IP Library Granted Patent US 11,069,217
Granted Patent B2
US 11,069,217 · App. 16/707,598 · Granted Jul 20, 2021

Sensor configuration

Inventors: Jackson William Wegelin (Akron, OH); Bradley Lee Lightner (Akron, OH); Mark Adam Bullock (Akron, OH)
Assignee: GOJO Industries, Inc.
G08B21/22G08B21/245
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,069,217
App. No.
16/707,598
Granted
Jul 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

One or more techniques and/or systems are provided for detecting an object, such as a person. For example, a sensing system may comprise a sensor arrangement. The sensor arrangement may comprise a passive sensor and an active sensor. The active sensor may be placed into a sleep state (e.g., a relatively low powered state) until awakened by the passive sensor. For example, responsive to detecting a presence of an object (e.g., a nurse entering a patient's room), the passive sensor may awaken the active sensor from the sleep state to an active state for detecting motion and/or distance of the object within a detection zone to create object detection data (e.g., an indication of a hygiene opportunity for the nurse). The active sensor may transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to a detection timeout and/or a determination that the object left the detection zone.

Claims (60)

1. A sensing system for detecting an object, comprising:

a first sensor arrangement comprising:

a first passive sensor configured to:

responsive to detecting a presence of an object, send a wakeup signal to a first active sensor; and

the first active sensor configured to:

responsive to receiving the wakeup signal from the first passive sensor, transition from a sleep state to an active state; and

while in the active state:

determine a position of the object relative to the first active sensor;

determine whether the object is in a first defined detection zone based upon the position of the object; and

create object detection data when the object is in the first defined detection zone.

2. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to determining that the object is not in the first defined detection zone.

3. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to determining that the object has physically left the first defined detection zone.

4. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first active sensor consumes a first amount of power when the first active sensor is in the sleep state,

the first active sensor consumes a second amount of power when the first active sensor is in the active state, and

the first amount of power is less than the second amount of power.

5. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first passive sensor is an infrared (IR) sensor.

6. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine the position of the object relative to the first active sensor by measuring a distance between the object and the first active sensor.

7. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine the position of the object relative to the first active sensor by measuring a time of flight for a signal emitted by the first active sensor toward the object.

8. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first passive sensor is a thermal sensor.

9. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, transmit the object detection data to a remote storage device.

10. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to a defined amount of time lapsing since the first active sensor transitioned from the sleep state to the active state.

11. The sensing system of claim 1 , comprising:

an indicator, wherein:

the first active sensor is configured to transmit the object detection data to the indicator, and

the indicator is configured to issue an alert responsive to receiving the object detection data.

12. The sensing system of claim 1 , comprising:

a sensor housing in which the first passive sensor and the first active sensor are comprised.

13. The sensing system of claim 1 , comprising:

a first sensor housing in which the first passive sensor is comprised, and

a second sensor housing in which the first active sensor is comprised, wherein the second sensor housing is different than the first sensor housing.

14. The sensing system of claim 1 , wherein:

the first sensor arrangement is configured to define the first defined detection zone and a second defined detection zone, wherein a non-detection zone is between the first defined detection zone and the second defined detection zone, and

the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine whether the object is in the second defined detection zone based upon the position of the object.

15. A sensing system for detecting an object, comprising:

a first sensor arrangement configured to define a first defined detection zone and a second defined detection zone, wherein:

a non-detection zone is between the first defined detection zone and the second defined detection zone, and

the first sensor arrangement comprises:

a first passive sensor configured to:

responsive to detecting a presence of an object, send a wakeup signal to a first active sensor; and

the first active sensor configured to:

responsive to receiving the wakeup signal from the first passive sensor, transition from a sleep state to an active state; and

while in the active state:

 determine whether the object is in the first defined detection zone based upon a position of the object relative to the first active sensor, and

 determine whether the object is in the second defined detection zone based upon the position of the object.

16. The sensing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine a distance between the object and the first active sensor, and

the first active sensor is configured to determine whether the object is in the first defined detection zone based upon the distance.

17. The sensing system of claim 15 , wherein:

the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine a distance between the object and the first active sensor, and

the first active sensor is configured to transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to determining that the distance between the object and the first active sensor is not within a defined distance range.

18. A sensing system for detecting an object, comprising:

a first active sensor configured to:

transition from a sleep state to an active state responsive to receiving a wakeup signal; and

while in the active state:

determine a position of an object relative to the first active sensor;

determine whether the object is in a first defined detection zone based upon the position of the object; and

create object detection data when the object is in the first defined detection zone.

19. The sensing system of claim 18 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to transition from the active state to the sleep state responsive to determining that the object is not in the first defined detection zone.

20. The sensing system of claim 18 , wherein the first active sensor is configured to, while in the active state, determine the position of the object relative to the first active sensor by measuring a distance between the object and the first active sensor.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL, RECORDED ON OCTOBER 27, 2023 AT REEL 065382 FRAME 0587 Recorded Apr 22, 2026
From: SILVER POINT FINANCE, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 075435/0852 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 7, 2026
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 074903/0480 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 27, 2023
From: GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: SILVER POINT FINANCE, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 065382/0587 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2023
From: GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 065369/0253 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2019
From: WEGELIN, JACKSON WILLIAM; LIGHTNER, BRADLEY LEE; BULLOCK, MARK ADAM
To: GOJO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 051219/0323 →