Patent Description:
A passenger may utilize a mobile device to communicate over a telecommunications network (network) for the purpose of establishing a network communication link (link) with an electronic control hub (hub) of an elevator system. Once the link is established, the passenger may utilize the mobile device to transmit a service request to the hub over the link. The request may identify for example an onboarding floor. In response the hub assign an elevator to provide the requested service. The link may remain active until the passenger receives the elevator service. If the link over the network degrades, a new link may be established between the mobile device and the hub. Once the new link is established, the passenger may utilize the mobile device to transmit a new service request to the hub. This may lead to unwanted service delays for the passenger. <CIT> discloses a system comprising a mobile electronic device which inputs a ride request to deliver an available elevator car to a floor location containing the mobile electronic device. <CIT> discloses a method for presenting an estimated elevator car arrival time.

Disclosed is a mobile device configured to communicate over a network with a controller of an elevator system, wherein the mobile device is further configured to: initiate a service request call over the network to the controller; transmit, to the controller during the service request call, a service request for an elevator service at a first level; receive, from the controller, a first data including a reference number that is indicative of an elevator assignment that is assigned to an elevator car in response to the service request, wherein the elevator assignment instructs the elevator car to travel to the first level; automatically initiate a status update call over the network to the controller when the service request call terminates before receiving the elevator service; and transmit, to the controller during the status update call, a second data including the reference number without transmitting an additional service request for the elevator service.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured to receive, from the controller during the status update call and after transmitting the second data including the reference number, a status update on the service request indicative of an estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at the first level pursuant to the elevator assignment.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured so that prior to initiating the status update call, the mobile device determines that the service request call terminated before receiving the elevator service due to a degraded link over the network.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured so that upon determining that the service request call terminated due to the degraded link, the mobile device displays a user message indicating that a further service request is unnecessary to receive the elevator service.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured so that during the service request call and the status update call the mobile device receives periodic status updates indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at the first level pursuant to the elevator assignment.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured to display indicia indicative of the periodic status updates.

In a set of embodiments, the mobile device is configured to communicate with the controller over WiFi and cellular networks.

Further disclosed is an elevator system comprising a controller configured to communicate with a mobile device as disclosed above over the network to engage in the status call, the controller being further configured to: receive from the mobile device the second data including the reference number that is indicative of the elevator assignment that is assigned to the elevator car in response to the service request, wherein the elevator assignment instructs the elevator car to travel to the first level; communicate with the elevator car to receive the status update of the elevator car in executing the elevator assignment, wherein the status update is indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at the first level pursuant to the elevator assignment; and transmit the status update to the mobile device.

In a set of embodiments, the controller is configured so that during the status update call, the controller periodically communicates with the elevator car to request status updates indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at the first level pursuant to the elevator assignment, and transmit the status updates to the mobile device.

In a set of embodiments, the controller is configured to communicate with the elevator car over a CAN network.

Aspects of the disclosed embodiments will now be addressed with reference to the figures. Aspects in any one figure is equally applicable to any other figure unless otherwise indicated. Aspects illustrated in the figures are for purposes of supporting the disclosure and are not in any way intended on limiting the scope of the disclosed embodiments. Any sequence of numbering in the figures is for reference purposes only.

Turning to <FIG>, a mobile device <NUM> associated with a passenger <NUM> is configured to communicate over a telecommunications network <NUM> with a controller <NUM> of an elevator system <NUM> in an architectural structure <NUM>. The telecommunications network may be WiFi, cellular, or other form of telecommunications such as a personal area network and may be a combination of such networks. The architectural structure <NUM> may be a residential building, an office building, a hospital or other structure with an elevator system <NUM> therein.

The elevator system <NUM> may be the same as the elevator system <NUM> of <FIG> and includes an elevator car <NUM>. The controller <NUM> is configured to control the elevator car <NUM> to travel between a plurality of levels <NUM> in the architectural structure <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may communicate with the elevator car <NUM> via, e.g., a CAN bus <NUM> or similar network platform.

In the illustrated embodiment the passenger <NUM> requires elevator service at a first level 260a. Accordingly, <FIG> is a flowchart showing a method executed by the mobile device <NUM> of securing elevator service according to a disclosed embodiment. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> initiating a service request call over the telecommunications network <NUM> to the controller <NUM>. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> transmitting to the controller <NUM> during the service request call, a service request for an elevator service for the passenger <NUM> at the first level 260a of the architectural structure <NUM>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> receiving, from the controller, a first data. The first data includes a reference number that is indicative of an elevator assignment that is assigned to the elevator car <NUM> by the controller <NUM> in response to the service request. According to an embodiment the elevator assignment instructs the elevator car <NUM> to travel to the first level 260a for receiving the passenger <NUM>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> determining, prior to initiating the status update call, that the service request call terminated before receiving the elevator service due to a degraded telecommunications link over the telecommunications network <NUM>. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> displaying a user message indicating that a further service request is unnecessary to receive the elevator service. Such message may include "You just lost a network connection. But your elevator is on the way. When you are online, you will receive a live status update of your assigned elevator. Do not place a new call again". This also occurs upon the mobile device <NUM> determining that the service request call terminated due to the degraded telecommunications link over the telecommunications network <NUM>. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> automatically initiating a status update call over the telecommunications network <NUM> to the controller <NUM>. The mobile device <NUM> may monitor for an available network connection when attempting to perform this aspect of the method. This also occurs when the service request call terminates before receiving the elevator service due to the degraded telecommunications link over the telecommunications network <NUM>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> transmitting, to the controller <NUM> during the status update call, a second data including the reference number. This occurs without the mobile device <NUM> transmitting an additional service request for the elevator service. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> receiving, from the controller <NUM> during the status update call and after transmitting the second data including the reference number, a status update on the service request. The status update is indicative of an estimated time of arrival of the elevator car <NUM> at the first level 260a to receive the passenger <NUM> pursuant to the elevator assignment.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> receiving periodic status updates indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car <NUM> at the first level 260a to receive the passenger <NUM> pursuant to the elevator assignment. This occurs during the service request call and the status update call by the mobile device <NUM>. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the mobile device <NUM> displaying indicia indicative of the periodic status updates.

Accordingly, <FIG> is a flowchart showing a method that may be executed by the controller <NUM> of securing elevator service according to a disclosed embodiment. The controller <NUM> may execute this method in response to the mobile device <NUM> executing the method shown in the flowchart of <FIG>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the controller <NUM> engaging in the status update call with the mobile device <NUM> over the telecommunications network <NUM>. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the controller <NUM> receiving from the mobile device <NUM> the second data including the reference number that is indicative of the elevator assignment. As indicated the elevator assignment is assigned to the elevator car <NUM> by the controller <NUM> in response to the service request, and the elevator assignment instructs the elevator car <NUM> to travel to the first level 260a for receiving the passenger <NUM>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the controller <NUM> communicating with the elevator car <NUM> to receive the status update of the elevator car <NUM> in executing the elevator assignment. The status update is indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car <NUM> at the first level 260a to receive the passenger <NUM> pursuant to the elevator assignment. As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the controller <NUM> transmitting the status update to the mobile device <NUM>.

As shown in block <NUM> the method may include the controller <NUM> periodically communicating with the elevator car <NUM> to request status updates. Such status updates are also indicative of the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car <NUM> at the first level 260a to receive the passenger <NUM> pursuant to the elevator assignment. Block <NUM> further includes transmitting the status updates to the mobile device <NUM>. This occurs during the status update call.

According to the above disclosed embodiments, when a service request call is registered successfully a unique ID is generated by the controller, which is transmitted back to the mobile device along with elevator assignment and status updates. When the mobile device recognizes a network state changes (lost/restored call, transition from cellular to Wi-Fi and vice versa), the embodiments utilize popup-display messages on the mobile device instructing the passenger to not place a new service call. Such messages may include "You just lost a network connection. But your elevator is on the way. When you are online, you will receive a live status update of your assigned elevator. Do not place a new call again". When the network connection is restored, mobile phone is able to receive updates regarding the elevator service by utilizing the reference ID and without placing a new service call.

As used herein, "mobile devices" may contain one or more processors capable of communication using with other such devices by applying wired and/or wireless telecommunication protocols. Non-limiting examples of a smart device include a mobile phone, personal data assistant (PDA), tablet, watch, wearable or other processor-based devices. Protocols applied by smart devices may include local area network (LAN) protocols and/or a private area network (PAN) protocols. LAN protocols may apply WiFi technology, which is a technology based on the Section <NUM> standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE. PAN protocols include, for example, Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE), which is a wireless technology standard designed and marketed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) for exchanging data over short distances using short-wavelength radio waves. PAN protocols may also include Zigbee, a technology based on Section <NUM>. <NUM> protocols from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). More specifically, Zigbee represents a suite of high-level communication protocols used to create personal area networks with small, low-power digital radios for low-power low-bandwidth needs, and is best suited for small scale projects using wireless connections. Wireless protocols may further include short range communication (SRC) protocols, which may be utilized with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. RFID may be used for communicating with an integrated chip (IC) on an RFID smartcard. Wireless protocols may further include long range, low powered wide area network (LoRa and LPWAN) protocols that enable low data rate communications to be made over long distances by sensors and actuators for machine-to-machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

Claim 1:
A mobile device (<NUM>) configured to communicate over a network (<NUM>) with a controller (<NUM>) of an elevator system (<NUM>), wherein the mobile device (<NUM>) is further configured to:
initiate (<NUM>) a service request call over the network (<NUM>) to the controller (<NUM>);
transmit (<NUM>), to the controller (<NUM>) during the service request call, a service request for an elevator service at a first level (260a); and
receive (<NUM>), from the controller (<NUM>), a first data including a reference number that is indicative of an elevator assignment that is assigned to an elevator car (<NUM>) in response to the service request, wherein the elevator assignment instructs the elevator car (<NUM>) to travel to the first level (260a); characterized in that the mobile device is also configured to:
automatically initiate (<NUM>) a status update call over the network (<NUM>) to the controller (<NUM>) when the service request call terminates before receiving the elevator service; and
transmit (<NUM>), to the controller (<NUM>) during the status update call, a second data including the reference number without transmitting an additional service request for the elevator service.