Sound detection and alert system for a workspace

• US 9,805,581 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2016
• Issued: 10/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Steelcase Incorporated
• Inventors: Scheper, Robert, Warner, Matthew, Mead, Karl J., Kincaid, Brett, Heidmann, Kurt
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): ODUNUKWE, UBACHUKWU A
• Application Number:
  US15/099,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20160232775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 381 56, 381 58, 381 731, 340540, 340544, 340566, 340531, 3405731
• CPC Class Codes: G01H 3/10 Amplitude; Power
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 23/00 Alarms responsive to unspecified undesired or abnormal conditions
• 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 29/008 Visual indication of individual signal levels visual indication of stereophonic sound image H04S7/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image

Abstract

An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising at least a first sensor positioned one of within and proximate a workspace, the at least a first sensor sensing at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace and generating a signal indicating the at least one aspect, a communication device located within the workspace, the communication device configured to generate a signal perceivable within the workspace and a processor receiving signals from the at least a first sensor and linked to the communication device, the processor programmed to perform the steps of identifying when the at least one aspect exceeds a threshold value and driving the communication device to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value.

Claims

1. An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising:

a mobile communications device comprising a processor, a wireless communications device, an indicator device for generating at least one of a visual and an audible signal, and a sensor adapted to monitor an aspect of sound within the workspace, the processor being programmed to;

communicate with a wireless communication device corresponding, to the workspace to download a sound sensing application for the workspace, wherein the wireless communications device corresponding to the workspace uses signals from the wireless communication device in the mobile communications device to identify a location of the mobile communications device;

execute the sound sensing application to compare a value sensed by the sensor to a threshold value, wherein the threshold value for a selected workspace is communicated to the mobile communications device automatically through the wireless communications device corresponding to the workspace based on the location of the mobile communications device; and

activate the indicator device to indicate that the at least one aspect of sound exceeds the threshold value.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace is a volume of sound generated.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold value comprises a maximum threshold value, and wherein the application further defines a minimum threshold value.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the indicator device comprises a display screen on the mobile communications device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device further includes at least one illumination device that is illuminated to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications device in the mobile communications device communicates via a Bluetooth protocol.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to provide instructions indicating where to position the mobile communications device within the workspace.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to transmit a signal to the wireless communications device in the workspace when the threshold value is exceeded.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the workspace is defined at least in part by partition walls that separate the workspace from adjacent workspaces.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the workspace is a personal office space.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal office space includes at least one work surface for use by a space occupant and wherein the at least one communication device includes a visual communication device that is mounted adjacent the work surface for easy viewing by the space occupant at the work surface.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the workspace is a conference space.

19. The alert system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device comprises at least one of a smart phone, a laptop, and a pad type computing device.

13. An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising:

a workspace including at least one furniture artifact that encourages a space occupant to orient within the workspace to face a first direction, and a wireless communications system;

a portable computing device comprising a wireless transceiver for communicating with the wireless communications system in the workspace, an indicator device, a speaker, a microphone, and a processor programmed to selectively download and execute a sound sensing application for the workspace, the sound sensing application being executable to sense a volume of a user'"'"'s voice in the workspace, compare the volume to a threshold value, wherein the threshold value for a selected workspace is communicated to the portable computing device automatically through the wireless communications system in the workspace based on the location of the portable computing device, and to activate the indicator when the volume exceeds the threshold value.

14. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the furniture artifacts include at least one work surface having at least one edge for accommodating an occupant.

15. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the workspace comprises a telepresence space and the furniture artifact comprises a stand for the portable computing device.

16. The alert system of claim 15, wherein the telepresence space comprises an indicator, and the portable computing device transmits a signal to the wireless communications device in the workspace to activate the indicator when the volume exceeds the threshold.

17. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the portable computing device comprises at least one of a smart phone, a laptop, and a pad type computing device.

18. The alert system of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver.