EP1749776B2 - Method for guiding an elevator passenger through a building - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a method for guiding a user in an environment, in particular in a building, with at least one first communication unit transmitting data to a mobile second communication unit carried by the user.

Modern office buildings are often equipped with a wireless communication system for guiding a user in the office building. In this case, the information required for guidance for the user is usually called up by means of fixed terminals with a touch screen using a corresponding menu system. Furthermore, systems are known in which the user carries a mobile communication unit with him while he is in the building.

The known methods for guiding a user in a building have the disadvantage that the user receives a lot of information, but cannot control which information he actually wants to receive and which not. In addition, the user has to memorize important information or request it again after a certain period of time.

From the EP 1 329 409 A2 a system for guiding a user in a building is known. This access control and management system comprises at least one transmitter / receiver unit for communication with a communication means of the user and at least one computer device for providing information to the user. The transmitter / receiver unit is used to identify the user's means of communication locally within the building. The computer device transmits data for guiding the user in the building to the communication means via the transmitter / receiver unit.

In the known access control and guidance system, it has proven to be disadvantageous that several transmitter / receiver units simultaneously send out code sequences to localize the communication medium in order to localize the means of communication, which on the one hand can lead to an overlay of the code sequences, especially with a large number of users. On the other hand, the localization of the user is made more difficult because the identification code sent by the communication means reaches several transmitter / receiver units. Even in the event that two transmitter / receiver units, which are arranged, for example, on two different floors, receive the identification code, the computing unit cannot distinguish whether the communication means and thus the user are in the vicinity of the one transmitter / receiver unit or the other transmitter / receiver unit. In the event that the actual location of the user is not correctly identified, it will result in the transmission of incorrect information and the user will not be able to find the desired destination.

The invention is based on the object of developing a method for guiding a user in an environment, in particular in a building, in such a way that the user can be precisely localized on the one hand and the user can be localized on the other depending on his position via a nearby location the user's communication unit can be supplied with data for guidance within the building. In particular, data should be transmitted securely to the user.

1. a) Senden eines Kontaktierungssignals durch die erste Kommunikationseinheit innerhalb einer vorbestimmten Reichweite zur Kontaktaufnahme mit der zweiten Kommunikationseinheit;
2. b) Kontaktaufnahme zwischen der ersten Kommunikationseinheit und der zweiten Kommunikationseinheit, wenn die zweite Kommunikationseinheit sich innerhalb der Reichweite befindet und das Kontaktierungssignal empfängt, und
3. c) Übermittlung der Daten von der ersten Kommunikationseinheit an die zweite Kommunikationseinheit zur Führung des Benutzers durch die Umgebung mittels der zweiten Kommunikationseinheit, wenn die zweite Kommunikationseinheit sich innerhalb der Reichweite befindet.

To achieve this object, a method for guiding a user in an environment, in particular in a building, wherein at least one first communication unit transmits data to a mobile second communication unit carried by the user, is provided according to the invention in accordance with claim 1 that the method follows Steps includes:

1. a) sending a contact signal by the first communication unit within a predetermined range for establishing contact with the second communication unit;
2. b) making contact between the first communication unit and the second communication unit when the second communication unit is within range and receives the contacting signal, and
3. c) Transmission of the data from the first communication unit to the second communication unit for guiding the user through the environment by means of the second communication unit when the second communication unit is within range.

An environment is a place where many people come together, such as a building, a factory area, a high-rise, a shopping center, a city district, an amusement park, a train station, an airport, a swimming pool, a sports stadium.

The method according to the invention is based on the knowledge that the user can be located within the building or also at a certain distance outside the building, depending on where they are, and that the necessary information can then be transmitted to the second communication unit and thus to the user in a targeted manner. In this way, the user does not have to remember which entrance he uses to enter the building or at which parking space he leaves a motor vehicle in order to take the correct exit or to find the parking space of the motor vehicle when leaving the building.

Advantageous developments of the method according to the invention are described in claims 2 to 13.

In an advantageous further development of the method it is provided that in step c) before the transmission of the data from the first communication unit to the second communication unit, the access authorization of the user to the environment is checked and the data is only transmitted if the check is successful. With this measure it can be ensured that only authorized persons receive information about the tour in the building. In this context, it also proves to be advantageous if the data is transmitted to the second communication unit as a function of the access authorization. In this way, the data to be transmitted can be selected in a targeted manner, which means that the user has to be supplied with less data and, with regard to security-relevant aspects, is only supplied with data that he is entitled to within the scope of his access authorization.

According to the method, it is proposed that the second communication unit transmit an access code to the first communication unit. The transmission can take place on the one hand by selecting a specific access code with the second communication unit through a corresponding menu selection. On the other hand, the data can be transmitted automatically when entering the building.

It is also advantageous if the access code is only transmitted at certain times and / or within a certain period of time. This prevents the user from having to terminate the transmission of the access code and prevents unauthorized persons from gaining access.

In a further expedient embodiment of the method, the data are only transmitted from the first communication unit to the second communication unit or from the second communication unit to the first communication unit at certain times and / or within a certain period of time. In this way, specified information can be assigned to different groups of people at certain times of the day.

In order to be able to influence the flow of information in a targeted manner, the transmission of certain data by means of the second communication unit is selected. In this way, only certain information is transmitted to the user.

According to a preferred development of the method, the contacting signal is sent at specific times and / or over a specific period of time. This enables the energy supply to be reduced and is particularly suitable for less frequented areas of the building. In other words, the transmission of the contacting signal can take place in different parts of the building at different times.

In order to guide the user through the building in a suitable manner, the data are disclosed via a display unit, in particular an optical display unit. The display of a cell phone is expediently used for this. Alternatively, the data can also be announced via voice output, for example by means of the cell phone.

A mobile phone is preferably used as the second communication unit. In this way it can be avoided that the user has to carry another mobile communication unit in addition to his mobile phone. The first communication unit is preferably a stationary terminal, which is in particular equipped with a loudspeaker and a display. A large number of terminals are preferably set up distributed at prominent points in the building, in particular in the area of the entrances and exits, in the area of the elevator system and in the area of an underground car park.

In a preferred development of the method it is provided that the range is less than ten meters. This means that the contact signal for establishing contact with the second communication unit is only sent out within a radius of ten meters around the first communication unit. As a result of the relatively short range, on the one hand, a superposition of several signals is avoided and, on the other hand, an exact location of the user's whereabouts is possible. In addition, it has proven to be advantageous that the Bluetooth and / or the NFC standard, in particular, can be used as the transmission standard for data transmission within such a range.

The invention is explained further below with reference to the drawing.

the Fig. 1 shows schematically a system for guiding a user 30 in a building. The building comprises an elevator system 1 with a first elevator 2, a second elevator 3 and a third elevator 4. The section of the building shown shows excerpts from a first floor 5 (underground car park), a second floor 6 (ground floor) and a third floor 7 ( first floor), with a door on each floor 5, 6, 7 leading to one of the elevators 2, 3, 4. In addition, a first communication unit in the form of a stationary terminal 10, 11, 12 in the area of the elevator system 1 is provided on each of the floors 5, 6, 7. The terminals 10, 11, 12 are each equipped with a control panel and a display and are connected to a central computer unit and a destination call control via a data line.

On the basis of this system, a method for guiding the user 30 in the building is explained below. After the user 30 has entered the underground car park 5 with his motor vehicle and has left the motor vehicle, the user 30 approaches the elevator system 1. As soon as the user 30 is near the first terminal 10, he holds, for example, the mobile phone he is carrying 20, the one forms a second communication unit, at a distance of a few decimeters from the terminal 10. The terminal 10 is set up in such a way that it sends out a contact signal within a predetermined range R of approximately 10 m in order to make contact with the mobile phone 20. If the user 30 stays within this range R for a short period of time and the mobile phone 20 receives the contacting signal, contact is established. As part of this contact, the position of the user 30 in the building is determined.

Based on the establishment of contact, data communication then takes place between the terminal 10 and the mobile phone 20. In this case, the access authorization of the user 30 is first checked in that the user 30 uses his mobile phone 20 to transmit an access code stored on the mobile phone 20 to the terminal 10. This transmission can take place both automatically, that is to say without the user 30 having to operate the mobile phone 20, or by a corresponding operation of the mobile phone 20 by means of a key input or a voice input. After the access code transmitted to the terminal 10 has been checked by the central computer unit and if a positive access authorization is established, data for guiding the user 30 through the building are transmitted from the computer unit via the first terminal 10 to the mobile phone 20. These data enable the user 30 to move through the building in a targeted manner.

The content of the transmitted data depends on the position of the user 30 within the building determined during the establishment of contact and on the desired destination of the user 30. The user 30 announces the destination to the terminal 10 by automatically sending a destination stored in advance on the mobile phone 20 or by entering the destination on the mobile phone 20 after entering the building.
The data transmitted from the terminal 10 to the mobile phone 20 contain, in particular, information about the location of the motor vehicle such as the name of the parking garage, the parking floor and the parking space number, as well as an allocation to one of the elevators 2, 3, 4 depending on the access authorization. Furthermore, based on the position of the user 30, the computer unit determines an elevator for servicing the destination call. After the user 30 has been transported to the third floor 7, for example, on which the destination is located in the present exemplary embodiment, the user 30 gets out and walks with the aid of the data already transmitted to the mobile phone 20 that the user has on the display of the mobile phone 20 to the desired room on the third floor 7.
If the user 30 now wants to return to his motor vehicle, he first moves on the third floor 7 in the direction of the elevator system 1 on the basis of the data already transmitted and stored on the mobile phone 20. As soon as the user 30 comes near the terminal 12, the mobile phone 20 receives the contacting signal sent out by the terminal 12. Here, the user 30 must be within range R, for example at a distance of one meter from the terminal 12. After successful contact between mobile phone 20 and terminal 12, terminal 12 automatically queries mobile phone 20 for information about the location of the motor vehicle. The terminal 12 recognizes the location description of the motor vehicle stored on the mobile phone 20 and then determines a corresponding elevator for guiding the user 30 to his motor vehicle. With the transmission of the data determined in this way to the mobile phone 20 for the assignment of the user 30 to a suitable elevator, an access code for entering the underground car park is sent at the same time. This access code is provided with a predetermined period of validity so that the access code is automatically deleted after leaving the building. After the user 30 has been transported to the first floor 5 in an elevator reserved in advance by the destination call control, the user 30 uses the transmitted access code to get into the underground car park and uses the transmitted data to move to his motor vehicle.

The above-described method is characterized in particular in that the user 30 is guided to his destination from entering the building and until leaving the building simply by carrying the mobile phone 20 with him, without the need to operate the mobile phone 20. Alternatively, the user can operate the mobile phone 20 at least temporarily and / or to transmit / receive certain data.

Claims (13)

1. Method for guiding a user in a building, wherein at least one first communication unit (10, 11, 12) transmits data to a mobile second communication unit (20) carried by the user, and wherein the method comprises the following steps:

   a) sending a contact signal by means of the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) within a predetermined range (R) for establishing contact with the second communication unit (20);

   b) establishing contact between the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) and the second communication unit (20) if the second communication unit (20) is located within the range (R) and receives the contact signal, such that a position of the user in the building is determined,

   c) receiving a destination of the user by means of the first communication unit (10, 11, 12), which destination is transmitted by the second communication unit (20), wherein the destination is provided by the user to the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) by means of an automatic transmission of a destination previously stored on the second communication unit (20) or by inputting the destination on the second communication unit (20) after entering the building;

   d) checking an access code transmitted by the second communication unit (20) to the first communication device (10, 11, 12), which code is stored on the second communication unit (20), by means of a central computer unit and, in the case of a positive access authorization, transmitting data from the computer unit via the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) to the second communication unit (20), in order to guide the user through the building by means of the second communication unit (20), if the second communication unit (20) is located within the range (R), wherein the data can be read by the user on a display of the second communication unit (20) and wherein the content of the transmitted data is dependent on the position of the user within the building, which is determined during the establishment of contact, and on the destination of the user,

   e) determining an elevator (2, 3, 4) to respond to a destination call by means of the computer unit, and

   f) transporting the user (30) by means of the elevator (2, 3, 4).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that an identification code is a mobile telephone number of the communication unit (20) or a serial number of a microchip of the communication unit (20).
3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that data are transmitted to the second communication unit (20) depending on the access authorization.
4. Method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, when the data are transmitted from the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) to the second communication unit (20) in step d), an access code for access to certain regions of the surroundings is transmitted.
5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that the second communication unit (20) transmits the access code for access to certain regions of the surroundings to the first communication unit (10, 11, 12).
6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the access code for access to certain regions of the surroundings is only transmitted at certain times or within a certain period of time.
7. Method according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the data are only transmitted from the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) to the second communication unit (20) or from the second communication unit (20) to the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) at certain times or within a certain period of time.
8. Method according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the transmission of certain data is selected by means of the second communication unit (20).
9. Method according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the contact signal is sent at certain times or over a certain period of time.
10. Method according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the second communication unit (20) is a mobile telephone or a PDA (personal digital assistant).
11. Method according to any of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) is a stationary terminal.
12. Method according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the range (R) is less than approximately 10 m.
13. Method according to any of claims 2 to 12, characterized in that the method also comprises the following steps:

    g) transmitting the identification code from the second communication unit (20) to the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) in order to confirm the establishment of contact;

    h) storing the received identification code and the location at which said code was received (10 or 11 or 12) in a database by means of the first communication unit (10, 11, 12);

    i) in the case of repeated establishment of contact between the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) and the second communication unit (20), the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) reads the last point (10 or 11 or 12) at which contact was established with said second communication unit from the database on the basis of the identification code received from the second communication unit (20), and

    j) guiding the user back to their starting point by means of the information by transmitting the data from the first communication unit (10, 11, 12) to the second communication unit (20).

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