Method of guiding a user in an environment, particularly in a building

• US 8,401,472 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2006
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Gerstenkorn, Bernhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Nay A
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLEMING-HALL, ERICA L
• Application Number:
  US11/460,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20070026802A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,428 Days
• Field of Search: 455/41.2
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• 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 2201/4653 wherein the call is registered using portable devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4676 for checking authorization of the passengers

Abstract

A method of guiding a user in an environment particularly in a building, utilizes at least one first communications unit communicating data to a mobile second communications unit carried by the user. The first communications unit transmits a contact signal within a predetermined range for establishing contact with the second communications unit. If the second communications unit is located within the range and receives the contact signal, contact is established between the first communications and the second communications unit. In order to enable guidance of the user through the environment by means of the second communications unit, data are communicated from the first communications unit to the second communications unit.

Claims

1. A method of guiding a user in a building having an elevator installation, wherein at least one first communications unit communicates data to a second communications unit, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting a contact signal from the first communications unit within a predetermined range for initiating and establishing contact with the second communications unit, wherein the first communications unit is a stationary terminal provided in a region of the elevator installation, outside of an elevator, and connected with a central computer unit and a destination call control of the elevator installation, and wherein the predetermined range is within a predefined distance between the first communications unit and the second communications unit, wherein the second communications unit is mobile and carried by the user;

establishing contact between the first communications unit and the second communications unit when the second communications unit is located within the range and receives the contact signal, wherein a position of the user in the building is fixed within the scope of the established contact;

after the contact has been established, the first communications unit receiving from the second communications unit through the contact a desired destination previously stored in the second communications unit or inputted at the second communications unit after entering the building; and

communicating the data from the first communications unit through the contact to the second communications unit for guidance of the user through the building by the second communications unit when the second communications unit is located within the range and the contact is established and after the first communications unit has received from the second communications unit the desired destination, whereby the content of the communicated data is dependent on the position of the user in the building and on the desired destination of the user.

2. The method according to claim 1 including the first communications unit receiving from the second communications unit an access code communicated as a mobile telephone number or a serial number of a microchip of the second communications unit.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of communicating the data is performed by checking an access authorization of the user to the building before the communication of the data from the first communications unit to the second communications unit and communicating the data only if the check is successful.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data are communicated to the second communications unit in said step of communicating the data in dependence upon an access authorization.

5. The method according to claim 1 including upon communication of the data from the first communications unit to the second communications unit in said step of communicating the data an access code for access to specific regions of the building is communicated.

6. The method according to claim 1 including the first communications unit receiving an access code communicated from the second communications unit.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the access code is communicated only at specific points in time or within a specific time period.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data are communicated only at specific points in time or within a specific time period from the first communications unit to the second communications unit or received by the first communications unit from the second communications unit.

9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first communications unit receives communication of specific data selected by the second communications unit.

10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the contact signal is transmitted at specific times or over a specific time period.

11. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data is made known to the user by an indicating unit.

12. The method according to claim 1 wherein the data is made known to the user by an optical indicating unit.

13. The method according to claim 1 wherein the second communications unit is a mobile telephone or a PDA.

14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the first communications unit is a fixed-position terminal.

15. The method according to claim 1 wherein that the range is less than approximately 10 meters.

16. The method according to claim 1 including the following steps:

the first communications unit receiving identification code from the second communications unit for confirmation of established contact;

storing the obtained identification code and the location where the identification code was received in the first communications unit;

on a subsequent establishing of contact between the first communications unit and the second communications unit, the first communications unit using the identification code to read the location obtained in said step of storing the obtained identification code; and

guiding, with the help of the location, the user back to his or her starting point by communication of the data from the first communications unit to the second communications unit.

17. An elevator installation for guiding a user in a building, the elevator installation comprising:

at least one first communications unit, the at least one first communications unit being a stationary terminal provided in a region of the elevator installation, outside of an elevator, and configured to transmit a contact signal within a predetermined range in the building for initiating and establishing contact with a second communications unit, wherein a position of the user in the building is fixed within the scope of the established contact, and wherein the second communication unit is mobile and carried by the user;

a central computer unit connected to the at least one first communications unit; and

a destination call control connected to the at least one first communications unit;

whereby the at least one first communications unit is configured to establish contact with the mobile second communications unit when the mobile second communications unit is located within the predetermined range and receives the contact signal;

whereby the at least one first communications unit is configured to, after the contact has been established, receive from the mobile second communications unit through the contact a desired destination previously stored in the mobile second communications unit or inputted at the mobile second communications unit after entering the building;

whereby the at least one first communications unit is configured to, after the contact has been established and after the first communications unit has received from the second communications unit the desired destination, communicate data through the contact to the mobile second communications unit for guidance of the user through the building by the mobile second communications unit; and

whereby the content of the communicated data is dependent on the position of the user in the building and on the desired destination of the user.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a stationary terminal provided in a region of the elevator installation in a building, outside of an elevator, the stationary terminal being configured to,

transmit a contact signal within a predetermined range of the stationary terminal for initiating and establishing contact with a mobile communications unit,

establish contact with the mobile communications unit located within the predetermined range using the contact signal, wherein a position of the user in the building is fixed within the scope of the established contact,

receive from the mobile communications unit, through the contact that is established, a desired destination previously stored in the mobile communications unit or inputted at the second communications unit after entering the building, and

communicate direction data through the contact to the mobile communications unit for guidance through the building by the mobile communications unit after the stationary terminal has received from the mobile communications unit the desired destination, whereby the content of the direction data is dependent on the position of the user in the building and on the desired destination of the user.