Elevator Destination Floor Registration Device Using Touch Pattern Analysis

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing destination floor registration devices, both pushbutton and touch panel types, face challenges in operability for visually-handicapped individuals, leading to incorrect registrations and decreased efficiency, as they cannot easily discern button arrangements or rely on tactile Braille points.

Innovation Solution

A touch panel-based destination floor registration device that determines user type by touch pattern analysis, allowing non-visually-handicapped users to register by button press and visually-handicapped users to register via handwriting with audio guidance, ensuring accurate and efficient floor selection.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a touch panel display is adopted in a destination floor registration device, then flexible measures adapted to building specifications can be taken and a large number of floor buttons can be displayed, but visually-handicapped persons cannot get to know the arrangement of floor buttons and wrong registration occurs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility in display arrangementVSAvoidoperability for visually-handicapped persons
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses different color indicators on the touch panel to provide tactile feedback to visually-handicapped users. When a user presses a floor button, the corresponding button changes color to indicate successful registration, allowing users to confirm the arrangement and operation through visual-tactile feedback rather than relying solely on Braille points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system that detects touch patterns and provides audio feedback to users. The system analyzes the locus of touch and provides verbal confirmation of the selected floor, serving as a mediator between the touch panel and the user to ensure accurate registration without requiring visual inspection of button arrangements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If a pushbutton type destination floor registration device is used, then visually-handicapped persons can feel Braille points, but the device cannot provide flexible display arrangements and cannot accommodate large numbers of floors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetactile feedback for visually-handicapped personsVSAvoidflexibility in display arrangement
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal touch panel system that serves multiple functions: it provides tactile feedback through color changes and audio confirmation for visually-handicapped users, while also maintaining the flexibility and scalability of electronic display arrangements. The same touch panel interface accommodates both tactile operation modes and visual display requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If handwriting input method is adopted, then destination floors can be registered by writing characters, but operability decreases remarkably for users who are not visually disadvantaged

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility for visually-handicapped personsVSAvoidoperability efficiency for general users
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic interface that automatically adapts its behavior based on the user's input method. When a user presses a button, the system provides immediate tactile feedback through color changes and audio confirmation. When a user writes handwriting, the system recognizes the written characters and provides corresponding feedback. This dynamic adaptation ensures optimal operability for each user type without requiring a single fixed interaction mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2159183B1Elevator destination floor registration device
Publication Date: 2014.06.04 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP
  • EP2159183B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2159183B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2159183B1 patent drawingFigure 4(a)~4(f)

AI summary

Provided is a destination floor registration device of elevator which uses a touch panel display and is excellent in operability, and by use of which even visually-handicapped persons can easily and accurately register their destination floors. For this purpose, a touch panel is arranged according to the operating position of users and this touch panel is caused to indicate serviceable floors by use of buttons. On the basis of a locus along which a user touched the touch panel, whether or not the user is a visually-handicapped person is determined. When it has been determined that the user is not a visually-handicapped person, a destination floor is registered on the basis of the above-described locus and the arrangement of floor buttons indicated on the touch panel. When it has been determined that the user is a visually-handicapped person, a pattern recognition of the above-described locus is performed and the floor indicated by the locus itself is registered as a destination floor.