Abstract: An elevator hall call button includes a switch (20, 56) as well as displays (21, 54, 55) comprising matrices of light emitting diodes to provide an indication to a passenger of the imminence of arrival of the responding car. The display can be floor position (FIG. 5), flashing at a varying speed (FIG. 6) flashing at a lobby floor whenever a car approaches the lobby (FIG. 7) or in response to a lobby call (FIG. 8), an arbitrary number which reduces in response to the car approaching (FIGS. 9 and 10), or time remaining (FIG. 11).

Abstract: The location on an escalator where the handrail reenters the balustrade is provided with an electrical field projector which will establish a limited extent electrical field around the handrail reentry housing. The field is established with a pair of antennae disposed adjacent to the handrail reentry. The antennae are preferably connected to the main AC power source for the escalator, and can be angularly adjusted to focus the field that they project. Shrouds are positioned adjacent to each antenna to confine the lateral extent of the field. An object entering the field will cause a field disturbance which creates a signal setting off an audible alarm. Subsequent stopping of the escalator can ensue if the disturbance is not removed in a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A display (22) has one or more digits (22-1, 22-2) each capable of displaying a plurality of alphanumeric characters. A character control (10) has an output line (12) for each possible character and provides a signal over the line to cause the character to be displayed by activating an opto-isolation device (20-1). The output lines (20-1) are connected to a plurality of scan devices (26-1) which are individually addressed by a computer (28). Each scan device (26-1) is connected to a group of lines (20-2) that are individually addressed by the computer (28). When a line (20-2,20-3) is found to have a signal on it, the line is given a name which is used by the computer (28) to read a stored code from a memory (28-2). This code is keyed to the display to cause the display to provide the character associated with the line name, hence, the line, and the code is then supplied serially to the display which displays the character when all the components of the code have been received.

Abstract: Antennae located in the doors of an elevator car are in circuit with a balanced bridge detector coupled to an oscillator. Increased capacitance to ground produced by a person or object between the doors creates a bridge disbalance, which gives rise to the production of a bridge output signal whose level is proportional to the change in capacitance. Each time the car door opens at a floor, the signal level from the bridge obtained at an intermediate door position is stored as a reference indicative of the capacitance change resulting from dynamic environmental and structural factors. When the doors are fully open, the output from the bridge is compared with the stored signal level for detecting the additional capacitance created by a person or object between the doors and controlling door movement accordingly.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating dispatching signals for a group of elevators operating between two terminals. The dispatching signals are generated at intervals computed in accordance with an estimated number of passengers the next car to be dispatched from each terminal will carry. This estimate is based on the actual number of passengers carried by previously dispatched cars. By functioning in this manner the apparatus distributes the passengers between the cars.