Patents by Inventor Frederick J. Williams
Frederick J. Williams has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240412140Abstract: A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component; a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2024Publication date: December 12, 2024Inventors: Cleary E. Mahaffey, Ricky W. Purcell, Frederick J. Williams, JR., Stephen Becker
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Publication number: 20240412139Abstract: A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component; a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2024Publication date: December 12, 2024Inventors: Cleary E. Mahaffey, Ricky W. Purcell, Frederick J. Williams, JR., Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 12099951Abstract: A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component: a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Cleary E. Mahaffey, Ricky W. Purcell, Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 12042451Abstract: A system and method of patient bed communication and bed-to-room association in a healthcare facility having a network with at least one wireless access point (WAP) and a nurse call system is provided. A handheld unit is moved to a position within a pairing distance of a pairing zone of a patient bed so that the handheld unit and the bed are paired using a first wireless communication technology. A second wireless communication technology is used to send bed identification data (ID) to the handheld unit after the pairing operation has been completed. The bed ID is transmitted from the handheld unit to the nurse call system via a wired connection to establish a bed-to-room association between the patient bed and a room in which the patient bed is located. A third wireless communication technology is used to send bed status data and the bed ID to the WAP of the network.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2021Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: Hill-Rom Services, Inc.Inventors: Dan R. Tallent, Richard J. Schuman, Eric D. Benz, Unnati Ojha, Frederick Collin Davidson, Darren S. Hudgins, Jason M. Williams
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Patent number: 12008885Abstract: A system having a washroom controller configured to communicate with one or more hygiene dispensers in the washroom; a thermal sensor configured detect thermal events at the entrance and communicate data describing the thermal events to the washroom controller; and a data processing apparatus configured to access the data from the washroom controller and analyze the data to determine a number of thermal events over a given time period and a number of dispenses from the at least one of the one or more hygiene dispensers.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2019Date of Patent: June 11, 2024Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Reilly Howell, Babak R. Ghazi
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Patent number: 11759061Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for dynamically adjusting product use reporting schedules for dispensers to increase or decrease the frequency of such reports based on expected product use such as a date the dispenser is expected to be depleted.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2021Date of Patent: September 19, 2023Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 11710086Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving product usage prior to refill of product dispensers in service areas that include a plurality of such dispensers. Via a sensor configured with each of the product dispensers and a control system in communication with the sensors, a product level or amount condition of product in each dispenser is detected. Based on the information from the sensors, a visual or audio message is generated and transmitted to the patron that encourages the patron to use a first product dispenser that has a greater product fill amount as compared to a second product dispenser in the same or a different service area.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2022Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Babak R. Ghazi, Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
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Publication number: 20230004881Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving product usage prior to refill of product dispensers in service areas that include a plurality of such dispensers. Via a sensor configured with each of the product dispensers and a control system in communication with the sensors, a product level or amount condition of product in each dispenser is detected. Based on the information from the sensors, a visual or audio message is generated and transmitted to the patron that encourages the patron to use a first product dispenser that has a greater product fill amount as compared to a second product dispenser in the same or a different service area.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Babak R. Ghazi, Frederick J. Williams, Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 11443253Abstract: A system and method are provided for improving product usage prior to refill of product dispensers in service areas that include a plurality of such dispensers. Via a sensor configured with each of the product dispensers and a control system in communication with the sensors, a product level or amount condition of product in each dispenser is detected. Based on the information from the sensors, a visual or audio message is generated and transmitted to the patron that encourages the patron to use a first product dispenser that has a greater product fill amount as compared to a second product dispenser in the same or a different service area.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: Kimberly Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Babak R. Ghazi, Frederick J. Williams, Stephen Becker
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Publication number: 20220254156Abstract: A system and method for joining devices to a network by use of any augmented reality installation device.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2022Publication date: August 11, 2022Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, JR., Babak R. Ghazi, Alexandra L. Wilson, Stephen Becker, Andrew J. Thomson
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Patent number: 11295271Abstract: A system and method are provided for maintenance of service areas within a facility by a plurality of attendants, wherein each service area has one or more product dispensers that require periodic refill. Via a sensor configured with each product dispenser and a control system in communication with the sensors, a product level or amount of product in each dispenser is determined. Based on information from the sensors, a respective refill time is computed for refilling each of the dispensers. Location of the attendants is tracked on a continuous or periodic basis. As a function of the computed refill times and location of the various attendants, one of the attendants is selected to service one or more of the product dispensers in a particular service area. An alert message is generated and transmitted to the selected attendant that gives the location of the particular service area within the facility.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Babak R. Ghazi, Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 11288510Abstract: A system and method for joining devices to a network by use of any augmented reality installation device. The installation system described herein includes an installation device, e.g., a smart phone, that includes a camera to capture an image of the device(s) in a facility, e.g., the area in which the devices are mounted or positioned for end user use. Then, through use of image analysis techniques and a graphical user interface (GUI) on the installation device, e.g., dispensers, in the image are individually identified and joined to the network.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2017Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Babak R. Ghazi, Alexandra L. Wilson, Stephen Becker, Andrew J. Thomson
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Publication number: 20220022704Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for dynamically adjusting product use reporting schedules for dispensers to increase or decrease the frequency of such reports based on expected product use such as a date the dispenser is expected to be depleted.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2021Publication date: January 27, 2022Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, JR., Stephen Becker
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Patent number: 11140746Abstract: A system and method for joining devices to a network according to a protocol that names the joined devices based on a predetermined naming sequence that is common across all devices joined to the network in a given facility.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2017Date of Patent: October 5, 2021Assignee: KIMBERLY-CLARK WORLDWIDE, INC.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Alexandra L. Wilson, Babak R. Ghazi
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Publication number: 20210280043Abstract: A system having a washroom controller configured to communicate with one or more hygiene dispensers in the washroom; a thermal sensor configured detect thermal events at the entrance and communicate data describing the thermal events to the washroom controller; and a data processing apparatus configured to access the data from the washroom controller and analyze the data to determine a number of thermal events over a given time period and a number of dispenses from the at least one of the one or more hygiene dispensers.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 26, 2019Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Reilly Howell, Babak R. Ghazi
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Patent number: 11109721Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for dynamically adjusting product use reporting schedules for dispensers to increase or decrease the frequency of such reports based on expected product use such as a date the dispenser is expected to be depleted.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2015Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
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Publication number: 20210232999Abstract: A washroom management system with a sensor to generate operability level data for a washroom component; a controller to modify operation of the washroom component; and a central management system to access the operability level data, communicate with the controller and evaluate the operability data to determine an actionable event type for the washroom component, and the central system further configured to in response to determining the event type is the automated resolution event, put the washroom component into the issue resolution state and then putting the washroom component to one of the normal operation state or disabled state based on evaluating the operability level data after the issue resolution state; and in response to determining the event type is the assisted resolution event, leave the washroom component in the normal operation state or put it into the disabled state and causing a message to be sent to an attendant.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2019Publication date: July 29, 2021Inventors: Cleary E. Mahaffey, Ricky W. Purcell, Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Stephen Becker
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Publication number: 20210161334Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining or identifying the type of product in a dispenser based at least in part on the length of rolled product dispensed and/or the radial measurement.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2021Publication date: June 3, 2021Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, JR., Babak R. Ghazi
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Patent number: 10945566Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining or identifying the type of product in a dispenser based at least in part on the length of rolled product dispensed and/or the radial measurement.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2016Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Jr., Babak R. Ghazi
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Patent number: D934883Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2019Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Frederick J. Williams, Joseph M. Sexton