Elevator reservations using destination arrival time

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469500-B2
Application number	US-201214359313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2012
Priority date	Nov 22, 2011
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

Use of an elevator system can be reserved for a passenger based at least in part on an indicated arrival time for a passenger trip. The passenger trip includes a portion that is carried out using the elevator system and an additional portion. The passenger's elevator reservation is scheduled such that time is allotted for the passenger to complete both trip portions by the indicated arrival time.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An elevator method, comprising:
receiving a description of a passenger trip for a passenger, the passenger trip comprising an elevator portion and an additional portion, the description comprising a destination and a requested arrival time at the destination after completion of the additional portion and the elevator portion; and
scheduling, for an elevator installation, an elevator call for the elevator portion of the passenger trip based on the destination and the requested arrival time.

2. The elevator method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the elevator portion of the passenger trip and the additional portion of the passenger trip based on the destination and a starting point.

3. The elevator method of claim 2 , further comprising determining a transit time for the elevator portion and a transit time for the additional portion.

4. The elevator method of claim 3 , the transit time for the elevator portion being based on one or more elevator system delays.

5. The elevator method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating an elevator departure time to the passenger.

6. The elevator method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating to the passenger a departure time for the elevator portion or the additional portion.

7. The elevator method of claim 1 , the elevator portion occurring in the passenger trip before the additional portion.

8. The elevator method of claim 1 , the additional portion occurring in the passenger trip before the elevator portion.

9. The elevator method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving the description of the passenger trip through a call input device; and
communicating a departure time for the passenger trip to a portable electronic device, the portable electronic device being separate from the call input device.

10. The elevator method of claim 1 , the elevator installation being in a building and the destination being outside of the building.

11. The elevator method of claim 1 , the additional portion of the passenger trip involving at least one motor vehicle.

12. An elevator installation, comprising:
at least one elevator car disposed in an elevator shaft;
an elevator control computer coupled to the at least one elevator car; and
a trip planning computer coupled to the elevator control computer, the trip planning computer being configured to,
receive a description of a passenger trip, the passenger trip comprising an elevator portion and an additional portion, the description comprising a destination and a requested arrival time at the destination after completion of the additional portion and the elevator portion of the passenger trip, and
schedule, for the elevator installation, an elevator call for the elevator portion of the passenger trip based on the destination and the requested arrival time.

13. The elevator installation of claim 12 , further comprising a call input device coupled to the elevator control computer or the trip planning computer.

14. The elevator installation of claim 13 , the call input device being in a room that is a starting point of the passenger trip.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
receiving a description of a passenger trip, the passenger trip comprising an elevator portion and an additional portion, the description comprising a destination and a requested arrival time at the destination after completion of the additional portion and of the elevator portion of the passenger trip; and
scheduling, for an elevator installation an elevator call for the elevator portion of the passenger trip based on the destination and the requested arrival time.

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Friedli Paul

Classifications

• B66B2201/463

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

• B66B1/2408 Primary

  where the allocation of a call to an elevator car is of importance, i.e. by means of a supervisory or group controller · CPC title

• B66B2201/4615

  Wherein the destination is registered before boarding · CPC title

• B66B1/468

  Call registering systems · CPC title

• B66B2201/232

  where the time needed for a passenger to arrive at the allocated elevator car from where the call is made is taken into account · CPC title