U.S. patent application number 13/608686 was filed with the patent office on 2012-12-27 for wireless communication for hygiene dispenser systems.
This patent application is currently assigned to ULTRACLENZ, LLC. Invention is credited to David L. Snodgrass.
Application Number | 20120329438 13/608686 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43729954 |
Filed Date | 2012-12-27 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20120329438 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Snodgrass; David L. |
December 27, 2012 |
Wireless Communication for Hygiene Dispenser Systems
Abstract
A communication system for handwash compliance monitoring,
comprises a plurality of handwash monitoring sensors for collecting
handwash compliance data at a respective plurality of handwash
stations, at least one hub which wirelessly receives handwash
compliance data transmitted from said plurality of handwash
monitoring stations, a gateway which wirelessly receives handwash
compliance data transmitted from the hub, and a wireless cellular
telephone link for transmitting the handwash compliance data from
the gateway to a central monitoring station.
Inventors: |
Snodgrass; David L.;
(Jupiter, FL) |
Assignee: |
ULTRACLENZ, LLC
Jupiter
FL
|
Family ID: |
43729954 |
Appl. No.: |
13/608686 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12560250 |
Sep 15, 2009 |
8264343 |
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13608686 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/414.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 40/20 20180101;
G08B 21/245 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
455/414.1 |
International
Class: |
H04W 4/00 20090101
H04W004/00 |
Claims
1-22. (canceled)
23. A communication system for hygiene compliance monitoring
comprising: a plurality of hygiene monitoring sensors for
collecting hygiene compliance data at a respective plurality of
hygiene stations; and a wireless link for transmitting the hygiene
compliance data over a cellular telephone network to a central
monitoring station, wherein the hygiene compliance data includes
dispenser hygiene station activation counts and unique identifiers
for each hygiene station.
24. The communication system according to claim 23, wherein the
plurality of hygiene monitoring sensors transmit hygiene compliance
data to a central hub before transmission over the cellular
telephone network.
25. The communication system according to claim 23, wherein the
wireless link comprises a gateway which wirelessly receives the
hygiene compliance data from a plurality of hygiene monitoring
sensors before transmission over the cellular telephone
network.
26. The communication system according to claim 23, comprising a
plurality of hubs which wirelessly communicate to a gateway before
transmission over the cellular network.
27. The communication system of claim 23, further including a
remote server and database store at the central monitoring
station.
28. The communication system of claim 27, further including an
internet connection at the central station to enable internet
access to the remote server and database store.
29. The communication system of claim 23, including a plurality of
hubs, wherein at least one hub of the plurality can receive hygiene
compliance data transmitted from another hub, and retransmit the
data.
30. The communication system of claim 23, wherein the wireless link
transmits data at a frequency which is one of 433 MHz, 900 MHz or
2.4 GHz.
31. A method for communicating hygiene compliance data, comprising:
collecting hygiene compliance data from a plurality of hygiene
stations having monitoring sensors; and transmitting the collected
hygiene compliance data wirelessly over a cellular telephone
network to a central monitoring station, wherein the hygiene
compliance data includes dispenser hygiene station activation
counts and unique identifiers for each hygiene station.
32. The method of claim 31, including the step of wirelessly
transmitting the hygiene compliance data from the hygiene stations
to a central hub, before transmitting the data wirelessly over the
cellular network.
33. The method of claim 31, including using a gateway which
wirelessly receives the hygiene compliance data from a plurality of
hygiene monitoring sensors before transmission over the cellular
telephone network.
34. The method of claim 31, including transmitting the data
wirelessly over a plurality of hubs to a gateway before
transmission over the cellular network.
35. The method of claim 31, including providing a remote server and
database store at the central monitoring station.
36. The method of claim 31, including providing an internet
connection at the central station to enable internet access to the
remote server and database store.
37. The method of claim 31, including providing a plurality of
hubs, wherein at least one hub of the plurality receives the
hygiene compliance data transmitted from another hub, and
retransmits the data.
38. The method of claim 31, wherein the step of transmitting is
done over a frequency which is one of 433 MHz, 900 MHz or 2.4
GHz.
39. A method for communicating hygiene compliance data comprising:
collecting hygiene compliance data from a plurality of hygiene
stations having monitoring stations; said hygiene compliance data
including hygiene station activation counts and the hygiene
stations unique identifier (address) and transmitting the hygiene
compliance data to a central hub or gateway using a wireless link,
wherein the data is transmitted at one of 433 MHz, 900 MHz or 2.4
GHz.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to handwash dispenser systems
and for monitoring handwash compliance data by users of such
systems, and more particularly to a communication system for
wirelessly transmitting handwash compliance data from the
dispensers to a central station, including a cellular telephone
network.
[0002] Handwash compliance systems collect handwash compliance data
collected by sensors at a handwash dispenser system. The data is
typically stored locally at the handwash dispenser. The data may be
transmitted over a communications line which may be a hard-wire,
such as a half-duplex RS-485 network to a central location, which
may receive data from a plurality of handwash dispensers. The data
may be analyzed at the cents al location, and handwash compliance
reports may be generated with a view towards insuring compliance
with handwash protocols and regulations, and to improve compliance
when compliance has been found to be lacking, not optimal, or in
need of improvement in some way.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In some compliance systems, the handwash monitoring data is
transferred over a local network at a customer site to a monitoring
station which collects and analyses the information.
[0004] Sometimes a different entity, other than the customer,
collects and analyzes the data, but the data is still transferred
over the customer-owned or -operated network. This may result in
security issues, as the different entity doing the monitoring,
should not, from the customer's perspective, have access to the
entire network which includes data other than handwash monitoring
data. Also, the different entity doing the monitoring may be
monitoring with a proprietary data protocol or other proprietary
software application, which the different entity wishes to keep
confidential from the customer.
[0005] If data is communicated over a data cable between the
dispensers and a data collection device, the data cable may be
expensive to install, especially for retro-fit applications. If the
data collection device is a personal computer ("PC") which runs a
proprietary application program at a different entity, both the
customer and different entity can develop a strained relationship.
If the customer opens a port in the customer's network firewall,
security concerns are raised, subjecting the customer to possible
security breaches by not only the different entity, but from other
entities as well, seeking to hack into the customer's system
through the firewall.
[0006] The present invention provides a communication arrangement
which addresses some, or all, of the above concerns about cost,
retro-fitting, security, and maintaining good relationships between
the customer and different entity performing the data collection
and compliance monitoring.
[0007] The present invention provides a reliable and
cost-effective, low band-width wireless network that can be easily
installed either initially, or retro-fitted in an indoor
environment, and that is capable of communicating hand-wash
monitoring data to an off-site location, while also minimizing the
burden on the customer and the customer's personnel, and existing
on-site customer's network infrastructure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0008] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall
configuration of sensors, hubs, a gateway, and a cellular
network.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0009] A preferred embodiment according to the invention will be
described, but the invention is not limited to this embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall
configuration of a communication system for handwash compliance
monitoring according to the invention. The system 10 comprises a
plurality of sensors S. Each sensor S collects handwash compliance
data of a handwash fixture, such as a sink with a dispenser which
dispenses hygiene product either manually or automatically (or
both) as requested, or in response to, a user's presence. Examples
of sensors are disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publications
2006/0273361 and 2006/0273915, which are incorporated herein by
reference. Briefly, a sensor will collect and store handwash
compliance data, such as the identity of persons, at what times in
the day such persons have performed a handwash procedure, and
whether such handwash procedure has been correctly performed
correctly according to a hygiene protocol. Variations of such
compliance data may occur as understood by those skilled in the
art.
[0011] The sensors may be embedded in the dispensers and may
detect, and then transmit, or broadcast, data representing each
dispenser activation and handwash compliance event. Hubs H, located
within reception range of a plurality of sensors, will receive the
transmitted data and re-transmit the data to a gateway G, servicing
a plurality of hubs H. The gateway G will then transmit the data
over a cellular network CN to a remote server RS with database
store. The remote server RS can be connected to the Internet, and
remote users RU can log onto the remote server RS with appropriate
password over the internet, and retrieve the remote dispenser
activation event data for processing and analysis, such as
generating hygiene compliance reports.
[0012] The transmission range of the sensors S may be on the order
of 50 feet, or more, to ensure that respective hub H can receive
the transmitted data. The transmission of the hub H will preferably
have a longer range of 100 feet or more to ensure that the gateway
G will receive the transmitted data from the hubs H.
[0013] The above-described topology will provide a network at
good-performance and low-cost, avoiding hand-wiring of both
original and retro-fit installations.
[0014] Hubs H can be located throughout a customer facility. In
addition to receiving data from sensors S, and transmitting to a
gateway G, the hubs H can also, or alternatively, function as
repeaters, relaying data from one hub to another to the gateway G.
Good radio frequency (RF) coverage will thus be obtained, while
allowing the sensors to operate at low-power levels, thereby
extending battery life. By having the hubs H, which are less costly
than a gateway G, serve as repeaters, savings can result by having
only one gateway G at a facility, although it may be useful to have
a plurality of gateways G for redundancy in case of a failure of a
gateway G. Hubs H can also be provided with ranges in an
over-lapping manner, so that even if a hub H becomes inoperative or
loses power, the remaining hubs H can provide the transmission and
repeating operations.
[0015] The gateway G uses a cellular modem to transmit the data
over a cellular network. As cellular modems are relatively costly
to acquire and operate, minimizing the cellular modem count to a
low number, even one, will minimize installation and operating
costs.
[0016] The sensor S and hubs H may operate on 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz
bands, but preferably will operate at 433 MHz to avoid interference
with the former two bands which arc popular and crowded. Also, the
433 MHz band is better able to penetrate obstacles, like walls. As
other less crowded frequency bands become available, they may be
used as well. Spread spectrum transmission may be used to reduce
noise and/or interference.
[0017] Each sensor S is preferably self-powered with a battery so
that it can be used with existing manual and touch-free dispensers,
which do not presently have power available to power the sensor.
The sensor S, especially for a manual dispenser, may have a
mechanical interface such as a contact closure, magnetic reed
switch, or Hall-effect sensor. The preferred interface is the
contact closure as this is the most reliable.
[0018] The dispensers preferably have an "expansion port". The
expansion port may have an active low 3.3V logic level pin
available with a 100K.OMEGA. pull-up resistor. This pin goes active
during the dispenser pump cycle which is about one second in
duration. However, the manual dispenser's activation could be much
shorter. To make the sensor compatible with both the manual and
touch-free dispensers, the 100K.OMEGA. pull-up resistor may be
removed from the touch-free dispenser. The sensor will have a
100K.OMEGA. pull-up resistor which makes the contact closure
interface self contained and eliminates the need to add a pull-up
resistor and Vcc source to the manual dispenser.
[0019] The manual dispenser is different from the touch-free
because it is completely under user control. The sensor should be
able to detect an activation event with a minimum duration of 100
ms. A user may not fully depress the push bar or push it very
quickly causing the limit switch (contact closure) to only be
closed for a short period of time. The sensor may be designed to
detect up to 100 consecutive activation events in rapid succession.
It is not uncommon for users to take multiple doses very rapidly.
The sensor should be able to buffer up to 100 consecutive
activation events in rapid succession also buffering a time offset,
for each activation, based on the first activation in a rapid
succession series (see Table 1). Buffering will also be preferred
if one or more activations occur while the sensor is transmitting.
The time offset will allow the hub to recognize the buffered
activations as valid. The time offset can be added, by the hub, to
the time stamp of the first activation thus resolving the time of
activation for the buffered event. The time stamp will have a
resolution of 1 second so it is possible that more than one valid
activation will have the same time stamp. When the buffer is empty,
the time offset will be cleared to 0.
[0020] Some sensors may be within range of more than one hub. This
will result in multiple hubs collecting activation event data from
one sensor. The remote server can detect and discard duplicate
activation events before storing them in a database. More than one
activation can have the same time stamp from the same sensor. To
allow the server to distinguish between valid activations with the
same time stamp and duplicate activations with the same time stamp,
an 8-bit counter (see table 1) can be incremented with each
activation. If the server sees two activations with the same time
stamp from the same sensor but different counts, both activations
are valid, otherwise one is a duplicate and can be discarded.
[0021] Multiple hubs may not have perfectly synchronized real-time
clocks (RTC). In the case where two or more of these out of sync
hubs arc within range of a single sensor, each may record and time
stamp the same activation event but the time stamps will not match.
This creates a situation that makes it difficult for the remote
server to detect duplicate activations unless an 8-bit activation
count is implemented by the sensor.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Possible Rapid Successive Activation
Scenario Activation Event Time Time Offset 8-Bit Counter Time Stamp
1 02:42:15.0 0 ms 253 02:42:15 2 02:42:15.1 100 ms 254 02:42:15 3 1
02:42:15.6 600 ms 255 02:42:15 4 2 02:42:16.1 1,100 ms 0 02:42:16
No Activity 1 02:55:38.5 0 ms 1 02:55:38 No Activity 1 02:56:03.7 0
ms 2 02:56:03 No Activity 1 03:11:26.4 0 ms 3 03:11:26 2 2
03:11:26.8 400 ms 4 03:11:26
[0022] The sensor will create an 8-byte event record for each
activation that occurs (see Table 2). This record will be
transmitted to the nearest hub. The event record will contain a
factory programmed 32-bit device address that is unique to the
sensor, an 8-bit device ID that will distinguish the current sensor
from other sensors designed in the future, an 8-bit event ID to
identify what kind of event occurred, an 8-bit activation count to
identify duplicate event records and an 8-bit time offset to
resolve activation time for multiple events occurring before they
can be transmitted.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 8-Byte Sensor Event Record Device Address
Address Address Address Event 8-Bit Time ID Byte 0 Byte 1 Byte 2
Byte 3 ID Activation Off- Count set
[0023] The Address Bytes 0-3 may have a factory-programmed value
between 0 and 4,294,967,296 that is unique for each sensor
[0024] The Device ID may have a value from 0 to 255 that identifies
the type of sensor from which the event record originated. The
value for the current sensor (type 1) will be 0.
[0025] The Event ID may have a value from 0 to 255 that identifies
the type of event that occurred. The current sensor (type 1) only
has one event, a contact closure (dispenser activation). Sensors
may have more event options such as cover open, cover closed, low
battery, object blocking dispenser's IR etc. The value for a
dispenser activation event will be 0.
[0026] The 8-Bit Activation Count may have a value between 0 and
255 that is incremented with each activation event. Consecutive
activation events should not have the same number. When the count
reaches 255, it will circle back to 0 on the following
activation.
[0027] The Time Offset may have a value from 0 to 255 that, for the
current activation, represents the amount of time that has passed
since the first previous activation that has not yet been
transmitted. The time offset value may be in 100 ms intervals i.e.
0=0 ms, 1=100 ms, 2=200 ms etc. It is possible to compress several
of the above bytes into 4-bit upper and lower nibbles if the power
budget requires it.
[0028] An alternative to the above-described sensors S will now be
described,
[0029] A header on the dispenser's PCB may be available with power
and an I.sup.2C or similar interface for an embedded sensor which
would be mounted directly to the dispenser's PCB. By having a
communication interface directly to the dispenser's .mu.C, the
sensor may be able to transmit not only an activation event but
also low battery level, cover opened, cover closed and IR
obstruction events. Dispenser configuration information such as
dose setting (1, 2, 3), IR range (long, short), battery level, etc.
could also be transmitted at the request of a remote user. This
information could be used to remotely monitor the health and
configuration of a customer's dispenser. For example, the remote
server could be configured, by a remote user, to generate a warning
email that would automatically be sent to a customer with a list of
individual dispensers that have low batteries allowing the customer
to preempt dispenser failure.
[0030] The sensor may have more communication demands made of it
than the first-described sensor, and therefore, will likely consume
more power. An external power source may be necessary. This means
that the sensor will only be used with the touch-free dispenser and
use the dispenser's D-cell batteries as its power source.
[0031] The function of the hub H is to receive, time-date stamp and
buffer activation data (event records) transmitted from the
surrounding sensors within its range. It then passes this data
along to the nearest hub or gateway when it is requested.
[0032] The hub H should preferably be able to receive transmitted
data from sensors a minimum of 50 feet away in an indoor
environment. Indoor range is a subjective term so it will be
assumed that the signal will only pass through a maximum of two
interior walls composed of drywall and metal studs or that the
signal will only pass through one exterior wall, firewall, or
floor, composed of formed concrete with embedded rebar.
[0033] The hub H should preferably be able to process up to 100
sensors and up to 20 sensors transmitting activation events at the
same time. A hub typically processes one event at a time so a
maximum time-date stamp latency of 10 seconds may be used, This
should allow enough time for each individual sensor event to be
processed by the hub
[0034] Each hub may be equipped with a battery backed real-time
clock (RTC) with a minimum accuracy of +/-5 ppm. The gateway should
attempt to update each hub's RTC at least once every 24 hours to
keep all hubs synchronized. When a sensor's activation event is
received, the hub will do the following: (1) log the event record;
(2) log the current time of the RTC to create a time-date stamp for
the event; (3) check the event record's time offset byte; (4) if
time offset byte is not equal to 0, adjust time-date stamp
accordingly; and (5) buffer event record with time-date stamp in
circular queue. Some MSP430 .mu.Cs have a built-in RTC. This would
eliminate the need for the hub to deal with time offset and keep
things simple.
[0035] A circular queue may be used to buffer the last 10,000
activation events for all sensors within the hub's range. The queue
will also serve as a local archive so that the remote server can
request past events that may have been lost or corrupted. When the
queue is full, new events will overwrite the oldest buffered
events.
[0036] The hub may also function as a repeater. This wireless
topology attempts to minimize the number of gateways required to
send data to a remote server. To do so, hubs that are out of the
gateway's range will transmit and receive data from hubs that are
within their range. In turn, these hubs will transmit and receive
data from hubs within their range until the data finally reaches a
gateway. This forwarding of data from one hub to another will form
a simple ad hoc or mesh type of network. Each hub may be able to
transmit to and receive data from other hubs or a gateway a minimum
of 100 feet away in an indoor environment. The signal may pass
through a maximum of two interior walls composed of drywall and
metal studs. It will also be assumed that the signal may only pass
through one exterior wall, firewall, or floor composed of formed
concrete with embedded rebar.
[0037] External power may be required due to the large distance and
communication demands placed on the hub. The hub may be powered
from an external 6 VDC to 12 VDC source such as a class 2
transformer.
[0038] When activation event data is requested by the gateway, the
hub will send the event record as in Table 3:
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Hub Device ID = 0-255 8-bit device ID to
identify type of device (100 for the hub) Hub Address Byte 0 =
0-255 32-bit (bytes 0 thru 3) hub address Hub Address Byte 1 =
0-255 Hub Address Byte 2 = 0-255 Hub Address Byte 3 = 0-255 Event
Time Stamp Hours = 0-23 Hours time stamp applied when event record
is received from sensor Event Time Stamp = 0-59 Minutes time stamp
applied when Minutes event record is received from sensor Event
Time Stamp = 0-59 Seconds time stamp applied when Seconds event
record is received from sensor Event Time Stamp = 0-23 Month time
stamp applied when Month event record is received from sensor Event
Time Stamp Day = 1-31 Day time stamp applied when event record is
received from sensor Event Time Stamp Year = 0-99 Year time stamp
applied when event record is received from sensor Sensor Device ID
= 0-255 8-Bit Device ID to identify type of device Sensor Address
Byte 0 = 0-255 32-Bit (bytes 0 thru 3) sensor address Sensor
Address Byte 1 = 0-255 Sensor Address Byte 2 = 0-255 Sensor Address
Byte 3 = 0-255 Sensor Event ID = 0-255 8-bit event ID to identify
type of event that occurred Sensor Activation Count = 0-255 8-bit
count sensor activation count
[0039] The data in Table 3 may be in binary form using a
proprietary protocol. This would make the data sufficiently
difficult to decipher and eliminate the need for encryption. It is
possible to compress the time-date stamp data but it is being
presented in its current form to make parsing easier. Hub device
ID, sensor event ID and sensor device ID may be included.
[0040] Hub installation is preferably as simple as possible. One
should determine what sensors, hubs, or gateways are within range.
An installer should preferably have a laptop PC available during
installation. This will allow the use of a software tool that can
be used to configure the hub (if necessary) and determine what
devices are within range. The hub will have a half-duplex RS-485
serial port that will allow connection to the installer's PC.
[0041] The hub may be able to "discover" what other devices are
within range without the need for the installer to intervene. This
would be possible because each device will have a unique device ID
and address combination. Discovery needs to occur within a
reasonable amount of time because installers will charge by the
hour.
[0042] The device may use a custom sheet metal enclosure or an ABS
enclosure. Depending on size, mounting holes will be available in
the PCB for fasteners. All connectors are preferably mounted at the
PCB's edge for access through enclosure. Enclosure may be made of
1.5 mm steel or aluminum, with 2.50 mm from edge of PCB to outside
surface of enclosure for connector placement. A right angle PCB
mount SMA connector could be used so the antenna can be attached to
the hub by the installer.
[0043] Although a preferred embodiment has been described, the
invention is not limited to this embodiment and the scope of the
invention is defined by the following claims.
TABLE-US-00004 APPENDIX A DEVICE ID ASSIGNMENT Device ID
Description N/A 0 Broadcast to all device types ProGiene G3 1
ProGiene G3 touch-free group hand hygiene monitoring dispenser
ProSense Controller 2 ProSense touch-free faucet controller
RESERVED 3 Reserved for future use ProGiene Data Logger 4 Hand held
data logger for ProGiene G3 virtual network Sensor T1 5 Wireless
sensor type 1 - contact closure event Sensor T2 6 Wireless sensors
type 2 - multi-event with PC interface Hub 100 Wireless
hub/repeater Gateway 101 Wireless gateway with embedded GSM modem
RESERVED 250 Reserved for future use RESERVED 251 Reserved for
future use RESERVED 252 Reserved for future use RESERVED 253
Reserved for future use RESERVED 254 Reserved for future use Master
255 Master device for master/slave RS-485 protocol
TABLE-US-00005 APPENDIX B EVENT ID ASSIGNMENT Event ID Description
RESERVED 0 Reserved for future use Dispenser Activation 1 Contact
closure - dispenser activation Dispenser Cover Opened 2 Dispenser's
cover was opened Dispenser Cover Closed 3 Dispenser's cover was
closed Object Blocking IR 4 Object placed under dispenser within IR
range Object Blocking IR 5 Object under dispenser Removed within IR
range removed RESERVED 250 Reserved for future use RESERVED 251
Reserved for future use RESERVED 252 Reserved for future use
RESERVED 253 Reserved for future use RESERVED 254 Reserved for
future use RESERVED 255 Reserved for future use
* * * * *