Patent ID: 7516082

Claim:
A method for routing delivery of chemical products to chemical usage facilities, the method comprising: determining usage of a first chemical product dispensed at a first chemical usage facility having a client computer for obtaining measurement data corresponding to a dispensed quantity of the first chemical product during a plurality of specified periods in time, wherein determining usage comprises: calculating usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time using a plurality of indirect measurements collected at the first chemical usage facility by the client computer during the specified periods in time, wherein the indirect measurements relate to a count of wash cycles; and adding each of the plurality of indirect measurements to yield a plurality of total count values indirectly representing usage of the first chemical product during each of the specified periods in time; predicting an estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product based on usage determined for each of the plurality of specified periods in time, wherein predicting an estimated time of exhaustion further comprises: plotting an estimate of remaining the first chemical product following each of the specified periods in time on a time line; and extrapolating the plotted estimates on the time line to estimate the time of exhaustion of the first chemical product; transmitting usage of the first chemical product at the first chemical usage facility during each of the plurality of specified periods in time to a central management facility that includes a server computer; and scheduling, using the server computer, delivery of the first chemical product to the first chemical usage facility based on a predetermined time for replenishment respective to the predicted estimated time of exhaustion of the first chemical product, wherein scheduling delivery further comprises: identifying one or more other chemical usage facilities on a predefined route represented as a list of delivery locations for delivery of chemical products; determining a sequential position on the list of delivery locations in which to insert a delivery location for the first chemical usage facility based on the predetermined time for replenishment of the first chemical product; adjusting the predefined route by inserting the delivery location for the first chemical usage facility into the determined sequential position on the list; and delivering the chemical product to the chemical usage facility according to the adjusted predefined route.