HK1141930A - Notification system utilizing self-energizing switches - Google Patents

Description

Notification system using self-excited switch

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application serial No. 60/954007, filed on 5.8.2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Technical Field

The present application relates to notification systems, and more particularly to notification systems employing self-energizing switches.

Background

Switches for transmitting wireless communications are known. For example, some switches transmit wireless communications to a garage door opener. Many switches utilize an alternative internal energy source (e.g., a battery) to power the wireless communication transmission. Maintaining these internal energy sources can be inconvenient and expensive. For example, accessing a battery within a wall-mounted light switch is often difficult and time consuming. Without the use of an alternative internal energy source, some switches harvest energy to power wireless communication transmissions.

Some buildings utilize notification systems to inform the building of the activities of service locations in different rooms of the building. Existing notification systems include wired and battery based switches, both of which are typically expensive and inflexible.

Disclosure of Invention

An exemplary notification system includes a power source and a notification device in selective electrical communication with the power source. The notification device provides a notification to a building service location when the notification device is electrically connected to the power source. The receiver is electrically connected between the power source and the notification device. In response to the wireless communication, the receiver selectively electrically connects the notification device with the power source. The switch includes a wireless transmitter portion powered by a self-energizing portion. In response to the triggering of the switch, the wireless transmitter portion transmits wireless communications to the receiver.

In another example, a notification system includes a power source and a notification device in selective electrical communication with the power source. The notification device initiates a notification in the first room when the notification device is electrically connected to the power source. The receiver is electrically connected between the power source and the notification device. The receiver is for selectively electrically connecting the notification device to a power source to initiate the notification. The switch is located in the second room and has a wireless transmitter portion powered by the self-energizing portion. The wireless transmitter section transmits wireless communication to the receiver in response to power from the autonomous section.

An exemplary notification method includes transmitting a wireless communication using power provided by the self-activated portion of the switch, and providing a notification to a building service location in response to the transmitted wireless communication.

These and other features of the present invention can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

Drawings

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary notification system.

Fig. 2 illustrates the notification system of fig. 1 implemented within an exemplary building.

FIG. 3 illustrates the notification system of FIG. 1 implemented in another exemplary building.

Detailed Description

Referring to fig. 1, an exemplary notification system 10 includes a switch 14 in wireless communication with a receiver 18. The power supply 22 is used to supply power to a first notification lamp 26a, a second notification lamp 26b, and a third notification lamp 26c (each being an exemplary notification device). Receiver 18 selectively couples power source 22 to one or more notification lights 26a-26c in response to wireless communication 30 from switch 14.

In this example, the switch 14 is self-energizing and includes a wireless transmitter portion 34 and a self-energizing portion 38. The self-excited portion 38 provides power to the wireless transmitter portion 34 that transmits the wireless communication 30. An exemplary switch 14 suitable for transmitting wireless communications 30 is available from the product PTM250 by EnOcean.

The exemplary switch 14 is a rocker-type switch. That is, the switch 14 is triggered by rocking a portion of the switch 14 within the switch chamber 42. Other examples of switches 14 include motion sensors that are triggered when a user's hand is present. Other examples include push button type switches.

In one example, activation of portions of the switch 14 activates the self-energizing portion 38 of the switch 14. In other examples, the self-excited portion 38 is excited by a photovoltaic cell, a piezoelectric device, or the like. Thus, the exemplary switch 14 does not rely on an internal power source to power the wireless communication 30, but instead harvests an external energy source to power the wireless communication 30.

Although the receiver 18 is shown as a multi-channel receiver, it should be understood that the receiver 18 may also be a single channel receiver. Other examples include a receiver 18 coupled to more or fewer notification lights 26a-26 c. Although described as notification lights 26a-26c, other exemplary notification systems 10 utilize other forms of notification, such as music or updating a computer display.

Other examples of notification system 10 also utilize more than one receiver 18. Further, while the position of the receiver 18 is fixed in this example, other exemplary receivers are portable. For example, other examples of the receiver 18 include a USB portion, and a USB portion linked to a computer (not shown) is used to receive the wireless communication 30. The above examples facilitate moving the receiver 18 to receive wireless communications 30 in multiple areas. An exemplary receiver 18 suitable for use with the notification system 10 is available from the product RCM130C of EnOcean. This example of a receiver is radio-based and is configured to be incorporated into notification system 10.

The exemplary receiver 18 includes a programmable controller 46 that controls the illumination of notification lights 26a-26c by controlling the coupling between power source 22 and each of notification lights 26a-26c, the level of power delivered from power source 22 to notification lights 26a-26c, or both. One of the notification lights 26a-26c is illuminated to provide notification. Those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure will be able to develop a controller suitable for providing notification using notification lights 26a-26 c. Some examples of programmable controller 46 include a microprocessor, laptop computer, etc.

In this example, the switch 14 is located within a room 50a and is used to transmit wireless communications to a building service location 54 located within another room 50 c. The exemplary switch 14 does not rely on a wired or battery based power source, which facilitates moving the switch 14 between the room 50a and the other room 50b and maintains wireless transmission capability in both rooms.

Referring now to fig. 2 with continued reference to fig. 1, one exemplary application of the basic notification system 10 is a notification system 110 implemented within a building 58. In the present disclosure, like reference numerals refer to like elements where appropriate, and reference numerals increased by 100 or multiples thereof refer to modified elements. Unless otherwise indicated, elements that are altered may include the same basic features and advantages as the corresponding elements prior to alteration.

In this example, the building 58 is a multi-story hotel having a plurality of rooms 150a-150 e. Some of the rooms 150a-150d include building service locations 154a, 154 b. In this example, service location 154a is a lobby or front desk, and service location 154b is a kitchen. As is known, the building service locations 154a, 154b provide services to a plurality of rooms 150a-150e within the building 58. Many types of buildings (e.g., apartments, dormitories, libraries, etc.) include building service locations 154a, 154 b. Other exemplary building service locations include doorways, valet rooms, baggage rooms, and the like.

Although described in this example as a single building, the present disclosure is also applicable to groups of related buildings served by the building service locations 154a, 154 b. For example, a row of individual apartments (not shown) may be served by a building service location 154a, 154 b. The building service department is one type of building service location 154a, 154b suitable for use as described above.

The notification system 110 includes switches 114a, 114b, each of which is located within a respective room 150a-150 e. When the switch 114a is triggered, the switch 114a transmits the wireless communication 130a to the receiver 118 a. When the switch 114b is triggered, the switch 114b transmits the wireless communication 130b to the receiver 118 a. In this example, the receiver 118a is proximate to a building service location 154 a. In another example, a second receiver is mounted within one of the rooms 150a, in electrical communication with the switch 114 a. The second receiver comprises a transceiver that transmits a wireless communication 130a to the receiver 118a when the switch 114a is activated.

Upon receiving the wireless communications 130a, 130b, the receiver 118a selectively couples the lights 126a, 126b to the power source 22. The illuminated lights 126a, 126b correspond to one of the received wireless communications 130a, 130 b. The light 126c corresponds to a room 150e having a switch 114c that has not been activated and thus does not wirelessly communicate with the receiver 118 a. Activating switch 114a in room 150a causes lamp 126a to illuminate and activating switch 114b in room 150b causes lamp 126b to illuminate. Lights 126a, 126b are labeled to inform attendant 62a at service location 154a of the particular room 150a, 150b in which switch 114a, 114b was activated. The attendant 120 may then respond to the guests 66a, 66b in room 150a or room 150b, as appropriate. In another example, receiver 118a initiates a display on computer monitor 64 to indicate, for example, that guest 66a in room 150a needs help.

In one example, guest 66a triggers switch 114a to request that a towel be taken to their room. Other examples include triggering switch 114a to indicate that guest 66a is to check out of room 150 a. In other examples, more than one switch 114a is used within room 150a, each indicating a particular request by guest 66 a.

The switch 114a is also capable of wirelessly transmitting wireless communications 130c to communicate with other areas of the building 58 via the wireless communications 130 c. In one example, guest 66a activates switch 114a in a first manner to send wireless communication 130a and activates switch 114a in a second manner to send wireless communication 130 c. For example, guest 66a activates switch 114a once to send wireless communication 130a and activates switch 114a twice to send wireless communication 130 c. In doing so, the switch 114a is used to transmit the wireless communication 130a and the wireless communication 130c, which enables the switch 114a to communicate with the building service location 154a and the building service location 154 b.

A second receiver 118b within the building 58 is used to receive a second wireless communication 130 c. In this example, the second receiver 118b is near a kitchen (another type of building service location 154 b). In this example, receiving the second wireless communication 130b activates the light 126d, which is seen by the kitchen attendant 70 as a signal to provide room services to the guest 66a in the room 150 a.

Referring now to FIG. 3 and with continued reference to FIG. 1, another exemplary building 258 is a hospital that includes a plurality of defined areas or rooms 250a-250 e. The rooms 250b-250d include building service locations 254b-254d, each of which includes a receiver 218b-218d that receives wireless communications 230a, 230e from a plurality of switches 214a, 214e (within the respective room 250a-250 e).

In one example, the patient 74 in the room 250a triggers the switch 214a to notify the building service location 254b, which in this example is a nurse's room. The patient 74 notifies a nurse 78 or other medical professional in the room 250a near the building service location 254b of a condition, such as a fall or the patient 74 needing assistance.

In another example, the health worker 82 activates the switch 214e to illuminate the light 226c and play the musical sound 94, both of which are types of notification that the surgical assistant 86 needs to enter the patient 90 of the building 258 for an immediate surgical procedure. Surgical assistant 86 and receiver 218c are located near a surgical operating room (another type of building service location 254 c).

In one example, the receiver 218c is received within a wall cavity 98 adapted to receive a wall outlet. The above-described design facilitates installation of the receiver 218c within the building 258 using existing and common wall outlets.

Features of the present disclosure include utilizing self-energizing switches to communicate between a plurality of rooms and building service locations. Another feature of the present disclosure is the ability of the wireless switch and receiver to move within the building while maintaining wireless communication capabilities.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. Therefore, the true scope and content of the present invention will be determined by the following claims.

Claims (20)

1. A notification system, comprising:

a power source;

a notification device in selective electrical communication with the power source, the notification device providing a notification to a building service location when electrically connected to the power source;

a receiver electrically connected between the power source and the notification device, the receiver selectively electrically connecting the notification device with the power source in response to wireless communication; and

a switch having a wireless transmitter portion powered by a self-energizing portion, wherein the wireless transmitter portion transmits wireless communications to the receiver in response to activation of the switch.

2. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the notification represents a status within a room separate from the building service location.

3. The notification system of claim 1, wherein a hospital building includes the building service location.

4. The notification system of claim 3, wherein the switch is located in a patient room of the hospital building.

5. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the hotel comprises the building service location.

6. The notification system of claim 5, wherein the switch is located in a room of the hotel.

7. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the notification device is a light.

8. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the notification device is configured to play an audible notification.

9. The notification system of claim 1, wherein the building service location is at least one of a room in a hospital or a lobby in a hotel.

10. A notification system, comprising:

a power source;

a notification device in selective electrical communication with the power source, the notification device initiating a notification in the first room when electrically connected to the power source;

a receiver electrically connected between the power source and the notification device, the receiver capable of selectively electrically connecting the notification device with the power source to initiate a notification; and

a switch located within a second room and having a wireless transmitter portion powered by a self-energizing portion, wherein the wireless transmitter portion transmits wireless communications to the receiver in response to power from the self-energizing portion.

11. The notification system of claim 10, wherein the first room comprises a building service location.

12. The notification system of claim 10, wherein the notification comprises a display on a computer monitor.

13. The notification system of claim 10, wherein the notification comprises at least one audible sound.

14. The notification system of claim 10, wherein the receiver is located in a first room.

15. The notification system of claim 10, comprising a controller that can be programmed to associate activation of the switch with the notification device.

16. The notification system of claim 15, wherein the receiver comprises the controller.

17. A notification method, comprising:

transmitting wireless communications using power provided by the self-energizing portion of the switch; and

a notification is provided to a building service location in response to the transmitted wireless communication.

18. A notification method according to claim 17, comprising activating the switch to supply power to the self-excited portion of the switch.

19. The notification method of claim 17, comprising activating the switch once to transmit the wireless communication and activating the switch twice to transmit a different wireless communication.

20. The notification method of claim 17, comprising activating a switch in a first manner to communicate the wireless communication and activating a switch in a second manner to communicate a different wireless communication.