GB2225465A - Communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

A communication system for a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, comprises a computer control unit (10, 11), connected by communication links (17) to a plurality of data terminals (15) located in respective rooms, wherein the computer control unit receives information from data terminal (15), performs a function in response and sends resulting information to the data terminal (15) for display. <IMAGE>

Description

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM The present invention relates to a communication system for use in a hotel or the like, and a method for providing such a system.

It is known to provide telephone or bell communication systems in a hotel or the like between individual rooms and hotel service attendant room. These systems are used for enabling the hotel tenants to make enquiries and orders, such as meal or room cleaning orders, and for the attendant to provide the tenants with the required information. The existing systems are however inefficient, in particular when providing lengthy information such as itemised outstanding hotel bills, flight schedules and exchange rates.

The invention seeks to mitigate or alleviate such disadvantages and shortcomings by providing a communication system which is controlled by a computer.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a communication system for use in a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which communication system comprises a computer control unit, a plurality of data terminals located in respective rooms of a said hotel or the like, and communication links connecting together the computer control unit and the data terminals, wherein the computer control unit comprises first means for receiving information from the data terminal, second means for performing a function in response to the receipt of the information from the data terminal, and third means for sending information resulting from the performance of the function to the data terminal for display.

Preferably, the data terminals are connected to the computer control unit via a data multiplexer.

More preferably, the computer control unit is connected to a data base, and a function performable by the computer control unit includes retrieval of data from the data base.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing a communication system in a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which method comprises providing a computer control unit, locating data terminals in the rooms of a said hotel or the like, connecting the data terminals to the computer control unit by means of communication links, and providing the computer control unit with first means for receiving information from the data terminal, second means for performing a function in response to the receipt of the information from the data terminal, third means for sending information resulting from the performance of the function to the data terminal, and fourth means for displaying the information received from the computer control unit at the data terminal.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a communication system for a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which system comprises a computer to act as a control unit for the system, data terminals for the computer located in rooms of the hotel or the like and connected to the computer, the arrangement being such that an occupant of a said room can by sending instructions from a said data terminal to the computer obtain a desired result in the form of information or an event.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method of providing an occupant of a room of a hotel or the like with a desired result in the form of information or an event, which method comprises locating data terminals of a computer in room of a said hotel or the like; connecting said data terminal to said computer and arranging that an occupant of a said room can send instructions to the computer from a said data terminal to achieve a said desired result.

Other preferred features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying claims.

The invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the system archtecture of an embodiment of a communication system in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the operation of the communication system of Figure 1 for performing a function; and Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of the communication system of Figure 1 for performing another function.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, an embodiment of a communication system 9 shown therein comprises a first computer 10 having a data base, a second computer 11 having a main unit 12, a keyboard 13 and a video monitor 1z, and a plurality of data terminals 15 connected to the computer 11. The communication system is to be used in a hotel having a plurality of rooms (not shown) in which the data terminals 15 are separately located. The two computers 10 and 11 are connected together by a communication link 8, and located in a service room (not shown) of the hotel, to which computer 11 a printer 16 is connected. The computer 11 serves to control the operation of the system 9, whereas the computer 10 serves as a data bank for the computer 11.

The data terminals 15 are divided into groups, and each group are connected together by means of communication links 17 through a data multiplexer 18 to the computer 11. Therefore, the data terminals 15 in each group can effectively communicate with the computer 11 at same time on a time-multiplex basis. AC mains power is supplied to each data terminal 15 via an adaptor box 19 which is connected in the communication link 17 immediately upstream of the data terminal 15. Each adaptor box 19 includes a voltage regulator for converting the AC mains supply voltage to a lower DC voltage, and electrical terminals for connection. It is envisaged that each adaptor box 19 can be integrated into the corresponding data terminal 15 so as to form a single unit. Or, the adaptor boxes 19 can all be located inside the data multiplexer 18.

Each data terminal 15 includes a 4x4 keyboard 20 having both function and numeric keys, by means of which an occupant of the corresponding room can send information/instructions to the computer 11 via the communication link 17. Each data terminal 15 further includes 20x4 dot matrix alpha-numeric liquid crystal display 21 by means of which information received from the computer 11 can be displayed. A 16 character thermal printer 22 is connected to each data terminal 15 for producing print-outs of the information received from the computer 11.

Each data terminal 15 may also include a magnetic card reader for reading preset instruction cards, a bar code reader for reading bar code instructions printed on an instruction menu, and a key-operated switch for security purposes.

In this particular embodiment, the two computers 10 and 11 are IBM-AT (trade mark) personal computers to which computer 11 up to 200 data terminals 15 can be connected, serving a maximum number of 200 rooms of the hotel. For a system having more than 200 data terminals, a plurality of computers 11 can be used and each of them is connected to the computer 10.

The computer 11 is run by a computer program which enables the computer 11 to perform various information exchanges between the service room and the guest rooms of the hotel. There are normally two main categories of information exchange required in a hotel, namely enquiries and orders. The category of enquiries includes (a) hotel bill balance, (b) telephone call charging rates, (c) departure and arrival flight time tables, (d) sight-seeing tour information, (e) foreign exchange rates, (f) world time, (g) telephone directory, and (h) messages received at hotel reception. The category of orders includes (a) meals, (b) room services, (c) setting of morning call time, and (d) arrangement of transportation.

Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the principal steps of the computer program for performing an enquiry function.

To initiate the operation, the occupant selects the kind of enquiries by means of the keyboard 20 of the data terminal 15 in his room, designated as 23. The instruction is transmitted from the data terminal 15 through the communication links 17, the adaptor box 19, the data multiplexer 18 to the computer 11, designated as 24. Upon receipt of the instuctions, the computer 11 retrieves the required information from the data base of the computer 10, designated as 25. The computer 11 then transmits the retrieved information back to the requesting data terminal 15, designated as 26, and then displays the required information on the liquid crystal display 21 of the requesting data terminal 15, designated as 27. After viewing the information, the occupant can ask for further details, make another enquiry, or terminate the operation by means of the keyboard 20, designated as 28.

Figure 3 is a flow chart showing the principal steps of the computer program for performing an order function.

To initiate the operation, the occupant selects the kind of orders by means of the keyboard 20, designated as 29.

The instuction is transmitted from the data terminal 15 to the computer 11, designated as 30. The computer 11 then retrieves the required information according to the instruction, such as a food menu, from the data base of the computer 10, designated as 31, and then transmits to and displays at the requesting data terminal 15 the retrieved information, designated as 32 and 33 respectively. The occupant selects a desired option from the displayed information by means of the keyboard 20, designated as 34, and the instruction is transmitted to the computer 11, designated as 35. Upon receipt of the instruction, the computer 11 will generate a message record containing details of the instruction and will subsequently either store the message record in the data base of the computer 10 or print it out at the printer 16, designated as 36. At appropriate time, a service attendant will serve the order according to the message record which is either displayed at the video monitor 14 or recited in the print-out.

The communication system 9 will therefore provide on-line two way iterative information exchanges between the hotel guests and the hotel management.

The magnetic card readers can also be used for monitoring the attendance of room maids or staffs so that the system 9 can also generate staff attendance transaction records for hotel management.

The invention is described by way of example only, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, only one computer 11 might be used, providing a data base itself for the system.

Claims (14)

1. A communication system for use in a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which communication system comprises a computer control unit, a plurality of data terminals located in respective rooms of a said hotel or the like, and communication links connecting together the computer control unit and the data terminals, wherein the computer control unit comprises first means for receiving information from the data terminal, second means for performing a function in response to the receipt of the information from the data terminal, and third means for sending information resulting from the performance of the function to the data terminal for display.

2. A communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data terminals are connected to the computer control unit via a data multiplexer.

3. A communication system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the computer control unit is connected to a data base, and a function performable by the computer control unit includes retrieval of data from the data base.

4. A communication system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the data base is implemented by a computer discrete from the computer control unit.

5. A communication system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein a function performable by the computer control unit includes the generation of a printed record.

6. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data terminal includes a keyboard through which information can be entered into the data terminal for transmission to the computer control unit.

7. A communication system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data terminal further includes a magnetic card reader.

8. A communication system as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the data terminal further includes a bar code reader.

9. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data terminal includes key-operated switch.

10. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data terminal includes a liquid crystal display.

11. A communication system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data terminal includes a printer.

12. A method of providing a communication system in a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which method comprises providing a computer control unit, locating data terminals in the rooms of a said hotel or the like, connecting the data terminals to the computer control unit by means of communication links, and providing the computer control unit with first means for receiving information from the data terminal, second means for performing a function in response to the receipt of the information from the data terminal, and third means for sending information resulting from the performance of the function to the data terminal for display.

13. A communication system for a hotel or the like having a plurality of rooms, which system comprises a computer to act as a control unit for the system, data terminals for the computer located in rooms of the hotel or the like and connected to the computer, the arrangement being such that an occupant of a said room can by sending instructions from a said data terminal to the computer obtain a desired result in the form of information or an event.

14. A method of providing an occupant of a room of a hotel or the like with a desired result in the form of information or an event, which method comprises locating data terminals of a computer in room of a said hotel or the like; connecting said data terminal to said computer and arranging that an occupant of a said room can send instructions to the computer from a said data terminal to achieve a said desired result.