Environment optimization for space based on presence and activities

• US 9,642,219 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2016
• Issued: 05/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

Abstract

A method for facilitating space experiences for at least a first space user and for at least first and second different spaces, the method comprising the steps of storing first and second space experience specifications for the first and second different spaces, respectively, wherein the first and second space experience specifications indicate space affordance settings for the first and second spaces, respectively, sensing a trigger event associated with at least one of the first and second different spaces, where the sensed trigger event is associated with the first space, using the first space experience specification to control the first space affordances and where the sensed trigger event is associated with the second space, using the second space experience specification to control the second space affordances.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating at least first and second different activities within a first space that includes a first set of environmental control affordances including at least a first subset of lighting devices, the method comprising the steps of:

monitoring for triggers associated with a sensor in a personal portable device within the first space;

when a trigger occurs;

(i) determining an experience specification corresponding to the trigger;

(ii) adjusting an environmental control affordance corresponding to the trigger.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of changing a sequence of the series of environments as consecutive triggers occur.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or an elevation detector, and the trigger comprises a signal that an elevation of the personal device has changed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises a lighting condition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal portable device is operable to present a space experience effect, and further comprising the step of presenting the space experience effect on the personal portable device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of presenting the space experience comprises presenting a sound track to the user.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of associating the personal device with the first space.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a beam from the portable personal device and that is useable with the access points to triangulate the location of the user device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting a beacon from the portable personal device that is useable with the access points to proximate a space within an area.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of associating each of the first and second activities with at least one environmental control affordance.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of determining which of the first and second activities to facilitate.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of associating each of the first and second activities with a plurality of environmental control affordance devices.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of environmental control affordances comprise a series of environmental control affordance devices.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises at least one of a sound device, a temperature control device and an air circulation control device.

25. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of identifying a user and adjusting the environmental control affordance based on the identity of the user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises sensing biometric information.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises acquiring images and identifying a facial feature.

28. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an instruction to a user to connect the portable device.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a password entry process to the user on the portable device.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting an environmental control affordance comprises the step of changing at least one of a color of at least one of the first subset of lighting devices and an intensity of at least one of the first subset of lighting devices.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises sensing an RFID.

32. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance condition comprises at least one of flashing, pulsating, or flickering of at least one of the first subset of lighting devices.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the experience specification comprises at least one of an invite stage, a welcome stage, an activity stage, and an emergence stage and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance condition correlates with the at least one stage.

34. The method of claim 1, wherein the first space comprises at least one illuminated wall panel, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance condition comprises adjusting an illumination of the illuminated wall panel.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the first space comprises a dynamic glass wall panel, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance comprises adjusting a transparency of the dynamic glass.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the first space comprises a wall panel with electronically controlled tinting, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance comprises adjusting a tint of the a wall panel with electronically controlled tinting.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises an air circulation control device, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance comprises circulating cool air.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises an audio device, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance comprises playing at least one of a white noise sound track, a nature sound track, and a scene sound track.

39. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises a temperature control, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance comprises at least one of heating and cooling.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises at least one of a sound device, a temperature control device and an air circulation control device, and wherein the step of adjusting an environmental affordance.

41. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of adjusting the environmental control affordance comprises adjusting a lighting condition and an audio condition.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the step of adjusting the environmental control affordance comprises adjusting at least one of a temperature condition and an air circulation condition.

10. A system for facilitating at least first and second different activities within a space, the system comprising:

a first set of environmental control affordances including at least a first subset of lighting devices;

a wireless access device;

a processor linked to the first set of environmental control affordances and to the wireless access device, the processor programmed to perform the steps of;

monitoring the wireless access device to identify transmissions from a portable personal device with a wireless transceiver proximate the space, the portable personal device having at least one sensor operable to produce trigger signals;

monitoring communications from the portable personal device for trigger signals associated with the space;

when a trigger occurs;

(i) determining which of the first and second activities to facilitate;

(ii) when the first activity is to be facilitated, controlling the environmental control affordances to present a first series of environments associated with the first activity; and

(iii) when the second activity is to be facilitated, controlling the environmental control affordances to present a second series of environments associated with the second activity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor is further programmed to facilitate environments in a sequence that changes as consecutive triggers occur.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or an elevation detector.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the trigger comprises a signal indicating that an elevation of the personal device has changed.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the environmental control affordance comprises a lighting condition.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal portable device is further operable to present a space experience effect.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable device comprises at least one of a speaker and an earphone jack.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal device comprises at least one of a microphone, a speaker, and a control device for scheduling space use that operates for the space.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the personal device comprises a user identifying device enabling the system server to establish the identify of a system user in a space.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable personal device transmits a beacon useable with the access points to triangulate the location of at least one of the user device and a space within the area.

43. The system of claim 10, wherein the environmental control affordance further comprises at least one of a sound device, a temperature control device and an air circulation control device.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor is further programmed to control the environmental control affordance to play at least one of a white noise sound track, a nature sound track, and a scene sound track.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the processor is further programmed to control the environmental control affordance to adjust at least one of a temperature and an air circulation condition.