Wireless network hotel room management system

A method for using a wireless network to manage a hotel having a plurality of guest rooms, comprising the steps of:

• providing a communications network configured to send and receive wireless data signals;
• providing a computer in data communication with said communications network having a memory configured to store programming and data, said computer having a processor configured to execute said programming;
• providing an electronic guest room unit situated in each guest room, each said guest room unit being a touch screen input device that is in data communication with said communications network;
• providing a housekeeping module in data communication with said computer and said communications network;
• receiving into said guest room unit projected absence data input by a guest and communicating said projected absence data to said computer through said communications network;
• and
• determining if respective received projected absence data is indicative of a housekeeping request and, if so, communicating a housekeeping order to said housekeeping module, wherein said projected absence data is indicative of said housekeeping request if said projected absence data indicates a respective guest is checking out or will be absent from the room for more than a predetermined amount of time other than to check out.

A wireless network hotel room management system for use by a hotel having a plurality of guest rooms for reserving a room, indicating the real time occupancy status of a room, and indicating the real time status of a housekeeping event, said system comprising:

• a communications network configured to send and receive wireless data signals;
• a computer in data communication with said communications network having a memory configured to store programming and data, said computer having a processor configured to execute said programming;
• a guest room unit situated in each guest room, each said guest room unit being in data communication with said communications network;
• a housekeeping module in data communication with said computer and said communications network;
• wherein said each guest room unit includes a touch screen that is configured to receive projected absence data as input from a guest in a respective guest room and to communicate said projected absence data to said computer through said communications network;
• programming in said memory that when executed by said processor receives said projected absence data from a respective guest room unit;
• programming in said memory that when executed by said processor determines if respective received projected absence data is indicative of a housekeeping request and, if so, communicates a housekeeping order to said housekeeping module;
• wherein said projected absence data is indicative of said housekeeping request if said projected absence data input from the guest indicates a respective guest is checking out or will be absent from the room for more than a predetermined amount of time other than checking out;
• wherein said each guest room unit is configured to receive housekeeping initiation data from housekeeping personnel when said housekeeping personnel have entered a guest room as a result of a respective housekeeping order and to communicate said housekeeping initiation data to said computer through said communications network;
• wherein said each guest room unit is configured to receive housekeeping completion data from said housekeeping personnel when said housekeeping personnel have completed cleaning a guest room as a result of said respective housekeeping order and to communicate said housekeeping completion data to said computer through said communications network;
• programming in said memory that when executed by said processor determines if a time between a receipt of said initiation data and a receipt of said completion data is greater than a predetermined;
• a guest room door unit situated on a respective guest room door and in communication with said communications network, said guest room door unit configured to automatically unlock said respective guest room door if actuated by an authorized key;
• wherein:
• said authorized key is one of a guest key and a housekeeping key;
• said room door unit is configured to distinguish between said guest key and said housekeeping key;
• and
• said room door unit is configured to communicate with said computer through said communications network when said respective door unit is actuated by said housekeeping key;
• wherein said guest room unit is configured to receive “do-not-disturb” data from a guest in a respective guest room and to communicate said do-not-disturb data to said computer through said communications network;
• said system further comprising programming in said memory that when executed by said processor:
• receives said do-not-disturb data from a respective guest room unit;
• and
• determines if respective received do-not-disturb data is indicative of a request not to be disturbed and, if so, communicates a do-not-disturb order to said housekeeping module.