Patents by Inventor Robert Scheper

Robert Scheper has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11687854
    Abstract: An algorithm formulating system for use with a sensing ecosystem for identifying enterprise space states, the sensing ecosystem including a plurality of sensor devices mounted within an enterprise space wherein each sensor device is capable of sensing a plurality of parameters within the enterprise space, the system comprising a processor programmed to perform the steps of accessing a rule set that specifies a first parameter value set that corresponding to a perceived state within a first enterprise space, receiving sensor data from sensor devices within the first enterprise space, comparing the sensor data to the rule set to identify instances of the perceived state, examining sensor data to identify a second parameter value set that occurs at least a threshold percentage of time for the identified instances of the perceived state and using the second parameter value set as the basis for a new rule set to be associated with the perceived state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Swieter, Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 11402217
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 11402216
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 11307037
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 11280619
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 11085771
    Abstract: A system for use in a facility area including reservable spaces and common spaces and comprising a database storing space information, space map data and space scheduling information and including a user interface display screen mounted in a common space, a user location sensor and a processor linked to the databases and programmed to receive sensor signals and determine when a user is located within the sensing zone, the processor further programmed to generate and present a graphical facility area map representation of the facility area on the display screen and, upon detecting a user within the sensing zone, automatically identifying a destination space within the zone that the user likely intends to travel to and presenting an indication of the space on the graphical map indicating the location of the destination space within the facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Publication number: 20210189720
    Abstract: A furniture system includes a furniture member including at least one slot, the furniture member having a first portion defining a first width of the at least one slot and second portion defining a second width of the at least one slot, the second width greater than the first width, a pair of support members each having a pair of recesses, each of the support members rotatable between a first position where the support member may be inserted into or removed from the at least one slot, and a second position where the recesses of the support member engage the first portion of the furniture member preventing removal of the support member from the at least one slot, and a screen member engaging the pair of support members thereby preventing the support members from rotating from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Gregory Goosen, David Eberlein, Robert Scheper, Joshua Bultema, William Patrick Fricke, Cal Von Linsowe
  • Publication number: 20210166552
    Abstract: A workspace assembly includes at least a first sound sensor located in a first facility space, at least one communication device located within the first space, and a processor in communication with the at least a first sound sensor and the communication device. The processor is adapted to compare the volume of sound emanating from within the first space to a threshold level and to generate a signal via the communication device when the volume of sound emanating from within the first space exceeds the threshold level. The processor also periodically automatically adjusts the threshold level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Matthew Warner, Karl Mead, Brett Kincaid, Kurt Heidmann
  • Patent number: 10970662
    Abstract: An algorithm formulating system for use with a sensing ecosystem for identifying enterprise space states, the sensing ecosystem including a plurality of sensor devices mounted within an enterprise space wherein each sensor device is capable of sensing a plurality of parameters within the enterprise space, the system comprising a processor programmed to perform the steps of accessing a rule set that specifies a first parameter value set that corresponding to a perceived state within a first enterprise space, receiving sensor data from sensor devices within the first enterprise space, comparing the sensor data to the rule set to identify instances of the perceived state, examining sensor data to identify a second parameter value set that occurs at least a threshold percentage of time for the identified instances of the perceived state and using the second parameter value set as the basis for a new rule set to be associated with the perceived state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Swieter, Robert Scheper, Darrin Sculley
  • Patent number: 10888164
    Abstract: An office system including a first component and a second component moveable relative to the first component. A distance and/or force multiplier is disposed between and coupled to the first and second components. The distance and/or force multiplier includes a shape memory material, wherein the shape memory material is contractible between at least a non-energized state and an energized state in response to an application of energy. The distance and/or force multiplier moves the second component relative to the first component when the shape memory material is contracted to the energized state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Norman, Timothy Swieter, Ryan E. Schmidt, Mark McKenna, Robert Scheper, Bruce Smith
  • Patent number: 10861314
    Abstract: A workspace assembly includes at least a first sound sensor located in a first facility space, at least one communication device located within the first space, and a processor in communication with the at least a first sound sensor and the communication device. The processor is adapted to compare the volume of sound emanating from within the first space to a threshold level and to generate a signal via the communication device when the volume of sound emanating from within the first space exceeds the threshold level. The processor also periodically automatically adjusts the threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Matthew Warner, Karl Mead, Brett Kincaid, Kurt Heidmann
  • Patent number: 10713927
    Abstract: A workspace assembly includes a plurality of sound sensors including at least first and second sound sensors located in first and second spaces within a facility, respectively, at least one communication device located within one of the first space and the second space, and a processor in communication with the sound sensors and the communication device, the processor adapted to compare at least some characteristic of the sounds in at least a subset of the plurality of spaces to identify a particular space from which the sound emanates and to compare at least some characteristic of the sound emanating from the particular space to at least one threshold characteristic value and to provide a signal via the at least one communication device based on the results of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Matthew Warner, Karl Mead, Brett Kincaid, Kurt Heidmann
  • Patent number: 10614694
    Abstract: A method and system for providing information to a user of an article of furniture, the method comprising sensing a first data set about a first user of a first article of furniture, sensing a second data set about a second user of a second article of furniture, sending the first and second data sets to a processor and generating an output based on the first and second data sets and an input from an organizational user and sending the output to the first user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Joel Zwier, Paul Noll, Kurt Heidmann, Robert Scheper, Jody Hanson
  • Publication number: 20200015593
    Abstract: An office system including a first component and a second component moveable relative to the first component. A distance and/or force multiplier is disposed between and coupled to the first and second components. The distance and/or force multiplier includes a shape memory material, wherein the shape memory material is contractible between at least a non-energized state and an energized state in response to an application of energy. The distance and/or force multiplier moves the second component relative to the first component when the shape memory material is contracted to the energized state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Applicant: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Christopher Norman, Timothy Swieter, Ryan E. Schmidt, Mark McKenna, Robert Scheper, Bruce Smith
  • Publication number: 20200005624
    Abstract: A workspace assembly includes a plurality of sound sensors including at least first and second sound sensors located in first and second spaces within a facility, respectively, at least one communication device located within one of the first space and the second space, and a processor in communication with the sound sensors and the communication device, the processor adapted to compare at least some characteristic of the sounds in at least a subset of the plurality of spaces to identify a particular space from which the sound emanates and to compare at least some characteristic of the sound emanating from the particular space to at least one threshold characteristic value and to provide a signal via the at least one communication device based on the results of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Matthew Warner, Karl Mead, Brett Kincaid, Kurt Heidmann
  • Publication number: 20190334907
    Abstract: A system and method for helping a user optimize time use during transition times between scheduled activities, includes the steps of maintaining a schedule database including at least first and second consecutive scheduled activities for a first system user with a transition period between the first and second consecutive scheduled activities, during the transition period subsequent to the first activity and prior to commencement of the second activity, detecting at least a first trigger set of circumstances, upon occurrence of the trigger set of circumstances, automatically identifying a secondary activities set including at least first and second secondary activities that may be initiated during the transition period, presenting the secondary activities set to the first user via at least one affordance, receiving selection from the user of at least one of the secondary activities from the activities set and facilitating the selected secondary activity via at least one affordance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2019
    Publication date: October 31, 2019
    Inventors: Steve Rodden, Darrin Sculley, William Scott Sadler, Robert Scheper
  • Patent number: 10453326
    Abstract: An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising at least a first sensor positioned one of within and proximate a workspace, the at least a first sensor sensing at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace and generating a signal indicating the at least one aspect, a communication device located within the workspace, the communication device configured to generate a signal perceivable within the workspace and a processor receiving signals from the at least a first sensor and linked to the communication device, the processor programmed to perform the steps of identifying when the at least one aspect exceeds a threshold value and driving the communication device to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Scheper, Matthew Warner, Karl Mead, Brett Kincaid, Kurt Heidmann
  • Patent number: D972322
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D972323
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Steelcase Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers
  • Patent number: D979260
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: STEELCASE INC.
    Inventors: Mark Spoelhof, Alyssa Robert, Bruce M. Smith, Robert Scheper, Nickolaus William Charles Deevers