Abstract:
Provided is a room management method. A room management method according to one aspect includes: receiving, by a central terminal, a service request of a room from a user terminal; analyzing, by the central terminal, the received service request to determine a manager terminal of a manager managing the room from which the service request has been received; and transmitting, by the central terminal, service request information to the determined manager terminal.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 and 35 U.S.C. 365 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0101042 (filed on Aug. 26, 2013), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Korean Patent Application Laid-open Publication No. 2013-0042849 discloses a hotel room management and control apparatus. 
         [0003]    The above-mentioned prior art document discloses that a hotel room is provided with a temperature controller for independently controlling a temperature. Furthermore, the prior art document discloses that a guest may make various requests using a touchpad in the room. 
         [0004]    However, although the prior art document discloses that a guest may request a service, the prior art document does not disclose a technology for effectively managing and processing the service request. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Embodiments provide a room management apparatus and method for rapidly processing a service request from a user by transferring the service request to a manager and for effectively managing a service processing history. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment, a room management method includes: receiving, by a central terminal, a service request of a room from a user terminal; analyzing, by the central terminal, the received service request to determine a manager terminal of a manager managing the room from which the service request has been received; and transmitting, by the central terminal, service request information to the determined manager terminal. 
         [0007]    The service request information may include a room number and a type of a requested service. 
         [0008]    The service request information may further include a service request time. 
         [0009]    The method may further include storing, by the central terminal, the service request information in a memory. 
         [0010]    The method may further include receiving, by the central terminal, a service request receipt completion notification from the manager terminal. 
         [0011]    The method may further include storing, by the central terminal, a time at which the service request receipt completion notification is received from the manager terminal in a memory. 
         [0012]    The method may further include notifying, by the central terminal, the user terminal of service request receipt completion. 
         [0013]    The method may further include display, by a display unit in the central terminal, one or more room information with service request reception notification information, wherein when the central terminal receives the service request receipt completion notification from the manager terminal, the service request reception notification information disappears from the one or more room information. 
         [0014]    The method may further include: receiving, by the central terminal, a service processing completion notification from the manager terminal; and notifying, by the central terminal, the user terminal of service processing completion. 
         [0015]    The method may further include: display, by a display unit in the central terminal, one or more room information with icon information for indicating the type of a receipt-completed service, wherein when the central terminal receives the service processing completion notification from the manager terminal, the icon information disappears from the one or more room information. 
         [0016]    The method may further include storing, by the central terminal, a time at which the service processing completion notification is received from the manager terminal. 
         [0017]    In another embodiment, a room management apparatus includes: a central terminal for communicating with a user terminal corresponding to a room and a manager terminal of a manager managing the room, wherein, when the central terminal receives a service request from the user terminal, the central terminal determines the manager terminal of the manager managing the room from which the service request has been received, and transmits push information for the service request to the determined manager terminal. 
         [0018]    The central terminal may receive a service request receipt completion notification from the manager terminal. 
         [0019]    The central terminal may notify the user terminal of service request receipt completion, upon receiving the service request receipt completion notification. 
         [0020]    The central terminal may notify the user terminal of service processing completion, upon receiving a service processing completion notification from the manager terminal. 
         [0021]    The push information may include a room number, a type of a requested service and a service request time. 
         [0022]    The central terminal may include a memory for storing a time at which information is received from the user terminal or the manager terminal. 
         [0023]    In further another embodiment, a room management apparatus includes: a central terminal configured to communicate with a user terminal corresponding to a room; and a plurality of manager terminals configured to communicate with the central terminal, wherein, when the central terminal receives a service request from the user terminal, the central terminal determines a manager terminal of a manager managing the room from which the service request has been received, and transmits push information for the service request to the determined manager terminal among the plurality of manager terminals. 
         [0024]    According to an embodiment, when the central terminal receives a service request from the user terminal, the central terminal pushes the service request to the manager terminal of a manager who manages a corresponding room, and receives a notice of service request receipt completion from the manager, so that the service request may be rapidly processed by the manger. 
         [0025]    Furthermore, when the central terminal receives a notice of service processing completion from the manager terminal, the notice of service processing completion is pushed to the user terminal, so that a user may easily check a result of processing the service request. 
         [0026]    The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a room management apparatus according to an embodiment. 
           [0028]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a room management method according to the embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on a display unit of a user terminal according to the embodiment. 
           [0030]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on a display unit of a manager terminal according to the embodiment. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a management screen displayed on a display unit of a central terminal according to the embodiment. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a room management apparatus according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
         [0034]    In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical structural, mechanical, electrical, and chemical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense. 
         [0035]    Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a room management apparatus according to the embodiment. 
         [0037]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , the room management apparatus according to the embodiment may manage rooms in a building, such as a hotel or a resort. 
         [0038]    The room management apparatus may include a central terminal  10  for overall management of rooms, such as room assignment, and a manager terminal  30  used by a room manager. 
         [0039]    The central terminal  10  may communicate with a user terminal  20  used by a user who stays in a room. The user terminal  20  may be a mobile terminal of the user, for example, a smartphone or a tablet. However, the type of the user terminal  20  is not limited, provided that the user terminal  20  is able to communicate with the central terminal  10 . 
         [0040]    In the case where the user terminal  20  is a mobile terminal, the user terminal  20  may wirelessly communicate with the central terminal  10  while a management application installed in the user terminal  20  is activated. 
         [0041]    The user terminal  20  may include a display unit  210 . While the management application is running, the display unit  210  may display room information. The display unit  210  will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. 
         [0042]    For another example, the user terminal  20  may be a room-dedicated terminal placed in a room. In this case, the user terminal  20  may communicate with the central terminal  10  wirelessly or by wire. Alternatively, the user terminal  20  may be a terminal provided by a company (e.g., a hotel) that operates rooms. 
         [0043]    In the present disclosure, the user terminal  20  may serve as a user interface, and the room may be additionally provided with a room controller (room terminal) for controlling various devices in the room. 
         [0044]    In the case where the user terminal  20  is a mobile terminal owned by the user, the room controller may include an input unit or a display unit for inputting a command or displaying information. 
         [0045]    The user terminal  20  may exist in each room, and the central terminal  10  may communicate with a plurality of user terminals  20 . 
         [0046]    The manager terminal  30  is used by a manager to manage rooms, and each of a plurality of managers may carry the manager terminal  30 . Thus, the central terminal  10  may communicate with a plurality of manager terminals  30 . 
         [0047]    The manager terminal  30  may include a display unit  310 . The display unit  310  may display information on a room managed by a manager who carries the manager terminal  30 . The display unit  310  will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. 
         [0048]    The central terminal  10  may include a controller  110 , a memory  120 , a communication unit  130  and a display unit  140 . The communication unit  130  may communicate with the user terminal  20  and the manager terminal  30 . For example, the communication unit  130  of a unitary type may enable communication with the user terminal  20  and the manager terminal  30 . For another example, the communication unit  130  may include a first communication unit for communicating with the user terminal  20  and a second communication unit for communicating with the manager terminal  30 . Furthermore, the central terminal  10  may communicate with a web server accessible by a user. 
         [0049]    The memory  120  may store various information related to room management. The memory  120  may store information received from the user terminal  20  and information received from the manager terminal  30 . Furthermore, the memory  120  may store information input through the display unit  140  or an additional input unit. 
         [0050]    The memory  120  may include manager information for each room. For example, the manager information for each room may include information on matching between a room and a manager who manages the room and information on the manager terminal  30  of each manager. 
         [0051]    The controller  110  may control the display unit  140  on the basis of the information received from the user terminal  20  and the manager terminal  30 . 
         [0052]    When a service request is received from the user terminal  20  corresponding to a specific room, the controller  110  may determine the manager terminal  30  of a manager of the specific room, and may generate push information to be transmitted to the determined manager terminal  30 . 
         [0053]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating a room management method according to the embodiment. 
         [0054]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the central terminal  10  may receive a service request from the user terminal  10  corresponding to a specific room (operation S 1 ). A service that may be requested may include an alarm service, a laundry service, a do-not-disturb service and a room cleaning service, but the service is not limited thereto. 
         [0055]    When the central terminal  20  receives the service request, the controller  110  analyzes a requested service (operation S 2 ). For example, the controller  110  determines a number of a room where the service request has been made, the type of the requested service and a service request time, and determines the manager terminal  30  of a manager who manages the room where the service request has been made. 
         [0056]    Furthermore, the controller  110  generates push information to be transmitted to the determined manager terminal  30 . The generated push information may include the room number and the type of the requested service. The generated push information may further include, if necessary, the service request time. 
         [0057]    In the case where the service request received from the user terminal  20  includes a desired service completion time, the controller  110  may additionally determine the desired service completion time from the received service request, and may add the desired service completion time to the push information. 
         [0058]    Next, the controller  110  controls the communication unit  130  so that the push information is transmitted to the determined manager terminal  30  (operation S 4 ) (service request push). Here, the memory  120  of the central terminal  10  may store a time at which the push information is transmitted to the manager terminal  30  and transmission history information. 
         [0059]    Then, the push information may be displayed on the display unit  310  of the manager terminal  30 . The manager terminal  30  may receive a confirmation completion command of the push information displayed on the display unit  310 . 
         [0060]    When the confirmation completion command of the push information is input to the manager terminal  30 , the manager terminal  30  notifies the central terminal  10  of service request receipt completion (operation S 5 ). Here, the memory  120  of the central terminal  10  may store a time at which the service request receipt completion is notified. 
         [0061]    A manager who carries the manager terminal  30  that has received the push information may process the requested service. 
         [0062]    When the manager completes the processing of the requested service, the manager terminal  30  may receive a service processing completion command. Then, the manager terminal  30  notifies the central terminal  10  of service processing completion. Here, the memory  120  of the central terminal  10  may store a time at which the service processing completion is notified. 
         [0063]    When the central terminal  10  is notified of the service processing completion, the controller  110  generates push information to be transmitted to the user terminal  20 , and controls the communication unit  130  so that the push information is transmitted to the user terminal  20  (operation S 7 ) (service completion push). 
         [0064]    Although it has been described that the central terminal  10  notifies the user terminal  20  of the service processing completion when the processing of the service is completed, the central terminal  10  may additionally notify the user terminal  20  of service request receipt completion if the manager terminal  30  notifies the central terminal  10  of service request receipt. 
         [0065]    According to the present embodiment, when the central terminal  10  receives a service request from the user terminal  20 , the central terminal  10  pushes the service request to the manager terminal of a manager who manages a corresponding room, and receives a notice of service request receipt from the manager, so that the service request may be rapidly processed by the manager. 
         [0066]    Furthermore, when the central terminal  10  receives a notice of service completion from the manager terminal  20 , the notice of service completion is pushed to the user terminal  30 , so that the user may easily check a result of processing the service request. 
         [0067]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on the display unit of the user terminal according to the embodiment. 
         [0068]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the display unit  210  of the user terminal  20  may display a screen  220  for displaying information on a room where a guest stays. The screen  220  may be, for example, a touch screen and may receive a command according to a touch of a user. 
         [0069]    The display unit  210  may display, on the screen  220 , a room number  222  of the room where the user stays. 
         [0070]    The display unit  210  may additionally display, on the screen  220 , a push reception icon  224  for checking the push information received from the central terminal  10 . 
         [0071]    Furthermore, the display unit  210  may display, on the screen  220 , additional information  225  such as the weather or exchange rate or time information. 
         [0072]    The display unit  210  may additionally display, on the screen  220 , a menu button  230  selectable by the user. 
         [0073]    The menu button  230  may include at least one of control buttons  231  to  233  for controlling devices in the room and service request buttons  234  to  237  for requesting services. 
         [0074]    The control buttons  231  to  233  may include at least one of an illumination button  231 , a temperature button  232  and a curtain button  233 , but the number and types of the control buttons  2331  to  233  are not limited. 
         [0075]    The service request buttons  234  to  237  may include at least one of an alarm button  234 , a laundry button  235 , a do-not-disturb button  236  and a room cleaning button  237 , but the number and types of the service request buttons  234  to  237  are not limited. 
         [0076]    An alarm time and date may be selected by selecting the alarm button  234 , and selected alarm information may be transmitted to the central terminal  10  so as to be stored in the memory  120  of the central terminal  10 . The central terminal  10  may transmit push information for an alarm to the user terminal  20  at the received alarm date and time. 
         [0077]    A laundry service may be requested by selecting the laundry button  235 , wherein a time for collecting laundry or a desired laundry completion time may be selected. 
         [0078]    A date at which a do-not-disturb service is required may be selected by selecting the do-not-disturb button  236 . 
         [0079]    A time for starting cleaning or a desired cleaning completion time may be selected by selecting the room cleaning button  237 . 
         [0080]    The display unit  210  may additionally display, on the screen  220 , an emergency button  240  for urgently calling a manager or a hotel information button  242  for checking hotel information. 
         [0081]    The display unit  210  may additionally display, on the screen  220 , an information screen  228  for displaying various information. 
         [0082]    While no command is input, an advertisement screen may be displayed on the information screen  228 . Furthermore, when the user selects the button  224 ,  230  or  242 , information corresponding to a selected button may be displayed. That is, information displayed on the information screen  228  may be variable. 
         [0083]    For example, when the control button  231 ,  232  or  233  is selected, buttons for inputting commands for controlling devices may be displayed on the information screen  228 . 
         [0084]    When the service request button  234 ,  235 ,  236  or  237  is selected, buttons for inputting various information for requesting services may be displayed. 
         [0085]    The number of received pieces of push information may be displayed on the push icon button  224 . When the push icon button  224  is selected, the push information received from the central terminal  10  or the manager terminal  30 . The push information received from the central terminal  10  may include at least service request receipt notification information and service processing completion information. 
         [0086]    When the user checks the push information on the information screen  228 , the user may input a confirmation completion command for individual push information. Here, when the confirmation completion command is input, the number of pieces of push information displayed on the push icon button  224  may be decreased. 
         [0087]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating a screen displayed on the display unit of the manager terminal according to the embodiment. 
         [0088]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , the display unit  310  of the manager terminal  30  may display a screen  320  for displaying information on a room to be managed. The screen  320  may be, for example, a touch screen and may receive a command according to a touch of a user. 
         [0089]    The display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , a list of rooms managed by a manager and detailed information for each room. Here, the display unit  310  may divide the screen  320  into a plurality of areas, and may display information on one room on each area. 
         [0090]    The display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , a room number  322  and service request type information  324  of a corresponding room. 
         [0091]    The display unit  310  may additionally display, on the screen  320 , a service request time  336 . Here, a service may be requested multiple times from one room. In this case, the display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , all of a plurality of pieces of service request type information  324  and the service request time  336  of a last requested service. 
         [0092]    For another example, even though a service is requested multiple times from one room, the display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , the service request type information  324  of the last requested service and the service request time  336  of the last requested service. 
         [0093]    The display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , a receipt completion button  342  for inputting a service request receipt completion command and a processing completion button  346  for inputting a processing completion command of a requested service. 
         [0094]    When the receipt completion button  342  displayed on the screen  320  is selected, the receipt completion button  342  may disappear from the screen  320 . 
         [0095]    When the processing completion button  346  is selected while the service request type information  324  is displayed on the screen  320 , the service request type information  324  may disappear. 
         [0096]    The display unit  310  may additionally display, on the screen  320 , a history checking button  344  for checking a service request history. When the history checking button  344  is selected, the display unit  310  may display, on the screen  320 , a history list of services requested from a corresponding room. 
         [0097]    The service request history list may include, for example, processing-completed service request history information. For example, the processing-completed service request history information may include service request type information, a service request time and a service processing completion time. 
         [0098]    In the case where the display unit  310  displays, on the screen  320 , the type of a last service request among a plurality of received service requests, the service request history list may additionally include unprocessed service history information. The unprocessed service history information may include service request type information and a service request time. Here, the display unit  310  may receive a processing completion command of an unprocessed service request. In this case, the unprocessed service history information may additionally include a service processing completion time and may be changed to processing-completed service history information. 
         [0099]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating a management screen displayed on the display unit of the central terminal according to the embodiment. 
         [0100]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the display unit  140  may include a management screen  150  for managing rooms. 
         [0101]    The management screen  150  may include at least one of a first area  152  for displaying room information, a second area  154  for separately displaying room information for each floor, a third area  156  for displaying a menu for showing rooms for each category, and a fourth area  158  for displaying detailed information of a room selected from among the rooms displayed on the first area  152 . 
         [0102]    The plurality of areas  152  to  158  may be simultaneously displayed on the management screen  150 . Alternatively, a part of the plurality of areas  152  to  158  may be displayed on the management screen  150 . For example, the first area  152  and at least one of the second to fourth areas  154  to  158  may be displayed on the management screen  150 . 
         [0103]    Floor information  161  and basic room information for each room of a specific floor may be displayed on the first area  152 . Here, the first area  152  may display information of all the rooms, wherein the basic room information  162  of an assigned room and the basic room information  162  of an unassigned room may be distinguishably displayed. 
         [0104]    The basic room information  162  may include a room number. The basic room information  162  of an unassigned room may not include any information excepting a room number (see room number  1001 ). 
         [0105]    The basic room information  162  of an assigned room may include at least one of stay information  163  (e.g., date of stay and period of stay) and room temperature information  164  (see room number  1006 ). 
         [0106]    Furthermore, the basic room information  162  of an assigned room may include service request reception notification information  165  (see room number  1006 ). The service request reception notification information  165  may include the type of a service. When the central terminal  10  receives a service request receipt completion notification from the manager terminal  30 , the service request reception notification information  165  may disappear from the basic room information  162 . 
         [0107]    Furthermore, the basic room information  162  may include icon information  166  for indicating the type of a receipt-completed service (see room number  1007 ). The basic room information  162  may include a plurality of pieces of icon information  166 . When the central terminal  10  receives a service completion notification from the manager terminal  30 , the icon information of a processing-completed service may disappear from the basic room information  162 . 
         [0108]    Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a manager may easily check basic information of all the rooms by virtue of the basic room information displayed on the first area. 
         [0109]    In the case where the first area  152  is unable to simultaneously display information of all the rooms, a scrollbar or an arrow may be displayed on the first area  152 . 
         [0110]    The second area  154  displays floor information for selecting a floor. When a specific floor is selected, the basic room information  162  of the selected floor may be displayed on the first area  152 . 
         [0111]    The third area  156  may display at least one of “emergency”, “vacant room”, “stay”, “failure” and “all” buttons. 
         [0112]    The emergency button is for checking a room from which a service request has been received. When the emergency button is selected, the basic room information  162  of a room from which a service request has been received may be displayed on the first area  152 . 
         [0113]    The vacant room button is for checking information of available rooms. When the vacant room button is selected, the basic room information  162  of an available room may be displayed on the first area  152 . 
         [0114]    The stay button is for checking information of assigned rooms, and the failure button is for checking information of rooms that cannot be assigned due to failure. 
         [0115]    The all button is for sorting the basic room information  162  of all the rooms according to a specific criterion to check the basic room information  162 . 
         [0116]    The fourth area  158  may display detailed room information that may include customer information (name), the number of staying persons, a room type and a room state (temperature, cleaning state, and information on whether devices are turned on/off). 
         [0117]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram illustrating a room management apparatus according to another embodiment. 
         [0118]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , the room management apparatus according to the other embodiment may include a central terminal  40  and a manager interface  50  connected to the central terminal  40  to enable a user to check room information and input commands. 
         [0119]    The central terminal  40  may communicate with the user terminal  10  and the manager terminal  30 . The central terminal  40  serves as a central server. 
         [0120]    The central terminal  40  may include a controller  410 , a memory  420  and a communication unit  430 . Although the central terminal  40  is different from the above-mentioned central terminal  10  in that the communication unit  430  communicates with the manager interface  50 , the controller  410  and the memory  420  are the same as the controller and the memory of the previous embodiment. Thus, detailed descriptions of the central terminal  40  are omitted. 
         [0121]    The manager interface  50  may include a controller  510 , a display unit  520  and a communication unit  530 . The communication unit  530  may communicate with the communication unit  430  of the central terminal  40 . Information displayed on the display unit  520  is the same as the information displayed on the display unit  140  of the central terminal  10  of the previous embodiment. The controller  510  may control the display unit  520 . In the present embodiment, the manager interface  50  may be a PC, but is not limited thereto. 
         [0122]    Here, the manager interface  50  may be referred to as a common interface, and the manager terminal carried by a manager may be referred to as an individual interface. That is, the common interface may allow a user to check information of all the rooms, and the individual interface may allow a user to check information of some rooms managed by a manager. 
         [0123]    However, if necessary, the individual interface may allow a user to check information of all the rooms.