Monitoring and controlling processes at a vehicle wash facility

Abstract

Remote monitoring of vehicle washing facilities allows a facility operator to more efficiently manage each site, particularly when combined with environmental conditions that influence the rate at which individual chemicals are used. Accurate chemical exhaustion times can therefore be predicted and communicated to the operator, and wash sequences and parameters may be altered in accordance with such environmental parameters. For example, information related to the composition of soil on a car may be monitored and used to alter the chemicals used in the wash cycle for that car. Other environmental conditions may include without limitation weather conditions, road conditions, types of vehicles, mechanical system status, vehicle temperature, etc.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for managing a process operating at a vehicle wash facility, wherein a chemical is applied to one or more vehicles being washed in the wash facility during the process, the method comprising: 
 monitoring an environmental parameter that influences application of the chemical to the one or more vehicles during the process; and    automatically controlling application of the chemical to the one or more vehicles based on the environmental parameter.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving information related to a composition of soil on the one or more vehicles washed during the process.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a temperature of the one or more vehicles washed during the process.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first chemical and a second chemical are available as chemicals which may be applied to the one or more vehicles during the process, the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprising: 
 selecting, based on the environmental parameter, the first chemical or the second chemical for use as the chemical applied to the one or more vehicles during the process.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing an amount of the chemical applied to the one or more vehicles during the process.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing a temperature of water applied with the chemical to the one or more vehicles during the process.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing a sequence in which the chemical is applied to the one or more vehicles during the process, wherein the sequence is respective to application of at least one other chemical to the one or more vehicles during the process.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle wash facility is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the method further comprising: 
 monitoring a current quantity of the chemical available for use at the vehicle wash facility;    predicting a time point indicating expected exhaustion of the chemical based on the environmental parameter and the current quantity of the chemical; and    providing a notification based on the time point through the remote management facility.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the providing operations comprises: 
 identifying a recipient to receive the notification.    
     
     
         11 . A system for managing a process operating at a vehicle wash facility that is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the process using at least one chemical, the system comprising: 
 a environmental detector monitoring an environmental parameter that influences a usage rate of the at least one chemical in the process;    a chemical quantity detector monitoring a current quantity of the at least one chemical available for use at the vehicle wash facility in the process;    a controller predicting a time point indicating expected exhaustion of the at least one chemical based on the environmental parameter and the current quantity of the at least one chemical; and    a communications device providing a notification of the time point through the remote management facility.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the environmental detector monitors a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the environmental detector receives information related to a composition of soil on a vehicle washed in the vehicle wash facility.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller changes an amount of at least one chemical applied to a vehicle washed at the vehicle wash facility based on the environmental parameter.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the controller changes a sequence respective to a plurality of chemicals in which the at least one chemical is applied to a vehicle washed in the vehicle wash facility, the controller changing the sequence based on the environmental parameter.  
     
     
         16 . A computer program product encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process for managing application of a chemical to one or more vehicles at a vehicle wash facility, the computer process comprising: 
 monitoring an environmental parameter that influences application of the chemical to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility; and    automatically controlling application of the chemical to the one or more vehicles based on the environmental parameter.    
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving information related to a composition of soil on the one or more vehicles washed at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of monitoring an environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a temperature of the one or more vehicles washed at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein a first chemical and a second chemical are available as chemicals which may be applied to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility, the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprising: 
 selecting, based on the environmental parameter, the first chemical or the second chemical for use as the chemical applied to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing an amount of the chemical applied to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing a temperature of water applied with the chemical to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the operation of automatically controlling application of the chemical further comprises: 
 changing a sequence in which the chemical is applied to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility, wherein the sequence is respective to application of at least one other chemical to the one or more vehicles at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the vehicle wash facility is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the method further comprising: 
 monitoring a current quantity of the chemical available for use at the vehicle wash facility;    predicting a time point indicating expected exhaustion of the chemical based on the environmental parameter and the current quantity of the chemical; and    providing a notification based on the time point through the remote management facility.    
     
     
         25 . A system for managing a process at a vehicle wash facility that is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the process using at least one chemical, the system comprising: 
 a first monitoring device monitoring the process and reporting process data to a controller;    a control device controlling the process in response to commands received from the controller;    the controller, communicatively coupled to the monitoring device and the control device, analyzing the process data received from the monitoring device to produce controller data relating to the analysis and sending commands based on the controller data to the control device;    a communications device, communicatively coupled to the controller and an external communications network, transmitting the controller data to the remote management facility over the external communications network; and    a data store, communicatively coupled to the controller, storing the process data.    
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a second monitoring device monitoring a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility and reporting the weather condition to the controller, the weather condition being analyzed by the controller along with the process data to produce the controller data.    
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a second monitoring device monitoring a composition of soil on a vehicle washed in the vehicle wash facility and reporting the composition to the controller, the composition being analyzed by the controller along with the process data to produce the controller data.    
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a second monitoring device monitoring an environmental parameter and reporting the environmental condition to the controller, the controller analyzing the environmental parameter and the process data to produce the controller data and selecting at least one chemical for use in the process based on the controller data.    
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising: 
 a second monitoring device monitoring an environmental parameter and reporting the environmental condition to the controller, the controller analyzing the environmental parameter and the process data to produce the controller data and changing a sequence in which at least one chemical is used in the process based on the controller data.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the controller identifies a recipient for the controller data.  
     
     
         31 . A method for managing a process at a vehicle wash facility that is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the process using at least one chemical, the method comprising: 
 monitoring the process to produce process data;    monitoring at least one environmental parameter;    reporting the process data and the environmental parameter to a controller;    analyzing, via the controller, the process data and the environmental parameter to produce controller data relating to the analysis;    controlling the process in response to the controller data;    transmitting the controller data to the remote management facility; and    storing, in a data store, at least one of the process data, the environmental parameter and the controller data.    
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operation of monitoring the environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operation of monitoring the environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving information related to a composition of soil on a vehicle washed in the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operation of controlling the process comprises: 
 selecting at least one chemical for use in the process in response to the controller data.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operation of controlling the chemical process comprises: 
 changing a sequence in which at least one chemical is used in the process based on the controller data.    
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the operation of transmitting the chemical process comprises: 
 identifying a recipient of the controller data.    
     
     
         37 . A computer program product encoding a computer program for executing on a computer system a computer process for managing a process at a vehicle wash facility that is communicatively coupled to a remote management facility, the process using at least one chemical, the computer process comprising: 
 monitoring the process to produce process data;    monitoring at least one environmental parameter;    reporting the process data and the environmental parameter to a controller;    analyzing, via the controller, the process data and the environmental parameter to produce controller data relating to the analysis;    controlling the process in response to the controller data;    transmitting the controller data to the remote management facility; and    storing, in a data store, at least one of the process data, the environmental parameter and the controller data.    
     
     
         38 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operation of monitoring the environmental parameter comprises: 
 monitoring a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         39 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operation of monitoring the environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving information related to a composition of soil on a vehicle washed in the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         40 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operation of controlling the process comprises: 
 selecting at least one chemical for use in the process in response to the controller data.    
     
     
         41 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operation of controlling the process comprises: 
 changing a sequence in which at least one chemical is used in the process based on the controller data.    
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 37 , wherein the operation of transmitting the chemical process comprises: 
 identifying a recipient of the controller data.    
     
     
         43 . A method for managing a process at a remote vehicle wash facility, wherein a chemical is applied to one or more vehicles in the remote vehicle wash facility during the process, the method comprising: 
 receiving process data from the remote vehicle wash facility;    receiving an environmental parameter that influences application of the chemical to the vehicle during process;    analyzing the process data and environmental parameter; and    transmitting, based on results of the analysis, a message to a client computer monitoring the process at the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the operation of receiving an environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving a weather condition in proximity to the vehicle wash facility.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the operation of receiving an environmental parameter comprises: 
 receiving information related to a composition of soil on the one or more vehicles.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the client computer controls the process at the vehicle wash facility, the message being a command specifying a task to be performed by the process.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein a first chemical and a second chemical are available as chemicals which may be applied to the one or more vehicles during the process, the command requesting selection of the first chemical or the second chemical as the chemical to be applied to the one or more vehicles during the process.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the command requests a change in an amount of the chemical applied to the one or more vehicles during the process.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the command requests a change in temperature of water applied with the chemical to the one or more vehicles during the process.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the command requests a change in a sequence in which the chemical is applied to the one or more vehicles during the washing process, wherein the sequence is respective to application of at least one other chemical to the one or more vehicles during the washing process.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the client computer is located at a central management facility responsible for managing operations at the remote vehicle wash facility.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the client computer is a personal digital assistant.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the environmental parameter is received from the vehicle wash facility.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 43 , wherein the process data includes a current quantity of the chemical, the analyzing operation comprising: 
 calculating a time point indicating expected exhaustion of the chemical based on the environmental parameter and the current quantity of the chemical.    
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 54 , wherein the message includes the calculated time point indicating expected exhaustion of the chemical.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the client computer resides at a remote management facility, the remote management facility receiving the message and identifying a recipient for the message.