In-Wall Gateway Pairing for Virtual Room Amenity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The hospitality lodging industry faces challenges in providing enhanced convenience and safety through easy-to-use platforms that integrate seamlessly with room amenities, as existing solutions often require complex remote controls and lack effective geolocation and safety networks.
Innovation Solution
A gateway device with multiple wireless transceivers, a processor, memory, and physical ports, integrated into an in-wall housing, which pairs with proximate wireless-enabled devices to provide virtual remote control functionality and incorporates geolocation and safety networks for enhanced convenience and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional remote controls are used to control room amenities, then control functionality is provided, but device complexity and cost increase for guests
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows guests to use their own smartphones as remote controls through a pairing process. The gateway device automatically detects and pairs with proximate smartphones, eliminating the need for traditional remote controls. Guests simply need to have their smartphone nearby to control room amenities, making the system self-service oriented and reducing complexity for the guest.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves multiple functions: it acts as a control interface for room amenities, a geolocation system for safety, and a pairing mechanism for smartphones. By consolidating these functions into a single device, the system eliminates the need for separate remote controls while providing enhanced functionality including virtual remote control, geolocation tracking, and emergency notification capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If traditional remote controls are provided in rooms, then control functionality is available, but cost and ease of operation deteriorate due to loss and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Guests use their own smartphones which they already possess and are familiar with. The system leverages the guest's existing device rather than providing a separate remote control that could be lost or misplaced. This approach ensures reliability since guests always have their smartphone with them, and it improves ease of operation by using a device guests are already comfortable with.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway device serves as an intermediary between the smartphone and the room amenities. It receives control signals from the smartphone, processes them, and executes the appropriate actions on connected amenities. This intermediary role enables reliable communication while allowing the system to function even if the smartphone's connection is temporarily interrupted, as the gateway maintains the connection to all amenities.
3Reliability
If comprehensive safety and geolocation networks are implemented, then guest safety is improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device performs multiple functions including amenity control, geolocation tracking, and safety monitoring. By consolidating these functions into a single device that is already present in each room, the system provides comprehensive safety capabilities without requiring separate dedicated safety infrastructure. The gateway uses the smartphone's existing location capabilities to provide geolocation tracking and can trigger emergency notifications, combining safety functions with the existing control infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A gateway device and system and method for use of the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, multiple wireless transceivers are located within an in-wall housing, which also interconnectedly includes a processor, memory, various physical ports and wireless transceivers. To improve convenience, the gateway device may establish a pairing with a proximate wireless-enabled interactive programmable device. Virtual remote control functionality for various amenities may then be provided. To improve safety, the gateway device may be incorporated into a geolocation and safety network.