System and method for collecting data on product consumption
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.
InventorsBruce M. Gemmell, Wesley J. McConnell, John R. Oyler, James A. Winder
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for collecting data on individual and aggregate use of various washroom products. The system includes one or more product dispensers having a sensor associated therewith for determining product usage. The sensor communicates usage information to local transmitter which responsively generates a data signal. The data signal is transmitted, such as by wireless techniques, to a central data collection unit. The central data collection unit receives and stores the data signal for later analysis. In exemplary embodiments, usage from a plurality of dispensers can be monitored by a single data collection unit.
Claims24
A system for monitoring product usage at a particular location, said system comprising:
- a product dispenser, the dispenser comprising a rotating member;
- a sensor device positioned in said dispenser to detect removal of said product, wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser;
- a local transmission unit in operative communication with said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format representative of at least product usage and wirelessly broadcasting said data signal;
- and
- a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive said data signal and store usage information representative thereof.
A system for monitoring product usage at a plurality of locations, said system comprising:
- a plurality of product dispensers, at least one dispenser having a rotating member;
- each of said product dispensers including a sensor device positioned therein to detect removal of said product wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser;
- a plurality of local transmission units, each of said local transmission units being associated with a respective dispenser to receive usage information from said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format;
- and
- a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive data signals from all of said local transmission units and store usage information representative thereof.
A system for monitoring product usage at a particular location, said system comprising:
- a product dispenser configured to dispense absorbent roll web product, the dispenser comprising a rotating member;
- a sensor device positioned in said dispenser to detect removal of said product wherein the sensor device is adapted to measure rotational increments of the circumference of the rotating member of the dispenser, wherein said sensor comprises a roller mounted to rotate against an outer surface of said absorbent roll web product to generate a circumferential distance wherein said circumferential distance comprises an output indicative of a length of product withdrawn by a user;
- a local transmission unit in operative communication with said sensor, said local transmission unit generating a data signal of predetermined format which is representative of at least product usage and wirelessly broadcasting said data signal;
- and
- a data collection unit located remote from said dispenser, said data collection unit operative to receive said data signal and store usage information representative thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.