METHOD FOR RECOGNITION OF AN OCCUPANCY SITUATION OF A FURNITURE, A DEVICE, A FURNITURE SYSTEM AND A RESERVATION SYSTEM

Abstract

A method for recognition of an occupancy situation of a furniture comprising monitoring a sensor signal which corresponds to a force effect on the furniture when the furniture is occupied and releasing the furniture and changing the state of the occupancy situation from Occupied to Released when the force effect is below a threshold during an entire predetermined period.

Claims

1. A method for recognition of an occupancy situation of a furniture, wherein the occupancy situation comprises the states Occupied and Released, comprising: monitoring a sensor signal which corresponds to a force effect on the furniture when the furniture is occupied; and releasing the furniture and changing the state of the occupancy situation from Occupied to Released when the force effect is below a threshold during an entire predetermined period.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the force effect is a force effect on a movable part of the furniture, or a force effect on a part of the furniture which is acted on by a user when the furniture is used.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor signal is a sensor signal that recognizes collisions of the movable part of the furniture with obstacles.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the furniture comprises at least one of a height-adjustable desk and a non-height-adjustable gastronomy table.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the occupancy situation comprises a further state Reserved, the method further comprising: starting the monitoring of the sensor signal when a current time is within a period in which the furniture is in the state Reserved.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising deactivating the monitoring of the sensor signal in periods in which no use of the furniture is scheduled.

7. A device for recognition of an occupancy situation of at least one furniture, wherein the furniture comprises a part on which a user acts when the furniture is used, the device comprising: a collision sensor that measures a force effect on the furniture when the furniture is occupied, wherein the device is configured to release the furniture and change a state of the occupancy situation from Occupied to Released when the force effect is below a threshold during an entire predetermined period.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein a power supply of the device is one of a battery and an accumulator.

9. A furniture system, comprising at least one furniture having at least one part which is acted on by a user when the furniture is used, and at least one collision sensor arranged in the force action chain between the at least one part and the residual furniture for detecting actions of the user, and a device according to claim 7.

10. The furniture system according to claim 9, wherein the power supply of the furniture system is one of a battery and an accumulator.

11. A Furniture system comprising: a plurality of furniture each having; at least one part which is acted on by a user when the furniture is used, and at least one collision sensor arranged in the force action chain between the at least one part and the residual furniture for detecting actions of the user, and a device according to claim 7.

12. A reservation system comprising the furniture system according to claim 9, wherein the reservation system is configured to indicate the occupancy situation of the at least one furniture to the user, and to receive reservations for a requested period.

13. The reservation system according to claim 12, further comprising a guide device configured to guide the user to a vacant furniture.

14. The reservation system according to claim 13, wherein the guide device comprises an optical indicator device or is configured to communicate with an augmented reality glasses.

15. The method according to claim 1, further including prohibiting the releasing of the furniture during pause times of an employee.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the prohibiting is not performed when a total pause time exceeds a threshold.

Description

[0047] As a further development, instead of or additionally to the guiding devices, the guide device can be configured to communicate with augmented reality glasses. Such glasses of the manufacturer Google® is for example known as Google Glass®. According to this further development, the guide device is configured to guide a user using such glasses the way to a vacant furniture. This happens by means of optical instructions which are provided to the user by the augmented reality function.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a method according to the invention in a first embodiment.

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a method according to the invention in a second embodiment.

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a method according to the invention in a third embodiment.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a height-adjustable desk according to the state of the art.

[0052] FIG. 5 shows a height-adjustable desk having a device according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0053] FIG. 6 shows two height-adjustable desks having one device according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0054] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a method according to the invention in a first embodiment.

[0055] This method is provided for recognizing an occupation situation of an adjustable furniture. This adjustable furniture can be, for example, a height-adjustable desk in an open-plan office. However, this method is not restricted to a height-adjustable desk in an open-plan office. Rather, the method can also be used for other adjustable and non-adjustable furniture.

[0056] The method according to the invention in the first embodiment starts at a starting point “Start B”. The starting point “Start B” is located within an area being arranged above in FIG. 1 and depicted in a dotted manner. This area describes an occupancy situation S corresponding to a state occupied B (S=B). In the subsequent step of the method, which is depicted by a rhombus, it is ascertained whether, at least in one case, a current force F_akt corresponding to a force effect on the furniture when the furniture is occupied is larger than a threshold force F_s determined beforehand.

[0057] For example, the period t corresponds to a period of 10 minutes and the threshold F_s determined before corresponds to a threshold of 5 Newton (which about corresponds to a weight force generated by a body with the mass of 0.5 kg). Starting from these exemplarily mentioned values, in this method step, it would be decided whether the current force F_akt is larger than the determined threshold F_s of 5 Newton at least in one case within the period of 10 minutes. If this condition is fulfilled, the method leads again to the starting point “Start B” without changing the occupancy situation S.

[0058] Preferably, the method leads again immediately to the starting point “Start B” as soon the current force F_akt is in one case larger than the determent threshold F_s in this step.

[0059] Preferably, the query within the rhombus (by which is ascertained whether a current force F_akt is larger than the threshold force F_s determined before at least in one case within a period t determined before) is not executed during pause times of an employee. Alternatively thereto, indeed, this query is preferably also executed during the pause times, however, independent from the current force F_akt, the occupation situation within these pause times is not changed to Released but remains at Occupied. Hereby, an employee can leave his desk in pause times and can return to the desk after the pause without the risk that the desk is occupied by another employee in the meantime.

[0060] Preferably, the employee has a predefined contingent of pause times per day for his individual disposal. This contingent can be, for example, 60 minutes. Preferably, the furniture has a further occupancy state “Pause” which corresponds to a sub-state of the occupancy state “Covered.” If an employee leaves his desk for, e.g., the lunchtime, he can set it to the occupancy situation Pause, whereby a release of the desk is prohibited. The setting of the occupancy situation Pause is possible repeatedly and as long as the contingent of pause time is consumed. For example, the employee can leave the desk for a lunchtime of 30 minutes as well as for two further pauses of 15 minutes (therefore, together the above-indicated contingent of 60 minutes) and can prohibit an automated release of the desk by the setting of the occupancy state Pause in this period. As soon the time contingent is consumed, preferably, the occupancy state Pause cannot be selected anymore.

[0061] According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the current force F_akt corresponds to a force corresponding to a force exertion onto a movable part of a furniture. For example, the current force F_akt corresponds to a force exertion onto the tabletop of a height-adjustable desk.

[0062] According to at least one embodiment of the invention, the current force F_akt is measured by means of sensors provided for detecting collisions of the movable part of the furniture with objects in the environment during the adjusting process. For example, the current force F_akt is measured by means of sensors provided for detecting collisions of a tabletop of a desk being height-adjustable in a motorized manner with objects in the environment during the adjusting process. Such a sensor is denoted as collision sensor.

[0063] Preferably, the current force F_akt in the starting point “Start B” is set to zero or reset. This is caused by the subsequently mentioned background. If a height-adjustable desk is not used, the collision sensor will anyway measure a current force F_akt larger than zero. This is because the weight of the tabletop including all of the objects being thereon bears down onto the collision sensor. Therefore, preferably, the scale of the current force F_akt is set to zero in the starting point “Start B”.

[0064] As soon as in the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention, it is decided that the current force F_akt is larger than the defined threshold F_s in one case, it is concluded therefrom that a user works at the height-adjustable desk.

[0065] Alternatively, in this method as well as in all subsequently described methods according to the invention, the current force F_akt is replaced by ΔF_akt, preferably by the magnitude of ΔF_akt. Hereby, changes of the force F_akt measured by the collision sensor are detected and serve as base for the decision for the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention. Therefore, it can be concluded that a user works at the height-adjustable desk also then when he removes an object from the tabletop and therefore releases the collision sensor.

[0066] In case that within the method step depicted in the rhombus, it is detected that, within the period t determined before, the current force F_akt has been larger than the threshold F_s determined before at no point of time, the method is terminated by the next method step “End” (endpoint). The endpoint lies within a dotted area illustrated below in the FIG. 1. This area describes an occupation situation S corresponding to a condition Released F (S=F).

[0067] FIG. 2 (second embodiment) shows a further development of the first embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0068] The second embodiment shows an extension of the first embodiment. The second embodiment shows a large dotted area. This area describes an occupancy situation S corresponding to a state Reserved R (S=R). The method illustrated within this area corresponds to the first embodiment of the method according to the invention known from FIG. 1 (optionally including the alternative and described above occupancy situation Pause). The area outside the large dotted area corresponds to an occupancy situation Released.

[0069] Above the area corresponding to the state Reserved R, the starting point (Start R) of the second embodiment is located. Starting from this starting point, it is checked whether the current point of time is within a period in which the height-adjustable desk is reserved. If the desk is reserved at the current point of time, the method known from FIG. 1 starts at the starting point “Start B”.

[0070] The state Occupied (S=B) and the state Released (S=F) from FIG. 1 are marked with the additional state R in FIG. 2 since this partial area of the method in the second embodiment is only executed when the state Reserved (S=R) is present. Thus, the state Occupied (S=B) also corresponds to the state Reserved (S=R), therefore, also to (S=R+B). Analogously, the state Released (S=F) also corresponds to the state Reserved (S=R), therefore, also (S=R+F).

[0071] By the second embodiment of the method, energy or current can be saved. Since the monitoring of the sensor signal (F_akt) of the collision sensor is only executed when the desk is also reserved at the current point of time. According to this embodiment, a user has to mandatorily reserve the writing desk when he wants to use it.

[0072] Alternatively to a mandatory reservation before the use, the state Reserved (and, therefore, Occupied) is automatically activated as soon as a vacant and not reserved desk is used by a user.

[0073] Preferably, starting from a release state, a use of a writing desk is detected by an operation of the height-adjusting function by the user. In case that, therefore, a desk is in the occupancy situation Released and a user operates a button provided for height adjustment on this desk, the desk is hereby preferably set into the state Reserved (and, thus, Occupied). Alternatively, another button, preferably also a fingerprint sensor, is provided on the writing desk.

[0074] The recognition if a writing desk is used starting from a release state can preferably also take place without the operation of a function by the user. Hereto, alternatively, also the sensor signal (F_akt) can be monitored and evaluated.

[0075] FIG. 3 (third embodiment) shows a further development of the second embodiment of the method according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0076] The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the endpoint of the second embodiment does not exist. In the third embodiment, the method is guided again to the starting point Start R instead of to the endpoint of the second embodiment.

[0077] FIG. 4 shows a height-adjustable desk according to the state-of-the-art. This desk serves as an example for a furniture 1, the occupancy situation of which is detected by the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention.

[0078] The writing desk comprises a tabletop 11 as well as height-adjustable table columns 13. In the force action chain between the tabletop 11 and the height-adjustable table columns 13, sensors 12 provided for detecting collisions of the tabletop 11 with obstacles during the height adjustment and stopping the height adjusting process upon such a collision immediately are arranged.

[0079] The method according to at least one embodiment of the invention preferably uses at least one sensor signal of the sensors 12 which corresponds to the sensor signal F_akt.

[0080] FIG. 5 shows the height-adjustable desk from FIG. 4, wherein a device 2 is connected to the desk. This device 2 is configured to execute the method according to at least one embodiment of the invention. The combination of the height-adjustable desk and the device 2 is denoted as furniture system.

[0081] According to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the device 2 is arranged separately from the desk. In a further embodiment (not shown here), the device 2 is integrated into the desk.

[0082] FIG. 6 shows several of the height-adjustable desks of FIG. 4, wherein these desks are respectively connected to the device 2, and the device 2 is configured to execute a method according to at least one embodiment of the invention for each of the desks.

[0083] A combination of several height-adjustable desks and one device 2 is also denoted as furniture system.

[0084] Furthermore, the device 2 is configured to also serve as a reservation system 3.

[0085] In the description of the figures, the inventive idea is exemplarily described by means of a height-adjustable desk. However, the described height-adjustable desk can be replaced arbitrarily by a general adjustable or non-adjustable furniture. Therefore, all features described by means of the height-adjustable desk are also disclosed generally for an adjustable or non-adjustable furniture.

[0086] Furthermore, the described height-adjustable desk can also be replaced by a working desk/a workbench (for example for assembly operations). Thus, all of the features which have been described by means of the height-adjustable desk are disclosed for a working desk/a workbench.

[0087] Furthermore, the invention can be deployed in an outstanding manner in libraries, for example, also in universities, in which the problem exists that few existing working places are reserved by students by storing writing tools and books although the writing desks are currently (and for several hours) not used.

[0088] Furthermore, the power supply of the device 2 and/or of the furniture 1 can take place by means of battery or accumulated technique.