Method for playing characters inside an elevator, and system for playing characters inside an elevator.

Abstract

This invention provides an elevator character playback method and system that allow for easy setting and playback of characters to be played inside an elevator. [Solution] The character setting server 5 displays a selection screen that allows the user to select one or more characters from a set of stored characters. Based on the selection screen, the user selects one or more characters from the set of characters. The character setting server 5 transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the selected character to the elevator's monitoring panel 1. The monitoring panel 1 receives the character's video, audio, and playback schedule. The monitoring panel 1 plays the received video and audio according to the received playback schedule.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in - elevator character reproduction method and an in - elevator character reproduction system.

Background Art

[0002] There is known a system that replaces the announcements played inside an elevator car with those of famous characters. For example, in the system described in Patent Document 1, when the control device receives a boarding signal from a communication terminal, it causes a display in the elevator to display an image of a character that the owner of the communication terminal likes.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In such an elevator, at the time of elevator design, for example, character data replacing existing announcements is created, and the announcement data in the elevator is rewritten as character data.

[0005] In order to rewrite the announcement data, it is necessary to stop the elevator and rewrite the data in the memory of the monitoring panel that monitors the elevator. Therefore, it is difficult to rewrite the announcement data after the elevator is installed. Also, when the character voice becomes out - of - date and needs to be changed to another character, or when returning to the standard announcement voice, since the elevator needs to be redesigned, the cost burden on the owner of the building where the elevator is installed is large.

[0006] The method described in Patent Document 1 states that a communication terminal can be used to set a character created by the owner of the communication terminal as a favorite character. However, it does not describe how the control device acquires and plays the data of the character that the communication terminal owner has set as a favorite.

[0007] Therefore, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide an elevator character playback method and an elevator character playback system that can easily set and play characters to be played inside the elevator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The elevator character playback method disclosed herein comprises the steps of: a server displaying a selection screen allowing the user to select one or more characters from a plurality of stored characters; a user selecting one or more characters from the plurality of characters based on the selection screen; the server transmitting the video, audio, and playback schedule of the selected characters to the elevator's monitoring panel; the monitoring panel receiving the character's video, audio, and playback schedule; and the monitoring panel playing the received video and audio according to the received playback schedule.

[0009] The elevator character playback system of this disclosure comprises a server, a monitoring panel for monitoring the elevator, a user terminal, and a display and speaker installed in the elevator. The server displays a selection screen on the user terminal that allows the user to select one or more characters from a plurality of stored characters, transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character selected by the user terminal to the elevator monitoring panel, and the monitoring panel receives the character's video, audio, and playback schedule, and plays the received video on the display and the received audio on the speaker according to the received playback schedule. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to this disclosure, the server transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character selected by the user to the elevator's monitoring panel, thereby making it easy to set and play the character to be played in the elevator. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This diagram shows the configuration of the elevator character playback system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing the configuration of monitoring panel 1. [Figure 3] This diagram shows the configuration of character setting server 5. [Figure 4] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside an elevator according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 5] This is a diagram showing an example of how the elevator list is displayed. [Figure 6] This is a diagram illustrating an example of a character selection screen. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing the configuration of the control panel 2 in the second embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside the elevator according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 9] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside an elevator according to Embodiment 3. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside the elevator according to Embodiment 4. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside the elevator according to Embodiment 5. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Embodiment 1. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the in-elevator character playback system according to Embodiment 1. The in-elevator character playback system includes a monitoring panel 1, a control panel 2, a display 3, a speaker 4, a monitoring information center 8, and a user terminal 6.

[0013] The monitoring panel 1, the control panel 2, the display 3, and the speaker 4 are provided for each elevator 9. The monitoring panel 1 mainly executes processes related to the monitoring of the elevator 9. The control panel 2 mainly executes processes related to the control of the elevator 9.

[0014] The monitoring panel 1 and the monitoring information center 8 are connected by a dedicated communication line 10. The monitoring panel 1 transmits failure information of the elevator 9 and the like to the monitoring information center 8. A character setting server 5 is provided in the monitoring information center 8. The display 3 and the speaker 4 are installed in the car 7 of the elevator 9.

[0015] The user terminal 6 is operated by a special contractor who can set characters among the owners of the building where the elevator 9 is installed, or an operator who works according to the instructions of the special contractor.

[0016] The character setting server 5 transmits the character video, audio, and schedule to the monitoring panel 1.

[0017] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the monitoring panel 1. The monitoring panel 1 includes a memory 11, a processor 12, and a communication circuit 13.

[0018] The communication circuit 13 receives the character video, audio, playback schedule, and license period transmitted from the character setting server 5. The memory 11 stores programs executed by the processor 12.

[0019] The processor 12 can execute the program stored in memory 11. The processor 12 plays the received video on the display 3 and the received audio on the speaker 4 according to the received playback schedule.

[0020] Figure 3 shows the configuration of the character setting server 5. The character setting server 5 comprises memory 51, a processor 52, and a communication circuit 53.

[0021] The communication circuit 53 transmits the character's video, audio, playback schedule, and license period to the monitoring panel 1.

[0022] Memory 51 stores the character's video, audio, and license period. The character's audio includes phrases such as "The door is opening," and "This is the third floor." Memory 51 also stores the program executed by processor 52.

[0023] The processor 52 can execute programs stored in memory 51. The processor 52 displays a selection screen on the user terminal 6 that allows the user to select one or more characters from among several characters stored in memory 51, and transmits the video, audio, license period, and playback schedule of the character selected by the user terminal 6 to the monitoring panel 1 via the communication circuit 53.

[0024] Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the character playback method inside the elevator according to Embodiment 1.

[0025] In step S101, the user, who is the building owner, accesses the character setting server 5 through the user terminal 6.

[0026] In step S102, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 displays a list of elevators in buildings owned by the building owner, as shown in Figure 5, on the user terminal 6.

[0027] In step S103, the user selects an elevator through the user terminal 6.

[0028] In step S104, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 displays a selection screen on the user terminal 6 that allows the user to select a character that is within the license period from among the characters stored in memory 51. Figure 6 shows an example of the character selection screen.

[0029] In step S105, the user selects a character and a character playback schedule (display period) via the user terminal 6. The user may also decide which character to select while playing a display sample, as shown in Figure 6. Character playback here can be video playback, still image playback, or frame-by-frame playback.

[0030] In step S106, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 transmits the video, audio, playback schedule, and license period of the selected character to the monitoring panel 1 via the communication circuit 53.

[0031] In step S107, the communication circuit 13 of the monitoring panel 1 receives the character's video, audio, playback schedule, and license period.

[0032] In step S108, the processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 stores the character's video, audio, playback schedule, and license period in the memory 11 within the monitoring panel 1.

[0033] In step S109, the processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 plays the video and audio of the characters stored in memory 11 according to the playback schedule in memory 11. The video is displayed on display 3, and the audio is output from speaker 4. The processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 may play multiple characters alternately at regular time intervals.

[0034] In step S110, the processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 refers to the license period for each character stored in memory 11 and deletes the video and audio of characters whose license period has expired from memory 11 in the monitoring panel 1.

[0035] As described above, according to this embodiment, by downloading the video and audio of characters stored on the server to the elevator's monitoring panel, the in-elevator entertainment aspect using characters can be enhanced. Furthermore, since the character being played can be easily changed in a short time while the elevator is in operation by the subscriber, character-based entertainment services can be easily introduced into elevators. The building owner can freely select the character they want to play without requiring any work from elevator maintenance personnel or designers.

[0036] Embodiment 2. Figure 7 is a diagram showing the configuration of the control panel 2 in the second embodiment.

[0037] The control panel 2 includes a memory 21 and a processor 22. The memory 21 stores programs used by the processor 22. The processor 22 can execute the programs stored in the memory 21.

[0038] The memory 21 in control panel 2 has a smaller capacity than the memory 11 in monitoring panel 1. Memory 11 in monitoring panel 1 stores video, playback schedule, and license period. Memory 21 in control panel 2 stores audio.

[0039] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the elevator character playback method of Embodiment 2. The difference between the flowchart in Figure 8 and the flowchart of Embodiment 1 in Figure 4 is that the flowchart in Figure 8 includes steps S208, S209, and S210 instead of steps S108, S109, and S110.

[0040] In step S208, the monitoring panel 1 stores the character's video, playback schedule, and license period in its memory 11, and the character's voice in the control panel 2's memory 21.

[0041] In step S209, the monitoring panel 1 plays back the character video stored in the memory 11 of the monitoring panel 1 and the audio stored in the memory 21 of the control panel 2, according to the playback schedule stored in the memory 11 of the monitoring panel 1.

[0042] In step S210, the monitoring panel 1 deletes the video of characters whose license period has expired from its memory 11 and deletes the audio of characters from the memory 21 of the control panel 2.

[0043] As described above, according to this embodiment, audio data with a small amount of data can be stored in the memory of a control panel with a small capacity, and other data can be stored in the memory of a monitoring panel with a large capacity.

[0044] Embodiment 3. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the elevator character playback method of Embodiment 3. The difference between the flowchart in Figure 9 and the flowchart of Embodiment 1 in Figure 4 is that the flowchart in Figure 9 includes steps S306, S307, and S308 instead of steps S106, S107, and S108, and steps S310, S311, and S312 instead of step S110.

[0045] In step S306, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the selected character to the monitoring panel 1 via the communication circuit 53.

[0046] In step S307, the communication circuit 13 of the monitoring panel 1 receives the character's video, audio, and playback schedule.

[0047] In step S308, the processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 stores the character's video, audio, and playback schedule in the memory 11 within the monitoring panel 1.

[0048] In step S310, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 refers to the license period for each character stored in memory 51, and if the license period for a character sent to the monitoring panel 1 has expired, it sends a character deletion instruction to the monitoring panel 1 via the communication circuit 53.

[0049] In step S311, the communication circuit 13 of the monitoring panel 1 receives a character deletion instruction.

[0050] In step S312, the processor 12 of the monitoring panel 1 deletes the video and audio of the character that has been instructed to be deleted from the memory 11 in the monitoring panel 1.

[0051] As described above, according to this embodiment, by removing characters whose license period has expired from the monitoring panel, it is possible to ensure that character license agreements are reliably complied with.

[0052] Embodiment 4. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the elevator character playback method of Embodiment 4. The difference between the flowchart in Figure 10 and the flowchart of Embodiment 1 in Figure 4 is that the flowchart in Figure 10 includes steps S404 and S407 instead of steps S104 and S107.

[0053] In step S404, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 displays a selection screen on the user terminal 6 that allows the user to select a character whose download count has not exceeded the permitted number of downloads. Therefore, characters whose download count has exceeded the permitted number of downloads cannot be selected.

[0054] After step S106, in step S407, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 increments the number of character downloads.

[0055] As described above, according to this embodiment, when a character license agreement specifies a number of downloads, it is possible to ensure that the character license agreement is reliably complied with.

[0056] Embodiment 5. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the elevator character playback method of Embodiment 5. The difference between the flowchart in Figure 11 and the flowchart of Embodiment 1 in Figure 4 is that the flowchart in Figure 11 includes step S504 instead of step S104. In step S504, the processor 52 of the character setting server 5 displays a selection screen on the user terminal 6 that allows the user to select a character from the characters stored in memory 51 that is within the license period and is permitted to be played in the selected elevator.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, the character that can be played can be changed for each elevator, i.e., each owner.

[0058] Variant expression. This disclosure may also include the following variations:

[0059] (1) The owner may select multiple elevators, and the character setting server may set the same character for the selected multiple elevators.

[0060] (2) The owner may select the type of building in which the elevator is installed (such as a commercial building or an office building), and the character setting server may set the same character for multiple elevators installed in the selected type of building. The owner may also select the type of zone in which the elevator is installed (such as a commercial zone or an office zone), and the character setting server may set the same character for multiple elevators installed in the selected type of zone.

[0061] (3) Access to the character setting server may be limited to those who pay a monthly fee in a subscription format.

[0062] (4) The playable characters may be changed according to the play schedule. For example, character X may be playable on Mondays, and character Y may be playable on Tuesdays.

[0063] The embodiments described above are specific examples of the following appendix. (Note 1) The server displays a selection screen that allows the user to choose one or more characters from a set of characters it has stored. The steps include: the user selecting one or more characters from the multiple characters based on the selection screen; The server transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the selected character to the elevator's monitoring panel. The monitoring panel receives the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character, An elevator character playback method comprising the steps of: the monitoring panel playing back the received video and audio according to the received playback schedule.

[0064] (Note 2) The aforementioned character has a license period, The elevator character playback method according to Appendix 1, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying a character within the license period from among a plurality of characters stored on the server as selectable.

[0065] (Note 3) The aforementioned character has a license period, The aforementioned transmission step includes the step of transmitting the license period, The aforementioned receiving step includes the step of receiving the license period, The elevator character playback method according to Appendix 1 or 2, further comprising the step of the monitoring panel deleting the video and audio of the character whose license period has expired.

[0066] (Note 4) The aforementioned character has a license period, The server sends a deletion instruction to the monitoring panel when the license period for the character that has been sent to the monitoring panel has expired. The monitoring panel receives a command to delete the character, The elevator character playback method according to any one of Appendix 1 to 3, further comprising the step of the monitoring panel deleting the video and audio of the character for which deletion has been instructed.

[0067] (Note 5) The monitoring panel includes the steps of storing the received video in a storage device within the monitoring panel and storing the received audio in a storage device within the control panel. The elevator character playback method according to any one of Appendix 1 to 4, wherein the playback step comprises the step of the monitoring panel playing back the video in the storage device of the monitoring panel and the audio in the storage device of the control panel.

[0068] (Note 6) The elevator character playback method according to any one of Appendix 1 to 5, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying a character among a plurality of characters stored on the server whose download count does not exceed the permitted number of downloads as selectable.

[0069] (Note 7) The elevator character playback method according to any one of the appendices 1 to 6, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying, as selectable, a character from among a plurality of characters stored on the server that is within the license period and is permitted to be played in the selected elevator.

[0070] (Note 8) An elevator character playback system comprising a server, a monitoring panel for monitoring the elevator, a user terminal, and a display and speaker installed in the elevator, The server displays a selection screen on the user terminal allowing the user to select one or more characters from a set of stored characters, and transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character selected by the user terminal to the elevator's monitoring panel. An elevator character playback system comprising a monitoring panel that receives the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character, and, according to the received playback schedule, plays the received video on the display and plays the received audio on the speaker.

[0071] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are intended to be included. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1. Monitoring panel, 2. Control panel, 3. Display, 4. Speaker, 5. Character setting server, 6. User terminal, 8. Monitoring information center, 9. Elevator, 10. Communication line, 11, 21, 51. Memory, 12, 22, 52. Processor, 13, 53. Communication circuit.

Claims

1. The server displays a selection screen that allows the user to choose one or more characters from a set of characters it has stored. The user selects one or more characters from the multiple characters based on the selection screen, The server transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the selected character to the elevator's monitoring panel. The monitoring panel receives the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character, An elevator character playback method comprising the steps of: the monitoring panel playing back the received video and audio according to the received playback schedule.

2. The aforementioned character has a license period, The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying a character within the license period from among a plurality of characters stored on the server as selectable.

3. The aforementioned character has a license period, The aforementioned transmission step includes the step of transmitting the license period, The aforementioned receiving step includes the step of receiving the license period, The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of the monitoring panel deleting the video and audio of the character whose license period has expired.

4. The aforementioned character has a license period, The server sends a deletion instruction to the monitoring panel when the license period for the character that has been sent to the monitoring panel has expired. The monitoring panel receives a command to delete the character, The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of the monitoring panel deleting the video and audio of the character for which deletion has been instructed.

5. The monitoring panel includes the steps of storing the received video in a storage device within the monitoring panel and storing the received audio in a storage device within the control panel. The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, wherein the playback step comprises the step of the monitoring panel playing back the video in the storage device of the monitoring panel and the audio in the storage device of the control panel.

6. The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying a character among a plurality of characters stored on the server whose download count does not exceed the permitted number of downloads as selectable.

7. The elevator character playback method according to claim 1, wherein the step of displaying the selection screen includes the step of displaying, as selectable, a character from among a plurality of characters stored on the server that is within the license period and is permitted to be played in the selected elevator.

8. An elevator character playback system comprising a server, a monitoring panel for monitoring the elevator, a user terminal, and a display and speaker installed in the elevator, The server displays a selection screen on the user terminal allowing the user to select one or more characters from a set of stored characters, and transmits the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character selected by the user terminal to the elevator's monitoring panel. An elevator character playback system comprising a monitoring panel that receives the video, audio, and playback schedule of the character, and, according to the received playback schedule, plays the received video on the display and plays the received audio on the speaker.

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