Multi-function thermostat with concierge features

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162327-B2
Application number	US-201615336791-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 28, 2015
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

A multi-function thermostat for a hotel room. The thermostat includes a touch-screen interface, a communications interface, and a processing circuit. In some embodiments, the touch-screen interface is configured to present information to a hotel guest and receive input from the hotel guest. The communications interface is configured to communicate with a hotel system. The processing circuit is configured to retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface and cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-function thermostat, the thermostat comprising:
a touch-screen interface configured to present information to a user and receive input from the user;
a communications interface configured to communicate with a hotel system; and
a processing circuit configured to:
retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface;
cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information;
receive a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;
receive payment information from the user for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request; and
facilitate a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request.

2. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to cause the communications interface to send a command to the hotel system to log the hotel booking request.

3. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
cause the touch-screen interface to display transportation options for the user;
receive a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and
communicate with a transportation server to automatically arrange transportation based on the transportation selection, the pickup time, and the destination.

4. The thermostat of claim 3 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to automatically arrange the transportation options in a list from most relevant to least relevant based on at least one of a most commonly selected transportation option, a least expensive transportation option, a fastest transportation option, and the destination.

5. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to generate a receipt for charges associated with hotel accommodations provided to the user and cause the touch-screen interface to display the receipt;
wherein the thermostat further comprises a payment information input device configured to receive the payment information from at least one of a user device or a payment card of the user;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive the payment information from at least one of the user device or the payment card via the payment information input device.

6. The thermostat of claim 5 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive a confirmation from the touch-screen interface that the user has accepted the charges;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to facilitate the transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request by facilitating a transfer of funds from a first financial account associated with the user to a second financial account associated with a hotel when the user has accepted the charges.

7. The thermostat of claim 1 , further comprising a microphone configured to record audio data;
wherein the processing circuit is configured to receive concierge questions from the user via the microphone, cause the communications interface to send the concierge questions to the hotel system, receive answers to the concierge questions via the communications interface, and cause the touch-screen interface to display the answers to the concierge questions.

8. The thermostat of claim 7 , further comprising a speaker configured to produce an aural stimulus;
wherein the processing circuit is further configured to convert the answers to the concierge questions into an audio signal and provide the audio signal to the speaker, the audio signal causing the speaker to produce an aural stimulus comprising the answers to the concierge questions.

9. The thermostat of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
receive a hotel service request from the user via the touch-screen interface; and
push the hotel service request to the hotel system via the communications interface.

10. A method for operating a multi-function thermostat in a hotel room, the method comprising:
presenting information to a hotel guest and receiving input from the hotel guest via a touch-screen interface of the thermostat;
communicating with a hotel system via a communications network;
retrieving concierge information from the hotel system via a communications interface of the thermostat;
presenting the concierge information to the hotel guest via the touch-screen interface;
receiving a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;
receiving payment information from the hotel guest for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request; and
facilitating a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises causing the communications interface to send a command to the hotel system to log the hotel booking request.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises:
causing the touch-screen interface to show a list of possible methods for transportation;
receiving a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and
communicating with the transportation server to automatically arrange the transportation based on the selection of the transportation selection, the pickup time, and the destination.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises generating a receipt for charges associated with hotel accommodations provided to the hotel guest for a duration of the hotel booking request and causing the touch-screen interface to display the receipt.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises receiving a confirmation from the touch-screen interface that the hotel guest has accepted all charges;
wherein facilitating the transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request comprises facilitating a transfer of funds from a first financial account associated with the hotel guest to a second financial account associated with a hotel when the hotel guest has accepted the charges.

15. A multi-function thermostat for a hotel room, the thermostat comprising:
a touch-screen interface configured to present information to a hotel guest and receive input from the hotel guest;
a communications interface configured to communicate with a hotel system via a communications network; and
a processing circuit configured to:
retrieve concierge information from the hotel system via the communications interface;
cause the touch-screen interface to display the concierge information;
receive a hotel booking request via the touch-screen interface, the hotel booking request comprising a check-in date and a check-out date;
receive payment information from the hotel guest for a payment amount based on the hotel booking request;
facilitate a transaction in the payment amount with the payment information for the hotel booking request; and
generate a receipt for all charges for a duration of the hotel booking request and cause the touch-screen interface to display the receipt.

16. The thermostat of claim 15 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to:
cause the touch-screen interface to display transportation options for the hotel guest;
receive a transportation selection, a pickup time, and a destination via the touch-screen interface; and
communicate with a transportation server to automatically arrange transportation based on the transportation select

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co

Inventors

• Sinha Sudhi
• Ribbich Joseph R
• Ribbich Michael L
• Gaidish Charles J
• Cipolla John P

Classifications

• H05B47/11

  by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light · CPC title

• G06Q50/12

  Hotels or restaurants · CPC title

• F24F2120/12

  Position of occupants · CPC title

• F24F11/62

  characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values · CPC title

• A61B5/02405

  Determining heart rate variability · CPC title