Having Call Cancel Or Refuse Feature Patents (Class 187/381)
  • Patent number: 11697208
    Abstract: A method for managing elevator operation, a device for managing elevator operation, an elevator system and a computer-readable storage medium. The method for managing elevator operation includes: establishing a communication connection with at least one of robots movably arranged in a preset area; receiving data information from the robot, the data information including elevator service information generated by the robot based on input information related to an elevator visitor; and controlling the operation of the elevator and/or the operation of at least another one of the robots according to the received data information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Xingang Gou
  • Patent number: 11667493
    Abstract: An elevator system is provided. Aspects includes an elevator car, a sensor affixed to the elevator car, wherein the sensor is operated by a controller, the controller is configured to receive occupancy data associated with the elevator car. The occupancy data is analyzed to determine an occupancy of the elevator car. A first hall call is received and based at least in part on the occupancy and the first hall call, adjusting operation of the elevator car in the elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jayapal Reddy Gireddy, Ashok Chikkur
  • Patent number: 10947086
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method a sequence triggering of a call for an elevator car of an elevator system. The elevator system including a first location device and a second location device. The computer-implemented method including detecting, by the first location device, a signal by the mobile device and detecting, by the second location device, the signal by the mobile device. The computer-implemented method also including automatically executing, by the elevator system, the call for the elevator car in response to the detection by the second location device of the signal subsequent to the detection of the signal by the first location device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Richard Nichols, Bradley Armand Scoville, Harrison Daniels, Paul A. Simcik
  • Patent number: 10947085
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method a sequence triggering of a call for an elevator car of an elevator system. The elevator system including a first location device and a second location device. The computer-implemented method including detecting, by the mobile device, a first triggering signal by the first location device and detecting, by the mobile device, a second triggering signal by the second location device subsequent to the detection of the first triggering signal. The computer-implemented method also including automatically executing, by the mobile device, the call for the elevator car of the elevator system in response to the detection of the second triggering signal subsequent to the detection of the first triggering signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen Richard Nichols, Bradley Armand Scoville, Harrison Daniels, Paul A. Simcik
  • Patent number: 10683190
    Abstract: A system and/or method that establishes a proximity environment with respect to an elevator and detecting a position of a user device within the proximity environment is provided. Further the system and method determines a source floor and a destination floor respective to the user device and generating an elevator call to the elevator in accordance with the source floor and the destination floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Ashley Chapman, Bradley Armand Scoville, Paul A. Simcik, Eric C. Peterson, Donald F. Cominelli, Hans-Kilian Spielbauer
  • Patent number: 10625979
    Abstract: There is provided an elevator control system capable of improving operation efficiency of an elevator. The elevator control system includes a processor; and a memory to store a program which performs processes of recognizing a floor based on information from in a car of an elevator during travel of the car, determining a destination floor based on the floor recognized, determining whether or not the destination floor determined during the travel of the car, and registering a call corresponding to the destination floor in the car during the travel of the car in a case where the destination floor is determined to be the stoppable floor. The program performs processes of, in a case where the destination floor is not determined to be the stoppable floor, registering the call corresponding to the destination floor in the car after the car responds to all calls registered in the car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsutoshi Iio
  • Patent number: 10598496
    Abstract: A local navigation system includes: a plurality of beacons located in a local environment and being configured to send signals specified to different routes in said local environment; a plurality of mobile devices, each of them including a client controller; and a wireless communication link configured to receive the signals sent by the beacons; an output means configured to display/emit navigation guide data. In the local navigation system, the client controller is configured to process the signals received via the wireless communication link and to process this data into navigation guide data outputted on an output of the mobile device. Each route included in the local environment is assigned a unitary ID and each beacon is located in one specific location of the local environment along at least one of said routes. Each beacon is configured to send the IDs of all the routes passing along its specific location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tommi Huotari
  • Patent number: 10392223
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, by a computing device comprising a processor, a request for at least one service associated with an elevator system from a mobile device over a cellular network. The request is validated based on a determined location of the mobile device. In response to the validating indicating that the request is approved, at least one resource associated with the at least one service is scheduled. The scheduling of the at least one resource includes placement of an elevator car call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul A. Simcik, Luis C. Encinas Carreno, Eric C. Peterson
  • Patent number: 10392224
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to receiving, by a computing device including a processor, an identifier associated with a mobile device based on a passive transmission of the identifier by the mobile device, and based on the receipt of the identifier, scheduling at least one service associated with an elevator system based on an anticipated demand for the at least one service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric C. Peterson, Paul A. Simcik, Ashley Chapman, Luis C. Encinas Carreno, Bradley Armand Scoville
  • Patent number: 10358321
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an elevator car, a call panel, a controller, and a floor cancellation feature. The elevator car is adapted to travel in a hoistway defined by a building and between floors of the building. The call panel is located for passenger interaction, includes a plurality of floor selections, and communicates with the controller. The floor cancellation feature is associated with at least one of the call panel and the controller. The controller is configured to operate between a floor cancellation permit state and a floor cancellation restricted state, thereby respectively enabling and disabling the floor cancellation feature, and track at least one event associated with the floor cancellation restricted state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul A. Simcik, Emily Baldi
  • Patent number: 10336573
    Abstract: A method for allowing pre-allocation of an elevator call in an elevator system with destination control is provided. A first signal is received at an elevator group controller of an elevator system with destination control. The first signal indicates that a passenger including a passenger is detected to be approaching the elevator system at one of multiple floors associated with the elevator system. In response, allocation of an elevator call for the detected passenger is initiated, wherein the one of the multiple floors is assigned as the departure floor for the elevator call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Antti Hovi, Claus Ingman, Jari Kallio, Jukka-Pekka Sarjanen, Niko Elomaa
  • Patent number: 10259682
    Abstract: In accordance with exemplary embodiments there is determining geo-routines of a user, the geo-routines based on at least one of a location and an altitude and a trajectory of the user, recording the determined geo-routines of user of the system; and based on a current trajectory of a user indicating that the user is going to use a transportation system, optimizing a use of the system according to the recorded geo-routines of the user of the system. In addition, sending information including a location and/or an altitude of a user, and a trajectory of the user, the information associated with a current geo-routine of the user, and receiving information to optimize the use of a transportation system, the receiving based on a current trajectory indicating that the user is going to use the transportation system and on the current geo-routine and/or historical geo-routines of a user of the transportation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy
    Inventors: Jan O. Blom, Julian Charles Nolan
  • Patent number: 10259681
    Abstract: A conveyance system including a system interface having a camera to generate an image including an input fingerprint and an input finger presentation; a dispatch system including a fingerprint recognition unit and a profile unit, the fingerprint recognition unit comparing the input fingerprint to a reference fingerprint; the dispatch system accessing a user profile when the input fingerprint matches the reference fingerprint; the dispatch system comparing the input finger presentation to a reference finger presentation in the user profile; and the dispatch system retrieving a destination from the user profile when the input finger presentation matches the reference finger presentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Paul A. Simcik, Bradley Armand Scoville
  • Patent number: 10196235
    Abstract: A method and a system for generating destination calls for an elevator system is described, wherein a passenger can give personal destination calls with his/her terminal device as well as on the basis of identification of the person in at least one identification point. A passenger is identified at an identification point, on the basis of which the home floor of the passenger is determined and a destination call to the home floor is generated for the elevator system if the passenger does not have a valid destination call at the time of identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Henry Silvennoinen, Jukka Salmikuukka, Mika Belov
  • Patent number: 10087046
    Abstract: The disclosure herein includes a method for controlling elevators by an intelligent building system. The method includes receiving, by the intelligent building system, elevator calls initiated by passengers. Each elevator call can include a passenger identification corresponding to a passenger initiating the elevator call. The method further includes procuring passenger preference information based on the passenger identifications in response to the elevator calls and grouping the passengers with respect to the passenger preference information to produce passenger groups. The method further includes controlling the elevators to collect the passenger groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason R. Armistead
  • Patent number: 9957132
    Abstract: An elevator control system for controlling a plurality of elevators in an elevator bank includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory, and a networking device. The processor executes software instructions that cause the elevator control system to receive an elevator call placed by at least one of a user and a mobile device of the user. The elevator control system wirelessly communicates with the mobile device to determine an elevator criteria set by the user on the mobile device via an elevator control application. The elevator criteria comprises a preference and a requirement. The software instructions allow the processor to determine whether an elevator in the elevator bank meets the requirement and the preference, and an elevator that meets at least the requirement is automatically assigned to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR AG
    Inventor: Jeff D. Berryhill
  • Patent number: 9856107
    Abstract: Method for handling erroneous calls in an elevator system, which includes at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls on the floor levels and/or in the elevator car, and also a control system that responds to the aforementioned calls. One or more calls given by a passenger are registered, it is assessed on the basis of at least one criterion whether some call is erroneous, and at least one corrective action is performed for removing a call, or for rectifying the call data of a call, if the call is ascertained to be erroneous on the basis of the aforementioned criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ilpo Haipus, Juha-Matti Kuusinen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa
  • Patent number: 9799156
    Abstract: Embodiments are directed to providing access without determining an identity of a requester. A fixture may receive a rule pertaining to access to a floor of a building. The fixture may receive a request to access the floor of the building. The fixture may grant access to the floor based on a determination that the rule indicates that access to the floor should be granted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jannah A. Stanley, Ashley Chapman, Matthew Joyce
  • Patent number: 9725279
    Abstract: An exemplary method includes distributing identifying tags to a plurality of potential elevator passengers so that each passenger has a uniquely identifiable one of the tags. Collective elevator system traffic information is determined based on monitoring movement of individual ones of the plurality of tags and corresponding elevator system operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason R. Armistead
  • Patent number: 9382095
    Abstract: A method includes generating automatic elevator calls in an elevator system using a personal identifier, reading identification data of an identifier on a first departure floor, connecting information about the departure floor to the identification data, reading the identification data on some second departure floor, and on the basis of the identification data, generating an elevator call for taking the passenger back to the first departure floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Niko Rusanen, Rauno Hatakka
  • Patent number: 9365391
    Abstract: An elevator control device includes a non-service function prohibiting registration of call to each of floors and a non-service level setting part which sets two non-service levels of level 1 and level 2 for each floor, a call registration part for a user to perform a call registration operation for a desired floor, and a call registration control part in which when the call registration part is operated, in the case level 1 or level 2 has been set for the desired floor, prohibits a registration of call to that floor, and in the case neither level 1 nor level 2 has been set for the desired floor, performs the registration of call to that floor. Even if level 1 has been set for the desired floor, in the case a temporary cancel signal designating that floor has been inputted, the call to that floor is registered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Koba
  • Patent number: 8960373
    Abstract: A passenger flow management system can manage passenger flow such that elevator waiting times may be limited. The management system includes a detector configured to detect elevator passengers within a detection area located outside the building.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Vittorio De Vincentis
  • Patent number: 8880200
    Abstract: A user can be detected and identified at or near an elevator installation. A record for the user can be read from a database, and based on information in the record, a personalized building action can be performed for the user. A portion of the building can thus be “prepared” for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Edward Nowel
  • Publication number: 20140305747
    Abstract: A system and method for an access control system for an elevator system that overrides landing matrices that define the access to the floors in the elevator system. The system overrides the landing matrices of the access control system in response to conditions defined by security system operators, such as emergency situations, and sends the landing matrices to elevator controllers for controlling the access to the floors. In examples, the system supports configuration of vendor-neutral landing matrix objects sent to the access control system over a security network for creating new landing matrices, and overriding the contents of the existing landing matrices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2013
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Sensormatic Electronics, LLC
    Inventors: Saravana Kumar, Jason M. Ouellette
  • Publication number: 20140069745
    Abstract: An exemplary method of managing remote control of an elevator system includes preventing any source located remotely from a site of the elevator system from controlling an operation of the elevator system when there is an indication that the elevator system is being serviced by a mechanic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Henry Dellarippa, Karl D. Pedersen, Craig Drew Bogli, Medha Ramakant Dedgaonkar, Jean Manuel Sanches
  • Publication number: 20140060978
    Abstract: An elevator control device includes a non-service function prohibiting registration of call to each of floors and a non-service level setting part which sets two non-service levels of level 1 and level 2 for each floor, a call registration part for a user to perform a call registration operation for a desired floor, and a call registration control part in which when the call registration part is operated, in the case level 1 or level 2 has been set for the desired floor, prohibits a registration of call to that floor, and in the case neither level 1 nor level 2 has been set for the desired floor, performs the registration of call to that floor. Even if level 1 has been set for the desired floor, in the case a temporary cancel signal designating that floor has been inputted, the call to that floor is registered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshimasa Koba
  • Publication number: 20130233653
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a cage, a first capturing device, a second capturing device, and a control module. The cage includes an inner room. The first capturing device is configured for capturing an image of the inner room. The second capturing device is configured for capturing an image of a waiting area outside the cage. The control module receives the images output from the first capturing device and the second capturing device and determines whether or not there is any passenger located at the waiting area and whether or not there is enough room in the inner room to receive the passenger. The control module controls the cage to stop or not to stop according to the determination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: YEN-CHUN CHEN
  • Publication number: 20130206517
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for optimizing the transport capacity of an elevator system. For optimizing the transport capacity the elevator system dynamically locks floors served by it on the basis of defined locking rules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: KONE CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130098712
    Abstract: A pool lift control provides functional operation control of pool lift devices with access control, low power indicator that preserves battery by attempting determination of whether someone is nearby to hear the low battery alert, and emergency stop/panic indication functionality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: S.R. SMITH, LLC
    Inventors: William Svendsen, Scot Newport
  • Publication number: 20130068568
    Abstract: An elevator hall call registration apparatus automatically registers a destination floor call based on verification information by a personal authentication device. The hall call registration apparatus includes a first personal authentication device which authenticates a user, a hall call registration apparatus main body which performs destination floor call registration based on verification information including personal ID unique to the user verified in the first personal authentication device, and a destination floor changing device which accepts an operation for the user to perform at least one of a change and cancel of the destination floor of a destination floor call registration. If it is judged based on an operation performed in the destination floor changing device that the operation is performed by the user authenticated by the first personal authentication device, the hall call registration apparatus can perform a change and cancel of a destination floor of the destination floor call registration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshinori Nonami
  • Publication number: 20130048435
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator installation for transporting elevator users in a building area, including the steps of: detecting the position of elevator users in the building area, granting of an access authorization of the elevator users to building regions, triggering of a destination call by a detected elevator user, allocation of an elevator car serving the destination call or elevator call, boarding of an elevator car by at least one detected elevator user, if an elevator call was triggered triggering a car call by a detected elevator user, comparing whether the position of the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car corresponds with the position of the elevator user that has triggered the destination call, and determining whether the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car has an access authorization for a destination location corresponding with the destination call or elevator call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: INVENTIO AG
  • Publication number: 20120305340
    Abstract: A secure access system and method is disclosed, the access system utilizing a powered secure card with access rights codes that allows an authorized user to gain access to an elevator, an area behind a door, or a particular floor in a building without requiring the user to retrieve the secure card and physically present the secure card to a sensor. Sensors in the access system communicate with a wireless transceiver in the secure card. Each sensor is capable of reading only the type of access code or codes that the sensor has been authorized for reading. A sequence of sensors for allowing or, denying access to areas or functions for the secure card increases security and prevents illicit copying of the access codes and duplication of the secure card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventor: Ming-Yuan WU
  • Patent number: 8286755
    Abstract: In an elevator system floors each include: a hall registration device that places a plurality of car calls for moving a car to destination floors different from one another; and a display device that displays the car that has been assigned the plurality of car calls. A limit value setting mechanism sets, for each of the plurality of floors separately, a limit value for limiting a count of the plurality of car calls that can be assigned to the same car. A count-up mechanism obtains, when a new car call is made, a call count of each car by a given method, based on information about the plurality of car calls that have been assigned to the car. A candidate car selector compares the limit value set to a floor where the new car call is made and the call count of the each car, to thereby select, as a candidate car, the car to which the new car call can be assigned from among the cars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Elelctric Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Eto, Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20120152660
    Abstract: An elevator system including a hall-installed call registration device installed in a hall of an elevator, and an automatic call registration device installed in a place more away from the hall than the hall-installed call registration device. In a case the same personal information as the personal information inputted to the hall-installed call registration device is inputted to the automatic call registration device within a given period of time before input to the hall-installed call registration device, a determination is made as to whether or not a destination floor of the automatically registered destination call and a destination floor of the manually registered destination call along with input of the personal information are in agreement with each other. If the two are not in agreement with each other, the destination call automatically registered from the automatic call registration device is canceled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2009
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Fujihata, Masaaki Amano
  • Publication number: 20120031709
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator installation for transporting elevator users in a building area, including the steps of: detecting the position of elevator users in the building area, granting of an access authorization of the elevator users to building regions, triggering of a destination call by a detected elevator user, allocation of an elevator car serving the destination call or elevator call, boarding of an elevator car by at least one detected elevator user, if an elevator call was triggered triggering a car call by a detected elevator user, comparing whether the position of the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car corresponds with the position of the elevator user that has triggered the destination call, and determining whether the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car has an access authorization for a destination location corresponding with the destination call or elevator call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventor: Lukas Finschi
  • Patent number: 7610995
    Abstract: A method and a system for responding to a service request sent to a transportation service, determining one or more alternatives as a transportation device for the user and selecting a personal transportation device. An automated transportation system according to the invention may contain a plurality of elevators in an elevator group, a passenger terminal device for reserving elevators for use by passengers, and an elevator group control system responsive to the passenger terminal device for controlling the elevators. The method of the invention involves entering a personal service request via the terminal device, determining on the basis of the service request at least one alternative as a transportation device for the user, and selecting via the terminal device one of the alternatives as the transportation device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jari Ylinen, Risto Kontturi
  • Patent number: 7490698
    Abstract: An elevator traffic flow control strategy utilizes the advantages of sector assignment channeling and destination entry systems. A controller (30) monitors a handling capacity (62) of the system to determine when it is advisable to override the sector assignments (52) to provide improved passenger service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: David J. Sirag, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090014254
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator installation for transporting elevator users in a building area, comprising the steps: detecting the position of elevator users in the building area, granting of an access authorization of the elevator users to building regions, triggering of a destination call by a detected elevator user, allocation of an elevator car serving the destination call or elevator call, boarding of an elevator car by at least one detected elevator user, if an elevator call was triggered triggering a car call by a detected elevator user, comparing whether the position of the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car corresponds with the position of the elevator user that has triggered the destination call, and determining whether the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car has an access authorization for a destination location corresponding with the destination call or elevator call.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventor: Lukas Finschi
  • Patent number: 7469772
    Abstract: An elevator destination floor display unit is installed in an elevator boarding area or an elevator car. The elevator destination floor display unit has a display portion having a screen selectively displaying destination floor representations relating to all floors, and a display control portion which arranges and displays, in a matrix form, only destination floor representations of destination floors registered on the screen. Therefore, the unit decreases the area of the required display space, makes it possible to visually recognize destination floor representations with ease, and possesses a high degree of freedom for installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobukazu Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 7387191
    Abstract: A method of controlling an elevator installation having an elevator car transporting passengers between floors of a building inputs destinations of the passengers into a destination call control and books destination calls and determines an instantaneous load disposed in the elevator car with a load measuring device at a fixable point in time. In order to make uniform the waiting times of the passengers in the case of incorrect operation of the destination call control and to ensure, for all passengers, an optimized transport time with maximum transport capacity the method additionally compares the instantaneous load with a full load parameter and in the case of exceeding of the full load parameter activating a bypass function those floors for which destination calls are booked and which are passed during a half circuit of the fully loaded elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Miroslav Kostka, Kurt Steinmann
  • Publication number: 20080073159
    Abstract: An elevator control system for controlling the movement of an elevator car up and down an elevator shaft between floors of a structure includes a call input device provided on each floor to indicate a passenger is waiting to be picked-up; a measuring device to indicate a load on the elevator car; and a controller to answer calls from the call input devices and move the elevator between floors, wherein the controller overrides calls received from the call input devices and does not stop the car to pick up passengers when the load indicates there a full car with no room for additional passengers. The measuring device may include a force transducer to measure the load on the elevator car. The load may be a measure of the number of passengers in the car. The load may be compared to a threshold and when the load exceeds the threshold a signal is provided to the controller to override the call input devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventor: Dheya Ali Al-Fayez
  • Publication number: 20040000453
    Abstract: A system enables a handicapped person to select a destination floor in an elevator using a single control and comprises a first mechanism to sequentially enumerate potential destination floors, a second mechanism enabling user selection of a desired destination floor by interacting with the single control when the desired destination floor is enumerated by the first mechanism, and a third mechanism to coupled a signal from the second mechanism to command the elevator to halt at the user-selected designation floor. The system may be disposed within and/or without the elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: January 1, 2004
    Inventor: Jon E. Eccleston
  • Patent number: 6578675
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivering advertising messages to occupants of an elevator cab includes a network mainframe server located remotely from the elevator cab. The apparatus further includes an individual processing unit (IPU) located at the elevator cab and in communication with the network mainframe server over a telephone line configured for transmitting a digital data signal. The IPU includes a central processing unit (CPU) and a monitor electrically connected to the CPU. In a particular embodiment, the IPU further includes an infrared camera for detecting the number of occupants in the elevator cab when an advertising message is displayed. The network mainframe server transmits the advertising messages to the CPU of the IPU over the telephone line. The advertising messages are stored on the CPU and displayed to the occupants of the elevator cab on the monitor of the IPU.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Elevator Channel, LLC, The
    Inventors: Thomas Wilson, William G. Thomas, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6360849
    Abstract: An elevator system having cars in service at top and bottom in a single shaft with efficient group control. The elevator system is provided with a shaft assignment finalizing unit for selecting a shaft and a car to be assigned to a new call, and a reassigning unit for reassigning a car as necessary when a new call occurs after assignment is performed. After tentative assignment is finalized, if a new call is generated before a time for finalizing a stop of a tentatively assigned car is reached, then the tentative assignment is reviewed. If it is determined that reassigning of cars is necessary for a call, then the reassigning unit changes car assignment to the call. Assignment of a car is finalized by the car assignment finalizing unit, and information regarding a final decision is displayed by a display controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6209685
    Abstract: Each elevator corridor of an elevator system has a transponder beacon disposed near each access to the corridor, each potential passenger, including regular tenants and visitors, carries a responder, such as an RFID responder, so as to provide an indication of entrance into and exit from the elevator corridor. Passengers that are not visitors have a history developed as to the likely travel route of each passenger as the passenger enters the elevator lobby; that is, whether the passenger is likely to take the elevator at this time, or likely to exit the elevator corridor to some other facility. Entered calls can be cancelled if the passenger leaves the lobby, and passenger travel patterns are updated with each passage through the elevator lobby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Vlad Zaharia, Paul A. Stranieri
  • Patent number: 6109396
    Abstract: A remote control device transmits a request for elevator service while a passenger is some distance from the elevator; the call may be assigned to an elevator car, but the car stops for that particular passenger only if the call is verified by the passenger approaching the immediate vicinity of the elevator. In one embodiment, tags identifying beacons that cause requests to be made remotely of, in proximity with, and within the elevator identify the location from where each request is made. In other embodiments, which may use key operated devices, limited-sensitivity receivers, or receivers with directional reception patterns, including overlapping patterns, may be utilized to distinguish between elevator call requests made remotely and made in the vicinity of the elevator. Other methods of verifying presence of the calling device at the elevator may be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: David Sirag, Robert G. Morgan, Charles R. Winston
  • Patent number: 5952626
    Abstract: A personal remote control device exchanges electromagnetic transmissions with an elevator system, each transmission including the identification number of the device, whereby requests for elevator service made by means of the device are unique to that device, and requests can be made by the device to cancel or change any request for elevator service which has previously been made. The remote control device may either be verbal, communicating with the user by means of speech synthesis and voice recognition, or the device may utilize switches, displays or other mechanisms for interaction with the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Vlad Zaharia
  • Patent number: 5949037
    Abstract: There is described an elevator call registration system which enables automatic registration of a destination floor and correction of the thus-registered destination floor. A destination floor CC is anticipated for each passenger, and the thus-expected floor is stored in expected destination floor storage means. The passenger is identified by means of passenger identification means, and the expected destination floor MCC is read from the expected destination floor storage means on the basis of the result of such identification. For convenience of checking, the expected destination floor MCC is temporarily indicated in a car and is automatically registered in a control panel of the elevator as the final destination floor. If the destination floor CC intended by the passenger is different from the expected destination floor MCC, the destination floor CC based on the expected destination floor MCC can be corrected by new designation of the destination floor CC through use of a car destination button.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kyozo Oya
  • Patent number: 5554832
    Abstract: A remote controller linkage is established to an elevator system having one or more elevators and using a data transmission network (21) including at least one serial communication bus for the transmission of control signals between the operating and/or other devices belonging to the system, car calls, landing calls and other information obtained from and/or generated by the devices included in the elevator system. At least one of the serial communication buses belonging to the data transmission network (21) of the elevator system is connected to a functional unit (3,7,10,13) fitted to receive messages sent to it by a remote controller (1,22). On the basis of the message received, the functional unit (3,7,10,13) transmits into the serial communication bus a message containing at least one control, call or other datum and the bus address of the transmitting functional unit (3,7,10,13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1996
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Jorma Lumme, Asko Juntunen, Matti Kujala
  • Patent number: 5490580
    Abstract: An automated arrangement selects one of a plurality of load weight bypass thresholds for an elevator car. The selection depends, for example, upon the car direction and the time of day. Alternative embodiments of the arrangement utilize in the selection either actual or estimated elevator car floor space. Fuzzy logic is used to estimate available floor space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1996
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Bruce A. Powell, Joseph C. Walker