Patent ID: 7559408

Claim:
An elevator system, comprising: a group of elevators ( 26 - 29 ) serving a selected plurality of floors of a building, which may be all or less than all of the floors of the building, from a plurality of corresponding elevator lobbies around which the elevators are disposed; characterized by: an elevator identifier disposed adjacent each elevator of the group on each floor, said elevator identifiers each emitting a unique sound; at least one floor selection station ( 39 a ), on at least a main lobby floor at one or more positions which may be at or near an entrance to an elevator lobby, or within an elevator lobby, each having a button ( 70 ); and means responsive to operation of one of said button a first time to begin verbally announcing, in sequence, choices selected from (a) individual destination floors and (b) groups of related floors, and responsive to operation of said one button a second time to identify as said choice the last announced (i) floor or (ii) group of related floors, wherein: said means announces groups of related floors during up-peak and individual floors during off-peak and for determining that one of said elevators has been assigned to respond to one or more floors identified as said choice, and to thereafter cause a sound uniquely identified with said choice to be emitted (i) at said station and (ii) at the one of said elevator identifiers, on the same floor as said station, adjacent to said one of said elevators assigned to serve said one or more floors identified as said choice.