Passenger Assistance Interface for Accessible Building Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator, escalator, and moving walkway systems pose challenges for passengers with special needs, such as blindness or mobility issues, as they may not be able to locate or navigate these systems effectively, and passengers without special needs may struggle to find them in large buildings.
Innovation Solution
A control system with a passenger and building owner device interface, utilizing a control application that registers passenger profiles and building descriptions, providing navigation and automated assistance, including robotic guides that assist passengers to their destinations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional elevator systems are used without assistance interfaces, then the system structure remains simple, but passengers with disabilities cannot effectively locate or navigate the system
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an assistance interface that acts as an intermediary between passengers with disabilities and the elevator system. This interface provides audio cues, braille displays, and spoken instructions that enable blind or visually impaired passengers to locate and operate elevators independently, resolving the contradiction by adding mediation layers without fundamentally changing the elevator's core structure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical visual indicators (lights, signs) with auditory and tactile feedback mechanisms. Voice guidance systems and braille displays substitute for traditional visual displays, allowing passengers with visual impairments to interact with the system through non-visual senses, thereby improving accessibility while maintaining structural simplicity
2Productivity
If elevators are strategically positioned to serve specific floors, then system efficiency improves, but passengers cannot easily locate the correct elevators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system actively provides information to passengers about elevator locations and destinations. The assistance interface queries the elevator control system for real-time status information and relays it to passengers through audio and tactile outputs, ensuring passengers have the information needed to reach the correct elevators without disrupting the strategic positioning that maintains system efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and providing passengers with directional guidance and elevator location information before they arrive at the elevator bank. This allows passengers to mentally prepare and navigate efficiently, reducing confusion about which elevators serve which floors while maintaining the optimized elevator distribution
3Ease of operation
If door operation time is extended for passengers with mobility issues, then accessibility improves, but overall system throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic door control that adjusts door operation timing based on real-time passenger needs. The system detects when passengers with mobility issues are present and automatically extends door hold time, while maintaining normal operation for other passengers. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making door timing flexible rather than fixed, accommodating special needs without permanently reducing overall throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The assistance interface enables passengers with mobility issues to self-activate extended door hold time by simply indicating their presence or need through the interface. The system automatically provides the accommodation without requiring manual intervention from operators or other passengers, allowing individuals to self-manage their accessibility needs while maintaining efficient overall system operation
Data Source
AI summary
A control system is provided and includes a personnel movement system deployed in a building and passenger and building owner devices. A memory of the passenger device has first executable instructions of a control application stored thereon, which, when executed, cause a passenger device processor to register a passenger with and store a passenger profile of the passenger with the control application and to generate a passenger interface by which the passenger interfaces with the control application. A memory of the building owner device has second executable instructions of the control application stored thereon, which, when executed, cause a business owner device processor to register the building with and store a description of the building with the control application.