Contactless destination floor input device for elevator

Abstract

The present invention relates to a contactless destination floor input device for an elevator. The input device of the present invention comprises: a proximity sensing module which is provided in the vicinity of an elevator control panel having a plurality of touch buttons, and which recognizes that an object enters a sensing area at a predetermined distance from the touch buttons; and a contactless input control unit which receives a signal of the proximity sensing module so as to calculate the approach position of the object entering the sensing area, and which allows at least one touch button to be selected from among the plurality of touch buttons according to the calculation result. The contactless input device for an elevator, of the present invention, can prevent erroneous destination floor registration by a user.

Description

Contactless destination input device for elevators

[0001] The present invention relates to a non-contact destination floor input device for an elevator, and more particularly, to a non-contact input device for an elevator that can prevent incorrect destination floor registration by a user.

[0002] High-rise buildings, such as apartment buildings and condominiums, are equipped with elevators to facilitate movement. Passengers riding the elevator typically reach their destination floor by pressing the elevator's touch button, which displays the floor number, or open and close the elevator doors.

[0003] Conventional elevator touch buttons use either a push-button or a capacitive one that detects changes in capacitance. In all cases, finger contact is unavoidable. Recently, hygiene in public facilities has become a critical issue, and research is being conducted on methods to minimize contact with hands, which often contain contaminants. Therefore, to reduce the spread of infectious diseases through elevator touch buttons installed in subway stations, airports, hospitals, and other locations, a contactless method for registering destination floors, easily applicable to existing elevators, has been proposed. However, the contactless method of entering destination floors has led to errors in registration due to various user manipulations.

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a non-contact destination floor input device for an elevator that can prevent misregistration due to user operation.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-described object, the present invention provides a non-contact destination floor input device for an elevator, comprising: an approach detection module installed around an elevator control panel having a plurality of touch buttons and recognizing that an object enters a detection area at a predetermined distance from the touch buttons; and a non-contact input control unit that receives a signal from the approach detection module, calculates an approach position of an object that has entered the detection area, and selects at least one touch button among the plurality of touch buttons based on the calculation result.

[0006] Preferably, when the non-contact input control unit recognizes that two or more objects have entered the detection area, it only processes the object that first entered the detection area.

[0007] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of a second object when the entry of a first object into the detection area is recognized and a second object enters the detection area.

[0008] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit processes the entry of a second object as valid when a first object enters the detection area corresponding to the OPEN button among the plurality of touch buttons and a second object enters the detection area.

[0009] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit effectively processes the entry of an object into the detection area after all objects have left the detection area.

[0010] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of an object into the detection area if the cross-sectional size of the object is greater than a predetermined size.

[0011] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of the object when the non-contact input control unit recognizes that the object has entered across the boundary of the touch button in the detection area.

[0012] Preferably, the non-contact input control unit ignores all entries of two or more objects when two or more objects enter the detection area within a predetermined time period and at least one of the objects enters an area in the detection area that does not correspond to the touch button.

[0013] According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, it is possible to prevent incorrect registration due to user operation in a non-contact destination floor input device for an elevator.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an elevator control panel to which a non-contact destination floor input device according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied.

[0015] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the elevator control panel shown in Figure 1.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a drawing explaining the detailed configuration and operation of the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a drawing explaining the detailed operation of the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0018] Fig. 5(a) is a drawing explaining the operation when two or more objects enter the detection area of ​​the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time of the objects.

[0019] FIG. 6(a) is a drawing explaining an operation when a second object enters the detection area while the first object is recognized to have entered the detection area in the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time of the object.

[0020] Fig. 7(a) is a drawing explaining the operation when a new object enters the detection area after all objects have left the detection area in the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time of the object.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a drawing explaining the operation when the cross-sectional size of an object entering the detection area of ​​the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1 is greater than a predetermined size.

[0022] FIG. 9 is a drawing explaining the operation when an object entering the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1 is recognized as crossing the boundary of the touch button in the detection area.

[0023] FIG. 10 is a drawing explaining an operation when two or more objects enter the detection area within a predetermined time period in the non-contact target layer input device illustrated in FIG. 1, and at least one object enters the detection area that does not correspond to a touch button.

[0024] To fully understand the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The embodiments of the present invention may be modified in various forms, and the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described in detail below. These embodiments are provided to more completely explain the present invention to those with average knowledge in the art. Therefore, the shapes of elements in the drawings may be exaggerated to emphasize a clearer description. It should be noted that in each drawing, the same parts are sometimes depicted with the same reference numerals. Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention are omitted.

[0025] Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of an elevator control panel (100) to which a non-contact destination input device (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the elevator control panel illustrated in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a drawing explaining the detailed configuration and operation of the non-contact destination input device (200) illustrated in Fig. 1.

[0026] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the elevator control panel (100) has a display unit (102) that indicates the floor on which the elevator is located, and touch buttons (104, 106, 108). The touch button (104) designates a destination floor, the touch button (106) is an "OPEN" button that instructs the elevator door to remain open, and the touch button (108) is a "CLOSE" button (108) that instructs the elevator door to close. A non-contact destination floor input device (200) according to the present embodiment is installed around the touch buttons (104, 106, 108) (or the control panel (100)).

[0027] As illustrated in FIG. 2, the non-contact destination input device (200) includes a proximity detection module that recognizes an object entering a detection area at a predetermined distance from a touch button (104, 106, 108). The proximity detection module includes a detection signal transmission module (210) and a detection signal reception module (220).

[0028] The detection signal transmitting module (210) and the detection signal receiving module (220) are arranged to face each other and to transmit and receive light in a direction parallel to the touch buttons (104, 106, 108) at a height (D) spaced apart from the touch buttons (104, 106, 108). For example, the detection signal transmitting module (210) and the detection signal receiving module (220) may be arranged at a height (D) spaced apart from the plane of the elevator control panel (100) on which the touch buttons (104, 106, 108) are formed by about 1 to 10 cm, so that an infrared signal may travel in a direction parallel to the elevator control panel (400).

[0029] As illustrated in FIG. 3, the detection signal transmitting module (210) has a detection signal transmitting module driver (211), and the detection signal receiving module (220) has a detection signal receiving module driver (221). The detection signal transmitting module driver (211) controls a detection signal transmitting device, for example, an infrared transmitter (212), and the detection signal receiving module driver (221) controls a detection signal receiving device, for example, an infrared receiver (222). In addition, the detection signal transmitting module driver (211) and the detection signal receiving module driver (221) transmit and receive signals to and from an elevator control unit (not illustrated) that controls the operation of the elevator through a non-contact input control unit (230). The non-contact input control unit (150) receives signals from the detection signal transmission module driver (211) and the detection signal reception module driver (221), calculates the approach position of an object that has entered the detection area, and selects at least one touch button among a plurality of touch buttons (104, 106, 108) based on the calculation result. As illustrated in Fig. 2, a detection area as wide as the width (W) of the touch button (410) is mapped to the corresponding touch button above the touch button (104). When the user's finger (302) is positioned in the detection area corresponding to the touch button (104), the non-contact input control unit (230) determines that the user has touched the touch button (104) and causes the elevator control unit to control the operation of the elevator.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a drawing explaining the detailed operation of the non-contact target layer input device (200) illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0031] The infrared transmitter (212) and the infrared receiver (222) are arranged to face each other. In addition, in order to minimize interference from external infrared signals such as sunlight, it is also possible for the infrared transmitter (212) and the infrared receiver (222) to be formed on both sides of the elevator control panel (100). The infrared transmitters (212) are arranged along the Y-axis direction as k, k+1, k+d, k+2d, and the infrared receivers (222) can be arranged in the order of X(k), X(k+d), ..., X(k+n) along the Y-axis direction. Here, d refers to the position of the infrared receiver (222) located at an oblique angle at which the infrared ray transmitted from the k infrared transmitter (212) arrives, and is a factor that determines the size of the oblique angle representing the inclination of the infrared ray transmitted from the infrared transmitter (212).

[0032] A, B, and C shown in Fig. 4 are examples of detection areas, and the user can select and touch one of A, B, and C, or can multi-touch at the same time. A touch object located in the detection area blocks an infrared signal. That is, the touch object blocks an infrared signal output from an infrared transmitter (212) and input to an infrared receiver (222). For example, when a specific infrared transmitter (212) transmits an infrared signal, the infrared receivers (222) positioned at various positions, such as acute angles, right angles, and obtuse angles with respect to the infrared transmitter (212), are sequentially scanned and operated, and further, by operating the infrared transmitters (212) at various positions while causing the infrared receivers (222) to receive infrared signals, the non-contact target layer input device (200) can detect the X-axis coordinate of the touch object.

[0033] The process of detecting the Y-axis coordinate, such as y(n), is the same as the process of detecting the X-axis coordinate. The Y-axis coordinate can be detected by sequentially operating the infrared transmitter (212) and the infrared receiver (222) and detecting the position where the infrared signal is blocked and not received.

[0034] The infrared transmitter (212) and the infrared receiver (222) can be configured in various forms to detect the user's approaching motion. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the infrared transmitter (212) can be placed on one side and the infrared receiver (222) can be placed opposite the other side, or the infrared transmitter (212) and the infrared receiver (222) can be placed alternately on both sides. In addition, the detection signal transmission module driver (211) and the detection signal reception module driver (221) can use various scanning methods and control methods to accurately detect the user's selection.

[0035] FIG. 5(a) is a drawing explaining the operation when two or more objects (502a, 502b) enter the detection area in the same detection period (Ts) in the non-contact target layer input device (200) illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time.

[0036] A detection area is formed between the horizontal plane (H1) and the horizontal plane (H2) according to the vertical position and direction of the infrared transmitter (210) and the infrared receiver (220). The non-contact input control unit (230) maps the area (between V1 and V2) located above the touch button (104a) among the detection areas to the touch button (104a), and maps the area (between V3 and V4) located above the touch button (104b) to the touch button (104b). The non-contact input control unit (230) detects the entry of an object during a detection time (Ts) of a predetermined length that occurs periodically, so that if two or more objects (502a, 502b) enter during the same detection period (e.g., Ts1), they are all detected. When it is detected that an object (502a) enters the detection area corresponding to the touch button (104a) at time T1 and an object (502b) enters the detection area corresponding to the touch button (104b) at time T2, the non-contact input control unit (230) determines the order in which the detected objects (502a, 502b) enter the detection area, and operates so that the touch button (104a) corresponding to the detection area where the object (502a) that entered first is located is selected. In this way, the non-contact destination floor input device (200) can prevent misregistration of the destination floor caused by another part of the body entering the detection area together with the finger for designating the destination floor.

[0037] FIG. 6(a) is a drawing explaining an operation when an object (602b) enters a detection area during a detection period (Ts2) in a state where it is recognized that an object (602a) has entered a detection area during a detection period (Ts1) in a non-contact target layer input device (200) illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 6(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time of objects (602a, 602b).

[0038] When an object (602a) enters the detection area corresponding to the touch button (104a) at time T1 during the detection period (Ts1) and an object (602b) enters the detection area at time T2 during another detection period (Ts2), the non-contact input control unit (230) recognizes that the object (602b) has entered the detection area and does not perform an operation of selecting a touch button for the entry of the object (602b). As a result, the non-contact target floor input device (200) can prevent misregistration of the target floor caused by another part of the body entering the detection area together with the finger for designating the target floor.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a drawing explaining an operation when a new object (702b) enters the detection area after an existing object (702a) leaves the detection area in the non-contact target layer input device (200) illustrated in FIG. 1, and FIG. 7(b) is a drawing explaining the entry time of the objects (702a, 702b).

[0040] If an object (702a) enters the detection area at time T1 during the detection period (Ts1) and remains in the detection area during the detection period (Ts2), and if an object (702b) enters the detection area during the detection period (Ts2), the entry of the object (702b) is ignored. However, if an object (702a) enters the detection area at time T1 during the detection period (Ts1) and is detected by the non-contact input control unit (230), but leaves the detection area at time T2 before the detection period (Ts2), and if an object (702b) enters the detection area at time T3 during the detection period (Ts2), the non-contact input control unit (230) processes the entry of the object (702b) as valid and performs an operation of selecting a touch button. As a result, the non-contact destination input device (200) allows new destination registration.

[0041] FIG. 8 is a drawing explaining the operation of the non-contact target layer input device (200) illustrated in FIG. 1 when the cross-sectional size (A) of an object entering the detection area is greater than a predetermined size.

[0042] In this case, the non-contact input control unit (230) determines that the object (802) is not a finger for designating a destination layer and ignores the entry of the object (802). This allows the non-contact destination layer input device (200) to prevent misregistration of the destination layer caused by a body part other than a finger entering the detection area.

[0043] FIG. 9 is a drawing explaining the operation when an object (902) entering the non-contact target layer input device (100) illustrated in FIG. 1 is recognized as crossing the boundary of the touch button in the detection area.

[0044] An object (902) enters the detection area at Y1, crosses the boundary (V4) of the touch button (104b) in the detection area, and is finally located at Y2. The movement of the object (902) is judged to be a hand-feeling motion of a visually impaired person, so the non-contact input control unit (230) completely ignores the entry of the object (902) and operates the elevator only by the pressure of the object (902) on the touch buttons (104a, 104b).

[0045] FIG. 10 is a drawing explaining the operation of the non-contact target layer input device (100) illustrated in FIG. 1 when two or more objects enter the detection area at very short time intervals and at least one object enters the detection area that does not correspond to a touch button.

[0046] If the difference in the entry times of objects (1002a) and (1002b) is greater than the threshold time (Td), it is determined that they are fingers of different people, and if the difference in the entry times of objects (1002a) and (1002b) is less than the threshold time (Td), it is determined that they are fingers of the same person. Here, the threshold time (Td) is shorter than the detection time (Ts). When an object (1002a) and an object (1002b) enter a detection area within a threshold time (Td), and the object (1002a) enters a detection area (between H1 and H2) mapped to a touch button (104b) but the object (1002b) enters a detection area (between H2 and H3) mapped between a touch button (104b) and a touch button (104c), the movement of the objects (1002a, 1002b) is judged to be a hand-groping motion of a visually impaired person, and the non-contact input control unit (230) ignores all entries of the objects (1002a, 1002b) and operates the elevator only by pressing the objects (1002a, 1002b) against the touch buttons (104a, 104b, 104c).

[0047] The embodiments of the present invention described above are merely exemplary, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and equivalent other embodiments are possible. Therefore, it will be readily understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms mentioned in the detailed description above. Accordingly, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the technical spirit of the appended claims. Furthermore, the present invention should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. In a non-contact destination floor input device for an elevator, An approach detection module installed around an elevator control panel having multiple touch buttons and recognizing an object entering a detection area at a predetermined distance from the touch buttons; A non-contact input control unit that receives a signal from the above-mentioned approach detection module, calculates the approach location of an object that has entered the above-mentioned detection area, and selects at least one of the above-mentioned multiple touch buttons based on the calculation result. A target layer input device characterized by having:

2. In paragraph 1, The above non-contact input control unit is a target layer input device characterized in that when it is recognized that two or more objects have entered the detection area, only the object that first entered the detection area is processed.

3. In paragraph 1, A target layer input device characterized in that the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of a second object into the detection area when the entry of a first object into the detection area is recognized.

4. In paragraph 1, The target layer input device is characterized in that the non-contact input control unit effectively processes the entry of a second object when a first object enters the detection area corresponding to the OPEN button among the plurality of touch buttons and the second object enters the detection area.

5. In paragraph 1, A target layer input device characterized in that the non-contact input control unit effectively processes the entry of an object into the detection area after all objects have left the detection area.

6. In paragraph 1, A target layer input device characterized in that the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of an object that has entered the detection area if the cross-sectional size of the object is greater than a predetermined size.

7. In paragraph 1, A target layer input device characterized in that the non-contact input control unit ignores the entry of an object when the object is recognized as crossing the boundary of the touch button in the detection area.

8. In paragraph 1, The target layer input device is characterized in that the non-contact input control unit ignores all entries of two or more objects when two or more objects enter the detection area within a predetermined time period and at least one of the objects enters an area in the detection area that does not correspond to the touch button.

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