SMART CEILING AND FLOOR TILES

• US 20180313558A1
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Published: 11/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Byers, Charles Calvin, Salgueiro, Gonzalo, Clarke, Joseph Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/499,758
• Publication Number:
  US 20180313558A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/006 with means for hanging lighting fixtures or other appliances to the framework of the ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/02 having means for ventilation or vapour discharge
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/04 comprising slabs, panels, sheets or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 9/0421 comprising ducts
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/0001 for ventilation F24F11/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/89 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/0272 Modules for easy installation or transport
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 13/068 formed as perforated walls, ceilings or floors F24F13/078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/00 Measuring force or stress, in general measuring force due to impact G01L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1934 each space being provided with one sensor acting on one or more control means
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/406 microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/021 Transducers or their casings adapted for mounting in or to a wall or ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/12 by detecting audible sound
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/125 by using cameras
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

In one embodiment, a ceiling tile, configured to be positioned above a given area, comprises a plurality of sensors and a plurality actuators embedded within the ceiling tile, each sensor configured to sense a corresponding feature of the area, and each actuator configured to modify a corresponding feature of the area. The plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators are configured to interact with a controlling device that controls a plurality of ceiling tiles for the area. In another embodiment, one or more floor tiles with one or more sensors (e.g., and actuators) may also be located within the area, and the controlling device further controls the floor tiles, accordingly.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a ceiling tile configured to be positioned above a given area;

a plurality of sensors embedded within the ceiling tile, each sensor configured to sense a corresponding feature of the area;

a plurality actuators embedded within the ceiling tile, each actuator configured to modify a corresponding feature of the area; and

an air mixing box integrated in the ceiling tile,

wherein the plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators are configured to interact with a controlling device that controls a plurality of ceiling tiles for the area and a plurality of floor tiles, wherein the controlling device is a fog device.

2. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the controlling device further controls one or more floor tiles for the area.

3. The apparatus as in claim 2, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors or one or more of the plurality of actuators of the ceiling tile are operatively coupled to one or more sensors or actuators of a particular floor tile for the area that is below the ceiling tile.

4. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors and one or more of the plurality of actuators are operatively coupled.

5. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensors or one or more of the plurality of actuators are operatively coupled to one or more sensors or actuators of an adjacent ceiling tile of the plurality of ceiling tiles controlled by the controlling device.

6. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the features of the area are selected from a group consisting of:

light level;

air flow rate;

air temperature;

air composition;

humidity;

security status;

sound quality;

sound level;

occupancy;

video imagery; and

wireless networking.

7. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from a group consisting of:

light sensors;

air flow meters;

temperature sensors;

air quality meters;

hygrometers;

cameras;

sound meters;

microphones;

motion detectors; and

wireless access antennas.

8. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the actuators are selected from a group consisting of:

light emitters;

air vents;

agent release vents;

projectors;

alarms;

speakers; and

wireless transmitters.

9. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the controlling device is operatively coupled to one or more of a lighting system, a heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) system, a security system, a visual projection system, an audio system, an electrical system, a building safety system, and a data access network.

10. The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the ceiling tile has a total device density for the plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators that is greater than one device per square foot.

11. A system, comprising:

a plurality of ceiling tiles configured to be positioned above a given area, wherein each ceiling tile includes an integrated air mixing box;

one or more floor tiles configured to interact in conjunction with the plurality of ceiling tiles, wherein the plurality of floor tiles are porous;

a plurality of sensors embedded within each of the plurality of ceiling tiles and each of the floor tiles, each sensor configured to sense a corresponding feature of the area;

a plurality actuators embedded within each of one or more of the plurality of ceiling tiles, each actuator configured to modify a corresponding feature of the area; and

a fog device configured to interact with the plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators within the plurality of ceiling tiles and the plurality of floor tiles for the area.

13. The system as in claim 11, wherein a particular ceiling tile of the plurality of ceiling tiles is operatively coupled to a particular floor tile of the one or more floor tiles that is below the particular ceiling tile.

14. The system as in claim 11, wherein the one or more sensors of the one or more floor tiles are selected from a group consisting of:

air flow sensors;

air quality meters;

hygrometers;

pressure sensors;

motion detectors;

spill detectors; and

light sensors.

15. The system as in claim 11, wherein the floor tile is configured to permit air flow therethrough.

16. The system as in claim 11, wherein a first of the plurality of ceiling tiles is operatively coupled to a second of the plurality of ceiling tiles.

17. The system as in claim 11, wherein the features of the area are selected from a group consisting of:

light level;

air flow rate;

air temperature;

air composition;

humidity;

security status;

sound quality;

sound level;

occupancy; and

wireless networking.

18. The system as in claim 11, wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from a group consisting of:

light sensors;

air flow meters;

temperature sensors;

air quality meters;

hygrometers;

cameras;

sound meters;

microphones;

motion detectors; and

wireless access antennas.

19. The system as in claim 11, wherein the actuators are selected from a group consisting of:

light emitters;

air vents;

agent release vents;

projectors;

alarms;

speakers; and

wireless transmitters.

12. (canceled)

20. A method, comprising:

positioning a plurality of ceiling tiles and floor tiles above and below a given area, wherein each ceiling tile includes an integrated air mixing box;

sensing, by a plurality of sensors embedded within each of the plurality of ceiling tiles and each of the plurality of floor tiles, a corresponding feature of the area;

modifying, by a plurality actuators embedded within each of one or more of the plurality of ceiling tiles, a corresponding feature of the area; and

controlling, by a fog device configured to interact with the plurality of sensors and plurality of actuators within the plurality of ceiling tiles and the plurality of floor tiles for the area, the sensing and modifying.