Patent Description:
Building automation systems encompass a wide variety of systems that aid in the monitoring and control of various aspects of building operation. Building automation systems (which may also be referred to herein as "building control systems") include security systems, fire safety systems, lighting systems, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ("HVAC") systems. Lighting systems and HVAC systems are sometimes referred to as "environmental control systems" because these systems control the environmental conditions within the building. A single facility may include multiple building automation systems (e.g., a security system, a fire system and an environmental control system). Multiple building automation systems may be arranged separately from one another or as a single system with a plurality of subsystems that are controlled by a common control station or server. The common control station or server may be contained within the building or remote from the building, depending upon the implementation.

The elements of a building automation system may be widely dispersed throughout a large environment, such as a commercial building or campus. For example, an HVAC system includes temperature sensors and ventilation damper controls as well as other elements that are located in virtually every area of a facility or campus. The different areas of a building automation system may have different environmental settings based on the use and personal likes and care needs of people in those areas, such as offices, conference rooms, hotel rooms, and hospital patient rooms.

Building automation systems typically have one or more centralized control stations in which data from the system may be monitored, and in which various aspects of system operation may be controlled and/or monitored. The control station typically includes a computer or server having processing equipment, data storage equipment, and a user interface. To allow for monitoring and control of the dispersed control system elements, building automation systems often employ multi-level communication networks to communicate operational information between operating elements, such as environmental devices located in rooms and the centralized control station. A centralized control station of the building automation system may include user profiles to control these environmental devices.

For smaller environments, such as a home or small office, an intelligence voice enabled device may be used to control certain aspects of room environments, such as turning on-and-off a light. Voice enabled devices (such as an Alexa® device or Echo® device commercially available from Amazon. com of Seattle, WA, U. ) commonly receive voice requests from a user in proximity of the device and cause a room device such as a light switch to operate based on a profile for the device as well as the voice request as registered with the voice enabled device provider. Voice enabled devices are generally individual devices operating in a single open area, such as a room, and may communicate with a remote web server for assistance with voice recognition, voice analysis, and language processing.

<CIT> relates to an in-room control system for Internet of Things objects distributed in a hospitality establishment. <CIT> relates to a voice control of a media playback system. <CIT> relates to dynamically enabling guest devices supporting network-based media sharing protocol to share media content. <CIT> describes a hand-held electronic device having a remote control application user interface that functions to displays operational mode information to a user.

In accordance with embodiments of the disclosure, there is provided a building automation system that utilizes information collected or stored by other systems to enhance control of room devices, such as environmental devices, in rooms of a managed facility, such as a hospital or a hotel. In particular, the building automation system may combine voice control with building automation and user preferences. An administrator of the facility may associate preferences of a user with the voice control.

A general system may include the building automation system as well as these other systems. By utilizing information collected or stored by these various systems, the general system may maximize efficiency, speed, customer satisfaction, and accuracy of itself as well as one or more of its individual systems. Coordination among the various systems is automated, thus minimizing the need for manual coordination. The system may improve efficiency and speed by automatic processing of work orders and adjustments when one or more occupants of the room are changed, thus avoiding the need to create them and wait for personnel to become available. Occupant satisfaction may improve since changes occur automatically and some occupant needs may be generated at check-in. Accuracy may improve by automating and mapping occupant needs with the profiles, thus doing away with manual entries by technicians. These advancements are particularly advantageous for rooms at locations subject to frequent changes such as hospital and hotel facilities.

One aspect is a building automation system for controlling conditions of a room. The building automation system comprises a room device, a first interface, a second interface, and a managing device. The room device is associated with the room. The first interface is operatively coupled to a voice enabled system associated with the room, and the first interface is configured to receive a voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the room by the voice enabled system. The second interface is operatively coupled to a hospitality information system associated with the room. The second interface is configured to receive a hospitality user profile from the hospitality information system. The hospitality user profile identifies one or more user parameters associated with the room. The managing device is operatively coupled to the room status associated with the room. The room status is selected from the group including an occupancy parameter or a scheduling parameter. The managing device includes a guest room profile that identifies one or more room parameters associated with the room. The managing device is configured to control the room device based on the voice command, the hospitality user profile, and the guest room profile.

Another aspect is a method of a building automation system for managing a room device of a room. A voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the room by the voice enabled system and a hospitality user profile from a hospitality information system are received. The hospitality user profile identifies one or more user parameters associated with the room. A guest room profile of the building automation system is accessed, and the guest room profile identifies one or more room status associated with the room. The room status is selected from the group including an occupancy parameter or a scheduling parameter. The room device of the room is controlled based on the voice command, the hospitality profile, and the guest room profile.

Yet another aspect is a system for controlling conditions of a room comprising a voice enabled system, a hospitality information system, and a building automation system. The voice enabled system is associated with the room, and the voice enable system is configured to receive a voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the room by the voice enabled system. The hospitality information system is associated with the room, and the hospitality information system includes a hospitality user profile that identifies one or more user parameters associated with the room. The building automation system is operatively coupled to the voice enabled system and the hospitality information system. The building automation system includes a room device associated with the room and a managing device operatively coupled to the room device. The managing device includes a guest room profile that identifies one or more room status associated with the room. The room status is selected from the group including an occupancy parameter or a scheduling parameter. The managing device is configured to control the room device based on the voice command, the hospitality user profile, and the guest room profile.

The above described features and advantages, as well as others, will become more readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. While it would be desirable to provide one or more of these or other advantageous features, the teachings disclosed herein extend to those embodiments which fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above-mentioned advantages.

For a more complete understanding of the present disclosure, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers designate like objects.

Various technologies that pertain to systems and methods that facilitate coordination of a building automation system with other systems will now be described with reference to the drawings, where like reference numerals represent like elements throughout. The drawings discussed below, and the various embodiments used to describe the principles of the present disclosure in this patent document are by way of illustration only and should not be construed in any way to limit the scope of the disclosure. It is to be understood that functionality that is described as being carried out by certain system elements may be performed by multiple elements. Similarly, for instance, an element may be configured to perform functionality that is described as being carried out by multiple elements. The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with reference to exemplary non-limiting embodiments.

The system correlates a guest room profile for a building automation system and a hospitality user profile for a hospitality information system. The system may also correlate a voice profile for a voice enabled system with the guest room profile and the hospitality user profile. For some embodiments, a building automation system may manage a guest room using correlated profiles based on room condition preferences of a user (e.g., hospital patient or hotel guest) or administrator of the room without the need for knowing the identity of the user, thus maximizing security and data privacy for the user. For some other embodiments, two or more profiles, or portions thereof, may be integrated into a unified profile and provided to a processing component of the building automation system. In the alternative, the profiles, or portions thereof, may feed separately to the processing component. Partial integration is particularly useful where the building automation system does not need to know the identity of particular users (e.g., hospital patients or hotel guest) or their preferences for threshold conditions. Examples of threshold conditions include, but are not limited to, restricted control of blinds or shades due to a guest's sensitivity to skin or eye conditions to certain light or restricted control of room temperature or a room temperature threshold for intensive care, pre-natal care, or other guest care). The system correlates profiles to facilitate management of the building automation system and its associated room devices, such as environmental devices, which are associated with respective rooms in a facility. Utilizing these profiles, the system may control the features of the room with voice control, which may be associated with a voice profile of a voice enabled system, as associated with a respective user profile(s).

Examples of a hospitality information systems include, but are not limited to, health information systems that utilize Health Level Seven International (HL7) and hotel information systems for tracking hospitality reservations and membership information. HL7, in particular, is a set of standards, formats, and definitions for exchanging (i.e., interoperability) and managing electronic health records. For example, the hospitality information system may manage common health data associated with clinical documents, electronic health records, personal health records, prescription medical information, financial records, and reporting. Likewise, the hospitality information may manage common lodging information associated with reservations, scheduling, events, membership, financial records, and reporting.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown a facility <NUM> for implementing a system that utilizes a building automation system, a voice enabled system, a hospitality information system, and the techniques described herein. The facility <NUM> represents any type of structure having multiple, partitioned areas for accommodating occupants, business operations, and information technology. Examples of a facility include medical facilities such as hospitals, clinical centers, medical offices, treatment centers, residence homes, hospices, and rehabilitation centers as well as lodging facilities such as hotels, motels, suites, resorts, timeshares, institutional housing, cooperative housing, and condominiums.

As shown in <FIG>, the facility <NUM> may include guest rooms <NUM> (102a, 102b,. 102n), administrative rooms <NUM> (104a, 104b,. 104n), hospitality information system rooms <NUM>, building automation system rooms <NUM>, rooms for network communications <NUM>, and rooms for various other needs and desires <NUM> of a building owner or occupant. For example, the facility may include a reception area <NUM> for receiving and assisting guests of the facility or a food area <NUM> for preparing and distributing food to guests of the facility. The rooms for network communications <NUM>, in particular, may provide voice, data, and/or multimedia communications with a network <NUM> external to the facility <NUM>, such as the Internet or dedicated communications transmission service, via a wired or wireless communication link <NUM>.

One or more partitioned areas of the facility <NUM> may include voice enabled system to provide a voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the respective partitioned area, such as a room, by the voice enabled system. The voice enabled system may include a voice enabled device <NUM> located in each room and a voice processing server (described in more detail below) located remote from the room, which may for example communicate via the network <NUM>. A voice enabled device employed in the embodiments may be an Alexa or Echo device commercially available from Amazon. or other voice enabled device configured as further described herein.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown an example guest room <NUM> of the facility <NUM>, in which the guest room includes rooms devices, such as environmental devices, of the building automation system and a voice enabled device of the voice enabled system for implementing a portion of the techniques described herein. The general system integrates the occupancy and personal preferences of each occupant of a respective guest room <NUM> in order to facilitate control of the room devices by the occupant or facility personnel via voice utterances. For example, the health information system may provide clinical and administrative data to the building automation system controlling the room devices, such as occupancy information about a guest bed or guest room assigned to a given occupant. The building automation system may best serve the interests of the occupant by controlling the room devices based on information provided by the health information system and stored at the building automation system as well as voice utterances received from the occupant or facility personnel. Examples of facility personnel include, but are not limited to, nurses, cleaning crew members, maintenance technicians, and facility managers.

Room conditions may be changed based on user preferences as identified by a hospitality user profile of the hospitality information system, a guest room profile of the building automation system, a voice profile of the voice enabled system, and/or a voice command based on a voice utterance detected by the voice enabled system. For example, the hospitality user profile may identify an occupant preference for dimmed illumination due to sensitivity to light or guest room availability based on an occupancy schedule for the occupant assigned to the room. As another example, the guest room profile may identify a default preference of an administrator of the building automation system that is triggered based on an occupancy status change indicated by the hospitality user profile. As a further example, preferences may be occupant-specific for a particular guest room, such as patient desires lights-off at <NUM>:00PM.

The building automation system may receive information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile for managing control of devices in a room without knowing the identity of the user/occupant. The system may avoid the distribution of personal identifiable information to the building automation system in violation of data privacy while managing the guest room or space associated with the guest room based on the occupant. For some embodiments, information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile may be linked to corresponding information of the building automation system by non-identifying data that does not identify a specific occupant such as room identifier (i.e., room identification), guest type, or location information. For other embodiments, information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile may be linked to corresponding information of the building automation system by a group voice profile that is not specific to a particular occupant, such as a voice profile associated with the building automation system, the hospitality information system, or an entity associated with the facility. For yet other embodiments, information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile may be correlated with corresponding information of the building automation system to control devices of the guest rooms.

The guest room <NUM> of <FIG> is setup for the needs and comforts of a guest or occupant <NUM>, such as the inclusion of furniture <NUM>. In setting-up the guest room <NUM>, the room may also include a portal <NUM> for passage of the occupant <NUM> in and out of the room as well as a window <NUM> for passage of illumination in and out of the room. The guest room <NUM> may further include a voice enabled device <NUM> of a voice enabled system for receiving a voice utterance in the room so that the voice enabled system may provide a voice command based on the voice utterance. For example, the voice enabled device <NUM> may detect the voice utterance in the guest room <NUM> and communicate a voice signal corresponding to the voice utterance to a remote voice processing server of the voice enabled system via a communication component <NUM> located in the room. An example of a communication component <NUM> is a wireless access point having a wired or wireless connection to a building automation system at a building automation system room <NUM> of the facility <NUM> in which the voice enabled device <NUM> may communicate the voice signal to the communication component <NUM> via a wireless link <NUM>. The voice enabled device <NUM> may also be coupled to the communication component <NUM> via a wired connection, such as an Ethernet connection.

The guest room <NUM> may also include a room automation controller or station <NUM> of the building automation system for coupling directly or indirectly other components of the building automation system, such as one or more room devices, such as environmental devices of the room. Examples of the room devices includes, but are not limited to, a light control device such as a light fixture controller <NUM> or a window shade controller <NUM> or a temperature control device such as a thermostat or an air vent <NUM>. Other examples of room devices include, but are not limited to, non-environmental devices such as entertainment systems that may be controlled by a building automation system to provide further room control. Each room device <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled to the room automation station <NUM> directly or indirectly via a wired or wireless connection <NUM>-<NUM>.

As stated above, a voice enabled device <NUM> located in the guest room <NUM> may receive a voice utterance <NUM> in the room so that the voice enabled system may provide a voice command based on the voice utterance. To setup or commission the voice enabled system, including the voice enabled device <NUM> and the remote voice processing server (such as server <NUM> described herein), an administrator for the building automation system may assigned or specify preferences per guest room <NUM> to be used by the building automation system to control environmental devices in the guest room <NUM> for a corresponding predetermined period of time. The preferences may identify capabilities of the room devices <NUM>-<NUM>. The preferences are captured and stored in a voice profile of the voice enabled system that corresponds to the applicable guest room <NUM>. The voice profile of the voice enabled system may also include skill codes for the administrator, facility personnel, and/or occupant for awakening the associated voice enabled device of the voice enabled system for commissioning, configuring, or otherwise providing requests to the voice enabled system and the other systems connected to it.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown is a diagram representing an example system <NUM> for controlling environmental conditions of a room. The system <NUM> utilizes a voice enabled system comprising at least the voice enabled device <NUM> and the voice processing server <NUM>, and the system also comprises a building automation system <NUM> and a hospitality information system <NUM> for implementing the techniques described herein. For the system <NUM>, the voice enabled system includes a voice enabled device <NUM> that is located in a guest room <NUM> and a voice processing server <NUM> that is located remote from the guest room, such as outside of the facility <NUM> where the voice enabled system is located. For some embodiments, the voice enabled device <NUM> communicates with a communication network <NUM> via a first wired or wireless link <NUM>. The communication network <NUM> provides communications outside of the facility <NUM>, connecting to external networks such as the Internet, so at least a portion of the communication network is located outside of the facility. The voice processing server <NUM> may communicate with the communication network <NUM> via a second wired or wireless link <NUM>, and the building automation system <NUM> may communicate with the communication network via a third wired or wireless link <NUM>. The hospitality information system <NUM> may communicate with the building automation system <NUM> via a fourth wired or wireless link <NUM>, which may utilize or avoid a direct link with the communication network <NUM>.

The system <NUM> for controlling environmental conditions of the guest room <NUM> comprises the voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM>, the building automation system <NUM>, and the hospitality information system <NUM>. The voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> is associated with the guest room <NUM> and is configured to provide a voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the room by the voice enabled system. The hospitality information system <NUM> is associated with the guest room <NUM> and includes a hospitality user profile that identifies one or more user parameters associated with the room. The building automation system <NUM> includes a first interface <NUM> operatively coupled to the voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> directly or via the communication network <NUM>, and the first interface is configured to receive the voice command from the voice enabled system. The building automation system <NUM> also includes a second interface <NUM> operatively coupled to the hospitality information system <NUM> directly or via the communication network <NUM>, and the second interface is configured to receive from the hospitality information system a hospitality user profile identifying one or more user parameters associated with the room.

The building automation system <NUM> includes one or more room automation controllers or stations <NUM> to couple directly or indirectly other components of the building automation system, such as one or more room devices <NUM>-<NUM>, such as environmental devices, of the guest room <NUM>. Examples of the room devices includes, but are not limited to, a light control device such as a light fixture controller <NUM> or a window shade controller <NUM> or a temperature control device such as a thermostat or an air vent <NUM>. Other examples of room devices include, but are not limited to, non-environmental devices such as entertainment systems that may be controlled by a building automation system to provide further room control. A managing device of the building automation system <NUM> may be coupled directly or indirectly to a room automation station <NUM> via wired or wireless link <NUM>, and each room device <NUM>-<NUM> may be coupled to the room automation station <NUM> directly or indirectly via one or more wired or wireless connections <NUM>.

As stated above, the voice enabled system includes a voice enabled device <NUM> located in a guest room <NUM> and a voice processing server <NUM> located remote from the guest room. An administrator of the building automation system <NUM> may utilize a terminal, such as a managing device, to communicate with the voice processing server <NUM> and setup an account at the server. The account at the voice processing server <NUM> may include information about each voice enabled device <NUM> of the voice enabled system and a corresponding location for each voice enabled device, such as identification of the guest room <NUM> of the facility <NUM>. The administrator may also utilize the terminal to scan a group of voice enabled devices <NUM> and label these devices in the account at the voice processing server <NUM> in a way that is logical, such as Patient_room_102a, Patient_room_102b, Public_area_lobby, Public_area_waiting_room_114, etc. The administrator may then enable at the terminal what skills to allow for each group of voice enabled devices <NUM>. For example, the administrator may acquire an entertainment option for the public areas so a particular skill of the voice enabled system may be enabled for a group of voice enabled devices <NUM> in a particular public area of the facility <NUM>. In the same manner, the administrator may utilize the terminal to link a room or facility related skill of the voice enabled system to an individual voice enabled device of a particular guest room <NUM> or a group of devices for a particular area of the particular guest room or a particular area of the facility <NUM>.

To the end user, whether the administrator, facility personnel, or occupant, the voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> acts upon his or her requests and forwards the requests to the building automation system <NUM>, which adjusts the room device or devices <NUM>-<NUM> in a simple, seamless manner. The end user may provide a voice utterance that may be recognized by the voice enabled system as a request to control one or more room devices <NUM>-<NUM>, as specified by the voice profile of the voice enabled system. For example, the voice enabled device <NUM> may wake-up in response to receipt and recognition of an activating phrase and transmit a voice utterance associated with the activating phrase to the remote voice processing server <NUM>. The voice processing server <NUM> identifies the building automation system <NUM> associated with the voice enabled system and generates a coded message including an appropriate voice command to the building automation system. The building automation system <NUM> processes the voice command and instructs the room automation station <NUM> of the guest room <NUM> to control the room devices <NUM>-<NUM> in accordance with the voice utterance received by the voice enabled device <NUM>. Thereafter, the building automation system <NUM> may send a response signal to the voice processing server <NUM> in response to providing the instructions to the room automation station <NUM> and, in turn, the voice processing server <NUM> may send the same or similar signal to the voice enabled device <NUM> so that the device may provide a confirmation message to the occupant and/or other people in the guest room <NUM>.

The voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> may also be commissioned and/or configured with the building automation system <NUM> by the administrator. For example, the administrator may utilize a mobile device <NUM> having a facility administration application within the guest room <NUM> to scan a code, such as a bar code or QR code, in the room. The mobile device <NUM> may send commissioning or configuration information to other components of the building automation system <NUM> via a fifth wired or wireless link <NUM> which, for some embodiment, may traverse the communication network <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown is a block diagram representing an example implementation of the building automation system. The building automation system <NUM> is an environmental control system configured to control one or more environmental parameters for a building, such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, lighting, fire safety, security, and the like. For example, the building automation system <NUM> may comprise one or more network connections or buses <NUM> for connectivity of devices within the system. For one embodiment, the example building automation system <NUM> may comprise one or more management devices, such as a management workstation <NUM>, a management server <NUM>, or a remote management device <NUM> connecting through a wired or wireless network connection <NUM>, that allows the setting and/or changing of various controls of the system. While a brief description of the building automation system <NUM> is provided below, it will be understood that the building automation system <NUM> described herein is only one example of a particular form or configuration for a building automation system and that the system <NUM> may be implemented in any other suitable manner without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

The management devices <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, are configured to provide overall control and monitoring of the building automation system <NUM>. For the illustrated embodiment of <FIG>, the building automation system <NUM> provides connectivity to subsystems for various environmental parameters such as components of comfort systems <NUM>, safety systems <NUM>, security systems <NUM>, and other systems <NUM>. For example, comfort systems <NUM> may include various devices <NUM>, <NUM> for monitoring and controlling heating, cooling, and ventilation of areas within a building or group of buildings. Examples of comfort devices include, but are not limited to, stations, field panels, field controllers, field devices, room automation controllers or stations, and the like. Some devices <NUM> may communicate directly with a network connection or bus <NUM>, whereas other devices <NUM> may communicate through, and perhaps be controlled by, another device. Similarly, safety systems <NUM> may include various devices <NUM>, <NUM> for monitoring and controlling fire protection for areas within a building or a group of buildings. Examples of safety devices include, but are not limited to controllers, control panels, fire and smoke detectors, alarm notification appliances and systems, video surveillance cameras, and the like. Similar to comfort devices, some safety devices <NUM> may communicate directly with a network connection or bus <NUM>, whereas other safety devices <NUM> may communicate through, and perhaps be controlled by, another device. Further, the illustrated embodiment of the building automation system <NUM> may provide southbound connectivity to subsystems <NUM> for security systems <NUM>, such as video surveillance cameras and motion detectors, for monitoring and controlling various areas within a building or a group of buildings, as well as other types of subsystems <NUM>. The subsystems <NUM>-<NUM> may include legacy or 3rd party devices to be integrated with other devices of the building automation system <NUM>. It is to be understood that the system <NUM> may comprise any suitable number of any of components <NUM>-<NUM> based on the particular configuration for each building or group of buildings.

<FIG> represents an example management device, such as the devices <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> represented by <FIG>, of the building automation system <NUM>. Components of the management device <NUM> comprise a communication data bus <NUM> and a communication component <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may utilize wireless or wired technology to communicate directly or indirectly with a communication network <NUM>, such as the Internet. For example, the communication component <NUM> may communicate with an access point <NUM> via wireless link <NUM> that, in turn, communicates via a wired or wireless link with the communication network <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may also, or in the alternative, communicate directly with the communication network via a wired link <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may utilize wireless technology, such as, but are not limited to, satellite-based and cellular-based communications and their variants as well as wireless local area network (WLAN) communication and their variants, such as infrastructure, peer-to-peer, ad hoc, bridge, and wireless distribution-based communications. Examples of WLAN communications include, but are not limited to, IEEE <NUM> (Wi-Fi), IEEE <NUM> (WiMAX), Bluetooth, BLE, and ZigBee. Wireless technology may further include other forms of communication such as microwave or infrared technology (IR). The communication component <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may utilize, in addition to or in the alternative to wired technology, wired technology for communication such as any type of transmission of data over a physical conduit, such as an electrical cable or optical fiber cable.

The device components <NUM> also comprise one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memory components <NUM>, input components <NUM>, output components <NUM>, and a power source <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may execute code and process data received from other components of the device components <NUM>, such as information received at the communication component <NUM> or stored at the memory component <NUM>. The code associated with the building automation system <NUM> and stored by the memory component <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, operating systems, applications, device drivers, and the like. Each operating system includes executable code that controls basic functions of each device, such as interactions among the various components of the device components <NUM>, communication with external devices via communication components <NUM>, and storage and retrieval of code and data to and from the memory component <NUM>. Each application includes executable code to provide specific functionality for the processor <NUM> and/or remainder of the corresponding device. For example, the building automation system may include a voice application to interface with the voice enabled server <NUM> and configure and/or commission the building automation system based on the configuring and/or commissioning of the voice enabled server. Data is information that may be referenced and/or manipulated by an operating system or application for performing functions of the device.

The input components <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may include various types of video input components, audio input components, and mechanical input components. Examples of input components <NUM> include, but are not limited to, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, microphone, and other types of sensors. Likewise, the output components <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may include a variety of video, audio and/or mechanical outputs. Examples of output components <NUM> is, but is not limited to, displays, speakers, touchscreen, vibrators, and other types of indicators. The device components <NUM> may also include a user interface <NUM> that is a subset of input components <NUM> and/or output components <NUM> for interaction with an operator, installer, or technician of the device.

The device components <NUM> may further comprise a power source <NUM>, such as a power supply or a portable battery, where the device having the components <NUM> is disposed. The power source <NUM> may also provide power to the other device components <NUM> of each device of the building management system <NUM>, if necessary or desired.

The memory component <NUM> may also store data associated with the building automation system <NUM> including, but is not limited to, guest room profiles <NUM> and the like. The guest room profile <NUM> include one room parameter <NUM> such as a room identifier or a room status. Examples of the room identifier include, but are not limited to, a room location such as a building identifier, level identifier, room coordinates, or room number as well as a sub-room location such as a bed location or partitioned area. Examples of the room status include, but are not limited to, designations such as closed, housekeeping, isolated, contaminated, occupied, or unoccupied. The guest room profile <NUM> may also, or in the alternative, include a room device parameter <NUM> such as a room device identifier, a room device operation, or a room device activation. For example, the room device identifier may be associated with a location of a room device or otherwise distinguish from other devices in the room, the room device operation may be associated with one or more functional parameters of the device, and the room device activation may be associated with one or more triggers to activate a function of the device.

The guest room profile <NUM> also include other information to facilitate control of one or more room devices based on voice commands. For example, the guest room profile may include access rights <NUM> identifying user types with various rights to the building automation system <NUM>. For some embodiments, the guest room profile <NUM> may include one or more access rights to the building automation system <NUM> associated with the occupant of the guest room. For other embodiments, the guest room profile <NUM> may include an administrator right and a default user right as well as the access right(s) of the occupant of the guest room. The access rights stored by the system user profile <NUM> may or may not reveal an identity of the occupant. Other examples of the data included in the guest room profile <NUM> include, but are not limited to, a global user right, a local operation system user right, a local business automation system user right, a read only right, and a read/write right. For yet other embodiments, the guest room profile <NUM> may include multiple guest room profiles (528a, 528b,. 528n) corresponding to each guest room.

As described above, the general system correlates or unifies at least a portion of the guest room profile <NUM> with at least a portion of the hospitality user profile and/or the voice profile. The building automation system may receive information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile for managing control of devices in a room without knowing the identity of the user/occupant. The system may avoid the distribution of personal identifiable information to the building automation system, thus avoiding violation of data privacy, while managing the guest room or space associated with the guest room based on the occupant. Since many parameters of the guest room profile <NUM> (if not all) do not identify a specific occupant, one or more room parameters <NUM>, device parameters <NUM>, or access rights <NUM> of the guest room profile may be used to linked, and thus correlate or unify, corresponding parameters of the hospitality user profile and/or the voice profile without exposing the identity of the specific occupant.

The communication component <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may include a first interface <NUM> and a second interface <NUM>. The first interface <NUM> is operatively coupled to the voice enabled system associated with the room and is configured to receive a voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the room by the voice enabled system. The second interface <NUM> is operatively coupled to the hospitality information system associated with the room and is configured to receive a hospitality user profile from the hospitality information system. Each of the first and second interfaces <NUM>, <NUM> is associated with each guest room of the facility that includes a voice enabled device of the voice enabled system. Each of the first and second interfaces <NUM>, <NUM> may be associated with a software component that interfaces with the voice enabled system or multiple software components in which each software component is associated with each voice enabled device of the voice enabled system.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown example system components <NUM> of a hospitality information system, such as the hospitality information system <NUM> of <FIG>. The system components <NUM> comprise a communication data bus <NUM> and a communication component <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may utilize wireless or wired technology to communicate directly or indirectly with a building automation system or a communication network <NUM>, such as the Internet. For example, the communication component <NUM> may communicate with an access point <NUM> via wireless link <NUM> that, in turn, communicates via a wired or wireless link with the building automation system or the communication network <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may also, or in the alternative, communicate directly with the building automation system or the communication network <NUM> via a wired link <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> of the system components <NUM> may utilize wireless or wired technology, as described above for the device components <NUM> of the example management device.

The system components <NUM> also comprise one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memory components <NUM>, input components <NUM>, output components <NUM>, and a power source <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may execute code and process data received from other components of the system components <NUM>, such as information received at the communication component <NUM> or stored at the memory component <NUM>. The code associated with the hospitality information system and stored by the memory component <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, operating systems, applications, device drivers, and the like. Each operating system includes executable code that controls basic functions of each system, such as interactions among the various components of the system components <NUM>, communication with external devices via communication components <NUM>, and storage and retrieval of code and data to and from the memory component <NUM>. Each application includes executable code to provide specific functionality for the processor <NUM> and/or remainder of the corresponding system. For example, the hospitality information system may include a specific hospitality application to generate, communicate, or otherwise support the sharing of information with the building automation system and/or voice enabled system. Data is information that may be referenced and/or manipulated by an operating system or application for performing functions of the system.

The input components <NUM> of the system components <NUM> may include various types of video input components, audio input components, and mechanical input components. Examples of input components <NUM> include, but are not limited to, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, microphone, and other types of sensors. Likewise, the output components <NUM> of the system components <NUM> may include a variety of video, audio and/or mechanical outputs. Examples of output components <NUM> is, but is not limited to, displays, speakers, touchscreen, vibrators, and other types of indicators. The system components <NUM> may also include the user interface <NUM> that is a subset of input components <NUM> and/or output components <NUM> for interaction with an operator, installer, or technician of the system.

The system components <NUM> may further comprise a power source <NUM>, such as a power supply or a portable battery, where the system having the components <NUM> is disposed. The power source <NUM> may also provide power to the other system components <NUM> of the hospitality information system, if necessary or desired.

The memory component <NUM> may also store data associated with the hospitality information system including, but is not limited to, hospitality user profiles <NUM> and the like. The hospitality user profile <NUM> may include one or more user parameters <NUM> associated with a guest room such as a room identifier, a room status, a reservation specification, a membership specification, a laboratory service, or a clinical treatment. Examples of the room identifier include, but are not limited to, a room location such as a building identifier, level identifier, room coordinates, or room number as well as a sub-room location such as a bed location or partitioned area. For example, the room identifier may include data associated with a point, or location of a point, of the building automation system. Examples of the room status include, but are not limited to, designations such as closed, housekeeping, isolated, contaminated, occupied, or unoccupied. For example, the room status may include an occupancy parameter and/or a scheduling parameter, which may be determined from time periods of occupancy by an occupant of the particular guest room. Examples of clinical treatment parameters includes, but are not limited to, information collected in case sheets, notes, and reports generated by medical personnel, such as doctors, nurses, and technicians, associated with diagnostic tests, medical imaging, phlebotomy, cardiology, radiology, and the like.

The hospitality user profile <NUM> may include other user parameters <NUM>, such as patient information, administrative information, pharmaceutical information, and resource information. Patient information may include historical and episodical views of patient symptoms and illnesses. Administrative information may include doctor availability, text procedures, tariffs, itemization of services rendered. Pharmaceutical information may include medical drugs allowed/not allowed for a particular patient, availability of medical drugs, and administration (identification, time, quantity, and circumstances) for medical drugs to the particular patient. Resource information may include for tracking and otherwise managing medical equipment and supplies. For yet other embodiments, the hospitality user profile <NUM> may include multiple hospitality user profiles (628a, 628b,. 628n) corresponding to each guest room.

Many parameters, if not all, of the hospitality user profile <NUM> do not include occupant information. A portion of the hospitality user profile <NUM>, i.e., one or more user parameters <NUM>, may be used to linked, and thus correlate or unify, a corresponding portion (i.e., room or device parameters <NUM>, <NUM> and/or access rights <NUM>) of the guest room profile <NUM> and/or the voice profile without exposing the identity of any occupants. The hospitality information system may provide information associated with a guest room profile and/or a voice profile for managing control of devices in a room without knowing the identity of the user/occupant. The system may avoid the distribution of personal identifiable information to the building automation system, thus avoiding violation of data privacy, while managing the guest room or space associated with the guest room based on the user/occupant.

The hospitality user profile <NUM> may further include a set of hospitality-related messages that have been analyzed for a particular user parameter. In particular, the set of hospitality-related messages may include a message description <NUM>, one or more user parameter groupings (which may be stored with the user parameters <NUM>), and/or access rights <NUM> of various user types. Examples of the message description <NUM> include data format, data semantics, and message acknowledgment responsibilities. Examples of user parameter groupings <NUM> include laboratory service, medications, care plans, diagnostic reporting, and the like. Examples of user types having varying access rights <NUM> include an administrator, a practitioner, an organization, an observer, and a patient.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown example device components <NUM> of a voice enabled device of a voice enabled system, such as the voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> of <FIG>. The device components <NUM> of the voice enabled device <NUM> comprise a communication data bus <NUM> and a communication component <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may utilize wireless or wired technology to communicate directly or indirectly with a communication network <NUM>, such as the Internet. For example, the communication component <NUM> may communicate with an access point <NUM> via wireless link <NUM> that, in turn, communicates via a wired or wireless link with the communication network <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may also, or in the alternative, communicate directly with the communication network via a wired link <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may utilize wireless or wired technology, as described above for the device components <NUM> of the example management device. <FIG> also represents a voice processing service <NUM> of the voice enabled system communicating with the communication network <NUM>.

The device components <NUM> also comprise one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memory components <NUM>, input components <NUM>, output components <NUM>, and a power source <NUM>. The processor <NUM> may execute code and process data received from other components of the device components <NUM>, such as information received at the communication component <NUM> or stored at the memory component <NUM>. The code associated with the voice enabled system and stored by the memory component <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, operating systems, applications, device drivers, and the like. Each operating system includes executable code that controls basic functions of each system, such as interactions among the various components of the device components <NUM>, communication with external devices via communication components <NUM>, and storage and retrieval of code and data to and from the memory component <NUM>. Each application includes executable code to provide specific functionality for the processor <NUM> and/or remainder of the corresponding system. Data is information that may be referenced and/or manipulated by an operating system or application for performing functions of the system.

The input components <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may include various types of video input components, audio input components, and mechanical input components. The input components <NUM> of the voice enabled system include an audio input component, such as a microphone, and the device components may include other input components such as, but are not limited to, keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, touchpad, and other types of sensors. Likewise, the output components <NUM> of the device components <NUM> may include a variety of video, audio and/or mechanical outputs. For some embodiments, the output components <NUM> include an audio output component, such as a speaker. In addition, or alternative, to the audio output component, the output components <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, displays, touchscreen, vibrators, and other types of indicators. The device components <NUM> may also include a user interface <NUM> that is a subset of input components <NUM> and/or output components <NUM> for interaction with an operator, installer, or technician of the system.

The device components <NUM> may further comprise a power source <NUM>, such as a power supply or a portable battery, where the system having the components <NUM> is disposed. The power source <NUM> may also provide power to the other device components <NUM> of the voice enabled system, if necessary or desired.

A memory component of the voice enabled server and/or the memory component <NUM> of the voice enabled device may store data associated with the voice enabled system including, but is not limited to, one or more voice profiles <NUM>, <NUM> and the like. A voice profile <NUM> may be stored at the voice enabled server, a voice profile <NUM> may be stored at the voice enabled device, or voice profiles <NUM>, <NUM> may be stored in part or in whole at both the server and the device. The voice profile <NUM>, <NUM> may include settings of the voice enabled device including a wake word, address, time zone, and units of measurement. The voice profile <NUM>, <NUM> includes data that may simplify the process of creating and managing rooms. For example, the voice profile <NUM>, <NUM> may be created to include settings of a group of voice enabled devices or all voice enabled devices having one or more common attributes. For some embodiments, the voice enabled system may include a voice profile that identifies one or more voice parameters of a room group or type, an allowed set of voice command, an allowed set of voice utterances, administrator parameters, and a wake word parameter. Examples of the room type include, but are not limited to, patient room, operating room, waiting room, office, guest room, reception desk, and the like.

The voice profiles <NUM>, <NUM> of the voice enabled system may include one or more voice parameters <NUM>, <NUM> associated with a guest room such as a room identifier and/or a room status. Examples of the room identifier include, but are not limited to, a room location such as a building identifier, level identifier, room coordinates, or room number as well as a sub-room location such as a bed location or partitioned area. For example, the room identifier may include data associated with a point, or location of a point, of the building automation system. Examples of the room status include, but are not limited to, designations such as closed, housekeeping, isolated, contaminated, occupied, or unoccupied.

It should be noted that the voice enabled system may include a large repertoire of potential phrases, also known as utterances, that may be received and interpreted. The beginning of each phrase may include an activating phrase to "awaken" the voice enabled system and a subsequent portion of each phrase may include information about the action to be taken by a particular voice enabled device associated with and located in a particular guest room. For example, a user may provide a voice utterance to the voice enabled system to control a room temperature of the room by requesting a current room temperature, setting the room temperature, commanding a cooler or warmer temperature, specifying a particular temperature, or specifying a particular change in temperature. As another example, the user may provide voice input to control a window shade position by requesting a current shade position, setting a shade position, commanding a greater or lesser amount of shade, specifying a particular shade position, or specifying a particular change in shade position. If more than one shade is associated with the room, then the user may further specify the particular shade or shades to be operated within the same command or by separate commands. For yet another example, the user may provide voice input to control illumination within the room by requesting a current lighting level, setting a current lighting level, commanding a greater or lesser lighting level, specifying a particular lighting level, or specifying a particular change in lighting level. If more than one light source is associated with the room, then the user may further specify the particular light source or sources to be operated within the same command or by separate commands.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown example device components <NUM> of a mobile device that may be used to commission, configure, and/or operate the system described herein. The device components <NUM> comprise a communication data bus <NUM>, a communication component <NUM>, one or more processors <NUM>, one or more memory components <NUM>, input components <NUM>, output components <NUM>, a user interface <NUM>, and a power source <NUM>. The communication component <NUM> may communicate with a communication network <NUM> indirectly, such as via an access point <NUM> and wireless link <NUM> thereto, and/or directly, such as via a wired link <NUM>. The input components <NUM> and the output components <NUM> may include various types of video, audio, and mechanical components. The input components <NUM> of the voice enabled system include an audio input component. The device components <NUM> may also include a user interface <NUM> that is a subset of input components <NUM> and/or output components <NUM> for interaction with an operator, installer, or technician of the system.

The memory component <NUM> may also store application associated with certain features of the mobile device, such as a facility administration application <NUM>. The facility administration application <NUM> may operate in conjunction with various components of the mobile device, including a sensor <NUM> of the input components <NUM>, to read a code located in a particular guest room and provide information to the managing device of the building automation system to assist with commissioning and/or configuring one or more devices in the particular guest room.

Referring to <FIG> in conjunction with <FIG>, the voice enabled system <NUM>, <NUM> may be commissioned and/or configured with the building automation system <NUM> by the administrator. In particular, the administrator may utilize a mobile device <NUM> having a facility administration application <NUM> within the guest room <NUM> to scan a code <NUM>. For example, the facility administration application may operate in conjunction with a bar code reader of the mobile device <NUM> to scan a bar code or QR code, in the room. Visual feedback <NUM> associated with the code <NUM> scanned by the sensor <NUM> of the mobile device, such as an imager, may appear at an output component <NUM> or user interface <NUM> of the mobile device <NUM>. Thereafter, the mobile device <NUM> may send commissioning or configuration information via the communication component <NUM> to other components of the building automation system.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown a flow chart representing an example workflow of a general system that utilizes the building automation system, the hospitality information system, and the voice enabled system for implementing the techniques described herein. The building automation system, the hospitality information system, and the voice enabled system may be setup <NUM> at a facility <NUM>, such as a hospital or hotel. The system may be setup independently during different periods of time or concurrently within the same time period. The building automation system may then be configured <NUM> with the hospitality information system. One or more communication links are formed between the building automation system and the hospitality information system so that the hospitality user profile and/or related information may be communicated between the systems. Next, the voice enabled system may be commissioned <NUM> with the building automation system. The voice enabled system may be commissioned by manual entry of requisite information to the building automation system by an administrator or similar person or automated commissioning with the assistance of device coordinated with the building automation system, such as the mobile device described above. The general system, including the building automation system, the hospitality information system, and the voice enabled system, may then operate <NUM> in order to perform the function of managing one or more room devices, such as environmental devices of a guest room. Thereafter, the records and other data of the building automation system, such as the status of various room devices of the managed facility, may be updated <NUM> based on the operation of the general system. The hospitality information system and/or the voice enabled system may be updated as well.

Configuring <NUM> the building automation system with the hospitality information system may include associating <NUM> portions of the hospitality user profile with portions of the guest room profile in an anonymous manner. As described above, the general system correlates or unifies at least a portion of the guest room profile with at least a portion of the hospitality user profile and/or the voice profile. Portions of the guest room profile of the building automation system may be correlated or integrated with portions of the hospitality user profile and/or the voice profile without knowing the identity of the user/occupant or exposing personal identifiable information of users/occupants, stored at the hospitality information system or the voice enabled system, to the building automation system. Thus, portions of the hospitality user profile and/or voice profile may be associated <NUM> with corresponding portions of the guest room profile while protecting the privacy, such as identity, of the users/occupants.

Commissioning <NUM> the voice enabled system with the building automation system may include mapping <NUM> the voice enabled system to the building automation system. To protect user/occupant privacy, information associated with a hospitality user profile and/or a voice profile may be linked to corresponding information of the building automation system by non-identifying data that does not identify a specific occupant. Examples of the non-identifying data include, but are not limited to, a room location such as a building identifier, level identifier, room coordinates, or room number; a sub-room location such as a bed location or partitioned area; and room status such as closed, housekeeping, isolated, contaminated, occupied, or unoccupied. For some embodiments, one or more portions of the voice enabled system may be mapped <NUM> to one or more portions of the building automation system by scanning both systems to identify one or more common parameters and, then, linking one or more common parameters so that the portions of the voice enabled system and the building automation system associated with these common parameters are correlated or unified with each other. The building automation system may receive and utilize the mapped information to manage and control devices in a room without knowing the identity of the user/occupant.

For some embodiments, when updating <NUM> the building automation system, the voice enabled system may be updated as well as the building automation system. For example, certain parameters may override settings to generate an automatic profile update of the guest room profile and/or the voice profile. For some embodiments, if a message of the health information system indicates that a hospital room is unoccupied and is received by the building automation system, then the guest room profile and/or the voice profile may reset to a default unoccupied profile. For example, the voice enabled system may prevent voice control until either the guest room is changed to occupied or the setting is overridden by an administrator. Conversely, the guest room profile and/or voice profile may be automatically updated to respond to specific user preferences when a sensor of the building automation system detects a code. For example, a mobile device may read a bar code at the guest room and transmits a responsive signal to a management device of the building automation system, such as, when a user/occupant is moved to a new guest room.

Referring to <FIG>, there is shown a flow chart representing example operations of the voice enabled system and the building automation system implementing the techniques described herein. The voice enabled system, namely a voice enabled device of the voice enabled system, detects <NUM> voice utterance in the associated guest room. The voice enabled device communicates <NUM> a voice signal corresponding to the voice utterance to the voice processing server in response to detecting the voice utterance. The voice enabled system, namely a voice processing service of the voice enabled system, then provides a voice command based on the detected voice utterance in response to receiving the voice signal.

The building automation system, namely a first interface of the building automation system, receives <NUM> the voice command based on a voice utterance detected in the guest room by the voice enabled system. In addition to receiving <NUM> the voice command, the building automation system obtains or receives <NUM> a hospitality user profile from a hospitality information system. The hospitality user profile identifies one or more user parameters associated with the room. For example, the hospitality user profile may include one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of a room status, a reservation specification, a membership specification, a laboratory service, or a clinical treatment. Examples of the room status of the hospitality user profile include an occupancy parameter and a scheduling parameter. The building automation system may also obtain or receive a voice profile from the voice enabled system that identifies one or more parameters selected from the group consisting of a room identifier, an allowed set of voice command, an allowed set of voice utterances, or a wake word parameter. The building automation system then receives or obtains <NUM> a guest room profile of the building automation system. The guest room profile identifies one or more access rights to the building automation system associated with an occupant of the room. For example, the guest room profile may include an administrator right and a default user right as well as the one or more access rights of the occupant of the room. For some embodiments, the building automation system may next generate <NUM> a unified profile based on a combination of two profiles or all three profiles of the following: the hospitality user profile, the guest room profile, and the voice profile.

Regardless of whether the building automation system generate the unified profile, the building automation system controls <NUM> the room device or devices, such as environmental devices of the guest room, based on the voice command, the hospitality profile, and the guest room profile. For some embodiments, the building automation system may control the room device(s) based on the voice profile as well as the voice command, the hospitality profile, and the guest room profile. Examples of the room device include a device selected from the group consisting of a light control device and a temperature control device. Other examples of room devices include, but are not limited to, non-environmental devices such as entertainment systems that may be controlled by a building automation system to provide further room control.

Claim 1:
A building automation system (<NUM>) for controlling conditions of a room (<NUM>) comprising:
an room device associated with the room (<NUM>);
a first interface (<NUM>) operatively coupled to a voice enabled system (<NUM>, <NUM>) associated with the room (<NUM>), the first interface (<NUM>) being configured to receive a voice command based on a voice utterance (<NUM>) detected in the room (<NUM>) by the voice enabled system (<NUM>, <NUM>);
a second interface (<NUM>) operatively coupled to a hospitality information system (<NUM>) associated with the room (<NUM>), the second interface (<NUM>) being configured to receive a hospitality user profile from the hospitality information system (<NUM>), the hospitality user profile identifying at least one user parameter associated with the room (<NUM>); and
a managing device operatively coupled to the room device associated with the room (<NUM>), the managing device including a guest room profile that identifies at least a room status associated with the room (<NUM>), the room status is selected from the group including an occupancy parameter or a scheduling parameter, and the managing device being configured to control the room device based on the voice command, the hospitality user profile, and the guest room profile.