Inputting lock commands using gestures

• US 9,856,109 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2013
• Issued: 01/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Schwarzentruber, Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Garcia, Carlos E
• Application Number:
  US14/650,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20150314986A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 340 551, 341 20, 341 26, 341 27, 345173, 345174
• 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 1/461 characterised by their shape or profile
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/463 Touch sensitive input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/468 Call registering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4638 Wherein the call is registered without making physical contact with the elevator system
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/4676 for checking authorization of the passengers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/0069 actuated in a predetermined sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/32 in combination with an identity check

Abstract

A user can input commands into a lock by gesturing on a surface of the lock. The gesture is made by sliding a finger over multiple buttons on the lock surface. The lock recognizes the gesture based on the buttons touched by the sliding finger and the order in which they were touched. The lock associates a particular command with the recognized gesture.

Claims

1. A method for inputting lock commands using gestures comprising the steps of:

detecting a sliding finger on a first touch-sensitive button on a surface of an electronic lock system for a door;

detecting the sliding finger on a second touch-sensitive button on the surface of the electronic lock system;

determining a command associated with a gesture, the gesture being based on the detecting of the sliding finger on the first and second touch-sensitive buttons;

sending the determined command to an external component coupled to the electronic lock system, the external component being in an elevator system; and

calling or sending an elevator of the elevator system when the determined command is received by the external component.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein when the detecting the sliding finger on the second touch sensitive button occurs before the detecting the sliding finger on the first touch-sensitive button, the determined command is a second command of two commands.

3. The method according to claim 1 including detecting the sliding finger on a third touch-sensitive button on the surface of the electronic lock system, the gesture being further based on the detecting the sliding finger on the third touch-sensitive button.

4. The method according to claim 1 including switching the electronic lock system between a single-button input mode and a gesture input mode.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the electronic lock system is mounted on or near the door.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein when the detecting the sliding finger on the first touch sensitive button occurs before the detecting the sliding finger on the second touch-sensitive button, the determined command is a first command of two commands.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the two commands include a lock command and an unlock command.

8. An electronic lock system for a door comprising:

a first touch-sensitive button;

a second touch-sensitive button; and

a control unit coupled to the first and second touch-sensitive buttons and to an elevator system, the control unit being programmed to,

detect a sliding finger on the first touch-sensitive button,

detect the sliding finger on the second touch-sensitive button,

determine a command associated with a gesture, the gesture being based on the detecting of the sliding finger on the first and second touch-sensitive buttons,

send the determined command to an external component coupled to the electronic lock system, the external component being in the elevator system, and

call or send an elevator of the elevator system when the determined command is received by the external component.

9. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 including a third touch-sensitive button coupled to the control unit.

10. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 wherein the first touch-sensitive button is non-continuous with the second touch-sensitive button.

11. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 wherein the first touch-sensitive button has a first button surface area, the first touch-sensitive button providing a same input signal to the control unit across an entirety of the first button surface area.

12. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 wherein the first and second touch-sensitive buttons are hard-wired on a surface of the electronic lock system.

13. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 wherein the control unit is unable to determine on which portion of the first touch-sensitive button the sliding of the finger occurred.

14. The electronic lock system according to claim 8 wherein the determined command includes one of a lock command and an unlock command.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having encoded thereon instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising the steps of:

detecting a sliding finger on a first touch-sensitive button on a surface of an electronic lock system for a door;

detecting the sliding finger on a second touch-sensitive button on the surface of the electronic lock system;

determining a command associated with a gesture, the gesture being based on the detecting of the sliding finger on the first and second touch-sensitive buttons;

sending the determined command to an external component coupled to the electronic lock system, the external component being in an elevator system; and

calling or sending an elevator of the elevator system when the determined command is received by the external component.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 wherein the determined command includes one of a lock command and an unlock command.