Acoustic Sensor Network for Automatic Conference Room Reservation
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Solution Overview
Problem
In open office environments, informal conversations often create distracting noise pockets, reducing productivity and potentially exposing private information, as participants are unaware of the disturbance they cause and lack access to nearby meeting rooms.
Innovation Solution
A supervisory device in a computer network interacts with sensors to detect acoustic features, identify disturbances, and reserve a conference room using a scheduling service, relocating conversations to minimize disruption and protect privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If open office spaces are used to create collaborative atmosphere, then ease of operation and collaboration are improved, but noise disturbance and productivity loss increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces acoustic sensors and automated reservation systems as intermediaries between the open office environment and the employees. These sensors detect conversation acoustic features and automatically reserve meeting rooms, mediating the conflict between collaborative open spaces and productivity protection without requiring direct employee intervention or changing the physical office layout.
2Productivity
If acoustic sensors and automated reservation systems are deployed, then noise disturbance is reduced and productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service operation where acoustic sensors automatically detect disturbances, analyze acoustic features, and trigger meeting room reservations without human intervention. The automated reservation service independently manages the entire process from detection to room allocation, reducing the need for complex manual coordination while maintaining high productivity benefits.
3Loss of information
If meeting rooms are automatically reserved for disturbing conversations, then privacy protection and productivity are improved, but loss of time for room allocation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by continuously monitoring acoustic environments and pre-identifying suitable meeting rooms before disturbances occur. When conversations exceed acoustic thresholds, the automated reservation system has already prepared room allocations, eliminating delays associated with manual room searching and reservation processes while protecting information privacy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution improves work productivity by automatically relocating distracting conversations to available meeting spaces, enhancing the collaborative open office environment while protecting sensitive information.
Implementation Method 1
A supervisory device in a network, configured to interact with one or more sensors positioned in a given area and with a conference room scheduling service, obtains an acoustic feature of the area from one or more of the sensors
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a supervisory device in a network, configured to interact with one or more sensors positioned in a given area and with a conference room scheduling service, obtains an acoustic feature of the area from one or more of the sensors. The supervisory device makes a determination that a conference room should be reserved based on the acoustic feature and selects a particular conference room based on the determination that a conference room should be reserved. The supervisory device instructs a conference room scheduling service to reserve the particular conference room.