Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment
A system and method for providing awareness in a hospitality environment are presented. In one embodiment, a vertical and horizontal array of set-top boxes is provided and each set-top box includes an identification corresponding to the room in which the set-top box is placed. Each set-top box includes a wireless transceiver that periodically transmits an identification beacon that is received by a proximate wireless-enabled interactive device. The proximate wireless-enabled interactive device, in turn, broadcasts data packets including an indication of the strength of set-top box identification signals received. The broadcasts are received by a server via an array of wireless routers. The location of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive device is determined based on the signal strength information in the data packets.
1 . A system for providing awareness in a hospitality environment, the system comprising:
an array of set-top boxes, each set-top box being associated with a room in the hospitality environment, each set-top box having an identification including a room identifier;
each set-top box of the array of set-top boxes including:
a housing, and
a wireless transceiver associated with the housing, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device; and
a plurality of data packets, each data packet including at least one set-top box identification, and a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device identification.
2 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, WiFi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy.
3 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device further comprises a user-supplied wireless-enabled smart interactive handheld device.
4 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device further comprises a single button personal locator device.
5 . The system as recited claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises an operational mode selected from the group consisting of alerts-enabled, service request-enabled, tracking-enabled, and non-tracking-enabled.
6 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein in the alerts-enabled mode, a distress signal is sent from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device.
7 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein in the service request-enabled mode, a service request is sent from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device.
8 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein in the tracking-enabled mode, a plurality of locations with timestamps associated with the data packet of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device are maintained.
9 . The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein in the non-tracking-enabled mode, only last known locations with timestamps associated with the data packet of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device are maintained.
10 . The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the array of set-top boxes further comprises a plurality of common space beacon devices, each common space beacon device having an identification including a common space.
11 . A system for providing awareness in a hospitality environment, the system comprising:
an array of set-top boxes, each set-top box being associated with a room in the hospitality environment, each set-top box having an identification including a room identifier;
the array of set-top boxes including a plurality of common space beacon devices, each common space beacon device having an identification including a common space;
each set-top box and common space beacon device of the array of set-top boxes including:
a housing, and
a wireless transceiver associated with the housing, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device; and
a plurality of data packets, each data packet of the plurality of data packets including at least one set-top box/common space beacon device identification, and a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device identification.
12 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the wireless transceiver is configured to communicate with a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, WiFi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy.
13 . The system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the system further comprises an operational mode selected from the group consisting of alerts-enabled, service request-enabled, tracking-enabled, and non-tracking-enabled.
14 . The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein in the alerts-enabled mode, a distress signal is sent from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device.
15 . The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein in the service request-enabled mode, a service request is sent from the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device.
16 . The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein in the tracking-enabled mode, a plurality of locations with timestamps associated with the data packet of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device are maintained.
17 . The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein in the non-tracking-enabled mode, only last known locations with timestamps associated with the data packet of the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device are maintained.
18 . A system for providing awareness in a hospitality environment, the system comprising:
an array of set-top boxes, each set-top box being associated with a room in the hospitality environment, each set-top box having an identification including a room identifier;
the array of set-top boxes including a plurality of common space beacon devices, each common space beacon device having an identification including a common space;
each set-top box and common space beacon device of the array of set-top boxes including:
a housing, and
a wireless transceiver associated with the housing, the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device;
the wireless transceiver configured to communicate with a standard selected from the group consisting of infrared (IR), 802.11, 3G, 4G, Edge, WiFi, ZigBee, near field communications (NFC), Bluetooth, and Bluetooth low energy;
a plurality of data packets, each data packet of the plurality of data packets including at least one set-top box/common space beacon device identification, and a proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device identification; and
each proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device operating in an operational mode selected from the group consisting of alerts-enabled, service request-enabled, tracking-enabled, and non-tracking-enabled.
19 . The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device further comprises a user-supplied wireless-enabled smart interactive handheld device.
20 . The system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the proximate wireless-enabled interactive handheld device further comprises a single button personal locator device.