Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining that a temporary heavy traffic condition exists that includes a plurality of passengers requiring elevator service from an originating floor in the building that is distinct from a lobby floor. At least one elevator car out of a plurality of elevator cars within the building is temporarily dedicated to carry the passengers from the originating floor. A peak travel scheduling strategy is temporarily used for controlling the dedicated elevator car or cars for a selected period of time.

Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining that a new passenger requests elevator service a departure floor to a destination floor. Any candidate elevator cars are ranked. A number of stops for each assigned passenger for a ranked candidate elevator car is determined if the new passenger were assigned to that car. A determination is made whether any ranked candidate elevator car is a qualified car that can accept the new passenger and limit a number of stops for each passenger assigned to that car to a desired maximum number of stops. The new passenger is assigned to a qualified car that has a most favorable ranking of any qualified cars.

Abstract: An exemplary system for communicating with an elevator passenger includes a plurality of elevator passenger interface devices configured to allow an elevator passenger to indicate at least an elevator service request. The interface devices are configured to communicate at least elevator service information to an elevator passenger. A server communicates with the plurality of interface devices. The server is configured to determine when there is input at any of the interface devices. The server is configured to determine a meaning of such input. The server is also configured to determine output to provide at the corresponding interface device and to communicate the determined output to the corresponding interface device. The determined output is responsive to the determined meaning of the input.

Abstract: An exemplary method for handling passenger requests during elevator system modernization includes modernizing elevator cars over time. The modernized elevator cars are capable of servicing destination requests placed outside of an elevator car and include an indication of a desired destination. The exemplary method includes assigning an elevator car to respond to a new pending destination request according to a selected criterion for selecting between a modernized elevator car and an elevator car that has not yet been modernized. The method includes automatically updating the selected criterion responsive to a change in a number of modernized elevator cars. A percentage of the elevator cars that are not yet modernized are reserved and new pending requests are assigned to a modernized elevator car if a percentage of modernized cars plus the reserved percentage is greater than a current percentage of pending requests assigned to modernized elevator cars.

Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes a first controller configured to recognize a hall call signal that indicates a passenger's desire to board an elevator car at a particular landing. The first controller is associated with at least one elevator car for assigning a hall call request to that elevator car. A second controller is configured to recognize a destination request that indicates a passenger's desire to be carried to a particular level. The destination request originates outside of an elevator car. The second controller is associated with at least one elevator car for assigning a destination request to that elevator car. The second controller is configured to determine whether a selected condition will be satisfied if a received destination request is serviced by an elevator car associated with the second controller. The second controller handles the received destination request in that manner if the condition will be satisfied.

Abstract: An elevator dispatching system includes a plurality of elevator groups, each of the plurality of elevator groups comprising a group controller and a plurality of elevator cars, each of the plurality of elevator groups serving a respective set of floors; and a redirector configured to receive a service request comprising a destination floor, and, in the event more than one elevator group serves the destination floor, determine a best group to service the request from the plurality of elevator groups based on information stored in the redirector, wherein the group controller of the determined best group is configured to determine a best car from the plurality of elevator cars in the determined best group.

Abstract: An exemplary method of assigning calls to elevator cars includes ensuring that a passenger separation requirement is satisfied. The passenger separation requirement is satisfied when a passenger belonging to one service group is not carried in the same elevator car simultaneously with another passenger belonging to a different service group, for example. A call is assigned to an elevator car to carry a passenger belonging to the one service group while the elevator car is assigned to carry or is already carrying another passenger belonging to the different service group.

Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining a source floor of a new call from a passenger desiring elevator service. A direction of travel from the source floor for the new call is also determined. A path of a considered elevator car is simulated as if the new call were assigned to the considered elevator car by determining at least one of (i) a relationship between a position of the considered elevator car and the source floor or (ii) a relationship between a direction of movement of the considered elevator car and the direction of travel.

Abstract: An elevator dispatching system includes a plurality of elevator groups, each of the plurality of elevator groups comprising a group controller and a plurality of elevator cars, each of the plurality of elevator groups serving a respective set of floors; and a redirector configured to receive a service request comprising a destination floor, and, in the event more than one elevator group serves the destination floor, communicate the service request to the group controllers of the more than one elevator groups, wherein the respective group controllers of the more than one elevator groups are configured to each determine a respective group score, and communicate the respective group score to the redirector, and the redirector is further configured to determine the best group based on the respective group scores.

Abstract: Elevator reassignment information is communicated to passengers in a group elevator system (10). The group elevator system (10) includes a group of elevators (14a, 14b, 14c) that is operable to transport each of the passengers to one of a plurality of floors (L, F2, F3, F4, F5). A destination entry input device (30, 35) at each floor permits each passenger to enter destination input information. A dispatch controller (20) assigns an elevator to each passenger based on the destination input information. When service of a dispatched elevator is terminated, a communication device (46, 50) communicates elevator reassignment instructions to passengers assigned to or located in the dispatched elevator.

Abstract: Elevators (104) in a group elevator system (100) are controlled to facilitate transport of a large item (LI). A destination entry input device receives an input from a passenger (102) indicating that the passenger (102) has a large item (LI) to be transported in the group elevator system (100). The passenger (102) with the large item (LI) is assigned to an elevator (104) having capacity to accommodate the passenger (102) and the large item (LI).

Abstract: A method of dispatching an elevator car to a destination requested by a passenger before the passenger enters the car includes determining which trip of the elevator car begins at a time having a desired relationship to an expected arrival time when a passenger is expected to arrive near the elevator car. An actual arrival time of the passenger near the elevator car is determined. The elevator car is dispatched to the requested destination during a trip that begins at a time that corresponds to or is after the actual arrival time.

Abstract: Destination calls entered by means of buttons (21-29) are each given a designation unique to the car and pick-up floor for that call and other calls to be serviced therewith, such as a letter (A-E), which is different from any other outstanding calls. Calls can be reassigned among elevators (UL, LL, UR, LR) whether they are in the same or different hoistways (LF, RT). Signs (31-39, 41-49) adjacent each hoistway are illuminated to display the designation of any call which is being answered by an elevator car approaching the floor. Thus, passengers are informed when their call is being answered by the signs identifying the call, rather than identifying any particular car. Another embodiment identifies (60, 31a, 41a) the hoistway landing doorway (1, 2) as well as a letter to allow passengers to wait adjacent to the hoistway landing doorway of the car which will serve them.

Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes a first controller configured to recognize a hall call signal that indicates a passenger's desire to board an elevator car at a particular landing. The first controller is associated with at least one elevator car for assigning a hall call request to that elevator car. A second controller is configured to recognize a destination request that indicates a passenger's desire to be carried to a particular level. The destination request originates outside of an elevator car. The second controller is associated with at least one elevator car for assigning a destination request to that elevator car. The second controller is configured to determine whether a selected condition will be satisfied if a received destination request is serviced by an elevator car associated with the second controller. The second controller handles the received destination request in that manner if the condition will be satisfied.

Abstract: An exemplary method is useful for handling passenger requests during an elevator system modernization that includes modernizing elevator cars over time. The modernized elevator cars are capable of servicing destination requests placed outside of an elevator car. Such destination requests include an indication of a desired destination. The exemplary method includes assigning an elevator car to respond to a new pending destination request according to a selected criterion for selecting between a modernized elevator car and an elevator car that has not yet been modernized. The method includes automatically updating the selected criterion responsive to a change in a number of modernized elevator cars.

Abstract: An elevator traffic control technique includes destination grouping that is selectively implemented during selected traffic condition. One example includes determining when up peak traffic conditions exist. If so, the passenger-to-car assignments are grouped based upon the passengers' desired destinations, which are determined before the passengers enter elevator cars, Arranging sectors responsive to current traffic conditions in one example is based upon elevator passenger traffic patterns over the most recent five minutes.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a plurality of cars and destination entry devices located some distance from the elevator cars. A controller dispatches an elevator car to a requested destination entered by a passenger before the passenger enters an elevator car. In one example, the controller uses an expected arrival time corresponding to the time it is expected to take for a passenger to travel from the location where the destination request is entered to the location of the elevator car to decide how to dispatch a car to service that request. In one example, the controller dispatches an elevator car to the requested destination on a next trip of that car if the expected arrival time of the passenger near that car occurs at or before the departure time for that next trip. Otherwise, the controller dispatches the car to the requested destination on a subsequent trip after the next trip.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes a plurality of cars (22) and destination entry devices (40) located some distance from the elevator cars (22). A controller (38) dispatches an elevator car to a requested destination entered by a passenger before the passenger enters an elevator car. In one example, the controller (38) uses an expected arrival time corresponding to the time it is expected to take for a passenger to travel from the location where the destination request is entered to the location of the elevator car to decide how to dispatch a car to service that request. In one example, the controller dispatches an elevator car to the requested destination on a next trip of that car if the expected arrival time of the passenger near that car occurs at or before the departure time for that next trip. Otherwise, the controller (38) dispatches the car to the requested destination on a subsequent trip after the next trip.

Abstract: An exemplary method of assigning calls to elevator cars includes ensuring that a passenger separation requirement is satisfied. The passenger separation requirement is satisfied when a passenger belonging to one service group is not carried in the same elevator car simultaneously with another passenger belonging to a different service group, for example. A call is assigned to an elevator car to carry a passenger belonging to the one service group while the elevator car is assigned to carry or is already carrying another passenger belonging to the different service group.

Abstract: Elevator reassignment information is communicated to passengers in a group elevator system (10). The group elevator system (10) includes a group of elevators (14a, 14b, 14c) that is operable to transport each of the passengers to one of a plurality of floors (L, F2, F3, F4, F5). A destination entry input device (30, 35) at each floor permits each passenger to enter destination input information. A dispatch controller (20) assigns an elevator to each passenger based on the destination input information. When service of a dispatched elevator is terminated, a communication device (46, 50) communicates elevator reassignment instructions to passengers assigned to or located in the dispatched elevator.