Standalone capacitance sensor for furniture
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A standalone capacitance detection system for integration with a furniture item, the system comprising:
- one or more light sources;
a capacitance detection sensor; and
a control component configured for communicative coupling to the one or more light sources and the capacitance detection sensor, wherein the control component;
receives a first capacitance indication from the capacitance detection sensor;
generates a first lighting command based on the first capacitance indication, wherein the first lighting command initiates a light-on state for the one or more light sources;
controls a power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the first lighting command, wherein the power is supplied in a plurality of on intervals during the light-on state;
coordinates with the capacitance detection sensor to detect a second capacitance indication during the light-on state, wherein the capacitance detection sensor detects capacitance between the plurality of on intervals of the supplied power;
generates a second lighting command based on the second capacitance indication, wherein the second lighting command initiates a light-off state; and
controls the stopping of the power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the second lighting command.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for incorporating occupancy-detecting technology into furniture is provided. More particularly, the invention relates to detecting occupancy by a standalone capacitance detection device. The standalone capacitance detection device is configured for integration with any number of furniture items. Further, the detected capacitance may be used to determine commands for controlling a variety of devices associated with the standalone capacitance detection device. Additionally, methods for determining occupancy of a furniture item and a system for monitoring occupancy are described herein.
79 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A standalone capacitance detection system for integration with a furniture item, the system comprising:
-
one or more light sources; a capacitance detection sensor; and a control component configured for communicative coupling to the one or more light sources and the capacitance detection sensor, wherein the control component; receives a first capacitance indication from the capacitance detection sensor; generates a first lighting command based on the first capacitance indication, wherein the first lighting command initiates a light-on state for the one or more light sources; controls a power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the first lighting command, wherein the power is supplied in a plurality of on intervals during the light-on state; coordinates with the capacitance detection sensor to detect a second capacitance indication during the light-on state, wherein the capacitance detection sensor detects capacitance between the plurality of on intervals of the supplied power; generates a second lighting command based on the second capacitance indication, wherein the second lighting command initiates a light-off state; and controls the stopping of the power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the second lighting command. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method of controlling a standalone capacitance detection system associated with a furniture item, the method comprising:
-
controlling power to one or more light sources communicatively coupled to a control component; receiving one or more capacitance indications from a capacitance detection sensor communicatively coupled to the control component; receiving, at a control component, a first capacitance indication from the capacitance detection sensor; generating, by a control component, a first lighting command based on the first capacitance indication, wherein the first lighting command initiates a light-on state; controlling, by a control component, the power supplied to the one or more light sources, wherein the power is supplied in a plurality of on intervals during the light-on state; coordinating, by a control component, with the capacitance detection sensor to detect a second capacitance indication during the light-on state, wherein the capacitance detection sensor detects capacitance between the plurality of on intervals of supplied power; generating, by a control component, a second lighting command based on the second capacitance indication, wherein the second lighting command initiates a light-off state; and controlling, by a control component, the stopping of the power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the second lighting command. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of manufacturing a standalone capacitance detection system, the method comprising:
-
communicatively coupling one or more light sources to a control component; communicatively coupling a capacitance detection sensor to the control component; wherein the control component communicatively coupled to the one or more light sources and the standalone capacitance detection device is configured to; receive a first capacitance indication from the capacitance detection sensor; generate a first lighting command based on the first capacitance indication, wherein the first lighting command initiates a light-on state for the one or more light sources; control a power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the first lighting command, wherein the power is supplied in a plurality of on intervals during the light-on state; coordinate with the capacitance detection sensor to detect a second capacitance indication during the light-on state, wherein the capacitance detection sensor detects capacitance between the plurality of on intervals of the supplied power; generate a second lighting command based on the second capacitance indication, wherein the second lighting command initiates a light-off state; and control the stopping of the power supplied to the one or more light sources based on the second lighting command. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification