Automatic paper product dispenser with data collection and method

A method of dispensing sheet products, comprising:

• feeding a sheet material via a sheet feeding mechanism;
• dispensing one or more discrete sheet products to an end user at a presentation station, in response to a signal received by a controller;
• detecting a presence of the discrete sheet products via a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism and upstream of the presentation station;
• and
• collecting and storing data comprising:
• a number of requested discrete sheet products associated with the signal, a number of discrete sheet products detected by the sensor, a time at which the one or more discrete sheet products are detected by the sensor, a time at which the signal is received by the controller, an amount of time between the signal being received by the controller and the one or more discrete sheet products being detected by the sensor, or a combination thereof.

A system for dispensing sheet products, comprising:

• at least one memory that stores computer-executable instructions;
• and
• at least one controller configured to access the at least one memory, wherein the at least one controller is configured to execute the computer-executable instructions to:
• receive, from an interface, a signal indicative of a request for a number of discrete sheet products to be dispensed to an end user at a presentation station;
• direct, in response to receipt of the signal, the feeding of a sheet material via a sheet feeding mechanism;
• receive, from a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism and upstream of the presentation station, a detection indicator indicative of detection of a presence of a discrete sheet product by the sensor;
• determine data comprising:
• a number of requested discrete sheet products associated with the signal, a number of discrete sheet products detected by the sensor, a time at which one or more discrete sheet products are detected by the sensor, a time at which the signal is received by the at least one controller, an amount of time between the signal being received by the at least one controller and the one or more discrete sheet products being detected by the sensor, or a combination thereof;
• and
• direct the storage, in one or more data stores, of at least a portion of the data.

A method for dispensing sheet products, comprising:

• receiving from an interface, by at least one controller configured to access at least one memory, a signal indicative of a request for a number of discrete sheet products to be dispensed to an end user at a presentation station;
• directing, by the at least one controller, in response to receipt of the signal, the feeding of a sheet material via a sheet feeding mechanism;
• receiving, by the at least one controller, from a sensor downstream of the sheet feeding mechanism and upstream of the presentation station, a detection indicator indicative of detection of a presence of a discrete sheet product by the sensor;
• determining, by the at least one controller, data comprising:
• a number of requested discrete sheet products associated with the signal, a number of discrete sheet products detected by the sensor, a time at which one or more discrete sheet products are detected by the sensor, a time at which the signal is received by the at least one controller, an amount of time between the signal being received by the at least one controller and the one or more discrete sheet products being detected by the sensor, or a combination thereof;
• and
• directing, by the at least one controller, the storage, in one or more data stores, of at least a portion of the data.