Reassignment of elevators for mobile device users

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10640329-B2
Application number	US-201715613861-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2017
Priority date	Jun 5, 2017
Publication date	May 5, 2020
Grant date	May 5, 2020

Abstract

An elevator system includes an elevator car drive assembly configured to drive at least one elevator car to a plurality of floors serviced by the elevator system. A mobile electronic device inputs a ride request to deliver an available elevator car among the at least one elevator car to a floor location containing the mobile electronic device. An electronic elevator controller is in signal communication with the elevator drive assembly and the mobile electronic device. The electronic elevator controller is configured to determine an unavailability of an originally assigned elevator car selected to perform the ride request, and to transmit reassignment information to the mobile electronic device indicating modification of the ride request.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator system, comprising:
an elevator car drive assembly configured to drive at least one elevator car to a plurality of floors serviced by the elevator system;
a mobile electronic device that inputs a ride request to deliver an available elevator car among the at least one elevator car to a floor location containing the mobile electronic device; and
an electronic elevator controller in signal communication with the elevator drive assembly and the mobile electronic device, the electronic elevator controller configured to determine an unavailability of an originally assigned elevator car selected to perform the ride request, and to transmit reassignment information to the mobile electronic device indicating modification of the ride request,
wherein the electronic elevator controller automatically reassigns a different elevator car to the mobile electronic device, and transmits the reassignment information to the mobile electronic device such that the mobile electronic device displays an identifier (ID) of the different elevator car, and
wherein the electronic elevator controller transmits the reassignment information including a request to manually reinput the ride request when a number of automatic elevator car reassignments exceeds a reassignment threshold value.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the reassignment information requests the user to manually reinput the ride request, and the electronic elevator controller automatically reassigns a different elevator car to the mobile electronic device in response to the reinput ride request.

3. The elevator system of claim 2 , wherein the mobile electronic device the mobile electronic device displays an identifier (ID) of the different elevator car assigned following the reinput ride request.

4. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the elevator controller transmits a push notification command to the mobile electronic device along with the reassignment information, and wherein the mobile electronic device generates at least one of a sound alert, vibration alert, and visual alert in response to receiving the push notification command.

5. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic elevator controller is configured to determine an initial elevator car to perform the ride request, and transmits assignment information to the mobile electronic device such that the mobile electronic device displays an ID of the initial elevator car.

6. The elevator system of claim 5 , wherein after determining the initial elevator car is unavailable, the electronic elevator controller transmits the reassignment information to the mobile electronic device such that the ID of the initial elevator car is changed to the ID of the different elevator car.

7. A method of controlling an elevator system, the method comprising:
driving at least one elevator car to a plurality of floors serviced by the elevator system;
inputting, via a mobile electronic device, a ride request to deliver an available elevator car among the at least one elevator car to a floor location containing the mobile electronic device; and
determining, via an electronic elevator controller in signal communication with the elevator drive assembly and the mobile electronic device, an unavailability of an originally assigned elevator car selected to perform the ride request, and transmitting, via the electronic elevator controller, reassignment information to the mobile electronic device indicating modification of the ride request;
automatically reassigning, by the electronic elevator controller, a different elevator car to the mobile electronic device, and transmitting the reassignment information to the mobile electronic device such that the mobile electronic device displays an identifier (ID) of the different elevator car;
comparing a number of automatic elevator car reassignments performed by the electronic elevator controller to a reassignment threshold value; and
transmitting, to the mobile electronic device, reassignment information that includes a request to manually reinput the ride request in response to a number of the automatic elevator car reassignments exceeding the reassignment threshold value.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting the reassignment information to request the user to manually reinput the ride request, and automatically reassigning, via the electronic elevator controller, a different elevator car to the mobile electronic device in response to the reinput ride request.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mobile electronic device displays an identifier (ID) of the different elevator car assigned following the reinput ride request.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising transmitting, via the elevator controller, a push notification command to the mobile electronic device along with the reassignment information, and generating at least one of a sound alert, vibration alert, and visual alert, via the mobile electronic device, in response to receiving the push notification command.

11. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining, via the electronic elevator controller, an initial elevator car to perform the ride request;
transmitting the assignment information to the mobile electronic device; and
displaying an ID of the initial elevator car on a display screen of the electronic mobile device.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
after determining the initial elevator car is unavailable, transmitting, via the electronic elevator controller, the reassignment information to the mobile electronic device; and
changing the ID of the initial elevator car on the display screen to the ID of the different elevator car.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Simcik Paul A
• Scoville Bradley Armand

Classifications

• B66B3/00

  Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators · CPC title

• B66B2201/4615

  Wherein the destination is registered before boarding · CPC title

• B66B2201/4653

  wherein the call is registered using portable devices · CPC title

• H04W4/023

  using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds · CPC title

• B66B1/468 Primary

  Call registering systems · CPC title