IP Library Patent Application 18737032
Patent Application
App. No. 18/737,032

SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE FOR OFFICE PRODUCTIVITY STRUCTURE COMMUNICATIONS

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/737,032
Abstract

A furniture system includes an office productivity structure (OPS). The furniture system also includes a sensor coupled to the OPS, the sensor operable to detect occupancy of the OPS and generate an output signal indicative of the occupancy; and a processor coupled to the sensor. The processor is operable to receive the output signal generated by the sensor, determine, based on the output signal, that the OPS is occupied, and, in response to determining that the OPS is occupied, generate a command to initiate at least one action associated with the OPS or an operator of the OPS.

Claims (70)

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . A furniture system comprising:

an office productivity structure (OPS);

a sensor coupled to the OPS and configured to detect a parameter of a user of the OPS and generate an output signal indicative of the parameter; and

a processor coupled to the sensor, and the processor operable to:

receive the output signal generated by the sensor;

generate, based on the output signal, a model of a user of the OPS; and

modify one or more control parameters of the OPS based on the generated model.

22 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the one or more control parameters are configured to control an actuator to vary physical features of the furniture system.

23 . The furniture system of claim 22 , wherein the actuator adjusts at least one of a seat, a backrest, and a base of the OPS in response to the modified control parameters.

24 . The furniture system of claim 22 , wherein the actuator adjusts one or more of a seat depth, armrest height, lumbar pressure, lumbar position, sacral support, spinal support, cranial support, thoracic support, foot support, leg support and calf support of the OPS in response to the modified control parameters.

25 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of seat back tilt relative to a base, a rate of recline, a seat pan weight distribution data, a seat pan tilt relative to a horizontal level, a back weight distribution data, a chair orientation data, a chair position data, a chair rotational data, and an impact force.

26 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of distance of travel, impact force, orientation with respect to predetermine object, distance from other objects, and weight differential on feet.

27 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the sensor includes at least one selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a ranging sensor, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope.

28 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the sensor includes at least one selected from a group consisting of an optical position tracker, a dead reckoning calculator, an ultrasound system, an optical camera, a video camera, a motion sensor, and a gesture recognition system.

29 . The furniture system of claim 21 , wherein the processor is further configured to obtain information collected by an activity tracker worn by the user and generate a notification based on the information received from the activity tracker.

30 . A furniture system comprising:

a chair including

a seat,

a backrest coupled to the seat, and

a base supporting the backrest and the seat;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the chair, each of the plurality of sensors generating an output signal, at least one of the plurality of sensors configured to detect a position parameter of the chair;

one or more actuators configured to adjust one or more components of the chair, and

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, and the processor configured to:

receive the output signals generated by the plurality of sensors,

generate, based on the output signals, a model of a user of the chair; and

modify, via the one or more actuators, one or more physical aspects of the chair based on the generate model.

31 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the one or more modified physical aspects include a seat position, a backrest position, and a base position of the chair.

32 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the actuator is configured to adjust one or more of a seat depth, an armrest height, a lumbar pressure, a lumbar position, a sacral support, a spinal support, a cranial support, a thoracic support, a foot support, a leg support, and a calf support of the chair based on the generated model.

33 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of seat back tilt relative to a base, a rate of recline, a seat pan weight distribution data, a seat pan tilt relative to a horizontal level, a back weight distribution data, a chair orientation data, a chair position data, a chair rotational data, and an impact force.

34 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of distance of travel, impact force, orientation with respect to predetermine object, distance from other objects, and weight differential on feet.

35 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one selected from a group consisting of an accelerometer, a strain gauge, a pressure sensor, a load sensor, a ranging sensor, a magnetometer, and a gyroscope.

36 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the plurality of sensors include at least one selected from a group consisting of an optical position tracker, a dead reckoning calculator, an ultrasound system, an optical camera, a video camera, a motion sensor, and a gesture recognition system.

37 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the processor is further configured to obtain information collected by an activity tracker worn by the user and generate a notification based on the information received from the activity tracker.

38 . A furniture system comprising:

a chair including

a seat,

a backrest coupled to the seat, and

a base supporting the backrest and the seat;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the chair, each of the plurality of sensors generating an output signal, at least one of the plurality of sensors configured to detect a position parameter of the chair;

one or more actuators configured to adjust one or more components of the chair, and

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, and the processor configured to:

receive the output signals generated by the plurality of sensors,

generate, based on the output signals, a model of a user of the chair; and

modify, via the one or more actuators, a physical aspects of one or more of the seat, the backrest, and the base of the chair based on the generate model.

39 . The furniture system of claim 38 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of a seat back tilt relative to the base, a rate of recline, a seat pan weight distribution data, a seat pan tilt relative to a horizontal level, a back weight distribution data, a chair orientation data, a chair position data, a chair rotational data, and an impact force.

40 . The furniture system of claim 30 , wherein the output signals represent data indicative of one or more selected from a group consisting of distance of travel, impact force, orientation with respect to predetermine object, distance from other objects, and weight differential on feet.

38 . A furniture system comprising:

a chair including

a seat,

a backrest coupled to the seat, and

a base supporting the backrest and the seat;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the chair, each of the plurality of sensors generating an output signal, at least one of the plurality of sensors configured to detect a position parameter of the chair; and

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, and the processor configured to:

receive the output signals generated by the plurality of sensors,

determine a posture based on the output signals generated by the plurality of sensors,

determine a set of configuration settings for the chair based on the posture, and

generate a notification including the set of configuration settings.

39 . A furniture system comprising:

a chair including

a seat,

a backrest coupled to the seat, and

a base supporting the backrest and the seat;

a plurality of sensors coupled to the chair, each sensor configured to generate an output signal; and

a processor coupled to the plurality of sensors, and the processor configured to:

receive the output signals generated by the plurality of sensors,

determine, based on at least one of the output signals, a current posture of a user using the chair,

compare the current posture of the user to a posture signature, and

generate a notification for the user to change postures in response to the current posture of the user matching the posture signature for a period of time exceeding a time threshold.

40 . The furniture system of claim 39 , wherein the processor is further configured to output information to a social media account based on at least one of the output signals.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Aug 8, 2025
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 072342/0529 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 30, 2025
From: MILLERKNOLL, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071473/0729 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2024
From: HOYT, CHRISTOPHER; RUCKER, DANIEL; ALEXANDER, BRIAN; DALEY-FELL, ADAM
To: HERMAN MILLER, INC.
Reel/Frame 069056/0145 →