Mechanism for passenger flow management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131519-B2
Application number	US-201514870491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 26, 2013
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

A mechanism for generating information about passenger flows. Mobile devices of passengers are used for providing information about other devices in the vicinity. The location of the device providing information detects other devices in the vicinity and transmits the information to a central system. Then, the central system associates this information with a location of a person when this person is identified by using an identification device attached to a gate, elevator or other transportation device. When the location of the person identified is known, the location persons having mobile devices in the vicinity can be estimated. Based on this continuously collected information passenger flows can be estimated and based on passenger flows control information for controlling transportation devices can be formed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for providing control information to control transportation devices, the transportation devices being one or more of elevators and escalators, the method comprising:
receiving location information of a first passenger having a first mobile communication device associated therewith;
receiving, from the first mobile communication device, vicinity information of second mobile communication devices associated with second passengers in a vicinity of the first mobile communication device;
associating the location information and the vicinity information;
generating the control information to control at least one of the transportation devices based on an association between the location information and the vicinity information; and
transmitting the control information to a controller associated with the one or more of the elevators and the escalators to control the transportation devices.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting a unique identifier in response to a request for same, the unique identifier uniquely identifying the first passenger.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating a random unique identifier; and
transmitting the random unique identifier as the unique identifier.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
associating the random unique identifier with an identity of the second passengers.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the unique identifier is associated with an identity of the second passengers.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving an identifier for each of the second mobile communication devices in the vicinity of the first mobile communication device.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein said identifier is randomly generated.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
estimating an estimated location of the second mobile communication devices based on the association between the location information and the vicinity information;
estimate an estimated flow of movement of the second passengers based on the estimated location of the second mobile communication devices associated therewith; and
generate the control information based on the estimated flow of movement.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer program code that, when executed on a data-processing system, configures the data-processing system to,
receive location information of a first passenger having a first mobile communication device associated therewith,
receive, from the first mobile communication device, vicinity information of second mobile communication devices associated with second passengers in a vicinity of the first mobile communication device,
associate the location information and the vicinity information,
generate control information to control at least one transportation device based on an association between the location information and the vicinity information, the at least one transportation device being one or more of an elevator and an escalator; and
transmit the control information to a controller associated with the one or more of the elevator and the escalator to control the at least one transportation device.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 9 , wherein the data-processing system is further configured to,
estimate an estimated location of the second mobile communication devices based on the association between the location information and the vicinity information
estimate an estimated flow of movement of the second passengers based on the estimated location of the second mobile communication devices associated therewith, and
generate the control information based on the estimated flow of movement.

11. An apparatus comprising:
a communication device configured to transmit and receive data;
a memory configured to store the data; and
a processor configured to,
receive location information of a first passenger having a first mobile communication device associated therewith,
receive, from the first mobile communication device, vicinity information of second mobile communication devices associated with second passengers in a vicinity of the first mobile communication device;
associate the location information and the vicinity information;
generate control information to control at least one transportation device based on an association between the location information and the vicinity information, the at least one transportation device being one or more of an elevator and an escalator; and
transmit the control information to a controller associated with the one or more of the elevator and the escalator to control the at least one transportation device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to transmit a unique identifier in response to a request for same, the unique identifier uniquely identifying the first passenger.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
generate a random unique identifier; and
transmit the random unique identifier as the unique identifier.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
associate the random unique identifier with an identity of the second passengers.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the unique identifier is associated with an identity of the second passengers.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
receive an identifier for each of the second mobile communication devices in the vicinity of the first mobile communication device.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein said identifier is randomly generated.

18. A transportation device comprising:
an elevator controller configured to transmit and receive the data from the apparatus of claim 11 .

19. The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to,
estimate an estimated location of the second mobile communication devices based on the association between the location information and the vicinity information,
estimate an estimated flow of movement of the second passengers based on the estimated location of the second mobile communication devices associated therewith, and
generate the control information based on the estimated flow of movement.

Assignees

• Elomaa Niko
• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Elomaa Niko

Classifications

• H04B17/00

  Monitoring; Testing (of line transmission systems H04B3/46; arrangements for monitoring or testing transmission systems employing electromagnetic waves other than radio waves H04B10/07) · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• B66B1/3446

  Data transmission or communication within the control system · CPC title

• B66B1/3476 Primary

  Load weighing or car passenger counting devices (B66B5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title