Determining presence and absence
AssigneeWorkplace Fabric Limited
InventorRaj Krishnamurthy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining presence and absence of one or more individuals in an occupancy space. The apparatus comprises a processing apparatus and a memory, the memory being configured for storing data indicating that expiry of a timer was responded to, and data indicating that a signal from a sensor was responded to. The processing apparatus has a number of modes in which it is responsive to a signal from a sensor and/or responsive to expiry of a timer so as to determine presence and absence.
Claims19
A method of operating an apparatus to determine presence and absence of one or more individuals in an occupancy space, the apparatus comprising a processing apparatus having at least two modes, wherein in each said mode the processing apparatus is responsive to a signal from a sensor and/or responsive to expiry of a timer, the processing apparatus being configured to store data in first and second variables, the first variable being adapted to store an indication of whether the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or to expiry of a timer, and the second variable being adapted to store an indication of whether, at an earlier time, the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or to expiry of a timer, the method comprising:
- performing a first set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to a signal from a sensor, and performing a second set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to expiry of a timer,
- wherein the first set of operations comprises:
- causing data indicating a detected presence to be transmitted and/or stored, if data in the second variable indicates that the processing apparatus responded to expiry of a timer;
- storing, in the second variable, data stored in the first variable;
- storing, in the first variable, data indicating that a signal form a sensor was responded to;
- and
- entering a mode in which the processing apparatus is responsive to expiry of a timer.
An apparatus for determining presence and absence of one or more individuals in an occupancy space, the apparatus comprising a processing apparatus having at least two modes, wherein in each said mode the processing apparatus is responsive to a signal from a sensor and/or responsive to expiry of a timer, the processing apparatus being configured to store data in a first variable to indicate whether the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or expiry of a sensor, and to store data in a second variable to indicate whether the processing apparatus responded, at an earlier time, to a signal from a sensor or to expiry of a timer, wherein the processing apparatus is configured to:
- perform a first set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to a signal from a sensor, and perform a second set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to expiry of a timer, and
- transmit and/or store data indicating a detected absence, if:
- the processing apparatus responds to a expiry of a timer;
- and
- data stored in the first variable indicates that the processing apparatus last responded to expiry of a timer;
- wherein the first set of operations includes causing data indicating a detected presence to be transmitted, if data in the second variable indicates that expiry of a timer was responded to.
A method of operating an apparatus to determine presence and absence of one or more individuals in an occupancy space, the apparatus comprising a processing apparatus having at least two modes, wherein in each said mode the processing apparatus is responsive to a signal from a sensor and/or responsive to expiry of a timer, the processing apparatus being configured to store data in first and second variables, the first variable being adapted to store an indication of whether the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or to expiry of a timer, and the second variable being adapted to store an indication of whether, at an earlier time, the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or to expiry of a timer, the method comprising:
- performing a first set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to a signal from a sensor, and performing a second set of operations if the processing apparatus responds to expiry of a timer,
- wherein the first set of operations includes causing data indicating a detected presence to be transmitted and/or stored, if data in the second variable indicates that the processing apparatus responded to expiry of a timer, and
- wherein the first variable is adapted to store an indication of whether the processing apparatus last responded to a signal from a sensor or expiry of a timer, and the second variable is adapted to store an indication of whether, the time before last, the processing apparatus responded to a signal from a sensor or expiry of a timer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.