Patent Abstract:
An aspect of an elevator system includes receiving, from a user, a destination selection and assigning to the user a first elevator and notifying the user of the assignment. The user is detected in a second elevator, and the second elevator is controlled to travel to the destination selected by the user based on detecting the user in the second elevator.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Embodiments of the invention relate to elevator systems, and in particular, to controlling elevators based on detection of passengers in elevators. 
         [0002]    Conventional elevator systems include a call button outside the elevator car and an operating panel inside the elevator car. A user calls an elevator from outside the elevator car, and typically indicates a desired direction (i.e. up or down). Upon entering the elevator, the user selects a desired floor. 
         [0003]    Some elevator systems have begun to allow a user to request a particular floor from outside the elevator car. In such a system, a dispatch computer may receive the user&#39;s request and may assign a particular elevator car for the user. The computer may provide an indication to the user of which elevator car the user should use. In some systems, the user still must select the desired destination upon entering the elevator car. In other system, the elevator car is automatically controlled to travel to the requested destination. However, in such systems, if the user does not enter the recommended elevator, a decrease in efficiency occurs since the elevator may travel to a floor that no user in the elevator has requested. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Embodiments of the present invention include an elevator system including a destination selection device configured to receive a user input from a user to select a destination and an elevator assignment system configured to receive the selection of the destination from the destination selection device, to assign a first elevator to the user based on the selection of the destination, to detect the user in a second elevator, to determine whether the second elevator is the same as the first elevator, and to perform at least one of assigning the destination to the second elevator and providing feedback to the user based on determining whether the second elevator is the same as the first elevator. 
         [0005]    In the above embodiment, or in the alternative, the elevator assignment system may be configured to assign the second elevator to the user, and assign the destination to the second elevator, based on determining that the second elevator in which the user is detected is not the same as the first elevator assigned to the user. 
         [0006]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the elevator assignment system may be configured to provide feedback to the user based on determining that the second elevator in which the user is detected is not the same as the first elevator assigned to the user. 
         [0007]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the elevator assignment system may be configured to detect an elevator change confirmation in response to the feedback, and to assign the destination to the second elevator based on detecting the elevator change confirmation. 
         [0008]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the destination selection device may be a portable communications device associated with the user. 
         [0009]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the destination selection device may be a cell phone. 
         [0010]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the elevator system may include a user identification element and an identification element analysis unit in the first elevator configured to detect the user&#39;s identification by analyzing the user identification element. 
         [0011]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the user identification element may include biometric data of the user and the identification element analysis unit is a biometric data reader. 
         [0012]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the identification element analysis unit may include a camera that recognizes the user based on physical characteristic recognition of the user. 
         [0013]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the user identification element may include a wireless communication element configured to communicate wireles sly with the identification element analysis unit to provide a user&#39;s identification to the elevator assignment system. 
         [0014]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the user identification unit may be located inside the destination selection device. 
         [0015]    Embodiments of the invention further include an elevator control system including memory for storing elevator assignments and a user identification database and a processor. The processor may be configured to receive from a user a destination selection and to assign a first elevator to the user based on receiving the destination selection from the user. The processor may be configured to receive from a user identification analysis unit in a second elevator user identification data, and to assign the destination selected by the user to the second elevator based on receiving the user identification data from the user identification analysis unit in the second elevator. 
         [0016]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the processor may be configured to determine whether the second elevator from which the user identification data is received is the same as the first elevator assigned to the user, and to change an elevator assigned to the user from the first elevator to the second elevator, and to control the second elevator to travel to the destination selected by the user, based on determining that the second elevator is different from the first elevator. 
         [0017]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the processor may be configured to determine whether the second elevator from which the user identification data is received is the same as the first elevator assigned to the user, and to control the second elevator to travel to the destination selected by the user based on determining that the second elevator is the same as the first elevator. 
         [0018]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the processor may be configured to compare the user identification data received from the second elevator with user identification data stored in the user identification database to identify the user. 
         [0019]    Embodiments of the invention further include a method for controlling an elevator. The method includes receiving, from a user, a destination selection and assigning to the user a first elevator and notifying the user of the assignment. The method includes detecting the user in a second elevator and controlling the second elevator to travel to the destination selected by the user based on detecting the user in the second elevator. 
         [0020]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, the method may include determining whether the second elevator in which the user is detected is the same as the first elevator assigned to the user and changing an assignment of the user from the first elevator to the second elevator based on determining that the second elevator is different from the first elevator. 
         [0021]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, receiving the destination selection from the user may include receiving, by an elevator assignment system, a destination selection signal from a portable communication device associated with the user. 
         [0022]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, detecting the user in the second elevator may include detecting wireless signals from a wireless identification element associated with the user. 
         [0023]    In any one of the above embodiments, or in the alternative, detecting the user in the second elevator may include detecting biometric data associated with the user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates an elevator system according to one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of a portable communications device according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates an example of an identification element according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0029]      FIG. 5  illustrates a biometric identification element analysis system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0030]    Conventional elevator systems require users to select a desired destination upon entering an elevator car. Embodiments of the invention receive destination requests from users and automatically detect the presence of users in an elevator car to control the elevator car to travel to the requested destination. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  illustrates an elevator system  100  according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 2  is a flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The system  100  includes an elevator car  101  and an elevator control system  110 . The system  100  also includes a destination-request device  120  usable by a user  130  to request a destination in block  201  of  FIG. 2 . The destination-request device  120  may be a portable or stationary device. In one embodiment, the destination-request device is a portable communication device associated with the user  130 , such as the user&#39;s cell phone, or a cell phone registered to or by the user  130 . In another embodiment, the destination-request device  120  is a stationary panel or other stationary device located in the vicinity of an elevator bank or elevator doors, in a lobby, or in any other location accessible by the user  130 . 
         [0032]    In an embodiment in which the destination-request device  120  is a portable communication device, the user  130  may log in or otherwise register and select a destination via a user interface  121 , such as a touch screen, keyboard, voice-activated controls, body-movement-activated controls, or any other method. Selecting a destination may include entering a floor number, business or tenant name, or any other information corresponding to a tenant of a building in which the elevator car  101  is located. The destination-request device  120  includes a communication unit  122  to transmit the destination request to the elevator control system  110 . The communication unit  122  may be any wired or wireless communication system, including a wired or wireless local-area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), or any other type of network. 
         [0033]    The elevator control system  110  receives the destination selection via a corresponding communication unit  111  and, in block  202  of  FIG. 2 , assigns an elevator to the user with the elevator assignment unit  112 . The elevator assignment unit  112  may include any combination of processors and memory executing instructions that incorporate any algorithm to assign an elevator, including determining a closest elevator to the user  130 , a least-crowded elevator, an elevator capable of arriving at the selected destination, a particular type of elevator, such as a cargo elevator for service deliveries, or any other algorithm taking into account any predetermined criteria. In one embodiment, the elevator control system  110  controls an elevator to move to the user&#39;s location based on receiving the destination request. In one embodiment, the elevator control system  110  sends assignment information, such as an elevator number or other identifier, to the user  130  after assigning the elevator to the user  130 . The assignment information may be displayed on the destination-request device  120  or on another device, such as a display in the vicinity of a bank of elevators. 
         [0034]    In embodiments of the invention, the elevator control system  110  determines whether the user  130  enters the assigned elevator and takes actions based on the determination whether the user entered the assigned elevator. Accordingly, in  FIG. 1 , the user  130  is illustrated outside the elevator car  101 , representing a location at which the user requests a destination, and inside the elevator car  101  where the user&#39;s identity is detected. 
         [0035]    In particular, the user has an identification (ID) element  131  that is associated with the user, and the elevator car  101  has an identification (ID) element analysis unit  103  to identify the user based on the ID element  131 . In block  203  of  FIG. 2 , the ID element analysis unit  103  analyzes the ID element  131  of the user  130  in the elevator car  101  to determine the user&#39;s identity. The ID element  131  may be a device, biometric characteristics of the user  130 , or any other means of identifying a user. In one embodiment, the ID element  131  is a code or data generated by a portable communications device associated with the user  130 , such as a user&#39;s cell phone. The data may be transmitted wirelessly, such as via a wireless LAN, Bluetooth, near-field communication systems, or any other infrared, radio frequency or other wireless system. In one embodiment, the destination-request device  120  is a cell phone associated with the user  130 , and the ID element  131  is stored in, or part of, the cell phone. 
         [0036]    The ID element  131  may also include any other device capable of emitting data, such as a radio-frequency identification (RFID) chip. Such an RFID chip may be powered off until an RF signal is received from the ID element analysis unit  103  that generates current in the RFID chip causing the RFID chip to emit identification data. In one embodiment, the ID element  131  is a card or badge, or is a chip embedded in the card or badge. While a few examples of devices have been provided by way of description, embodiments of the invention encompass any device capable of providing identification of a user  130  to an ID element analysis unit  103 . 
         [0037]    In addition or in the alternative, the ID element  131  may include biometric data of a user. For example, the ID element analysis unit  103  may be a camera or scanner capable of recognizing a user&#39;s features, such as a face, fingerprint, retina, or any other biometric data that can be used to identify the user. The elevator control system  110  stores identification data, such as identifying codes or biometric data, in the identification (ID) database  113  and compares detected identification information with the data in the database  113  to identify the user  130  in the elevator car  101 . 
         [0038]    The elevator control system  110  determines whether the elevator  101  in which the user  130  is located is the same elevator that was previously assigned to the user  130 . In path  204  of  FIG. 2 , if the elevator control system  110  determines that the elevator  101  in which the user  130  is located is the same elevator that was assigned to the user  130 , the elevator control system  110  controls the elevator car  101  to travel to the previously-assigned destination. The path to the previously-assigned destination may be by way of any other number of destinations based on the presence of additional users in the elevator car  101  or additional elevator requests from users outside the elevator car  101 . 
         [0039]    In path  206  of  FIG. 2 , if the elevator control system  110  determines that the elevator car  101  is not the same elevator that was assigned to the user, then the elevator control system  207  may determine whether an elevator change is permitted. For example, in a system in which some elevators access only some floors, a user may not be allowed to ride in an elevator that accesses floors the user is not permitted to access, or which does not access the floor the user has requested. In block  208 , of  FIG. 2 , the elevator control system  110  may provide feedback to the user, such as by providing visual, audio, or other messages via the user interface  104  or the destination-request device  120 . The feedback may be based on whether changes are permitted. For example, a feedback message may ask the user to confirm an elevator change by pressing a “door close” or “confirm change” button on the user interface  104  or destination-request device  120  in embodiments in which an elevator change is permitted. In addition, the feedback message may instruct the user to exit the elevator car  101  and enter another elevator in an embodiment in which an elevator change is not permitted. In these embodiments, the doors of the elevator car  101  may be controlled to remain open until a user action is detected, whether confirming an elevator change in path  210  of  FIG. 2  or exiting the elevator in path  209 . In one embodiment, the elevator control system  110  may send a message to the user&#39;s portable communications device with information such as the recommended elevator, an increased arrival time based on the elevator in which the user is presently located, an indication that the elevator in which the user is located is going the wrong direction (i.e. the user wants to go up, but the elevator is going down), any information indicating to the user why the non-assigned elevator in which the user is located is not ideal for the user, or any other information. The user  130  may then be given the opportunity to leave the elevator prior to the doors closing, or remain on the elevator, at which time the elevator control system  110  may change the elevator assigned to the user to correspond to the elevator in which the user is located. 
         [0040]    If it is determined that the user has exited the elevator in path  209 , the elevator doors may close and the elevator may continue to operate without the user. The user is then detected in another elevator in block  203 , and the process of determining whether the user is in the assigned elevator repeats. 
         [0041]    If the user confirms the elevator change in path  210 , the elevator control system  110  may change the user&#39;s elevator assignment in block  211  and may then control the elevator to travel to the user&#39;s requested destination in block  205 . In one embodiment, the user confirmation of path  210  requires an action or operation by the user, such as pressing a button, speaking a confirmation, or otherwise interacting with the user interface  104  or the destination-request device  120 . In another embodiment, no user action is required, and the elevator control system  110  changes the elevator assignment based on the user simply remaining in the elevator for a predetermined period of time without performing any other operation or action, or without interacting with the user interface  104  or the destination-request device  120 . 
         [0042]    While an embodiment has been described in which the elevator control system  110  provides feedback to the user, in another embodiment, one or both of the blocks  205  and  211  of  FIG. 2  are performed automatically by the elevator control system  110  without any user-initiated actions after entering the elevator car  101 . For example, in one embodiment, the elevator control system  110  controls the elevator to travel to a requested destination or changes the requested destination without a user interacting with the user interface  104  in the elevator car (such as a control panel, keypad, audio interface, etc.), without requiring the user to move an ID badge or other user identification device or object into the vicinity of a reader or scanner, and without requiring the user to perform any other user-initiated action. Instead, the ID element analysis unit  103  may automatically detect the ID element  131 , and the elevator control system  110  may perform the assignment change of block  207  or the elevator destination control of block  205  based on the ID element detection. 
         [0043]    In one embodiment, the elevator control system  110  provides additional feedback to the user in block  212 . The feedback may include, for example, audio, visual, tactile, or other notifications via a user interface  104  in the elevator car  104  or via a portable communications device, such as a cell phone, associated with the user. The content of the additional feedback may include the requested destination, time to arrival, or any other feedback. While  FIG. 2  illustrates the providing of feedback downstream, or later than, the changing of the elevator assignment, it may be understood that the feedback may be provided prior to, or concurrently with, the changing of the elevator assignment, as described previously with respect to block  208  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0044]    In addition, in one embodiment the user may request a change in destination after entering an elevator car, as indicated by path  209  of  FIG. 2 . In such an embodiment, the elevator control system  110  may change the elevator assigned to the user (as illustrated in  FIG. 2 ), or may simply change the destination of the elevator. For example, in an embodiment in which some elevators service only some destinations, a user may change a destination request to correspond to a location that is not serviced by the elevator in which the user is located. In such an embodiment, the elevator control system  110  may change the elevator assigned to the user, and may instruct the user, via a portable communications device, for example, how to access the assigned elevator. In another example, the user may realize that an incorrect destination was initially requested, and may request a different location serviced by the elevator. The elevator control system  110  may then merely change the destination of the elevator car  101 . In such an embodiment, an efficiency of the elevator system  100  is realized, since the elevator control system  110  may skip the erroneously-selected destination if no other users have requested the destination. 
         [0045]    In block  213  of  FIG. 2 , the elevator car  101  arrives at the requested destination. 
         [0046]    While one ID element analysis unit  103  is illustrated in the box representing the elevator car  101 , embodiments of the invention encompass any system that identifies whether users have entered particular elevator cars  101 . For example, in one embodiment, ID element analysis units may be located at stationary locations at each door to an elevator on each separate floor of a building. In such an embodiment, each elevator car  101  has multiple ID element analysis units associated with it, so that each ID element analysis unit on each floor of the building tracks which users enter the particular elevator and which users leave the elevator, and the data from all of the ID element analysis units is transferred to the elevator control system  110  which tracks the occupancy of the elevators. 
         [0047]    In addition, while an embodiment is illustrated in which the ID element analysis unit  103  identifies the ID element  131  of the user  130  to identify the user  130 , embodiments also encompass other functions of the ID element analysis unit  103 , such as tracking occupant who cannot be specifically identified. For example, in one embodiment guests to a building may be provided with badges that do not uniquely identify the guest, but instead identify the user as a “guest,” permitting the elevator control system  110  to track the location of the guest. In another embodiment, if the ID element analysis unit  103  is a biometric reader and does not recognize a particular user (i.e. the user is not in the ID database  113 ), the unidentified user may still be counted for purposes of determining the occupancy of the elevator car  101  or tracking the location of the unidentified user, while the user may be denied the destination-request function or access to predetermined locations in the building. 
         [0048]    As previously discussed, embodiments of the invention encompass any type of ID element.  FIG. 3  illustrates an embodiment in which the destination-request device is a portable communications device  300 . The portable communications device  300  includes a display panel  301 , user data entry buttons  302 , and an ID element  303  included in the portable communications device  300 . In one embodiment, the ID element includes code executed by a processor and transmitted wireles sly by an antenna. In another embodiment, the ID element  303  is an RFID chip embedded in the portable communications device  300 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 4  illustrates an embodiment in which the ID element  402  is embedded in a badge  400  or identification card including identification information  401 , such as words, pictures, and other symbols. In such an embodiment, the ID element  402  may include an RFID chip, barcode, or other scannable or detectable code, symbol, design, or other feature. 
         [0050]      FIG. 5  illustrates yet another embodiment in which the ID element analysis unit includes a camera  502  and biometric detector  504  to identify biometric characteristics of a user  503  in an elevator car  501 . For example, the camera  502  may identify facial or retinal characteristics, or the biometric detector  504  may detect fingerprints, palm prints, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or other biological identifiers, or any other biometric data capable of identifying a user. 
         [0051]    Technical effects of embodiments of the invention include increasing an efficiency of an elevator system by tracking users in elevators to reduce extra, erroneous, or unnecessary stops of the elevator, reducing the arrival of full elevators due to elevator calls from users outside the elevator, and providing security features to track users and grant access to destinations in a building based on a user&#39;s identification. 
         [0052]    While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1