Patent Description:
<CIT> describes a system for receiving a request for elevator service and assigning a resource associated with a service unrelated to the elevator system itself.

According to a first aspect, an elevator system is provided according to claim <NUM>.

In some examples, the first determination includes the controller determining from the statistical data that the passenger will seek to travel to the second lobby with the first elevator service.

In some examples, the controller: renders a second determination to instruct the elevator car to travel to the first lobby to provide elevator service to the passenger, and transmits a second communication to the elevator car to effect the second determination.

In some examples, the first determination includes the controller rendering from the statistical data a first time of day at which the passenger will effect the first request for elevator service.

In some examples, the controller transmits the first communication to the device proximate in time to the first time of day.

In some examples, the controller: renders a second determination to instruct the elevator car to travel to the first lobby proximate the first time of day and idle at the first lobby until engaged by the passenger.

In some examples, after a first threshold time of idling at the first lobby, the controller releases the elevator car from effecting elevator service for the passenger.

In some examples, the network is a personal area network (PAN).

In some examples, the network is Bluetooth.

Also disclosed is a method as defined by claim <NUM>, and one or more possible embodiments according to claims <NUM>-<NUM>.

The counterweight <NUM> is configured to balance a load of the elevator car <NUM> and is configured to facilitate movement of the elevator car <NUM> concurrently and in an opposite direction with respect to the counterweight <NUM> within an elevator hoistway <NUM> and along the guide rail <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> is located, as shown, in a controller room <NUM> of the elevator hoistway <NUM> and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system <NUM>, and particularly the elevator car <NUM>. When moving up or down within the elevator hoistway <NUM> along guide rail <NUM>, the elevator car <NUM> may stop at one or more landings <NUM> as controlled by the controller <NUM>.

Although shown and described with a roping system including tension member <NUM>, elevator systems that employ other methods and mechanisms of moving an elevator car within an elevator hoistway may employ embodiments of the present disclosure.

Turning to <FIG>, disclosed is an elevator system <NUM> in a building <NUM> having a plurality of levels <NUM> with a respective plurality of lobbies <NUM>, including a first level <NUM> and a second level <NUM> having a respective first lobby <NUM> and second lobby <NUM>. The elevator system <NUM> comprises an elevator car <NUM> and a controller <NUM> that controls the elevator car <NUM> and communicates over a network <NUM> with a device <NUM> for a passenger <NUM> seeking elevator service at the first lobby <NUM>. Device <NUM> may be a phone, PDA, tablet, watch, wearable or other processor-based device.

Turning to <FIG>, the controller <NUM> performs a process S200 of providing elevator service to the passenger <NUM>. Step S200 includes step S210 of the controller <NUM> storing first data comprising a dynamically updated accounting of elevator calls from the passenger <NUM>. Step S220 includes the controller <NUM> generating statistical data of elevator usage from the first data. Step S230 includes the controller <NUM> rendering a first determination from the statistical data that the passenger <NUM> will effect a first request for elevator service at the first lobby <NUM>. Step S240 includes the controller <NUM> transmitting a first communication to the device <NUM> that includes instructions to display the first determination for the passenger <NUM>.

According to an embodiment the first determination includes the controller <NUM> determining from the statistical data that the passenger <NUM> may seek to travel to the second lobby <NUM> with the first elevator service.

According to an embodiment the controller <NUM> renders a second determination to instruct the elevator car <NUM> to travel to the first lobby <NUM> to provide elevator service to the passenger <NUM>. The controller <NUM> may transmit a second communication to the elevator car <NUM> to effect the second determination.

According to an embodiment the first determination includes the controller <NUM> rendering from the statistical data a first time of day at the passenger <NUM> will affect the first request for elevator service. The controller <NUM> may transmit the first communication to the device <NUM> proximate in time to the first time of day. The controller <NUM> may render a second determination to instruct the elevator car <NUM> to travel to the first lobby <NUM> proximate the first time of day and idle at the first lobby <NUM> until engaged by the passenger <NUM>. According to an embodiment, after a first threshold time of idling at the first lobby <NUM>, the controller <NUM> releases the elevator car <NUM> from effecting elevator service for the passenger <NUM>. This occurs for example when the passenger fails to use requested service.

The controller <NUM> determines that it is statistically probable the passenger <NUM> will fail to utilize the first elevator service at the first lobby <NUM> following the passenger <NUM> effecting the first request for elevator service. The first communication from the controller <NUM> includes the controller <NUM> soliciting a confirmation from the passenger <NUM> that elevator service is being requested. The controller <NUM> instructs the elevator car <NUM> to provide the passenger <NUM> with elevator service upon receiving within a second threshold period of time affirmative feedback from the passenger <NUM>.

According to an embodiment the network <NUM> is a personal area network (PAN) and the system includes a beacon <NUM> with which the smart device connects to the PAN. According to an embodiment the network <NUM> is Bluetooth.

According to the above embodiments leveraging a passenger's profile information and patterns of elevator usage may enable a controller to generated predictions of user behavioral patterns. When the passenger engages a smart device for calling an elevator, the controller may recommend a destination level based on a prior usage pattern. The controller may park an elevator at a predicted originating level or nearby level in advance of a predicted call. In addition the elevator may identify misusage of elevator requests, thus providing an overall great efficiency of usage for the elevator system.

Claim 1:
An elevator system (<NUM>) in a building (<NUM>) having a plurality of levels (<NUM>) with a respective plurality of lobbies (<NUM>), including a first level (<NUM>) and a second level (<NUM>) having a respective first lobby (<NUM>) and second lobby (<NUM>), the system (<NUM>) comprising:
an elevator car (<NUM>) and a controller (<NUM>) for controlling the elevator car (<NUM>) and for communicating over a network (<NUM>) with a device (<NUM>) for a passenger (<NUM>) seeking elevator service at the first lobby (<NUM>), wherein the controller (<NUM>) is adapted to:
generate statistical data of elevator usage from a dynamically updated accounting of elevator calls from the passenger (<NUM>),
render a first determination from the statistical data that the passenger (<NUM>) will request first elevator service at the first lobby (<NUM>), and
transmit a first communication to the device (<NUM>) that includes instructions to display the first determination for the passenger (<NUM>);
characterized in that:
the controller (<NUM>) is further adapted to determine that it is statistically probable the passenger (<NUM>) will fail to utilize the first elevator service at the first lobby (<NUM>) following the passenger (<NUM>) effecting the first request for elevator service, and in that:
the first communication includes the controller (<NUM>) soliciting a confirmation from the passenger (<NUM>) that elevator service is being requested, and the controller (<NUM>) instructing the elevator car (<NUM>) to provide elevator service upon receiving within a second threshold period of time, affirmative feedback from the passenger (<NUM>).