Multi-function thermostat with concierge features

• US 10,162,327 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Sinha, Sudhi, Ribbich, Joseph R., Ribbich, Michael L., Gaidish, Charles J., Cipolla, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant S
• Application Number:
  US15/336,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20170122617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94, 348 1401- 1416
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/117 Identification of persons methods or arrangements for recognising patterns, e.g. fingerprints, G06F18/00, G06V40/00; identification of persons by analysing their voice or speech G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/681 Wristwatch-type devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/088 on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14 Infusion devices, e.g. infusing by gravity; Blood infusion; Accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/523 for displaying temperature data
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/526 giving audible indications
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/58 using Internet communication
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/62 characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/63 Electronic processing
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/74 for controlling air flow rate or air velocity
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2110/10 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/00 : Control inputs relating to users or occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/10 : Occupancy
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/12 : Position of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/14 : Activity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2120/20 : Feedback from users
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2140/00 : Control inputs relating to system states
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 : Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/15117 : Radio link, wireless
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2614 : HVAC, heating, ventillation, climate control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 : Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 : using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 : specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 : insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/383 : Anonymous user system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/405 : Establishing or using transaction specific rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 : Hotels or restaurants
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 : Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0057 : for the hiring or rent of vehicles, e.g. cars, bicycles or wheelchairs car rental G07B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/0235 : the arrangements being full-front touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 5/00 : Receipt-giving machines cash registers giving receipts G07G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 : Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0453 : worn on the body to detect health condition by physiological monitoring, e.g. electrocardiogram, temperature, breathing detecting, measuring or recording for diagnostic purposes A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 27/00 : Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/066 : guiding along a path, e.g. evacuation path lighting strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 : specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 : Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 : by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings

Abstract

A multi-function thermostat for a hotel room. The thermostat includes a touch-screen interface, a communications interface, and a processing circuit. In some embodiments, the touch-screen interface is configured to present information to a hotel guest and receive input from the hotel guest. The communications interface is configured to communicate with a hotel system. The processing circuit is configured to retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface and cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information.

Claims

1. A multi-function thermostat, the thermostat comprising:

a touch-screen interface configured to present information to a user and receive input from the user;

a communications interface configured to communicate with a hotel system; and

a processing circuit configured to;

retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface;

cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information;

receive a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;

receive payment information from the user for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request; and

facilitate a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request.

2. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the communications interface to send a command to the hotel system to log the hotel booking request.

3. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

cause the touch-screen interface to display transportation options for the user;

receive a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and

communicate with a transportation server to automatically arrange transportation based on the transportation selection, the pickup time, and the destination.

4. The thermostat of claim 3, wherein the processing circuit is configured to automatically arrange the transportation options in a list from most relevant to least relevant based on at least one of a most commonly selected transportation option, a least expensive transportation option, a fastest transportation option, and the destination.

5. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate a receipt for charges associated with hotel accommodations provided to the user and cause the touch-screen interface to display the receipt;

wherein the thermostat further comprises a payment information input device configured to receive the payment information from at least one of a user device or a payment card of the user;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive the payment information from at least one of the user device or the payment card via the payment information input device.

6. The thermostat of claim 5, wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive a confirmation from the touch-screen interface that the user has accepted the charges;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to facilitate the transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request by facilitating a transfer of funds from a first financial account associated with the user to a second financial account associated with a hotel when the user has accepted the charges.

7. The thermostat of claim 1, further comprising a microphone configured to record audio data;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive concierge questions from the user via the microphone, cause the communications interface to send the concierge questions to the hotel system, receive answers to the concierge questions via the communications interface, and cause the touch-screen interface to display the answers to the concierge questions.

8. The thermostat of claim 7, further comprising a speaker configured to produce an aural stimulus;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to convert the answers to the concierge questions into an audio signal and provide the audio signal to the speaker, the audio signal causing the speaker to produce an aural stimulus comprising the answers to the concierge questions.

9. The thermostat of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive a hotel service request from the user via the touch-screen interface; and

push the hotel service request to the hotel system via the communications interface.

10. A method for operating a multi-function thermostat in a hotel room, the method comprising:

presenting information to a hotel guest and receiving input from the hotel guest via a touch-screen interface of the thermostat;

communicating with a hotel system via a communications network;

retrieving concierge information from the hotel system via a communications interface of the thermostat;

presenting the concierge information to the hotel guest via the touch-screen interface;

receiving a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;

receiving payment information from the hotel guest for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request; and

facilitating a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises causing the communications interface to send a command to the hotel system to log the hotel booking request.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

causing the touch-screen interface to show a list of possible methods for transportation;

receiving a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and

communicating with the transportation server to automatically arrange the transportation based on the selection of the transportation selection, the pickup time, and the destination.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises generating a receipt for charges associated with hotel accommodations provided to the hotel guest for a duration of the hotel booking request and causing the touch-screen interface to display the receipt.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises receiving a confirmation from the touch-screen interface that the hotel guest has accepted all charges;

wherein facilitating the transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request comprises facilitating a transfer of funds from a first financial account associated with the hotel guest to a second financial account associated with a hotel when the hotel guest has accepted the charges.

15. A multi-function thermostat for a hotel room, the thermostat comprising:

a touch-screen interface configured to present information to a hotel guest and receive input from the hotel guest;

a communications interface configured to communicate with a hotel system via a communications network; and

a processing circuit configured to;

retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface;

cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information;

receive a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;

receive payment information from the hotel guest for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request;

facilitate a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request; and

generate a receipt for all charges for a duration of the hotel booking request and cause the touch-screen interface to display the receipt.

16. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:

cause the touch-screen interface to display transportation options for the hotel guest;

receive a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and

communicate with a transportation server to automatically arrange transportation based on the transportation selection, the pickup time, and the destination.

17. The thermostat of claim 16, wherein the processing circuit is configured to automatically arrange a list of possible methods for transportation from most relevant to least relevant based at least one of on a most commonly selected method for transportation, a least expensive method of transportation, a fastest method for transportation, and a destination selected by the hotel guest via the touch-screen interface.

18. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive a confirmation from the touch-screen interface that the hotel guest has accepted the payment amount; and

facilitate a transfer of funds from a first financial account associated with the hotel guest to a second financial account associated with a hotel when the hotel guest has accepted the charges.

19. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the processing circuit is configured to:

receive a hotel service request from the hotel guest via the touch-screen interface; and

push the hotel service request to the hotel system via the communications interface.

20. The thermostat of claim 15, wherein the thermostat further comprises a payment information input device configured to receive the payment information from at least one of a user device or a payment card of the user;

wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive the payment information from at least one of the user device or the payment card via the payment information input device.