Mechanism for passenger flow management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016756-A1
Application number	US-201514870491-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Apr 26, 2013
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

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

1 . A method for providing control information for controlling transportation devices, which method comprises the steps of:
receiving location information of at least one passenger having a mobile device from a first system; receiving from said mobile device of at least one passenger vicinity information comprising information of the mobile devices in the vicinity of said mobile device of at least one passenger; associating said received location information with said received vicinity information; and providing control information for at least one transportation device based on said received information.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a request for a unique identifier; and transmitting said unique identifier as a response to the request.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating a random unique identifier to be transmitted as a response to the request.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
associating said generated random unique identifier with an identity of a person.

5 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein retrieving a unique identifier associated with an identity of a person.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving an identifier for each mobile device in the vicinity of the mobile device from which the information is received.

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

8 . A computer program comprising code adapted to cause the method according to claim 1 when executed on a data-processing system.

9 . An apparatus comprising:
A data communication connection for receiving and sending data; a memory for storing said received data and computer programs; and a processor for processing said received data; wherein said apparatus is configured to: receive location information of at least one passenger having a mobile device from a first system; receive from said mobile device of at least one passenger vicinity information comprising information of the mobile devices in the vicinity of said mobile device of at least one passenger; associate said received location information with said received vicinity information; and provide control information for at least one transportation device based on said received information.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
receive request for a unique identifier; and transmit said unique identifier as a response to the request.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
generate a random unique identifier to be transmitted as a response to the request.

12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
associate said generated random unique identifier with an identity of a person.

13 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
retrieve a unique identifier associated with an identity of a person.

14 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to:
receive an identifier for each mobile device in the vicinity of the mobile device from which the information is received.

15 . The apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein said identifier is randomly generated.

16 . A transportation device controlled by a control device, wherein said control device is configured to received control information from an apparatus according to claim 9 .

17 . A transportation device according to claim 15 , wherein the transportation device is an escalator or an elevator.

Assignees

• Elomaa Niko
• Kone Corp

Inventors

• Elomaa Niko

Classifications

• 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

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• H04W4/02

  Services making use of location information · CPC title

• 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