Microclimate control systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11744376-B2
Application number	US-201916573831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A method and system for temperature control of a microclimate device are disclosed. The temperature control can be integrated into a reservation system for the microclimate device. A user interface can receive a user input of a temperature control setting. The user interface can be integrated into the microclimate device. A processor can receive the user input and control a heating and/or cooling device to execute the temperature control setting.

First claim

We claim:

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
associate a first user with a furniture item, the furniture item including a first heating and/or cooling device;
retrieve from a temperature control setting database a first temperature control setting for the first user;
send instructions to the first heating and/or cooling device to execute the first temperature control setting while the first user is associated with the furniture item
associate a second user with the furniture item;
retrieve from the temperature control setting database a second temperature control setting for the second user;
send instructions to the first heating and/or cooling device to execute the second temperature control setting while the second user is associated with the furniture item; and
measure a temperature of the first user or the second user.

2. A method comprising:
receiving from a first user a first temperature control setting;
receiving from a second user a second temperature control setting;
associating the first user with a furniture item, the furniture item including a first heating and/or cooling device;
retrieving the first temperature control setting;
executing the first temperature control setting at the first heating and/or cooling device while the first user is associated with the furniture item;
associating the second user with the furniture item;
retrieving the second temperature control setting;
executing the temperature control setting at the first heating and/or cooling device while the second user is associated with the furniture item; and
measuring a temperature of the first user or the second user.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein associating the first user or associating the second user comprises sensing proximity to the furniture item.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein sensing proximity occurs via a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein associating the first user or associating the second user comprises inputting an authentication code associated with the furniture item.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the associating the first user or associating the second user comprises scanning an identification badge.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the associating the first user or associating the second user comprises biometric identification.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein the associating the first user or associating the second user comprises a registration and/or login procedure.

9. The method of claim 2 , wherein the furniture item is a chair.

10. The method of claim 2 , the method further comprising:
sensing occupancy of the furniture item; and
deactivating the heating and/or cooling device when the furniture item is unoccupied.

11. A furniture item comprising:
a heating and/or cooling device;
a processor configured to control the heating and/or cooling device, the processor configured to: associate a first user with the furniture item, retrieve a first temperature control setting associated with the first user, execute the first temperature control setting at the heating and/or cooling device while the first user is associated with the furniture item; associate a second user with the furniture item; retrieve a second temperature control setting associated with the second user; and execute the second temperature control setting at the heating and/or cooling device while the second user is associated with the furniture item; and
a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the first or second user.

12. The furniture item of claim 11 , wherein the processor is configured to associate the first user by determining that the first user is in proximity to the furniture item and/or to associate the second user by determining that the second user is in proximity to the furniture item.

13. The furniture item of claim 11 , the processor configured to control the heating and/or cooling device in response to the temperature of the first or second user.

14. The furniture item of claim 11 , wherein the furniture item is a chair.

15. The furniture item of claim 11 , the furniture item further comprising a user interface.

16. The furniture item of claim 15 , wherein the processor is configured to associate the first user and/or associate the second user via the user interface.

17. The furniture item of claim 11 , wherein the furniture item includes an authentication code, wherein the processor is configured to associate the first user and/or associate the second user via scanning of the authentication code.

18. The furniture item of claim 11 , the furniture item further comprising a biometric authentication sensor.

19. The furniture item of claim 11 , the furniture item further comprising an occupancy sensor.

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Schmidt Ryan
• Kelly Caroline
• Mckenna Mark
• Norman Christopher
• Scheper Rob
• Swieter Timothy

Classifications

• A47C7/74 Primary

  for ventilation, heating or cooling · CPC title

• A47B97/00

  Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• A47C1/143

  Chaise lounges · CPC title

• A47C9/00

  Stools for specified purposes · CPC title

• A47C21/04

  Devices for ventilating, cooling or heating · CPC title