US-12617653-B2 - Elevator operating device with waiting time and occupancy symbolizations

US12617653B2US 12617653 B2US12617653 B2US 12617653B2US-12617653-B2

Abstract

An elevator operating device for inputting a travel request on a floor of a building has a touch-sensitive screen system, which has a screen region that is visible to a passenger, and a central control device. The central control device controls the screen system in a first mode, to display a first graphical user interface, and in a second mode, to display a second graphical user interface. The first graphical user interface comprises one or two travel direction symbols. The second graphical user interface comprises an edge zone for symbolizing a waiting time until the elevator car arrives on the floor, and a center zone for symbolizing an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers, wherein a displayed degree of filling of the center zone symbolizes an occupancy of the elevator car.

Inventors

Jacqueline Walther

Assignees

INVENTIO AG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210422
Priority Date: 20200430

Claims (14)

1 . An elevator operating device for inputting a travel request on a floor of a building in which an elevator system having an elevator car and an elevator controller is arranged, the device comprising: a communication device configured to communicate with the elevator controller; a touch-sensitive screen system comprising a screen region that is visible to a passenger; and a central control device communicatively connected to the communication device and the screen system, wherein the central control device is configured to control the screen system in a first elevator operating mode, in order to display a first graphical user interface on the screen region, and to control the screen system in a second elevator operating mode, in order to display a second graphical user interface on the screen region, wherein the first graphical user interface comprises one or two travel direction symbols, and wherein the second graphical user interface comprises: an edge zone that extends in the screen region along a circumference of the screen region and has a specified width, wherein the edge zone is configured to symbolize a waiting time until the elevator car arrives on the floor, wherein a degree of filling of the edge zone which changes along the circumference symbolizes a changing waiting time, and a center zone displayable separately from the edge zone configured to symbolize an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers, wherein a displayed degree of filling of the center zone symbolizes an occupancy of the elevator car.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the degree of filling of the edge zone which changes along the circumference is a decreasing degree of filling of the edge zone, and symbolizes a decreasing waiting time.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the center zone of the second graphical user interface is configured to displaying a floor on or in the vicinity of which the elevator car is located.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the center zone is configured to display a travel direction of the elevator car.
5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the second graphical user interface further comprises an intermediate zone arranged between the edge zone and the center zone, wherein the intermediate zone is configured to display a travel direction of the elevator car that corresponds to the travel request.
6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the center zone is circular and the intermediate zone is annular.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the center zone is configured to display an operating symbol, a pictogram, or text.
8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the screen region is circular.
9 . The device of claim 8 , wherein the edge zone is annular.
10 . An elevator system comprising the elevator operating device of claim 1 .
11 . The elevator system of claim 10 , further comprising a sensor device configured to determine an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers.
12 . The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the elevator operating device is arranged on a shaft door or a shaft door frame of the elevator system or on a building wall.
13 . A method for operating the elevator system, the method comprising: controlling a touch-sensitive screen system of an elevator operating device that is arranged on a floor of a building in a first elevator operating mode, in order to cause a first graphical user interface that comprises one or two travel direction symbols to be displayed in a screen region of the touch-sensitive screen system, which screen region is visible to a passenger; detecting a travel request when a passenger touches a travel direction symbol; controlling the touch-sensitive screen system in a second elevator operating mode to cause a second graphical user interface to be displayed in the screen region, the second graphical user interface comprising: an edge zone that extends in the screen region along a circumference of the screen region and has a specified width, wherein the edge zone is configured to symbolize a waiting time until the elevator car arrives on the floor, wherein a degree of filling of the edge zone which changes along the circumference symbolizes a changing waiting time, and a center zone that can be displayed separately from the edge zone and is configured to symbolize an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers, wherein a displayed degree of filling of the center zone symbolizes an occupancy of the elevator car.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising determining, with a sensor device, an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The technology described herein relates in general to an elevator system in a building. Embodiments of the technology relate in particular to an elevator operating device, to an elevator system having such an elevator operating device, and to a method for operating such an elevator system. SUMMARY In buildings having elevator systems, elevator operating devices are provided, by means of which a passenger can input an elevator call. In known elevator systems, elevator operating devices are arranged on the individual floors. These elevator operating devices have up/down buttons for the passenger to input the desired travel direction. An elevator controller then causes an elevator car to be moved, for example, to the floor (boarding floor) on which the passenger input the desired travel direction. In this elevator system, an elevator operating device is provided in the elevator car, by means of which device the passenger in the elevator car can input the desired destination floor. Although a passenger can use the up/down buttons mentioned to call an elevator to the floor, there may be a requirement for an elevator system and/or for a building to offer additional functionality to a passenger. There is therefore a need for a technology that fully or at least partially meets these requirements. One aspect of the technology described herein relates to an elevator operating device for inputting a travel request on a floor of a building in which an elevator system having an elevator car and an elevator controller is arranged. The elevator operating device has a communication device which is configured to communicate with the elevator controller, a touch-sensitive screen system which has a screen region that is visible to a passenger, and a central control device that is communicatively connected to the communication device and the screen system. The central control device is configured to control the screen system in a first elevator operating mode in order to display a first graphical user interface on the screen region, and to control the screen system in a second elevator operating mode in order to display a second graphical user interface on the screen region. The first graphical user interface comprises one or two travel direction symbols. The second graphical user interface comprises an edge zone that extends in the screen region along a circumference of the screen region and has a specified width. The edge zone is provided for symbolizing a waiting time until the elevator car arrives on the floor, wherein a degree of filling of the edge zone which changes along the circumference symbolizes a changing waiting time. The second graphical user interface also comprises a center zone that can be displayed separately from the edge zone and is provided for symbolizing an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers, wherein a displayed degree of filling of the center zone symbolizes an occupancy of the elevator car. A further aspect of the technology described herein relates to an elevator system having such an elevator operating device. Another aspect of the technology relates to a method for operating an elevator system. The method comprises controlling a touch-sensitive screen system of an elevator operating device which is arranged on a floor of a building, in a first elevator operating mode, in order to cause a first graphical user interface which comprises one or two travel direction symbols to be displayed in a screen region of the touch-sensitive screen system, which screen region is visible to a passenger. A travel request is detected when a passenger touches a travel direction symbol. The touch-sensitive screen system is controlled in a second elevator operating mode to cause a second graphical user interface to be displayed in the screen region. The second graphical user interface comprises an edge zone that extends in the screen region along a circumference of the screen region and has a specified width. The edge zone is provided for symbolizing a waiting time until the elevator car arrives on the floor, wherein a degree of filling of the edge zone which changes along the circumference symbolizes a changing waiting time. The second graphical user interface also comprises a center zone that can be displayed separately from the edge zone and is provided for symbolizing an occupancy of the elevator car by passengers, wherein a displayed degree of filling of the center zone symbolizes an occupancy of the elevator car. The technology described herein creates an elevator operating device that can display two graphical user interfaces separately from one another in the screen region. Which graphical user interface is displayed depends on the elevator operating mode. This not only allows a passenger to input the travel direction by means of the first graphical user interface, but also additional information about the waiting time and the occupancy of the elevator car carrying out the elevator call