Guest room disinfection system

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a guest room sterilization system with which a sufficiently sterilized guest room can be prepared for a user.　A guest room sterilization system according to the present disclosure is provided with a guest room sterilization control unit 23. The guest room sterilization control unit 23 recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time set for a guest room 50 and executes a guest room sterilization process to sterilize the guest room 50 by operating a sterilization device provided in the guest room 50 so that the process is completed before the scheduled check-in date and time by a first predetermined time T1.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to a guest room disinfection system.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a method for deodorizing and dust-removing in a hotel guest room. When a room use end signal or a room cleaning start signal is input to the central control device of the system implementing this method, the motor damper of the ventilation device in the corresponding guest room is fully opened to perform exhaust with the maximum ventilation volume.

Prior Art Documents

[0007] The room disinfection system described in this disclosure performs room disinfection processing a predetermined time before the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the room. Therefore, a thoroughly disinfected room can be prepared for the next guest. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the guest room disinfection system in the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of guest room management information in the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a first flowchart illustrating the guest room disinfection process in the embodiment. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a second flowchart illustrating the guest room disinfection process in the embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a third flowchart illustrating the guest room disinfection process in the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] (Knowledge and other information that formed the basis of this disclosure) At the time the inventors conceived of this disclosure, there was a technology that, when the use of a guest room ended, would fully open the motor damper of the guest room's ventilation system to exhaust the air at the maximum possible rate, thereby exhausting dust generated during cleaning and any odors remaining in the guest room to the outside. However, in recent years, there has been a growing concern among guests regarding the air quality in their rooms, and there is a demand for rooms that have been thoroughly disinfected. Therefore, the inventors discovered that simply exhausting dust and odors from a room after guests have finished using it is insufficient to meet guests' needs, and the subject of this disclosure was developed to solve this problem. Therefore, this disclosure provides a room disinfection system that can provide users with a room that has been thoroughly disinfected.

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art. The attached drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment) The embodiments will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 5. [1. Structure] Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of the guest room disinfection system 10 in this disclosure and the facilities of the accommodation facility 1 equipped with the guest room disinfection system 10 will be described. The guest room disinfection system 10 manages the implementation of disinfection treatment in the guest rooms 50 provided in the accommodation facility 1. Although the accommodation facility 1 has multiple guest rooms 50, only one room is shown in Figure 1 for the sake of explanation.

[0012] Guest room 50 is equipped with the following amenities: a door lock 52, a card switch 53, a motion sensor 54, an illuminance sensor 55, a door sensor 56, a ventilation system 57, an air conditioner 58, and a second sterilization device 59. Guest room amenities 52-59 are connected to the communication network 200 via a router 51 using wireless communication such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark).

[0013] The door lock 52 is installed on the door (not shown) of the guest room 50, and unlocks the door when a card-type guest room key 100 held by a guest of the guest room 50, such as U, is held over or inserted, by performing authentication based on the information recorded on the guest room key 100. The door lock 52 also locks the door when it is closed (auto-lock). If the door lock 52 has a smart lock function that supports unlocking by a communication terminal, the user U can unlock the door by operating a smart lock app installed on the user terminal 90.

[0014] The card switch 53 is located near the door of the guest room 50 and turns the power to the guest room 50 on / off in response to the insertion or removal of the guest room key 100. The motion sensor 54 detects a person inside the guest room 50 by sensing infrared rays. The illuminance sensor 55 detects the brightness of the guest room 50 based on the amount of light received by the light-receiving element. The door sensor 56 detects the opening and closing of the door to the guest room 50. The ventilation device 57 ventilates the guest room 50 by operating a ventilation fan (not shown).

[0015] The air conditioner 58 provides air conditioning for the guest room 50. The air conditioner 58 includes the function of the blower according to this disclosure. The first sterilization device 58a provided in the air conditioner 58 sterilizes the guest room 50 by releasing nano-sized particulate ions, which are generated by applying a high voltage to water in the air, into the guest room 50, and utilizing the oxidizing power of OH radicals contained in the particulate ions. The second sterilization device 59 is, for example, an air purifier, and sterilizes the air in the guest room 50 by drawing in the air from the guest room 50 and circulating it through a filter permeated with a hypochlorous acid solution. When the second sterilization device 59 is operated to sterilize the guest room 50, the ventilation device 57 is stopped in order to fill the guest room 50 with hypochlorous acid, which is the sterilization component, and the operation of the ventilation device 57 is restarted after sterilization is completed. Furthermore, after sterilization by the second sterilization device 59 is completed, it is desirable that ventilation by the ventilation device 57 be carried out for a certain period of time in order to discharge the hypochlorous acid that has filled the guest room 50.

[0016] The disinfection capacity of the second disinfection device 59 (disinfection using hypochlorous acid) is higher than that of the first disinfection device 58a (disinfection using OH radicals), and in terms of disinfection efficiency, using the second disinfection device 59 is more effective than using the first disinfection device 58a. However, the second disinfection device 59 requires maintenance such as replenishing salt tablets, whereas the first disinfection device 58a can be operated maintenance-free. Therefore, it is desirable for accommodation facility 1 to disinfect guest rooms using the first disinfection device 58a as much as possible. Accordingly, accommodation facility 1 will basically disinfect guest rooms using the first disinfection device 58a, and use the second disinfection device 59 to disinfect guest rooms when there is insufficient time.

[0017] The sterilization ability of the second sterilization device 59 is higher than that of the first sterilization device 58a. In a guest room 50 of a general size, when using the first sterilization device 58a, sterilization is completed in a few hours, while when using the second sterilization device 59, sterilization is completed in about ten to fifteen minutes. On the other hand, the power consumption of the second sterilization device 59 is more than that of the first sterilization device 58a.

[0018] Furthermore, the accommodation facility 1 is equipped with a management device 70 having a guest room management DB (database) 71 in which usage schedule information of the guest rooms 50 and the like are recorded, and a guest room key collection device 80. The management device 70 is arranged, for example, at the front desk of the accommodation facility 1, and information such as check-in and check-out completion information of the guest rooms 50 is input by the staff of the accommodation facility 1. The management device 70 records the check-in and check-out completion information of the guest rooms 50 in the guest room management DB 71.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, in the guest room management DB 71, guest room management information including information on the check-out status, cleaning status, amenity replenishment status, indoor sterilization status, and next check-in scheduled date and time for each guest room is recorded. The information on the next check-in scheduled date and time corresponds to the usage schedule information of the present disclosure.

[0020] The guest room key collection device 80 is installed, for example, in the lobby of the accommodation facility 1 to collect the guest room key 100. The guest room key collection device 80 transmits the information on the guest room No. recorded on the collected guest room key 100 to the management device 70. The management device 70 that has received the information on the guest room No. executes the check-out process for the corresponding guest room and records the check-out completion information in the guest room management DB 71. Thereby, the user U can complete the check-out only by returning the guest room key 100 to the guest room key collection device 80.

[0021] The guest room disinfection system 10, the management device 70, and the guest room key collection device 80 are connected to a communication network 200 and communicate with each other via the communication network 200. The communication network 200 may be the LAN (Local Area Network) of the accommodation facility 1 or a WAN (Wide Area Network) such as a public network. In addition, the guest room disinfection system 10 communicates with guest room equipment 52-59 via the communication network 200 and the router 51 of the guest room 50.

[0022] Furthermore, employee terminals 91 and 92, used by employees E1 and E2 who perform multiple maintenance tasks such as cleaning and replenishing amenities in guest rooms 50, communicate with the management device 70 via the communication network 200. For example, if employee E1 is in charge of cleaning guest room 50 and employee E2 is in charge of replenishing amenities in guest room 50, employee E1 will operate employee terminal 91 to send cleaning completion information to the management device 70 when cleaning guest room 50 is complete. Similarly, employee E2 will operate employee terminal 92 to send amenity replenishment completion information to the management device 70 when replenishing amenities in guest room 50 is complete. When the management device 70 receives cleaning completion information, it records the cleaning completion information for guest room 50 in the guest room management DB 71, and when it receives amenity replenishment completion information, it records the amenity replenishment completion information for guest room 50 in the guest room management DB 71.

[0023] Here, one employee may perform multiple maintenance tasks, such as cleaning the guest rooms 50 and replenishing amenities. When one employee performs multiple maintenance tasks, the employee may transmit completion information for each maintenance task to the management device 70 by operating an employee terminal after completing each task, or they may transmit completion information indicating the completion of all maintenance tasks to the management device 70 by operating an employee terminal when all maintenance tasks are completed. Furthermore, guest room maintenance is not limited to the cleaning and replenishment of amenities described above. Guest room maintenance may also include, for example, providing optional items that meet the individual requests of guests (such as baby cribs, drinks in the refrigerator, bouquets of flowers, etc.).

[0024] The guest room disinfection system 10 is a computer system consisting of a communicator 11, a processor 20, memory 30, etc. The memory 30 stores control programs 31 that have been read from a recording medium 40 (magnetic disk, magnetic tape, optical disk, flash memory, etc.) or downloaded from an external system such as a management device 70.

[0025] The processor 20 functions as a checkout recognition unit 21, a maintenance completion recognition unit 22, a guest room disinfection control unit 23, a check-in recognition unit 24, and an entry / exit recognition unit 25 by reading and executing the control program 31. The entry / exit recognition unit 25 includes the functions of the entry recognition unit of this disclosure.

[0026] The checkout recognition unit 21 recognizes that the guest room 50 has been checked out using the following checkout recognition methods 1 to 3. Checkout Recognition Method 1: The checkout recognition unit 21 recognizes that room 50 has been checked out when it receives confirmation from the management device 70 that checkout completion information for room 50 has been entered into the management device 70 through communication between the room disinfection system 10 and the management device 70. Checkout Recognition Method 2: The checkout recognition unit 21 recognizes that room 50 has been checked out when it learns, through communication between the room disinfection system 10 and the room key collection device 80, that the room key 100 for room 50 has been collected by the room key collection device 80. Checkout Recognition Method 3: The checkout recognition unit 21 recognizes that room 50 has been checked out when it has determined, by referring to the room management DB 71, that the scheduled checkout date and time for room 50 has passed. Alternatively, the checkout recognition unit 21 may recognize that room 50 has been checked out when the checkout date for room 50 is the current day and a pre-set upper limit time for room checkout (e.g., 10:00) has passed. The checkout recognition unit 21 may recognize that the guest room 50 has been checked out using one or two of the above checkout recognition methods 1 to 3, rather than all of them.

[0027] The maintenance completion recognition unit 22 recognizes that maintenance of the guest room 50 is complete when it receives information from the guest room disinfection system 10 and the management device 70 or employee terminals 91, 92 that cleaning completion information for the guest room 50 and replenishment of amenities for the guest room 50 have been entered into the management device 70. Alternatively, the maintenance completion recognition unit 22 may also receive information from the guest room management DB 71 that cleaning completion information for the guest room 50 and replenishment of amenities for the guest room 50 have been entered into the management device 70.

[0028] The guest room disinfection control unit 23 transmits control information to the ventilation system 57, the air conditioner 58 (including the first disinfection device 58a), and the second disinfection device 59 via the communication network 200, thereby controlling the operation of the ventilation system 57, the air conditioner 58, and the second disinfection device 59 to perform a guest room disinfection process to disinfect the guest room 50. Details of the procedure for performing the guest room disinfection process will be described later.

[0029] The check-in recognition unit 24 recognizes that room 50 has been checked in when it receives confirmation from the management device 70 that check-in completion information for room 50 has been entered into the management device 70 through communication between the room disinfection system 10 and the management device 70. Alternatively, the check-in recognition unit 24 may recognize that room 50 has been checked in by referring to the room management DB 71.

[0030] The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into and exit from the guest room 50 using one of the following entry / exit recognition methods 1 to 5. The configuration in which the entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 corresponds to the entry recognition unit described in this disclosure. Entry / Exit Recognition Method 1: The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 when it detects that the door lock has been unlocked through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the door lock 52. The entry / exit recognition unit 25 also recognizes exit from the guest room 50 when it detects that the door lock has been locked through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the door lock 52.

[0031] Entry / Exit Recognition Method 2: The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 when it detects, through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the card switch 53, that the guest room key 100 has been inserted into the card switch 53. The entry / exit recognition unit 25 also recognizes exit from the guest room 50 when it detects, through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the card switch 53, that the guest room key 100 has been removed from the card switch 53.

[0032] Entry / Exit Recognition Method 3: The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 when it detects that the human motion sensor 54 has detected a person, based on communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the human motion sensor 54. The entry / exit recognition unit 25 also recognizes exit from the guest room 50 when it detects that the human motion sensor 54 no longer detects a person, based on communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the human motion sensor 54.

[0033] Entry / Exit Recognition Method 4: The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 when it detects an increase in the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor 55 through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the illuminance sensor 55 (assuming the lights in the guest room 50 have been turned on). In addition, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes exit from the guest room 50 when it detects a decrease in the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor 55 through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the illuminance sensor 55 (assuming the lights in the guest room 50 have been turned off).

[0034] Entry / Exit Recognition Method 5: The entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes entry into the guest room 50 when it detects that the door has been opened through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the door sensor 56. Subsequently, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes exit from the guest room 50 when it detects that the door has been closed through communication between the guest room disinfection system 10 and the door sensor 56. Furthermore, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 may recognize entry into and exit from the guest room 50 using at least one of the above entry / exit recognition methods 1 to 5, rather than all of them.

[0035] [2. Disinfection of guest rooms] The procedure for performing the guest room disinfection process by the guest room disinfection system 10 will be explained according to the flowcharts shown in Figures 3 to 5. The guest room disinfection system 10 performs the guest room disinfection process for each of the multiple guest rooms 50 provided in the accommodation facility 1 according to the procedure described below.

[0036] In the room disinfection process, the room disinfection system 10 first sets a reservation for room disinfection of room 50 for the following day. In step S1 of Figure 3, when the room disinfection control unit 23 recognizes that a predetermined time has been set in advance, it proceeds to step S2. In this embodiment, this predetermined time is, for example, 3pm. Alternatively, this predetermined time may be, for example, midnight or 3am. In this case, the room disinfection system 10 sets a reservation for room disinfection of room 50 for the current day, rather than the following day.

[0037] In step S2, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 refers to the guest room management information stored in the guest room management DB 71 to recognize the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50. In the next step S3, if the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 is two days or later, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S20 and sets a reservation to execute the guest room disinfection process on the scheduled check-in date. In this case, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 sets a reservation to start the guest room disinfection process at a time before the scheduled check-in time that is the sum of the time required for disinfecting guest room 50 by the first disinfection device 58a and a first predetermined time T1. This first predetermined time T1 is set to, for example, 1 hour, assuming that the guest checks in earlier than the scheduled check-in time. In other words, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 sets a reservation for the start date and time of the guest room disinfection process so that the disinfection of guest room 50 is completed a predetermined time before the scheduled check-in time.

[0038] On the other hand, if the next scheduled check-in date for room 50 is the following day, in step S4, the room disinfection control unit 23 refers to the room management information stored in the room management DB 71 to recognize the next scheduled check-out time for room 50. In the following step S5, the room disinfection control unit 23 calculates the available time from the next scheduled check-out time for room 50 to the next scheduled check-in time for room 50. Hereinafter, this available time will be referred to as the first available time B1.

[0039] In the following step S6, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 determines whether the first available time B1 is longer than or equal to the sum of the predetermined time T, the first predetermined time T1, and the second predetermined time T2. Here, the predetermined time T is the time it is assumed to take from the time the guest room 50 is checked out until the maintenance work on the guest room 50, such as cleaning and replenishing amenities, is completed and the maintenance of the guest room 50 is finished, and is set to, for example, 2 hours. The second predetermined time T2 is set to, for example, 8 hours, based on the time required for disinfecting the guest room 50 by the first disinfection device 58a. If the first available time B1 is longer than or equal to the sum of the predetermined time T, the first predetermined time T1, and the second predetermined time T2, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S21 and sets a reservation to operate the first disinfection device 58a as the device to perform the guest room disinfection treatment on the guest room 50 the following day. Furthermore, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 sets the time to start the guest room disinfection process to a time that is at least a predetermined time T, a first predetermined time T1, and a second predetermined time T2 added together from the next scheduled check-in time of the guest room 50. Hereinafter, this time to start the guest room disinfection process will be referred to as the processing start time. Note that the processing start time set together with the process in step S21 may be a time that is at least a predetermined time T, a first predetermined time T1, and the time required for disinfecting the guest room 50 by the first disinfection device 58a added together from the next scheduled check-in time of the guest room 50.

[0040] On the other hand, if the first available time B1 is shorter than the sum of the predetermined time T, the first predetermined time T1, and the second predetermined time T2, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S7 and sets a reservation to operate the second disinfection device 59 as the device to perform guest room disinfection on the following day for guest room 50. Furthermore, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 sets the start time of the guest room disinfection process to a time that is at least a time before the next scheduled check-in time for guest room 50 that is the sum of the first predetermined time T1 and the time required for disinfection of guest room 50 by the second disinfection device 59.

[0041] In this way, the guest room disinfection system 10 reserves the operation of either the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 as the device to perform guest room disinfection, depending on the available time between the scheduled check-out time and the next scheduled check-in time. This allows the guest room disinfection system 10 to reserve the operation of the first disinfection device 58a, which can be operated without maintenance, when there is ample available time. Conversely, when there is not enough available time, the guest room disinfection system 10 can reserve the operation of the second disinfection device 59, which can complete disinfection in a shorter time than the first disinfection device 58a.

[0042] Next, the guest room disinfection system 10 performs the guest room disinfection process on the guest room 50, referring to the actual check-out status of the guest room 50 based on the reservation setting for the guest room disinfection process. In step S8 of Figure 4, when the guest room disinfection control unit 23 recognizes that the processing start time set during the processing in step S7 or step S21 has arrived, it proceeds to step S9. In step S9, when the check-out recognition unit 21 recognizes that the guest room 50 has been checked out, it proceeds to step S10. In this embodiment, the check-out recognition unit 21 may always acquire information on whether or not the guest room 50 has been checked out using the check-out recognition methods 1 to 3 even before step S8 is executed. As a result, the check-out recognition unit 21 may recognize that the guest room 50 has been checked out before step S8 is executed. Even in such a case, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S10 from step S9. In step S10, when a predetermined time T has elapsed since the check-out of the guest room 50 was completed, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S11. The elapsed time T from the time when check-out of guest room 50 is completed corresponds to a predetermined condition based on the recognition that the guest room has been checked out. As a result, the guest room disinfection system 10 can disinfect guest room 50 after maintenance of guest room 50 is completed.

[0043] On the other hand, if the guest room disinfection control unit 23 recognizes that the processing start time set during step S7 or step S21 has not yet arrived, it proceeds to step S30. In step S30, if the checkout recognition unit 21 recognizes that the guest room 50 has been checked out, it proceeds to step S31. In step S31, if a predetermined time T has elapsed since the checkout of the guest room 50 was completed, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S11. As a result, the guest room disinfection system 10 can disinfect the guest room 50 after the maintenance of the guest room 50 is completed, similar to the process after step S10.

[0044] In step S11, the room disinfection control unit 23 refers to the room management information stored in the room management DB 71 to recognize the next scheduled check-in time for room 50. In the following step S12, the room disinfection control unit 23 calculates the available time from the time it recognized the next scheduled check-in date and time for room 50 until a first predetermined time T1 preceding the scheduled check-in time. Hereinafter, this available time will be referred to as the second available time B2. The time when the room disinfection control unit 23 recognized the next scheduled check-in date and time for room 50 will be referred to as the current time.

[0045] In the following step S13, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 determines whether the second vacancy time B2 is equal to or greater than the second predetermined time T2. If the vacancy time is equal to or greater than the second predetermined time T2, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S32, activating the first disinfection device 58a and performing the guest room disinfection process by blowing air with the air conditioner 58. The airflow from the air conditioner 58 is set to one of three levels, for example, strong, medium, or weak. In other words, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 causes the first disinfection device 58a to perform the guest room disinfection process at least a time equal to the sum of the first predetermined time T1 and the second predetermined time T2, before the next scheduled check-in time for the guest room 50.

[0046] On the other hand, when the second available time B2 is shorter than the second predetermined time T2, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S13 to activate the second disinfection device 59 and perform guest room disinfection. That is, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 causes the first disinfection device 58a to perform guest room disinfection before the first predetermined time T1, the time required for disinfection of the guest room 50 by the first disinfection device 58a, and the time required for ventilation of the guest room 50, which are added together from the next scheduled check-in time of the guest room 50. In this way, by deciding whether to use the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 according to the available time between check-out and the next check-in, when there is ample available time, guest room disinfection can be performed using the first disinfection device 58a, which can be operated without maintenance. Also, when there is not enough available time, guest room disinfection can be performed quickly using the second disinfection device 59, which can complete disinfection in a shorter time than the first disinfection device 58a.

[0047] In addition, as shown in steps S8 to S11, the guest room disinfection system 10 determines whether or not guest room 50 has been checked out after the start time of the guest room disinfection process, and also obtains the scheduled check-in time again. This allows the guest room disinfection control unit 23 to perform the guest room disinfection process more appropriately, depending on the available time between check-out and the next check-in, even if there are changes to the scheduled check-out or check-in time of guest room 50.

[0048] In step S15 of Figure 5, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 determines whether the guest room disinfection process is complete. The guest room disinfection control unit 23 determines the completion of the guest room disinfection process based on the execution time of the disinfection process. When the guest room disinfection control unit 23 operates the first disinfection device 58a to perform the guest room disinfection process, for example, it determines that the guest room disinfection process is complete when the operating time of the first disinfection device 58a exceeds 8 hours. Also, when the guest room disinfection control unit 23 operates the second disinfection device 59 to perform the guest room disinfection process, for example, it determines that the guest room disinfection process is complete when the operating time of the second disinfection device 59 exceeds 15 minutes.

[0049] Then, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 proceeds to step S16 when the guest room disinfection process is complete, and proceeds to step S40 when the guest room disinfection process is not complete. In step S40, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 proceeds to step S41 when it recognizes entry into the guest room 50, and proceeds to step S15 when it does not recognize entry into the guest room 50.

[0050] In step S41, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 interrupts the ongoing guest room disinfection process. In the following step S42, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 recognizes that a guest has left the guest room 50 and proceeds to step S43. In step S43, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 resumes the guest room disinfection process and proceeds to step S15. Here, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may extend the execution time of the resumed guest room disinfection process by, for example, the amount of the interruption time from when it was interrupted in step S41 until it was resumed in step S43.

[0051] In step S16, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 starts the standby process for the guest room 50. As the standby process for the guest room 50, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 performs a process that only involves blowing air using the air conditioner 58 (the second standby process in this disclosure). The airflow volume at this time is set to low. Alternatively, disinfection may also be performed in addition to blowing air (the first standby process in this disclosure). The disinfection capacity at this time may be lower than that when the guest room disinfection process is performed. The guest room standby process promotes ventilation and deodorization of the guest room 50. When the second disinfection device 59 is activated during the guest room disinfection process, some guests of the guest room 50 may notice a chlorine odor, but this chlorine odor can be reduced by blowing air during the standby process.

[0052] In the next step S17, the check-in recognition unit 24 proceeds to step S18 if it recognizes that check-in for room 50 has been completed, and proceeds to step S50 if it has not recognized check-in for room 50. In step S18, the room disinfection control unit 23 terminates the room waiting process.

[0053] Furthermore, in step S50, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 proceeds to step S51 if it recognizes entry into the room 50 before check-in, and proceeds to step S17 if it does not recognize entry into the room 50. In step S51, the room disinfection control unit 23 terminates the room waiting process. In the following step S52, the entry / exit recognition unit 25 proceeds to step S53 if it recognizes exit from the room 50. In step S53, the room disinfection control unit 23 performs additional room disinfection processing and proceeds to step S17.

[0054] The guest room disinfection control unit 23 basically operates the first disinfection device 58a to perform additional guest room disinfection, but when the time until the scheduled check-in time is short (for example, less than 1 hour), it may operate the second disinfection device 59. Also, the disinfection capacity setting of the first disinfection device 58a when performing additional guest room disinfection may be the same as in step S32, or it may be lowered (weak setting) than in step S32 to reduce the amount of particulate ions released. Also, the time for performing the additional guest room disinfection may be the same as in step S32, or it may be shorter than in step S32.

[0055] According to the flowcharts in Figures 3 to 5, in the example shown in Figure 2, for room No. 101, a predetermined time T (assuming 1 hour here) has elapsed since check-out was completed, so room disinfection is performed to be completed by the scheduled check-in time for that day. For room No. 102, a predetermined time T has elapsed since check-out was completed, but since the scheduled check-in date is the next day, room disinfection is scheduled for the following day. For room No. 103, a predetermined time T has not elapsed since check-out was completed, so room disinfection has not yet been performed. For room No. 104, check-out has not been completed, so room disinfection has not yet been performed.

[0056] [3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor 20 constituting the guest room disinfection system 10 functions as a guest room disinfection control unit 23. This guest room disinfection control unit 23 recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time for the guest room 50 by referring to the guest room management information stored in the guest room management DB 71. Then, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 activates the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 to disinfect the guest room 50 at least a time equal to the sum of a first predetermined time T1 and the time required for disinfecting the guest room 50 by the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59, from the next scheduled check-in date and time for the guest room 50.

[0057] As a result, at accommodation facility 1, disinfection of room 50 is carried out at a time when it is expected to be completed at least before the first designated time T1 from the scheduled check-in time of room 50, and a thoroughly disinfected room can be prepared for the next guest.

[0058] (Other embodiments) As described above, the above embodiments have been explained as examples of the technology disclosed in this application. However, the technology in this disclosure is not limited to these embodiments and can be applied to embodiments that have been modified, replaced, added, or omitted. Therefore, other embodiments will be described below as examples.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 calculates a second available time B2 from the time it recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 until the scheduled check-in time, through the process in step S12 of Figure 4. In another embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may calculate the available time from a predetermined time to the scheduled check-in time, not limited to the scheduled check-in time, in the process in step S12. This predetermined time may be a time set in advance for guest room 50, for example, the check-in start time, which is the time when the staff of the accommodation facility 1 begin the check-in process.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 operates the first disinfection device 58a to perform the guest room disinfection process by the process in step S32 of Figure 4. In another embodiment, if the check-in recognition unit 24 recognizes that the guest room 50 has been checked in before (before starting) or during the execution of the guest room disinfection process by the first disinfection device 58a, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may have the second disinfection device 59 perform the guest room disinfection process instead of the first disinfection device 58a. This allows the guest room disinfection control unit 23 to quickly perform the guest room disinfection process between check-in and the time the user U enters the guest room 50, even if the check-in is earlier than the scheduled check-in time.

[0061] Furthermore, in such cases, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may set the disinfection capacity higher than usual and have the second disinfection device 59 perform the guest room disinfection process. This allows the second disinfection device 59 to perform the guest room disinfection process in a shorter time. Therefore, even if a guest checks in earlier than the scheduled check-in time, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 can quickly perform the guest room disinfection process between check-in and when user U enters the guest room 50.

[0062] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 determines whether the second vacancy time B2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined time T2 by the process in step S13 of Figure 4, and decides whether to use the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59. In another embodiment, if the scheduled check-in time is changed after the process in step S13 of Figure 4, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may perform the process in step S13 again. This allows the guest room disinfection control unit 23 to perform the guest room disinfection process more appropriately until the user U checks in.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23, through the processing in steps S4 and S20 of Figure 3, executes the guest room disinfection process on the scheduled check-in date if the next scheduled check-in date for guest room 50 is on or after the day following the check-out date. In another embodiment, the processing in steps S4 and S20 may be omitted, and the guest room disinfection process may be executed on the day of check-out even if the next scheduled check-in date for guest room 50 is on or after the day following the check-out date.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 determined, by processing steps S12 to S14 and S32 in Figure 4, which of the first disinfection device 58a and the second disinfection device 59 to operate to disinfect the guest room, according to the available time until the scheduled check-in time. In another embodiment, the processing steps S12 to S14 and S32 may be omitted, and the second disinfection device 59, which has a higher disinfection capacity, may be uniformly operated to disinfect the guest room.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 interrupted the guest room disinfection process when it detected entry into the guest room 50 during the execution of the guest room disinfection process, as performed by steps S15, S40 to S43 in Figure 5, and resumed the guest room disinfection process when it detected exit from the guest room 50. In another embodiment, steps S40 to S43 may be omitted, and the system may not determine entry into the guest room 50 during the execution of the guest room disinfection process.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 performed a standby process for the guest room 50 in step S16 of Figure 5. However, the process in steps S16, S51, and S18 may be omitted, and the system may be configured not to perform a standby process.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 performed additional guest room disinfection processing when entry into guest room 50 was recognized before check-in, according to steps S17, S50 to S53 in Figure 5. In another embodiment, the processing in steps S50 to S53 may be omitted, and the additional guest room disinfection processing may not be performed.

[0068] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the guest room disinfection system 10 is installed in the accommodation facility 1 is illustrated, but the guest room disinfection system 10 may be located in a place other than the accommodation facility 1. In this case, the guest room disinfection system 10 communicates with the guest room equipment 52-59 of the guest room 50, the management device 70, and the guest room key retrieval device 80 via a WAN. Alternatively, the guest room disinfection system 10 may be configured as part of the functions of the management device 70.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the predetermined conditions for performing the guest room disinfection process are set to be that all of the following conditions are met: (1) the check-out of guest room 50 is recognized, (2) a predetermined time T has elapsed since the check-out recognition, and (3) the next scheduled check-in date is today. In another embodiment, the predetermined conditions for performing the guest room disinfection process may be set to any of the following predetermined conditions 1 to 3. Condition 1: A predetermined time T has elapsed since the check-out of guest room 50 was recognized. Predetermined condition 2: After the check-out of guest room 50 was recognized, the maintenance completion recognition unit 22 recognized that maintenance on guest room 50 had been completed. Predetermined condition 3: After the check-out of guest room 50 is recognized, the maintenance completion recognition unit 22 recognizes that maintenance on guest room 50 has been completed, and furthermore, the next scheduled check-in date for guest room 50 is the same day that the check-out was recognized.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 by processing steps S3 and S11 in Figures 3 and 4, calculates the available time for guest room 50, and decides whether to activate the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 in the guest room disinfection process based on the available time. In another embodiment, the time until the pre-set check-in start time for the guest room (e.g., 3pm) may be assumed to be the available time for guest room 50, and the system may decide whether to activate the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 in the guest room disinfection process. In this case, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 can decide whether to activate the first disinfection device 58a or the second disinfection device 59 in the guest room disinfection process based on the check-out time and check-in start time, without having to recognize the different scheduled check-out times for each guest of guest room 50.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection system 10, through the processing of steps S8, S9, and S30 in Figure 4, first determines whether the processing start time set during the processing of step S21 has arrived, and then the check-out recognition unit 21 determines whether the guest room 50 has been checked out. In another embodiment, the guest room disinfection system 10 may first determine whether the check-out recognition unit 21 has been checked out, and then the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may determine whether the processing start time set during the processing of step S21 has arrived.

[0072] In the above embodiment, in step S3 of Figure 3, if the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 is two days later or later, the process proceeds to step S20, and the guest room disinfection control unit 23 sets a reservation to perform the guest room disinfection process on the scheduled check-in date. In another embodiment, in step S3 of Figure 3, if the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 is two days later or later, the guest room disinfection system 10 may finish setting the reservation for the guest room disinfection process for the following day for guest room 50, and perform step S1 again on the following day.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the guest room disinfection system 10 calculates the available time from the moment it recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time for guest room 50 until a first predetermined time T1 preceding the scheduled check-in time, in step S12 of Figure 4. In another embodiment, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may determine whether the current next scheduled check-in time for guest room 50, recognized in step S11, is the same as the next scheduled check-in time for guest room 50, recognized in step S2. If the determination is found to be the same, the guest room disinfection control unit 23 may omit steps S12 and S13 and activate the device that performs the guest room disinfection process set in step S7 or step S21.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the disinfection device of this disclosure includes a first disinfection device 58a that disinfects the room by releasing particulate ions containing OH radicals, and a second disinfection device 59 that disinfects the room by circulating the indoor air through a filter permeated with a hypochlorous acid aqueous solution. In other embodiments, the disinfection device of this disclosure may be a disinfection device that disinfects the guest room using a different method, such as ozone or ultraviolet light. Furthermore, the guest room disinfection system 10 may be configured to control a single disinfection device.

[0075] The guest room disinfection system in this disclosure only needs to be capable of controlling the disinfection device in this disclosure. When expressing the subject matter of the invention, the device that controls the disinfection device in this disclosure may be referred to as a controller, control means, control unit, or similar terminology in addition to "system." The guest room disinfection system can be realized in various forms. As mentioned above, the guest room disinfection system may be configured using a processor. By using a processor, it is possible to load a program from a storage medium containing the program into the processor and execute the program using the processor to perform various processes. Therefore, since the processing content can be changed by changing the program stored in the storage medium, the degree of freedom in changing the control content can be increased. Examples of processors include CPUs (Central Processing Units) and MPUs (Micro-Processing Units). Examples of storage mediums include hard disks, flash memory, and optical discs. In addition, a wired logic controller that cannot be rewritten may be used. Using a wired logic controller is effective in improving processing speed. Examples of wired logic include ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Furthermore, the guest room disinfection system may be implemented using a combination of a processor and wired logic. Implementing the controller using a combination of a processor and wired logic increases the flexibility of software design while improving processing speed. Also, a circuit having the function of the guest room disinfection system and a circuit having another function may be constructed using a single semiconductor element. An example of a circuit having another function is an A / D-D / A conversion circuit. The controller may also be constructed using a single semiconductor element or multiple semiconductor elements. When constructed using multiple semiconductor elements, each control described in the claims may be implemented using different semiconductor elements. Furthermore, a circuit having the function of the guest room disinfection system may be constructed using a configuration including semiconductor elements and passive components such as resistors or capacitors.

[0076] The communicator in this disclosure only needs to enable communication between the room disinfection system of this disclosure and external devices. When expressing the subject matter of the invention, in addition to the communicator, communication means, communication unit, transmitting / receiving means, transmitting / receiving unit, or similar terms may be used to describe what enables communication between the room disinfection system of this disclosure and external devices. The communicator can be implemented in various forms. Examples of a communicator include wireless connection to external devices via a base station, or direct wireless connection to external devices. Examples of wireless connection to external devices via a base station include IEEE 802.11 compliant wireless LAN that wirelessly communicates with a WiFi® router, third-generation mobile communication systems (commonly known as 3G), fourth-generation mobile communication systems (commonly known as 4G), IEEE 802.16 compliant WiMAX (registered trademark), or LPWA (Low Power Wide Area). Using a communicator that directly wirelessly connects the guest room disinfection system 10 of this disclosure to an external device is effective in improving the security of communication, and the device of this disclosure can communicate with an external device even in locations where relay devices such as Wi-Fi routers are not present. Examples of communicators that directly wirelessly connect the guest room disinfection system of this disclosure to an external device include Bluetooth® communication, NFC (Near Field Communication) communication via a loop antenna, or infrared communication.

[0077] Since the embodiments described above are for illustrative purposes of the technology described herein, various modifications, substitutions, additions, omissions, etc., can be made within the scope of the claims or equivalents thereof. [Industrial applicability]

[0078] This disclosure is applicable to providing users with thoroughly disinfected guest rooms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] 1. Accommodation 10 Guest Room Disinfection System 11 Communicators 20 processors 21 Checkout Recognition Unit 22 Maintenance completion recognition unit 23 Guest Room Disinfection Control Unit 24 Check-in Recognition Unit 25 Entry / Exit Recognition Unit 30 memory 31 Control Program 40 Recording media 50 rooms 51 Routers 52 Door lock 53 Card Switch 54 motion sensors 55 Illuminance Sensor 56 Door Sensor 58 Air conditioner 58a First sterilization device 59 Second sterilization device 70 Management device 71 Room Management Database 80. Guest room key retrieval device 90 User terminals 91,92 Employee terminals 100 Room Keys 200 Communication Networks B1 First available time slot (available time) B2 Second free time slot (free time) E1, E2 Employees T predetermined time T1 First scheduled time T2 Second scheduled time U User

Claims

1. A room disinfection control unit recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time set for a room, and executes a room disinfection process, which involves activating a disinfection device provided in the room to disinfect the room, so as to complete the process before a first predetermined time before the scheduled check-in date and time. A check-in recognition unit that recognizes that the aforementioned guest room has been checked in, Equipped with, The room disinfection control unit, when it is recognized by the check-in recognition unit that the room has been checked in before the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the room, and before or during the room disinfection process, sets the disinfection capacity of the disinfection device to a higher level than when the check-in recognition unit does not recognize that the room has been checked in before the scheduled check-in date and time, and executes the room disinfection process. Guest room disinfection system.

2. The aforementioned guest room disinfection control unit refers to the guest room usage schedule information stored in the management device of the accommodation facility where the guest room is located, and recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the guest room. The guest room disinfection system according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned guest room disinfection control unit determines the start time of the guest room disinfection process based on the time required for the disinfection process. A guest room disinfection system according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The guest room disinfection control unit operates either the first disinfection device or the second disinfection device having a higher disinfection capacity than the first disinfection device as the disinfection device to perform the guest room disinfection process, and determines which of the first and second disinfection devices to operate in the guest room disinfection process based on the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the guest room. A guest room disinfection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The guest room disinfection control unit calculates the available time from the moment it recognizes the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the guest room until the next scheduled check-in date and time set for the guest room, and activates the first disinfection device when the available time is equal to or greater than the second predetermined time, and activates the second disinfection device when the available time is shorter than the second predetermined time. The guest room disinfection system according to claim 4.

6. The guest room disinfection control unit performs a first standby process to activate the disinfection device or a second standby process to activate the blower provided in the guest room, from the time the guest room disinfection process is completed until the check-in recognition unit recognizes that the guest room has been checked in. A guest room disinfection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

7. The guest room disinfection control unit operates either the first disinfection device or a second disinfection device with higher disinfection capacity than the first disinfection device as the disinfection device when the guest room disinfection process is being executed, and operates the first disinfection device as the disinfection device when the first standby process is being executed. The guest room disinfection system according to claim 6.

8. It is equipped with an entry recognition unit that recognizes entry into the aforementioned guest room, The aforementioned guest room disinfection control unit, between the completion of the guest room disinfection process and the recognition of check-in by the check-in recognition unit, will execute the guest room disinfection process again when the entry recognition unit recognizes entry into the guest room. A guest room disinfection system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

9. The system includes an entry / exit recognition unit that recognizes entry into and exit from the aforementioned guest room. The aforementioned guest room disinfection control unit interrupts the guest room disinfection process when the entry / exit recognition unit recognizes entry into the guest room during the execution of the guest room disinfection process, and then resumes the guest room disinfection process when the entry / exit recognition unit recognizes exit from the guest room. A guest room disinfection system according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The aforementioned guest room disinfection control unit extends the execution time of the guest room disinfection process after it has been resumed, based on the time the guest room disinfection process was interrupted. The guest room disinfection system according to claim 9.

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