Set-Top Box, System and Method for Providing Awareness in a Hospitality Environment

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.