Elevator ride improvements utilizing smart floor

• US 6,357,554 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2000
• Issued: 03/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Valk, Mary Ann, Sirag, David J. Jr., Morgan, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US09/613,398
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 187/391, 187/392, 187/393, 187/281, 187/292
• US Class Current: 187/391
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3484 using load cells

Abstract

Elevator cars (10) have floors (11) including a matrix of elements (12) including a weight sensing cell (18) to determine weight distribution in the car for controlling the position of a moveable hitch (33-36) on the car and for allocating calls to the cars depending upon the weight distribution. Transmitters (26) borne by passengers (25) transmit identification portions, and may also transmit personal preferences of the passenger with respect to the elevator ride. The system may store personal preferences in a data base indexed by personal identification numbers, limiting the required transmission to only the identification number. Correlation (FIG. 4) of identification numbers with the cell indicating by weight where a passenger is located may be achieved in each element of the floor or in a controller. A group controller (22) may allocate calls based upon weight distribution and/or preferences of passengers.

Claims

1. An elevator system, comprising:

a controller;

a car;

a floor of said car having a layer comprising a matrix composed of a plurality of distinct elements, there being a plurality of said elements within a single footprint of any passenger at any position on said floor, each element comprising a cell for providing a weight signal proportional to the weight of any passenger disposed above the corresponding element;

said controller responsive to said weight signals to provide distribution signals indicative of the distribution of weight in said car;

said car having a hitch connected to a rope engaging a drive sheave, said hitch being moveable in at least one of a fore and aft direction and a side-to-side direction; and

said controller responsive to said distribution signals to move said hitch in said fore and aft and/or side-to-side direction to cause said hitch to be closer to a vertical line through the present center of gravity of said car.

2. An elevator system, comprising:

a controller;

a car;

a floor of said car having a layer comprising a matrix composed of a plurality of distinct elements, there being a plurality of said elements within a single footprint of any passenger at any position on said floor, each element comprising a cell for providing a weight signal proportional to the weight of any passenger disposed above the corresponding element;

said controller responsive to said weight signals to provide distribution signals indicative of the distribution of weight in said car;

a plurality of transmitters, each borne by a prospective passenger, each transmitting an RF signal including at least a passenger identification portion;

the elements of said car each comprising an RF receiver with an antenna for receiving said RF transmissions, if any, and for providing (a) radio signals indicative of the strength of the received RF transmissions, if any, and (b) ID signals indicative of the identification of the passengers bearing said transmitters; and

a correlator function for correlating, for each of said elements, the strengths indicated by said radio signals with the presence of said weight signals, thereby to identify the location on said floor of each passenger in said car.

3. A system according to claim 2 wherein:

said correlator function is executed within each element with respect to respective transmissions received thereby.

4. A system according to claim 2 wherein:

said correlator function is executed within said controller.