Sensor and system for monitoring dispenser levels, traffic flow, and staff location

A system, comprising:

• at least one material sensor comprising an electronic circuit including a sensing device that directly senses a level of a material in a container at a selected period of time according to a sleep and wake schedule;
• a communications device that transmits data to a base station at the selected period of time according to the sleep and wake schedule;
• and
• a microcontroller that executes an algorithm that implements the sleep and wake schedule and that controls operation of the sensing device and the communications device;
• wherein the material sensor is adapted to be retrofitted to the container using a material sensor calibration procedure implemented by an algorithm executed by the microcontroller, including:
• obtaining a first sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the first sensed level of the material;
• obtaining a second sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the second sensed level of the material;
• wherein the communications device transmits the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container to the base station;
• wherein the microcontroller calculates an actual amount of the material in the container by comparing the directly sensed level of material in the container with the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container;
• wherein the communications device transmits the calculated actual amount of material in the container to the base station according to the sleep and wake schedule;
• the system further comprising:
• a base station that communicates with the at least one material sensor;
• and
• a processor that receives data from the base station and performs one or more operations based on the data;
• wherein one said operation comprises sending a notification advising of the calculated actual amount of material in a material dispenser or a material receptacle to a user.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions thereon, that when executed by a computer, direct the computer to control operation of-a system comprising:

• at least one material sensor comprising an electronic circuit including a sensing device that directly senses a level of a material in a container at a selected period of time according to a sleep and wake schedule;
• a communications device that transmits data to a base station at the selected period of time according to the sleep and wake schedule;
• and
• a microcontroller;
• wherein executing the stored instructions includes the microcontroller executing a control algorithm that implements the sleep and wake schedule and that controls operation of the sensing device and the communications device;
• wherein the material sensor is adapted to be retrofitted to the container using a material sensor calibration procedure implemented by an algorithm executed by the microcontroller, including:
• obtaining a first sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the first sensed level of the material;
• obtaining a second sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the second sensed level of the material;
• wherein the communications device transmits the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container to the base station;
• wherein the microcontroller calculates an actual amount of the material in the container by comparing the directly sensed level of material in the container with the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container;
• wherein the communications device transmits the calculated actual amount of material in the container to the base station according to the sleep and wake schedule;
• the system further comprising:
• a processor that receives data from the base station and performs one or more operations based on the data;
• wherein controlling operation of the system includes one or more of:
• receiving data from one or more sensors;
• storing the data;
• analyzing the data;
• determining statistics from the data;
• and
• sending a notification relating to the data received from the one or more sensors to a user.

A method for remote monitoring of at least one parameter of a facility, comprising:

• disposing a material sensor in or on a container of the facility, wherein the material sensor includes a sensing device that directly senses a level of a material in the container at a selected period of time according to a sleep and wake schedule;
• calibrating the material sensor using a calibration procedure implemented by an algorithm executed by a microcontroller, including:
• obtaining a first sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the first sensed level of the material;
• obtaining a second sensed level of the material in the container from the sensing device;
• storing the second sensed level of the material;
• wherein the microcontroller calculates an actual amount of the material in the container by comparing the directly sensed level of material in the container with the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container;
• using a communications device to transmit data relating to the stored first and second sensed levels of the material in the container and the calculated actual amount of the material in the container to a base station at the selected period of time according to the sleep and wake schedule;
• using the microcontroller to execute a control algorithm that implements the sleep and wake schedule and that controls operation of the sensing device and the communications device;
• and
• using a processor in the base station to perform one or more operations based on the data;
• wherein one said operation comprises sending a notification advising of the calculated actual amount of the material in the container to a user.