Powered furniture assembly

• US 10,614,694 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2015
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Zwier, Joel, Noll, Paul, Heidmann, Kurt, Scheper, Robert, Hanson, Jody
• Primary Examiner(s): Odom, Curtis B
• Application Number:
  US14/727,398
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0461 integrated or attached to an item closely associated with the person but not worn by the person, e.g. chair, walking stick, bed sensor
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/08 using communication transmission lines G08B13/19658, G08B21/0286, G08B25/016 take precedence

Abstract

A method and system for providing information to a user of an article of furniture, the method comprising sensing a first data set about a first user of a first article of furniture, sensing a second data set about a second user of a second article of furniture, sending the first and second data sets to a processor and generating an output based on the first and second data sets and an input from an organizational user and sending the output to the first user.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a user of an article of furniture, the method comprising:

sensing a first data set about a first user of a first article of furniture;

sensing a second data set about a second user of a second article of furniture;

sending the first and second data sets to a processor, the first data set containing information about usage of the first article of furniture by the first user or the second data set containing information about usage of the second article of furniture by the second user; and

generating a first output including one or more recommended user settings for the first article of furniture, the second article of furniture, or a different article of furniture, the one or more recommended user settings based on the first and second data sets and an input from an organizational user;

and sending the first output to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing a first data set about a first user comprises sensing a first data set about a first user through a first sensor coupled to a first chair.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sensing a second data set about a second user comprises sensing a second data set about a second user through a second sensor coupled to a second chair.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a second output to the second user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first output sent to the first user and the second output sent to the second user are the same.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an organizational output based on the first and second data sets and sending it to an organizational user.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a communication based on the first output via a personal device of the first user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output comprises a communication regarding an activity of a colleague of the first user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output comprises a communication regarding a location for collaboration.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a location for collaboration comprises a location for collaboration with the second user.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first output comprises a communication regarding a current location of a colleague of the first user.

12. A system for providing information to a user of an article of furniture, the system comprising:

a. a first sensor configured to sense a first data set about a first user of a first article of furniture;

b. a second sensor configured to sense a second data set about a second user of a second article of furniture; and

c. a processor configured to;

i. receive the first and second data sets;

ii. generate a first output including a suggestion for an adjustment in the first user'"'"'s usage of the first article of furniture, wherein the suggestion is based on the first and second data sets and a digital input from an organizational user; and

iii. send the first output to the first user.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input from the organizational user.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first sensor is coupled to a chair.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to send a second output to the second user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first output sent to the first user and the second output sent to the second user are the same.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an organizational output based on the first and second data sets and send it to an organizational user.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising a personal device configured to display a communication based on the first output for the first user.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the first output comprises a communication regarding a current location of a colleague of the first user.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions, which when executed by a processor cause the processor to execute a method of providing information to a user of an article of furniture, the method comprising:

sensing a first data set about a first user of a first article of furniture;

sensing a second data set about a second user of a second article of furniture;

sending the first and second data sets to a processor;

generating an output based on the first and second data sets and an input from an organizational user; and

sending the output to the first user;

wherein the output comprises a communication regarding an economic incentive intended to induce a change in the first user'"'"'s usage behavior of the first article of furniture.