Data processing system for managing chemical product usage

Abstract

A data processing system is used to manage and track use of chemical product in a washing machine. A detergent dispenser distributes the chemical products (e.g., detergent, rinse agent, and bleach) to the washing machine. The dispenser includes a monitor that detects dispenser data based on distribution of the chemical product by the dispenser. A database is coupled to the dispenser and stores an account identifier and an alignment identifier in association with the dispenser data of the dispenser. The database further stores corporate data in association with the dispenser data, the account identifier, and the alignment identifier. An analysis application analyzes the dispenser data in relation with the corporate data to characterize use of the chemical product in the chemical application system and provide a feedback loop. The analysis application can limit its analysis to data associated with a given account identifier or a given alignment identifier.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 414,507, filed Apr. 14, 2003, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 027,116, filed Dec. 19, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,697,706, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 428,841, filed Oct. 28, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,377,868. Each of these prior patent applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference by their entirety.TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] The invention relates generally to storage and processing of data related to chemical product usage, and more particularly, to collecting, communicating, and analyzing chemical product usage data based on distribution of the product by a product dispenser. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Institutional laundry facilities, such as those employed in many large hotels, nursing homes, and hospitals, typically employ washing machines with separate automated detergent dispensers. Generally, thes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a system for managing the use of chemical products in a chemical application system, such as a laundry operation. The system includes a chemical product dispenser and a monitor module that detects dispenser data and stores it in a database. The database contains information about the dispenser, such as the type of chemical product and the amount dispensed. The system also includes a database that contains information about the customer, such as the number of loads and the type of detergent used. By analyzing the dispenser data in relation to the customer data, the system can provide valuable information to the customer about their laundry procedures and help them improve them. The system can also compare data from different accounts within a company to identify areas of performance improvement. Overall, the system helps manage the use of chemical products in a more efficient and cost-effective way.

Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, some chemical products can be hazardous in concentrated form; therefore, automated chemical product dispensers reduce the risks of exposure to operators, who would otherwise measure and deliver the chemical products manually.

Unfortunately, operator error (i.e., improper formula selections on one or both of the washing machine and the dispenser) can result in the cleaning products being supplied to the washing machine during the wrong cycle or not at all.

Such errors can result in improperly washed or potentially damaged laundry items.

Other costly inefficiencies can include washing items without filling the wash basin to capacity, which wastes water, energy, and cleaning product and increases labor and maintenance costs.

Typically, this manual method fails to provide the rapid feedback or the cross-account analysis that can be helpful to laundry operators in managing their operations.

Existing approaches, however, fail to provide the capability or capacity of automatically detecting large amounts of dispenser data, communicating and recording dispenser data and corporate data to a central database, and analyzing the data to provide feedback to the laundry operation and / or the dispenser, particularly across an aggregation of multiple accounts within the same corporation.

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