Occupancy analysis

• US 8,577,711 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Millerknoll Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Korecki, Steven A., Beck, Robert L., Gifford, Gary, Ellerthorpe, Robin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hewitt, II, Calvin L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Qayyum, Zeshan
• Application Number:
  US12/011,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20090193217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7- 10, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/7.15
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

The disclosed embodiments relate to transparent and/or non-disruptive systems and methods for monitoring and analyzing actual space utilization, and in particular, analyzing space utilization over time and/or in real time to accurately understand and report the utilization of the space. In particular, the disclosed embodiments analyze data representative of occupancy of the space, the data being autonomously determined based on the likelihood that occupants are present within the space. The data is periodically determined and automatically reported to an automated collection system which collects the data and forwards it to a central repository for analysis. The data is then analyzed to provide meaningful reports regarding occupancy of the space or otherwise contextualize the utilization of the space. Further, the data collected from different spaces may be anonymized, aggregated, or otherwise combined, and analyzed to contextualize a given space'"'"'s utilization, provide utilization forecasts, etc.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating management of occupancy of a first physical space, the first physical space comprising a plurality of physical elements, wherein each of the physical elements is attached to one or more sensors, the method comprising:

generating data by monitoring at least one of the plurality of physical elements over a first period of time by at least one of the one or more sensors;

determining, based on the generated data, a portion of probable utilization states by the at least one of the one or more sensors;

transmitting the portion of probable utilization states of the first physical space from the at least one of the one or more sensors to an evaluation processor;

determining, by the evaluation processor, that an additional portion of probable utilization states were not received based on a reporting interval of the at least one of the one or more sensors;

determining, by the evaluation processor, the additional portion of probable utilization states by extrapolation;

determining, by the evaluation processor, a plurality of probable utilization states of the first physical space over the first period of time based on the received portion of probable utilization states and the determined additional portion;

determining, by the evaluation processor, a number of occupants occupying at least a portion of the first physical space by evaluating at least a portion of the determined probable utilization states and determining whether movement of the at least one of the plurality of physical elements was caused by an occupant or was due to some other cause by combining sensor data with additional occupancy data inputs or by comparing a plurality of sequential utilization states of the determined probable utilization states for the at least one of the plurality of physical elements;

contextualizing, by a contextualization processor, the determined number of occupants of the first physical space by correlating the determined number of occupants to at least one of;

an attribute of the first physical space, a temporal event, or a non-temporal event; and

generating and displaying a report from the contextualized determined number of occupants.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a seat, wherein a probable utilization state of the seat is indicative of whether an occupant is occupying the seat.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a work surface, wherein a probable utilization state of the work surface is indicative of whether an occupant is working at the work surface.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises correlating occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one event based on the determined probable utilization states.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises correlating occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one attribute thereof based on the determined probable utilization states.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the attribute comprises at least one of location, environmental conditions, available amenities, decor, electrical consumption, or combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the contextualizing further comprises aggregating the determined probable utilization states with previously determined probable utilization states and contextualizing the determined probable utilization states based on the aggregation.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the previously determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space different from the first physical space.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the previously determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space operated by an entity different than that which is associated with the first physical space.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a chair, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors comprises an accelerometer attached to the chair and configured to determine a change in velocity of the chair as a function of time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of generating data by monitoring at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises:

measuring a magnitude of movement of a physical element of the plurality of physical elements within the physical space by a sensor of the one or more sensors that is physically attached to the physical element; and

determining a probable utilization state for the physical element based on a plurality of magnitude values representative of the measured magnitude of movement of the physical element.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising measuring a direction of movement of the physical element by the sensor physically attached to the physical element, and wherein determining the portion of the probable utilization states comprises determining a probable utilization state based on the plurality of magnitude values and a plurality of direction of movement values representative of the measured direction of movement of the physical element.

13. A system for facilitating management of occupancy of a first physical space, the first physical space comprising a plurality of physical elements, the system comprising:

one or more sensors attached to each of the physical elements;

each of the one or more sensors comprising;

a sensor processor;

a sensor memory connected to said sensor processor;

cause the sensor processor to perform the steps of;

generating data by monitoring at least one of the plurality of physical elements over a first period of time; and

determining, based on the generated data, a portion of probable utilization states;

and a server comprising;

a processor;

a memory connected to said processor;

the memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

receiving the portion of portable utilization states of the first physical space from the at least one of the one or more sensors;

determining that an additional portion of probable utilization states were not received based on a reporting interval of at least one of the one or more sensors;

determining the additional portion of probable utilization states by extrapolation;

determining a plurality of probable utilization states of the first physical space over the first period of time based on the received portion of probable utilization states and the determined additional portion;

determining a number of occupants occupying at least a portion of the first physical space by evaluating at least a portion of the determined probable utilization states and determining whether movement of the at least one of the plurality of physical elements was caused by an occupant or was due to some other cause by combining sensor data with additional occupancy data inputs or by comparing a plurality of sequential utilization states of the determined probable utilization states for the at least one of the plurality of physical elements;

contextualizing the determined number of occupants of the first physical space by correlating the determined number of occupants to at least one of;

an attribute of the first physical space, a temporal event, or a non-temporal event; and

generating and displaying a report from the contextualized determined number of occupants.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a seat, wherein a probable utilization state of the seat is indicative of whether an occupant is occupying the seat.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a work surface, wherein a probable utilization state of the work surface is indicative of whether an occupant is working at the work surface.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the memory of the server stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to correlate occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one event based on the determined probable utilization states.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the memory of the server stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to correlate occupancy of at least a portion of the first physical space to at least one attribute thereof based on the determined probable utilization states.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the attribute comprises at least one of location, environmental conditions, available amenities, decor, electrical consumption, or combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein the memory of the server stores instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to aggregate the determined probable utilization states with previously determined probable utilization states and contextualize the determined probable utilization states based on the aggregation.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the previously determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space different from the first physical space.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the previously determined probable utilization states were received for a second physical space operated by an entity different than that which is associated with the first physical space.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein at least one of the plurality of physical elements comprises a chair, wherein at least one of the one or more sensors comprises an accelerometer attached to the chair and configured to determine a change in velocity of the chair as a function of time.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the sensor processor to measure a magnitude of movement of a physical element of the plurality of physical elements within the physical space, and wherein the sensor memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the sensor processor to determine a probable utilization state for the physical element based on a plurality of magnitude values representative of the measured magnitude of movement of the physical element.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the sensor memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the sensor processor to measure a direction of movement of the physical element, and wherein the sensor memory stores instructions that, when executed, cause the sensor processor to determine a probable utilization state based on the plurality of magnitude values and a plurality of direction of movement values representative of the measured direction of movement of the physical element.