Technical field

The present invention relates to an information display system for conveying content to user of a hygienic service facility. The present invention particularly relates to conveying said content in conjunction with hygienic service facilities, including, for example, toilets, urinals, sinks, dispensers, and the like. The present invention also relates to involved display devices, mobile devices, network entities, and a corresponding method.

Background

It is known to provide information display devices in the context of hygienic service facilities for various purposes . For example, displays in a restroom or mounted in close vicinity to a specific hygienic service facility (e.g. toilet, urinal, sink, etc.) are installed and provided for display information in the form of content, such as information regarding a recent cleaning of the facility, general alters and announcements, entertaining videos, advertisements, and the like. Such information display devices usually require a connection to a power source and possibly also to some kind of communication network. Thereby, conventional communication networks include networks that feature wireless links, and there is, therefore, no need for a wired data connection, the communication as a whole requires access points or repeater stations in order to guarantee a sufficient penetration of the wireless link to the place of the service facility. At the same time, such information display devices may include corresponding client side communication equipment which allows for wireless communication to at least the mentioned access points or repeaters. As a consequence, conventional equipment may already feature wireless communication to other devices and units .

At the same time, information display devices may also allow an interaction with the user so that he or she can enter information or select options. For example, it is known to provide an information display device in the vicinity of a restroom, where a user can leave a feedback as regards the hygienic and cleanliness state of the facility just used. For example, one or more buttons or symbols (plus and minus sings, smileys, etc.) are displayed so that the user can simply touch one of the symbols in order to leave his/her corresponding feedback.

Especially in the context with hygienic service facilities (i.e. hygienic environment), however, users usually tend to touch as few as possible objects in a restroom, since they are afraid to get into contact with disease spreading bacteria etc. In turn, this may yield an unsatisfactory acceptance of information display devices that also allow for data input by the target users. As a consequence, the efficiency of information display devices or user feedback systems may be drastically diminished, when users actually avoid using them. At the same time, however, it is nowadays common that people carry with them some kind of personal electronic device in the form of a personal digital assistant (PDA) , smart phone, wireless telephone, tablet computer, notebook computer, lap- or palm-top computer, and the like. These devices usually not only comprise their own power source but they also have communication means already integrated. In other words, they are carried by the users with them at most of the times and can be independently used for both receiving information as well as inputting information or instructions.

There is therefore a need for information display systems that convey content to user of a hygienic service facility that allow for an efficient use of the equipment already available. At the same time, there is a need to solve the problems associated with the users' reluctance to operate information display devices that are possibly or likely used by many people. Further, a solution is needed that allows for an automatic content control minimizing explicit and aware interaction by the user.

Summary

The mentioned problems are solved by the sub ect-matter of the independent claims. Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims .

According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided an information display system for conveying content to a user of a hygienic service facility, the system comprising a display unit for displaying said content to said user; a proximity unit for being arranged in a vicinity range of said hygienic service facility and arranged to emit and/or receive a proximity signal to or from a mobile device; and a network entity being arranged to receive a proximity notification indicating that said mobile device is inside said vicinity range and to convey data toward said display unit in response to receiving said proximity notification.

According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for conveying content to a user of a hygienic service facility, comprising a step of displaying said content to said user; a step of emitting and/or receiving a proximity signal to or from a mobile device by means of a proximity unit arranged in a vicinity range of said hygienic service facility; and a step of receiving a proximity notification indicating that said mobile device is inside said vicinity range and to convey data toward said hygienic service facility in response to receiving said proximity notification.

Brief description of the drawings

Embodiments of the present invention, which are presented for better understanding the inventive concepts and which are not to be seen as limiting the invention, will now be described with reference to the figures in which:

Figures 1A and IB show schematic views of overall system configurations according to embodiments of the present invention;

Figures 2A and 2B show schematic views of different states of an information display device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a network entity according to an embodiment of the present invention; gures 4A to show schematic views of hygienic service facilities according to further embodiments of the present invention; and

Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a general method embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed description

Figure 1A shows a schematic view of an overall system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system is installed in the context of a hygienic service facility 1, here in the form of a urinal installation that comprises a urinal sink 14 and corresponding control means 13. The latter control and effect actions like flushing, use counting, disinfection, deodorization, and the like. Conventional hygienic service facilities relating to urinals may comprise control means 13 that initiate a flushing action when a proximity sensor detects a user moving away from the facility. In these cases, it is assumed that the user has finished the use so that flushing can initiate.

According to this embodiment, the system comprises a proximity unit 11 that is arranged in the vicinity of the hygienic service facility 1. The proximity unit 11 emits or receives a proximity signal. In the shown configuration, an embodiment is considered wherein the proximity unit 11 emits a proximity signal 100 into a (somewhat) limited transmission range, implementing a so-called radio beacon. According to an embodiment, a proximity signal 100 can convey a more or less unique identity. In this way, it can be distinguished between two or more signals of neighboring device (s) 11 that may be in range. Additionally, the strength received can be employed to determine the distance, and, with this, the closest source and the corresponding vicinity range. Alternatively, also the power of the emitted signal can be controlled so that signal 100 can be received only within a predefined and thereby limited range. In such ways, a reliable solution can be provided for installations in which a plurality of hygienic service facilities 1 are arranged next to each other. In this way, each individual facility 1 can have its own transmission range 100 so that vicinity to a specific and individual facility can be reliably detected.

In general, proximity signal 100 may be implemented as part of a Bluetooth (TM) , Bluetooth (TM) low energy, an RFID, a near field communication, a radio beacon, an IBeacon (TM) , and related installations . Some of such implementations may provide the additional advantage that no active pairing/coupling between the proximity unit and the mobile device is necessary.

A user of the hygienic service facility 1 carries a mobile device 2, in the form of, for example, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) , a tablet computer, or any other sort of portable computing/communication device. Once the user approaches the hygienic service facility 1, the corresponding mobile device 2 will enter the transmission range 100 so as to be able to detect the proximity signal emitted from the a proximity unit 11. In response to receiving this signal, the mobile device generates and launches a proximity notification 110 toward a network 3.

In general, network 3 represents usually a collection of conventional networks, such as the internet, cellular communication networks (e.g. GSM, GPRS, Edge, 3GGP, LTE and the like) , local or wide area networks (LAN or WAN) or their respective wireless implementations (e.g. WLAN, WiFi, WiMax, etc.). In one specific implementation, the notification 110 is conveyed from the mobile device 2 via a cellular communication network to the internet. The internet then conveys the information via one or more network entities toward the respective service facility and related components and elements. Specifically, any information from an involved network entity is then again conveyed via the internet toward the service facility, wherein the last part may then be again a cellular communication network or a further wireless or wirebound local area network (LAN or WLAN) .

On the side of network 3 (network side) , it is determined the particular hygienic service facility 1 into whose proximity range the mobile device 2 has entered and optionally also from what mobile device the corresponding proximity notification 110 has been received. By means of being able to identify the correct hygienic service facility as a target facility, it is possible to convey data 120 from the network side 3 to the service facility 1. In general, the vicinity range is defined as a range in which it can be determined that a mobile device inside the range likely belongs to a user of the very facility. Exemplary ranges include distances from the proximity unit of 0.2m, 0.5m, 1m, 1.5m, 2m, 5m, or 10m.

According to the present embodiment, the system comprises a display unit 12 that is arranged for conveying content to the user of the facility 1. This content may be in the form of anyone of graphical, image, text, video, audio and the like content, comprising, in turn, information, such as general alerts, train/plain arrival and/or departure information, news, notifications, advertisements, entertaining videos or audios, casts, and the like. Further, the present embodiment considers a network entity (not shown in Fig. 1A) connected to network 3 or part thereof, the entity being arranged to receive the proximity notification 110 indicating that the mobile device 2 is inside said vicinity range 100. In response to receiving the proximity notification 110, data 120 is conveyed from the network 3 toward the site of the hygienic service facility 1. In this way, the site and any equipment and elements being installed there can be made aware of mobile device 2 entering the vicinity range.

According to another embodiment, a system of the present disclosure may further provide the feature to adapt the contents that is displayed on the display unit 12 in response to receiving data 120 from the network side. In such embodiments, data 120 reaches directly or indirectly also the display device 12. In this way, the contents conveyed to the user of the hygienic service facility 1 can be changed and adapted in response to detecting the presence of the user in the vicinity of the facility 1. Further information may be stored on the network side 3 and/or on the mobile device 2 which then enables a specific tailoring of the content conveyed to the user to the service facility 1 actually used. This may provide the advantage to convey the most interesting content in information to the user on the right location and at the right time.

According to another embodiment, a system of the present disclosure may further provide the feature that the network entity is arranged to receive a further proximity notification indicating that the mobile device 2 has left the vicinity range (outside signal 100) and to convey further data toward the display unit 12 in response to receiving that further proximity notification. In this way, information can be obtained that a (specific) user has left the facility 1 and use can be accordingly assumed to be finished. For example, such information can be employed for statistical purposed or to convey some kind of content to user's mobile device 2 (e.g. messages like "Thank you for using... We hope that you are satisfied... Feedback can be left at vmw.s...", "...please wash your hands..." or specific advertisements) .

Additionally or alternatively, a further embodiment provides the feature of the data conveyed from said network entity indicating content to be rendered on said mobile device. Display unit 12 can then be arranged to display this content to be rendered on the mobile device. For example, a user may be consuming (watching, reading, listening to) some content on his/her way to the facility 1. Once using the facility, the content may be continued to be rendered to the user by means of the display unit 12, providing the benefit to the user that he/she does not need to interrupt the content and to use time more efficiently.

Figure IB shows a schematic view of another overall system configuration according to an embodiment of the present invention. Service facility 1, mobile device 2 as well as network 3 are identical or similar as the corresponding elements that have been described in conjunction with Figure 1A. Therefore, corresponding reference numerals are used. According to this embodiment, however, the signal flow with regard to detecting the proximity as well as conveying data and/or content is modified. Specifically, this embodiment envisages that the mobile device 2 emits a proximity signal 110' or it becomes active upon detecting the proximity signal 100 from the proximity unit when entering or when being inside the vicinity range. In this embodiment, the mobile device 2 emits a notification 110' toward the hygienic service facility 1 and/or again network 3.

In response to receiving this notification 110' , the hygienic service facility 1 exchanges data 121, 122 with the network 3. For example, a notification 121 comprising also information on an identification of the mobile device 2 is sent to the network 3 which allows the generation and transmission of specific data 122 that is sent back to the service facility 1.

In one embodiment, the information 121 identifies the mobile device 2, the network side 3 decides which content is to be displayed for the corresponding user of mobile device 2, and data 122 defines, specifies or carries the content to be displayed on the display means 12 of the hygienic service facility 1. Embodiments in which signal 110' is sent toward the facility 1 and/or proximity unit 11 may provide the advantage that mobile device 2 does not need to have network access on its own. This is often the case when hygienic service facilities are installed inside buildings or underground, which may strongly attenuate signal from or to mobile device 2.

In a yet alternative embodiment, the service facility 1 can nevertheless decide on its own what action is to be taken upon receiving the proximity notification 110, 110' . For example, the hygienic service facility 1 may adapt on its own the content displayed on the display means 12 in response to receiving notification 110, 110' by referring, for example, to a specific content being stored in or for the service facility 1. Additionally, data 123 may be sent from the network side 3 to the mobile device 2 upon receiving the proximity notification 110, 110' . In this way, additional content and/or information can be conveyed to the user by means of his/her mobile device 2. Such information/content may include notifications to a user including again the exemplary messages like "Thank you...", "...please wash your hands..." or specific advertisements. Figures 2A and 2B show a schematic view of different contents to be displayed in response to receiving a proximity notification according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Fig. 2A, this embodiment firstly assumes that the display unit 12 associated to some hygienic service facility to displays a first content 91-1. The display and any other actions may be controlled by control means 14 being provided in or for the service facility and/or display unit 12. Contents 91-1 may be displayed continuously, or may be displayed in response to detecting a user' s proximity to the hygienic service facility. For example, a PIR sensor detects the vicinity of a user to the facility and starts displaying the first content 91-1 on displaying means 12. In this way such a sensor can be co-used by different tasks including the flushing control and content control .

Meanwhile, the proximity of a specific mobile device 2, carried by the user is detected and processed by means of the afore-discussed proximity notification. In response to receiving this proximity notification, the contents displayed on display means 12 is changed to contents 91-2 as shown in Fig. 2B. While the first display of the first content 91-1 may be of general nature, i.e. being of interest to as many users as possible, the second contents 91-2 may be tailored to the specific user.

This may comprise information of particular interests to the user, including advertisements corresponding to a specific product field, travel information concerning current travel plans of the user, and/or other notifications that are related to the actual use of the hygienic service facility. In a further embodiment, an app running on mobile device 2 for managing personal travels (e.g. managing electronic boarding passes) may convey related travel information to the network, so that specific flight or (general) travel information, possibly in conjunction with advertisement content, can be rendered to display unit 12 for presentation to the user.

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of a network entity according to another embodiment of the present invention. In general, the network entity 300 can be in the form of an application running on hardware that is shared by one or more further applications and tasks within the network 3. Usually, network tasks are implemented in the form of individual programs running on processing equipment connected to a network or being part of the network infrastructure as such. However, the network entity may be likewise identified as a piece of hardware where the above program is executed.

In this way, the network entity 300 may be implemented by means of processing resources 310, memory resources 320, and communication resources 330. These resources 310, 320 and 330 may be shared resources by means of which other tasks and applications can be implemented on the same hardware. In a preferred embodiment, a server hardware comprises the resources 310, 320 and 330 for implementing the network entity 300.

In general, the memory resources 320 store code that instruct the processing means 310 and communication means 330 so as to implement the corresponding embodiments of the present invention. Specifically, the memory means 310 comprise code to implement the reception of notification 110 or 110' , to determine the target facility 1 and/or target display device 12, and to possibly generate and forward data and notifications 120, 121, 122, 123. Data and notification 120, 122, 123 may comprise information on adapted content to be rendered on information display device 12 and/or on mobile device 2. This information on content (or adapted content as such) may be stored in memory means 320 or may be well retrieved also from other sources via communication means 330 and network 3.

Figure 4A shows an alternative hygienic service facility according to another embodiment of the present invention. Instead of urinal 1 as shown and discussed in conjunction with Figures 1A and IB, Figure 4A shows a toilet installation as a further hygienic service facility 1-1. As usual, such an installation comprises a toilet bowl 14-1 and corresponding control means 13 that are, amongst others, arranged to control or effect cleaning, flushing, disinfection, use counting, and the like.

As in the other embodiments, a proximity unit 11 is installed in a vicinity range of the hygienic service facility so that a transmission range of a signal 100 substantially coincides with the vicinity of the facility as such. A mobile device, for example the one as described in conjunction with the other embodiments, entering the transmission range 100 can then be assumed to be in the vicinity of the specific service facility 1-1, and it can be accordingly assumed that the user of mobile device 2 is about to use hygienic service facility 1-1.

Similar as in the other embodiments, the detection of a specific mobile device inside the vicinity range triggers the launch of a proximity notification and a corresponding action regarding the transmission of data toward the specific hygienic service facility 1-1. For example, the facility 1-1 may be again provided with display unit 12, whose content can be adapted in response to receiving the corresponding proximity notification. The positioning of display unit 12 is not limited to the arrangement shown in Figure 4A. Specifically, the display unit 12 may be arranged atop bowl 14-1, on the other side or opposite bowl 14-1, depending in any case and taking into account a specific installation of hygienic service facility 1-1. Additional equipment may be provided in the hygienic service facility 1-1, including, for example, a toilet paper dispenser 15, a disinfection pad dispenser, hygienic bag dispensers, trash cans and the like.

Figures 4C and 4B show further alternative configurations of hygienic service facilities in the form of a hand wash sink installation 1-3, including a sink 17, a display unit 12, and a proximity device (not shown) emitting proximity signal 100 and/or receiving such a signal from a mobile device. The hygienic service facility 1-2 is in the form of a towel dispenser for dispensing paper or multiuse towels 16. Again, the facility 1-2 is provided in conjunction with a display unit 12 as well as with a vicinity range by means of signal 100 from a proximity unit or a mobile device for allowing the detection of a proximity of a corresponding user to the specific service facility 1-2.

Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a general method embodiment of the present invention. According to this general method embodiment of the present invention there is provided a method for conveying content to a user of a hygienic service facility, comprising a step S51 of displaying said content to said user; a step S52 of emitting and/or receiving a proximity signal to or from a mobile device by means of a proximity unit arranged in a vicinity range of said hygienic service facility; and a step S53 of receiving a proximity notification indicating that said mobile device is inside said vicinity range and to convey data toward said hygienic service facility in response to receiving said proximity notification. According to further method embodiments, the above general method is adapted so as implement a system according to any one of the corresponding embodiments as part of the present disclosure. In general and in principle applicable to ail embodiments of the present invention, a service facility may be also a combination of one or more of the disclosed individual facilities. Specifically, the hygienic service facility may comprise a combination of one or more of, a toilet, an urinal, a sink, a dispenser, a towel dispenser, a toilet paper dispenser, a soap dispense, a liquid dispenser a disinfection dispenser, an alcogel dispenser, a dryer, and a trash can. For one more of individual such facilities systems, devices, and units may be provided. Further, one network entity may be part of one or more systems .

Although detailed embodiments have been described, these only serve to provide a better understanding of the invention defined by the independent claims, and are not to be seen as limiting .