Surface covering unit

• US 20040263328A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pergo Europe AB (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pergo Europe AB (Mohawk Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Issal, Raimo
• Granted Patent: US 7,030,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0717 the sensor being capable of sensing environmental conditions such as temperature history or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07749 the record carrier being capable of non-contact communication, e.g. constructional details of the antenna of a non-contact smart card

Abstract

Surface covering unit comprising surface elements with supporting base, decorative upper surface and edges for joining said surface elements into said surface covering unit. The surface covering unit comprises at least one digital memory member connected to an antenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a base station.

Claims

1. Surface covering unit comprising surface elements with supporting base, decorative upper surface and edges for joining said surface elements into said surface covering unit whereby, the surface covering unit comprises at least one digital memory member connected to an antenna for radio frequency transmitted communication with a base station, the digital memory member containing digital information obtained through means selected from the group consisting of encoding, pressure sensor and temperature sensor.

2. Surface covering unit according to claim 1, wherein the digital memory member is encoded with digital information in connection to the installation of the surface covering unit.

3. Surface covering unit according to claim 2, wherein the information comprises information selected from the group consisting of date of installation, surface element batch number, installer, environmental conditions during installation and accessories used for the installation.

4. Surface covering unit according to claim 1, wherein the digital memory member further comprises a processing unit.

5. Surface covering unit according to claim 4, wherein the digital memory member further comprises a temperature sensor.

6. Surface covering unit according to claim 4, wherein the digital memory member further comprises a pressure sensor.

7. Surface covering unit according to claim 6, wherein the pressure sensor is of a piezo electric type.

8. Surface covering unit according to claim 4, wherein the base station is installed on a distance up to 100 m from one or more digital memory members and that the base station communicates intermittently with the digital memory members.

9. Surface covering unit according to claim 8, wherein the base station comprises a central processing unit, which central processing unit is used for collecting and processing the data collected from the digital memory members.

10. Surface covering unit according to claim 9, wherein the central processing unit is used for collecting and presenting data selected from the group consisting of traffic for selected surface areas, temperature for selected surface areas and lapses in connection with selected digital memory members.

11. Surface covering unit according to claim 10, wherein the collected data is used for guiding items selected from the group consisting of goods display in stores, burglar alarm, refurnish planning, logistic planning, environmental control, message presentation and light emission.

12. Surface covering unit according to claim 9, wherein the digital memory members further comprises mobile digital memory units also equipped with antennas.

13. Surface covering unit according to claim 12, wherein the mobile digital memory member is encoded with digital information, which information comprises information selected from the group consisting of date of installation, personal identification code, supervisor code, passage area limitations, passage date and time limitations.

14. Surface covering unit according to claim 13, wherein the mobile digital memory member unit is used for guiding items selected from the group consisting of burglar alarm, environmental control, message presentation, light emission and power supply to household utensils.