Elevator Interface with Braille and Auditory Feedback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing elevator passenger interfaces, particularly touch screen systems, do not accommodate visually impaired or blind passengers as they lack tactile indicators, making it difficult for them to communicate their intended destinations effectively.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an assistance button near the touch screen that allows passengers to request elevator service through auditory cues, enabling the controller to determine the destination by monitoring button manipulations, allowing visually impaired or blind passengers to interact with the system using auditory feedback.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a touch screen display is used for destination-entry passenger interface, then the display can be customized to meet passenger or building owner needs, but visually impaired or blind passengers cannot interact with the interface due to lack of tactile indicators

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay customizationVSAvoidaccessibility for visually impaired passengers

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines a touch screen display with a braille display and auditory feedback system into a single integrated passenger interface device. The braille display provides tactile feedback for visually impaired passengers while the touch screen serves visual passengers, allowing the system to serve multiple user groups simultaneously without requiring separate interface devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The passenger interface device is designed to serve multiple functions and multiple types of users through a single device. It provides visual display for sighted passengers, tactile braille output for visually impaired passengers, and auditory feedback for all passengers, making the interface universally accessible to different passenger needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If a touch screen display is used for passenger interface, then information can be displayed to passengers, but no tactile indicators are provided to assist visually impaired or blind persons in making selections

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation delivery to passengersVSAvoidtactile feedback for selection

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The braille display acts as an intermediary between the digital information system and visually impaired passengers. It converts digital information into tactile braille characters that can be physically sensed and read by passengers with visual impairments, bridging the gap between digital information delivery and tactile perception.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the purely visual/optical information delivery mechanism of the touch screen with a mechanical/tactile braille display system. This substitution allows information to be conveyed through physical touch and tactile sensation rather than relying solely on visual display, enabling visually impaired passengers to access information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS9624071B2Elevator passenger interface including special assistance features

Publication Date: 2017.04.18 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

AI summary

An exemplary elevator passenger interface device includes a touch screen configured to allow a passenger to indicate a request for elevator service by touching the screen. An assistance button is positioned near the touch screen. A controller is configured to determine a destination requested by a passenger touching the screen. The controller is also configured to determine whether the assistance button has been manipulated and then to determine a destination requested by a passenger from a subsequent manipulation of the assistance button.