Occupancy analysis

• US 20090193217A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Millerknoll Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellerthorpe, Robin M., Korecki, Steven A., Gifford, Gary, Beck, Robert L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,577,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 711/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to transparent and/or non-disruptive systems and methods for monitoring and analyzing actual space utilization, and in particular, analyzing space utilization over time and/or in real time to accurately understand and report the utilization of the space. In particular, the disclosed embodiments analyze data representative of occupancy of the space, the data being autonomously determined based on the likelihood that occupants are present within the space. The data is periodically determined and automatically reported to an automated collection system which collects the data and forwards it to a central repository for analysis. The data is then analyzed to provide meaningful reports regarding occupancy of the space or otherwise contextualize the utilization of the space. Further, the data collected from different spaces may be anonymized, aggregated, or otherwise combined, and analyzed to contextualize a given space'"'"'s utilization, provide utilization forecasts, etc.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating management of occupancy of a first physical space, the first physical space comprising a plurality of physical elements typically utilized by one occupant at a time, the method comprising:

receiving at least a portion of a plurality of probable utilization states, each of the plurality of probable utilization states having been determined over a first period of time for an associated one of the plurality of physical elements based only on a plurality of magnitude values each representative of a magnitude of movement of the physical element during a discrete portion of the first period of time, the probable utilization state indicative of a likelihood that at least one occupant is utilizing the associated physical element and therefore occupying at least a portion of the first physical space during the first period of time;

evaluating at least a portion of the received portion of determined probable utilization states to determine a number of occupants occupying at least a portion of the physical space; and

contextualizing the determined number of occupants to facilitate management of the occupancy of the first physical space.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the physical elements comprises a seat, wherein the probable utilization state of the seat is indicative of whether an occupant is occupying the seat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the physical elements comprises a work surface, wherein the probable utilization state of the work surface is indicative of whether an occupant is working at the work surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluating further comprises determining whether an occupant is substantially likely to have caused the movement based on which the associated probable utilization state was determined.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving further comprises receiving the portion of the plurality of probable utilization states over a second period of time.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving further comprises receiving at least one probable utilization state determined over a second period of time different from first period of time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the evaluating further comprises determining the remaining probable utilization states which were not received based on the first plurality of time.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the evaluating further comprises computing each of the unreceived probable utilization states by extrapolation and a number of occupants indicated thereby.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises determining occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space at a specific time based on at least the received determined probable utilization states and demonstrating utilization of the portion of the first physical space at the specific time.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises determining occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space at a plurality of specific times based on at least the received determined probable utilization states and demonstrating a change in occupancy of the portion of the first physical space over a period of time encompassing the plurality of specific times.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises correlating occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one event based on at least the received determined probable utilization states.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises computing an index value representative of at least the received portion of the plurality of probable utilization states.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises correlating occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one attribute thereof based on at least the received determined probable utilization states.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the attribute comprises at least one of location, environmental conditions available amenities, decor, electrical consumption, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises aggregating the received determined probable utilization states with previously received determined probable utilization states and contextualizing at least the received determined probable utilization states based on the aggregation.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the previously received determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space different from the first physical space.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the previously received determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space operated by an entity different than that which is associated with the first physical space.

18. A system for facilitating management of occupancy of a first physical space, the first physical space comprising a plurality of physical elements typically utilized by one occupant at a time, the system comprising:

a receiver operative to receive at least a portion of a plurality of probable utilization states, each of the plurality of probable utilization states having been determined over a first period of time for one of the plurality of physical elements based only on a plurality of magnitude values each representative of a magnitude of movement of the physical element during a discrete portion of the first period of time, the probable utilization state indicative of a likelihood that at least one occupant is utilizing the one physical element and therefore occupying at least a portion of the first physical space during the first period of time;

an evaluation processor coupled with the receiver and operative to evaluate at least a portion of the received portion of determined probable utilization states to determine a number of occupants occupying at least a portion of the physical space; and

a contextualization processor coupled with the evaluation processor and operative to contextualize the determined number of occupants to facilitate management of the occupancy of the first physical space.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the physical elements comprises a seat, wherein the probable utilization state of the seat is indicative of whether an occupant is occupying the seat.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein at least one of the physical elements comprises a work surface, wherein the probable utilization state of the work surface is indicative of whether an occupant is working at the work surface.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein the evaluation processor is further operative to determine whether an occupant is substantially likely to have caused the movement based on which the associated probable utilization state was determined.

22. The system of claim 18 wherein the receiver is further operative to receive the portion of the plurality of probable utilization states over a second period of time.

23. The system of claim 18 wherein the receiver is further operative to receive at least one probable utilization state determined over a second period of time different from first period of time.

24. The system of claim 18 wherein the evaluation processor is further operative to determine the remaining probable utilization states which were not received based on the first period of time.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the evaluation processor is further operative to compute each of the unreceived probable utilization states by extrapolation and a number of occupants indicated thereby.

26. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to determine occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space at a specific time based on at least the received determined probable utilization states and demonstrate utilization of the portion of the first physical space at the specific time.

27. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to determine occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space at a plurality of specific times based on at least the received determined probable utilization states and demonstrate a change in occupancy of the portion of the first physical space over a period of time encompassing the plurality of specific times.

28. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to correlate occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one event based on at least the received determined probable utilization states.

29. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to compute an index value representative of at least the received portion of the plurality of probable utilization states.

30. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to correlate occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one attribute thereof based on at least the received determined probable utilization states.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the attribute comprises at least one of location, environmental conditions, available amenities, decor, electrical consumption or combinations thereof.

32. The system of claim 18 wherein the contextualization processor is further operative to aggregate the received determined probable utilization states with previously received determined probable utilization states and contextualize at least the received determined probable utilization states based on the aggregation.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the previously collected determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space different from the first physical space.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the previously received determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space operated by an entity different than that which is associated with the first physical space.

35. A system for facilitating management of occupancy of a first physical space, the first physical space comprising a plurality of physical elements typically utilized by one occupant at a time, the system comprising:

means for receiving at least a portion of a plurality of probable utilization states, each of the plurality of probable utilization states having been determined over a first period of time for an associated one of the plurality of physical elements based only on a plurality of magnitude values each representative of a magnitude of movement of the physical element during a discrete portion of the first period of time, the probable utilization state indicative of a likelihood that at least one occupant is utilizing the associated physical element and therefore occupying at least a portion of the first physical space during the first period of time;

means for evaluating at least a portion of the received portion of determined probable utilization states to determine a number of occupants occupying at least a portion of the physical space; and

means for contextualizing the determined number of occupants to facilitate management of the occupancy of the first physical space.