Dispatching optimization based on presence

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10647545-B2
Application number	US-201715638744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2017
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	May 12, 2020
Grant date	May 12, 2020

Abstract

A method of calling an elevator car from a mobile device is provided. The method comprising: receiving a first elevator call from a first mobile device on a first floor, the first elevator call including a destination request to travel to a second floor; moving an elevator car to the first floor in response to the first elevator call; detecting whether the first mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor; and adjusting operation of the elevator car in response to each mobile device detected within the elevator car.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of calling an elevator car from a mobile device, the method comprising:
receiving a first elevator call from a first mobile device on a first floor, the first elevator call including a destination request to travel to a second floor;
moving an elevator car to the first floor in response to the first elevator call;
detecting whether the first mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor;
adjusting operation of the elevator car in response to each mobile device detected within the elevator car; and
detecting that the first mobile device is not within the elevator car after a selected period of time,
wherein when the first mobile device is not detected within the elevator car after a selected period of time the method further comprises at least one of:
cancelling the first elevator call; and
calling a second elevator car.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:
connecting to the first mobile device using at least one of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; and
determining a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:
detecting a wireless signal of the first mobile device, wherein the sensor does not connect to the wireless signal; and
determining a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:
detecting a beacon transmitted by a sensor proximate the elevator car using the first mobile device; and
determining a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device in response to a strength of the beacon.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:
emitting an audio transmission from the first mobile device;
detecting the audio transmission using a sensor proximate the elevator car; and
determining a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device in response to a gain of the audio transmission.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises:
emitting an audio transmission from a sensor proximate the elevator car;
detecting the audio transmission using the first mobile device; and
determining a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device in response to a gain of the audio transmission.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second elevator call from a second mobile device on a third floor, the second elevator call including a destination request to travel to a fourth floor; and
moving the elevator car to the third floor in response to the second elevator call.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second elevator call from a second mobile device on the first floor, the second elevator call including a destination request to travel to a third floor; and
detecting whether the second mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
moving the elevator car to the second floor and the third floor when the first mobile device and the second mobile device are detected within the elevator car.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
cancelling the first elevator call when the first mobile device is not detected within the elevator car after a selected period of time; and
moving the elevator car to the third floor when the second mobile device is detected within the elevator car.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
cancelling the second elevator call when the second mobile device is not detected within the elevator car after a selected period of time; and
moving the elevator car to the second floor when the first mobile device is detected within the elevator car.

12. An elevator system comprising:
an elevator car;
a controller in electronic communication with the elevator car, the controller configured to receive a first elevator call from a first mobile device on a first floor, wherein the first elevator call includes a destination request to travel to a second floor, wherein the controller is configured to move the elevator car to the first floor in response to the first elevator call; and
a sensor in electronic communication with the controller, the sensor is configured to detect whether the first mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor;
wherein the controller is configured to adjust operation of the elevator car in response to each mobile device detected within the elevator car, and
wherein when the first mobile device is not detected within the elevator car after a selected period of time the controller is configured to adjust operation of the elevator car by at least one of:
cancelling the first elevator call; and
calling a second elevator car.

13. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein:
the sensor uses at least one of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to detect the first mobile device and determine a distance between the first mobile device and the elevator car to detect when the first mobile device is located within the elevator car.

14. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein:
the sensor uses a wireless signal of the first mobile device to detect the first mobile device and determine a distance between the first mobile device and the elevator car to detect when the first mobile device is located within the elevator car, wherein the sensor does not connect to the wireless signal.

15. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein:
the sensor transmits a beacon; and
the first mobile device is configured to detect the beacon and determine a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device in response to a strength of the beacon.

16. The elevator system of claim 12 , wherein:
the first mobile device is configured to emit an audio transmission; and
the sensor is configured to detect the audio transmission and determine a distance between the elevator car and the first mobile device in response to a gain of the audio transmission.

17. A computer program product tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first elevator call from a first mobile device on a first floor, the first elevator call including a destination request to travel to a second floor;
moving an elevator car to the first floor in response to the first elevator call;
detecting whether the first mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor; and
adjusting operation of the elevator car in response to each mobile device detected within the elevator car; and
detecting that the first mobile device is not within the elevator car after a selected period of time,
wherein when the first mobile device is not detected within the elevator car after a selected period of time the method further comprises at least one of:
cancelling the first elevator call; and
calling a second elevator car.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Scoville Bradley Armand
• Kuenzi Adam

Classifications

• B66B2201/4684

  for preventing accidental or deliberate misuse · CPC title

• B66B2201/10

  Details with respect to the type of call input · CPC title

• B66B1/468 Primary

  Call registering systems · CPC title

• B66B2201/20

  Details of the evaluation method for the allocation of a call to an elevator car · CPC title

• B66B1/14 Primary

  with devices, e.g. push-buttons, for indirect control of movements · CPC title