An elevator group management system includes: a hall call registration device which is provided at a first hall; a hall destination call registration device which is provided at a second hall; a notification device which is provided at the first hall; an assigned car display device which is provided at the second hall; and a group management control device which selects a priority car from among a plurality of cars. When a priority car is selected, the group management control device performs, with respect to a hall call to which the priority car is already assigned, hall call control which differs from control with respect to a hall destination call to which the priority car is already assigned.

The invention relates to a method and apparatus. In the method a target area is divided to a plurality of cells. A plurality of movement paths of mobile nodes are determined, each movement path comprising an origin cell and a target cell, the origin cell and the target cell being determined using a magnetic map of the target area. The durations of the plurality of movement paths are determined for an elevator user. A route topology data structure is formed using the plurality of movement paths and the durations of the plurality of movement paths, the data structure comprising for a plurality of cells an estimated time to reach an elevator location. An elevator call in a request cell is determined by a requesting mobile node. The time to reach the elevator location is determined using the data structure and information on the request cell, and an elevator car is selected to serve the elevator call based on the time to reach the elevator location, current positions of at least two elevator cars, and current directions of at the least two elevator cars.

A method and system for generating automatic destination calls for an elevator system, in which system is a revolving door. A passenger approaching the revolving door or in a door sector of the revolving door is identified, a destination call to the home floor of the passenger is generated and the elevator serving the passenger is announced at the revolving door.

There is provided an elevator guidance device 40 including an identification information acquisition unit 41 configured to acquire identification information for a user heading for an elevator hall, a selected elevator information acquisition unit 42 configured to acquire information on a selected elevator selected from a plurality of elevators as an elevator for the user identified to take, and a guidance indication unit 43 configured to indicate, in an indication mode associated with the user, a leading guidance sign on a route starting from a leading start position, at which leading of the user identified is started, to a landing entrance of the selected elevator, the leading guidance sign leading the user to the landing entrance of the selected elevator.

Improvement to a sound system for an elevator system and method for implementing the sound system for an elevator. The elevator sound system is improved by replacing at least one loudspeaker to be used in the sound system with a plate-like electrostatic actuator producing a directed sound field. The patent application also contains an independent claim for a method for implementing a sound system for an elevator.

A computerized information and display apparatus useful for providing information to a user via a display. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor apparatus, touch screen input and display device, and speech input apparatus, and at least one computer program configured to run on the processor apparatus, the at least one program being configured to enable an user to intuitively operate the apparatus to rapidly converge on a desired organization or entity which they wish to locate, via speech input of only a name or a part of a name. The information and display apparatus is particularly useful in time-pressured mobile transport vehicle environments, and when the user is unfamiliar with the operation of the apparatus.

A computerized information apparatus useful for providing information to a user via a display. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor apparatus, and first wireless interface, radio frequency apparatus, and at least one computer program configured to run on the processor apparatus, the at least one program being configured to enable functions within a transport device including remote control of environment functions (e.g., HVAC, lighting, imagery capture) based on authentication of a user carrying a portable radio frequency device.

A computerized information apparatus useful for providing information to a user via a display. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor apparatus, and speech input apparatus, touch screen input and display apparatus, and at least one computer program configured to run on the processor apparatus, the at least one program being configured to provide a user with contextually relevant content without an affirmative request for such content, but rather based on context divined from one or more free form words spoken by the user, whether while searching for information or otherwise. In one variant, the context determination is performed by a remote networked server after having been provided digitized speech samples via wireless interface. In another variant, the context is determined based on soft function key inputs from the user while requesting information. A virtual database structure enabling rapid context determination is also disclosed.

An elevator automatic guide assistant system comprises a user assistant system, an elevator outside assistant system, and an elevator inside assistant system. The user assistant system is configured to send a taking elevator instruction and target floor information to the elevator outside assistant system, receive and send the feedback information to a user. The elevator outside assistant system is configured to guide the user to arrive at an elevator doorway. The elevator inside assistant system is configured to send floor information to the elevator outside assistant system and the user assistant system, receive instructions from the user assistant system, and guide the user to arrive at the target floor. The present disclosure relates also to a guide method of the elevator automatic guide assistant system.

Assistance data for indoor positioning is generated with vertical access areas, such as stairs, elevators, and escalators, identified along with predicted vertical movement models for the vertical access area. The predicted vertical movement models provide probabilities of movement to different floors by the vertical access areas. The assistance data may be generated by acquiring a floor plan data for a structure having multiple floors and analyzing the floor plan data to detect vertical access areas. The predicted vertical movement model for the vertical access area may then be generated and included in the assistance data along with the vertical access area. Mobile devices using the assistance data may provide vertical access area feedback information that may be used to modify the assistance data. For example, the probability of movement to different floors by a vertical access area may be modified, or additional vertical access areas identified.