Custom Elevator Interface for Mobile Floor Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

In large buildings, existing elevator systems present users with cumbersome lists of floors, requiring users to scroll through numerous options or display floors in a small format, making selection difficult.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that allows users to customize their elevator interface by selecting and saving frequently used floors, switching between a standard and custom user interface on their mobile device, enabling efficient selection of departure and destination floors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all floors are displayed in a list format on the mobile device screen, then complete floor information is provided, but the interface becomes cumbersome to navigate and requires scrolling through many options

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor information completenessVSAvoidnavigation ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the floor selection interface into two distinct modes: a standard list view showing all floors for complete information, and a custom view showing only frequently selected floors for easy operation. Users can switch between these segments based on their needs, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and navigation ease.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic interface that adapts its display format based on user behavior. The system automatically identifies frequently selected floors and creates a customized condensed view, making the interface flexible and adaptive rather than static. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by providing both complete information (in standard view) and easy operation (in custom view) at different times.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If all floors are displayed in a list format on the mobile device screen, then complete floor information is provided, but the display area required increases making floors difficult to read and select

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor information completenessVSAvoidscreen display area
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the frequently used floors from the complete floor list and creates a separate custom view containing only these extracted items. This extraction process reduces the display area required while preserving access to complete floor information through the standard view, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and display area usage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the display content based on user selection patterns. When custom view is activated, it displays only the necessary subset of floors, reducing screen area consumption. The system can switch between standard and custom views, providing both complete information display and compact display as needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If a custom interface with frequently used floors is implemented, then selection time and screen space are reduced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefloor selection efficiencyVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically monitors user selection patterns and self-generates the custom view of frequently used floors without requiring manual configuration. This self-service approach simplifies the overall system complexity while achieving high productivity, as the customization is performed automatically based on observed behavior rather than requiring complex user setup procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback by monitoring which floors users select most frequently and using this information to automatically create the custom view. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to user needs automatically, improving selection efficiency while keeping the interface generation process simple and automated rather than complex and manual.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3184476B1User-customized elevator floor selection
Publication Date: 2020.04.01 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3184476B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3184476B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3184476B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for generating a custom user interface on a mobile device (208) for interfacing with an elevator system (200) includes: selecting a building; presenting an identification of floors in the building; receiving a selection of a plurality of custom floors, the custom floors being a subset of the floors; saving the custom floors; and generating the custom user interface in response to the custom floors.