WO2001079626A1 - Meeting facility - Google Patents

Abstract

A facility in which parties may meet in privacy, but in which physical contact between the parties is prevented, detected or discouraged while such privacy prevails, and related methods and uses.

Description

Meeting Facility

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to meeting facilities, and related methods and uses.

Background to Invention

Communicable disease, unplanned pregnancy and violent crime are problems in many societies. In addition, many societies place very great importance on virginity before marriage, with serious social and/or legal consequences if this is not preserved.

The present inventor has identified a need for facilities which enable two people to have privacy and/or the opportunity to get to known one another or to interact in a manner not presently available, whilst reducing the likelihood of a personally, socially, physically and/or legally undesirable outcome as identified above.

Summary of Invention

Put broadly, the present invention provides a facility in which parties may meet in privacy, but in which physical contact between the parties is prevented, detected -or discouraged while such privacy prevails.

Generally, the facility will be physically arranged or contain detection systems, so that the management of the facility is aware if both parties are (or are potentially) occupying the same compartment of a set. "Management" is used in a general sense, to include both personnel and e.g. electronic monitoring systems. "Meeting" also is used in a general sense, and may be pre-planned or chance, business, political or personal.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a meeting facility having a set of two compartments which are capable of being in auditory and/or visual communication with one another, wherein the facility is adapted to prevent, detect and/or discourage occupancy by two parties (the "meeting parties") of the same compartment without the consent of both parties. As explained further below, occupancy by two parties of the same compartment may in certain embodiments be prevented, detected and/or discouraged even if both parties consent.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method comprising making a facility as defined in the first aspect available to clientele for payment. Preferably sets of compartments are made available to pairs of parties, but the compartments may be made available separately. The parties may be individuals.

In a. third aspect, the present invention provides the use of a facility according to the first aspect to allow two parties to be in visual and/or auditory communication with one another, wherein actual or potential physical contact between the parties is prevented, detected and/or discouraged.

In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method for allowing two parties to be in visual and/or auditory communication with one another, while preventing, detecting and/or discouraging actual or potential physical contact between the parties, the method comprising providing a meeting facility according to the first aspect and allowing the parties to have access to respective compartments of a set.

Preferred Embodiments

Preferably the meeting facility has several sets of compartments. Different preferred features of the facility (as detailed below) may be provided for different sets.

In a preferred embodiment, the meeting facility is a commercial establishment, for example a hotel, motel or like establishment, and the compartments may be made available to clientele in return for payment. Normally the two compartments of a set will be made available simultaneously to two meeting parties, with the intention that the parties will (at least initially) occupy different compartments of the set. However, other possibilities are detailed below. The parties will usually be individuals.

A set of compartments may be prebooked, or booked on the arrival of one party without the other, to ensure that the correct parties occupy a set even if they arrive at different times. On the arrival of the second party, the management of the facility may (personally or with an automated system) contact the first party to confirm that the first party remains content for the meeting to occur.

An existing facility may be adapted for use in accordance with the present invention, or the facility may be purpose-built .

Preferably the compartments are provided with furniture, e.g. at least a seat and preferably e.g. normal hotel or motel amenities, e.g. a bed and/or washing and/or toilet facilities and/or a telephone with internal and/or external lines. The amount of furniture will be appropriate to the intended use of the set, so that for example when a set is intended for the use of a pair of individuals (and especially when simultaneous occupancy of a single compartment by both individuals is to be prevented, detected or discouraged even if the individuals consent) , there may be a single set of furniture in each compartment of the set.

The compartments may (alternatively or additionally to the above) be provided with office furniture and/or equipment .

Preferably the facility is adapted to allow each party substantially free access to and/or from a respective compartment of a set, but to prevent, detect or discourage occupancy by both parties of the same compartment without the consent of both parties.

"Substantially free access" includes access which is dependent on passing through for example a reception area, where e.g. payment or registration may be required. Again, occupancy by both parties of the same compartment may be prevented, detected or discouraged_^ even if both parties consent.

The facility is intended for use by parties who are free to arrive at and depart from the facility (albeit possibly escorted by chaperones) , and is thus quite distinct from e.g. a prison visiting room, where free parties may meet prisoners. Accordingly, there may be a common reception area where parties may arrive together, before entering respective compartments. Preferably the facility is adapted to detect, prevent or discourage the occupancy (or potential occupancy) of a compartment by more than one person at a time. In particular, the detection systems defined below may be arranged to detect the presence of more than one person in a compartment .

Preferably the two compartments of the or each set are adjacent and separated by a transparent partition or by a partition having a transparent portion. However, electronic visual communication, for example by closed circuit television, is also contemplated.

Auditory communication may be via an internal communication (e.g. telephone) system, or may be provided by a system which is independent of any telephone or intercom system of the facility (such as a telephone system linking the compartments to a reception area) , especially any that would allow any third party access to a conversation between the two parties. Preferably the two compartments of the or each set are in auditory communication electronically, for example via a two-way intercom system. However, embodiments in which auditory communication is provided by small apertures in a separating partition are also contemplated. Preferably auditory communication. is provided by a hands-free system, more preferably by a system involving non- directional microphones and loudspeakers, so that the meeting parties are not constrained to particular locations in the compartments, nor required to wear transmitting, receiving and/or broadcasting equipment, e.g. headsets, earpieces or throat microphones.

Apertures are not generally preferred, since it is preferable to prevent all physical contact, or passage of material, between parties in respective compartments. Such facilities are therefore quite distinct from e.g. security screens in banks and ticket booths, which are specifically designed to allow limited passage of material (e.g. credit cards, cash, tickets) between parties on opposite sides of the screen.

Preferably the (or at least one) set is provided with controls to prevent auditory and/or visual communication between the compartments if a party occupying the set so desires. Preferably both compartments of the set are provided with such controls. Where communication is electronic, this may simply be an off control or mute control provided in the compartment. Alternatively, the auditory and visual communication systems may be controlled by the management of the facility, whom a party may contact (e.g. using an internal telephone system) if it wishes to prevent communication. Preferably communication may be both prevented and enabled: for example the parties, having prevented communication (or having entered a set in which the compartments are not in communication), may restore it.

In embodiments having a transparent partition (or portion) between the compartments, a control for preventing visual communication may be a visual shield, for example to cover the transparent partition or portion, e.g. a curtain, blind, shutter or screen, or an actuator for such a visual shield. A visual shield incorporated within the transparent partition or portion is also contemplated, for example the partition or portion may comprise a liquid crystal array, which is switchable between transparent and opaque states.

Both compartments may be provided with a visual shield or an actuator for a common visual shield, so that either party is able to prevent visual communication.

Alternatively, a visual shield may be absent.

The provision of controls to prevent auditory and visual communication between the compartments also allows the compartments to be used individually and privately, for example as a normal hotel or motel room or as student housing.

There may be controls operable only by the management of the facility, e.g. to allow adjacent compartments to be used individually and privately (e.g. as normal hotel rooms) . An example is a curtain, blind, shutter or screen sandwiched between two transparent partitions or portions, controllable by the management but not by occupants of the compartments. This may be present in addition to or instead of one or more visual shields operable from the compartments.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, one or both compartments are provided with an indicator of when an occupant of the other compartment wishes to establish visual and/or auditory communication between the compartments. For example, the opening (or partial opening) of a curtain or other visual shield in one compartment may activate a signal (e.g. a light) in the other compartment .

To ensure privacy, there is preferably no visual communication between compartments of different sets, although there may be severable auditory communication, e.g. via telephone. The facility may be adapted to prevent or discourage occupancy by both parties of the same compartment of the, or of at least one, set ("inappropriate occupancy") , whether or not both parties consent. For example, the two compartments of the set may be reachable only via separate respective passages from a common reception area of the facility. Furthermore, entrance to the separate passageways may be controlled (e.g. by a receptionist, or an automated system) to prevent both parties simultaneously having access to the same compartment.

The facility is preferably provided with a system to detect actual or potential inappropriate occupancy of a, preferably either, compartment of the (or at least one) set. Such actual or potential inappropriate occupancy may be indicated by detecting the presence of a party in a compartment without simultaneous detection of the other party, when present in the facility, in the other compartment .

A system for detecting inappropriate occupancy may include detectors of the presence, entrance or exit of a party in, to or from a or each compartment and circuitry or a microprocessor to analyse the outputs of the detectors. The facility preferably also includes an indicator of such inappropriate occupancy at a remote location in the facility, for example to indicate inappropriate occupancy to a third party present at that remote location, e.g. the management of the facility or a chaperone of one of the meeting parties.

The facility may additionally or alternatively include a warning system to warn the meeting parties when inappropriate occupancy (or potential inappropriate occupancy) of a compartment has been detected. Such a system may for example include a loudspeaker in one or both compartments which broadcasts an announcement that the compartment will be entered by the management of the facility, or an alarm signal. An alarm signal may be uncomfortable (e.g. very loud, pulsating or high pitched) , to discourage prolonged inappropriate occupancy.

Various systems for detecting actual or potential inappropriate occupancy are within the competence of the skilled person, based on the detection or non-detection of different events and/or detection of the order in which such events occur. Such events may include one or more of the following: opening, closing, unlocking and/or locking of the entrance door(s) to the compartment (s) ; detection of the entrance to, exit from and/or movement in a compartment (s) by a party (e.g. using an ultrasound or infrared detector, as is commonly used in burglar alarms) ; and/or detection of the presence of an item (e.g. a key to the entrance door) within a detection unit inside the compartment, which detection is indicative of the presence of a party in the compartment.

Alternatively, the facility may include a surveillance system, by which inappropriate occupancy of the compartments may be detected. For example the compartments may be observable, e.g. by closed circuit television, from a remote part of the facility. However, visual or auditory monitoring of the compartments is generally not preferred, as it impinges on the privacy of the meeting parties. In an alternative and more preferred embodiment, the meeting parties may each be tagged and their location within the set or facility monitored, to ensure that they remain in separate compartments. Such electronic tagging is known in various contexts, e.g. for expensive cars and for criminals during periods of probation, parole or curfew.

In alternative embodiments, entrance doors to the compartments may be opened/or and closed only a limited number of times (e.g. twice) by a party, before being reset by the management of the facility. This restricts re-entry to a compartment and reduces the likelihood that one party, having entered a compartment and closed the door, will subsequently let another party into that compartment (since this will mean that both parties are locked in) . Such restriction of opening and/or closing may for example be accomplished by suitably programmed and located electronic keys or key systems.

Alternatively, the entrance doors to the compartments may be openable only by the management of the facility, which can therefore control access to the compartments. The management may escort the parties to the compartments and allow access to respective compartments, or may for example control access remotely, for example using an intercom system, e.g. as frequently used to control the entrances of blocks of flats. Alternatively, access may be controlled via an automated system, which requires the parties to identify themselves before access to the compartments is allowed (e.g. using an assigned Personal Identification Number, or PIN) . Alternatively or additionally to pre-entry identification, the parties may be required to identify themselves (either to the management or to an automated system) from within the compartments once the respective doors have been closed.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the entrance doors of the compartments are openable only using a key (which term includes electronic keys) and the facility includes: a detector for detecting when the entrance door of each compartment is opened and closed; and a detection unit in each compartment into which the key for the entrance door of that compartment is insertable and in which the presence of the key is detectable. In this embodiment, each party should enter a respective compartment by unlocking the respective entrance door with a respective key, and having entered should close the door and insert the key into the detection unit. An inappropriate sequence of events from either compartment may be detectable to indicate inappropriate occupancy, for example the entrance door of one compartment being opened and closed without the key being inserted into the detection unit, or both doors not being closed and respective keys inserted into respective detection units within a predetermined time from the opening of the first door.

In some embodiments, however, occupancy by both parties of the same compartment is possible (and permissible) if both parties consent, but prevented or discouraged otherwise. For example, upon detecting actual or potential inappropriate occupancy as above, the meeting parties could be contacted to check that they are content with the situation. This may be done automatically, for example using an automated telephone system, with the parties identifying themselves (e.g. by means of an assigned PIN) and indicating their contentedness by pressing an appropriate button on the telephone according to a menu. Preferred embodiments include an automated system, desirably a suitably programmed automated telephone system, which checks that both parties are content with the situation when inappropriate occupancy is detected and which alerts the management (or e.g. a chaperone) if at least one party is not content. Alternatively, the parties could be contacted personally by the management of the facility to confirm their contentedness .

The (or at least one) set may be provided with access between the compartments which is passable if and only if both parties consent. For example the facility may include a connecting door between the compartments which is lockable from both sides. If such an interconnecting door is initially locked, direct access between the compartments is possible only if both parties unlock the door from their respective compartments. In such sets, a signalling system is preferably provided whereby a party can signal that they are no longer content with the situation. For example a panic button or telephone link may be provided in one, or preferably both, of the compartments to summon the management of the facility.

Each compartment of a set may contain equipment to enhance or modify the visual and/or auditory experiences of occupying parties, such as mirrors, artificial light systems and/or sound systems, which may broadcast auditory messages and/or background music.

Preferably payment is determined by the amount of time the facility is used by the clientele; measurement of time may be in any convenient units, e.g. minutes or hours, or other units e.g. as commonly used in other establishments offering accommodation, such as half-days or days. Rates may vary according to for example season and time of day.

Preferably the facility is part of a commercial establishment which provides sleeping accommodation and/or office amenities for payment, for example a hotel or motel.

It is contemplated that the facility may be used by people who wish to conduct business meetings in privacy from third parties and safety from each other. Particularly for the latter, transparent partitions between the compartments may be made of a protective (e.g. toughened) material, e.g. bulletproof glass and/or plastics .

To further ensure privacy, the parties may be searched (manually or using e.g. X-ray devices such as those used in airports) for communication and/or recording devices before access is granted to the compartments.

The method may include the provision of escorts to or from the compartments, either on a mandatory basis (for example as chaperones) or upon request (for example if one meeting party feels threatened by the other meeting party) . In particular, escorts may be provided if a first meeting party believes the other party is waiting outside the first party's compartment and wishes to leave the facility in safety, or if the parties have consented to occupy the same compartment, but one party becomes unhappy with the situation and activates a panic button or contacts the management of the facility via telephone.

The method may be combined with the provision of a monitoring service, to monitor whether a compartment is being, or may be being, occupied inappropriately. The monitoring service may be by a person (i.e. a member of the management of the facility) or may be automated.

The method may be combined with the provision of an introduction service (or "dating agency" service) , such that parties who are introduced to one another by means of the service may then make use of the facility, e.g. in order to get to know each other in safety. For example an initial meeting between the two parties may be arranged in a set of the facility.

In some embodiments, a party may use the facility individually, without a prior arrangement to meet another party. Such embodiments allow a party the possibility of a chance encounter with another party occupying the other compartment of the same set. Such embodiments may use facilities having controls to prevent auditory and visual communication between compartments, so as to afford privacy to the clientele should they prefer. Alternatively, such controls may be absent.

Preferably the meeting parties are individuals, although the facility may be made available to parties each consisting of two or more individuals if so desired.

Embodiments of the invention, in its various aspects, will now be described in detail by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows the general layout of a meeting facility according to the invention, the facility having several sets of two compartments, the compartments of each set being accessible via separate respective passageways; and

Figure 2 shows the general layout of part of a different meeting facility, showing a set of two compartments which are accessible via a common passageway, but which is adapted to detect inappropriate occupancy of the compartments. Shown in figure 1, a meeting facility 1 according to the invention has an entrance 2, leading to a reception area 4. A first set 5 consists of first and second compartments 6, 8, which are accessible via lockable doors 7, 9 from the reception area 4 via first and second corridors 10, 12, respectively. The corridors are accessible from the reception area only through respective first and second lockable turnstiles 14, 16, which are controlled from reception desk 18. A member of the management of the facility sits at the reception desk 18. When two parties enter the facility^' (usually, but not necessarily, together or by prior arrangement) , the member of management controls the turnstiles and distributes keys such that one party gains access to the first corridor 10 and hence to the first compartment 6 and the other party gains access to the second corridor 12 and hence the second compartment 8.

The reception area 4 also contains seating for chaperones to wait for the parties while they use the facility.

The compartments 6, 8 are separated by a large window 20 by which they are in visual communication. Auditory communication between the two compartments is provided by a non-directional microphone and loudspeaker (not shown) in each compartment.

Thus, once they have entered their respective compartments, the two parties may see and/or speak to each other, but cannot contact each other physically, so can get to know each other with minimal risk to health, personal safety and reputation. Alternatively, the facility may be used by two parties who are already acquainted, but who wish to use the facility for reasons other than to ensure their health, personal safety and reputation, e.g. for pleasure, entertainment or business.

The facility also contains second, third and fourth sets 22, 24, 26 of compartments similarly separated by windows and provided with auditory links. Again, one compartment of each set is accessible from the first corridor 10 and one from the second corridor 12. The sets of compartments are separated by opaque partitions 28.

The second set 22 has a curtain 30 in each compartment and controls (not shown) in each compartment for switching off the auditory link. These compartments may be made available to two parties wishing to communicate without physical contact, or may be made available as normal hotel rooms, since unwanted visual or auditory communication between the compartments may be prevented from within each compartment.

The third set 24 has a communicating door 32 between the compartments. The communicating door is initially locked and may be opened only when unlocked from both sides. Thus two parties may enter the same compartment, but each party has the option of remaining separated from the other. Each compartment of the third set 24 has numerous panic buttons (not shown) by which a party can summon a member of the management of the facility should they become unhappy with the situation.

Each compartment of the facility is provided with the normal facilities (not shown) of a hotel room, e.g. telephone with internal and external lines, a bed, a bathroom, desk, clock, wardrobe, trouser press, alarm clock, minibar. Shown in figure 2, another embodiment of a meeting facility according to the invention has two compartments 50, 52, separated by a partition 58, which are both accessible through respective lockable doors 51, 53 from a reception area of the facility (not shown) via a common corridor 54.

Visual communication between the compartments is provided by a large window 56 in the partition 58. Auditory communication is provided as in the facility shown in figure 1.

The doors 51, 53 are openable only by means of respective keys (not shown) which are issued in the reception area to two respective parties.

Each compartment is provided with a first detector (the "entry detector", not shown) which senses, by detecting the interruption and reestablishment of an infra-red beam, the opening and closing of the door, and a second detector (the "detector unit") 60, 62 into which the key for that compartment is insertable and which detects such insertion.

When the entry detector in either compartment detects opening of the door of that compartment (the first compartment) , the following events should occur within a predetermined time period (e.g. thirty seconds): the door of the first compartment should close, the key for the first compartment should subsequently be inserted into the detector unit of the first compartment and the door to the other compartment (the second compartment) should open then close and then the key for the second compartment should be inserted into the detector unit of the second compartment. Since the doors 51, 53 are openable from the inside only with the key, the occurrence of these events in the correct order, without subsequent removal of either key from its detector unit (or subsequent opening of a door) , indicates with certainty that the parties are in separate compartments, not the same compartment.

If the necessary events do not occur in the correct sequence within the predetermined time period, a warning sounds, indicating that a default has occurred. If this is not remedied within a further predetermined time period, then the management is alerted. The management may then either contact the parties, to ensure they are content with the situation, or may expel the parties from the compartments, according to operating rules of the facility, which should be made clear to the parties on entry to the facility. Expulsion may be direct, by members of the management of the facility, or may be accomplished by activating an unbearable alarm in the compartments.

In an alternative embodiment, the alarm is activated automatically, rather than by the management, so that human supervision of the facility is not required.

In addition, each compartment is provided with. a sensitive movement detector, which detects the presence of one or more parties in that compartment (but which is not sensitive to movement in the other compartment), e.g. a suitably directed infrared movement detector, as commonly used in burglar alarms and movement-activated lights.

If, after the door of one compartment (the "first-opened compartment") has opened, the door of the other compartment is opened before the party which had occupied the first-opened compartment has returned to the reception area (which might indicate that both parties have entered the same compartment) , then the movement detectors in both compartments are activated. Any movement in either compartment will activate a warning and then alarm as before.

The necessary analysis of the detector outputs, and activation of alarms or alerting of the management, is achieved using a suitably programmed microprocessor (although a suitably wired logic circuit could equally be used) .

In a further embodiment, a room of a hotel is provided with two-way electronic visual and auditory communication apparatus (e.g. a television and a video camera), which if the occupant of the room so desires (e.g. having communicated this desire to the management of the hotel) can be linked to similar apparatus in another room, to provide a private two-way visual and auditory link between the rooms. Connection can be pre-arranged, such that the parties are aware of each other' s identity before connection, or can be chance, e.g. following the parties signalling a general willingness to be connected to any other party. In one embodiment, any willing party entering the facility provides the management of the facility with its personal details (e.g. age, gender, hair colour, weight, occupation, hobbies) and a set of preferences defining a party with whom they would like to be in communication. The party then checks in to a compartment (which could be a normal hotel room) and, if that party and another party having mutually acceptable personal details and preferences are present in the facility simultaneously, the management enables communication between the parties (e.g. by informing both parties of each other's presence, or by establishing a two-way auditory and visual link between the compartments, or by allowing the later arriving party to check into the second compartment of a set as described above, the first compartment already being occupied by the earlier arriving party) . Thus the facility operates somewhat similarly to a "lonely hearts column" in a newspaper, but with the parties present and able to enter into auditory and visual communication, rather than merely correspondence. Preferably the analysis of details and preferences is automated, e.g. using a suitably programmed computer processor.

Alternatively, the need for one or other set of information could be dispensed with by making available to occupants of the facility the details or preferences of other occupants. Measures may be taken to require the consent of both parties before communication is possible.

Claims

1. A meeting facility having a plurality of sets of compartments, each set comprising two compartments which are capable of being in auditory and visual communication with one another, wherein the facility is adapted to prevent, detect and/or discourage occupancy by two parties of the same compartment without the consent of both parties.

2. A meeting facility according to claim 1, wherein the compartments of different sets are not in visual communication.

3. A meeting facility according to any claim 1 or claim 2 which is a commercial establishment.

4. A meeting facility according to any preceding claim wherein the compartments are provided with normal hotel or motel amenities.

5. A meeting facility according to any preceding claim wherein the facility is adapted to allow each party substantially free access to and/or from a respective compartment of a set.

6. A facility according to any preceding claim wherein the or a set is provided with controls to prevent auditory and/or visual communication between the compartments if a party occupying the set so desires.

7. A facility according to any preceding claim which is adapted to prevent, detect or discourage occupancy or possible occupancy by both parties of the same compartment of the or a set, whether or not both parties consent.

8. A facility according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein occupancy by both parties of the same compartment is possible if both parties consent, but prevented or discouraged otherwise.

9. A facility according to claim 8 wherein the or a set has access between the compartments if and only if both parties consent.

10. A facility according to any preceding claim wherein physical contact or passage of material between the parties is prevented between parties occupying different compartments of a set.

11. A facility according to any preceding claim wherein the compartments of the or a set comprise equipment to enhance or modify visual and/or auditory experiences of the parties.

12. A method for allowing two parties to be in visual and auditory communication with one another, while preventing, detecting and/or discouraging actual or potential physical contact between the parties, the method comprising providing a meeting facility according to any of claims 1 to 11 and allowing the parties to have access to respective compartments of a set.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein sets of compartments are made available to pairs of parties.

14. A method according to claim 12 or claim 13 further including the provision of an escort service between an entrance and/or exit area of the facility and a compartment .

15. A method according to any of claims 12 to 14 further including the provision of a monitoring service, to monitor whether a compartment is being, or may be being, occupied by two parties.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said monitoring does not permit viewing or listening to an occupant of the compartment .

17. A method according to any of claims 12 to 16 further including the provision of an introduction service.

18. The use of a facility according to any of claims 1 to 11 to allow two parties to be in visual and auditory communication with one another, wherein actual or potential physical contact between the parties is prevented, detected and/or discouraged.