With Call Registration Means Patents (Class 187/380)
  • Patent number: 12098058
    Abstract: An automatic configuration method of fixture and a fixture. The automatic configuration method of fixture includes: S1: sending, by a fixture, a predetermined request toward a predetermined address to an elevator controller; S2: judging a control function corresponding to the predetermined address; and S3: configuring the fixture according to the control function corresponding to the predetermined address. The automatic configuration method of fixture and the fixture of the present invention have the advantages of being simple, reliable, convenient to maintain and the like, and can automatically configure the fixture during installation and maintenance, effectively improving the user experience.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Heping Qiu, Tan Liu
  • Patent number: 11978458
    Abstract: An electronic apparatus is provided. The electronic apparatus according to an embodiment includes a communication interface, a memory configured to store identification information of a plurality of device, and a processor configured to, based on a user speech signal including a request related to a device being received, extract a first keyword related to a type of the device and a second keyword related to a characteristic of the device from the user speech signal, obtain specification information of the plurality of devices based on identification information of a plurality of devices corresponding to the first keyword stored in the memory, compare specification information of the plurality of devices and select a device corresponding to the second keyword, and perform an operation corresponding to the user speech signal using identification information of the selected device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Wonjong Choi, Soofeel Kim, Yewon Park, Jina Ham
  • Patent number: 11643299
    Abstract: Provided is a communication system and a communication method for use in an elevator system, which belong to the field of elevator intelligent control technologies. The communication system of the present invention comprises: a first bluetooth module mounted in an elevator landing area of the elevator system and a second bluetooth module mounted in an elevator car of the elevator system. The communication system and the communication method of the present invention can realize that a passenger completes an elevator calling operation in a completely hand-free mode, which is easy to realize and is low in cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Wenbo Huang, Xiaofei Guo
  • Patent number: 11518647
    Abstract: Provided is an elevator landing guidance device including: a hall operation panel (2) provided on each of floors, which is configured to output a guide sound (A) for informing a position of the hall operation panel (2) and accept input of landing call registration; and a guide sound generator (3), which is provided to a landing of each of the floors for each of elevator machines, and which is configured to output a guide sound (B) for informing a position of the landing. When the landing call registration is input to the hall operation panel (2), the guide sound (B) is output from the guide sound generator (3) installed so as to correspond to one of the elevator machines, which is assigned to the landing call registration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kohei Kurose
  • Patent number: 11345566
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a method includes receiving a passenger request to reserve an elevator car of an elevator system to travel to a targeted destination. At least two different travel options to the targeted destination are determined based on a plurality of elevator car travel plans comprising at least two elevator cars having different travel ranges. The at least two different travel options are output to an interactive display. At least one of the at least two elevator cars is reserved responsive to a user selection of one of the at least two different travel options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jannah A. Stanley, Arthur Hsu
  • Patent number: 11279591
    Abstract: A multicar elevator system includes a group of individually drivable elevator cars and two shafts coupled to each other with at least two transfer channels. The system further includes a control unit configured to operate the system in either of two operating modes, wherein in the first mode the group of elevator cars is arranged to travel to a first vertical direction in the first shaft and to another vertical direction in the second shaft through the transfer channels. In the second mode, a first sub-group of elevator cars are parked in one of the shafts and at least one elevator car belonging to a second sub-group of elevator cars is arranged to travel in the both vertical directions in the other shaft upon a call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ari Hänninen, Ari Koivisto
  • Patent number: 11274016
    Abstract: The invention relates to a system and a method of wireless communication for emergency in an elevator system. The wireless communication system comprises the user interface module providing a user interface for a passenger in the elevator car; a first wireless communication module configured to make a first wireless connection with a communication device through a first wireless communication network; a second wireless communication module configured to make a second wireless connection with the communication device through a second wireless communication network; and a control module configured to control the first and second wireless communication modules to set up the first wireless connection and/or the second wireless connection, upon receiving the passenger's input through the user interface module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Derk Pahlke
  • Patent number: 11155437
    Abstract: A solution for estimating the number of persons entering or leaving an elevator car, wherein a stepwise change in passenger load is detected based on a passenger load signal relating to the elevator car, and the change in a passenger count is estimated based on passenger load change ranges depending on traffic intensity and the stepwise change in the passenger load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Johan Backlund
  • Patent number: 11095502
    Abstract: A device commissioning system includes a terminal device, a data communication network, and a network controller. The terminal devices selects a device type of a component configured to operate in a control system, and outputs a device activation signal that requests a configuration file for commissioning the component according to a selected device type. The communication network is remotely located from the component and stores configuration files for commissioning different types of components. The network controller receives the device activation signal indicating a request to commission the component according to the selected device type and establishes a secure data link to deliver the configuration file in response to the device activation signal. The component receives the configuration file corresponding to the selected device type, and installs the configuration file to commission operation as the selected device type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Oliver Alexander Gesch, Aditya Swami, Luis C. Encinas Carreno, Markus Mueller, David Ginsberg, Richard Buddelmann
  • Patent number: 11027943
    Abstract: A method of operating a building elevator system within a building having a plurality of floors including: controlling a building elevator system comprising a first elevator system having a first elevator car and a second elevator system having a second elevator car; determining one or more sectors for the plurality of floors in response to at least one of a time of day, manual input, a density of the down peak traffic, and whether there is simultaneous up peak or inter-floor traffic, the one or more sectors comprising a first sector having a first plurality of floors and a second sector having a second plurality of floors; assigning the first elevator car to the first sector; and assigning the second elevator car to the second sector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jannah A. Stanley, Gregory Scharr, Daniel S. Williams
  • Patent number: 10994967
    Abstract: Elevator cars having a plurality of elevator car panels defining a passenger compartment of the elevator car and an interactive touch-based car operating panel system. The interactive touch-based car operating panel system includes an interactive element extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the passenger compartment and located on at least one of the plurality of elevator car panels, the interactive element having an interactive surface facing the passenger compartment and a controller arranged to receive passenger input at the interactive surface and control an elevator car in response to the passenger input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Fever, Ridouane Belhadj
  • Patent number: 10836604
    Abstract: A method for operating an elevator installation, the installation including an elevator control device, uses a mobile radio to perform operator control actions for the elevator installation. The mobile radio receives relevant data allowing indirect access to the elevator installation initially in the form of an identification code that is transmitted continuously or regularly by a transmission unit associated with the elevator installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Adrian Bünter, Markus Gilli
  • Patent number: 10737904
    Abstract: A condition monitoring system for performing a transformation of mixed elevator data is provided. The condition monitoring system includes a computer sub-system. The computer sub-system includes a memory storing transformation software and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor executes the transformation software to cause the condition monitoring system to acquire quantitative and qualitative information and transform the quantitative and qualitative information to produce transformed information. The processor executes the transformation software to further cause the condition monitoring system to execute analytics on the transformed information and generate predictions based on the analytics of the transformed information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Soumalya Sarkar, Murat Yasar
  • Patent number: 10620769
    Abstract: A device including a body configured to be grasped by a user's hand and a touch surface oriented on a first surface of the body, wherein the touch surface is configured to be engaged by an appendage of the user's hand when the body is grasped by the user's hand. The device also includes a friction modulator associated with the touch surface, wherein the friction modulator is configured to modulate a coefficient of friction between the user's appendage and the touch surface to provide haptic feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: James Edward Colgate, Michael A. Peshkin, John Glassmire, Laura Winfield Alexander
  • Patent number: 10513415
    Abstract: A passenger conveyance system includes a depth-sensing sensor for capturing depth map data of objects within a field of view adjacent a passenger conveyance door. A processing module in communication with the depth-sensing sensor to receive the depth map data, the processing module uses the depth map data to track an object and calculate passenger data associated with the tracked object, and a passenger conveyance controller to receive the passenger data from the processing module, wherein the passenger conveyance controller controls a passenger conveyance dispatch control function in response to the passenger data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Hui Fang, Arthur Hsu, Alan Matthew Finn, Zhen Jia
  • Patent number: 10513416
    Abstract: An passenger conveyance system includes a depth-sensing sensor within a passenger conveyance enclosure for capturing depth map data of objects within a field of view that includes a passenger conveyance door. A processing module is in communication with the depth-sensing sensor to receive the depth map data, the processing module uses the depth map data to track an object and calculate passenger data associated with the tracked object. a passenger conveyance controller receives the passenger data from the processing module to control operation of a passenger conveyance door in response to the passenger data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Hui Fang, Arthur Hsu, Alan Matthew Finn, Zhen Jia
  • Patent number: 10486938
    Abstract: Methods and systems for making elevator service requests, the methods including populating, by a computing device comprising a processor, a recents list with at least one retained floor pair, wherein each retained floor pair includes an origination floor and a destination floor, displaying the recents list on a display, receiving a user input on the recents list indicating a new elevator service request related to one of the retained floor pairs, generating an elevator service request packet based on the new elevator service request, and transmitting the elevator service request packet to an elevator controller to make an elevator service request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Emily Baldi, Kelly Martin Dubois, Paul A. Simcik, Harrison Daniels, Yew H. Leong, Sylvia Stone, Staci Weixlmann, Sheryl Brothers
  • Patent number: 10479653
    Abstract: A monitoring system includes: an imaging sensor configured to sense a lighting device of the passenger conveyor to acquire image data; and a processing apparatus configured to process the image data, the processing apparatus being configured to include: a background acquisition module configured to acquire a background model based on sensed image data; a foreground detection module configured to compare image data sensed in real time with the background model to obtain a foreground object; and a working condition judgment module configured to perform data processing at least based on the foreground object to judge whether the lighting device is in a normal state. Then, a failure or an abnormal lighting state of the lighting device can be timely diagnosed so that maintenance is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Qiang Li, Jianwei Zhao, ZhaoXia Hu, LongWen Wang, Hui Fang, Zhen Jia, Anna Su
  • Patent number: 10479647
    Abstract: A passenger conveyance special loading system includes a depth-sensing sensor for capturing depth map data of objects within a field of view. A processing module in communication with the depth-sensing sensor receives the depth map data, the processing module uses the depth map data calculate passenger data associated with an object to determine a special loading condition. A passenger conveyance controller receives the passenger data from the processing module, the passenger conveyance controller controls a passenger conveyance dispatch control function in response to the special loading condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Arthur Hsu, Hui Fang, Alan Matthew Finn, Zhen Jia
  • Patent number: 10472205
    Abstract: According to an embodiment there is provided a building automation system control apparatus comprising building automation system control logic configured to receive signaling from entities connected to a building automation system and to cause transmission of control signaling to the entities connected to the building automation system, wherein the building automation system control logic comprises elevator control logic as an integral part to directly control an elevator system comprising one or more elevators, the building automation system control logic being configured to take into account signaling received from the entities connected to the building automation system when determining control signaling for the elevator system; and the building automation system control logic being configured to take into account signaling received from the elevator system when determining control signaling for the entities connected to the building automation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Hannu Kuoppala, Ari Hanninen
  • Patent number: 10370220
    Abstract: A method of passenger conveyance control includes receiving a destination request; tracking a passenger who entered the destination request while in a waiting area; and canceling the destination request in response to the passenger leaving the waiting area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Paul A Simcik, Eric C Peterson, Bradley Armand Scoville, Ashley Marie Chapman
  • Patent number: 10294069
    Abstract: An elevator control system for an elevator system, including a display device, at least one processor in communication with the display device and the elevator system, the at least one processor programmed or configured to render, on the display device, a graphical destination interface with a plurality of visual representations of destinations within the building, receive a user selection of a selected destination from the plurality of destinations, determine a plurality of selectable options for elevator call requests based on the selected destination, render the plurality of selectable options for elevator call requests on the graphical destination interface or a second graphical call request interface, receive a user selection of a selected option from the plurality of selectable options for elevator call requests, and control movement of an elevator car in the elevator system based on the selected destination and the selected option.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR AG, THYSSENKRUPP AG
    Inventor: Chih-Hung Aaron King
  • Patent number: 10268166
    Abstract: An intelligent surface system is provided for deployment in a space. The intelligent surface system includes a personnel movement device (PMD) configured to move an individual between first and second locations, sensors deployed to sense characteristics of the individual and a controller configured to determine a condition of the individual based on the characteristics and control an operation of the PMD in accordance with the determined condition of the individual.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak, Marcin Piech, Zbigniew Piech, Daryl J. Marvin, Stella M. Oggianu
  • Patent number: 10259683
    Abstract: A method for controlling an elevator system comprises obtaining images of the inside of an elevator car, detecting passengers in the images, creating graphic passenger models of the detected passengers from the images and determining the number of passengers who may additionally board the elevator car using the passenger models. The passenger models may reflect the actual size of the passengers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Takahiro Yamada, Naoki Taniguchi, Keiji Hashimoto, Kenichi Ohmura
  • Patent number: 10255735
    Abstract: A system for the controlling of entrances comprises a plurality of access control units, wherein each entrance is allocated an access control unit with a data acquisition device assigned to it. The access control units are coupled to a control device via a network. An error signal is detected in the system which indicates that a first data acquisition device at a first entrance is not ready for operation and is unable to capture authorization data of a person wishing to gain access at the first entrance. A data signal is produced by a second data acquisition device at a second entrance, when the second data acquisition device captures the authorization data of the person wishing to gain access at the first entrance. In the system an activation signal is sent to the access control unit at the first entrance, in order to release the first entrance and grant the person access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Florian Troesch
  • Patent number: 10231167
    Abstract: A method of establishing a range restriction for calling an elevator car through a mobile device is provided. The method comprising: displaying a map of a desired building on a manager device; adjusting the range restriction using the manager device, wherein the range restriction limits elevator calls to mobile devices located within a selected range of the desired building; receiving an elevator call from a mobile device, the elevator call including a geographical location of the mobile device; and moving the elevator car in response to the elevator call when the geographical location of the mobile device is within the range restriction limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Paul A. Simcik
  • Patent number: 10214384
    Abstract: A method for operating a safety system including a control unit, a bus, a plurality of bus nodes connected to the control unit via the bus, and a plurality of participants connected to the control unit via the bus nodes, wherein at least one participant is designed as a temporary participant. The method includes the step of enabling the safety system for operation by the control unit when either a first temporary participant or a second temporary participant is connected to the bus. An elevator system can be provided with a safety system for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventors: Astrid Sonnenmoser, Ivo Lustenberger, Martin Hess
  • Patent number: 10167170
    Abstract: A smart elevator system includes: an elevator provided in a building having multiple floors; a controller configured to control the elevator; a portable terminal used by a person to make a reservation for using the elevator and including a communicator for long-range communication and short-range communication; a server system configured to receive the reservation for using the elevator from the portable terminal by communicating with the portable terminal and control an operation of the elevator through the controller according to the reservation; and a portable terminal detector provided near a door of the elevator and configured to obtain a unique key of the portable terminal through the communicator, when the portable terminal used to make the reservation approaches it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: MFS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Dong Gyun Kim
  • Patent number: 10081511
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for generating automatic elevator calls for an elevator system in a building, in which is a plurality of apartments and in the apartments an apartment-specific sensor, the sensor signal produced by which detects that a person is leaving or has left an apartment. On the basis of the sensor signal, an elevator is called to the floor on which the apartment is situated for collecting the person who has left the apartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jukka Salmikuukka
  • Patent number: 10081514
    Abstract: An elevator automatic guide assistant system comprises a user assistant system, an elevator outside assistant system, and an elevator inside assistant system. The user assistant system is configured to send a taking elevator instruction and target floor information to the elevator outside assistant system, receive and send the feedback information to a user. The elevator outside assistant system is configured to guide the user to arrive at an elevator doorway. The elevator inside assistant system is configured to send floor information to the elevator outside assistant system and the user assistant system, receive instructions from the user assistant system, and guide the user to arrive at the target floor. The present disclosure relates also to a guide method of the elevator automatic guide assistant system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Horng-Juing Lee, Tien-Ping Liu, I-Hao Chung
  • Patent number: 10071879
    Abstract: A method for controlling an elevator where an elevator is allocated for the use of a passenger in a first optimization phase in such a way that a first cost function is minimized, a second optimization phase is performed, in which the route of the allocated elevator is optimized in such a way that a second cost function is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Janne Sorsa, Juha-Matti Kuusinen, Mirko Ruokokoski
  • Patent number: 10068395
    Abstract: An access control method can include sending an identification code to an access node using a mobile telephone. If the identification code is recognized as valid, an access code is sent from the access node to the mobile telephone and presented on the display of the mobile telephone. The access code is detected using a camera, and if the access code is recognized as valid, the access is granted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: John Mizon
  • Patent number: 10046948
    Abstract: A system 110 includes an input/output 113 unit for receiving a user request to call an elevator 101, 102 and a processor 111 for processing the user request to assign an elevator to the user 105. The processor performs one of a first assignment process and a second assignment process. The first assignment process includes determining whether a delay condition exists for delaying assignment of the elevator to the user 202, delaying assignment of the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition exists 203, and assigning the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition does not exist 204. The second assignment process includes assigning the elevator to the user and notifying the user of the assignment, determining whether an assignment change condition exists 206, changing the assignment to another elevator based on determining that the assignment change condition exists 207, and notifying the user of the assignment change 208.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Garfinkel, Theresa M. Christy, Jannah A. Stanley, Harold Terry
  • Patent number: 9994421
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for maintaining passenger-specific favorite floor lists in an elevator system, which comprises at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls given by the passengers, a control system that is responsive to the aforementioned calls and memory means, in which is recorded at least one passenger-specific favorite floor list. A passenger is identified in connection with giving a call on the basis of the ID number of an identifier. The favorite floor list is updated on the basis of calls given by the passenger and/or a given updating criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Tapani Talonen, Tommi Huotari
  • Patent number: 9988237
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for smart elevator car destination management according to probabilistic destination determination. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for smart elevator car destination management according to probabilistic destination determination includes predicting a set of passengers requesting use of an elevator car in a bank of elevator cars in a building and determining a probability for each of the passengers that each passenger will select as a destination a particular floor in the building. The method also includes grouping ones of the passengers in the set according to a common floor determined to be probable for the grouped ones of the passengers. Finally, the method includes displaying in connection with the bank of elevator cars an assignment of the grouped ones of the passengers to one of the elevator cars in the bank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Juan Gabriel Rodriguez Arguedas, Edgar Adolfo Zamora Duran, Roxana Monge Nunez, Franz Friedrich Liebinger Portela
  • Patent number: 9899592
    Abstract: The invention is an actuating drive for deflecting an actuating element using a solid body actuator (2) when an electrical voltage or an alternating magnetic field is applied, to cause a change in length. A housing (1) encloses the solid body actuator to define an interspace (13) in a fluid-tight manner. Furthermore, the solid body actuator includes a hollow duct (6) having one end connected to a first hollow conduit (20) passing through the housing and the other end opening into the interspace (13). The interspace is additionally connected in a fluid-tight manner to a second hollow conduit (21) passing through the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: FRAUNHOFER-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.
    Inventors: Tobias Melz, Michael Matthias, Holger Hanselka
  • Patent number: 9873590
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus. In the method a target area is divided to a plurality of cells. A plurality of movement paths of mobile nodes are determined, each movement path comprising an origin cell and a target cell, the origin cell and the target cell being determined using a magnetic map of the target area. The durations of the plurality of movement paths are determined for an elevator user. A route topology data structure is formed using the plurality of movement paths and the durations of the plurality of movement paths, the data structure comprising for a plurality of cells an estimated time to reach an elevator location. An elevator call in a request cell is determined by a requesting mobile node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jukka Salmikuukka, Ari Virtanen, Kenneth Kronkvist
  • Patent number: 9850093
    Abstract: An exemplary elevator system includes at least one elevator car. An access controller is configured to provide an access credential to a portable wireless communication device responsive to a request from that device indicating a desire for at least access to the elevator system. The access credential at least temporarily indicates that the desired access should be granted. A credential receiver is configured to obtain the provided access credential from the portable wireless communication device. An entry device allows the desired access responsive to the credential receiver obtaining the access credential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Peter DePaola, Matthew Joyce
  • Patent number: 9852267
    Abstract: A system and method for personalized dosing of a pharmacologic agent include: executing, using a processing device, a plurality of dosing regimen program modules to determine a respective plurality of dose sets in response to receiving, from an input device, a target response value for a patient; and executing, using the processing device, a dosing selection algorithm module, following executing the plurality of dosing regimen program modules and in response to receiving from the input device a response profile and a monitoring frequency of the patient, to determine a recommended dose set computed as a combination of the plurality of dose sets weighted by degrees of matching computed using fuzzy sets and the response profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: University of Louisville Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam E. Gaweda, Michael E. Brier, George R. Aronoff, Alfred A. Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9771242
    Abstract: The invention allows inspection tests for an elevator without additional test weights. An empty elevator car and its counterweight are balanced by filling in weight pieces to the counterweight. 100% load of the elevator car in regard to unbalance is configured by moving unused counterweight pieces inside the elevator car. Inspection tests requiring the 100% load in regard to unbalance are performed. 125% load of the elevator car is simulated with 50% load and 125% speed of the elevator car. Inspection tests requiring the 125% load in regard to unbalance are performed. A final counterweight is configured by moving its weight pieces from the elevator car to the counterweight. Inspection tests requiring the final counterweight are performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Kattainen, Lauri Stolt
  • Patent number: 9764923
    Abstract: In an elevator system using multiple-deck elevator cars (130, 132), an elevator passenger (154) travels between a floor in a first zone (170) in a building (120) and a floor in a second zone (172) in the building (120). The passenger (154) travels first from one of the zones (170, 172) to a ground floor lobby (100, 101). Within a given amount of time after arriving at the lobby (100, 101), the identified passenger (154) is allowed to place an elevator call for an elevator traveling to the other zone (170, 172). Even if the call is for a destination floor not usually served from the particular ground floor lobby (100, 101), the passenger (154) is allowed to travel to the destination floor as requested.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: Lukas Finschi
  • Patent number: 9710863
    Abstract: A device and method are disclosed for optimizing self-power consumption. The device may sense one or more operating conditions of the device. The device may further select one or more operating parameters associated with at least one of the one or more operating conditions. The device may also estimate a power consumption associated with executing an algorithm to generate at least one updated value for at least one of the one or more operating parameters as well as estimate a power savings associated with operating using the updated value. The device may compare the estimated power consumption to the estimated power savings and determine whether to execute the algorithm based on the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: STRATEGIC PATENT MANAGEMENT, LLC
    Inventor: Eran Ofek
  • Patent number: 9663324
    Abstract: In an elevator system in which a plurality of cars are operated in a coupled or independent manner in a single hoistway, an elevator group-control device includes a front-car car-call detection unit detecting a car call of a front car with respect to its traveling direction out of the plurality of cars or for detecting a floor and a car that are assigned a destination floor of a registered destination floor call; and a rear-car assignment-candidate exclusion unit excluding, from assignment candidate cars, a rear car in the same hoistway as the front car assigned the car call when a landing call for the same direction as the traveling direction is registered at a floor registered by the car call detected by the front-car car-call detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Naohiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9580272
    Abstract: A visitor can receive guidance (e.g., movement directions) through a portable electronic device. The visitor can read an information-containing tag with the electronic device to input location information into the device. With the electronic device, the visitor can then select one or more destinations. The device then provides directions to the visitor for the one or more destinations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Markus Kappeler, Paul Friedli
  • Patent number: 9524466
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and product for automated multi-objective solution selection. The method comprises obtaining a set of solutions to a multi-objective problem, wherein each solution is a non-dominated solution. The method further comprises computing outranking weights for each pair of solutions and selecting a subset of the set of solutions based upon a defensive criteria in with respect to the outranking weights, wherein the defensive criteria relates to a number of solutions that outrank the subset. The method further comprises outputting the subset of the set of solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Amid, Ateret Anaby-Tavor, Shahar Chen, Oded Margalit, Ofer Shir
  • Patent number: 9472973
    Abstract: A non-contact charging apparatus includes a power-feeding coil, a power-receiving coil, a relative-position detector, and a feeding-power changing device. The power-receiving coil is configured to receive power from the power-feeding coil in a non-contact manner to charge a battery. The relative-position detector is configured to detect a distance between a center of the power-feeding coil and a center of the power-receiving coil. The feeding-power changing device is configured to decrease the power from the power-feeding coil to the power-receiving coil as the distance increases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoaki Nakagawa, Yusaku Amari, Atsushi Hirosawa
  • Patent number: 9469500
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Paul Friedli
  • Patent number: 9452909
    Abstract: Safety related information for an elevator installation can be transmitted via a serial connection using serialization and deserialization modules. These serialization and deserialization modules can comprise redundant components, such as processors and interfaces, and can be configured to cross check various data inputs and outputs to identify data corruption, component failures, or inconsistencies in data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: ThyssenKrupp Elevator AG
    Inventors: Christopher Taylor, Charlie Thurmond, Fabio Speggiorin
  • Patent number: 9284158
    Abstract: The present invention is directed towards a method and a system for allocating elevators on the basis of advance calls. According to the invention an advance call is registered, address data is connected to the advance call, an elevator is allocated when the activation condition of the advance call is fulfilled, and information about the allocation of the elevator is sent to the passenger by sending a notification to the address indicated by the address data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Jukka-Pekka Sarjanen
  • Patent number: 9156653
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling access to floor within a building via elevator. The method includes receiving a passenger input indicating a desired destination floor a passenger seeks to travel to in an elevator, accessing a stored database containing data about which floors passengers are allowed to access via elevator when coming from the floor of the passenger input, determining if access is allowed based upon the desired destination floor and the data, and controlling operation of the elevator to deliver the passenger to the desired destination floor if access is allowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael P. Flynn, Gary Pisarsky