Abstract:
An alert system includes an audio speaker or video display, and a communications unit. The communications unit is retained and supported by a power and data unit, and is configured to access data sources that include at least one of schedule information, environmental information, news reports, fire/police alerts, weather statements/information, and user-specific information, and to communicate with the audio speaker based upon the accessed data sources. The communications unit is configured to network with a computing device associated with a first user. The communications unit is configured to access the one or more data sources as defined by user-specific parameters associated with the first user. The first user is identified based upon a user ID associated with the networked computing device. The communications unit is configured to direct the audio speaker or the video display to issue an alert in response to the one or more accessed data sources.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/360,261, filed Jul. 8, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to power and data units and wireless alert systems. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Conventional power and data units provide a variety of interconnections and flexibility. Power and data units may be embedded into walls and integrated into and/or onto furniture, such as office furniture. These embedded and integrated power and data units typically include outlets or other similar ports arranged into receptacles for mounting into the power and data channel units. Example outlets and ports include high voltage AC outlets, phone ports, low-voltage DC outlets, and electronic data outlets such as USB ports, and their respective assemblies, housings, or housing units. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a wireless alert system that is integrated into a power and/or data unit in a work area, and which provides user-specific alerts, such as in audible or visual form, regarding events such as upcoming meetings in the user&#39;s schedule. The system may further provide information that is useful to the user, such as news information, weather, and emergency alerts, and may facilitate communications with others such as by connecting the user with service providers on request. Optionally, the system may communicate with nearby sensors to further enhance the system&#39;s capabilities, such as by providing information regarding air temperature and quality, ambient sound levels, occupancy levels, and the like. The system utilizes software and wireless communications protocols to communicate with computing devices associated with a particular user and, optionally, with local sensors and/or data sources, such as using Bluetooth, NFC, or Wi-Fi communications protocols, for example. 
         [0005]    In one form of the present invention, an exemplary integrated alert system includes a housing body, an audio speaker, and a communications unit. The housing body is configured for mounting to a work surface in a work area. The communications unit is retained and supported by the housing body, and is configured to access one or more data sources that include at least one of schedule information, environmental information, news reports, fire/police (emergency) alerts, weather statements and information, and user-specific information, and to communicate with the audio speaker based upon the accessed data sources. The communications unit is configured to network with a computing device associated with a first user. The communications unit is configured to access the one or more data sources as defined by user-specific parameters associated with the first user. The first user is identified based upon a user ID associated with the networked computing device. The communications unit is further configured to direct the audio speaker to issue an audible alert in response to the one or more accessed data sources. 
         [0006]    In another form of the present invention, a method is provided for directing audible alerts to a user within a work area. The method includes positioning a portable computing device, associated with a first user, within network range of a communications unit that is mounted in the work area. The portable computing device is networked with the communications unit. The communications unit is networked with one or more data sources that include at least one of schedule information, environmental information, news reports, fire/police (emergency) alerts, weather statements and information, and user-specific information. The audio speaker is networked to the communications unit. The communications unit selects at least one data source of the one or more data sources as defined by user-specific parameters associated with the first user. The first user is identified based upon a user ID associated with the networked computing device. An alert signal is generated at the communications unit in response to the selected one or more data sources. The alert signal is transmitted to the audio speaker. An audible alert signal is generated at the audio speaker in response to the alert signal. 
         [0007]    According to one aspect, the electronic device assembly may be wirelessly linked to at least one sensor. Exemplary wireless links include one or more of Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC), and Wi-Fi networks. Other wireless communications protocols may also be utilized. Exemplary sensors provide one or more of air temperature and quality, ambient sound levels, and occupancy levels. 
         [0008]    Therefore, the wireless alert system interfaces with a user&#39;s personal electronic device when that device is within range of the wireless alert system, in order to provide the user with information that is at least partially tailored to that user in that area. 
         [0009]    These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating a wireless alert system, in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a diagrammatic view of a wireless alert system integrated into a power and/or data unit configured for mounting in a work area, in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic view of another wireless alert system configured for sending audio alert messages to devices in a work area; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the power and/or data unit of  FIG. 2 , including an enlarged view of a display screen thereof. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, an integrated wireless alert system is typically embodied as an electronic device incorporated into (or mounted in) a work area, and provides audible alerts (e.g., computer-generated voice messages) to a selected set of one or more portable electronic devices with which the mounted electronic device is electronically linked, such as to provide audible meeting alerts or the like. In one embodiment, a wireless alert system is incorporated into a power and data unit  110   a  configured for mounting in a work area, such as at or along a table or desk, in a wall or modular wall or divider, or the like ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). It will be appreciated that “work area” can refer to substantially any environment where work or communications tasks are conducted, including (but not necessarily limited to) hotel rooms, vehicle including personal vehicles and public transit vehicles, transportation centers or stations, residences, and the like. 
         [0015]    In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 , the power and data unit  110   a  includes a communications unit  120  comprising a computer processor  122  with wired or wireless access to a memory module  112 , such as an on-board memory  112  contained in the power and data unit  110   a  or a remote memory provided by a remote or “cloud” server. Optionally, the communications unit  120  further comprises a video display screen  124 . In the illustrated embodiment, power and data unit  110   a  further includes one or more electrical power outlets  114  adjacent the communications unit  120 , and a bezel or frame  130 . The communications unit  120  may further include its own audio speaker and/or microphone  126 , such as in a manner that is more fully described in co-pending and commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/583,372, filed May 1, 2017, entitled “WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS MODULE FOR WORK SURFACE POWER AND DATA UNITS,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Moreover, the communications unit  120  may include display, processing, and wireless communications capabilities like those described in co-pending and commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/499,301, filed Apr. 27, 2017, entitled “INFORMATION DISPLAY AND CONTROL FOR WORK AREAS,” which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
         [0016]    Communications unit  120  further comprises a wireless communications module  128 , which may use any one or more wireless communications protocols, which includes for example, Bluetooth protocol, near field communication (NFC) protocol, and Wi-Fi protocol. Other protocols not listed here, but which provide similar wireless communications, are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. An exemplary wireless communication protocol is preferably able to communicate with other portable devices  150  that are located within about one or two meters of communications unit  120 , and optionally five or ten meters away, or more. More preferably, an exemplary communication protocol is able to communicate with other portable devices  150  that are located within network reach. 
         [0017]    Communications unit  120  communicates wirelessly with portable or fixed-location devices  150 , which may include smartphones  150   a , tablet computers  150   b , laptop computers  150   c , desktop computers  150   d  (which are collectively referred to as device  150 ) ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), or another power and/or data unit  110   b  with wireless communications capability ( FIG. 3 ). Communications unit  120  may be configured to establish a wireless network connection with substantially any portable electronic device capable of compatible wireless communications, such as any of the portable devices  150  and the power and data unit  110   b  described above, or a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch), when that device is positioned within network range of the communications unit  120 . During a network connection, the communications unit  120  identifies a user associated with the networked device  150  (for example, with a user ID for a particular user), and is then capable of sending messages such as audible alerts to each other device  150  according to the associated user&#39;s personal electronically-stored schedule that is accessible to the communications unit  120 . It is envisioned that the user can configure the type or nature of the alerts received from communications unit  120 , such as to provide advance reminders and at what time intervals, etc. Optionally, the communications unit  120  and software may be capable of simultaneously networking with multiple devices (such as portable devices  150   a - d ) associated with different users and their corresponding user IDs. 
         [0018]    When the communications unit  120  is equipped with an audio speaker  126 , or is connected with a separate (e.g., Bluetooth enabled) audio speaker  130  such as may be associated with a computing device  150  or another power and/or data unit  110   b , or with a separate power and/or data unit, such as described in the above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/583,372, and a user carrying a portable device  150  comes within range, communications unit  120  may automatically identify that device  150  and optionally send an audible message to the audio speaker  126  of the communications unit  120 , or to the separate audio speaker  130 , or to the portable device  150  associated with that user. Optionally, the user may adjust a preference setting to determine which audio speaker broadcasts audible messages. 
         [0019]    Once the communications unit  120  is wirelessly connected and networked with a device  150  associated with a particular user, an audio message may be broadcast, such as a verbal personalized welcome message, an offer to retrieve information such as electronic news feeds (the content of which may be customized by the user), an offer to place an order for food or beverage from a nearby vending machine or cafeteria or merchant, a summary of upcoming events or appointments in the user&#39;s electronically stored schedule, and the like. The user selects which (if any) options are desired, either by verbal request (i.e., using voice recognition software) or by selecting the desired options on a user interface on their device  150 , for example. 
         [0020]    The communications unit  120  may also incorporate (or may be in communication with) nearby sensors  170 , such as occupancy sensors  170   a  that can advise a user how many workstations are available or occupied, a temperature sensor  170   b  to display ambient temperature in that vicinity, an air quality sensor  170   c , or an audio sensor  170   d  to display ambient sound levels and frequencies (these sensors are collectively referred to as sensor  170 ) ( FIG. 1 ). Optionally, the communications unit  120  may offer some level of environmental control to the user, such as activating a white noise or sound-cancelling audio broadcast into the work area. Optionally, an occupancy sensor  170   a - d  associated with the communications unit  120  may be used to trigger wireless networking between the communications unit  120  and the particular device  150  associated with the user. 
         [0021]    Once the communications unit  120  is wirelessly networked with one or more devices  150   a - d  associated with one or more users, the unit  120  is capable of transmitting or “pushing” audio and/or video and/or sensory (e.g., vibration) alerts to a selected one or more of the devices  150   a - d , such as when the users associated with the devices  150   a - d  have an upcoming meeting or other event in their schedules, which schedules are accessible to the communications unit  120 . Thus, communications unit  120  is capable of sending audio or other types of alerts to an appropriate subset of users according to their respective schedules and personal settings. 
         [0022]    It should be appreciated that video display screen  124  is an optional feature of the communications unit  120 , which can be used to display a calendar  200  as shown in  FIGS. 2-4  (which may be customized according to a particular user&#39;s preferences), and may also display a network status indication using a status indicia  202  ( FIGS. 2 and 4 ). Display screen  124  may provide visual alerts  204 , such as to accompany audible alerts including verbal (voice) messages ( FIG. 3 ). Display screen  124  may be an interactive touchscreen device, and may be highly configurable according to the preferences of a particular user who has wirelessly connected their device  150  to the communications unit  120 . It will further be appreciated that communications unit  120  may provide additional types of functionality and information display, such as is more fully described in the above-referenced U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/499,301. Communications unit  120  may also provide a user status display capability, such as described in U.S. provisional applications Ser. Nos. 62/330,386 and 62/342,385, filed May 2, 2016 and May 27, 2016, respectively, and both entitled WIRELESS STATUS INDICATOR LIGHT (attorney docket nos. BYRO1 P-196 and BYRO1 P-196A), which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
         [0023]    In order to provide the audio and video alerting capability described herein, a software application is run by the communications unit  120  and/or compatible devices  150   a - d . It will be appreciated that the software application may be run by one or more of the devices  150   a - d , which wirelessly connects to an audio speaker, such as Bluetooth-enabled speaker  140  which is associated with another power and/or data unit  110   b  ( FIG. 1 ). Once a user&#39;s device  150  is wirelessly networked with the communications unit  120  and an associated audio speaker (such as speaker  130  or speaker  140 ), the speaker  130 , 140  may broadcast audible alerts for only that user, such as based on that user&#39;s electronically stored schedule data and personal preferences. 
         [0024]    The software application facilitates communication with computer databases that store a variety of information, such as personal calendar records, personal preferences, and user-specific content. The software application also facilitates communication with available sensors  170   a - d  such as air temperature, humidity, and quality, sound level sensors, occupancy sensors, and the like. The software application may further communicate via the Internet and with other data sources, to provide user-specific information, general information, announcements, news reports, and emergency alerts (e.g., fire or tornado). For example, communications unit  120  may broadcast an audio and visual emergency alert only if an occupancy sensor detects a user present in the vicinity, while the communications unit  120  is running the software and is in communication with the occupancy sensor  170  while also being networked with the user&#39;s device  150 . The communications unit  120  may also broadcast an audio message based upon content received from the Internet, other data sources, and/or connected sensors for a specific user when that user&#39;s device  150  is networked to the communications unit  120 . For example, a communications unit  120  in a work space of a hotel room or office space may broadcast an audio message that was left for a particular user when that user is present, as determined by the user&#39;s device  150  wirelessly connecting with the communications unit  120 . In a further example, the communications unit  120  may broadcast an audio message providing information acquired from the Internet, other data sources, a local memory, and/or connected sensors  170   a - d , to a user when that user&#39;s device  150  is wirelessly connected with the communications unit  120 . 
         [0025]    Thus, the integrated wireless alert system of the present invention provides user-specific audible and/or visual alerts to a user who, with their compatible and networked device  150 , is in the vicinity of a communications unit  120 , such as may be associated with a power and/or data unit  110   a  in a work area. The system, once networked, provides user-specific alerts, such as for events such as upcoming meetings in the user&#39;s schedule that is accessible to the system. The system may provide additional useful functions to a user, such as news, weather, and emergency alerts. By interfacing with nearby sensors  170 , the system&#39;s capabilities are further enhanced, such as by providing highly localized information regarding environmental factors, and optionally providing some level of control over environmental factors in a work area. The system utilizes software and wireless communications protocols to communicate with and manage computing devices and, optionally, to communicate with local sensors and/or data sources. 
         [0026]    Changes and modifications in the specifically-described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.