Elevator passenger interface including images for requesting additional space allocation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9731934-B2
Application number	US-201214373699-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2012
Priority date	Jan 24, 2012
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

An exemplary elevator destination entry system includes a passenger interface device that presents a visual representation of at least one item that will accompany a passenger on an elevator car. The passenger interface allows the passenger to select the visual representation. A controller is configured to receive indications of passenger requests for elevator service and an indication from the passenger interface device regarding a selected visual representation. The controller determines an amount of space within an elevator car required to accommodate the item based on predetermined space information corresponding to the selected visual representation. The controller assigns a car to a passenger request based on a determination that the assigned car will have adequate space to accommodate the passenger and the item.

First claim

We claim:

1. An elevator destination entry system, comprising:
a passenger interface device that presents a plurality of visual representations, each of the visual representations comprising at least one of an image of at least one item that will accompany a passenger on an elevator car or an icon corresponding to the at least one item, the visual representations each corresponding to a differently sized item, the passenger interface allowing the passenger to select at least one of the visual representations; and
a controller configured to
receive indications of passenger requests for elevator service and an indication from the passenger interface device regarding a selected visual representation,
determine an amount of space within an elevator car required to accommodate the item based on the selected visual representation and predetermined space information that the controller has corresponding to the selected visual representation, and
assign a car to a passenger request based on a determination that the assigned car will have adequate space to accommodate the passenger and the item.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller uses information regarding the space to accommodate the item when determining whether to make any subsequent assignments to the assigned car until the passenger has been carried to an intended destination.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the visual representations pertains to a different item.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a room service cart,
a laundry cart,
a housekeeping cart,
a custodial item,
a package,
luggage, and
a luggage cart.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a mail cart,
a delivery cart,
a package, and
a custodial.

6. The system of claim 3 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a bed,
a medical equipment cart,
a food cart,
a housekeeping cart,
a laundry cart, and
a custodial item.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the visual representations each represents a different number of items.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the some of the visual representations comprise a different number of at least one of
packages, and
luggage.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein
the passenger interface presents a menu of available visual representations responsive to passenger input indicating that the passenger needs space allocated to accommodate an item on an elevator car; and
the passenger interface determines which of a plurality of preconfigured representations to present in the menu based on the passenger input.

10. A method of controlling car assignments in an elevator destination entry system, comprising the steps of:
providing a plurality of visual representations, on a passenger interface, each of the visual representations comprising at least one of an image of at least one item that will accompany a passenger on an elevator car or an icon corresponding to the at least one item, the visual representations each corresponding to a differently sized item;
using a controller for determining that a passenger used the passenger interface to indicate that the passenger has at least one item that will accompany the passenger on an elevator car corresponding to a selected visual representation;
using the controller for determining an amount of space within an elevator car required to accommodate the item based on the selected visual representation and predetermined space information that the controller has corresponding to the selected visual representation; and
assigning an elevator car that has the required space available to the passenger.

11. The method of claim 10 , comprising
using information regarding the required space when determining whether to make any subsequent assignments to the assigned car until the passenger has been carried to an intended destination.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the visual representations pertains to a different item.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a room service cart,
a laundry cart,
a housekeeping cart,
a custodial item,
a package,
luggage, and
a luggage cart.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a mail cart,
a delivery cart,
a package, and
a custodial.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the visual representations comprise representations of at least two of
a bed,
a medical equipment cart,
a food cart,
a housekeeping cart,
a laundry cart, and
a custodial item.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein at least some of the visual representations each represent a different number of items.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the visual representations comprise a different number of at least one of
packages, and
luggage.

18. The method of claim 10 , comprising
presenting a menu of available visual representations responsive to passenger input indicating that the passenger needs space allocated to accommodate an item on an elevator car; and
determining which of a plurality of preconfigured representations to present in the menu based on the passenger input.

Assignees

• Stanley Jannah A
• Flynn Michael P
• Joyce Matthew
• Jayachandran Vijay
• Faruki Tarique
• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Stanley Jannah A
• Flynn Michael P
• Joyce Matthew
• Jayachandran Vijay
• Faruki Tarique

Classifications

• B66B2201/463

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

• B66B1/468 Primary

  Call registering systems · CPC title

• B66B2201/222

  Taking into account the number of passengers present in the elevator car to be allocated · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title