Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-23
2001-05-22
Wachsman, Hal (Department: 2857)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
C702S177000, C702S178000, C702S050000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06236953
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system for ensuring that users of an apparatus comply with predetermined operating parameters.
Field of the Invention
In many industries, particularly those relating to the processing and preparation of food, contamination of the product by workers is a major public health threat. Government health inspectors and industry management have therefore sought to require workers to wash their hands before handling the product and after their hands may have come into contact with any substance that could contaminate the product.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Food Code provides guidelines for preparing food and preventing food-borne illness. Retail outlets such as restaurants and grocery stores and other institutions such as nursing homes are subject to the Food Code. The Food Code specifies that certain employees must periodically (e.g., every thirty minutes) follow a defined cleaning procedure (e.g., clean hands and exposed portions of arms for at least twenty seconds) (Food Code, § 2-301.12). The Food Code also specifies that employees must follow a more rigorous cleaning procedure after using the bathroom (Food Code, § 2-301.13).
In addition to requiring employees to wash their hands, the Food Code requires their employer to monitor the employees' hand washing. For example, the Food Code requires implementation of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point Plan (HACCP Plan), which is to be monitored by a “person in charge.” An HACCP Plan must include a method for monitoring and a frequency for monitoring and controlling each critical point, a method and a frequency to routinely verify that employees are following standard operating procedures and monitoring critical control points, and a system for maintaining records to demonstrate that the HACCP Plan is properly operated and managed (Food Code, § 8-201.14).
Local, state, and federal regulators use the Food Code as a model to help develop or update their own food safety rules and to be consistent with national food regulatory policy. Also, many of the over one million retail food establishments attempt to apply Food Code provisions to their own operations, although the Food Code is neither federal law nor federal regulation and does not preempt state or local laws.
Despite such extensive efforts to ensure that proper hand washing is performed, more than a quarter of all food-borne illnesses (6,000,000 reported cases, an estimated 81,000,000 unreported cases, and 9,000 deaths in 1992) are thought to be due to improper hand washing. Similar concerns exist in the health care industry, where improper hand washing is believed to cause over 500,000 hospital-related (nosocomial) infections each year.
Monitoring the equipment used in the preparation and service of food, which affects the quality and quantity of the food prepared, is another aspect of the industry that needs to be monitored for safety and efficiency.
Other aspects of industries outside of those relating to the processing and preparation of food, such as employee monitoring systems, chemical monitoring and testing equipment, utilities metering devices, smoke detection systems, and laundry/drying systems, require an apparatus for increasing efficiency and for monitoring user compliance with predetermined operating parameters.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an efficient and effective apparatus for monitoring compliance by users with predetermined operating parameters.
In an aspect, the invention includes a sink monitoring device that includes an activation device for acknowledging an operator of a sink; a timing device for determining time of use data; a completion input device for generating wash completion data when the operator has completed use of the sink; and a memory storage device for storing operator data sets and predetermined frequency of use parameters of operators of a sink. The operator data sets include operator acknowledgment data, time of use data, and wash completion data. Also provided is a compliance controller coupled to the memory storage device. The compliance controller is configured to determine if the operator is in compliance with a predetermined sink use regimen by comparing the predetermined frequency of use parameters to the operator data sets. The compliance controller generates a non-compliance signal when an operator is no longer in compliance with the predetermined frequency of use parameter for the operator. The compliance controller is configured to couple to the plumbing of a sink to control the delivery of water to a sink. The sink monitoring device also includes a noncompliance warning device coupled to the compliance controller. The non-compliance warning device is configured to provide a non-compliance warning when the compliance controller generates a non-compliance signal.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a system is provided for monitoring use of an apparatus to determine compliance with operating parameters by users. The system includes a first data collection device for determining the identity of the user of the apparatus during each use for comparison to the operating parameters, a second data collection device for determining the time of use of the apparatus by the user during each use for comparison to the operating parameters, a third device for providing supplies or service to the user in a predetermined sequence, a collection data device for determining whether the person using the apparatus has completed the predetermined sequence, a monitor box mounted adjacent the apparatus including a device for evaluating compliance with the operating parameters by the person based on the determined identity of the person and the sequence completion information. Electronic communication links are provided between the compliance evaluating devices, whereby compliance with the operating parameters is evaluated based on the determined identity and operating parameters information from the apparatus. A central control device is located remote from the apparatus and is electronically connected to the monitor box for receiving downloaded information from the apparatus.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a system is provided for monitoring use of a plurality of apparatuses to determine compliance with operating parameters by a particular person. The system includes a plurality of apparatuses, each apparatus including a first data collection device for determining the identity of the user of the apparatus during each use for comparison to the operating parameters, a second data collection device for determining the time of use of the apparatus by the user during each use for comparison to the operating parameters, a third device for providing supplies or service to the user in a predetermined sequence, a collection data device for determining whether the person using the apparatus has completed the predetermined sequence, a monitor box mounted adjacent the apparatus including a device for evaluating compliance with the operating parameters by the person based on the determined identity of the person and the sequence completion information. Electronic communication links are provided between the compliance evaluating devices, whereby compliance with the operating parameters is evaluated based on the determined identity and operating parameters information from all of the apparatuses. A central control device is located remote from the apparatuses and is electronically connected to at least one of the monitor boxes for receiving downloaded information from the apparatus.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, an apparatus is provided for monitoring use of a handsink to determine compliance with a use regimen by a user. The apparatus includes a first data collection device for determining the identity of the user of the handsink during each use for comparison to the use regimen, and a second data collection device for determining a time of use of the handsink by
Compliance Control, Inc.
Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Wachsman Hal
LandOfFree
System for monitoring compliance with apparatuses having... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for monitoring compliance with apparatuses having..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for monitoring compliance with apparatuses having... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2538786