US 2018/0008104 A1 · Method and System for Determining Usage and Authentication of a Paper Product in a Dispenser

Abstract

A system and control method for determining an amount of paper product dispensed from a dispenser or remaining in the dispenser is provided. The paper product is initially loaded in the dispenser as a paper product formation, such as a roll or stack of the product. At defined intervals, a digital image of an aspect of the paper product formation in the dispenser is taken and transmitted to a digital imager processor. A feature of the digital image that changes as the paper product formation decreases in size as the paper product is dispensed is analyzed and compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the paper product formation to determine an amount of the paper product dispensed or remaining in the dispenser.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A method for determining an amount of paper product dispensed from a dispenser or remaining in the dispenser, wherein the paper product is initially loaded in the dispenser as a paper product formation, the method comprising:

at defined intervals, taking a digital image of an aspect of the paper product formation in the dispenser, and transmitting the digital image to a digital imager processor;
with the digital image processor, analyzing a feature of the digital image that changes as the paper product formation decreases in size as the paper product is dispensed;
and
comparing the analyzed feature with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the paper product formation to determine an amount of the paper product dispensed or remaining in the dispenser.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/544,561Filed 30 Jan 2015

Published

11 Jan 2018

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification24 codes

A47K 10/36
Dispensing from a web, e.g. with mechanical dispensing means: with mechanical dispensing, roll switching or cutting devices
A47K 10/32
Towel dispensers; Toilet paper dispensers: dispensers for paper towels or toilet paper
A47K 10/424
Dispensing from a store of single sheets, e.g. stacked: dispensing from the bottom part of the dispenser
B65H 16/005
Unwinding, paying-out webs: dispensers, i.e. machines for unwinding only parts of web roll

Method and System for Determining Usage and Authentication of a Paper Product in a Dispenser

Life of this patent

Method and System for Determining Usage and Authentication of a Paper Product in a Dispenser

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13