Selectable notification time indicating elevator car arrival

Abstract

The present invention is directed to notifying a user of an arriving elevator car in response to a hall call registered by the user, wherein notification occurs a threshold time value before elevator car arrival. In the preferred embodiment, an elevator car is assigned to a floor in response to a hall call. The amount of time required for the assigned elevator car to arrive at the floor is determined and compared with the threshold time value. If the arrival time is greater than the threshold time value, the system reexamines assignment, possibly reassigning a different elevator car to respond to the hall call. The arrival time of the assigned (or newly assigned) elevator car is again determined, and this process continues until the arrival time is less than or equal to the threshold time value. When the arrival time is less than or equal to the threshold time value, the hall lantern at the door of the assigned elevator car is energized, e.g., illuminated and/or sounded. Additionally, the hall call is removed from further consideration regarding reassignment to another elevator car, thereby fixing the elevator car assignment. In the preferred embodiment, the threshold time value can be a constant value determined by, e.g., the building manager. Alternatively, the threshold time value can be variable by the system, e.g., based on the intensity of the traffic as measured by user waiting time or user boarding and/or deboarding rates, whether actual or predicted.