GB2339942A

GB2339942A - Calling apparatus eg for restaurant

Info

Publication number: GB2339942A
Application number: GB9815752A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Slane Paul Codner
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-21
Filing date: 1998-07-21
Publication date: 2000-02-09
Also published as: GB9815752D0

Description

I 2339942 Title: Response Unit

Introduction

In many fields we have seen electronics used for lots of applications, the closest to the idea that is listed below are units like alarm systems, Emergency panic buttons, basically warning devices.

This unit can be used for various things but it is used primarily for restaurants or anyone in an area that may need assistance and wishes another area to know of this.

Many times I have entered a restaurant and while I look at the menus I have wanted a drink, order something different, ask for a sauce, that were finished, want to pay, but I have to wait or try to draw someone's attention (waiter).

Every restaurant that I have been in, in the last 20 year I have not seen anything Eke this, this unit will alert someone in the kitchen or other area that table I to 16 needs assistance, or area I to 16 needs assistance, or if this person is mobile then it will activate their mobile response unit as in Fig. 5 which could have any number of indicating lights for the appropriate table or areas.

Invention This invention relates to the response unit which can be shelved, wall mounted or held on a body.

The unit can be mains 240v, plug in adapter or battery operated ( the hand held is also battery operated).

The size of the unit is variable i.e. Response unit 4 is smaller then Response Unit 12 etc. Each unit will give an indicating light and with that light is a button that extinguishes that light.

It is in a box or various cases as in Fig 1,2,3,4 and 5. The rear of the box has screw mounting holes as in Fig I (b). It has rubber foots so it can be a stand alone as in Fig I (c). There are two out lets to the side one for mains or mains adapter for a 12v Supply as in Fig (d) and a outlet for the sounder as in Fig I (e).

The sounder or the mains maybe in different areas on the unit. The volume for the sounder is as indicated in Fig I (f) which can be sighted anywhere on the unit.

The Response unit can use a liquid Crystal display ( LCD) as so it can be read to say (want to pay) as in Fig 2. (d) and in Fig 3. (c).

If Required the unit can be used in the reversed situation to let the person know that the signal has been received and will be responded.

The response unit is in a case with electronic circuitry ( the electronic is not equine but the way you us it is). This circuit receives information or signal which is transmitted by an hand held radio frequency transmitter which is in a place where attention is required.

This can be left loose on the table or it can be fixed. The hand held unit does not have to be hand held, the transmitter can be a simple box or a small dome shape unit so longs it holds the electronics and is able to transmit the information required.

The labels on the Response unit ( Area/ Table) would read either or both as in Fig 2 (a) the light will illuminate when a signal is received as indicated in Fig 2 (b) the switch is a ( push to break) the immediate light above it as indicated in Fig 2 (c). The light or switch can be reversed there is no advantage.

The unit which has an indicating illuminating light will also have a button to extinguish that particular light, the light showing can be from I to 200 or more, if there are any illuminating lights showing there is a sounder that will continue to pulse with a buzzing noise to indicate an attention is required, this will continue until the last illuminating light has been extinguished.

The mobile response unit which is battery operated will have the same operation as the wall mounted type with the addition of the buzzer giving one or two bleeps and then going quite but the light %krill maintain to be illumines until reset by the carrier which can be clipped hung on or pocketed by that person.

The various casing of the units can be like Fig 3 (a) or Fig 3 (b) with the light and the button combined together.

The basic transmitter can have an ordinary casing with a single push or several push buttons as in Fig 4 (a) or Fig 4 (b).

The transmitter can be an ordinary hand held unit that will transmit a signal to the appropriate light on the response unit or remote receiver unit, this indication can be anything to the result of attention, price or to pay.

Fig 5 shows the remote unit receiver with the clip and strap together.

Example use: a restaurant, the hand held transmitter is placed on a table that is to be served, the customer presses this transmitter this will signal to the response unit that maybe on the wall or on someone person, once this has been acknowledged ( by light and / or by sound) the unit light will be reset and that attention can be executed. Fig 5 shows the portable receiver.

It will also be said that there maybe a large restaurant table with about 20 or 30 people on it, therefor two or three transmitter may operate one indicating light.

z.

4- 1

Claims

I The wireless Response unit includes a protective case to hold illuminating displays, a cancel button a sounder a volume control with power adapter or battery facilities-for portable carry case both with on/off switch 2 The portable will have a body support strap, the control unit will be free standing or holes for supporting screws. 3 The units alerts operators. 4 Lights and sounds are triggered via a wireless transmitter or transmitters with multiple trigger buttons which will bring on some or all of the lights which is labelled whatever is required for indication. 5 LCD could do the same as separate lights. 6 The associated cancel button cancels the visible lights and sound manually or remotely via a wireless transmitter. 7 The sounder will not stop unit the last light has extinnished. 8 The units can be duplicated to repeat the same as the master units.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows I The unit is cased in a box for the control operation of the user which has the option to be wall mounted or stand alone. 2 As in claim I the units will have visual display to look at when the sounder has been operated, the sounder will be on the units with volume control, on/off button for power and other buttons for different operations. 3 As in claims I and 2 the units can be duplicated over and over and are expandable i.e. (two panels can work in conjunction with each other). 4 As in claims 2 the portable units will have indication of which wireless button or buttons have been pressed when volume control is up. 5 As in claims 4 the portable units will have a device to support the portable unit to the body which will house a compartment for the battery (this will have an option for adapter if left free standing). 6 As in claims I to 5 the transmitters will have full control of all the units.