Patent ID: 8224480

Claim:
A dispenser, comprising: means for feeding driven by a motor, said means for feeding being configured for dispensing a portion of sheet product stored in said dispenser; a dispensing outlet through which said sheet product is fed upon a feed command being issued by a means for control; means for tearing against which a region of said sheet product is to be drawn so as to allow said sheet portion to be torn and removed from a remaining portion of a sheet product supply; means for sheet sensing configured for detecting a presence of sheet product in front of a specific region of said dispenser proximate said dispensing outlet, said means for sheet sensing being connected to said means for control to form a sensing system, said means for control including a memory for storing information from a previous scan by said means for sheet sensing performed during operation of said motor; and means for user sensing connected to said means for control, said means for user sensing providing a signal to said means for control upon detection of the presence of a user to allow said means for control to issue a sheet feed command, wherein said means for sheet sensing is arranged to repeatedly scan said specific region at a first scan interval for the presence of sheet product or a discontinuation of said sheet product during an entire operation of said motor up to ceasing of operation of said motor, and said means for sheet sensing is arranged to send a signal to said means for control to indicate that sheet product has been torn whenever said sensing system detects a discontinuation of sheet product during said entire operation of the motor, said means for control is arranged to issue a sheet feed command when a discontinuation has been detected in said previous scan during operation of said motor, and wherein said means for control is arranged to maintain a control condition not to issue a sheet feed command if no discontinuation has been detected in said previous scan until such time as a further single scan, during a time without operation of said motor, detects a discontinuation, and the means for control is arranged such that, when a discontinuation has not been detected on a previous scan, a second single scan is performed by said means for paper sensing at a second scan interval after said previous scan during a time without operation of said motor wherein said second scan interval is longer than said first scan interval performed during operation of said motor, and wherein if sheet product is detected during said second single scan, a further single scan is performed on a repeating basis at said second scan interval, until sheet product is not detected.