Intelligent door plate and chime

• US 7,053,757 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inncom Intl Inc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Inncom Intl Inc (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Buckingham, Duane W., Oliver, David G., Quirino, Richard N.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/029,057
• Publication Number:
  US 20020149492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.08, 340/332, 340/540, 340/541, 340/300, 340/330, 340/815.4, 340/815.47, 340/686.1, 340/328, 340/691.1, 340/691.6, 340/326, 235/380, 235/381, 235/382, 235/383
• US Class Current: 340/328
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission

Abstract

A system in operable communication with a doorbell chime for audio annunciation of a visitor to an occupant of a room in a multiple room building, the system configured to indicate a status of the room to the visitor or occupant, the system comprising: a switch assembly configured to convey a message outside of the room; the switch assembly operable from inside the room; an indicating assembly in operable communication with the switch assembly, the indicating assembly configured to indicate the message when the message is selected, the message viewable from inside and outside of the room; and a doorbell button in operable communication with the doorbell chime, the doorbell button operably connected with the indicating assembly and operable from outside of the room by the visitor.

Claims

1. A system for indicating a status of a minibar in a room, in a multiple room building, comprising:

an interface assembly configured to convey a minibar access condition to outside of the room;

a minibar door switch configured to detect an open minibar door indicative of said minibar access condition, said minibar door switch in operable communication with said interface assembly;

an indicator in operable communication with said interface assembly, said indicator configured for indicating, in response to a request, said minibar access condition, said indicator further configured for indicating outside of the room; and

a first switch configured to be actuated from outside of the room for generating said request.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first switch comprises a discreet switch.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator is mounted to an interior wall of the room.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprises:

a second switch in operable communication with said interface assembly and configured to be actuated from inside the room for selecting at least one message; and

wherein said indicator is configured to indicate said at least one message when said at least one message is selected.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator and said first switch are mounted to an exterior wall adjacent a doorway of the room.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said at least one message includes a first message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed and a second message that the occupant wishes to have the room cleaned or made up.

7. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second switch includes a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

8. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein said indicator comprises a light.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein said indicator further comprises a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator and said first switch are mounted to an exterior wall adjacent a doorway of the room.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system is powered by one of wiring into the electrical system of the building and wiring to a centrally controlled system.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the multiple room building comprises a hotel or motel and an occupant is a hotel or motel guest.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said indicator is receptive to actuation remotely.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a microprocessor in operable communication with said interface assembly.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said microprocessor is associated with said interface assembly.

16. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein said microprocessor is disposed in a centrally controlled system disposed in the room, said centrally controlled system is in communication with said interface assembly.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 further comprising:

an infra-red communication device associated with each of said interface assembly and said centrally controlled system for communication of signals therebetween.

18. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first switch comprises a magnetic switch, said magnetic switch actuated with a magnet.

19. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said minibar access condition is also conveyed to a location remote from said interface assembly and remote from said indicator.

20. A system for indicating an occupancy condition of a room, in a multiple room building, comprising:

an interface assembly configured to convey the occupancy condition of the room to outside of the room;

an entry door switch for detecting state of an entry door of the room, said entry door switch in operable communication with said interface assembly;

a passive infra-red device for detecting motion in the room, said passive infra-red device in operable communication with said interface assembly; and

an indicator in operable communication with said interface assembly, said indicator configured for indicating, outside of the room, said occupancy condition when both said entry door switch detects a closed state of the entry door and said passive infra-red device detects motion within a delay.

21. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said indicator comprises a discreet indicator.

22. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said indicator is mounted to an interior wall of the room.

23. The system as claimed in claim 20 further comprises:

a switch configured to be actuated from inside of the room for selecting a at least one message; and

wherein said indicator is configured to indicate said at least one message when said at least one message is selected.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said at least one message includes a first message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed and a second message that the occupant wishes to have the room cleaned or made up.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24 wherein said at least one message further included a third message that the room is available for occupancy.

26. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said switch includes a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

27. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein said indicator comprises a light.

28. The system as claimed in claim 27 wherein said indicator further comprises a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

29. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said indicator is mounted to an exterior wall adjacent a doorway of the room.

30. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said system is powered by one of wiring into the electrical system of the building and wiring to a centrally controlled system.

31. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the multiple room building comprises a hotel or motel and an occupant is a hotel or motel guest.

32. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said indicator is receptive to actuation remotely.

33. The system as claimed in claim 20 further comprising a microprocessor in operable communication with said interface assembly.

34. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said interface assembly includes a jumper for selecting said delay from a plurality of preset delays.

35. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said microprocessor is disposed in said interface assembly.

36. The system as claimed in claim 33 wherein said microprocessor is disposed in a centrally controlled system disposed in the room, said centrally controlled system is in communication with said interface assembly.

37. The system as claimed in claim 36 further comprising:

an infra-red communication device associated with each of said interface assembly and said centrally controlled system for communication of signals therebetween.

38. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein said occupancy condition is also conveyed to a location remote from said interface assembly and remote from said indicator.

39. The system as claimed in claim 20 wherein:

said indicator further comprises indicating said occupancy condition in response to a request; and

said system further comprises a switch configured to be actuated from outside of the room for enerating said request.

40. The system as claimed in claim 39 wherein said switch comprises a magnetic switch, said magnetic switch actuated with a magnet.

41. A system for indicating a status of a room, in a multiple room building, comprising:

a first switch configured to be actuated from inside the room for selecting at least one message;

an indicator in operable communication with said first switch, said indicator configured for indicating, in response to a request, at least one of (1) said at least one message when said at least one message is selected and (2) at least one condition of the room, said indicator further configured for indicating outside of the room; and

a second switch configured to be actuated from outside of the room for generating said request.

42. The system as claimed in claim 41 further comprising:

a minibar door switch for detecting a condition of minibar access, wherein said at least one condition of the room includes said condition of minibar access.

43. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said first switch is incorporated with an electronic thermostat.

44. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said second switch comprises discreet switch.

45. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said first switch is mounted to an interior wall of the room.

46. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said indicator is mounted to an exterior wall adjacent a doorway of the room.

47. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said at least one message includes a first message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed and a second message that the occupant wishes to have the room cleaned or made up.

48. The system as claimed in claim 45 wherein said at least one message further includes a third message that the room is available for occupancy.

49. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said first switch includes a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

50. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said indicator comprises a light.

51. The system as claimed in claim 50 wherein said indicator further comprises a textual or symbolic representation of said at least one message associated therewith.

52. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said system is powered by one of wiring into the electrical system of the building and wiring to a centrally controlled system.

53. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein the multiple room building comprises a hotel or motel and an occupant is hotel or motel guest.

54. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said indicator is receptive to actuation remotely.

55. The system as claimed in claim 41 further comprising a microprocessor in operable communication with said first switch.

56. The system as claimed in claim 55 wherein said microprocessor is associated proximally with said first switch.

57. The system as claimed in claim 55 wherein said microprocessor is disposed in a centrally controlled system disposed in the room, said centrally controlled system is in communication with said first switch.

58. The system as claimed in claim 51 further comprising:

an infra-red communication device associated with each of said first switch and said centrally controlled system for communication of signals therebetween.

59. The system as claimed in claim 55 wherein said first switch is monitored and operated remotely.

60. The system claimed in claim 41 further comprising:

an entry door switch and a passive infra-red devices for detecting a condition of occupancy, wherein said at least one condition of the room includes said condition of occupancy.

61. The system as claimed in claim 60 further comprising a jumper for selecting a preset period of delay from a plurality of preset periods of delay, said preset period of delay is used to determine said condition of occupancy.

62. The system as claimed in claim 41 further comprising:

a minibar door switch for detecting a condition of minibar access, wherein said at least one condition of the room includes said condition of minibar access.

63. The system as claimed in claim 62 wherein said second switch is actuated in one manner to indicate a condition of occupancy and activated in 0another manner to indicate said condition of minibar access, said at least one said condition of the room includes said condition of occupancy.

64. The system as claimed in claim 63 wherein said one manner includes pushing said second switch once, while said another manner includes pushing said second switch twice.

65. The system as claimed in claim 63 wherein said one manner to indicate said condition of occupancy comprises a first number of blinks, and said other manner to indicate said condition of minibar access includes a second number of blinks.

66. The system as claimed in claim 63 wherein each of said one manner to indicate said condition of occupancy and said other manner to indicate said condition of minibar access is indicated by a do not disturb legend flashing a number of times.

67. The system as claimed in claim 66 wherein said do not disturb legend flashes red.

68. The system as claimed in claim 63 wherein each of said one manner to indicate said condition of minibar access and said other manner to indicate said condition of occupancy is indicated by a make-up-room LED flashing a number of times.

69. The system as claimed in claim 68 wherein said make-up-room LED flashes green.

70. The system as claimed in claim 41 wherein said at least one message selected by said first switch is communicated to a location remote from said first switch and remote from said indicator.

71. The system as claimed in claim 41, further comprising:

a doorbell chime for audio annunciation of a visitor to an occupant of the room, said doorbell chime disposed at said switch assembly; and

a doorbell button in operable communication with said doorbell chime, said doorbell button operably connected with said indicator and operable from outside of the room by the visitor.

72. The system as claimed in claim 71 wherein said at least one message comprises a message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed, said doorbell chime being configured to be muted when said message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed is selected.

73. The system as claimed in claim 71 wherein said at least one message comprises a message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed, wherein all incoming telephone calls to the room are routed to voicemail when said message that an occupant does not wish to be disturbed is selected.