Computerized car wash controller system

Abstract

The computerized car wash controls a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars. These devices are controlled by command signals and the cars are moved through the devices via a conveyor. The system includes a car tracking scheme that monitors the position of the cars as they move by the plurality of car washing and waxing devices. The system also includes an input device at which the car wash operator selects certain car washing and waxing options as ordered by the car owner. The system includes a device for generating command signals for each of the plurality of car washing and waxing devices. The command signal generator generates these signals based upon (1) the selections obtained by the car wash operator at the input device; (2) a pre-established baseline operational sequence for the plurality of car washing and waxing devices; and (3) the positions of the cars that are determined by the car tracker. The system includes a monitoring device that determines when more than a single car has been tracked by the tracker based upon the selections of the car wash operator for each car. The system also includes a device for monitoring the length of each car and when that length exceeds a predetermined value, generating a violation signal, and a device for summing the total time (expressed in incremental units of the movement of the conveyor) the violation signal is present.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computerized car wash having a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars controllable by command signals, the computerized car wash comprising: means for tracking positions of said cars as they move by said plurality of devices in said car wash;   an operator controlled input means for selecting select ones of said plurality of devices per car;   means for generating and applying said command signals to said plurality of devices based upon (1) said select ones identified by said input devices, (2) a pre-established, baseline operational sequence for said plurality of devices and (3) said positions of said cars determined by said tracking means; and,   means for monitoring said tracking means and said input means and for determining .Iadd.a violation condition indicated by .Iaddend.the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has been tracked by said tracking means per selection by said input means.   
     
     
       2. A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 1 including an interface means for electrically isolating said devices from said means for generating said command signals, said interface means including a distinct override switch means for each said device which generates an override command signal. 
     
     
       3. A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 1 including means for recording the number of times said select ones of said devices were selected and recording said number of times and said duration when more than a single car has been tracked per selection. 
     
     
       4. A computerized car wash having a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars being moved therethrough by a conveyor, said devices controlled by command signals, the computerized car wash comprising: a car sensor means for determining the presence of a car on said conveyor;   means for determining the movement of said conveyor;   means for tracking positions of said cars as they move by said plurality of devices in said car based upon said car sensor means and said conveyor movement means;   an operator controlled input means for selecting select ones of said plurality of devices per car;   means for generating and applying said command signals to said plurality of devices based upon (1) said select ones identified by said input means, (2) a pre-established, baseline operational sequence for said plurality of devices and (3) said positions of said cars determined by said tracking means; and,   means for monitoring said tracking means and said input means and determining .Iadd.a violation condition indicated by .Iaddend.the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has passed said car sensor means per selection of said select ones by said input means.   
     
     
       5. A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 4 wherein: said car sensor means includes a car sensor disposed proximate the beginning of said conveyor and means for generating a car present signal;   said conveyor movement means includes a conveyor sensor and means for generating movement signals corresponding to the movement of said conveyor;   said input means including means for generating select signals;   each of said means for tracking, means for generating said command signals and means for monitoring includes a computer having a processor and a memory;   said computer having means for obtaining said car present signal and said movement signals and said select signals;   said memory having stored therein said pre-established, baseline sequence; and   said processor generating said command signals based upon said car present signals, said movement signals, said select signals and said baseline sequence.   
     
     
       6. A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 5 wherein said means for monitoring, as part of said computer, includes means for determining when the care present signal is ACTIVE for more than a predetermined number of movement signals thereby indicating that more than a single car has passed said car sensor means per selection of said select ones by said input means. 
     
     
       7. A computerized car wash having a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars moving therethrough on a conveyor, said devices controlled by command signals, the computerized car wash comprising: a car sensor means for determining the presence of a car on said conveyor;   means for determining the movement of said conveyor;   means for tracking positions of said cars as they move by said plurality of devices in said car wash based upon said car sensor means and said conveyor movement means;   an operator controlled input means for selecting select ones of said plurality of devices per car;   means for generating said command signals for said plurality of devices based upon (1) said select ones identified by said input means.Iadd., .Iaddend.(2) a pre-established, baseline operational sequence for said plurality of devices and (3) said positions of said cars determined by said tracking means;   means for electrically isolating and conditioning said command signals between said means for generating and said devices and for applying the resulting command signals to said devices;   means for generating override command signals and applying the same to said devices, said override signal generator means including means for indicating the number of times said override command signals have been generated; and,   means for monitoring said tracking means and said input means and .Iadd.for .Iaddend.determining .Iadd.a violation condition which is indicated .Iaddend.when more than a single car has passed said car sensor means per selection of said select ones by said input means.   
     
     
       8. A controller for a car wash wherein the car wash has a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars moving therethrough on a conveyor, said devices controllable by command signals, the controller comprising: a multi-purpose computer having a processor and a memory, said memory storing operation sequences for activating said devices;   means for sensing the presence of a car on said conveyor;   means for sensing the movement of said conveyor;   an operator controlled input means for selecting select ones of said plurality of devices per car;   an input/output interface interposed between said computer and each of said input means, said conveyor sensor means, said car sensor means, and said devices, said interface generating conditioned command signals for said devices based upon digitally formatted output signals from said computer, and said interface converting input signals from each of said input means, said conveyor sensor means and said car sensor means into digitally formatted input signals; and   said computer including means for generating digital output signals based upon said digital input signals and said operational sequences and for outputting said digital output signals to said interface means thereby controlling said devices.   
     
     
       9. A controller as claimed in claim 8 wherein said computer includes means for determining the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has passed said car sensor means per selection of select ones at said input means based upon said digital input signals. 
     
     
       10. A controller as claimed in claim 9 wherein said means for determining compares the movement of said conveyor from said conveyor sensor means and the duration of an ACTIVE car presence signal from said car sensor means to a predetermined maximum car length value. 
     
     
       11. A controller as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means for determining generates a violation length signal, that is the duration, based upon the movement of said conveyor and the duration of said ACTIVE presence signal and generates a violation count, that is the number of times, each time said means for determining newly determines that more than a single car has passed per selection by said input means. 
     
     
       12. A controller as claimed in claim 11 including means for displaying said violation length and violation count. 
     
     
       13. A controller as claimed in claim 8 wherein said interface associated with said devices includes manually operable override switch means for generating override command signals for said devices. 
     
     
       14. A controller as claimed in claim 13 wherein said interface includes means for storing an indication of how long a period said manual switch means is activated. 
     
     
       15. A controller as claimed in claim 14 wherein said means for storing are non-resetable. 
     
     
       16. A controller as claimed in claim 8 wherein said computer includes means for computing car wash operating data based upon said digital input signals originating from said input means, said computing means storing said data in said memory. 
     
     
       17. A controller as claimed in claim 16 wherein said computing means monitors the actuation of said devices via said digital output signals and stores operating data relative thereto into said memory. 
     
     
       18. A controller as claimed in claim 17 wherein said computer includes an output means for visually and concurrently presenting said operating data to said operator. 
     
     
       19. A controller as claimed in claim 18 wherein said computer includes means for securely storing said operating data into said memory when power is removed from said computer, said means for securely storing permitting only the reading of said operational data after storage thereof in said memory. 
     
     
       20. A controller as claimed in claim 16 wherein said car wash operating data is formatted into management reports. .Iadd. 
     
     
       21.  A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for determining the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has been tracked by said tracking means per selection by said input means includes a violation counting means to determine whether the prescribed maximum length of the tracked car exceeds a predetermined value and to generate a violation signal further comprising: means for detecting a new violation and generating a new violation signal;   a violation number counter means indicating the total number of new violation signals detected is incremented each time a new violation signal is generated;   a violation pulse counter means indicating the total number of violation pulses generated in a predetermined time period, which corresponds to the incremental movement of the conveyor, is repeatedly incremented for the length of time the violation signal is present; and,   means to concurrently display the instantaneous values of both said violation number counter means and said violation pulse counter means, whereby the occurrence of new violations during the predetermined time period is compared to the total number of violation pulses during the same time period as represented by the values of both counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.     
     
     
       22.  A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for determining the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has been tracked by said tracking means per selection by said input means includes a violation counting means to determine whether the prescribed maximum length of the tracked car exceeds a predetermined value and to generate a violation signal further comprising: means for detecting a new violation and generating a new violation signal;   a violation number counter means indicating the total number of new violation signals detected is incremented each time a new violation signal is generated;   a violation pulse counter means indicating the total number of violation pulses generated in a predetermined time period, which corresponds to the incremental movement of the conveyor, is repeatedly incremented for the length of time the violation signal is present; and,   means to concurrently display the instantaneous values of both said violation number counter means and said violation pulse counter means, whereby the occurrence of new violations during the predetermined time period is compared to the total number of violation pulses during the same time period as represented by the values of both counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.     
     
     
       23.  A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 7 wherein said means for determining the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has been tracked by said tracking means per selection by said input means includes a violation counting means to determine whether the prescribed maximum length of the tracked car exceeds a predetermined value and to generate a violation signal further comprising: means for detecting a new violation and generating a new violation signal;   a violation number counter means indicating the total number of new violation signals detected is incremented each time a new violation signal is generated;   a violation pulse counter means indicating the total number of violation pulses generated in a predetermined time period, which corresponds to the incremental movement of the conveyor, is repeatedly incremented for the length of time the violation signal is present; and,   means to concurrently display the instantaneous values of both said violation number counter means and said violation pulse counter means, whereby the occurrence of new violations during the predetermined time period is compared to the total number of violation pulses during the same time period as represented by the values of both counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.     
     
     
       24.  A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 2 wherein said interface means includes an override violation detection means to determine the amount of time said override switch means, corresponding to the relay for each of the plurality of car washing devices, are activated comprising: means for detecting a violation by sensing one or more override command signals; and,   override violation counter means for indicating the amount of time said override command signals are present per selection by said input means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means for generating and applying said command signals to said plurality of devices includes an override violation detection means to determine the amount of time distinct override switch means, corresponding to the relay means for each of the plurality of devices, are activated comprising:   means for detecting a violation by sensing one or more override command signals; and,   override violation counter means for indicating the amount of time said override command signals are present per selection by said input means.   
     
     
        .Iaddend. .Iadd.26.  A computerized car wash as claimed in claim 7 wherein said override signal generator means further comprises: means for detecting a violation by sensing one or more override command signals; and,   override violation counter means for indicating the amount of time said override command signals are present per selection by said input means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. An automated method for operating a serial car wash apparatus including a plurality of washing and waxing devices for cars moving therethrough on a conveyor that are sequentially controlled by command signals, comprising the steps of:   detecting the presence of a car on the conveyor;   detecting the movement of the conveyor;   tracking the positions of the cars as they move past the plurality of devices in accordance with the detection of the presence of a car on the conveyor and the movement of the conveyor;   selecting select ones of the plurality of devices for each car;   generating and applying command signals to the plurality of devices to be sequentially activated relative to a passing car in response to control signals based upon the selection of select ones of the plurality of devices, a pre-established, base line operational sequence for said plurality of devices, and the tracking of the car positions;   monitoring the tracking of the car positions and the command signals for activating the plurality of devices for determining the number of times and the duration when more than a single car has been tracked per application of command signals to the plurality of devices;   generating and applying override command signals to the plurality of devices by activating of distinct override switch means corresponding to the relay means for each of said plurality of devices;   monitoring the tracking of the car positions and the override command signals for determining the amount of time the override switch means are activated; and,   retaining the information obtained from detecting the presence of a car and the movement of the conveyor, tracking the positions of the cars, selecting the plurality of devices for each car, generating command signals and override command signals, tracking and monitoring of the command signals, the override command signals, the positions of the cars, and the status of the plurality of devices as operating data in a computing means for further processing, storage, and retrieval. .Iaddend.   
     
     
        .Iadd.28.  The automated car washing method as claimed in claim 27 further comprising the steps of: displaying the operating data on a visual display means in the form of   
     
     
        management reports. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29.  The automated car washing method as claimed in claim 27 wherein there is included in the step of tracking the positions of the cars the further steps of: detecting a new violation and generating a new violation signal;   indicating the total number of new violation signals detected and incrementing a violation number counter means each time a new violation signal is generated;   indicating the total number of violation pulses generated in a predetermined time period, which number corresponds to the incremental movement of the conveyor, and repeatedly incrementing a violation pulse counter means for the length of time the violation signal is present; and,   concurrently displaying the instantaneous values of both said violation number counter means and said violation pulse counter means,   comparing the total number of violation pulses during the predetermined time period to the occurrence of new violations, as represented by the   
     
     
        values of both counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30.  The automated car wash method as claimed in claim 27 wherein there is included in the step of monitoring the tracking of the car positions and the override command signals for determining the amount of time distinct override switch means, corresponding to the relay means for each of the plurality of devices, are activated the further steps of: detecting a violation by sensing one or more override command signals; and,   incrementing an override violation counter means which indicates the amount of time said override command signals are present per selection for as long as the override command signals are present. .Iaddend.