Method and apparatus for calibrating remaining doses of product in a refillable dispenser

A method of displaying a more accurate number of doses of fluid remaining in a container in a dispenser comprising:

• providing a dispenser;
• the dispenser having
• a housing;
• an area within the housing for receiving a refill unit;
• a sensor for determining one or more amounts of product in the refill unit;
• circuitry for storing a number indicative of the number of doses of product in the refill unit when the refill unit is full;
• an actuator for dispensing the product;
• circuitry for storing a number indicative of the number of doses of product dispensed;
• and
• displaying information indicative of the number of doses of product remaining in the refill unit;
• dispensing a plurality of doses of product from the dispenser;
• determining a level of product in the refill unit;
• and
• calculating the number of doses of product remaining in the refill unit as a function of the number indicative of the number of doses of product in the refill unit when the refill unit is full, the number of doses of product dispensed and the level of product in the refill unit.

A method of providing an accurate number of dispenses remaining in a refill unit comprising:

• providing a dispenser having a housing, a receptacle for receiving a refill unit at least partially located within the dispenser housing, a processor and memory;
• storing a dose count in the memory that is indicative of the number of doses in the refill unit;
• detecting one or more predetermined levels of product in the refill unit;
• determining a dispense count indicative of the number of doses of product dispensed;
• initiating the dispensing of a dose of product upon detection of an object;
• updating the dispense count;
• determining the number of doses remaining in the refill unit as a function of the dose count, the dispense count and the one or more predetermined levels of the product;
• and
• displaying information indicative of the number of doses left in the refill unit.