ROOM STATUS SYSTEM FOR HOTELS

• US 3,797,009 A
• Filed: 11/05/1970
• Issued: 03/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cleveland B. Crudgington Jr
• Original Assignee: Cleveland B. Crudgington Jr
• Inventors: Crudgington, Cleveland B. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pitts, Harold I.
• Application Number:
  US05/087,248
• Time in Patent Office: 1,223 Days
• Field of Search: 340/280,286,332
• US Class Current: 340/286.08
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A closed signaling system which enables the status of a plurality of rooms in a hotel, motel or motor inn, to be quickly ascertained as to occupancy or service condition from a central station. The system comprises a clerk'"'"''"'"'s console at the front desk which is electrically connected to a panel at the cashier'"'"''"'"'s station and to either a housekeeper'"'"''"'"'s panel or to separate room or floor panels. At the clerk'"'"''"'"'s station, cashier'"'"''"'"'s station, floor panels, or housekeeper'"'"''"'"'s station, rooms are represented on the panels by button-lights incorporating a switch. Each button-light utilizes an ionizing gas glow lamp, such as a neon lamp, that is connected to its own voltage divider circuit, controlling the onoff condition of the bulb. These circuits are interconnected at the various stations in the system so that the light for one room at one station can be controlled by actuation of a switch for the same room at another station. Variations in room panels provide for signaling in different ways to indicate either inspection or occupancy status as well as a maid locator function.

Claims

1. A signalling system for an institution having a central station and a plurality of locations remote from said central station comprising:

a central panel means at said central station including a first and second switch means and a first and second visual indicator means for each said remote location, and a power source;

a remote panel means located away from said center station including a third switch means and a third visual means for each said remote reporting locations;

energized by said central power source;

said signalling system being adapted to report and direct the status at the respective stations in a predetermined sequential order; and

each of said first, second and third visual indicator means comprising an ionizing gas glow lamp and a control circuit with switch;

whereby momentary activation of said first switch means momentarily reduces applied voltage at said first lamp to a level below minimum voltage necessary for continued ionization, as well as momentarily increasing applied voltage at said second lamp to a level above the minimum voltage necessary for initial ionization;

momentary activation of said second switch means momentarily reduces applied voltage at said second lamp to a level below minimum voltage necessary for continued ionization, as well as momentarily increasing applied voltage at said third lamp to a level above the miminum voltage necessary for initial ionization;

momentary activation of said third switch means momentarily reduces applied voltage at said third lamp to a level below minimum voltage necessary for continued ionization, as well as momentarily increasing applied voltage at said first lamp to a level above the minimum voltage necessary for initial ionization.

2. A sequential signalling system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control circuit means for each said visual indicator applies a voltage to said gas glow lamp at a level above the minimum voltage necessary for continued ionization and below the minimum voltage necessary for initial ionization;

wherein the aforesaid condition prevails during inactivation of said switch means;

whereby said gas glow lamp will remain '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'off'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' or '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'on'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' dependent upon the previous activation of said switch means.

3. The system as described in claim 2 wherein all of the visual indicators for all of the panels comprise indicating lamps;

where the highest operating voltage for any said indicating lamp is below the lowest turn-on voltage for any other said indicating lamp.

4. The system as described in claim 3 wherein said control circuit means for each visual indicator-switch means comprises a voltage divider circuit including a first resistor in parallel with said gas glow lamp and a second resistor in series with said lamp;

said associated controllable switch means at the remote location being connected to remove said first resistor electrically from the circuit and thereby increase the voltage at said lamp above the initial ionization level while the controllable switch means is being actuated.

5. A signalling system as set forth in claim 4 with additional panel means including visual indicator means to duplicate information displayed by said first, second or third indicator means, or a combination thereof;

and each said additional visual indicator means is connected in parallel to first, second or third visual indicator means and comprises a voltage divider circuit including a first resistor in parallel with said additional gas glow lamp and a second resistor in series with said additional lamp; and

each said first resistor of all said paralleled lamps includes a current rectifying device for preventing reverse current flow, thereby insuring that all said parallel lamps representative of a particular reporting station will light when their respective control circuits are uniformly actuated by the activation of a particular switch means.

6. A signalling system as set forth in claim 5 wherEin each of said third visual indicator means, said control circuit means, and said third switch means is located at a different remote panel;

each of said remote panels disposed at locations remote from one another.