Interactive Touch Panel for Elevator Accessibility

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In crowded elevator cars, passengers face difficulty accessing the car operating panel to input their desired destination, leading to inconvenience and potential inability to select a floor.

Innovation Solution

An interactive touch-based car operating panel system is integrated into the elevator car, featuring an interactive surface extending around the passenger compartment with multiple input regions and a controller to receive passenger input, allowing easy access and control of the elevator from any location within the car.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional car operating panel is installed in a fixed location on the elevator car, then the device complexity is reduced and manufacturing is simplified, but passengers in crowded elevators cannot easily access the panel to input their desired destination

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAccessibility of car operating panelVSAvoidConfiguration of interactive panel system

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The car operating panel functionality is segmented and distributed to multiple locations around the elevator car interior. Instead of a single centralized panel, interactive input surfaces are divided and placed on multiple car panels, allowing passengers to access controls from various positions within the elevator car.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The operating panel transitions from a two-dimensional flat surface at a fixed location to a three-dimensional distributed system wrapped around the elevator car interior. The interactive element extends around the periphery of the passenger compartment, utilizing the vertical and horizontal dimensions of the car interior to provide omnidirectional access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of operation

If the interactive element extends around the entire periphery of the passenger compartment, then accessibility from all locations is maximized, but the area occupied by the interactive surface increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAccessibility from any locationVSAvoidInteractive surface area

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the interactive surface are assigned different functions based on passenger needs. The interactive surface is divided into input regions for destination selection, confirmation regions for validating selections, and information display regions. Each local area provides specific functionality rather than duplicating all functions across the entire surface.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The interactive element serves multiple functions within a single integrated system. It provides input reception, information display, confirmation capabilities, and navigation functions all through one touch interface, eliminating the need for separate physical buttons, displays, and controls that would occupy more space.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple input regions are provided on the interactive surface, then the functionality and versatility of the system is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveFunctionality of input regionsVSAvoidController configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple input regions with different functions are merged into a single integrated interactive surface. The touch-based interface combines destination input, floor selection, confirmation, and information display into one unified control system, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mechanical button-based control system is replaced with a touch-based electronic interface. This substitution eliminates the need for physical buttons, switches, and mechanical components, replacing them with software-controlled touch sensing and display elements, thereby reducing mechanical complexity while maintaining or enhancing functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS10994967B2Interactive touch-based car operating panel systems for elevator cars

Publication Date: 2021.05.04 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

AI summary

Elevator cars having a plurality of elevator car panels defining a passenger compartment of the elevator car and an interactive touch-based car operating panel system. The interactive touch-based car operating panel system includes an interactive element extending around at least a portion of a periphery of the passenger compartment and located on at least one of the plurality of elevator car panels, the interactive element having an interactive surface facing the passenger compartment and a controller arranged to receive passenger input at the interactive surface and control an elevator car in response to the passenger input.