Operating method for an elevator operating device with a touch-sensitive screen system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12503336-B2
Application number	US-202017637975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2019
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

An elevator operating device for a floor comprises a touch-sensitive screen. Call symbols are displayed on a user interface, one of which has to be touched in order to input a character stored for this call symbol. In order to enter a two-digit destination floor, the passenger leaves their finger on the touch surface after inputting a first character, whereby the elevator operating device recognizes that the passenger has limited vision. The elevator operating device registers a second character if it detects a confirmation action for the second character without recognizing that the finger has been lifted from the touch surface. As long as the finger is touching the touch surface, no destination call is generated; the destination call is only generated when the passenger lifts their finger, thus indicating that the input has been completed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method for operating elevator operating devices in an elevator installation comprising an elevator car and an elevator controller, wherein the elevator operating devices are communicatively connected to the elevator controller and are arranged on floors for inputting a destination call, wherein at least one of the elevator operating devices has a touch-sensitive screen system which is equipped with a smooth touch surface and is configured to display a graphical user interface having a number of call symbols and to respond with haptically perceptible feedback when a passenger touches the touch surface, the method comprising:
detecting contact with the touch surface of the at least one elevator operating device made by the passenger when a destination call is input, wherein the contact comprises the passenger touching a first call symbol displayed on the graphical user interface, wherein the first call symbol is assigned a first character; generating a voice message indicating the first character and the haptically perceptible feedback; registering the first character as a first input assigned to the destination call input of the passenger, wherein the first character is registered in response to a confirmation action by the passenger during touching; registering at least one further character as a further input assigned to the destination call input of the passenger, wherein the at least one further character is registered in response to a further confirmation action by the passenger during touching, wherein the at least one further character is stored for the first call symbol or a further call symbol; and generating the destination call when the touch is interrupted, wherein the destination call indicates a destination floor defined by the registered characters.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting that the touch surface is being touched comprises measuring a pressure with which the passenger touches the touch surface.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein an increased pressure by the passenger on the touch surface is defined as the confirmation action, and wherein registration of the first character comprises detecting that a pressure threshold value defined for the pressure has been reached.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein repeated tapping on the touch surface within a defined time period is defined as the confirmation action, wherein the tapping is detected while the touch is detected, and wherein the tapping is detected at a location remote from a location of the touch.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein, immediately after the registration of the first character as the first input, the registration of at least one further character comprises detecting a drop in the pressure to a value which is greater than zero and less than the defined pressure threshold value, wherein the pressure drop indicates continued contact with the touch surface.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the continued touching comprises touching of the first call symbol or of a further call symbol, wherein, when the further call symbol is touched, a voice message indicating the further character and the haptically perceptible feedback are generated, and wherein the further character for the touched further call symbol is stored.

7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the registration of the further character comprises detecting that the pressure threshold value defined for the pressure has been reached, wherein the character stored for the touched first or further call symbol is registered as the input.

8 . An elevator operating device for inputting a destination call in an elevator installation, the device comprising:
a communication device which is configured to communicate with an elevator controller of the elevator installation; a central control and processing device which is communicatively connected to the communication device; an audio device which is communicatively connected to the central control and processing device and is configured to generate a voice message; a touch-sensitive screen system which is equipped with a smooth touch surface, communicatively connected to the central control and processing device, and configured to display a graphical user interface having a number of call symbols and to respond with haptically perceptible feedback when a passenger touches the touch surface, wherein: the screen system is configured to:
detect contact with the touch surface made by the passenger when inputting a destination call, wherein the contact comprises the passenger touching a first call symbol displayed on the graphical user interface, wherein the first call symbol is assigned to a first character, and
generate the haptically perceptible feedback;
the audio device is configured to generate a voice message indicating the first character of the touched first call symbol; and the central control and processing device is configured to:
register the first character as the first input assigned to the destination call input of the passenger, wherein the first character is registered in response to a confirmation action by the passenger during touching;
register at least one further character as the further input assigned to the destination call input of the passenger, wherein the at least one further character is registered in response to a further confirmation action by the passenger during touching, wherein the at least one further character is stored for the first call symbol or a further call symbol; and
generate a destination call when the touch is interrupted, which destination call specifies a destination floor defined by the registered characters, and to send said call to the elevator controller in order to be registered there.

9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the screen system comprises an actuator which, when actuated by a control voltage, causes a surface of the screen system to vibrate, wherein the vibration represents the haptically perceptible feedback, and wherein the screen system comprises a force measuring device and a control device, wherein the force measuring device is configured to measure a pressure with which the passenger touches the touch surface of the screen system, and wherein the control device is configured to register the measured pressure as the triggering pressure only when the measured pressure reaches a defined pressure threshold value.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein:
repeated tapping of the touch surface within a specified time period is defined as the confirmation action, wherein the tapping takes place while a touch is detected and at a location remote from a location of the touch, and the central control and processing device is configured to detect, in addition to the detected contact, pressure changes within the defined time period.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein an increased pressure by the passenger on the touch surface is defined as the confirmation action, and wherein the central control and processing device is configured to register the first character when it is detected that the defined pressure threshold value has been reached.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the central control and processing device is configured, in the event that a drop in the pressure to a value which is greater than zero and less than the defined pressure threshold value is detected immediately after the registration of the first character as the first input, to detect continued contact with the touch surface.

13 . The device of claim 12 , wherein the continued touching comprises touching of the first call symbol or of a further call symbol, wherein touch

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Ackermann Marcel
• Häfliger Nicolas

Classifications

• B66B2201/463

  Wherein the call is registered through physical contact with the elevator system · CPC title

• B66B2201/4615

  Wherein the destination is registered before boarding · CPC title

• B66B2201/103

  Destination call input before entering the elevator car · CPC title

• B66B3/002

  Indicators · CPC title

• B66B1/3461

  between the elevator control system and remote or mobile stations · CPC title