Directing Passengers Using Color Indications

• US 20080041669A1
• Filed: 10/05/2004
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Terry, Harold, Sansevero, Frank, Judson, Jared, Stillion, Daniel, Bahjat, Zuhair, Pulling, Richard, Draudt, Gregg, Schreiber, Kate
• Application Number:
  US11/573,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20080041669A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 187/389
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/2408 where the allocation of a call to an elevator car is of importance, i.e. by means of a supervisory or group controller
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/468 Call registering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4615 Wherein the destination is registered before boarding
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4623 Wherein the destination is registered after boarding
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4653 wherein the call is registered using portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/00 Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 3/006 for guiding passengers to their assigned elevator car

Abstract

An elevator system (20) includes a controller (22) that communicates with a portable device (30) that is adapted to be carried about by a passenger (32). The system provides a color indication (28A-28E) associated with an elevator car (26A-26E) that will travel to a passenger'"'"'s intended destination floor. In one example, the portable device (30) provides a color indication that corresponds to the color indication (28A-28E) associated with the car. Providing the color indication (34) on the portable device (30) assists a passenger (32) in locating the correct car and provides piece of mind to the passenger that they are entering the correct car and will be carried to their intended destination floor.

Claims

1. A method of directing a passenger to an elevator car that will carry the passenger to an intended destination, comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of the intended destination from a portable device that is adapted to be carried by the passenger; and

providing a color indication near an entry to the car that will travel to the intended destination to thereby direct the passenger to the car.

2. The method of claim 1, including providing an indication within the car of at least one of the color indication, the intended destination or a direction of travel.

3. The method of claim 1, including

determining the intended destination;

determining at least one car that will travel to the intended destination;

determining a color indication associated with the determined car; and

providing a corresponding color indication using the portable device.

4. The method of claim 3, including communicating the determined color indication to the portable device using at least one wirelessly transmitted signal.

5. The method of claim 1, including providing a corresponding color indication using the portable device.

6. The method of claim 5, including illuminating a portion of the portable device such that a visible color on the illuminated portion is the corresponding color.

7. An elevator system, comprising:

at least one controller that communicates with a portable device adapted to be carried by the passenger to determine an intended passenger destination, determines a color indication associated with an elevator car that will travel to the intended passenger destination and directs the passenger to the car using the color indication.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the portable device provides a corresponding color indication.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller communicates the corresponding color indication to the portable device using at least one wirelessly transmitted signal.

10. The system of claim 7, including a destination entry device that receives passenger input regarding the intended destination from the portable device and wherein the controller uses the received passenger input to determine the intended destination.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the controller provides an indication within the car of at least one of the color indication, the intended destination or a direction of travel responsive to determining that the portable device is in the car.

12. A portable destination entry device that is adapted to be carried by an elevator passenger, comprising:

a communication portion for communicating with an elevator system to provide an indication of an intended destination; and

an indicator portion that provides a color indication of a color corresponding to a color associated with an elevator car that will travel to the intended destination.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the communication portion includes a transmitter that transmits at least one wireless signal indicating the intended destination.

14. The device of claim 13, including at least one switch for selectively generating the signal.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator portion is illuminated to provide the color indication.

16. The device of claim 12, including a receiver portion for receiving at least one signal from the elevator system indicative of the color indication.

17. The device of claim 12, comprising a card.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the communication portion automatically provides a signal indicating the intended destination when the passenger enters the car.