The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 28, 2020

Filed:

Jan. 30, 2015
Applicant:

Kimberly-clark Worldwide, Inc., Neenah, WI (US);

Inventors:

Stephen Becker, Cumming, GA (US);

Charlene Dunbar, Lilburn, GA (US);

Jason Kirkland, Cumming, GA (US);

Warren Moede, Atlanta, GA (US);

Tom Schulz, Roswell, GA (US);

Chrissy Sheehan, Media, PA (US);

Peter W. Shipp, Jr., Woodstock, GA (US);

Matt Zielinski, Darien, CT (US);

Paul F. Tramontina, Harleysville, PA (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A47K 10/36 (2006.01); A47K 10/42 (2006.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); B65H 26/06 (2006.01); B65H 16/00 (2006.01); A47K 10/32 (2006.01); G06T 7/90 (2017.01); G06K 9/46 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
A47K 10/36 (2013.01); A47K 10/32 (2013.01); A47K 10/424 (2013.01); B65H 16/005 (2013.01); B65H 26/06 (2013.01); B65H 26/066 (2013.01); G06T 7/62 (2017.01); A47K 10/3612 (2013.01); A47K 2010/3226 (2013.01); B65H 2404/143 (2013.01); B65H 2511/142 (2013.01); B65H 2511/152 (2013.01); B65H 2511/512 (2013.01); B65H 2553/42 (2013.01); B65H 2557/11 (2013.01); B65H 2557/23 (2013.01); B65H 2701/1924 (2013.01); G06K 9/4609 (2013.01); G06K 9/4652 (2013.01); G06K 2209/25 (2013.01); G06T 7/90 (2017.01); G06T 2207/30124 (2013.01);
Abstract

A system and control method for determining an amount of paper product dispensed from a dispenser or remaining in the dispenser is provided. The paper product is initially loaded in the dispenser as a paper product formation, such as a roll or stack of the product. At defined intervals, a digital image of an aspect of the paper product formation in the dispenser is taken and transmitted to a digital imager processor. A feature of the digital image that changes as the paper product formation decreases in size as the paper product is dispensed is analyzed and compared with a predetermined value of the feature at a predefined size of the paper product formation to determine an amount of the paper product dispensed or remaining in the dispenser.


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