초록 ▼

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for optimizing a value of a dispensing parameter of a product dispenser based at least in part on product usage data. The dispensing parameter may include any suitable adjustable parameter of the product dispenser including, but not limited

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed for optimizing a value of a dispensing parameter of a product dispenser based at least in part on product usage data. The dispensing parameter may include any suitable adjustable parameter of the product dispenser including, but not limited to, a dispense duration, a volume of product (e.g., a shot size), a sheet length, a capability of a user sensor to distinguish between genuine and false triggers of the sensor, a delay setting that specifies a delay time between successive dispenses, or the like. The value of the dispensing parameter may be optimized to align an actual performance outcome with a target performance outcome. The target performance outcome may include, for example, minimizing product usage per user, maximizing user sensor reliability (e.g., a percentage of dispenses that occur in response to genuine user-initiated triggering events), and so forth.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method, the method comprising: determining, by a controller of a product dispenser, a first value of a dispensing parameter;causing, by the controller, a dispensing mechanism of the product dispenser to perform each of a first number of dispenses of the product in accordance with the first valu

1. A method, the method comprising: determining, by a controller of a product dispenser, a first value of a dispensing parameter;causing, by the controller, a dispensing mechanism of the product dispenser to perform each of a first number of dispenses of the product in accordance with the first value of the dispensing parameter during a first dispensing period;sensing, by at least one of a user sensor of the product dispenser, a tear sensor of the product dispenser, or other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the first number of dispenses;sensing, by a time sensor of the product dispenser, time data associated with each of the first number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the first number of dispenses or a time period between each of the first number of dispenses;determining, by the controller, a first number of unique users associated with the first number of dispenses;determining, by the controller, a first usage rate of the product for the first dispensing period, wherein the first usage rate is indicative of a first ratio of i) a first aggregate amount of the product dispensed for the first number of dispenses to ii) the first number of unique users;determining, by the controller, a second value of the dispensing parameter, wherein the second value of the dispensing parameter is different from the first value of the dispensing parameter;causing, by the controller, the dispensing mechanism to perform each of a second number of dispenses of the product in accordance with the second value of the dispensing parameter during a second dispensing period;sensing, by the at least one of the user sensor of the product dispenser, the tear sensor of the product dispenser, or the other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the second number of dispenses;sensing, by the time sensor of the product dispenser, time data associated with each of the second number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the second number of dispenses or a time period between each of the second number of dispenses;determining, by the controller, a second number of unique users associated with the second number of dispenses;determining, by the controller, a second usage rate of the product for the second dispensing period, wherein the second usage rate is indicative of a second ratio of i) a second aggregate amount of the product dispensed for the second number of dispenses to ii) the second number of unique users; anddetermining, by the controller, whether to increase, decrease, or maintain the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain a third value of the dispensing parameter for a third dispensing period based at least in part on a first comparison of the first value of the dispensing parameter to the second value of the dispensing parameter and a second comparison of the first ratio to the second ratio. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises: determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is less than the first value of the dispensing parameter;determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is less than the second ratio; andincreasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises: determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is less than the first value of the dispensing parameter;determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is greater than the second ratio; anddecreasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises: determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is greater than the first value of the dispensing parameter;determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is less than the second ratio; anddecreasing, by the controller, the second value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to increase or decrease the previous value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter comprises: determining, by the controller, that the second value of the dispensing parameter is greater than the first value of the dispensing parameter;determining, by the controller, that the first ratio is greater than the second ratio; andincreasing, by the controller, the previous value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the third value of the dispensing parameter. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a first portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the first portion occurred more than a threshold time apart from any other dispense of the first number of dispenses;determining a second portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the second portion occurred less than the threshold time apart from at least one other dispense in the second portion;determining a third number of dispenses in the first portion and a fourth number of dispenses in the second portion;determining a first estimated number of unique users equal to the third number of dispenses;determining a second estimated number of unique users by dividing the fourth number of dispenses by two to obtain an integer result, wherein the integer result is the second estimated number of unique users; anddetermining the first number of users by summing the first estimated number of unique users and the second estimated number of unique users. 7. A method, the method comprising: determining, by at least one controller, a first value of a dispensing parameter;determining a first usage rate of the product per user for a first dispensing period, wherein the first dispensing period comprises a first number of dispenses of product by at least one dispensing mechanism of the one or more product dispensers, wherein the first number of dispenses are performed in accordance with the first value of the dispensing parameter and determined using at least one of a user sensor of the product dispenser, a tear sensor of the product dispenser, or other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein time data associated with each of the first number of dispenses is sensed using a time sensor associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein the first usage rate is based on a first accumulated value corresponding to the dispensing parameter for the first number of dispenses and a first number of users;determining a second value of the dispensing parameter, wherein the second value of the dispensing parameter is different from the first value of the dispensing parameter;determining a second usage rate of the product per user for a second dispensing period, wherein the second dispensing period comprises a second number of dispenses of product by the at least one dispensing mechanism of the one or more product dispensers, wherein the second number of dispenses are performed in accordance with the second value of the dispensing parameter and determined using the at least one of the user sensor of the product dispenser, the tear sensor of the product dispenser, or the other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein time data associated with each of the second number of dispenses is sensed using the time sensor associated with the at least one dispensing mechanism, wherein the second usage rate is based on a second accumulated value corresponding to the dispensing parameter for the second number of dispenses and a second number of users; anddetermining a third value of the dispensing parameter for a third dispensing period based at least in part on the first value, the second value, the first usage rate, and the second usage rate. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the third value of the dispensing parameter for the third dispensing period comprises: determining that the second value is less than the first value; anddetermining the third value of the dispensing parameter based at least in part on a comparison between the first usage rate and the second usage rate,wherein a previous value of the dispensing parameter is decreased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the first usage rate is greater than the second usage rate, the previous value is increased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the first usage rate is less than the second usage rate, or the third value is determined based at least in part on one or more historical values of the dispensing parameter responsive to determining that first usage rate is equal to the second usage rate. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the third value of the dispensing parameter for the third dispensing cycle comprises: determining that the second value is greater than the first value; anddetermining the third value of the dispensing parameter based at least in part on a comparison between the first usage rate and the second usage rate,wherein a previous value of the dispensing parameter is increased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the first usage rate is greater than the second usage rate, the previous value is decreased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the that the first usage rate is less than the second usage rate, or the third value is determined based at least in part on one or more historical values responsive to determining that the first usage rate is equal to the second usage rate. 10. The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining a first portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the first portion occurred more than a threshold time apart from any other dispense of the first number of dispenses;determining a second portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the second portion occurred less than the threshold time apart from at least one other dispense in the second portion;determining a third number of dispenses in the first portion and a fourth number of dispenses in the second portion;determining a first estimated number of unique users equal to the third number of dispenses;determining a second estimated number of unique users by dividing the fourth number of dispenses by two to obtain an integer result, wherein the integer result is the second estimated number of unique users; anddetermining the first number of users by summing the first estimated number of unique users and the second estimated number of unique users. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first number of users is a first total estimated number of unique users for the first dispensing period, the method further comprising: determining a confidence factor based at least in part on the first total estimated number of unique users;determining a first statistical number of unique users based at least in part on the fourth number of dispenses and the confidence factor, wherein each user in the first statistical number of unique users is estimated to have received a respective dispense that occurred within the threshold time from a respective dispense received by at least one other user in the first statistical number of unique users;determining a second statistical number of unique users based at least in part on the second estimated number of unique users and the first statistical number of unique users; anddetermining a second total estimated number of unique users for the first dispensing period by summing the first estimated number of unique users, the first statistical number of unique users, and the second statistical number of unique users. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the second statistical number of unique users comprises: determining a difference between the second estimated number of unique users and the first statistical number of unique users; andmultiplying the difference by two to obtain the second statistical number of unique users. 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the confidence factor is a first confidence factor, the method further comprising: determining that the second total estimated number of unique users is different from the first total estimated number of unique users;determining a second confidence factor based at least in part on the second total estimated number of unique users; anddetermining a third total estimated number of unique users based at least in part on the second confidence factor. 14. The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining that a particular dispense of the first number of dispenses is associated with a particular value of the dispensing parameter that differs from the first value of the dispensing parameter,wherein the first accumulated value for the dispensing parameter comprises the particular value of the dispensing parameter for the particular dispense instead of the first value of the dispensing parameter. 15. The method of claim 7, wherein the dispensing parameter comprises a product amount of a proxy for the product amount, and wherein the proxy comprises at least one of a dispense duration, a sheet product length, a volume of the product, or a concentration of the product. 16. The method of claim 7, further comprising: determining that a threshold condition is satisfied;adjusting the first value of the dispensing parameter to obtain the second value of the dispensing parameter responsive to determining that the threshold condition is satisfied; andinitiating the second dispensing period. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining that the threshold condition is satisfied comprises determining that the first number of users equals a threshold number of users or determining that a threshold amount of time has elapsed during the first dispensing period. 18. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one controller comprises at least one of a first controller provided in the product dispenser and a second controller provided in a server communicatively coupled to the product dispenser via one or more networks. 19. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the third value comprises determining the third value to be one of the same as the first value, the same as the second value, or different than the first value and the second value. 20. A product dispenser, the product dispenser comprising: a dispensing apparatus;at least one of a user sensor of the product dispenser, a tear sensor of the product dispenser, or other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense;a time sensor;at least one memory with computer-executable instructions stored thereon; anda controller operatively coupled to the dispensing apparatus and the at least one memory, wherein the controller is configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to:determine a first value of a dispensing parameter;generate a first number of actuation signals that cause the dispensing apparatus to perform a first number of dispenses of the product to a first number of users during a first dispensing period in accordance with the first value of the dispensing parameter;sense, by the at least one of the user sensor of the product dispenser, the tear sensor of the product dispenser, or the other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the first number of dispenses;sense, by the time sensor, time data associated with each of the first number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the first number of dispenses or a time period between each of the first number of dispenses;determine a first usage rate of the product per user for the first dispensing period, wherein the first usage rate is based on a first accumulated value corresponding to the dispensing parameter for the first number of dispenses and the first number of users;determine a second value of the dispensing parameter, wherein the second value of the dispensing parameter is different from the first value of the dispensing parameter;generate a second number of actuation signals that cause the dispensing apparatus to perform a second number of dispenses of the product to a second number of users during a second dispensing period in accordance with the second value of the dispensing parameter;sense, by the at least one of the user sensor of the product dispenser, the tear sensor of the product dispenser, or the other type sensor of the product dispenser that is configured to sense the occurrence of a dispense, the second number of dispenses;sense, by the time sensor, time data associated with each of the second number of dispenses, wherein the time data comprises at least one of a time associated with each of the second number of dispenses or a time period between each of the second number of dispenses;determine a second usage rate of the product per user for the second dispensing period, wherein the second usage rate is based on a second accumulated value corresponding to the dispensing parameter for the second number of dispenses and the second number of users; anddetermine a third value of the dispensing parameter for a third dispensing period based at least in part on the first value, the second value, the first usage rate, and the second usage rate. 21. The product dispenser of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to determine the third value of the dispensing parameter for the third dispensing period by executing the computer-executable instructions to: determine that the second value is less than the first value; anddetermine the third value of the dispensing parameter based at least in part on a comparison of the first usage rate and the second usage rate,wherein a previous value of the dispensing parameter is decreased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the first usage rate is greater than the second usage rate, the previous value is increased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the that the first usage rate is less than the second usage rate, or the third value is determined based at least in part on one or more historical values of the dispensing parameter responsive to determining that first usage rate is equal to the second usage rate. 22. The product dispenser of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to determine the third value of the dispensing parameter for the third dispensing period by executing the computer-executable instructions to: determine that the second value is greater than the first value; anddetermine the third value of the dispensing parameter based at least in part on a comparison of the first usage rate and the second usage rate,wherein a previous value of the dispensing parameter is increased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the first usage rate is greater than the second usage rate, the previous value is decreased to obtain the third value responsive to determining that the that the first usage rate is less than the second usage rate, or the third value is determined based at least in part on one or more historical values responsive to determining that the first usage rate is equal to the second usage rate. 23. The product dispenser of claim 22, wherein the previous value is the second value of the dispensing parameter. 24. The product dispenser of claim 20, wherein the controller is configured to: determine a first portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the first portion occurred more than a threshold time apart from any other dispense of the first number of dispenses;determine a second portion of the first number of dispenses, wherein each dispense in the second portion occurred less than the threshold time apart from at least one other dispense in the second portion;determine a third number of dispenses in the first portion and a fourth number of dispenses in the second portion;determine a first estimated number of unique users equal to the third number of dispenses;determine a second estimated number of unique users by dividing the fourth number of dispenses by two to obtain an integer result, wherein the integer result is the second estimated number of unique users; anddetermine the first number of users by summing the first estimated number of unique users and the second estimated number of unique users.