System for indicating the status of a hotel or similar room

• US 6,236,303 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Axxess Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Axxess Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Wagner, Joerg Cornelius, Huber, Joseph Karl Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Sihong
• Application Number:
  US09/330,979
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.08, 340/541, 340/540, 340/815.47, 340/815.45, 340/300, 340/330, 340/332
• US Class Current: 340/286.08
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources

Abstract

A system is described which replaces conventional “do not disturb” and “maid service” or “housekeeping” signs in hotel guestrooms. The system comprises means for allowing a hotel guest to choose, from within the hotel room, a message to convey to hotel staff and others such as “do not disturb”. The message is expressed by indicators housed within assemblies located outside of the hotel room, which are visible to passers-by. The system may also convey such messages to a more remote location such as a housekeeping office and the switch may be activated remotely.

Claims

1. In a multiple-room building, where a plurality of rooms are each connected by a doorway to a common corridor, a system for indicating the status of one of said rooms comprising selecting means allowing an occupant of said one of said rooms to select a message to be conveyed to a recipient in said common corridor, said selecting means accessible to the occupant within the interior of said one of said rooms, and indicating means electrically connected to said selecting means for indicating the message selected by the occupant to the recipient when said message is selected, said indicating means viewable by the recipient from said common corridor;

wherein said selecting means comprises a switch assembly mounted within said one of said rooms, said switch assembly comprising a switch switchable between an “

off”

position and a plurality of “

on”

positions, each one of said switch “

on”

positions representing said occupant'"'"'s selection of a particular pre-determined message, said switch assembly comprising means for indicating to said occupant the massage associated with each “

on”

position; and

wherein said indicating means comprises an indicating assembly mounted in said common corridor, said indicating assembly comprising a plurality of message indicators, each one of said message indicators corresponding to a particular one of said switch “

on”

positions such that when a switch “

on”

position is selected by said occupant, a corresponding message indicator indicates the predetermined message intended to be conveyed by the occupant to a recipient.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch assembly is mounted to an interior wall of said room.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicating assembly is mounted to a wall of said corridor adjacent the doorway of said one of said rooms.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch is switchable between a first “

off”

position, a first “

on”

position representing the message that the occupant does not wish to be disturbed, and a second “

on”

position representing the message that the occupant wishes to have the said one of said rooms cleaned or made up.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said switch is switchable to a position indicating that the guest requires immediate assistance.

6. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said switch is switchable to a position indicating that the room is available for occupancy.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said switch assembly means for indicating to said occupant the message associated with each “

on”

position comprises a textual or symbolic representation of the message associated with each of said switch positions.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said message indicators comprises a red light in association with one of said “

on”

positions and wherein another of said message indicators comprises a green light in association with another of said “

on”

positions.

9. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said indicating assembly further comprises a textual or symbolic representation of the message associated with each of said message indicators.

10. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said system is powered by batteries.

11. A system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said system is wired into the electrical system of a hotel.

12. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said multiple-room building comprises a hotel or motel and said occupant is a hotel or motel guest.

13. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicating means may be actuated remotely.

14. A system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor.

15. A system as claimed in claim 14 further comprising a security/alarm feature comprising:

a) means for detecting unauthorized entry of a person into said room;

b) means for activating and de-activating a security/alarm feature;

c) timing means; and

d) means for signalling an alarm condition when said feature is activated, an unauthorized entry into said room has been detected and said feature is not deactivated within a preset period of delay.

16. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means for de-activating comprises a password-controlled deactivation means.

17. A system as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means for signalling an alarm condition comprises means for communicating said alarm condition to a remote location.

18. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the message selected by said selection means is also conveyed to a location remote from said selection means and remote from said indicating means.

19. A system as claimed in claim 18 wherein said indicating means may also be actuated remotely.