Sound detection and visual alert system for a workspace

Abstract

An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising at least a first sensor positioned one of within and proximate a workspace, the at least a first sensor sensing at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace and generating a signal indicating the at least one aspect, a communication device located within the workspace, the communication device configured to generate a signal perceivable within the workspace and a processor receiving signals from the at least a first sensor and linked to the communication device, the processor programmed to perform the steps of identifying when the at least one aspect exceeds a threshold value and driving the communication device to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising:
 at least a first sensor positioned one of within and proximate a workspace, the at least a first sensor sensing at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace and generating a signal indicating the at least one aspect;   a communication device located within the workspace, the communication device configured to generate a signal perceivable within the workspace; and   a processor receiving signals from the at least a first sensor and linked to the communication device, the processor programmed to perform the steps of:
 (i) identifying when the at least one aspect exceeds a threshold value; and 
 (ii) driving the communication device to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one aspect of sound generated within the workspace includes volume of the sound generated. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the at least one sensor is positioned within the workspace. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further including an interface usable to set at least the threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4  wherein the communication device includes a display screen and wherein the interface is presented via the computer display screen. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the at least one sensor is positioned outside the workspace. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the at least one sensor includes a first sensor located outside the workspace and at least a second sensor located within the workspace. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the processor uses signals from the first and second sensors to identify when the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the communication device includes at least one illumination device that is illuminated to indicate that the at least one aspect exceeds the threshold value. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the communication device includes at least a second illumination device, the processor further programmed to illuminate the second illumination device when the at least aspect is below the threshold level. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the communication device includes a plurality of illumination devices and wherein the processor is programmed to identify when the at least one aspect is within different ranges of values and to illuminate different subsets of the illumination devices to indicate that the at least one aspect is within the different ranges. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein each illumination device subset includes a different one of the illumination devices. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein a first illumination device corresponds to a low sound level, a second illumination device corresponds to an intermediate sound level, and a third illumination device corresponds to a high sound level. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the workspace is defined at least in part by partition walls that separate the workspace from adjacent workspaces. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the workspace is a personal office space. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the office space includes at least one work surface for use by a space occupant and wherein the at least one communication device includes a visual communication device that is mounted adjacent the work surface for easy viewing by the space occupant at the work surface. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the workspace is a conference space. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the workspace includes at least one partition wall and wherein the at least one sensor is mounted within the at least one partition wall. 
     
     
         19 . An alert system for generating a signal indicating at least one aspect of sound within a workspace environment, the system comprising:
 a workspace including at least one furniture artifact that encourages a space occupant to orient within the workspace to face a first direction;   at least a first volume sensor positioned one of within and adjacent the workspace for sensing the volume of sound generated within the workspace and for generating a signal indicating when the volume exceeds a threshold volume level; and   a visual communication device located within the workspace and within a field of view aligned along the first direction, the communication device configured to generate a visual signal perceivable within the workspace whenever the volume exceeds the threshold volume.   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the communication device includes at least one illumination device. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 20  wherein the sensor is located within the workspace. 
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 19  wherein the furniture artifacts include at least one work surface having at least one edge for accommodating an occupant and wherein the communication device is spaced away from the at least one edge and above the work surface.