Method and system for locating resources and communicating within an enterprise

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9852388-B1
Application number	US-201615179140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 10, 2016
Priority date	Oct 3, 2014
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

An algorithm formulating system for use with a sensing ecosystem for identifying enterprise space states, the sensing ecosystem including a plurality of sensor devices mounted within an enterprise space wherein each sensor device is capable of sensing a plurality of parameters within the enterprise space, the system comprising a processor programmed to perform the steps of accessing a rule set that specifies a first parameter value set that corresponding to a perceived state within a first enterprise space, receiving sensor data from sensor devices within the first enterprise space, comparing the sensor data to the rule set to identify instances of the perceived state, examining sensor data to identify a second parameter value set that occurs at least a threshold percentage of time for the identified instances of the perceived state and using the second parameter value set as the basis for a new rule set to be associated with the perceived state.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A commissioning method for installing a sensor ecosystem, the process for use by a device installer using an installer's interface device that includes a display screen, the process comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of similarly constructed sensor devices wherein each of the sensor devices includes a processor and a plurality of sensor components, each sensor component for sensing a different parameter, at least a subset of the sensor components controllable to turn the components on and off so as to activate and deactivate sensing capabilities of the different parameters;
providing a sensor configuration specification that indicates specified sensor placements and, for each sensor placement, sensor settings for a sensor device to be installed at the sensor placement, the sensor settings indicating sensor components to be activated to enable specific sensing functionalities;
using the interface device to obtain a sensor device identifier from one of the sensor devices;
determining the location of the interface device within the enterprise space;
receiving input via the interface from the installer;
using the input to identify one of the sensor placements from the configuration specification;
obtaining first sensor settings for the sensor device associated with the identified one of the sensor placements from the configuration specification;
receiving an indication that the sensor device has been installed at the identified one of the sensor placements, the sensor device that has been installed being an installed device;
transmitting the first sensor settings to the installed device;
using the first sensor settings to program the installed device by activating at least a subset of the sensor components to sense a subset of parameters;
presenting test instructions to the installer to perform various activities to be sensed by the installed device;
sensing, via the installed device, activities performed by the installer; and
examining the sensed activities performed to assess test success.

2. The commissioning method of claim 1 further including the step of indicating a plurality of sensor placements on the display screen where the installer may mount the sensor device wherein each sensor placement corresponds to a different one of the sensor placements from the configuration specification, the step of receiving input including receiving a selection from the installer of one of the plurality of sensor placements via the interface.

3. The commissioning method of claim 2 wherein the configuration specification includes an enterprise map, the step of indicating a plurality of sensor placements including presenting at least a portion of the enterprise map on the display screen and indicating the sensor placements on the map at which sensor devices are to be installed.

4. The commissioning method of claim 1 wherein at least a subset of the sensor placements specified by the configuration specification include specific locations on space affordances and wherein at least a subset of the space affordances include identification tags that include unique affordance identifiers, the step of receiving input including using the interface device to obtain an affordance identifier from an affordance in space and using the affordance identifier to identify a specific sensor placement in the configuration specification.

5. The commissioning method of claim 1 wherein the sensor settings activate less than all of the sensor components.

6. The commissioning method of claim 1 wherein the step of transmitting includes wirelessly transmitting the sensor settings to the installed sensor device.

7. The commissioning method of claim 1 further including the step of, after receiving input, presenting an installation image on the display screen illustrating the location on a space affordance within the enterprise space at which the sensor device is to be installed.

8. The commissioning method of claim 3 wherein there are at least first and second sensing algorithms that may facilitate at least one required functionality and wherein different subsets of data are required from the sensing ecosystem to drive the first and second sensing algorithms, the configuration specification specifying each of first and second sensor configurations required to generate data to perform the first and second sensing algorithms, respectively.

9. The commissioning method of claim 8 wherein placements of sensors on the map associated with the first sensing algorithm are visually distinguished from placements of sensors on the map that are not associated with the first sensing algorithm.

10. The commissioning method of claim 9 wherein the first algorithm is less accurate than the second algorithm.

11. An algorithm formulating system for use with a sensing ecosystem for identifying enterprise space states, the sensing ecosystem including a plurality of sensor devices mounted within an enterprise space wherein each sensor device is capable of sensing a plurality of parameters within the enterprise space, the system comprising:
a processor programmed to perform the steps of:
accessing a rule set that specifies a first parameter value set that corresponding to a perceived state within a first enterprise space;
receiving sensor data from sensor devices within the first enterprise space;
comparing the sensor data to the rule set to identify instances of the perceived state;
examining sensor data to identify a second parameter value set that occurs at least a threshold percentage of time for the identified instances of the perceived state; and
using the second parameter value set as the basis for a new rule set to be associated with the perceived state.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the step of comparing the sensor data to the rule set includes comparing sensor data from at least a first sensor device to the rule set and wherein the step of examining the sensor data to identify a second parameter value set includes examining sensor data from at least a second sensor device that is independent of the first sensor device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first sensor device is an imaging sensor device and the second sensor device is a non-imaging sensor device.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the at least a second sensor device includes a plurality of non-imaging sensor devices.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least a first device includes a first plurality of non-imaging sensor devices and wherein the at least a second sensor device includes a second plurality of non-imaging sensor devices.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least a subset of the second plurality of sensor devices is included in the first plurality of sensor devices.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the step of using the second parameter value set as the basis for a new rule set includes presenting the second parameter value set to a system analyst for consideration.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the step of using the second parameter value set as a basis for a new rule set includes the system processor automatically generating a new rule set of the perceived parameter and applying the new rule set to a second enterprise space that is independent of the first enterprise space.

19. A sensor device for use in a sensing ecosystem that includes a controlling system server, the sensor device comprising:
a processor;
a battery linked to the processor;
a memory device linked to the processor;
a transceiver linked to the processor, the t

Assignees

• Steelcase Inc
• Steelcase Inc

Inventors

• Swieter Timothy D
• Scheper Robert
• Sculley Darrin

Classifications

• G06Q10/06313 Primary

  Resource planning in a project environment · CPC title

• H04Q9/00

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• H04Q2209/40

  using a wireless architecture · CPC title

• H04Q2209/826

  where the data is sent periodically · CPC title