Seating detection device and seating monitoring system
AssigneeToshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorSho Koike
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seating detection device includes a sensor, a coupler, a power supply, a switch, and a controller. The sensor forms an electric field to detect a change in an electrostatic capacitance. The coupler couples the sensor to a chair. The power supply supplies power for forming the electric field to the sensor. The switch controls transmission of power from the power supply to the sensor. After the switch is turned on, the controller sets a seating threshold based on the change in electrostatic capacitance detected by the sensor. The seating threshold represents a threshold amount of electrostatic capacitance. The controller determines whether an occupant is seated on the chair based on the seating threshold.
Claims17
A seating detection device comprising:
- a sensor configured to form an electric field to detect a change in electrostatic capacitance;
- a coupler configured to couple the sensor to a chair;
- a power supply configured to supply power for forming the electric field to the sensor;
- a switch configured to control transmission of the power from the power supply to the sensor;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- set, based on an electrostatic capacitance detected by the sensor in an unoccupied state where an occupant is not seated on the chair, a temporary threshold that is larger than the electrostatic capacitance detected by the sensor in the unoccupied state;
- receive a plurality of electrostatic capacitances detected by the sensor during an experimental seating period;
- calculate an average value of the electrostatic capacitances that both (a) were detected by the sensor during the experimental seating period and (b) exceeded the temporary threshold;
- after the switch is turned on, set a seating threshold based on the average value, the seating threshold representing a threshold amount of electrostatic capacitance;
- and
- determine whether an occupant is seated on the chair based on the seating threshold.
A seating detection device comprising:
- a sensor configured to form an electric field to detect an electrostatic capacitance;
- a coupler configured to couple the sensor to a chair;
- a power supply configured to supply power for forming the electric field to the sensor;
- a user interface;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- adjust a seating threshold in response to receiving a user input through the user interface, the seating threshold representing a threshold amount of electrostatic capacitance;
- and
- determine whether an occupant is seated on the chair based on the seating threshold and the electrostatic capacitance detected by the sensor,
- wherein the controller is reconfigurable between (a) an adjustment mode in which the controller is configured to adjust the seating threshold in response to receiving the user input through the user interface and (b) a monitoring mode in which the controller does not adjust the seating threshold in response to receiving the user input through the user interface.
A seating monitoring system comprising:
- a seating detection device comprising:
- a user interface;
- a sensor configured to form an electric field to detect an electrostatic capacitance;
- a coupler configured to couple the sensor to a chair;
- a power supply configured to supply power for forming the electric field to the sensor;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine whether an occupant is seated on the chair by comparing the electrostatic capacitance detected by the sensor with a seating threshold;
- and
- adjust the seating threshold in response to receiving a user input through the user interface;
- and
- a monitor configured to receive and display a determination result of the controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.