Secondary-Touch Elevator Interface Reducing Navigation Steps

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Contemporary mobile applications for elevator service requests require users to navigate through multiple screens to find desired features, making the process cumbersome and inefficient.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a secondary-touch action interface on mobile devices, such as force touch or long-press, to provide a pop-up service request interface that allows users to quickly access elevator services without fully launching the app, featuring a condensed interface with key features like floor history and security control options.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users navigate through multiple screens to access elevator services, then comprehensive service options are available, but operation time and user effort increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of service accessVSAvoidtime to access elevator service

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the service access process into two distinct modes: a full application mode for comprehensive services and a pop-up interface mode for quick access. The pop-up interface is a segmented, condensed version that provides essential elevator services without requiring users to navigate through the complete application structure, thus resolving the contradiction between comprehensive service availability and quick access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial action by providing a pop-up interface that contains only the most frequently used elevator service functions rather than the complete set of all possible services. This partial interface allows users to access common services quickly without needing to explore the entire application, while still providing access to full services when needed through the option to open the complete application.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

2Adaptability or versatility

If a full application is launched to provide comprehensive services, then all features are accessible, but device resources and operation complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice feature completenessVSAvoidinterface navigation complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the service interface into two segments: a condensed pop-up interface for quick access to essential services and a full application interface for comprehensive service access. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different user needs - providing a simple interface when speed is prioritized and a comprehensive interface when complete service access is required, thereby resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The pop-up interface serves multiple functions: it provides quick access to elevator services, offers navigation options to the full application, and can be dismissed to return to the previous screen. This multi-functionality in a compact form factor reduces the perceived complexity while maintaining access to comprehensive services, resolving the contradiction between feature completeness and interface simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If navigation through multiple menus is required, then comprehensive control options are provided, but user effort and interaction steps increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice accessibilityVSAvoidservice request speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring the pop-up interface with commonly used elevator service functions and direct navigation options. When a user triggers the pop-up interface, the essential services are already displayed and ready for immediate selection, eliminating the need for users to navigate through multiple menus to find basic services. This preliminary preparation resolves the contradiction between comprehensive control options and service request speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent allows users to skip the intermediate navigation steps by providing direct access to the pop-up interface from the home screen or recent apps. This skipping mechanism enables users to bypass the full application launch and menu navigation process entirely for quick service requests, while still providing the option to access comprehensive services when needed, thus resolving the contradiction between service accessibility and request speed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentEP3438034B1User device including secondary-touch elevator service request interface

Publication Date: 2023.12.06 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

An elevator control system (227) includes an elevator system (201) with at least one elevator car (203) configured to travel to a plurality of floors. An electronic controller (215) controls the elevator system (201) to deliver the elevator car (203) to a given floor in response to an elevator car request. A mobile user device (231) includes a display screen and is installed with a secondary-touch detection system that detects a first touch action applied to the display screen and a second touch action applied to the display screen. The mobile user device launches a full service request user interface in response to detecting the first touch action, and performs at least one of launching a pop-up service request user interface and automatically communicates the elevator car request to the controller in response to detecting the second touch action.