Geographical Range Restriction for Elevator Calls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator systems lack the ability to restrict elevator calls to specific geographical ranges, allowing unauthorized users to call elevators remotely, which can lead to inefficiencies and security concerns.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that allow a manager device to set and adjust a geographical range restriction for elevator calls using a map interface, ensuring that elevator calls are only accepted from mobile devices within a predefined area, such as the building's center point, lobby, or front door, using inputs like clicks, drags, and typed adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If elevator calls are allowed from any location using mobile devices, then user convenience is improved, but security and unauthorized access control deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser convenienceVSAvoidsecurity control
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different access rules to different geographical locations by defining specific zones (e.g., building perimeter, lobby area) where elevator calls are permitted. Mobile devices are granted calling privileges only when their GPS coordinates fall within these predefined geographical boundaries, thereby maintaining security while allowing convenient access for authorized users within the designated areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If geographical range restrictions are implemented for elevator calls, then security and unauthorized access control are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity controlVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a geographical zone definition file as an intermediary component that stores predefined permitted areas and their boundary coordinates. This file serves as a reference lookup table that the elevator control system consults to determine whether a mobile device's current location falls within an authorized zone, thereby implementing security control without requiring complex real-time calculations or additional hardware.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If real-time GPS location verification is performed for each elevator call, then authorization accuracy is improved, but processing time and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveauthorization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-defining and storing geographical zone boundaries and permitted areas in a configuration file before operation begins. When an elevator call is initiated, the system only needs to compare the mobile device's current GPS coordinates against these pre-established boundaries rather than performing complex real-time geographical analysis, thereby maintaining high authorization accuracy while minimizing processing time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3421403B1Building access zone specification for mobile applications
Publication Date: 2021.02.17 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3421403B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3421403B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3421403B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of establishing a range restriction (308) for calling an elevator car (204-n) through a mobile device is provided. The method comprising: displaying a map of a desired building on a manager device (208b); adjusting the range restriction (308) using the manager device (208b), wherein the range restriction limits elevator calls (402) to mobile devices (208a) located within a selected range of the desired building (202); receiving an elevator call (402) from a mobile device (208a), the elevator call (402) including a geographical location of the mobile device (208a); and moving the elevator car (204-n) in response to the elevator call (402) when the geographical location of the mobile device (208a) is within the range restriction limits.