Method for monitoring washing machine usage

Abstract

A method is provided for monitoring an operation of a plurality of washing machines that is each located at a plurality of facilities. The method includes receiving, at a processor, first data indicating a value of one or more parameters related to usage of the plurality of washing machines at each facility of the plurality of facilities. The method also includes determining, with the processor, a value of a normalized parameter for the usage of the plurality of washing machines at each facility based on the first data. The method also includes comparing, with the processor, the value of the normalized parameter for each facility with a target value of the normalized parameter. The method also includes outputting, on a display, an output based on the comparing step.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring, over a plurality of facilities, an operation of one or more washing machines at each facility of the plurality of facilities, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a processor, first data indicating a value of one or more parameters related to usage of the one or more washing machines at each facility of the plurality of facilities;   determining, with the processor, a value of a normalized parameter for the usage of the one or more washing machines at each facility based on the first data;   comparing, with the processor, the value of the normalized parameter for the usage of the one or more washing machines at each facility with a target value of the normalized parameter; and   outputting, on a display, an output based on the comparing step.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 providing, for the one or more washing machines at each facility, a composition delivery system in fluid communication with each of the one or more washing machines, wherein the composition delivery system and each of the one or more washing machine are separate; and   wherein the receiving step comprises receiving, at the processor, the first data from each composition delivery system in fluid communication with each of the one or more washing machines at each facility.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a composition delivery system is provided for each of the one or more washing machines. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the composition delivery system comprises a plurality of containers to respectively hold a plurality of chemical compositions, wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, at the composition delivery system for each washing machine, a signal from a respective washing machine indicating data related to one or more phases of a washing cycle among a plurality of cycles of the respective washing machine;   pumping, with a pump, a volume of a respective chemical composition from one of the plurality of containers to the respective washing machine based on the received signal indicating the one or more phases of the washing cycle; and   transmitting, from the composition delivery system for each washing machine, the first data to the processor based on the received signal indicating data related to the one or more phases of the washing cycle.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 determining, with the processor, the value of the one or more parameters of the first data including a number of each cycle of a plurality of cycles and a total number of the plurality of cycles performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility over a predetermined time period based on the received first data from the composition delivery system for each of the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period; and   wherein the value of the normalized parameter comprises a value of a ratio of the number of each cycle performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility to the total number of the plurality of cycles performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the value of the normalized parameter is a value of a percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles to the total number of the plurality of cycles performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period;   the target value of the normalized parameter is a target value of the percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles to the total number of the plurality of cycles; and   the comparing step comprises computing a difference between the value of the percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles and the target value of the percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the comparing step comprises computing an absolute value of the difference between the value of the percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles and the target value of the percentage of each cycle of the plurality of cycles and further computing a sum of the absolute value of the difference for the plurality of cycles; and   the comparing step comprises comparing the sum of the absolute value of the difference for the plurality of cycles with a target value of the sum of the absolute value of the difference.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, second data indicating one or more characteristics of each facility of the plurality of facilities;   wherein the determining of the value of the normalized parameter is further based on the second data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining, with the processor, the value of the one or more parameters of the first data including a number of each cycle of a plurality of cycles and a total number of the plurality of cycles performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility over a predetermined time period based on the received first data from the composition delivery system for each of the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period;   wherein the second data comprises a number of residents at each facility of the plurality of facilities; and   wherein the value of the normalized parameter comprises a value of a ratio of the number of each cycle performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility to at least one of a number of time units in the predetermined time period and the number of residents at each facility.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining, with the processor, the value of the one or more parameters of the first data including a value of a first parameter comprising a net weight of laundry cleaned by the one or more washing machines at each facility over a predetermined time period and a value of a second parameter comprising at least one of a volume of water, a value of an amount of electrical power, or a value of an amount of chemical detergent utilized by the one or more washing machines over the predetermined time period based on the received first data from the composition delivery system for each of the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period;   wherein the value of the normalized parameter comprises a value of a ratio of the value of the second parameter to the value of the first parameter.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising determining, with the processor, the value of the second parameter based on:
 a number of each cycle of the plurality of cycles performed by the one or more washing machines at each facility over the predetermined time period based on the received first data from the composition delivery system for each washing machine at each facility; and   stored data in a memory of the processor including at least one of a volume of water, an amount of electrical power, or a value of an amount of chemical composition associated with each respective cycle of the plurality of cycles.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the receiving the second data comprises receiving the one or more characteristics from each facility of a second plurality of facilities;   the one or more characteristics of each facility of the plurality of facilities comprise a type of facility; and   the plurality of facilities are selected among the second plurality of facilities based on the second data of the plurality of facilities indicating a same type of facility.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, at the processor, third data indicating one or more characteristics of the one or more washing machines at each facility of the plurality of facilities; and   wherein the plurality of facilities are further selected among the second plurality of facilities based on each facility of the plurality of facilities having the same third data.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the target value of the normalized parameter is determined based on:
 receiving, from each facility of a second plurality of facilities, the first data indicating the value of the one or more parameters related to usage of the one or more washing machines at each facility of the second plurality of facilities;   determining, with the processor, the target value of the normalized parameter based on the received first data from each facility of the second plurality of facilities.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the target value of the normalized parameter is one of:
 a mean or an average of the value of the one or more parameters of the first data from each facility of the second plurality of facilities; and   the value of the one or more parameters of the first data for one facility of the second plurality of facilities.   
     
     
         16 . The method of any  claim 1 , wherein:
 the comparing step comprises determining a deviation between the value of the normalized parameter for each facility and the target value of the normalized parameter; and   the method further comprises performing corrective action based on the determined deviation exceeding a threshold value for a respective facility, wherein the corrective action comprises one or more of:
 performing maintenance at a washing machine of the one or more washing machines at the respective facility where the determined deviation exceeds the threshold value, 
 providing feedback to the respective facility where the determined deviation exceeds the threshold value, said providing step comprising outputting the output on the display, or 
 adjusting a value of one or more parameters of a plurality of washing cycles of the one or more washing machines stored in a memory of each respective washing machine at the respective facility where the determined deviation exceeds the threshold value.