
determining, by at least one controller, a first value of a dispensing parameter;
determining a first usage rate of the product per user for a first dispensing period, wherein the first dispensing period comprises a first number of dispenses of product by at least one dispensing mechanism of the one or more product dispensers, wherein the first number of dispenses are performed in accordance with the first value of the dispensing parameter and determined using at least one of a user sensor of the product dispenser, a tear sensor of the product dispenser, or other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein time data associated with each of the first number of dispenses is sensed using a time sensor associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein the first usage rate is based on a first accumulated value corresponding to the dispensing parameter for the first number of dispenses and a first number of users;
determining a second value of the dispensing parameter, wherein the second value of the dispensing parameter is different from the first value of the dispensing parameter;
determining a second usage rate of the product per user for a second dispensing period, wherein the second dispensing period comprises a second number of dispenses of product by the at least one disp

Assignees

• Georgia Pacific Consumer Products Lp

Inventors

• Borke Brian Scott
• Cittadino Antonio Michael
• Murphy David Warren

Classifications

• G05B15/02 Primary

  electric · CPC title

• A47K2010/3266

  Wet wipes · CPC title

• A47K10/3625

  with electronic control means · CPC title

• A47K2010/3881

  with tearing edges having movable parts · CPC title

• A47K5/1217 Primary

  Electrical control means for the dispensing mechanism · CPC title