Smart elevator system and method
First Claim
1. A method of selectively providing information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
- passively analyzing at least one selection made via an input device by at least one of said passengers;
retrieving stored information based on said at least one selection, said stored information being contextually related to said at least one selection; and
displaying at least a portion of said stored information on at least one display device viewable by said at least one passenger.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An information and control system for personnel transport devices. In one embodiment, the information and control system is coupled to the elevator system of a building, and includes a touch panel input device, a flat panel display having a touch sensitive screen, and speech recognition and synthesis systems serving each elevator car. The speech recognition and synthesis systems and input device(s) are operatively coupled to a processor and storage devices having a plurality of different types of data stored thereon. Each elevator car is also a client connected to a LAN, WAN, intranet, or Internet, and capable of exchanging data with and retrieving data therefrom. Functions performed by the information and control system include a voice-actuated building directory, download of selected data to personal electronic devices (PEDs), monitoring of areas adjacent to the elevator car on destination floors, and control of lighting and security monitoring in selectable areas of destination floors. The system is also optionally fitted with an RFID interrogator/reader capable of recognizing RFID tags carried by passengers on the elevator, thereby granting access to various controlled locations automatically after password authentication. The RFID system also allows the authenticated passenger(s) to control utilities such as lighting and HVAC within specific zones on their destination floors. The information and control system is also optionally equipped with an occupancy estimating sub-system which allows elevator cars to bypass calling floors when their capacity is reached or exceeded.
345 Citations
48 Claims
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1. A method of selectively providing information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
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passively analyzing at least one selection made via an input device by at least one of said passengers; retrieving stored information based on said at least one selection, said stored information being contextually related to said at least one selection; and displaying at least a portion of said stored information on at least one display device viewable by said at least one passenger. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of selectively providing information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
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passively sampling the speech of at least one of said passengers; retrieving stored information based on said sampled speech, said stored information being contextually related to at least portions of said sampled speech; and displaying at least a portion of said stored information on at least one display device viewable by said at least one passenger. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An electronic information system for use in an elevator, comprising;
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at least one input device adapted to generate data relating to at least one environment external to said elevator; a processor, operatively connected to said at least one input device, said processor receiving said data from said at least one input device; at least one output device, operatively connected to said processor, for providing said selected portions of said data to at least one passenger of said elevator while said at least passenger occupies said elevator; and a controller responsive to input from said at least one passenger, said controller adapted to control the operation of at least one aspect of said elevator, and further adapted to control the function of at least one device external to said elevator. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of selectively providing information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
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passively analyzing selections made via an input device by at least one of said passengers; retrieving stored information based on said selections, said stored information being contextually related thereto; and providing at least a portion of said stored information to said at least one passenger via an output device disposed within said elevator car. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of providing selected information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
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passively sampling the speech of at least one of said passengers; retrieving stored information based on said sampled speech, said stored information being contextually related thereto; and providing at least a portion of said stored information to said at least one passenger via an output device disposed within said elevator car. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A method of selectively providing information to the passengers of an elevator car, comprising:
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a step for passively sampling the speech of at least one of said passengers; a step for retrieving stored information based on said sampled speech, said stored information being contextually related to at least portions of said sampled speech; and a step for providing at least a portion of said stored information to said at least one passenger via an output means disposed within said elevator car.
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47. An electronic information system for use in an elevator, comprising:
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at least one input means adapted for the generation of signals relating to at least one environment external to said elevator; processor means, operatively connected to said at least one input device, said processor means receiving said signals from said at least one input means; at least one output means, operatively connected to said processor, for providing said selected portions of said signals to at least one passenger of said elevator while said at least passenger occupies said elevator; and controller means responsive to input from said at least one passenger, said controller means adapted to control the operation of at least one aspect of said elevator, and further adapted to control the function of at least one device external to said elevator.
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48. A security system for use in an elevator, comprising:
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at least one input device adapted to generate signals relating to at least one environment external to said elevator, said at least one input device being selected from the group consisting of;
(i) a camera, (ii) an ultrasonic device; and
(iii) an infrared device;a processing circuit, in signal communication with said at least one input device, said processing circuit receiving said signals from said at least one input device; at least one output device, in signal communication with said processing circuit, for providing said selected portions of said signals to at least one passenger of said elevator while said at least passenger occupies said elevator; and a controller responsive to input from said at least one passenger, said controller adapted to control the operation of at least one aspect of said elevator, and further adapted to control the function of at least one device external to said elevator.
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Specification