ES2761900A1 - Real time space occupation management method, device and system (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Method, device and management system for space occupation in real time. The present invention refers to a space occupation management method that comprises the monitoring of the interconnection state between a first device, associated with, and identifier of, the space whose occupation is managed, and a second device, associated with, and identifier of, the user or potential occupant of said space; said interconnection carried out using a short-range wireless communication protocol. Likewise, the invention refers to both a device and a system suitable for the implementation of said space occupation management procedure. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

METHOD, DEVICE AND SPACE OCCUPATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

IN REAL TIME

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention refers to the field of space occupation management in real time and, more particularly, to the management of space reservations and to the monitoring of their availability.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The limited number of positions in training centers, libraries, computer rooms, etc., but also in parking areas, and similar or equivalent spaces for both people and vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles, ...) or machines with more or less autonomy in terms of their movement (mobile machinery in automated factories, for example), with respect to the potential number of users of these positions, especially in cases in which the distance at which they are between If both (space and potential occupant) is significant, it generates the need to manage the occupation of these spaces efficiently (also in what is simple and versatile) and effective.

In the particular case of the management of space occupation by people, the proposals aimed at its management in work environments, but also in study or even leisure, stand out.

Examples of the closest state of the art found in reference to this context (spaces to be occupied by people) are accessible at the following links:

-https: //community.estimote.com/hc/en-us/articles/202669233-Occupancy-Monitoring-App-for-University-Library

- https://www.occupeye.com/

- https://www.monnit.com/Wireless-Sensors/Wireless-Seat-Occupancy-Sensors - http://www.enlightedinc.com/system-and-solutions/iot-system/smart-sensors/ - http://info.enlightedinc.com/rs/000-IKN-871/images/Space-Product-Sheet.pdf

- https://www.30mhz.com/industry/space-utilisation/

However, the solutions described or referred to in said links do not satisfy the object of the present invention, since in all cases they allow us to indicate where there are free spaces, but without using remote online booking through the mobile devices of potential users ( smartphones , mainly), nor allow the management of occupation in situ in real time.

The state of the art also includes patent documents.

Patent document KR20140030707A introduces a system to manage the reservation of seats in a library, comprising: an intelligent mobile terminal that has a specific reservation application installed in real time, a recognition / identification unit incorporated in each reading station (code QR or NFC tag), a transceiver unit that determines the proximity of the user's smart terminal within the library and a central server for managing the availability of the different seats. The system facilitates the management of the extension of the reservation times and provides reservation cancellation warning messages in case of leaving the reading position that exceed a predetermined time threshold. The solution proposed in this document, based on Wi-Fi technology, manages the occupation (reservation) of spaces taking into account the entry or exit of the occupant of the library room, without considering that the user leaves their space, but not the room .

Patent document KR20160110697A describes a library reservation and cancellation management system that makes use of short-range wireless communication beacons (“Z-Wave”) to determine if users are actually occupying assigned seats and offer , in real time, better availability information. The user's mobile terminal, which incorporates a camera, has a reservation application downloaded from a central external management server and interacts with a short-range communications terminal installed at the door of the library, using NFC or QR codes, as well as with a second communication terminal or beacon to validate the occupation of the position. The solution proposed in this document requires the interaction of the terminal of the occupant, based on Z-Wave technology, both with the terminal installed at the entrance of the library and with the beacons placed inside the room, being a more versatile as well as simpler system desirable.

Patent document KR20160138670A details a system for remote reservation of seats in the reading room of a public or school library through a mobile application that uses a short-range communication beacon (Bluetooth) to detect the presence of the user in the premises, through your mobile terminal, and proceed to confirm the previous seat reservation. The system provides options to extend or cancel the occupation times of the reading position. The solution proposed in this document is limited to the management of the reservation, but not to the occupation or liberation of the space by the user once it is in the room.

Patent document KR20150096850A once again describes a position management system in a real-time library based on a central server to control reservations, vacancies, assigned times and alarms. Users can access the system through an application on their mobile terminal, establish a relationship with the authentication means located in each reading station (NFC tag, barcode or QR code) and confirm their position in the premises of the library interacting with a short-range wireless communications device. The solution proposed in this document is again based on Wi-Fi technology, with the limitations that this entails in relation to precise monitoring of the degree of occupation of positions, especially considering the possibility, necessarily to consider, that the user is absent from their position without leaving the library premises and this may determine that said position must be identified as free.

In the particular case of the management of space occupation by mobile objects, many current solutions focus on the management of parking spaces.

Patent document US20040068433A1 describes a parking system that allows reservations and payments to be made centrally through communication between user terminals and service terminals through a data network. The system maintains maps for all parking facilities managed by the respective owner and maintains information on the user of the respective vehicle. The supervision of the occupation of the parking spaces is done through the use of fixed or portable license plate readers.

Patent document ES2525536T3 describes a procedure to determine the state of occupancy by vehicles of a plurality of areas provided for them by monitoring the intensity of the signal emitted by a transmitter associated with each parking area, which Periodically it transmits a fixed power signal whose intensity is altered by the presence, where appropriate, of a vehicle in the corresponding parking space.

Patent document ES2425778T3 describes a management system for occupancy in a parking lot, combining vehicle identification using cameras located in the different parking spaces, for the identification of license plates that are readable by optical character recognition; and a common radio beacon for parking spaces, located at the entrance to the car park for radio reading of radio identification of incoming vehicles equipped with on-board units with radio-readable radio identifications.

Patent document WO2016168948A1 describes a real-time parking reservation system, the novelty of which is that it comprises means for real-time and dynamic reallocation of the parking site. The proposed solution does not take into account the occupation or release of the parking spaces themselves beyond what can be inferred by GPS positioning of the vehicles and the occupation time assigned to them.

The state of the art includes other alternatives equally based on imaging, laser or ultrasound technologies to determine if a seat, beyond having been previously reserved or not, is occupied or available.

The present invention not only solves problems related to the management of space occupation, but also does it in a simple and versatile way with respect to the alternatives included in the state of the art, many of them too specific or dependent on the type of spaces or potential occupants of these.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the invention relates to a space occupancy management method that comprises monitoring the interconnection state between a first device, associated with, and an identifier for, the space whose occupancy is managed, and a second device, associated a, and identifier of, the user or potential occupant of said space; said interconnection carried out using a short-range wireless communication protocol. Examples of such short-range wireless communication protocols that may be suitable for the implementation of the procedure are RFID ( Radio Frequency IDentification), NFC ( Near-Field Communication), IR ( InfraRed), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, WeMo, or Wi-Fi Direct; especially those protocols of low energy or reduced energy consumption, such as BLE ( Bluetooth Low-Energy).

In a preferred embodiment of said first aspect of the invention, the method comprises determining whether the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is interconnected with the device of the user or potential occupant, such that, when said first and second devices are interconnected , the space is estimated to be occupied.

The procedure that constitutes this first object of the invention may (or may not) take into consideration the duration of the space occupation time once it is considered occupied. In accordance with the foregoing, when the duration of the occupation time is not taken into consideration, it is established that the space can continue to be occupied indefinitely as long as the provisions established are fulfilled so that it is considered as occupied; however, in a more preferred embodiment, the method does comprise, once the space is estimated occupied, monitoring the duration of the time of said occupation, so that, once a previously established maximum occupation duration is exceeded, it is estimated that the space stops being occupied to become free. Optionally, in the event that the transition from the "occupied" state to the "free" state after a given occupation time is contemplated, it can be established that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the "free" state, when it remains a time to be defined close to the maximum fixed occupation time.

Likewise, the procedure that constitutes the first object of the invention may (or may not) take into consideration the duration of the disconnection between said first and second Devices always lose the previously established interconnection between them. In accordance with the above, when the duration of this disconnection is not taken into account, at least two scenarios can be considered:

(1) That, when the aforementioned loss of connection occurs, and in the event that the occupation time is not taken into account (that is, that a finite duration of said occupation is not established that may constitute the only criterion for determine that a occupied space ceases to be occupied to be assimilated as free space), it is estimated that the space ceases to be occupied and becomes free.

(2) That, when the aforementioned loss of connection occurs, and in the event that the occupation time is taken into account (that is, that a finite duration of said occupation is not established that may constitute the only criterion for determine that a occupied space ceases to be occupied to be assimilated as free space), it is estimated that the space will continue in the occupied state as long as the maximum occupancy time established is not exceeded.

However, in a more preferred embodiment, the method does comprise, when the interconnection established between said first and second devices is broken or lost, monitoring the duration of said disconnection between both, so that, again, at least one can contemplate two scenarios:

(1) That once a previously established maximum disconnection duration is exceeded, and in the event that the occupation time is not taken into account (that is, that a finite duration of said occupation is not established, which may constitute the only criteria to determine that an occupied space ceases to be to be assimilated as free space), it is estimated that the space is no longer occupied to become free.

(2) That once a previously established maximum disconnection duration is exceeded, and in the event that the occupation time is taken into account (that is, that a finite duration of said occupation is not established, which may constitute the only criteria to determine that an occupied space ceases to be occupied to be assimilated as free space), it is estimated that the space stop being occupied to become free, with the correction that, if the maximum occupancy time set has been exceeded even if the maximum disconnection duration set has not been exceeded, it will be considered that the space will also go to the free state .

Optionally, in any case in which the transition from the “occupied” state to the “free” state is contemplated after a given disconnection time, it can be established that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the “free” state, when Subtract a time to be defined close to the maximum disconnection time set.

In another preferred embodiment of this first aspect of the invention, the method comprises determining whether the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed, not being interconnected with the device of the user or potential occupant, is in a state of being available to establish said interconnection, of such that, if it is available to establish said interconnection, the space is deemed to be free, whereas, when it is not available to establish said interconnection, the space is deemed not to be free. In a more preferred embodiment, in the event that the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is not available to establish an interconnection with the device of the user or potential occupant, the procedure comprises taking into account the state immediately prior to said state of "Not available" to establish an interconnection. In accordance with the above, if said immediately previous state was “free” (that is, available to establish an interconnection), the space, at the present time (not available to establish an interconnection), is considered reserved; on the contrary, if said immediately previous state was “occupied” (that is, not available to establish a new interconnection because a previous interconnection is already in progress, either in fact or in an assimilated way - the previous interconnection may have been lost but it may have been established that the "busy" state persists for a certain time after the loss of interconnection-), the space, at the present moment (not available to establish an interconnection), is considered (continuing) occupied. In an even more preferred embodiment, in the event that the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is not available to establish an interconnection with the device of a user or potential occupant because said space is in a "reserved" state for another user or potential occupant, the procedure involves taking Taking into account the time assigned to the reservation, preferably the expected start time for the occupation with a reservation, although it is also possible to attend to the expected end time for said occupation with a reservation, being able to contemplate at least the following scenarios:

(1) That, when the start time has been established, or the end time, foreseen for the occupation with reservation as the maximum time to exercise the assigned reservation, and the reserved space is occupied by the user to whom it is assigned would have assigned the reservation before said start or end time is exceeded, as the case may be, it is estimated that the space is no longer reserved and becomes "occupied".

(2) That, when the start time has been established, or the end time, foreseen for the occupation with reservation as the maximum time to exercise the assigned reservation, and the reserved space has not been occupied by the user to whom the reservation would have been assigned before the said start or end time is exceeded, as the case may be, it is estimated that the space will no longer be reserved and it will become "free".

• Optionally, in any case in which the transition from the “reserved” state to the “free” state after a given reservation time is contemplated, a “courtesy” time can be established, in addition to the reservation time, which extends said state "Reserved" beyond the aforementioned fixed reservation time. Likewise, and also optionally, for any case in which the transition from the “reserved” state to the “free” state is contemplated after a given reservation time (including additional “courtesy” time, if applicable), it can be established that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the "free" state, when there is a time to be defined close to the maximum reserve time set (including additional "courtesy" time, if applicable).

In another preferred embodiment of this first aspect of the invention, the monitoring of the state of interconnection between said first and second devices, for a plurality of spaces whose occupation is managed, is centralized in at least one server. In accordance with the foregoing, in a preferred embodiment the method comprises the emission or dispatch from / by the devices associated with the spaces whose occupation is managed towards a central server, the reception of said information by / on said server, the analysis of said information by / on said server and, finally, the determination of the occupation status of each of the monitored spaces. Alternatively or, preferably, additionally, the method also comprises the sending or sending from / by the devices associated to the users or potential occupants, more preferably from the devices associated to the users actually occupying and even of the non-occupying users that they have reserved spaces and / or active reservation requests, to a central server; the reception of said information by / on said server, the analysis of said information by / on said server and, finally, the determination of the status of the user (as the case may be, in search of a space, occupant of a space, concessionaire of a reservation, requesting a reservation) and, indirectly and where appropriate, the state of occupation of managed spaces. The reception of information by / on the central server, or the emission or sending of information from / by devices associated with the spaces whose occupation is managed, and where appropriate from / by devices associated with users or potential occupants, can be carried out in various ways. modes: Continuously, at intervals, variably according to the state of occupation, actively or passively.

In another preferred embodiment of this first aspect, the method comprises the management of reservations of spaces whose occupation is managed. In a more preferred embodiment, the method comprises making a reservation request by a user or potential occupant, receiving said reservation request by / on a reservation server, analyzing or processing said reservation request by / on said server, the determination of managed spaces available for reservation, the sending of the corresponding information by / from the server, and the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant. Once the spaces available for reservation have been determined, the information to be sent to the user or potential occupant by / from the server depends, at least, on the way in which the reservation itself is made. Accordingly, at least the following scenarios can be considered:

(1) That the user be the one who directly selects the space they wish to reserve, in which case, once the spaces available for reservation have been determined, the procedure also includes sending said information by / from the server, the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant, the selection by said user of the space they wish to reserve and the submission of the information corresponding to the server, and the registration by / on said server of the information of the space to reserve and confirmation of the reservation to the user from it.

(2) That it is the server that directly selects the space to be reserved for the user, in which case, once it has been determined which spaces are available for reservation, the procedure includes the selection by the server of the space to be reserved for the user, consequently the registration by / on said server of the information of the space to be reserved, and the confirmation of the reservation to the user from the same with identifying information of the space that has been reserved. The selection by the server can be made in different ways: Randomly, according to criteria or interests of the user, according to characteristics dependent on the user and / or the spaces whose occupation is managed, etc.

(3) That the user selects which space they want to reserve but said selection is made based on a preselection made by the server, in which case, once the spaces available for reservation have been determined, the procedure includes a preselection by the server of spaces available for reservation, the sending to the user of said information by / from the server, the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant, the selection by said user of the space that he wishes to reserve from among those that the server preselected and the sending of the information corresponding to the server, and the registration by / on said server of the information on the space to be reserved and the confirmation of the reservation to the user from the same. The preselection by the server can be carried out in different ways: Randomly, according to the criteria or interests of the user, according to characteristics dependent on the user and / or the spaces whose occupation is managed, etc .; likewise, the preselection result can be presented or informed to the user in a prioritized way (highlighting some spaces over others) or not.

• Additionally, the procedure may contemplate that not all users may choose to reserve any space available for reservation, with Regardless of the criteria or interests of said users, it can be considered that access to certain spaces available for reservation is conditional on users meeting certain requirements or meeting certain characteristics, a different or complementary registration is required from that required of any user or potential occupant. , or such access requires some type of payment.

Additionally, the procedure may contemplate that certain users may opt for additional services, regardless of the criteria or interests of said users, such as access to certain spaces available for booking at times other than those available to the general user, having access to longer maximum reservation times and / or, where applicable, (longer) courtesy times, etc.

Additionally, the procedure may contemplate that, once the reservation of a space has been made, said reservation is reviewed during the time that elapses between the time it was made and the start time of the occupation, in case it should remain in said interval Available to reserve another space, if appropriate, according to the criteria or interests of the user and / or according to characteristics dependent on the user and / or the spaces. This review can be carried out in different ways: On time, periodically or continuously over time, automatically or at the user's request, etc. In the event that the availability of a more suitable space is determined as a result of the review, the procedure would include the corresponding management by / on the server; This subsequent management can be carried out in different ways: Notifying the user or potential occupants when it is determined that there is such a more suitable space, directly selecting the server, the most appropriate space to be reserved for the user, etc.

Additionally, when at the time the reservation is requested there are no spaces available for reservation, the procedure object of this first aspect of the invention may comprise the registration by / on the server of said reservation request to enable its subsequent management. This subsequent management can be carried out in different ways: Notifying the user or potential occupants when it is determined that there are spaces available for reservation, informing them of the / an estimated time after which (foreseeably) they will exist spaces available for reservation, directly selecting the server a space to be reserved for the user, etc.

Additionally, the procedure object of this first aspect of the invention comprises the allocation or association itself between the spaces whose occupation is managed and the devices that will allow, once assigned or associated to said spaces, to identify and manage their occupation. Said assignment or association comprises establishing a correspondence between a device identifier and a space identifier. Additionally, the procedure contemplates the assignment or association of a device simultaneously with two or more spaces as long as the technical characteristics of the first, particularly those referring to the short-range communication protocol that is implemented, allow it (such is the case of technologies such as Bluetooth or Zigbee). In accordance with the possibility that a device is simultaneously associated with two or more spaces, these spaces are not therefore adequately and uniquely identified, the procedure would consequently comprise the interconnection between a device (associated with two more spaces) and two or more devices of users or potential occupants of, one by one in biunivocal correspondence, said spaces associated with the first device.

A second aspect of the invention refers to a device suitable for the implementation of a space occupancy management procedure according to the first object of the present invention, said device associated with one or more spaces whose occupation is the object of management.

In a preferred embodiment, the device comprises means for interconnection with the device of a user or potential occupant of the / a space associated with said device that constitutes the second aspect of the invention, said interconnection carried out by means of a short-range wireless communication protocol. scope. Examples of such means are short-range wireless communication modules suitable for the implementation of RFID ( Radio Frequency IDentification), NFC ( Near-Field Communication), IR ( InfraRed), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, WeMo, o Wi-Fi Direct; especially those suitable for the implementation of protocols of low energy or reduced energy consumption, such as BLE ( Bluetooth Low-Energy).

In an even more preferred embodiment, the device that constitutes the second object of The invention comprises means for communication with a central server, said central server responsible, among other possible functions, for estimating or classifying the space associated with said device according to its state of occupation or, where appropriate, of reserve. In an even more preferred embodiment, the device comprises communication means that allow not only the sending of information to but also the reception of information from the central server, since, for example, from said central server, the device can be "informed" a change in its occupancy status (change from free to reserved, change from busy to free, confirmation of occupation, ...).

In another preferred embodiment, the device that constitutes the second object of the invention comprises means for monitoring the time elapsed in its occupied state, whatever this may be. In a more preferred embodiment, said monitoring means allow the estimation of the time during which the space remains occupied from the moment of its occupation. Examples of such means are temporary computing means, such as a watch or a stopwatch. Alternatively, in the event that said monitoring was not carried out directly on the device itself, but on another device (particularly, on the central server, although said function could be "delegated" to a different device, such as that of the user himself or potential occupant in the event that the space is occupied), said monitoring is facilitated from the device that constitutes the second object of the invention by sending it, continuously and in real time, to said other information device indicative of its state of occupation so that it can be processed and computed in said other device, resulting in the temporary monitoring of the state of occupation.

In another preferred embodiment, the device constituting the second object of the invention comprises means for monitoring the disconnection time when the interconnection established between said device and the / a device of a user or potential occupant is broken or lost. In a more preferred embodiment, said monitoring means allow estimation of the duration of the disconnection from the moment it occurs. Examples of such means are temporary computing means, such as a watch or a stopwatch. Alternatively, in the event that said monitoring was not carried out directly on the device itself, but on another device (particularly, on the central server, although said function could be "delegated" to a different device, such as that of the user himself or potential occupant), Said monitoring is facilitated from the device that constitutes the second object of the invention by sending from it, continuously and in real time, to said other device indicating information on its interconnection status so that it can be processed and computed. in said other device resulting in the temporary monitoring of the disconnection.

In another preferred embodiment, the device that constitutes the second object of the invention comprises means to control the state of availability thereof to establish an interconnection with the / a device of a user or potential occupant when said device is no longer there, for the / a particular space, interconnected with the device of another user or potential occupant, said means thus allowing, for example, said particular space, to be in a reserved state, not being available for interconnection during the corresponding time. In an even more preferred embodiment, the instructions or information to carry out said control are received in the device through the two-way communication means, which includes said information from a central service that, if necessary, acts as the of a reservation manager beyond acting as a simple manager of occupation (and liberation) of spaces.

In another preferred embodiment, the device constituting the second object of the invention comprises means for monitoring the reserve time. In a more preferred embodiment, said monitoring means allow estimation of the time during which the space remains reserved. Examples of such means are temporary computing means, such as a watch or a stopwatch. Alternatively, in the event that said monitoring was not carried out directly on the device itself, but on another device (particularly, on the central server, although said function could be "delegated" to a different device, such as that of the user himself or potential occupant in the event that the space is reserved), said monitoring is facilitated from the device that constitutes the second object of the invention by sending it, continuously and in real time, to said other information device indicative of its occupancy status so that it can be processed and computed in said other device, resulting in the temporary monitoring of the reserve status.

A third aspect of the invention relates to a system suitable for the implementation of a space occupation management method according to any of the embodiments of the first object of the present invention and comprising one or more devices according to any of the claims of the second object thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the system that constitutes the third object of the invention further comprises one or more devices of users or potential occupants also provided with means for interconnection by means of a short-range wireless communication protocol. The device of the user or potential occupant may be a proprietary device, such as a module designed, developed and configured for this purpose in a vehicle; or it can be a “generic” device that includes the required specifications and functionalities, such as a smartphone ( smartphone ) or similar.

In an even more preferred embodiment, the system that constitutes the third object of the invention further comprises at least one server in charge, among other possible functions, of managing the information regarding the state of occupation of the spaces. Said server can therefore manage, according to the implementation that is implemented of the procedure that constitutes the first object of the invention, information regarding the interconnection state, the occupation time, the disconnection time, the availability state to establish an interconnection , or the status (and time) of reservation. Depending on the complexity of the system and / or the functionalities that it is intended to provide, a single central server may be sufficient or adequate, or more servers, premises and peripherals may be considered with respect to one or more central servers (which, for example, the function of determining and monitoring the space occupancy status and the reservation management function are delegated to each other, although both functions may reside on the same, single server, which could also constitute a web server).

Additionally, the system that constitutes the third object of the invention may comprise auxiliary devices or elements that improve the efficiency of the management entrusted to said system. Examples of such devices would be those intended to facilitate communications from the main devices (those associated with spaces and also those of users or potential occupants) to the server or servers, or those aimed at facilitating interconnection between the devices associated with spaces and devices of users or potential occupants (for example, QR codes or NFC tags that, when “identified” by the device of the user or potential occupant, initiate the interconnection process in an active and directed manner).

Likewise, a fourth object of the present invention constitutes computer-implemented methods necessary for carrying out the invention, either for the development of the procedure that constitutes its first object or for the performance of the functions of the device and the system that constitute the second and third objects of the invention, respectively. Said object extends to computer programs or program instructions, more particularly to computer programs in or on a carrier means, adapted to put into practice the methods that constitute said object of the invention. The computer program may be in the form of source code, of object code or in an intermediate code between source code and object code, such as partially compiled, or in any other form suitable for use in the implementation of the methods that constitute said object of the invention. The carrier medium can be any entity or device capable of carrying the program. For example, the carrier medium may comprise a storage medium, such as a ROM, for example a CD ROM or a semiconductor ROM, or a magnetic recording medium, for example a floppy disc or a hard, or non-magnetic disk, for example a flash memory or a solid state memory. Furthermore, the carrier medium may be a transmissible carrier medium such as an electrical or optical signal that can be transmitted via electrical or optical cable or by radio or other means. When the computer program is contained in a signal that can be transmitted directly via a cable or other device or medium, the carrier medium may be constituted by said cable or another device or medium. Alternatively, the carrier medium may be an integrated circuit which is encapsulated in (embedded) computer program, said integrated circuit being adapted for performing, or for use in performing the methods constituting the object of the invention.

Pursuant to the foregoing, computer systems that implement said computer-implemented methods necessary for carrying out the invention are aspects of said object of the invention, either for the development of the procedure that constitutes a first object thereof, or for the performance of the device and system functions constituting the second and third objects of the invention, respectively; as well as computer programs, means of computer-readable storage, and transmittable signals capable of causing a computer system to perform such computer-implemented methods.

EXAMPLE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is illustrated below by describing a system by which the occupation and reservation control of existing study or reading positions in a library, computer room, training center, etc .; Users can know in real time the availability of sites and choose, regarding free spaces, those who want to book. Once the reserved space has been occupied, and verified by the system, said system will identify and display, on a reservation website, said space as occupied space, proceeding, otherwise, to show it (again) as available (free) so that other users can occupy it.

In the exemplary embodiment that concerns us, the system can take into account the individual identification of each user as a student and provide services or benefits that are not available to users who do not possess said identification.

The process could begin by showing availability on the internet by visualizing or representing the study positions in question, differentiating free, reserved and in-use (occupied) positions. The user must identify himself to have the possibility of reserving a space among those that appear as “free”, which will appear in the display as “reserved” and will have a time, predetermined by the system administrator, to occupy it. When accessing it, automatically, your mobile will be paired with the control device located in the specific study position, passing this, at that moment, to be considered “in use” or “occupied”.

If at any time the pairing between the device and the mobile is broken, there will be another time, configurable by the administrator, before the position appears on the display as "free". This will allow the user to temporarily abandon it without losing it.

In order to confirm that the study position is occupied, a procedure has been designed that, using the mobile phones of the users (which they will ideally have used to make the reservation), and their Bluetooth connectivity, confirms the presence of the phone in question in a preset environment by the scope of this short-range wireless communication technology. The association between the mobile and the device associated with the space under management would be carried out automatically, for example, by reading a QR code that could be physically found on said device, or on some surface of the study station itself. said device will be associated. The system will verify the presence of the user's mobile in the vicinity of the device associated with the study station. The maximum allowed disconnection time can be set through the system. The device associated with the study station will send the information to a central web server, which will be in charge of processing reservations and displaying occupancy on a website.

Optionally, the device associated with the space under management could be provided with USB connections that allow charging the phone or similar devices. Likewise, the device may have an indicator light that shows the status (free, busy, reserved) in which the study station to which the device is associated is located.

Highlight the possibility of the invention being implemented in spaces with BIM ( Building Information Modeling) models , which would allow opening a wide range of reservation options associated with the information contained in the model, in which relative parameters and algorithms could be introduced to the user's location preferences according to multiple variables that choice of place from a website, or an app, of reservations and that, for example, in a library could be:

- Restrictions on the use of the room where the plaza is located (reading or group work room, space reserved for a specific group of users, etc ...)

- Close to the bookshelf of books on the subject you want to study or research.

- Availability of plug in a certain radio to recharge mobile or portable devices.

- Proximity to a point of natural or artificial light and data on its illuminance.

- Soleamiento of the square in the specific physical and temporary location of the reserve. - Distance to an air conditioning, air conditioning or heating diffuser.

- Confinity to a toilet, to a smoking area, to a vending machine, etc.

- Distance from an evacuation outlet and / or a passive extinguishing element (fire extinguisher, BIE, etc ...) and evacuation routes.

- Typology of the place regarding the distribution and characteristics of the furniture (isolated, grouped into a table with x seats, a place adapted for the disabled, a table with a cubicle, a rigid or padded seat, with or without arms, availability of lockers, etc.)

- Immediation of a query computer and its rules of use.

- Physical location in plant of the copies that you want to consult in the APP viewer.

For the visualization of these models on mobile devices such as tablets or mobile phones, one of the most widely used systems is the Autodesk A360 service. This cloud service allows you to upload and share models generated with Revit to view them online, even from Android or iOS devices, just by installing an A360 application, designed for it, which is free and available both in the store from Google applications like Apple's. For this, the model's RVT file is uploaded to site 360 and this service converts the Revit format into a lighter one, which allows a fixed three-dimensional view to be viewed online, just by creating a free account in said service. Because the reality is that a three-dimensional representation is easier for any user to interpret than a two-dimensional view of a space and the large amount of information that can be linked to a BIM model of the space where this reservation device was implemented would allow a infinity of options that would optimize its customization. With this, not only would the problems related to the reservation of places be solved in an innovative way, in a multitude of typologies of spaces for public use with free access (libraries, study or group work rooms, function rooms, computer rooms , etc.), by avoiding unsuccessful travel to these because they do not find available places on arrival, but would guarantee their actual use, by replacing the system that has traditionally been used as a sign of occupation of positions, consisting of the placement of objects on tables and / or chairs, with no user present.

Claims (39)

1. Real-time space occupation management method characterized by comprising monitoring the interconnection state between a first device, associated with, and identifier of, the space whose occupation is managed, and a second device, associated with, and identifier of, the user or potential occupant of said space; said interconnection carried out using a short-range wireless communication protocol. 2. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the short-range wireless communication protocol is selected from the following: RFID ( Radio Frequency IDentification), NFC ( Near-Field Communication), IR ( InfraRed), Bluetooth, Zigbee, Z -Wave, Thread, WeMo, Wi-Fi Direct. 3. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the short-range wireless communication protocol is a protocol of low energy or reduced energy consumption. 4. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the short-range, low-energy or low-energy consumption wireless communication protocol is BLE ( Bluetooth Low-Energy). 5. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises determining whether the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is interconnected with the device of the user or potential occupant, such that, when said first and second devices are interconnected, estimates that the space is occupied. 6. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it does not take into account the duration of the occupation time, so that a space can continue to be occupied indefinitely as long as what is established so that it is considered occupied. 7. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it does not take into account the duration of the disconnection between said first and second devices, since the previously established interconnection between them is lost, so that, when said loss of connection occurs, estimate that the space stops being occupied and becomes free. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises monitoring the duration of the disconnection between said first and second devices whenever the previously established interconnection between them is lost, such that, once a previously established maximum disconnection duration is exceeded, it is considered that the space is no longer occupied and becomes free. 9. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, in the transition from the "occupied" state to the "free" state after a given disconnection time, it can be established that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the "free" state , when there is a time to define close to the maximum disconnection time set. 10. Method according to claim 5 characterized in that it comprises, once a space is considered occupied, monitoring the duration of the time of said occupation, so that, once a previously established maximum duration of occupation is exceeded, it is estimated that the space is no longer occupied to become free. 11. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the transition from the "occupied" state to the "free" state after a given occupation time is contemplated, establishing that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the "free" state, when Subtract a time to be defined close to the maximum occupancy time set. 12. Method according to any of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that it does not take into account the duration of the disconnection between said first and second devices, since the previously established interconnection between them is lost, so that when said loss occurs connection, it is estimated that the space remains in the occupied state as long as the maximum established occupation time is not exceeded. 13. Method according to any of claims 10 to 11, characterized in that it comprises monitoring the duration of the disconnection between said first and second devices, the interconnection previously established between them is always lost, so that once a duration is exceeded previously established maximum disconnection, it is estimated that the space is no longer occupied to become free, with the correction that, if the maximum established occupation time has been exceeded even when the maximum disconnection duration set has not been exceeded , it will be estimated that the space will also go to a free state. 14. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that, in the transition from the "busy" state to the "free" state after a given disconnection time, it is possible to establish that the space is in an intermediate state, close to the "free" state, when there is a time to define close to the maximum disconnection time set. 15. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises determining whether the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed, not being interconnected with the device of the user or potential occupant, is in a state of availability to establish said interconnection, in such a way that, if it is available to establish said interconnection, it is considered that the space is free, whereas, when it is not available to establish said interconnection, the space is estimated to be not free. 16. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises, in the event that the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is not available to establish an interconnection with the device of the user or potential occupant, take into account the state immediately prior to said state of “not available” to establish an interconnection. 17. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that it comprises, in the event that the device associated with the space whose occupation is managed is not available to establish an interconnection with the device of a user or potential occupant because said space is in a "reserved" state ”For another user or potential occupant, take into consideration the time allocated to the reservation. 18. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that when the start time has been established, or the end time, foreseen for the occupation with reservation as the maximum time to exercise the assigned reservation, and the reserved space is occupied by the user to whom the reservation would have been assigned before said start or end time is exceeded, as the case may be, it is estimated that the space is no longer reserved and becomes "occupied". 19. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that when the start time, or the end time, foreseen for the occupation with reservation has been established as the maximum time to exercise the assigned reservation, and the reserved space has not been occupied by the user to whom the reservation had been assigned before said start or end time is exceeded, as the case may be, it is estimated that the space is no longer reserved and becomes "free". 20. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the monitoring of the interconnection state between said first and second devices, for a plurality of spaces whose occupation is managed, is centralized in at least one server. 21. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises (1) the emission or sending of information from / by the devices associated with the spaces whose occupation is managed to a central server, (2) the reception of said information by / on said server, (3) the analysis of said information by / on said server, and (4) determination of the occupancy status of each of the monitored spaces. 22. Method according to any of claims 20 to 21 characterized in that it comprises (1) the emission or sending of information from / by the devices associated to the occupying users, to the potential occupants, or to the non-occupying users who have reserved spaces and / or reservation requests in active use, to a central server; (2) receipt of said information by / on said server, (3) the analysis of said information by / on said server, and (4) determination of the status of the user and, indirectly and where appropriate, of the state of occupation of managed spaces. 23. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the management of space reservations whose occupation is managed. 24. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises (1) the completion of a reservation request by a user or potential occupant, (2) receipt of said reservation request by / on a reservation server, (3) the analysis or processing of said reservation request by / on said server, (4) the determination of managed spaces available for reservation, (5) the sending of the corresponding information by / from the server, and (6) the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant. 25. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is the user who directly selects the space they want to reserve, so that, once they have determined which spaces are available for reservation, the procedure understands (1) the sending of said information by / from the server, (2) the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant, (3) the selection by said user of the space they wish to reserve and the submission of the corresponding information to the server, (4) the registration by / on said server of the information on the space to be reserved, and (5) confirmation of the reservation to the user from it. 26. Method according to claim 24 characterized in that it is the server that directly selects the space to be reserved for the user, so that, once they have determined which spaces are available for reservation, the procedure comprises (1) the selection by the server of the space to be reserved for the user, (2) the registration by / on said server of the information on the space to be reserved, and (3) confirmation of the reservation to the user from the same with identifying information of the space that has been reserved. 27. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that the user selects which space they want to reserve, but said selection is made based on a preselection made by the server, such that, once they have determined which spaces are available for reservation, the procedure includes (1) a preselection by the server of spaces available for reservation, (2) the sending of said information to the user by / from the server, (3) the reception of said information by the user or potential occupant, (4) the selection by said user of the space that he wishes to reserve among those that the server preselected and the submission of the information corresponding to the server, (5) the registration by / on said server of the information on the space to be reserved, and (6) confirmation of the reservation to the user from it. 28. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises the allocation or association between the spaces whose occupation is managed and the devices that allow, once assigned or associated to said spaces. spaces, identify and manage their occupation. 29. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises establishing a correspondence between a device identifier and a space identifier. 30. Real time space occupation management device characterized by comprising means for interconnection with the device of a user or potential occupant of the / a space associated with said device, said interconnection carried out by means of a short-term wireless communication protocol scope. 31. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises means for communication with a central server, said central server responsible, among other possible functions, for estimating or classifying the space associated with said device according to its state of occupation or, where appropriate , reserve. 32. Device according to any of claims 30 to 31, characterized in that it comprises means for monitoring the time elapsed in its occupied state. 33. Device according to any of claims 30 to 32, characterized in that it comprises means for monitoring the disconnection time when the interconnection established between said device and the / a device of a user or potential occupant is broken or lost. 34. Device according to any of claims 30 to 33, characterized in that it comprises means to control the state of availability thereof to establish an interconnection with the / a device of a user or potential occupant when said device is no longer there, for the / a space in particular, interconnected with the device of another user or potential occupant, said means thus allowing, for example, that said space, in its reserved state, is not available for interconnection during the corresponding time. 35. Device according to any of claims 30 to 34, characterized in that it comprises means for monitoring the reserve time. 36. Real-time space occupation management system characterized by comprising one or more devices according to any of claims 30 to 35. 37. System according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it comprises one or more user devices or potential occupants also provided with means for interconnection using a short-range wireless communication protocol. 38. System according to any of claims 36 to 37, characterized in that it comprises at least one server in charge, among other possible functions, of managing the information regarding the state of occupation of the spaces. 39. Computer program comprising instructions adapted to carry out the steps of a method according to any one of claims 1 to 29 when said program is executed in a computer, a digital signal processor, an application-specific integrated circuit, a microprocessor, a microcontroller or any other form of programmable hardware.