Sensor-based room status indication and housekeeping coordination system for hospitality environments
AssigneeThe Hotel Communication Network, Inc.
InventorsKevin Bidner, James M. Behmke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The techniques herein are directed generally to managing hotel guest housekeeping within an automated guest satisfaction and services scheduling system. In particular, in the present disclosure, the techniques herein provide a method and system to allow guests to easily manage and schedule housekeeping services through the interactive interface. The interface may include various modal notifications regarding services, such as requesting the guest to enter their guest housekeeping preferences. The system then facilitates notification of a housekeeping services scheduler, and also allows the hotel to incentivize opting out of housekeeping services.
Claims20
A system, comprising:
- one or more servers;
- a hotel service scheduler;
- a plurality of communication terminals, each associated with a respective room of a plurality of rooms and having a graphical user interface (GUI);
- one or more proximity or motion sensors associated with each room;
- and
- one or more visual indicators positioned outside of each room;
- wherein the one or more servers are configured to:
- determine registration information regarding a guest including an assigned room;
- wherein the plurality of communication terminals are configured to:
- detect that the guest is within the assigned room using the one or more proximity or motion sensors;
- present, on the GUI, an interactive interface querying the guest to select a housekeeping scheduling preference from a plurality of options comprising one or more time ranges and an option to forgo housekeeping;
- receive a selection of the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- and
- share the selection with the one or more servers;
- wherein the hotel service scheduler is configured to:
- receive the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- and
- schedule housekeeping for the assigned room based on the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- wherein the one or more visual indicators are configured to indicate, only when housekeeping personnel are detected:
- (i) the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- and
- (ii) whether the guest is within the assigned room.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, at one or more servers, registration information regarding a guest including an assigned room;
- detecting, by a communication terminal associated with the assigned room using one or more proximity or motion sensors, that the guest is within the assigned room;
- presenting, on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the communication terminal, an interactive interface querying the guest to select a housekeeping scheduling preference from a plurality of options comprising one or more time ranges and an option to forgo housekeeping;
- receiving, by the communication terminal, a selection of the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- sharing, from the communication terminal, the selection with the one or more servers;
- providing, by the one or more servers, the housekeeping scheduling preference to a hotel service scheduler;
- scheduling, by the hotel service scheduler, housekeeping for the assigned room based on the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- and
- controlling one or more visual indicators positioned outside of the assigned room to indicate, only when housekeeping personnel are detected:
- (i) the housekeeping scheduling preference;
- and
- (ii) whether the guest is within the assigned room.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.