ROLLED PRODUCT DISPENSING DEVICE

Abstract

Dispensing device (100) comprising: a body (104) including a product holding portion (102) configured to hold a rolled product (105), wherein the rolled product is a bath tissue roll or a paper towel roll; a first sensor (113) proximate the product holding area configured to determine a length of the dispensed rolled product; a second sensor (117) proximate the product holding area configured to determine a radial measurement of the rolled product, the second sensor being a single sensor device, and a processing device (118) configured to communicate with the first and second sensors and to determine a type of the rolled product (105) based on the length of the dispensed rolled product (105) and the radial measurement.

Description

This disclosure relates generally to determining or identifying the type of product in a dispenser.BACKGROUNDSystems that dispense consumable products are ubiquitous today in many environments. Towel and towel dispensers are widely used, for example, in many private, semi-private and public wash and pause rooms. Consumer products often have different properties, for example roll length and volume or thickness. And, dispensers are often designed for proper dispensing based on these particular characteristics. When products are loaded into a dispenser that is not designed to dispense such products, dispensing disturbances and / or suboptimal dispensers may occur.The documents U.S. Pat. No. 8,160,742 B2, U.S. Pat. No. 2012 / 0 055 272 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,370,824 B1 are known from the prior art.SUMMARYGenerally, the subject matter of this specification relates to determining a type of rolled product in a dispenser based on the radial measurements of the roll and / or the length or number of the dispensed sheets of roll. In general, an aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in systems that include a dispenser having a body that includes a product holding portion configured to hold a rolled product; a first sensor proximate to the product holding portion configured to determine a length of the dispensed rolled product, a second sensor proximate to the product holding portion configured to determine a radial measurement of the rolled product; and a processing device configured to communicate with the first and second sensors and determine a type of the rolled product based on the length of the dispensed rolled product and the radial measurement. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, devices, and methods.Yet another aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in methods that include determining, within a time period, a length of the dispensed rolled product; determining, within the time period, a diameter of the rolled product; and determining the type of the rolled product based on the length and the diameter. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.In some implementations, the methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products described herein may include one or a combination of the following features. The rolled product may be a bath tissue roll or a paper towel roll. The output device may include a first sensor that is a rotary encoder or an optical linear sensor, an output device counter configured to count a number of outputs, and a second sensor that is a potentiometer. The type of rolled product may be used to identify a manufacturer of the rolled product, including identifying a product level code of the rolled product.In some implementations, the dispenser may include a motor configured to rotate the rolled product for dispensing, and the processing device may be configured to prevent actuation of the motor in response to determining that the type of rolled product is not an allowed rolled product. The output device may also include a transceiver, and the processing device may be configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a warning message in response to determining that the type of rolled product is not an allowed rolled product. The processing device may be configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a message identifying the type of rolled product. The processing device may be configured to determine a remaining amount of the rolled product based on one of the radial measurement and the length (or both) or based on only one of the radial measurement and the length. The time period is defined from a first output event to a next following output event. Certain embodiments of the subject matter described in this specification may be implemented to realize one or more of the following advantages. For example, based on the sheet thickness and / or the roll diameter or roll length, the manufacturer and / or specific type (e.g., product name or code) of the rolled product may be identified. If it is determined that the rolled product is not an acceptable product for the dispenser, then the further dispensing may be prohibited and / or reported because using an unacceptable product in a dispenser may result in poor dispensing performance and / or quality or operational issues. Remotely identifying the type of rolled product in a dispenser may also be used to track inventory over an inserted dispenser base without having to report such information to service viewers so that the owner / operator receives information about which products are being used, including for use in determining how much and what type of product needs to be re-ordered.The details of one or more implementations of the subject matter described in this specification are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other features, aspects and advantages of the subject matter will become apparent from the description, drawings and claims.DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSFIG. 1A is an illustration of an exemplary product dispenser. FIG. 1B is an illustration of an example product dispenser with a first quantity of product. FIG. 1C is an illustration of the example product dispenser with a second amount of product. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example process for determining a product type in an output device.Like reference numerals in the various drawings indicate like elements.DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe present disclosure relates generally to determining or identifying the type of product in a dispenser based on, for example, the diameter (e.g., radial measurement) and / or the overall length of the roll and / or the sheet thickness of the roll.Rolled products, including, for example, bath tissue or towel rolls, have specific properties such as total roll length, e.g., cumulative length of all sheets of the roll (e.g., when the roll is made up of sheets separated by perforations), roll diameter, and roll sheet thickness. These properties often differ depending on the manufacturing process and materials used for producing the rolls (e.g. fiber types, sizes and / or fiber mixtures). In some cases, these properties may be used to identify the product in terms of its type (e.g., a specific brand or partial brand) or manufacturer, or to exclude it because it has a specific type or originates from a specific manufacturer.To this end, the output device includes first and second sensors. The first sensor determines the length of the dispensed rolled product. The first sensor may, for example, determine the output length of the roll optically or electromechanically (e.g., at a time or over a period of time). With this information, the cumulative dispensed length of the roll since it is new or inserted (or since another time or condition) can be determined. The second sensor may determine a radial measurement of the roller (e.g., the roller radius or diameter or changes in the roller radius or diameter over time). Based on the length and / or radial measurements, the dispenser may determine, for example, the thickness of the sheets on the roll.Because thickness (or roll diameter or length, or a combination thereof) may be a property to distinguish between different types of rolls (e.g., one of manufacturer A and one of manufacturer B), the dispenser may determine whether that property matches the same properties of an allowed roll / rolls. For example, if it is determined that the role is not allowed, the output device may prevent further output or send a warning message to an operator or a service observer. In some implementations, the output device may store or have access to signatures or properties of many roles that it may use to match and identify the inserted role (and thus determine whether it is allowed or not allowed). The output device will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C.FIG. 1A is an illustration of an exemplary product dispenser 100. In some implementations, the output device 100 includes a processing device 118 or, when the processing device 118 is remote from the output device 100, may wirelessly communicate with the processing device 118. The dispensing device 100 may be located, for example, in a private, semi-private or public lavatory or rest room or kitchen or other room with a dispensing device 100, and may be located, for example, at or in clean rooms or other workstations. The dispenser 100 may be, for example, a towel dispenser 100, or a bath tissue dispenser 100, or the like.FIG. 1B is an illustration of an exemplary product dispenser 100 having a first amount of product and FIG. 1C is an illustration of an exemplary product dispenser 100 having a second amount of product. In some implementations, the dispenser 100 includes a body 104, e.g., a composite or metal housing, that includes a product holding region 102. In some implementations, the product holding area 102 is a space or cavity in the body 104 in which the rolled product 105 may be positioned for dispensing, and may be accessed by rotating a front portion 135 of the body 104 away from a rear portion 137 (e.g., the wall mounted portion) by a hinge or the like. The product retention area 102 may be enclosed within the body 104 or partially exposed (e.g., for access without opening the body 104). The product holding portion 102 may include a roller holder 106 for holding the rolled product 105, e.g., bath tissue or paper (hand) wipes. In these diagrams, a portion of the body 104 (e.g., a side cover portion) is not shown to illustrate the interior of the dispenser 100.The output device 100 also includes an output mechanism 110. The dispensing mechanism 110 causes a portion of the roll 105 to be dispensed (e.g., dispensing a length of the roll 105 for use in hand drying). In some implementations, the output mechanism 110 is an electromechanical delivery mechanism that includes or operates with a motor 119 that, in response to a stimulus, such as a user who is hand wound in proximity to the output device 100, delivers a length of the roller 105 through an opening 123 in the body 104 to present it to the user. The dispensing mechanism 110 may include, for example, a series of rollers 122 through which a portion of the roll 105 is fed such that when the dispensing mechanism 110 is actuated, it pulls and unwinds the roll 105 (or causes the roll 105 to be pulled and unwound) to feed a portion of the roll 105 to the user. In some implementations, the motor 119 may be integral with the roll holder 106 and cause a spindle 109 of the roll holder 106 (e.g., to which the rolled product 105 is mounted) to be rotated, causing the reel 105 to be unwound and dispensed.The output device 100 includes a first sensor 113 in the vicinity of or in the product holding region 102. The first sensor 113 determines the discharged length of the rolled product 105. For example, the first sensor 113 may determine the length of the dispensed product 105 on a single dispensing basis or a total of the dispensed product, e.g., since the reel 105 was inserted or since another trigger event, such as opening the front portion 135 of the body. In some implementations, the first sensor 113 includes a rotary encoder 113 mounted, for example, on an arm 111 that engages the periphery of the roller 105 such that when the roller 105 rotates, the rotary encoder 113 rolls along the outer surface (e.g., periphery) of the roller 105.In some implementations, the rotary encoder 113 is an electromechanical device that converts the angular position or distance or rotation of a rotating device (e.g., a rolled product 105 or a spindle 109) to an analog or digital signal representing the number of revolutions or partial revolutions of the rotating device. For example, when the rotary encoder 113 is engaged with the periphery of the roller 105 (as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C ), the rotary encoder 113 rotates while the roller 105 rotates. Each full rotation of the rotary encoder 113 corresponds to a certain distance of the sheet length on the roller 105 which can be predefined by an administrator. For example, rotation of the rotary encoder 113 about the periphery of the roll 105 may correspond to 6.35 cm (2.5 inches) of unrolled sheet length (e.g., for dispensing to a user). Thus, when the rotary encoder 113 detects that it has rotated twice, it can be determined (e.g., by the processing device 118 as described below) that 12.7 cm (5 inches) sheet length has been dispensed.In some implementations, the first sensor 113 detects the angular distance or movement of a spindle 109 or other device that (e.g., is inserted into the core and) supports the roller 105. The angular distance may be measured, for example, by a series of magnetic pickups mounted or otherwise positioned on the spindle 109 and coordinated to rotate with the spindle 109. The first sensor 113 may detect each pickup when it passes the first sensor 113 (e.g., which is in a fixed and constant position with respect to the rotating spindle 109). The detection of each transducer corresponds to a pre-programmed angular distance. For example, if the individual pickers are twelve degrees apart, then if the first sensor 113 detects four picker passes during a dispensing operation, the spindle 109 (and roller 105) has rotated forty-eight degrees. Such information may be used, for example, in combination with the diameter or radius of the roller 105 to determine the dispensed length of the roller 105. Furthermore, the magnetic pickups could differ specifically in their strength (e.g. gauss), so that the first sensor 113 can determine the position of the spindle 109 on the basis of the strength of the last detected pickup.Alternatively, the first sensor 113 may be an optical sensor 113. The optical sensor 113 may be, for example, a camera 113 that views the spindle 109 and / or roller 105 and counts the rotations or partial rotations based on one or more visible characteristics of the spindle 109 and / or roller 105. In some implementations, the visible characteristics may be features of the spindle 109 (e.g., a line or a prong on the spindle 109) and / or roll 105 (e.g., embossed or printed pattern on the roll sheets), and the processing device 118 may use various techniques such as classification, grouping, and / or regression algorithms to process the images from the first sensor 113 and determine the number of rotations or partial rotations and thereby the unrolled / dispensed length of the roll sheet. The dispenser 100 includes a second sensor 117 to determine a radial measurement 139 of the rolled product 105. Radial measurement 139 describes the diameter of the roller 105 which can be easily transformed into the radius of the roller (i.e., radius= diameter / 2).In some implementations, the second sensor 117 is coupled to the arm 111 that pivots about point 111 aat one end and rests on the periphery of the first roller 105 at the other end (e.g., via the first sensor 113). When the roller 105 is used with its diameter decreasing, the arm 111 pivots, resulting in a change in its angular position. The second sensor 117 measures this change, which corresponds to predefined changes in the diameter of the roll. For example, when the arm 111 pivots three degrees, this may correspond to a two centimeter change in the diameter of the roller. As described, the mapping between the angular position of the arm (or its change) and the corresponding change in diameter of the roll may be predefined by an administrator (e.g., a manufacturer of the output device 100) and programmed into the processing device 118.In some implementations, the second sensor 117 is a potentiometer that is mounted or operable to read the pivoting of the arm 111 (e.g., at point 111 a) and, for example, generate a resistance or voltage corresponding to and representing the amount that the arm 111 is rotated or pivoted. In some implementations, the second sensor 117 is or uses an infrared or sound detection system to measure, for example, a change in the diameter of the roller 105 based on, e.g., the distance between system sensors and the periphery of the roller 105 to determine the diameter.In some implementations, the output device 100 includes an output device counter 114 that counts the number of outputs of the reel 105. The output device counter 114 counts (e.g., increments from zero) each output from the output device 100. In some implementations, each time the spool 105 is replaced / removed / inserted and / or the body 104 is removed and / or closed for it, the dispenser counter 114 is reset (e.g., to zero) locally or remotely by an operator. The dispenser counter 114 may include, for example, a proximity sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor) positioned proximate to the opening 123 through which the product 105 is dispensed to detect the presence and absence of the dispensed product 105 such that a cycle of product presence (e.g., dispensing through the opening) followed by product absence (e.g., removing the product from the opening by a user) proximate to the opening 123 is a count.In some implementations, the output device 100 allows a user to select how much product is output through an actuation / output cycle. In this case, the processing device 118 may track and store the number of outputs, which would include the number of outputs of each length. For example, if there are two output lengths, the report would indicate that 300 outputs of 20.3 cm (8 inches) have been made and 130 outputs of 15.2 (6 inches) have been made or 430 outputs of 20.3 cm (8 inches) have been made, and also indicate the current output length setting (e.g., 15.2 cm (6 inches) or 20.3 cm (8 inches). With the program-controlled fixed length of each reel, the processing device 118 can determine how much of the reel 105 has been used and how much remains. For example, if the roll 105 has 2540 cm (1000 inches) of product and there were 70 reported outputs of 20.3 cm (8 inches), the data processing system 118 determines 1420 cm (560 inches) of product has been output and still remain 1120 cm (440 inches).In some implementations, the output device 100 includes a data communication device 116 (e.g., a transmitter or transceiver) that operates to communicate with other devices (e.g., through wired or wireless channels, or a combination thereof). For example, the data communication device 116 transmits the number of outputs determined by the output device counter 114, the roll diameter, and / or the sheet length output to other devices. The data communication device 116 may use any number of communication protocols including, but not limited to, WIFI, BLUETOOTH, and TCP / IP, for example.As described, the output device 100 may include a processing device 118. The processing device 118 communicates with the first sensor 113 and the second sensor 117 and may determine a type of rolled product 105 in the dispenser 100 based on the length of the dispensed / unrolled rolled product 105 and / or the radial measurement of the roll 105. The processing device 118 may be a part of or separate (e.g., remote) from the output device 100. In implementations where the processing device 118 is remote from the output device 100, the processing device 118 and the output device 100 may communicate via wireless or wired channels or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the processing device 118 includes, for example, a transceiver and microprocessor to enable such communication. In some implementations, the processing device 118 is connected to a WAN or LAN to communicate to and with other devices, such as mobile devices and / or servers.The processing device 118 receives data describing the output length of the roll 105 from the first sensor 111 and the radial measurement 139 from the second sensor 117. The sensor data may be provided by the sensors 113, 117 to the processing device 118 in response to an event detected by the sensors 113, 117 and / or upon interrogation by the processing device 118. The computing device 118 uses this information to determine the type of rolled product 105 in the output device 100. The type of rolled product describes the manufacturer, vendor, and / or brand of product and, in some cases, identifies the product at the stock keeping unit (Stock Keeping Unit) type level (e.g., a specific product code). In some implementations, the processing device 118 is programmed with features or characteristics of numerous rolled products, such as roll diameter, roll length, sheet length, basis weight, and / or sheet thickness, to name a few. For example, the processing device 118 may store data from Table 1. Table 1 Table 1Manufacturer A / Product 10,025 cm (0.01 inches)2413 cm (950 inches)20,3 cm (8 inches)11,4 cm (4.5 inches)Manufacturer B / Product 20,030 cm (0.012 inches)2858 cm (1125 inches)21,6 cm (8.5 inches)13,2 cm (5.2 inches)Manufacturer C / Product 30,076 cm (0.03 inches)2794 cm (1100 inches)20,8 cm (8.2 inches)12,7 cm (5 inches)In some implementations, the processing device 118 may identify the type of product 105 based on data from the first sensor 113, the second sensor 117, and / or from Table 1. For example, consider a new roll 105 placed in the dispenser 100, as determined by a sensor that is triggered when the dispenser 100 is opened or closed for refilling, e.g., a contact sensor, or set by a maintenance observer or system administrator. The processing device 118 may determine the length of the dispensed product based on data from the first sensor 113 until the roll 105 is exhausted, e.g., as determined from the data from the dispenser counter 114 and / or the first sensor 113. Based on the determined length and Table 1, the processing device 118 may determine the corresponding matching product type. For example, if the length of the roll 105 was determined to be 2858 cm (1125 inches), the processing device 118 determines that the roll 105 was product 2 from manufacturer B. In some implementations, the product types are associated with ranges or tolerances to allow for minor errors or deviations, either through the manufacture of the rollers or the recognition by the dispenser 100. The length range for a full roll of Manufacturer A / Product 1 could be 2400 cm (945 inches) to 2524 cm (955 inches). Similarly, based on the data from the second sensor 117, the processing device 118 may determine the type of the roll 105. For the new roll 105, the processing device 118 determines from data from the second sensor 117 that the diameter is 20.7 cm (8.15 inches), for example. Based on a diameter range for manufacturer C / product 3 of 20.6 cm (8.1 inches) to 21 cm (8.3 inches), the processing apparatus determines that the roll 105 is product 3 from manufacturer C.The processing device 118 may additionally or alternatively determine the type of the roll 105 based on the sheet thickness of the roll 105. For example, the processing device 118 may determine from the first sensor 113 when the spindle 109 has rotated 360 degrees from the starting point (e.g., by counting the number of magnetic receivers that the spindle 109 has passed during rotation). The change in roll diameter between the starting point and the ending point (one full revolution later) as determined by the processing device 118 by using data from the second sensor 117 represents the roll thickness. Given the variability in thickness across a sheet of roll 105, this calculation may be performed multiple times and the thickness may be averaged to achieve a final thickness value. If the diameter of the roll 105 at the starting point (e.g., a particular time and position of the spindle 109) is 15.25 cm (6.004 inches) and after one full revolution of the spindle 109, and thus roll 105 that is 12.94 cm (5.094 inches) in diameter (corresponding to a change in diameter by 0.025 cm (0.01 inches)), the processing device 118 determines, based on Table 1, that the roll 105 is product 1 from manufacturer A.In at least these ways, the processing device 118 may determine the type of rolled product 105 in the output device 100. In some implementations, the processing device 118 stores data describing allowed types of roles. For example, for a manufacturer A dispenser, only product 1 may be allowed, while product 2 and product 3 are not allowed. Based on this data and the determination of the type of rolled product 105, processing device 118 may determine whether or not roll 105 loaded into output device 100 is permitted. The permission list may be changed or otherwise updated under program control by an administrator using the data communication device 116.In some implementations, the processing device 118 may determine the remaining and / or used amount of the rolled product 105. As described above, the processing device 118 may determine the type of rolled product 105, e.g., from the roll diameter or the roll thickness, which indicates the initial length and diameter of the roll (e.g., from Table 1). Based on the information identifying the initial length or diameter and knowing one or more of the number of sheets dispensed (and a dispensing length per sheet), sheet thickness, current diameter, and cumulative dispensed length, the processing device 118 may determine the remaining amount of product 105 or determine whether a product residue threshold has been met (e.g., residue threshold diameter 2.54 cm (1 inch), 30 m (100 feet), or 60 sheets). For example, if the product was identified as product 1 from manufacturer A and the current diameter was determined to be 7.6 cm (3 inches), the processing device may use a pre-programmed look-up table (e.g., stored locally or accessible by using data communication device 116), where the diameter is stored on the set of product residuals to determine how much rolled product 105 is left. Thus, for product 1 from manufacturer A, if the look-up table indicates that a 7.6 cm (3 inches) diameter corresponds to thirty five percent remaining product, the processing device 118 may read this value from the table and process the information accordingly, e.g., send a message having the percent residual value. Similarly, the processing device 118 may use information from the dispenser counter 114 indicating the number of sheets dispensed and the look-up table (e.g., in a form similar to Table 1) that stores data describing the number of sheets per roll at a particular sheet length to determine the remaining amount of product. For example, if product 1 from manufacturer A has 400 sheets and dispenser counter 114 indicates that 250 sheets have been dispensed, processing device 118 determines that there are still 150 sheets left.The processing device 118 may also use information from both the first and second sensors 113, 117 to determine the remaining amount of product, e.g., as an internal test and the balance of such determination. For example, at a particular time, the processing device 118 may query or interrogate the first sensor 113 (or take the most recent readout from the first sensor 113) and similarly proceed with the second sensor 117 to determine the current value for the output sheet length or diameter. The processing device 118 may use these values in combination with data from a look-up table indicating the relationships between output sheet length and remaining amount of product and between diameter and remaining amount of product to determine the remaining amount of product from each detected value (i.e., the current output length and diameter).If the values for output sheet length and diameter each indicate that thirty percent of the roll 105 remains (or within some tolerance range, about thirty percent), the processing device 118 determines that there is high reliability that the determination of the remaining product is accurate and may report that value. When the calculation of the remaining amount of the product from the value of the output length and the calculation of the remaining amount of the product from the diameter value do not fall within the tolerance range, the processing device 118 determines that there may be an abnormality and causes the data communication device 116 to transmit a warning message.As described above, the output device 100 may include a motor 119. The processing device 118 may be coupled to the motor 119 (e.g., through a wired or bus connection or through another device such as a motor controller) and control operation of the motor 119. In some implementations, in response to determining that the roll 105 is not an acceptable product, the processing device 118 instructs the motor 109 not to be actuated or prevents the motor 109 from being actuated, and thus dispensing any additional rolled products 105. Because many dispensers are configured to dispense certain products, operating these dispensers with other products (e.g., from different manufacturers, whose products may differ in one or more of the roll characteristics described above) may cause dispenser interference or may cause suboptimal dispenser performance.In some implementations, the first sensor 113 may be used to count or detect the number of outputs based on the number of motor operations that the processing device 118 determines based on the rotations of the roller 105. For example, each time the first sensor 113 detects the rotation of the roller 105 (beyond a certain low threshold that excludes minor displacements or vibrations in the output device 100), the output device 118 determines that a motor actuation has occurred and thus an output event has occurred that causes the processing device 118 to increment the output count. As described above, the dispensing count may be reset, for example, during a refill event in which a new roll 105 is placed in the dispensing device 100.In some implementations, the processing device 118 causes the data communication device 116 to send a warning message (e.g., to a system administrator) in response to determining that the rolled product 105 is not an allowed product. Additionally or alternatively, the processing device 118 may cause the computing device 116 to send a message identifying the type of rolled product 105 being used. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of an example process for determining a product type in an output device. The output device 100 may perform the steps described with reference to FIG. 2, for example.Within a period of time, a length of the dispensed rolled product is determined (202). For example, the processing device 118 uses data from the first sensor 113 to determine the output length of the product 105 at a particular time (or between particular output events).Within the time period, a diameter of the rolled product is determined (204). The processing device 118 uses, for example, data from the second sensor 117 to determine the output diameter of the product 105.The type of rolled product based on the length and diameter is determined (206). For example, the processing device 118 determines the type of rolled product 105 in the dispenser 100 as described above. The type of rolled product may refer to an allowed or non-allowed product (e.g., as set by an administrator or owner or manufacturer of the output device 100). The type of rolled product may also or alternatively relate to the identity of the manufacturer or distributor of the rolled product and / or the particular brand or product name under which the rolled product 105 is sold.Implementations of the subject matter and the operations described in this specification can be implemented, at least in part, in digital electronic circuitry or in computer software, firmware, or hardware, including the structures disclosed in this specification and their structural equivalents, or in combinations of one or more thereof. Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented, at least in part, as one or more computer programs, i.e., one or more modules of computer program instructions encoded on a computer storage medium for execution by or controlling the operation of data processing apparatus. Alternatively or additionally, the program instructions may be encoded on an artificially generated propagating signal, such as a machine generated electrical, optical, or electromagnetic signal, that is generated to encode information for transmission to a suitable receiver device, which is then executed by a computing device.A computer storage medium may be or be included in a computer readable storage device, a computer readable storage substrate, a freely addressable or serial random access memory array or device, or a combination thereof. Moreover, although a computer storage medium is not a propagated signal, a computer storage medium may be a source or destination of computer program instructions encoded in an artificially generated propagated signal. The computer storage medium may also be, or be included within, one or more separate physical components or media (e.g., multiple CDs, disks, or other storage devices).The operations described in this specification may be implemented as operations performed by a computing device or system on data stored on or received from one or more computer readable storage devices.The term processing device or data processing system includes any type of device, apparatus, and machine for processing data, including, for example, a programmable processor, a computer, a system on a chip, or a plurality or combinations of the foregoing. The device may include a special purpose logic circuit such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit). The apparatus may also include, in addition to hardware, code that creates an execution environment for the subject computer program, such as code that forms processor firmware, a protocol stack, a database management system, an operating system, a cross-platform runtime environment, a virtual machine, or a combination of one or more of these. The apparatus and execution environment may implement various computer model infrastructures, such as web services, as well as distributed computing and spatially distributed computing infrastructures.A computer program (also known as a program, software, software application, script, or code) may be written in any form of programming language that includes compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and may be used in any form as a single program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program may be stored in a portion of a file that contains other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), a single file specific to the program in question, or multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, subroutines, or portions of code). A computer program may be deployed to run on one computer or on multiple computers located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.The processes and logic flows described in this specification may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing one or more computer programs to perform actions by processing input data and generating output. The processes and logic flows may also be performed by a special purpose logic circuit such as an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), and the device may be implemented in the form thereof.Processors suitable for executing a computer program include, for example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, as well as all types of one or more processors of any type of digital computer. Typically, a processor receives instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory, or both. The essential components of a computer are a processor for executing actions in accordance with instructions, and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer also includes one or more mass storage devices for storing data, such as magnetic, magneto-optical, or optical disks, or is operatively coupled thereto, or both, to receive and / or transmit data therefrom. However, a computer does not need to have those devices. Moreover, a computer may be incorporated into another device, such as, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a mobile audio or video player, a game console, a GPS receiver, or a portable storage device (e.g., USB flash drive). Devices suitable for storing computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, media and storage devices, including, for example, semiconductor storage devices such as EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks such as built-in disk drives or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. The processor and memory may be supplemented with or integrated with special purpose logic circuitry. Implementations of the subject matter described in this specification can be implemented in a computer system that includes a backend component, such as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, such as an application server, or that includes a frontend component, such as a client computer having a graphical user interface or a web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the subject matter described in this specification, or any combination of one or more of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, such as a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network ("LAN") and a wide area network ("WAN"), an inter-network (e.g., the Internet), and peer-to-peer networks (e.g., ad hoc peer-to-peer networks).The computer system may include clients and servers. A client and a server are generally remote from each other and typically interact over a communication network. The relationship between client and server arises from computer programs that are executed on the respective computers and that have a client-server relationship with each other. In some embodiments, a server transmits data, e.g., an HTML page, to a user computer, e.g., for purposes of displaying data for and receiving user input from a user interacting with the user computer. Data generated in the user computer (e.g., a result of the user interaction) may be received from the user computer on the server.While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventions or on what is claimed where appropriate, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments may also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable sub-combination. Moreover, one or more features of a claimed combination may in some cases be extracted from the combination, even if the features are described above as functioning in certain combinations or even claimed as a combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a sub-combination or variation of a sub-combination.Likewise, while operations are depicted in the drawings in a particular order, this should not be understood as a requirement that such operations be performed in the particular order shown or in a consecutive order, or that all illustrated operations be performed, to achieve desired results. Under certain circumstances, multi-tasking and parallel processing may be advantageous. Moreover, the separation of various system components in the above-described embodiments should not be construed as required in all embodiments, and it should be understood that the described program components and systems may generally be integrated together into a single software product or divided into multiple software products.This written description does not limit the invention to the precise verbatim presented. Thus, although the invention has been described in more detail with reference to the examples presented above, those skilled in the art will be able to make changes, modifications and variations to the examples without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

A dispenser (100) comprising: a body (104) including a product holding portion (102) configured to hold a rolled product (105), the rolled product being a bath tissue roll or a paper towel roll; a first sensor (113) proximate the product holding portion configured to determine a length of the dispensed rolled product; a second sensor (117) proximate the product holding portion configured to determine a radial measurement of the rolled product, the second sensor being a single sensor device; and a processing device (118) configured to communicate with the first and second sensors and determine a type of the rolled product (105) based on the length of the dispensed rolled product (105) and the radial measurement.The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the determinations (202) of the length of the dispensed rolled product (105) and the radial measurement (204) are within a specified time period of each other.The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first sensor (113) is a rotary encoder.The output device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor (113) is an optical sensor.The output device of claim 1, wherein the second sensor (117) is a potentiometer.The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the type of rolled product (105) identifies (206) a manufacturer of the rolled product.The dispenser of claim 6, wherein the type of rolled product (105) identifies a product level code of the rolled product (105).The dispenser of claim 1, comprising a motor (119) configured to rotate the rolled product (105) for dispensing, and wherein the dispenser is configured to prevent actuation of the motor (119) in response to determining that the type of rolled product (105) is not an allowed rolled product.The output device of claim 1, comprising a transceiver, and wherein the processing device (118) is configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a warning message in response to determining that the type of rolled product (105) is not an allowed rolled product (105).The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the processing device (118) is configured to determine a remaining amount of the rolled product (105) based on one of the radial measurement and the length.The dispenser of claim 10, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the remaining amount of rolled product (105) based only on data from one of the radial measurement and the length of the dispensed rolled product (105).The output device of claim 1, comprising a transceiver, and wherein the processing device is configured to cause the transceiver to transmit a message identifying the type of rolled product (105).The output device of claim 1, comprising an output device counter (114) configured to count a number of outputs.The dispenser of claim 1, comprising a motor configured to rotate the rolled product for dispensing, and wherein the first sensor is configured to count the number of outputs based on a number of motor operations.A method for determining a type of rolled product (105), wherein the rolled product (105) is a bath tissue roll or a paper towel roll, comprising: determining (202), within a time period, a length of the dispensed rolled product (105); determining (204), within the time period, a diameter of the rolled product with a single sensor assembly; and determining the type of the rolled product (105) based on the length and the diameter, wherein the time period is defined from a first dispensing event to a next following dispensing event.

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