Patent Abstract:
System and method for dispensing product to a washing machine. A chemical dispensing system includes a system controller, machine interface, and pump controller that communicate through serial data buses. The system controller provides a user interface, retrieves washing machine status information from the machine interface, and issues product dispensing commands to the pump controller. The pump controller monitors pump status and dispenses product in response to commands from the system controller. The pump controller: (1) determines pump activation periods based on calibration data stored in a pump controller memory; (2) tracks pump usage and adjusts the activation period to compensate for pump wear as the pump ages; (3) disables the pump if conditions exists that preclude operating the pump; (4) monitors product levels, and (5) reports pump status to the system controller. Integral channels are included in the pump housing to provide stress relief to a squeeze tube.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates generally to chemical dispensing systems for laundry, ware-wash, and healthcare, and more particularly to systems and methods for automatic control of product dispensing in a chemical dispensing system. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The dispensing of liquid chemical products from one or more chemical receptacles is a common requirement of many industries, such as the laundry, textile, ware wash, healthcare instruments, and food processing industries. For example, in an industrial laundry facility, one of several operating washing machines will require, from time to time, aqueous solutions containing quantities of alkaloid, detergent, bleach, starch, softener and/or sour. Increasingly, such industries have turned to automated methods and systems for dispensing chemical products. Such automated methods and systems provide increased control of product use and reduce human contact with potentially hazardous chemicals. 
         [0003]    Contemporary automatic chemical dispensing systems used in the commercial washing industry typically rely on pumps to deliver liquid chemical products from bulk storage containers. Generally, these pumps deliver raw product to a washing machine via a flush manifold, where the product is mixed with a diluent, such as water, that delivers the chemical product to the machine. A typical chemical dispensing system used to supply a washing machine will include a controller that is coupled to one or more peristaltic pumps in a pump-stand by a plurality of dedicated signal lines. The controller will also typically be coupled to a washing machine interface by another plurality of dedicated signal lines, so that the controller is provided with signals indicating the operational state of the machine. In operation, the machine interface transforms high voltage trigger signals generated by the washing machine into lower voltage signals suitable for the controller, and transmits these low voltage trigger signals to the controller over the set of dedicated signal lines, which are typically in the form of a multi-conductor cable. In response to these individual trigger signals, the controller will individually activate one or more of the pump-stands over another set of dedicated lines so that the pumps dispense a desired amount of a chemical product into the flush line. The chemicals are then are mixed with a dilutant before being delivered to the machine. 
         [0004]    In the chemical dispensing system described above, the controller is connected to each washing machine trigger signal output and pump by a dedicated line, and the controller directly activates and deactivates each of the pumps. This arrangement, while generally satisfactory for its intended purpose, places practical limits on how many trigger signals and pumps can be connected to a single controller and creates a need for large numbers of wires and controller input ports. Installation of these types of systems can be cumbersome since installers must keep track of each signal line and ensure that the each line couples the proper controller port to the proper trigger signal source or pump. An incorrect connection may result in the wrong chemical being dispensed at the wrong time by the system, and may not be immediately apparent, resulting in many incorrectly processed loads and resulting monetary losses. Moreover, because the controller is merely switching the pumps on and off for an amount of time expected to provide a desired amount of chemical to the flush manifold, the controller receives no feedback regarding whether the pump is actually dispensing the amount of product desired. 
         [0005]    Chemical dispensing systems employed with commercial washing machines typically employ peristaltic pumps to minimize both operator and system component contact with the chemical products, which are often corrosive and toxic. Peristaltic pumps of this type include a flexible tube (or squeeze tube) and a rotor with one or more rollers located in a pump chamber. The one or more rollers compress a section of the squeeze tube against a wall of a pump chamber, pinching off the section of squeeze tube. When the rotor is rotated, the location of the pinched section of the squeeze tube moves along the length of the tube, thereby forcing, or pumping, fluid through the tube. The amount of fluid pumped per unit time tends to vary from pump to pump, depending on multiple variables such as the speed with which the rotor turns, the interior diameter of the squeeze tube, and the viscosity of the product being dispensed. Therefore, system installers must perform calibration measurements on each pump so that the system controller dispenses accurate amounts of product. This requirement for calibrating each pump during installation greatly increases installation time and expense. 
         [0006]    Squeeze tubes are also subject to wear over time from the repeated compression and pulling of the rollers, which causes the volume of chemical pumped by the pump-stand to vary over time. Worn out squeeze tubes must also be periodically replaced to prevent tube failure. Squeeze tube replacement can be a cumbersome endeavor, as chemical product often leaks from the feed lines when the seal is broken between the squeeze tube and feeder tubes. In addition to causing a loss of product and undesirably exposing workers to potentially hazardous chemicals, the spilled product may also contaminate the surfaces of the squeeze tube and pump chamber. If the chemical product is not sufficiently cleaned from these surfaces, the resulting sticky residue can cause the roller to pull the squeeze tube through the pump chamber so that the tube becomes damaged or tangled, resulting in pump failure and further potential product spills. In addition, because the controller cannot determine that the pump is not dispensing the correct amount of product, any processed wash loads that rely on the failed pump will have to be re-processed. Further, because the timing of the pump failure may be difficult to determine, multiple wash loads may have to be reprocessed. 
         [0007]    Therefore, there is a need in the art for improved chemical dispensing system components and methods that more accurately and reliably control the dispensing of chemical products into washing machines, and that reduce the maintenance burden and number of potential failure modes associated with peristaltic pumps. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In a first aspect of the invention, a chemical dispensing system controller includes a plurality of serial data bus interfaces that allow the system controller to communicate with other chemical dispensing system components over one or more intelligent networks. To this end, the system controller may include serial data bus interfaces that provide communications between the system controller and a plurality of pump controllers, machine interfaces, network gateways, as well as other system controllers. The system controller may also include additional serial bus interfaces to accommodate future system expansion. By communicating over serial data buses instead of using dedicated signaling lines, the system controller may reduce the number of physical connections required between the dispensing system components, thereby increasing system reliability and reducing installation time. The flexibility provided by digital communications over the serial data buses also provides additional advantages to the chemical dispensing system, such as providing support for more intelligent system components as well as future system improvements, the addition of new features, and system expansion. 
         [0009]    To support networking functions between the system controller and the pump-stand, each pump includes a pump controller with a user selectable serial data bus address. The system controller controls the timing and amounts of chemicals dispensed to the washing machine by communicating with individual pump controllers connected to the pump controller serial data bus interface using the user selectable addresses. The pump controller provides several advantages to the chemical dispensing control system in addition to supporting the system controller networking function, such as improved dispensing accuracy and pump status monitoring. 
         [0010]    In a second aspect of the invention, the pump controller may be loaded with pump calibration data at the factory. The pump calibration data is accessible to the pump and system controllers and is used to calculate pump run times and/or the number of pump rotor rotations necessary to deliver a desired amount of chemical product. Advantageously, by loading pump calibration data into the pump controller at the factory, the need to perform pump-stand calibrations during installation is reduced or eliminated, thereby reducing installation time and expense. 
         [0011]    In a third aspect of the invention, the chemical dispensing system tracks the operational time and/or number of operational cycles on each of the squeeze tubes installed in the pumps. Using test data regarding the expected service life of the squeeze tube, the chemical dispensing system estimates the remaining service life of the tube from aging and wear based on the operational conditions (e.g., age, type of chemicals pumped, amount of chemicals pumped, etc.) experienced by the squeeze tube. The chemical dispensing system may then report out the estimated remaining tube life, as well as provide an indication to system operators when a squeeze tube should be replaced because the squeeze tube is nearing the end of its useful service life. Tracking estimated remaining service life may also provide additional operational benefits and advantages to the dispensing system. 
         [0012]    For example, to improve produce dispensing accuracy, the chemical dispensing system may adjust pump activation periods for a specific output based on expected changes in pump capacity due to estimated wear and aging of the squeeze tube. To this end, the pump controller may increase the amount of time the pump is activated for a given amount of product to be dispensed as the squeeze tube ages to compensate for an expected reduction in pump capacity. The pump controller may thereby improve pump dispensing accuracy over the life of the squeeze tube. When the squeeze tube is replaced, the time and usage tracking in the pump controller may be reset by a system operator through a user interface on the system controller. The system controller may also provide an interface that allows the system operator to update the pump calibration data based on a new pump calibration. 
         [0013]    In a fourth aspect of the invention, the system controller controls the amount and type of chemical product dispensed by sending data addressed to the pump controller for the pump from which a desired amount of chemical is to be dispensed. The data includes data indicative of the amount of chemical product to be dispensed, which the pump controller uses to determine the amount of time and/or number of rotor rotations for which to activate the pump. The pump controller may also use stored calibration data and/or wear data for the squeeze tube to adjust the pump activation period. In an alternative embodiment, the system controller may retrieve the calibration data from the pump controller and use the calibration data to determine an activation period for the pump. In either case, once the required activation period is determined and communicated to the pump controller, the pump controller activates the pump for the determined period, thereby supplying the desired amount of chemical product to the washing machine. 
         [0014]    Advantageously, by communicating the amount of product to be dispensed to the pump controller rather than directly activating and deactivating the pump, the pump may more accurately dispense the desired amount of chemical product. More advantageously, because the pump controller controls activation of the pump locally, if communication is lost between the system controller and pump controller after activation of the pump (for example, due to a loose or intermittent connection), the pump controller can still dispense the desired amount of product. This is in contrast to a pump activated directly by a system controller, which might stop dispensing chemical product prematurely upon loss of communications with the system controller, or worse yet, might continue running indefinitely if communications are lost between the time the pump is activated and the time the deactivation signal is sent. 
         [0015]    To further improve the accuracy of the amount of product dispensed, the pump controller may be coupled to one or more temperature sensors that provide signals indicating the temperature of the chemical product that the pump is dispensing. Advantageously, this may improve the accuracy of the chemical dispensing over a range of temperatures. For example, if a container of chemical product that was recently delivered (or that is stored in an unheated area) is coupled to the pump, the temperature of the product could be substantially different from the temperature of the product used to calibrate the pump. To account for the effect of viscosity on the amount of product dispensed, the pump controller may use information regarding the temperature of the product to calculate the viscosity of the product, and adjusts pump activation periods accordingly. 
         [0016]    In a fifth aspect of the invention, each pump controller may include a detection circuit that allows the pump controller to determine if the product container to which it is coupled is running low on product. To this end, the pump controller may include ports which may be coupled to product level probes that provide signals indicative of the amount of chemical product left in a product container coupled to the pump. In response to sensing that the product is running low, the pump controller may activate local alarms (such as a flashing LED or buzzer) and/or communicate the product level condition to the system controller over the serial data bus. In response to receiving a low level product condition message from the pump controller, the system controller may also activate a local alarm, and/or send an alarm message to the system operator through a network gateway. 
         [0017]    To provide an out of product indication to the system, the pump controller may begin tracking the amount of chemical product dispensed beginning from the time at which a low level indication is received from a product level probe. If the low level indication is not cleared by refilling or replacing the container before a predetermined amount of additional product is dispensed, the pump controller may stop activating the pump and inform the system controller that the product has run out. Advantageously, this allows the chemical dispensing system to keep operating up until the point where a chemical product is about to run out, but prevents the system from operating without sufficient chemical product to properly process wash loads. 
         [0018]    In an alternative embodiment, the pump may include an integrated out-of-product detection capability. This integrated out-of-product detection capability includes conductive plastic inserts in the flow path of the product so that the conductive plastic inserts are in contact with product passing through the pump. The conductive plastic inserts are electrically coupled to the detection circuit in the pump controller. The detection circuit is sensitive to the impedance between the inserts so that when product is present in the line between the inserts, the impedance presented causes the detection circuit to provide an indication to the pump controller that product is present. However, when product is not present in the line, such as if the pump begins drawing air from an empty chemical product container, the impedance between the conductive plastic inserts increases. This increase in impedance between the conductive plastic inserts, in turn, causes the detection circuit to provide an indication to the pump controller that the chemical product has run out. In response, the pump controller stops activating the pump and informs the system controller that the product has run out. Advantageously, this provides an additional mechanism that prevents the chemical dispensing system from operating when a chemical product has run out, thereby preventing the system from operating when there is insufficient chemical product to properly process wash loads. The pump controller may also activate local or remote alarms indicating an out product condition so that the condition is brought the attention of the system operator. 
         [0019]    The system controller may include a selectable alarm notification feature that allows the system operator to select the types of alarms that are activated, as well as the time and duration of the alarms, based on the condition causing the alarm. Advantageously, this feature allows the system operator to customize the type of notification based on the perceived severity of the alarm. For example, alarms caused by conditions that do not immediately affect the performance of the system (such as low level alarms) may be logged in a productivity report maintained by the system controller, or could trigger a notification message sent through the network gateway to an e-mail address. Other more severe alarms (such as out of product alarms) may be configured to provide a more urgent indication, such as audible indicators (e.g., a buzzer) and/or visual indicators (e.g., a strobe light) at the system controller and/or pump-stand location. 
         [0020]    In a sixth aspect of the invention, the pump controller provides a selectable flush manifold status monitoring feature. To this end, the pump controller includes an electrical input port that is operatively coupleable to one or more sensors in the flush manifold. The sensors (e.g., a flow switch) provide an indication of whether the flush manifold is ready to receive a dispensed chemical product. If the flush manifold is not ready to receive the dispensed chemical (e.g., the flow switch signal indicates that there is insufficient flow of diluent through the flush manifold), the pump controller refrains from activating the pump, and provides local and/or remote alarm notifications indicating the problem encountered. 
         [0021]    In seventh aspect of the invention, the pump includes a pump chamber lid interlock system. The interlock system includes a sensor that provides a signal to the pump controller indicating the position of the pump chamber lid. For example, a magnet located in the pump chamber lid and a Hall Effect sensor located in the pump housing. In response to receiving a signal indicating that the pump chamber lid is open, the pump controller disables the pump. Advantageously, the pump chamber lid interlock system may thereby prevent injuries from pinched fingers and damage to the pump that may result if the pump is activated while a system operator is, for example, replacing a squeeze tube. 
         [0022]    In an eighth aspect of the invention, the pump includes a housing that includes integral input and output channels and a motor having a horizontal orientation. The input end of the squeeze tube is coupled to a product supply line by the integral input channel, and the output end of the squeeze tube is coupled to a product delivery line by the integral output channel. The squeeze tube is thereby isolated by the pump housing from mechanical forces present on the supply lines. The squeeze tube is fluidically coupled to the input and output channels by 90 degree elbows so that the squeeze tube is oriented in a horizontal orientation. The 90 degree elbows are free to pivot inside the integral channels, and thereby allow axial motion at the ends of the squeeze tube. This axial motion is believed to further reduce mechanical stresses on the squeeze tube when the pump rotor is in motion, potentially extending squeeze tube service life. The 90 degree elbows also facilitate removal and replacement of the squeeze tube by allowing the squeeze tube to be in a horizontal position at a high point in the chemical product supply path. Gravity thus urges the chemical product to retreat back into the supply lines when the squeeze tube assembly is removed, reducing the likelihood of a spill. 
         [0023]    The horizontal orientation of the motor facilitates positioning the rotor in a proper relationship with the horizontally oriented squeeze tube, and improves pump packaging. In an embodiment of the invention, the integral input and output channels are located in a back side of the pump housing so that the supply lines are positioned out of the way, and to facilitate use of European industry standard DIN rail system to secure the pumps comprising the pump stand to a vertical surface, such as a wall. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of an exemplary chemical dispensing system including a system controller, pump-stand, and machine interface. 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the chemical dispensing system in  FIG. 1  illustrating the interconnectivity between the system controller, machine interface, pumps, washing machine, and chemical product containers in an embodiment of the invention where the system controller located with the washing machine. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of the chemical dispensing system in  FIG. 2  with the system controller relocated to the pump-stand. 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustrating details of the system controller. 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustrating details of the pump including a pump controller and motor, as well as sensors and indicators associated with operation of the pump controller. 
           [0030]      FIG. 6A  is a detailed schematic of a detection circuit shown in  FIG. 5  including an oscillator with an input coupled to a probe assembly. 
           [0031]      FIG. 6B  is a schematic of the detection circuit in  FIG. 6A  with a high impedance being provided by the probe assembly showing the oscillator in an oscillating state. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6C  is a schematic of the detection circuit in  FIG. 6A  with an impedance being provided by the probe assembly that causes the oscillator to be in a different state to include a non-oscillating state. 
           [0033]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustrating additional details of the machine interface presented in  FIGS. 1-3 . 
           [0034]      FIG. 8  is an isometric view of the pump illustrating features of the pump housing and pump components. 
           [0035]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional diagram of the pump in  FIG. 8  illustrating the integral input and output channels. 
           [0036]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the pump illustrating the squeeze tube, rotor, and pump chamber. 
       
    
    
       [0037]    It should be understood that the appended drawings are not necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified representation of various features illustrative of the basic principles of the invention. The specific design features of the sequence of operations as disclosed herein, including, for example, specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes of various illustrated components, will be determined in part by the particular intended application and use environment. Certain features of the illustrated embodiments have been enlarged or distorted relative to others to facilitate visualization and a clear understanding. In particular, thin features may be thickened, for example, for clarity or illustration. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0038]    Embodiments of the invention provide a networked control system for dispensing chemical products in commercial washing machine applications that assists in overcoming the difficulties with contemporary chemical dispensing systems. In an embodiment of the invention, a system controller serves as a master controller and is linked via a plurality of serial data buses the other system nodes. The serial data bus interfaces provide an increased communications capability between the system controller and the system nodes as compared to conventional systems. The serial data buses thereby support adding intelligence to system nodes so that control functions may be distributed among the system nodes rather than concentrated in the system controller. By way of example, each pump controlled by the system includes a pump controller, which enables chemical product dispensing to be controlled locally in each pump based on commands received from the system controller over the serial data bus. 
         [0039]    The serial data bus network allows the system controller to query the operational status of each of the other system components (such as a machine interface or any of a plurality of pump-stands) to determine if the system is ready to dispense chemicals before issuing commands. The serial data bus also provides power to network components so that additional nodes may be added to the network by simply daisy-chaining a new node to an existing node. This allows, for example, an additional pump to be added to an existing group of pumps comprising a pump-stand by merely coupling the new pump to the end of the chain of pumps with a jumper. 
         [0040]    The system controller provides a user interface, stores process formulas, and displays system alarms and status indicators, as well as serving as the master controller for the serial data busses. To dispense chemical products according to a stored formula (e.g., a product dispensing profile for a particular process), the system controller sends data to one or more the pumps indicting the amount of chemical product that the pump stand is required to dispense. The system controller also periodically interrogates the pumps to verify that the pumps are operating properly. To this end, the system controller will typically query the status of a network node before issuing a command. The system controller may thereby obtain positive verification that the node is operating properly before issuing a command. The system controller may also include a serial data port configured to communicate with an optional network gateway. When present, the network gateway provides a data link between the system controller and an outside network, such as the Internet, so that system operators may communicate with one or more system controllers from a remote location. 
         [0041]    To support the serial data bus network, each pump-stand includes a pump controller that provides local control of the pump motor and enables a data link process with the system controller. To this end, the pump controller includes a user selectable address that allows the system controller to address each pump controller individually over the shared serial data bus. The pump controller provides intelligence to the pump that supports more accurate dispensing of chemical product based on stored calibration data, monitoring and reporting of pump status, chemical product level monitoring, control of flush manifold operation (if present), and transmission of alarms to the system controller. 
         [0042]    Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1-3  illustrate an exemplary chemical dispensing system  10  shown in two typical deployment configurations with a washing machine  11 , which may be a laundry machine, a ware-wash machine, a healthcare wash, or any other type of machine that uses dispensed chemicals. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that this system  10  is only for illustration purposes and that embodiments of the invention may be used with other configurations of the chemical dispensing system  10 . The base configuration of the chemical dispensing system  10  includes a system controller  12  coupled to a plurality of pumps  14   a - 14   c  comprising pump-stand  15  by a pump serial data bus  16 . For illustrative purposes,  FIGS. 1-3  show a system with 3 pumps  14   a - 14   c . However, it is understood that other numbers of pumps may be used, and the invention is not limited to any specific number of pumps. The pumps  14   a - 14   c  each include a pass-through serial data bus connector  18  ( FIG. 5 ) so that the pumps  14   a - 14   c  may be connected in a daisy-chain configuration on the pump-stand  15 . Each pump  14   a - 14   c  is thereby connected to an adjacent pump by a jumper  22  so that the pumps  14   a - 14   c  are each electrically coupled to the pump serial data bus  16 . The pump serial data bus  16  thus includes multiple jumpers  22  and pass-through connectors  18 . In an embodiment of the invention, jumpers  22  may be comprised of a printed circuit board (PCB) encapsulated in plastic to facilitate quick connections between pumps  14   a - 14   c  and power supply  20 . 
         [0043]    System power is supplied by a power supply  20  mounted to the pump-stand  15  near one end of the chain of pumps  14   a - 14   c . The power supply  20  may be coupled to the pump serial data bus  16  by connecting the output of the power supply  20  to one end of the pass-though connector  18  in the end pump, shown here as the left most pump  14   a . The power supply  20  is thereby coupled to the pumps  14   a - 14   c  and the system controller  12  by the serial data bus  16 . In a preferred embodiment, the pumps  14   a - 14   c , and power supply  20  may be mounted to a DIN rail  28  on the pump stand  15 , although the invention is not so limited, and other mounting locations and methods may be used. 
         [0044]    To obtain data concerning the operational status of the washing machine  11 , the system controller  12  is coupled to a machine interface  24  by a machine interface serial data bus  26 . Typically, the system controller  12  will be located near (or mounted to) the washing machine  11  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but the system controller  12  may also be located remotely from the washing machine  11  as shown in  FIG. 3 . For example, in the alternative embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the system controller  12  is mounted to the DIN rail  24  so that the system controller  12 , pumps  14   a - 14   c  and power supply  20  are all affixed to the pump-stand  15  by the DIN rail  28 . 
         [0045]    The pump-stand  15  is configured to provide product to the washing machine  11  from various chemical storage containers  30 ,  32 ,  34 , each of which is fluidically coupled to one of pumps  14   a - 14   c  by a product supply line  36 . Typically, the output of each pump  14   a - 14   c  is fluidically coupled to a flush manifold  42  by flush manifold supply lines  44  as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . However, the pumps  14   a - 14   c  may also be fluidically coupled directly to the washing machine  11  so that undiluted product is delivered to the machine  11 . In embodiments including the flush manifold  42 , an output of the flush manifold  42  is coupled to the washing machine  11  by a machine supply line  45 , and an input of the flush manifold  42  is coupled to a diluent source  46  by a diluent valve  48 . The diluent valve  48  may be electrically coupled to one or more of the pumps  14   a - 14   c , ( FIG. 5 ) so that the chemical dispensing system  10  can control delivery of product to the washing machine  11  by regulating the flow of diluent through the flush manifold  42 . 
         [0046]    The power supply  20  is typically mounted on the DIN rail  28  next to a pump  14   a - 14   c , although other mounting locations may be used. The power supply  20  is connected to source of AC line voltage (not shown) and provides a DC voltage (such as to 24 VDC) suitable for powering system controller  12 , pumps  14   a - 14   c , and machine interface  24 . When mounted on the DIN rail  28 , the power supply  20  will typically be coupled to either the left side of pass-through connector  18  of rightmost pump  14   a , (as shown); or to the right side of pass-through connector  18  of the leftmost pump  14   c . Power is thereby distributed to the system controller  12  and pumps  14   a - 14   c  via the serial data bus  16 . To this end, the serial data bus  16  may include power and ground conductors, as well as one or more data conductors. In an embodiment of the invention, the pump serial data bus  16  includes a power conductor, a ground conductor, a positive data conductor, and a negative data conductor. The data conductors thereby form a balanced, or differential, serial data transmission line. The system controller  12 , in turn provides power to the machine interface  24  over the machine interface serial data bus  26 , which is typically configured to have the same conductor layout as the pump serial data bus  16 . Advantageously, the pass-through connectors  18  and pump serial data bus configuration make adding additional pumps to the pump-stand  15  a simple process, thereby facilitating the addition of additional chemical products to the chemical dispensing system  10 . 
         [0047]    Some embodiments of the invention may also include probe assemblies  50  operatively disposed in containers  30 ,  32 ,  34 . The probe assemblies  50 , in turn, may be electrically coupled to a detection circuit  52  ( FIG. 5 ) in the pump  14   a - 14   c  that dispenses product from the container  30 ,  32 ,  34  in which the probe assembly  50  is located. Probe assemblies  50  may be configured to provide a signal to the detection circuit  52  indicative of the level of product in the container  30 ,  32 ,  34  so that the pumps  14   a - 14   c  may monitor product levels in their associated containers  30 ,  32 ,  34 . Probe assemblies  50  are known in the art and typically include one or more conductive probes that present different impedances to the detection circuit  50  depending on whether the probe assembly  50  is in contact with product. Suitable probe assembles and detection circuits are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/164,878, entitled “System and Method for Product Level Monitoring in a Chemical Dispensing System”, Attorney Docket No. NOVC-23, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0048]    Referring now to  FIG. 4  and in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the system controller  12  includes a processor  54 , memory  56 , an input/output (I/O) interface  58 , a user interface  60 , a system controller voltage supply circuit  62 , and a machine interface power supply output circuit  64 . The I/O interface  58  is communicatively coupled to the processor  54  and employs a suitable communication protocol for communicating with the serial data busses, and. The processor  54  may thereby communicate through the I/O interface  58  to the machine interface  24  via the machine interface serial data bus  26 , the pumps  14   a - 14   c  (shown as a single pump for purposes of illustration) through pump serial data bus  16 , and a network gateway  68  via a network gateway serial data bus  70 . The system controller  12  may also include one or more additional serial data bus interfaces  72  to accommodate future system expansion. The serial buses may be connected to the I/O interface  58  (as well as the various network nodes) though serial bus interfaces, each of which includes a suitable multi-pin connector  74 . 
         [0049]    Processor  54  may be a microprocessor, microcontroller, programmable logic or any other suitable device that manipulates signals based on operational instructions, which may be stored in memory  56 . The memory  56  may be a single memory device or a plurality of memory devices including but not limited to read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), flash memory, cache memory, and/or any other device capable of storing digital information. The memory  56  may also be integrated with the processor  54 . 
         [0050]    The processor  54  executes or otherwise relies upon computer program code, instructions, or logic (collectively referred to as program code) to execute the functions of the system controller  12 . To this end, a system controller application  66  may reside in memory  56  and may be executed by the processor  54 . The system controller application  66  controls and manages the chemical dispensing system  10  by communicating with other system components via the I/O interface  58  and serial data buses  16 ,  26 ,  70 . The system controller application  66  may thereby obtain information regarding the operational status of the washing machine  11  from the machine interface  24 , and in response, causes the pumps  14   a - 14   c  to dispense chemicals in a controlled way. 
         [0051]    The user interface  60  may be operatively coupled to the processor  54  of the system controller  12  in a known manner. The user interface  60  includes output devices, such as alphanumeric displays, one or more touch screens, light emitting diodes (LEDs), acoustic transducers, and/or any other suitable visual and/or audio indicators; and input devices and controls, such as the aforementioned touch screen, an alphanumeric keyboard, a pointing device, keypads, pushbuttons, control knobs, etc., capable of accepting commands or input from the system operator and transmitting the entered input to the processor  54 . The user interface  60  thereby provides a mechanism by which the system operator may enter new washing process formulas, set and/or deactivate alarms, update calibration data, retrieve and view system data (such as amounts of product dispensed and number and type of wash loads run) and otherwise operate and manage the chemical dispensing system  10 . 
         [0052]    The system controller voltage supply  62  receives power from the power supply  20  via the pump serial data bus  16 . The system controller voltage supply may contain circuits, such as voltage regulators, that condition and adjust the voltage received from the power supply  20 , thereby providing suitable voltages for running the processor  54  and other system controller components. The machine interface power supply output circuit  64  may receive power from the system controller voltage supply  62 , or directly from the power supply  20  via the pump serial data bus  16 . The machine interface power supply circuit  64  may condition the power before transmitting it to the machine interface  24 ; or the machine interface power supply circuit  64  may merely pass the power received from the power supply  20  on to the machine interface  24  over the machine interface serial data bus  26  without significant alteration. 
         [0053]    The network gateway  68  may be a computer equipped to provide an interface between the system controller  12  and an external network  76 , such as the Internet. To this end, the network gateway  68  may include a network gateway application running on a processor that performs protocol translation, converts data rates, and/or provides any other functions necessary to provide interoperability between the chemical dispensing system and the external network. The network gateway  68  may thereby allow computers or other communication devices that are attached to the external network  76  to communicate with the system controller  12  so that system operators may remotely control and monitor the chemical dispensing system  10 . The network gateway  68  may also be configured to address multiple system controllers  12  over a single network gateway serial data bus  70 . 
         [0054]    Referring now to FIGS.  5  and  6 A- 6 C, each pump  14   a - 14   c  includes a pump controller  78  in communication with a motor  80 . The pump controller  78  may also be in communication with the detection circuit  52 , internal and external temperature sensors  82 ,  84 , a plurality of status indicator LEDs  86 , a local alarm buzzer  88 , a mute switch  90 , a flow sensor  96 , a pump chamber lid sensor  98 , address selector switch  99 , pump prime switch  101 , and a valve driver circuit  103 . The pump controller  78  may also include a pump controller voltage supply  105  that provides suitable voltage levels for running the controller components. The motor  80  may be a brushless direct current (BLDC) electric motor coupled to a rotor  100  by a transmission  102 . The rotor  100  includes one or more rollers  104  and is positioned in a pump chamber  106  with a squeeze tube  108 . The rotor  100 , pump chamber  106 , and squeeze tube  108  are further configured so that when torque is applied to the rotor  100  by the motor  80 , the rotor  100  rotates in such a way that the rollers  104  compress the squeeze tube  108  against a side wall of the pump chamber  106  in a progressive fashion that causes fluid to be urged through the squeeze tube  108 . 
         [0055]    So that the pump  14   a - 14   c  may dispense product, one end of the squeeze tube  108  is coupled to an integral input channel  110 , and the other end of the squeeze tube  108  is coupled to an integral output channel  112 . The integral input and output channels  110 ,  112  are in turn fluidically coupled to the product supply and flush manifold supply lines  36 ,  44 , respectively. Activating the motor  80  thereby causes fluid to be drawn into the squeeze tube  108  from the product supply line  36  via the integral input channel  110  and expelled into the flush manifold supply line  44  via the integral output channel  112 . Product may thereby be conveyed from the product container  30 ,  32 ,  34  to the flush manifold  42  by pumps  14   a - 14   c.    
         [0056]    Similarly as described with respect to the system controller  12 , the pump controller  78  includes a processor  114 , memory  116 , and an I/O interface  118  that provides a communications link between the pump controller processor  114  and the pump serial data bus  16  via the pass-through connector  18 . The pump controller processor  114  may be further operatively coupled to detection circuit  52 , motor  80 , internal and external temperature sensors  82 ,  84 , status indicator LEDs  86 , local alarm buzzer  88 , mute switch  90 , flush manifold flow sensor  96 , pump chamber lid sensor  98 , address selector switch  99 , pump prime switch  101 , and valve driver circuit  103 . 
         [0057]    Memory  116  may contain a pump controller application  120  comprised of program code that, when executed by the processor  114 , causes the pump controller  78  to provide local motor control and support a data link process that allows the system controller  12  and pump controller  78  to communicate over the pump serial data bus  16 . The address selector switch  99  may be any suitable switch, such as a rotational selector switch or dip switch that is accessible from the outside of the pump  14   a - 14   c . Advantageously, the address selector switch  99  thereby provides a quick and easy means to visually identify the current address of each pump controller  78  in the network. 
         [0058]    Each pump controller  78  that is sharing the pump serial data bus  16  has a unique address that is set on the address selector switch  99  prior to applying power to the pumps  14   a - 14   c . The pump controller application  120  reads the address selector switch at power up and loads the network address into memory  116 . Once the pump controller application  120  has loaded the network address into memory, the network address will remain fixed so long as the pump controller  78  is under power. Advantageously, this feature reduces the risk of the pump controller&#39;s network address being changed inadvertently while the system  10  is in operation, which could result in more than one pump controller  78  having the same network address. To change the network address of the pump controller  78 , the system operator must power down the pump stand  15 , change the configuration of the address selector switch  99 , and reapply power so that the new address is loaded by the pump controller application  120 . 
         [0059]    The pump prime switch  101 , when enabled, provides an automated pump priming function. To prevent inadvertent activation of the priming function, the operation of the pump prime switch  101  may have to be enabled in the system controller  12  through a password protected menu accessed through the system controller user interface  60 . Enabling the pump prime function in the system controller  12  causes the system controller application  66  to set a priming feature enable flag in the pump controller  78 . In response to sensing that the pump prime switch  101  has been activated, the pump controller application  120  checks the priming feature enable flag. If the flag is set, the pump controller application  120  activates the motor  80  for a sufficient amount of time to ensure that the supply lines  36 ,  44  and pump  14   a - 14   c  are primed with product. In contrast, if the feature enable flag is not set, the pump controller application  120  may simply ignore the state of the pump prime switch  101 . 
         [0060]    The pump chamber lid sensor  98  provides a signal indicative of the position of a pump chamber lid  178  ( FIG. 9 ) to the processor  114 . To this end, the lid sensor  98  may include a magnet  122  and a Hall Effect sensor  124  configured to provide a first signal to the processor  114  when the lid  178  is in an open position, and a second signal to the processor  114  when the lid  178  is in a closed position. To reduce the risk of damage to the pump  14   a - 14   c  as well as injury to the system operator, the pump controller application  120  checks the pump chamber lid sensor signal before activating the motor  80 . If the signal indicates that the pump chamber lid  178  is in a closed position, the pump controller application  120  will activate the motor in the normal manner. However, in response to a signal indicating that the pump chamber lid  178  is in an open position, the pump controller application  120  may disable the motor  80  as well as provide an indication to the system controller  12  that the motor  80  is not in a condition to be activated. 
         [0061]    The detection circuit  52  supports a low level detection feature, which may be enabled in the pump controller application  120  by activating the feature through the system controller user interface  60 . The detection circuit  52  includes in input port coupleable to the probe assembly  50  through a probe assembly connector  126 , which may be located on the bottom of the pump  14   a - 14   c . The detection circuit  52  includes a low frequency oscillator that includes an active element, or oscillator  128  ( FIGS. 6A-6C ) and a load element  130 . The oscillator  128  may include a CMOS inverter or any other suitable device capable of producing an oscillation when coupled to load element  130 . Load element  130  may be a resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit or some other suitable circuit that provides a suitable load or feedback to the oscillator  128  to cause the oscillator  128  to oscillate. The detection circuit  52  produces an oscillation when a high impedance electrical load is present on the input to the probe assembly connector  126 , such as an electrical load with an impedance greater than 5 megohms. The detection circuit  52  thereby provides a low frequency oscillation signal when the quality factor of the oscillator  128  is sufficiently unaltered by the electrical load from a probe assembly  50  that is not in contact with a monitored product. When an electrical load that has a high impedance is coupled to the input  126 , the oscillator  128  comprising detection circuit  52  is tuned to oscillate at a nominal operating frequency, such as about 10 Hz, for example. The pump controller application  120  may thereby determine if there is sufficient product remaining to contact the probe assembly  50  by monitoring the output of the detection circuit  52  for an oscillation. 
         [0062]    A pair of conductive probes  132 ,  134  comprising the probe assembly  50  may be connected to the detection circuit  52 . The probe assembly  50  is connected across the input  126  of the detection circuit  52  so that one probe  132  is connected to one side of load element  130  and the other probe  134  is connected to the other side of load element  132 , which may also be coupled to a reference ground  136 . When the probe assembly  50  is suspended in air, such as when the product in the monitored container  30 ,  32 ,  34  has dropped below the probe assembly  50 , the impedance of the probe assembly  50  as seen by the detection circuit  52  has a low loading effect on the oscillator  128 . The quality factor of the oscillator  128  is thus relatively unaffected by the presence of the probe assembly  50  so that the detection circuit  52  outputs a time varying voltage signal at the nominal frequency as illustrated in the schematic diagram of  FIG. 6B . 
         [0063]    However, when one or both of the probes  132 ,  134  are in contact with a conductive solution, an impedance  138  from the probes  132 ,  134  is seen by the detection circuit  52 . A typical impedance between the probes  132 ,  134  when in contact with product will be between 10 kilohms and 1 megohms. The impedance  138  will lower the quality factor of the oscillator  128 , which changes the operating parameters of the oscillator  128  due to the parallel loading effect of the probe assembly  50 . These changed parameters will cause the oscillator  128  to oscillate at a frequency different from the nominal frequency or to cease oscillating depending on the load presented by the probe assembly  50 , as illustrated in the schematic diagram of  FIG. 6C . Thus, in response to being coupled to a probe assembly  50  that is in contact with product, the detection circuit  52  will output a signal having a different frequency or that stops varying altogether, such a constant voltage at ground potential. This change in the output of the detection circuit  52  thereby provides an indication to the processor  114  of the presence or absence of product at the probe assembly  50 . 
         [0064]    The status indicator LED&#39;s  86  may include a first LED that provides a visual indication that the pump  14   a - 14   c  is powered, a second LED that provides an indication of the presence of data traffic on the pump serial data bus  16 , a third LED to indicate if a local error is active, and a fourth alarm LED that provides an indication of the level of product detected by the pump controller application  120 . The power and data traffic status indicator LEDs may be coupled to and activated by the processor  114 , or may be directly tied to a pump power supply and/or data lines as the case may be. The alarm LED may be used to indicate a variety of conditions. By way of example, the pump controller application  120  may cause the alarm LED to flash when a probe assembly  50  is coupled to the detection circuit and the product level feature is active to provide an indication of such to the system operator. In response to detecting a low product condition, the pump controller application  120  may cause the alarm LED to be illuminated continuously so that the system operator is provided with a visual indication of the low product level condition. 
         [0065]    The pump controller application  120  may also be configured to activate the local alarm buzzer  88  in response to detecting a low product level condition. The system operator may cause the pump controller application  120  to silence the alarm buzzer  88  by pressing mute switch  90 . In some embodiments, the pump controller application  120  may send an alarm message to the system controller  12  in response to a status query so that the system controller  12  may activate an alarm or otherwise report to the system operator that an alarm condition exists at the pump-stand  15 . The pump controller application  120  may be configured to provide different mute responses depending on how long or how many times the mute switch  90  is activated. By way of example, in some embodiments of the invention, the first time the mute switch  90  is pressed, the alarm might be silenced for a short period, such as an hour. If the mute switch  90  is held down for a length of time, such as 3-4 seconds, the alarm might be silenced for a longer period, such as a weekend. To provide an indication that the local alarm buzzer  88  has been muted, the local alarm LED may be made to flash at a slower rate than normal. The rate of flashing may be further adjusted so that the local alarm LED flashes at a slower rate when a long duration alarm silencing period has been activated (such as a weekend) than when a short duration silencing period has been activated (such as an hour). 
         [0066]    The pump-stand  15  may be configured to deliver product directly to the washing machine  11 , or the product may be dispensed into the flush manifold  42  and delivered to the machine  11  by a diluent, which is the configuration illustrated in FIGS.  1 - 3 . When the pump-stand  15  is deployed with flush manifold  42 , a flush-flow control feature may be activated in the pump controller application  120  of at least one of the pumps  14   a - 14   c  associated with the system controller  12 . As with the previous optional features, the flush-flow feature is activated in the pump controller application  120  through the user interface  60  of the system controller  12 . Typically, the flush flow feature is only activated in one pump  14   a - 14   c  per pump-stand  15 , with the system controller  12  controlling the flush manifold  42  by addressing flush manifold related commands to the pump controller  78  that is coupled to the diluent valve  48 . In order to provide sufficient drive current and voltages to the diluent valve  48 , the processor  114  may be coupled to the diluent valve  48  by a valve circuit driver  103 . In cases where the valve circuit driver  103  is not coupled to the diluent valve  48 , the valve circuit driver output port  140  may be used to provide a switched voltage output, such as a 24 VDC switched output, for activating external alarms or other uses. 
         [0067]    The pump controller application  120  may also monitor the flow sensor  96 , which provides a signal indicative of the rate that diluent is flowing through the flush manifold  42 . The pump controller application  120  may thereby make determinations concerning the dispensing of product into the flush manifold  42  based on whether there is sufficient diluent flow to deliver the product to the washing machine  11 . The pump controller application  120  may also report alarm conditions to the system controller  12  if the detected diluent flow rate deviates from an acceptable level. 
         [0068]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the machine interface  24  includes a processor  142  that is operatively coupled to a memory  144 , an I/O interface  146 , a trigger signal interface  148 , and a display  150 . A machine interface voltage supply  152  is coupled to and receives power from the machine interface serial data bus  26 , and includes voltage regulation circuits that provide suitable voltages to the circuits comprising the machine interface  24 . The trigger signal interface  148  is coupled to trigger signals in the washing machine  11  by optical isolators  154   a - 154   n , which provide galvanic isolation between the high voltage triggers in the washing machine  11  and the other chemical dispensing system components. In an embodiment of the invention, there may be 10 trigger signals, with each signal being coupled to the trigger signal interface by an optical isolator  154   a - 154   n.    
         [0069]    Memory  144  may contain a machine interface application  156  comprised of program code that, when executed by the processor  142 , causes the machine interface  24  to determine the operational state of the washing machine  11  based on machine trigger signals detected by the processor  142  via the trigger signal interface  148 . The machine interface application  152  may also handle the networking and messaging functions required to communicate with the system controller  12  over the machine interface serial data bus  26 . To this end, the I/O interface  146  may employ a suitable communication protocol for communicating over the machine interface serial data bus  26 . In an embodiment of the invention, the machine interface  24  is configured as a slave module, and will only respond back to the system controller  12  in response to being queried by the system controller  12 . 
         [0070]    The trigger signal interface  148  works cooperatively with optical isolators  154   a - 154   n  to convert the local high voltage trigger signals received from the washing machine  11  into signals suitable for coupling to the processor  144 . The machine interface application  156  determines the state of the washing machine  11  based on the detected trigger signals, and may store time stamped trigger signals in memory  144  for later use and reporting. In response to a query from the system controller  12 , the machine interface application  152  communicates the determined state of the machine  11  and/or detected triggers to the system controller application  66 . In response to the washing machine state (e.g., beginning wash cycle), the system controller application  66  may, in turn, cause the pump controller application  120  to dispense product to the washing machine  11  (e.g., dispense 100 milliliters of detergent). The machine interface display  150  may include an electronic membrane overlay having LEDs that are illuminated by the machine interface application  156  to indicate the particular triggers that have been detected and qualified. The display  150  may also include an additional LED that is illuminated to indicate the presence of data traffic on the machine interface serial data bus. 
         [0071]    With reference to  FIGS. 8-10 , in which like reference numerals refer to like features in  FIGS. 1-7  and in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the representative pump  14   a - 14   c  includes a housing  158  having a pump chamber  106 , an integral input channel  110 , and an integral output channel  112 . The rotor  100  and squeeze tube  108  are positioned in the pump chamber  106 , and the rotor  100  includes rollers  104  configured to compress the squeeze tube  108  against a sidewall  160  of the pump chamber  106 . The squeeze tube  108  has a first end coupled to the integral input channel  110  by an inlet fitting  162  and a second end coupled to the integral output channel  112  by an outlet fitting  164 . The inlet and outlet fittings  162 ,  164  include a 90 degree elbow so that the squeeze tube  108  is oriented in a plane perpendicular to the integral input and output channels  110 ,  112 . Each fitting  162 ,  164  includes upper and lower o-rings  166 ,  168  that provide a fluid-tight seal between the fitting  162 ,  164  and its respective integral channel  110 ,  112 . Advantageously, the o-rings  162 ,  164  allow the fittings  162 ,  164  to pivot axially, which may reduce lateral bending forces on the squeeze tube  108  at the squeeze tube/fitting connection points. 
         [0072]    The pump controller  78  and associated circuits are mounted in a lower cavity  170  near the bottom of the pump housing  158  to facilitate access to the various electrical connectors associated with the pump controller  78 . The pump motor  80  and transmission  102  are stacked vertically in a central cavity  172 , so that the motor  80  has a horizontal orientation. The transmission  102  may provide speed and torque conversion between the motor  80  and rotor  100  so that the rotor rotates at a desirable speed. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the transmission  102  may be omitted and the motor  80  directly coupled to the rotor  100 . The motor  80  may be a brushless DC motor, and may include an integrated motor controller (not shown) that provides signals indicative of the motor speed in rotations per minute to the pump controller processor  114 . Advantageously, the integrated motor controller thereby allows the pump controller application  120  to determine and report motor status (such as a locked rotor condition) as well as precisely measure product volume dispensing by tracking the speed and/or number of rotations of the rotor  100 . 
         [0073]    The product and flush manifold supply lines  36 ,  44  are coupled to the integral input and output channels  110 ,  112  by plastic inserts  174 ,  176 , respectively. Plastic inserts  174  and  176  may include a threaded upper end configured to engage the lower ends of the integral input and output channels  110 ,  112 . The plastic inserts  174 ,  176  each include a barbed lower end that provides a fluid tight seal when coupled to the product and flush manifold supply lines  36 ,  44 . In an embodiment of the invention, the plastic inserts  174 ,  176  may be comprised of a conductive plastic, such as carbon impregnated polypropylene. In this alternative embodiment, the conductive plastic inserts  174 ,  176  may be electrically coupled to the detection circuit  52  and thereby serve as integrated conductive probes  132 ,  134  that provide an out-of-product indication to the detection circuit  52 . 
         [0074]    The pump chamber lid  178  may be comprised of transparent plastic that allows system operators to view the operation of rotor  100  and squeeze tube  108 . The magnet  122  is positioned within the pump chamber lid  178  so that when the lid  178  is closed, the magnet  122  causes the Hall Effect sensor  124  to change its output, indicating to the pump controller application  120  that the pump chamber lid  178  is in a closed position. When the pump chamber lid  178  is opened, the change the magnetic field in the region of the Hall Effect sensor  124  causes the Hall Effect sensor to provide a signal to the pump controller application  120  that indicates the lid  178  is not closed. In response, the pump controller application  120  may disable the motor  80  to reduce the risk of injury to system operators and/or damage to the squeeze tube  108  from fingers or other objects becoming entangled with the rotor  100 . 
         [0075]    In operation, the system controller  12  may be configured as a master, and the machine interface  24  and pump controllers  78  configured as slaves. Using this master/slave configuration, the machine interface  24  and pump controllers  78  only communicate with the system controller  12  in response to a query or other message from the system controller  12 . This master/slave arrangement thus ensures that only one system node transmits data over their associated serial data bus at a time. Process formulas are programmed into the system controller  12  over the user interface  60 , and the system operator selects which chemical dispensing process formula the system controller  12  will implement based on the type of load the washing machine  11  is processing. The system controller  12  is thus the master controller in the network and handles all of the process formulas and any required mathematical calculations, as well as providing a human-machine interface to the chemical dispensing system  10 . 
         [0076]    Operations in the chemical dispensing system  10  are initiated by the system controller  12  querying the status of the machine interface  24 . To this end, the system controller application  66  sends a status query message to the machine interface  24  over the machine interface data bus  26 . The machine interface application  156  responds to the status query message with a status update that includes data regarding any qualified triggers that have been logged by the machine interface  24  since the last query message the system controller  12 . In response to the content of the machine controller response message, the system controller application  66  determines the state of the washing machine  11 . Based on the state of the washing machine  11  and the process formula selected by the system operator, the system controller application  66  further determines which product, if any, needs to be dispensed as well as how much of the product should be dispensed. All pump operations are thus ultimately dependent on the qualified triggers, which are processed locally by the machine interface  24  and sent to the system controller  12  by the machine interface  24  when prompted. 
         [0077]    If the washing machine  11  is in a state requiring product to be dispensed (e.g., beginning a wash load), the system controller application  66  queries the status of the pump  14   a - 14   c  associated with the container  30 ,  32 ,  34  holding the product to be dispensed. To this end, the system controller application  66  sends a query message addressed to the pump controller  78  associated with the product to be dispensed over the pump serial data bus  16 . The pump controller application  120  responds to the query message by reporting back pump status, including any out of product or other system alarms, which (if present) are displayed by the system controller  12 . 
         [0078]    If the pump controller application  120  response indicates that the pump  14   a - 14   c  is ready to dispense product, the system controller application  66  will determine the amount of product that is to be dispensed, and communicate this to the pump controller application  120 . Advantageously, by sending data to the pump  14   a - 14   c  that allows the pump controller  78  to determine a required run time rather than merely a pump OFF/ON command (as is conventional), the system  10  ensures that the motor  80  will not run continuously if the system controller  12  loses communication with the pump controller  78  after the motor  80  has been activated. 
         [0079]    In response to receiving the dispense product message from the system controller  12 , the pump controller application  120  checks the pump status to verify that the pump  14   a - 14   c  is ready to dispense product (i.e., there are no active alarms that would preclude dispensing product), and activate the motor  80  for an amount of time or number of rotations calculated to dispense the required amount of product. The pump controller  78  may accumulate the total motor activation time and/or number of rotations (collectively referred to as an activation period) and store this value in memory  116 . The accumulated activation period value may be used in estimating remaining squeeze tube service life and/or a deterioration in pump flow rate due to wear on the squeeze tube  108 . The pump controller application  120  may also open the diluent valve  48  (when present) for an amount of time sufficient to flush the product into the washing machine  11 , and may monitor the flow sensor  96  to ensure that sufficient diluent flow is present. In response to the pump controller application  120  determining that the required amount of product has been delivered to the washing machine  11 , the application  120  notifies the system controller  12  that the dispensing operation is complete. If the pump controller application  120  determines that the required amount of product was not delivered to the washing machine  11 , the application  120  may send an alarm or other error message to the system controller  12  so that the system controller  12  can notify the system operator. 
         [0080]    To increase the reliability of communications over the serial data bus network, the system controller  12  may make several attempts to deliver data packets to the system nodes if no response is received to earlier transmissions. The machine interface and pump serial data bus protocols may include both acknowledge (ACK) and negative-acknowledge (NACK) response messages to fully validate system node operation, and may also include cyclic redundancy checking (CRC) to further ensure data robustness. 
         [0081]    The system controller  12  may periodically interrogate the pumps  14   a - 14   c  to monitor the performance of the motor  80 , squeeze tube  108 , and any other system errors or alarms. By way of example, the pump controller  78  may track the amount of pump activation time and/or number of rotations to which the squeeze tube  108  has been subjected and use this data to estimate the remaining service life of the squeeze tube  78 . The system controller  12  may obtain operational data from the pump controller  78  regarding the estimated remaining squeeze tube service life and display this data in a squeeze tube life menu over the user interface  60 . The system controller  12  may also include a menu selection that allows the system operator to reset the percentage of life remaining statistic for an individual pump  14   a - 14   c  when that pump&#39;s squeeze tube  108  is replaced. The system controller  12  may also generate system maintenance alerts or alarms based on this squeeze tube percentage of life remaining exceeding a lower threshold (e.g., below 5%), which may be settable by the system operator. Advantageously, by closely monitoring the percentage of life remaining, the system controller  12  and/or pump controller  78  may adjust the run time of the motor  80  to compensate for reductions in the volume of product dispensed due to tube wear. More advantageously, by actively monitoring squeeze tube life, the replacement schedules for squeeze tubes  108  may be extended while simultaneously reducing the risk of squeeze tube failure, thereby reducing overall system maintenance costs. 
         [0082]    While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of one or more embodiments thereof and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, they are not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, as is understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art, the various functions and methods described herein may be distributed between the system, pump, and machine interface controllers in various ways and combinations, so that any controller in the system may perform functions currently ascribed to another controller. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the scope of the general inventive concept.

Technology Classification (CPC): 3