# US 2022/0036713 A1 · Method and system for optimizing access restrictions to shared resources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2022/0036713 A1 - Document ID: US20220036713A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/386,983 - Filed: 2021-07-28 - Published: 2022-02-03 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-29 - Assignees: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP - Applicants: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP - Inventors: Ronan Fineen Hennessy; Róisín Ann O'Brien; Eamonn Jerry O'Toole; Rachel D.M. Ellerman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20220036713A1 ## CPC - G08B 21/02: Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons - G06Q 10/06311: {Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group} - G06Q 10/1093: Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups - G07C 9/29: the pass containing active electronic elements, e.g. smartcards - G07C 9/30: not involving the use of a pass - G08B 21/22: responsive to presence or absence of persons - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE ## Abstract A method includes receiving, by one or more processing circuits, risk data indicative of at least one of behavior of the users relating to the shared space or a user risk relating to a risk of one or more of the users contracting or spreading a disease, determining, by the one or more processing circuits, an accessibility limit for the shared space based on the risk data, the accessibility limit comprising at least one of an occupancy limit for the shared space or a timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy, and generating, by the one or more processing circuits, an indicator of the accessibility limit for the shared space, the indicator providing an indication to the users of at least one of the occupancy limit or the timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of mitigating risk of infection for users of a shared space of a building, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processing circuits, risk data indicative of at least one of behavior of the users relating to the shared space or a user risk relating to a risk of one or more of the users contracting or spreading a disease; determining, by the one or more processing circuits, an accessibility limit for the shared space based on the risk data, the accessibility limit comprising at least one of an occupancy limit for the shared space or a timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy; and generating, by the one or more processing circuits, an indicator of the accessibility limit for the shared space, the indicator providing an indication to the users of at least one of the occupancy limit or the timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the one or more processing circuits, social distancing scores for the users of the shared space; and determining, by the one or more processing circuits, the accessibility limit for the shared space comprises determining the accessibility limit using the social distancing scores. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the one or more processing circuits responsive to determining the accessibility limit for the shared space, at least one of control signals or data to an access control device configured to cause the access control device to control access to the shared space. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling cleaning of the shared space based on the accessibility limit. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the shared space is a conference room, and wherein the accessibility limit comprises at least one of: prohibiting access to the conference room; limiting access to the conference room during one or more time periods; or limiting booking of the conference room within a booking system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the one or more processing circuits, a heat map of the shared space, wherein determining the accessibility limit for the shared space comprises determining the accessibility limit using the heat map. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, by the one or more processing circuits, an alternative shared space; determining, by the one or more processing circuits, a plurality of possible routes to the alternative shared space; receiving, by the one or more processing circuits, a heat map relating to the plurality of possible routes; determining, by the one or more processing circuits, using the heat map, risks relating to contact with other users for the plurality of possible routes; selecting, by the one or more processing circuits, a first route from among the plurality of possible routes based on the risks; and providing, by the one or more processing circuits, directions to the alternative shared space using the first route. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting, by the one or more processing circuits, the indicator to a user device, the indicator comprising data configured to cause the user device to provide an indication of the accessibility limit for the shared space. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the indicator via a digital sign proximate to an entrance to the shared space. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the shared space is a bathroom; wherein the digital sign is provided proximate to a door to the bathroom; wherein the indicator indicates the bathroom is closed. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing, by the one or more processing circuits responsive to determining the accessibility limit to the shared space, an indication of an alternative shared space to use instead of the shared space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: providing, by the one or more processing circuits, directions to the alternative shared space by: determining a plurality of potential routes to the alternative shared space; determining risks relating to contact with other users for the plurality of potential routes; selecting a first route from among the plurality of potential routes based on the risks; and providing directions to the alternative shared space using the first route. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the one or more processing circuits, historical occupancy data indicating occupancy of the shared space at one or more previous times; and determining, by the one or more processing circuits, the accessibility limit for the shared space by determining the accessibility limit using the historical occupancy data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining, by the one or more processing circuits, the accessibility limit using the historical occupancy data by: determining, using the historical occupancy data, a timeframe during which occupancy has been above a threshold level; and determining the accessibility limit for the shared space during the timeframe. ### Claim 15 A building system of a building comprising one or more memory devices storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive risk data indicative of at least one of behavior of users relating to a shared space or a user risk relating to a risk of one or more of the users contracting or spreading a disease; determine an accessibility limit for the shared space based on the risk data, the accessibility limit comprising at least one of an occupancy limit for the shared space or a timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy; and generate an indicator of the accessibility limit for the shared space, the indicator providing an indication to the users of at least one of the occupancy limit or the timeframe during which the shared space is prohibited from occupancy. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The building system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to: generate social distancing scores for the users of the shared space, wherein determining the accessibility limit for the shared space comprises determining the accessibility limit using the social distancing scores. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The building system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to: transmit, responsive to determining the accessibility limit for the shared space, at least one of control signals or data to an access control device configured to cause the access control device to control access to the shared space. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The building system of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to: schedule cleaning of the shared space based on the accessibility limit. ### Claim 19 A method of improving efficiency of scheduled maintenance or cleaning activities, the method comprising: identifying, by one or more processing circuits, a worker who will perform a maintenance or cleaning activity; associating, by the one or more processing circuits, a shared resource with the maintenance or cleaning activity; identifying, by the one or more processing circuits, a time at which the maintenance or cleaning activity will start; performing, by the one or more processing circuits, at least one of: providing a notification to one or more users in advance of the time at which the maintenance or cleaning activity will start and that the shared resource will become unavailable; or prohibiting use of the shared resource in advance of the time. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein identifying, by the one or more processing circuits, the time at which the maintenance or cleaning activity will start comprises: determining a distance between the worker and the shared resource; determining rate of progress of the worker towards the shared resource; and calculating an estimated time when the worker will arrive at said shared resource.