STANDALONE CAPACITANCE SENSOR FOR FURNITURE

• US 20160084487A1
• Filed: 12/01/2015
• Published: 03/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Chacon, Ryan Edward, Madadi, Avinash, Rohr, William Robert, Turner, Jason B., Browning, Caleb
• Granted Patent: US 10,197,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 20/041 by electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 21/00 Attachments for beds, e.g. sheet holders, bed-cover holders bed tables supported on the bedstead A47B23/02; for children's beds A47D7/00, A47D15/00; Ventilating, cooling or heating means in connection with bedsteads or mattresses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0485 the sensor sensing the physical interaction between a user and certain areas located on the lighting device, e.g. a touch sensor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/301 for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96078 Sensor being a wire or a strip, e.g. used in automobile door handles or bumpers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

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.

Claims

1. A standalone capacitance detection device for integration with a furniture item, the device 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 associated with the first capacitance indication;

communicates the first lighting command to the one or more light sources;

receives a second capacitance indication from the capacitance detection sensor;

generates a second lighting command associated with the second capacitance indication; and

communicates the second lighting command to the one or more light sources.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising a manual control device for receiving a plurality of commands for controlling the device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the capacitance detection sensor comprises a capacitance detection pad having a size and a shape suitable for integration with a plurality of types of furniture items.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to automatically calibrate by measuring a baseline electric field and setting an occupancy threshold.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the control component is configured to control the one or more light sources using pulse-width modulation, such that power is intermittently provided to the one or more light sources at a plurality of on intervals.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the control component is configured to control the capacitance detection sensor, such that capacitance is measured during a light-off phase at the one or more light sources.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first capacitance indication corresponds to a capacitance measurement that indicates that occupancy has been detected and the second capacitance indication corresponds to a measurement that indicates that occupancy has not been detected.

8. A method for determining occupancy of a furniture item based on capacitive detection, the method comprising

receiving, by a standalone capacitance detection device, a first indication of an occupancy state, wherein the first indication of an occupancy state corresponds to a first change in capacitance detected by the standalone capacitance detection device;

receiving, by the standalone capacitance detection device, a second indication of an occupancy state, wherein the second indication of an occupancy state corresponds to a second change in capacitance detected by the standalone capacitance detection device; and

determining, by the standalone capacitance detection device, at least one response to the second indication of an occupancy state, wherein the at least one response comprises change a lighting state of at least one light source associated with the standalone capacitance detection device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one response comprises changing a lighting state of one or more light sources from a first state to a second state based on the received second indication of an occupancy state.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second state corresponds to at least one light source of the one or more light sources being on.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more light sources are powered by pulse-width modulation, such that power is intermittently provided to the one or more light sources at a plurality of on intervals.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising, when the standalone capacitance detection device is in the second state, receiving a third indication of an occupancy state, wherein the third indication of occupancy corresponds to a third change in capacitance detected by the standalone capacitance detection device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the third change in capacitance is measured during a light-off phase at the one or more light sources.

14. An occupancy monitoring system for monitoring use of furniture items based on capacitance detection, the system comprising:

at least one standalone capacitance detection device configured to couple to at least one furniture item and at least one occupancy monitoring service, the at least one standalone capacitance detection device comprising;

a capacitance sensing component for sensing capacitance data with respect to the at least one furniture item; and

a control component configured to receive and communicate the capacitance data,

wherein the occupancy monitoring service comprises;

a capacitance data receiving component for receiving the capacitance data; and

an occupancy inference engine for determining occupancy data associated with the at least one furniture item based on the capacitance data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the occupancy monitoring service is configured to receive capacitance data from a plurality of standalone capacitance detection devices.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the occupancy data associated with the at least one furniture item comprises one or more of a frequency of use and a duration of use.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the occupancy monitoring system further comprises a notification engine configured to generate one or more notifications associated with the at least one furniture item based on a predetermined threshold, the predetermined threshold corresponding to one or more of the frequency of use and the duration of use associated with the at least one furniture item.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the control component is communicatively coupled to at least one furniture accessory.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one furniture accessory is powered by pulse-width modulation, such that power is intermittently provided to the at least one furniture accessory at a plurality of on intervals.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein a change in capacitance is measured during a light-off phase at the at least one furniture accessory.