Claims
- 1. A system for signaling level of product in a container, comprising:
a container having a sensor affixed to one portion thereof, contacts extending downwardly from said sensor; an electrical circuit broken when the level of product in said container falls below said contacts, and a device for generating a signal from said sensor when said electrical circuit is broken for alerting a user that the level of product is low, and a remote receiver separate from said container for communicating said signal for alerting the user.
- 2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an RFID chip.
- 3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises an RFID chip that signals a timer in a primary device, base station or similar device to countdown a present time to refill.
- 4. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor comprises an RFID chip that signals a timer in a primary device, base station or similar device to countdown a present time to refill.
- 5. The unit, comprising:
a base, a container having an RFID tag, said container fitting in said base, wherein
said RFID tag signals the presence of the container to said base when the container is placed in proximity to said base.
- 6. The unit of claim 5, wherein said base is a heater.
- 7. The unit of claim 5, wherein said container contains a flowable product.
- 8. The unit of claim 5, wherein said container contains a fragrance.
- 9. The unit of claim 5, wherein said container is a dispensing device.
- 10. The unit of claim 5, wherein said RFID tag communicates a heating regimen to said base.
- 11. The unit of claim 5, wherein said RFID tag communicates a heating history for said container to said base.
- 12. The unit of claim 5, wherein said RFID tag is attached to said container,
Said base having a radio frequency identification reader/writer in operable connection with a microprocessor-based control circuit, said reader/writer transmitting updated information for storage in an electronic memory associated with said RFID tag,
- 13. A volatile dispensing system, comprising:
at least one container having a volatile, a holder retaining said at least one container, and an RFID tag controlling dispensing of said volatile.
- 14. The system of claim 13, wherein said volatile is a air freshener.
- 15. The system of claim 13, wherein said volatile is a fragrance.
- 16. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one container is a plurality of containers, each container having an RFID tag, and further comprising a controller, said controller controlling which one of said plurality of containers is dispensed.
- 17. The system of claim 13, wherein said holder is a heater, said RFID tag is connected to said at least one container, and said RFID tag controls dispensing by initiating heating of said container.
- 18. The system of claim 17, wherein said RFID tag controls dispensing by communicating heating instructions to said heater.
- 19. A system for monitoring the age of an item, comprising
an RFID tag associated with said item, a reader having a timer, said reader initializing said timer and displaying elapsed time since initiation when said RFID tag is in proximity to said reader.
- 20. The system of claim 19, wherein said item is a container, said RFID attached to said container.
- 21. The system of claim 19, wherein said item is a container, said RFID tag attached to a device designed for closing said container.
Parent Case Info
[0001] The instant application is based upon U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Serial No. 60/427,934, filed Nov. 21, 2002, Serial No. 60/430,101, filed Dec. 2, 2002, Serial No. 60/430,102, filed Dec. 2, 2002 and Serial No. 60/482,867.
Provisional Applications (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60427934 |
Nov 2002 |
US |
|
60430101 |
Dec 2002 |
US |
|
60430102 |
Dec 2002 |
US |
|
60482867 |
Jun 2003 |
US |