WO2006011884A1

WO2006011884A1 - Elevator hall display for car loads

Info

Publication number: WO2006011884A1
Application number: PCT/US2004/021255
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mary Ann Valk
Original assignee: Otis Elevator Company
Priority date: 2004-06-29
Filing date: 2004-06-29
Publication date: 2006-02-02

Abstract

An elevator system 10 having a hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c having a load image 44a, 44b, 44c for displaying at least an approximation of the relative actual loads carried by elevator cars 24 is disclosed along with a method of forming the hall display. Various details of the hall display are developed which enable a symbolic display of load information. In one detailed embodiment, the load image has an aspect ratio Ar which varies and is dependent on the load.

Description

Apparatus and Method for an Elevator System Having a Hall Display for Car Loads

Technical Field This invention relates to elevator systems and more particularly to an elevator display system having a hall display at a floor location to convey information to a passenger about the load carried by elevator cars which will become available to the passenger.

Background of the Invention

A conventional elevator system has an installation for each floor which includes an up hall call fixture, such as a request button, for requesting an elevator car from the group controller; and, an associated light for signaling that the group controller has registered the request (except for the highest floor). Similarly, the elevator system includes a down hall call request button with an associated light to indicate that the group controller has registered the request (except for the lowest floor). The elevator system also includes a gong for providing an audible signal that an elevator car is about to arrive.

In addition, on each floor, each elevator hatchway has associated with it a set of hall lantern fixtures that identify which of the elevators is about to arrive, and depending on which of the lantern fixtures is lit, the direction in which the elevator is currently traveling. The highest and lowest floors have only one lantern fixture in a set of lantern fixtures; the remaining floors have two lanterns per set.

Finally, on major floors such as lobby floors, car position indicator fixtures are provided for each elevator in the group, and report the current floor position of the corresponding elevator car. These are generally not provided on each floor because of the expense. The floor position is taken to be equivalent to the committable floor of the car (that is, the next floor where the car could possibly stop, or a floor where it is stopped). Each of these fixtures receives signals from the elevator dispatch controller and sends signals to the elevator dispatch controller by wires or wirelessly.

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OT-5176 Regardless of how many individual processors are utilized, multi-elevator groups all employ a car controller for each car, and a group controller for the entire group. Each car controller communicates with the corresponding elevator car by means of a traveling cable, and the various car controllers communicate with the group controller over wires or by wireless connectors. In turn, the group controller communicates over wires or by wireless connectors with the hall fixtures.

In large systems, for example, several groups each having 15-25 floors, the elevator control system may provide no autonomy to the passenger for selecting the floor or floors at which the elevator car they board will stop. Instead, the passenger requests a destination and the elevator control system assigns a car which will stop at that floor and other floors which the elevator control systems assign to the car. Such elevator control systems are referred to as destination entry systems. One example of a destination entry system is shown in US Patent 4,989,694 issued to Ueshima et al. entitled Elevator Group Supervisory System. After the passenger selects a destination or floor location, a display system communicates to the passenger the load carried by the car assigned to carry the passenger to a destination. If the passenger decides the elevator car is too heavily loaded, the passenger can request the elevator system to assign another car to carry the passenger to the requested destination. As shown in US Patent 4,989,694, the load may be displayed as a number representing the number of passengers on the elevator.

Another type of elevator control system provides a degree of autonomy to the passenger for selecting the floor location at which the elevator car will stop once the passenger boards the car. Frequently, two or more elevator cars in such a system may be available for arrival or may arrive at a floor location making it difficult for passengers to know which elevator to board if more than one elevator becomes available for arrival at that floor location. If two elevator cars are available to arrive within a short period of each other, it may be difficult for the waiting passengers to decide whether to board the first elevator or allow the first elevator to depart and hope that the second elevator car will take less time to arrive at the passenger's destination.

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OT-5176 Each of the two systems has advantages but may also cause dissatisfaction or even frustration for the waiting passenger. The destination entry system discussed above provides the passenger with the ability to select an additional car for a floor location, but requires the passenger to make a cost-benefit analysis after acquiring detailed information about the car or cars assigned to arrive at a floor. The passenger has no chance to meaningfully exercise freedom of choice in immediately selecting a car; instead, the elevator control system is in charge of the movement of the cars. The non-destination entry elevator system provides more autonomy in choosing a car from available cars or soon-to-be available cars but may make selection of the car depend on the use of less information than the destination entry system has in making its decision about which is the best car for the waiting passenger.

The above art notwithstanding, scientists, engineers and other personnel working under the direction of applicant's assignee believe that information about the load carried by available cars would be helpful and would affect the passenger's ability to select between two quickly arriving cars for non-destination entry elevator systems. Because the load carried by a car is one of the factors affecting the decision about which car to select, the load information must be readily comprehensible if it is to be useful to waiting passengers. Accordingly, such personnel have sought to develop ways of providing load information for passengers of non-destination entry elevators.

Disclosure of Invention

This invention is in part predicated on the realization that providing load infGimation by having the passenger query the elevator control system about the load and then displaying the information might be a solution to providing for the movement of passengers through an elevator system, but requires the passenger to delay making a decision about which elevator to board until the load information is requested, is communicated to the passenger, and then mentally processed by comparing the load information about one car to the load information about another available car. Another approach might provide to the passenger load information

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OT-5176 about all elevator cars that are available or might become available. Using such a system with a large number of cars requires the passenger to make a determination of which cars are likely to arrive next, and after having done so, requires the critical steps of reviewing the information displayed about the load of those cars and mentally processing the load information to make a decision about which car to board.

This invention is also predicated in part on the recognition that passengers can mentally process information about changing conditions faster if the information is displayed as an image which has a simple change in shape under operative conditions and which may or may not be accompanied by a change in color, such as between neutral colors (white, gray, black) and primary colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet).

According to the present invention, a non-destination entry elevator system which is capable of having more than one elevator car available for waiting passengers, such as by having more than one car arrive at a particular floor location in a short period of time, has and uses in its method of operation, a hall display at the floor location for each car that includes a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic (image width divided by image height) under operative conditions that varies and is dependent on the level of intermediate loads carried by the car between an empty and a full car such that the load image at least approximates the actual load carried by the car and enables an observer to compare the approximate load of that car relative to other cars available to that floor by comparing the load images.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the load image has an aspect ratio characteristic which is less than one under an operative condition that corresponds to a car carrying no load or a partial load and increases in value under operative conditions as the load carried by the car increases. An example of a detailed embodiment is a rectangular load image having a constant height and a width which increases as a function of a predetermined incremental increase in load.

OT-5176 In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the load image has an aspect ratio characteristic which is greater than one under an operative condition that corresponds to a car carrying no load or a partial load and decreases in value under operative conditions as the load carried by the car increases. An example of a detailed embodiment is a rectangular load image having a constant width and a height which increases as a function of a predetermined incremental increase in load.

In accordance with one detailed embodiment, the load image is red for cars having a full load, black for cars arriving within a predetermined period of time to the floor location, gray for cars having a load which is less than a full load and arriving after a predetermined period of time.

In accordance with one embodiment, the load image has a first color, such as an achromatic color, under operative conditions to indicate the next arriving car or cars whose load is less than a full load. As mentioned, an example of an achromatic color is the color black.

In accordance with one detailed embodiment, the load image has a second color under operative conditions, such as a second achromatic color different from the first color, to indicate a car or cars whose load is less than a full load but is not one of the next arriving cars. As mentioned, an example of a second achromatic color is the color gray.

In one detailed embodiment, the load image has a third color, such as a chromatic color, to indicate the car has a full load. An example of a chromatic color is one of the six primary colors, such as the color red.

In accordance with another embodiment, the display has a reference point representing the location of the floor and the load image is spaced along a vertical line by a distance from the reference point, the distance being related to the actual relative location of the car with respect to the floor and relative to other cars under

OT-5176 operative conditions to indicate the nearest car(s) to the floor having a load that is less than a full load: and, the load image includes elevator identification indicia.

In one detailed embodiment, the display includes a second image adjoining the load image, such as a frame image, the second image having a perimeter which corresponds to the perimeter of the load image under an operative condition in which the car is fully loaded.

In one detailed embodiment, the display includes a direction image in close proximity to the first image indicating the direction of travel of the associated car.

In one detailed embodiment, the direction image of the display indicating the direction of travel of the associated car is the second image which forms the border of the load image.

In one detailed embodiment, the frame image includes a margin having a third color, such as the achromatic color white, the margin extending from the first image to a perimeter defined by a frame line which corresponds to the perimeter of the load image under an operative condition in which the car is fully loaded.

A principal advantage of the present invention is the overall operative efficiency of an elevator system which results from increasing the dispatching efficiency of the elevator system by enabling passengers to select which elevator car to board from a group of two or more cars arriving at a floor location in a short period of time, and to position themselves to board their selected car and which further results from passengers at a floor location being simultaneously presented with information from an elevator display about the load of approaching cars in the form of a simple shape that changes its aspect ratio.

An advantage of one particular embodiment of the present invention is the simplicity of an elevator display which simultaneously communicates to waiting passengers the direction in which the cars of the elevator system are moving, the load on each car, and which subgroup of cars are next approaching the floor location

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OT-5176 of the waiting passengers by using a simple shape that changes its aspect ratio characteristic and changes colors.

The foregoing features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the invention and in the accompanying drawing.

Brief Description of Figures

Fig. 1 is a simplified, schematic block diagram of an elevator display system having several elevator cars for operation in accordance with the present invention;

Figs. 2A and 2B are schematic representations of a frame image 46a of the type used in Fig. 9, and, a load image 44a symbolically crosshatched to show the color gray in Fig. 2A and red in Fig. 2B;

Figs. 3A-3C are schematic representations of load images 44a with different aspect ratios Ar (Ar = w/h) and symbolically crosshatched to show the color gray in Figs. 3A, 3B and red in Fig. 3C;

Figs. 3D-3E are schematic representations of load images 44a with different aspect ratios Ar that are used to designate an empty car having a zero load (Lo = 0) and symbolically crosshatched to show the color gray;

Figs. 4A-4B are alternate embodiments 44b of the load images 44a shown in Figs. 2A-2B.

Figs. 5A-5B are schematic representations of load images 44a with an adjoining image as represented by an up hall lantern image 36 and an image in close proximity as represented by a down hall lantern image 38; ,

Figs. 6A-6C are schematic representations of an alternate embodiment 44c of the load images 44a that combine a frame image 46c with the load image 44c to

OT-5176 form the up hall lantern image 40, the down hall lantern image 41 and are symbolically crosshatched to show the color gray in Fig. 6A-6B and red in Fig. 6C;

Fig. 7 is a schematic representation of a hall display 12b using a load image 44a with aspect ratios related to five load intervals to identify the range of car loads

La; using the color green with an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = 1/ 5) to designate a zero load, La = Lo = 0; using the color red with an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = 1) to designate the maximum load, La = Lmx; designating the next arriving car with the color black and having fixed hall lantern and car identification images;

Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment 12c of the hall display 12b using a load image 44a with aspect ratios related to three load intervals to identify the range of car loads La; using only an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = 1/5) to designate a zero load, La = Lo = 0; using an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = 1) to designate the maximum load La = Lmx, with optional use of the color red; designating the next arriving car with the color black and having moving hall lantern and car identification images that move with the load image;

Fig. 9 is a schematic representation of an alternate embodiment 12a of the hall display 12b using floor images; using a load image 44a with a frame image 56a with aspect ratios related to a great number of load intervals to identify the range of car loads La; using the frame image with an aspect ratio characteristic of zero (Ar = 0) to designate a zero load, La = Lo = 0; using an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = 1) to designate the maximum load La = Lmx, with optional use of the color red; designating the next arriving cars within a set interval of time with the color black and having moving hall lantern and car identification images that move with the load image.

Detailed Description of the Invention Fig. 1 is a simplified, schematic block diagram of an elevator system 10. The elevator system 10 is a non-destination entry system which provides a great degree of autonomy to passengers selecting a destination or requesting a car. The elevator system includes an elevator display system, as represented by hall displays such as

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OT-5176 hall display 12. The elevator system has two or more elevator cars, as represented by the cars 14, for operation in accordance with the present invention. The elevator system serves a plurality of destinations, such as a plurality of floors or floor locations, as represented by the floor locations F1, F2, F3, etc. in a building 16 having a plurality (i.e. two or more) of elevator hatchways (not shown).

As shown in Fig. 1, the elevator system includes a control 18 which is shown removed from the interior of the building for clarity. The control may be part of the main control system or part of a subsidiary control system connected to the main control system for the elevator system 10. Components are connected to the control by wire or wireless connections as represented by lines 22 extending between components.

The control 18 includes a processor 24 for receiving information from sensors, such as sensors 32 and providing information about the location and the load carried by each car. The control includes memory 26 for providing information about the maximum capacity of each car. The control may be located at any convenient location, such as a control room (not shown), and may include portions that are located at each car or at each floor. Drive units 28 are connected to the control for driving each of the cars to destinations, such as floor locations F1, F2, F3, as selected by the main control system or as directed by the boarding passengers.

The sensors include load sensing devices, such as weight sensing devices, a volume sensing device or a video camera and associated detectors, as represented by t! ie sensors 32, for sensing the weight or volume of passengers or cargo within the elevator. One example of a load weight sensor is available from Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik GmbH, Im Tiefen See 45, D 62493 Darnstadt, Germany as the DLC-2K35104 Load Weight Sensor. A method for estimating the ratio of human occupants in a restricted space, such as an elevator car, is disclosed in U.S. Patent 5,703,367 issued to Hashimoto et al. One particular embodiment might employ similar sensors 34 at floor locations to determine the number of waiting passengers and provide that information to a hall display, such as for a portion of the hall display

12a shown in Fig. 9.

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OT-5176 The hall displays 12 of the elevator display system are also referred to as fixtures. Hall displays include, for example, a hall call display having a call button signal or image (not shown). The hall call display typically includes a call-registered image that may comprise an image of a conventional "halo" or ring surrounding the call button image (not shown). Other examples are a floor display for showing images of the location of a car relative to floors of the building; and, a lantern display having up and down lantern images, such as arrow images, for showing the direction of motion of the car. The different hall displays may be separate displays each having its own image. Alternatively, the hall displays may become part of a single display which incorporates the images of more than one display.

Fig. 9 is an example of a single hall display 12a that includes several hall display images. For example, the hall display 12a includes the up lantern or arrow image 36a, the down lantern image 38a, and floor images 42a. The hall display images are shown against a contrasting background color, such as the color white, as represented by the background image13a. These images might be formed by a LCD display, an LED display, or even an electrophoretic display system, which is shown in more detail and discussed, for example, in US Patent 6,629,583 entitled "Fixture For An Elevator System" issued to VaIk et al.

In addition, Fig 9 includes a load image 44a and adjoining images, as represented by a frame image 46a, a car identification image 48a (A, B, C, etc.) and the lantern images 36a, 38a. The load image has a shape that at least approximately reflects the actual load La of the associated car. The associated car is identified by the car identification image which is disposed within the load image. Under operative conditions, the load image and the adjoining images 36a, 38a, 46a, 48a move vertically as one with respect to the floor images 42a. In an alternate embodiment of hall display 12, the load image need not move as long as the load image is tied visually to the associated car.

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OT-5176 Figs. 2A-2B are enlarged images of the load image 44a of Fig. 9 and adjoining frame image 46a under operative conditions where a car is carrying two different actual loads La. The actual loads La of each car range from a load Lo, for an empty car, through a series of intermediate loads to a load Lmx, the maximum load that a car carries (O≤ La ≤ Lmx). The actual load may be expressed as a fraction of the maximum load. The fraction may be used to generate the load image 44a.

Fig. 2A shows the load image 44a under a partially loaded condition. Fig. 2B shows the load image under a fully loaded condition. Each load image 44a has an aspect ratio characteristic Ar (image width w divided by image height h; Ar = w/h).

The aspect ratio characteristic of the load image varies as a function of the size of the load La carried by the car as compared to the maximum load of the car Lmx; and, such that the aspect ratio characteristic at least approximates car loads that are intermediate to the load Lo of an empty car and to the load Lmx of a full car (fully loaded) car. As shown in Fig. 2A, the aspect ratio characteristic for a partially loaded car is less than one. As shown in Fig. 2B, the aspect ratio characteristic for a fully loaded car is equal to one (Ar = 1).

Waiting passengers may use the changing aspect ratio characteristic to decide which of more than one available car is probably the least burdened. Passengers can select those lesser burdened using the load image from cars at the floor and even from cars arriving shortly, that is, before the car arrives at their floor. Adding color to the load images will emphasize differences in loads carried by the cars. In the present detailed embodiment, the load image for intermediate loads might be the color gray as indicated by the symbolic cross-hatching in Fig. 2A. The load image for full loads might be the color red as shown by the symbolic cross- hatching in Fig. 2B.

The frame image 46a is a second image that adjoins and moves with the load image 44a. A combined image 44a, 46a is formed by the load image and frame image. The frame image includes a frame line 52a which extends about the load image. The frame line is formed by a very thin contrasting color, such as black. A

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OT-5176 frame margin 54a adjoins the load image. In the present embodiment, the frame margin extends laterally to the frame line. The frame margin 54a has a color which contrasts with the color of the load image, such as a lighter shade of gray or white. The combined image, through the frame margin and with or without the frame line, forms a perimeter corresponding to the perimeter of the load image under an operative condition in which the car is fully loaded. Thus, the frame image is complementary to the load image in forming an aspect ratio equal to the fully loaded car under all operative conditions. Accordingly, the load image provides a visual symbolic representation of the unavailable capacity of the car and the frame image provides a symbolic representation of the available capacity of the car. As will be realized, the frame image might be displayed by the same device which forms the load image as shown in Fig. 9 or by a separate device.

The load image 44a by itself provides a comparison of the load burdening a car relative to the loads burdening other cars and is based on information from sensors, such as sensors 32, 34 responsive to weight, to volume, to the number of persons, or to a combination of weight and either volume or the number of persons. In one embodiment, the actual load La and the maximum load Lmx might be determined in terms of the number of persons. For example, if the capacity of the car is twelve, a load of six persons would correspond to an aspect ratio characteristic of one-half (Ar = 1/ 2). Alternatively, the load might be determined in terms of kilograms. The load image might have an aspect ratio characteristic which is a function of the load carried by the car in, for example, increments of 100 kilograms ove; at least a substantial portion of the load range to enable an observer to quickly determine the relative size of the load carried by the associated car as compared to other cars. For a car having a capacity of 2000 kg, the aspect ratio characteristic might have a width of 20mm for indicating a car with no load and further have approximately 20 incremental widths differing by about 9 mm one to the other for displaying increases in load.

As will be realized, comparing load images among a number of cars may or may not exactly compare the actual loads. However, the comparison need not be exact for waiting passengers who only want to know the loads burdening the

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OT-5176 available cars to a degree that allows them to pick the car they will board from the available cars. This is possible using sensors, such as weight or person sensors, to form a load image because elevator cars are designed to carry a predetermined volume of load (capacity measured by volume) and a predetermined weight of load (capacity measured by mass). Either both types of sensors or one type of sensor might be used because the load weight can be empirically correlated with load volume for cars designed primarily for passengers. However measured, using the same technique to measure the load for each car provides a fairly reliable indication of the actual size of the load compared to the maximum load Lmx of the car and compared to the loads carried by the other cars.

As shown in Figs. 3A-E for hall display 12 and Fig. 7 for hall display 12b, the hall display might have a load image 44a that appears alone. In these Figures, the hall displays use a simple rectangular load image 44a without the adjoining images shown in Fig. 9. As shown in Figs. 3A-E, the load image 44a might be a non-moving image aligned with an associated car identification image (not shown) in the manner the car identification image 48b is shown in Fig. 7. Alternatively, the simple load image 44a may move vertically as shown in the hall display 12b of Fig. 7 and as the simple load images 44a and adjoining images as shown in the hall display 12c of Fig. 8.

As shown in Fig. 3A and mentioned with respect to Fig. 2A, Fig. 2B and Fig. 9, the aspect ratio characteristic Ar for load image 44a is the width divided by the height (Ar = w/h) and is the same as the average width divided by the average height. The height h is the maximum vertical distance between the bottom 56a and the top 58a of the load image. The width w is the maximum distance measured perpendicular to the height from the first outwardly facing side 62a to the second outwardly facing side 64a. The load image 44a has a constant height h and a width w that varies as a smooth or step function of the load.

A simple load image, like the load image 44a, has a unitary appearance such that it is perceived as an integrated and composite whole. The load image does not require a waiting passenger to perform a mental calculation of summing many parts

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OT-5176 of a load image to determine the relative size of the load represented by the load image. Rather, a passenger can rely on the overall aspect ratio characteristic of the load image to provide the necessary information about which cars are the least burdened and the most attractive to board.

Figs. 3A-C provide one example of an aspect ratio characteristic varying with the actual load. As the actual load La changes and falls within a new predetermined load interval of the load range, the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image changes. The aspect ratio characteristic changes to the new aspect ratio characteristic Ar associated with the new load interval. The load intervals may be selected to be very small such that there is a nearly infinite number of load intervals in the limit. In such a case, the aspect ratio characteristic Ar appears to change continuously. Alternatively, as discussed with regard to Figs. 3A-3C, the aspect ratio characteristic might change as a series of large step functions by selecting a limited number of load intervals so that a large change in load is required before there is a corresponding change in aspect ratios. For example, four step functions might have four aspect ratios as follows, that is, Ar = 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1. A neutral color, as represented by gray as shown in Fig. 3A and 3B, is used to show a partially loaded car. Alternatively, the color of the partially loaded car might be another neutral color, such as white or black. The configuration using gray for a less than fully loaded car might be used to indicate, for example,

Fig. 3A - Ar = 1/ 4; for a positive load greater than Lo but less than or equal to one-quarter of the maximum load Lmx with the color gray (Lo < La ≤ 1/4 Lmx);

Fig. 3B - Ar = 1/ 2; for a load greater than one-quarter Lmx to one-half load Lmx with the color gray (1/4 Lmx < La ≤ 1/2 Lmx); Ar = 3/ 4; for a load greater than one-half Lmx to three-quarters Lmx with the color gray (not shown) (1/2 Lmx < La ≤ 3/4 Lmx); Ar = 1 ; for a load greater than three-quarters Lmx to less than a full load Lmx with the color gray (not shown) (3/4 Lmx < La < 1 Lmx); and,

Fig. 3C - Ar = 1 for a full load Lmx with the color red (La = Lmx)

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OT-5176 A substantially full or fully loaded car is shown by a square load image, that is, an aspect ratio characteristic equal to one (Ar = 1). As shown in Fig. 3C, the load image for a substantially full car that later becomes fully loaded might change from a neutral color to a primary color, such as from gray to red.

The load image 44a for an empty car might be shown in many ways. The aspect ratio characteristic of the load image might identify an empty car, that is, a car with no load. As shown in Fig. 3D, the load image for an empty car might simply use a smaller aspect ratio characteristic Ar than the range of aspect ratios used for loads greater than zero, e.g. Ar = 1/ 5 used for La = Lo; but Ar ≥ 1/4 if La > Lo. As shown in Fig. 3E, the load image for an empty car uses a symbol, as represented by the letter E for "empty," against a gray load image. Alternatively, an empty car might be identified by a load image having a lighter shade of gray (not shown) coupled with the smallest aspect ratio characteristic Ar for loads greater than zero. An example is a light gray load image with an aspect ratio characteristic Ar corresponding to 1/ 4 load (e.g. where Ar = 1/ 4 is used for 0 < La < 1/4Lmx).

Fig.4A and Fig.4B show load images 44b which are alternate embodiments of the load image 44a. Like load image 44a, the load image 44b is also a rectangular load image; but differs by having a width w that is constant and a height h which changes as a function of a predetermined incremental change in load. Accordingly, the load image has an aspect ratio characteristic (Ar = w/h) which is greater than one under an operative condition that corresponds to a car carrying no load or a partial load. The load image aspect ratio characteristic Ar ( w/h ) decreases in value under operative conditions as the load carried by the car increases. For example, Fig. 4A shows a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic for a partial load (Ar = 4/1 = 4). As compared to the Fig. 4 embodiment, Fig.4B shows a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic for an increased load (Ar = 2/1 = 2). A fully loaded car has an aspect ratio characteristic of one (Ar = 1/1 = 1).

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OT-5176 Fig. 5A shows a hall display 12 having a load image 44a and a hall lantern image, as represented by the up hall lantern image 36 which shows the "up" direction of motion of the associated car. The up lantern image 36 is in close proximity to the load image, that is, within a distance d equal to the height of the load image. Fig. 5B also shows an up hall lantern image 36 in close proximity to the load image; but, the image is so close that the image is also an adjoining image to the load image.

Fig. 6A shows a hall display 12 having a load image 44c which is an alternate embodiment of the load image 44a shown in Fig. 2A. The hall display combines in one image the load image and a second image, as represented by an adjoining hall lantern image 40. The combined image shows the "up" direction of motion of the associated car. The hall lantern image is formed by a frame image 46c which includes a frame line 52c and a frame margin 54c. The maximum width of the frame image between the two sides of the frame image is the same width as the load image for showing a full car.

The aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image for irregular shapes is determined at any operative condition by dividing the widest width of the load image by its greatest height. The aspect ratio characteristic Ar of one-fourth symbolically represents a partial load equal to 1/4 of the total load (Ar = 1/4; La = 1/4 Lmx). Fig. 6B shows an increased load equal to one-half the total load (Ar = 1/2) with the hall lantern image 41 showing a "down" direction of travel. Fig. 6C shows a load image which corresponds to a full load for the elevator car and is red to denote that the car is carrying a full load. As shown, the load image is coextensive with the frame image.

Fig. 7 shows an alternate embodiment 12b of the hall display 12a shown in Fig. 9. The hall display 12b is located at a floor location corresponding to the line FL extending across the hall display. The hall display has a top 66b, a bottom 68b, a first side 72b and a second side 74b. The hall display has a background 13b having a white color. Identification indicators or images for a group of elevator cars are disposed across the bottom, as represented by the indicators 48b in the form of

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OT-5176 black letters A-H. The hall display simultaneously displays three pieces of operative information about these elevator cars to waiting passengers: 1) the approximate distance of each car from floor FL relative to other cars; 2) the direction in which the elevator car is moving; and, 3) the approximate actual load La of each car relative to other cars.

Different car loads are readily compared by viewing the rectangular load images 44a of the type in Figs. 2A-2B and Figs. 3A-D. Hall lantern images 36b, 38b show the assigned direction of motion for moving cars and for stationary cars stopped at a floor location. No hall lantern image is shown for cars stopped at a floor and not having an assigned direction of motion. In Fig. 7, both the lantern images and the moving load images are displayed even though the direction of movement is readily apparent from the moving load image. Alternatively, the hall display may display the rectangular load image for moving cars without a hall lantern image.

The load image has a leading surface 76a facing in the direction of car motion and a trailing surface 78a facing away from the direction of car motion. With a "down" direction assigned as a direction of motion or as the actual direction of motion, the leading surface 76a is the bottom 56a of the load image. With an "up" direction as the assigned direction or as the actual direction of motion, the leading surface 76a is the top 58a of the load image.

For moving cars and cars with an assigned direction, the relative distance of the leading surface 76a of the load image 44a to the line FL is at least approximately proportional to the relative distance of the actual car 14 to the floor location. The current location of cars not having an assigned direction of motion may be the midpoint of the load image between the top and bottom or approximated by the location of the load image.

As discussed earlier, dividing the range of actual car loads La into intervals or parts provides a basis for varying the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image 44a for the hall display 12b. Because each interval or part of the load range has an associated aspect ratio characteristic Ar, the shape (aspect ratio characteristic Ar) of

17 the load image is a step function based on the number of intervals of the load range. Selecting the size of the load intervals provides flexibility in adapting a standardized hall display to traffic at a particular elevator installation or in handling changes in the size or pattern of the traffic with time or with changes in building occupants.

For example, seven load intervals might be used for the hall display 12b. The load intervals are: Lo, the zero or no load (empty car) interval; five intermediate load intervals; and, Lmx, the maximum load (full car) interval. A set of five aspect ratios Ar and three colors are used for the associated load images, as follows: Ar = 1/ 5 with a gray color and a green color; 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 with a gray color; and, Ar = 1 with a gray color and a red color. Colors may be used to emphasize the load images for empty cars Lo and fully loaded cars Lmx, such as green and red respectively, with gray for the intermediate load intervals.

The set of aspect ratios might have the following associated load intervals:

Ar = 1/5: with green (to symbolize emptiness) for no load Lo, or,

Ar = 1/5: with gray for loads greater than zero but less than one-eighth of a full load Lmx (0< La ≤ 1/8 Lmx); Ar = 1/ 4: with the color gray for loads greater than one-eighth Lmx to three- eighths Lmx (1/8 Lmx< La ≤3/8 Lmx);

Ar = 1/ 2: with gray for loads greater than three-eighths Lmx to five-eighths Lmx (3/8 Lmx< La ≤5/8 Lmx);

Ar = 3/ 4: with gray for loads greater than five-eighths Lmx to seven-eighths Lmx (5/8 Lmx< La <7/8 Lmx); and,

Ar = 1 with gray for loads greater than seven-eighths Lmx to less than a full load Lmx (7/8 Lmx < La < Lmx); or,

Ar = 1 with red for full loads, La = Lmx.

A passenger viewing the hall display 12b of Fig. 7 could quickly learn the following from the load images 44a. Car A has a full load because the load image is red (as symbolized by the cross-hatching), and the aspect ratio characteristic Ar is one (Ar = 1). Cars B, C, and G are relatively empty because the aspect ratio

18

OT-5176 characteristic is one fifth (Ar = 1/ 5). Car G, in fact, is empty (no load Lo) because the load image is green as symbolized by the cross-hatching, but is not moving because there is no hall lantern image. Cars B and C have an actual load La that is less than one-eighth (1/8) of a full load. Cars B, C, and D are at the current floor location as shown by the leading surface 76a at line FL with the hall lanterns showing cars B and C moving downward and car D moving upward. Cars D and H have a moderate load because the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of one-half (Ar=1/2) corresponds to a moderate load interval (3/8 Lmx< La ≤5/8 Lmx). Car F is less than half full because the aspect ratio characteristic Ar is one-fourth (Ar= 1/4; 1/8 Lmx< La ≤3/8 Lmx). Like car G, car F is not moving and no assignment is displayed because there is no hall lantern image.

The hall display 12b uses the color black to designate the next arriving car at the present location FL. Cars E and H are the next arriving cars at the present location because the load images are black. Car E has a relatively full load with an aspect ratio characteristic of three-fourths (Ar=3/4) and is the next arriving down car. Car H has a moderate load with an aspect ratio characteristic of one-half (Ar=1/2) and is the next arriving up car. If cars E and H were full, the load image might be a combination of red and black or red alone even though they are the next arriving cars.

In summary, the hall display 12b of Fig. 7 uses a load image 44a with five aspect ratios related to seven load intervals to identify the range of car loads La; uses the color green with an aspect ratio characteristic of one fifth (Ar = 1/5) to designate a zero load, La = Lo = 0; uses the color red with an aspect ratio characteristic of one (Ar = 1) to designate the maximum load, La = Lmx; designates the next arriving car with the color black;' and has fixed hall lantern 36b, 38b and car identification images 48b. The information shown in Fig. 7 may be represented in tabular form as follows:

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, Fig. 8 is an alternate embodiment 12c of the hall display 12b shown in Fig. 7.

The hall display 12c has a background image 13c which is white in color. Fig. 8 has adjoining images that move with the load image. The moving, adjoining images include the up and down, hall lantern images 36a, 38a and the car identification images 48a. Except for the car identification image 48a for car F, the car identification images 48a are within the graphical load images 44a.

_. Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 have the same load interval for an aspect ratio characteristic

Ar of one half (Ar = 1/ 2; 3/8 Lmx< La ≤5/8 Lmx). However, in Fig. 8, a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic of one-fifth and the color gray is used only as a designation for an empty car (Ar=1/5 with gray; La = Lo). (Fig. 7 differs by using an aspect ratio characteristic of 1/5 with a green load image to designate an empty car.) In addition, Fig. 8 uses a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic of one (Ar

= 1) only for designating a car carrying a full load Lmx. Because the load images for loads Lo and Lmx differ from Fig. 7, the aspect ratios Ar for one quarter and three quarters have associated load intervals that differ from the load intervals of Fig. 7. In

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OT-5176 Fig. 8, the aspect ratio characteristic of one quarter has an associated load interval of 0< La <3/8 Lmx; and, the aspect ratio characteristic of three quarters has an associated load interval 5/8< La <Lmx.

A passenger viewing the hall display 12c of Fig. 8 could quickly learn the following from the load images 44b. Car A has a full load because the load image has an aspect ratio characteristic of one (Ar = 1). The load image for car A is red, although it need not be, to easily distinguish this full car from other cars in use. Cars B and C are empty cars, are at the present floor location FL (Ar = 1/ 5; La = Lo) and are available to waiting passengers. The load images are gray.

In Fig. 8, the color black is used for load images to identify cars that will shortly become available, that is, within a specified interval of time such as within the next forty (40) seconds. For example, cars E and F are shown as arriving within the next forty (40) seconds because the load images are black. Gray was selected for the load image of cars B and C because these cars are already at the present floor FL and are apparent to the waiting passengers. In an alternate embodiment, the load images of all cars available within the specified forty (40) second interval of time might be black, which would include cars B, C and D, to distinguish them from the load images of other cars.

Identifying arriving cars E and F and their relative load might make cars E and F an alternative to cars B and C. For example, a floor in an office building might have a large number of passengers awaiting down cars at the end of the workday. A departing employee, new to the waiting group of passengers, would see other employees clustered in front of and boarding the relatively empty cars B and C. The new passenger may choose not to move to the rear of the large group of boarding passengers. Instead, the new passenger may move toward the arriving cars E, F and wait, because the black load images identify the cars as arriving within the next forty (40) seconds and while their aspect ratios Ar identify car E as having a moderately large load, car F is relatively empty.

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OT-5176 Car E is over half full and has a load image which identifies the actual load La as falling within and approximated by the associated load interval (Ar = 3/4; 5/8 Lmx< La <Lmx). Car F will arrive shortly after car E and has an aspect ratio characteristic of one quarter having a smaller associated load interval (Ar=1/4; 0< La ≤3/8 Lmx). A passenger new to the waiting group may move to the group awaiting the arrival of car F. Up passengers might seek to use car D which is available at FL. Car H may be the next arriving up car; but the load image is gray (not black) showing that car H will not arrive within the next forty (40) seconds.

In summary, the hall display 12c of Fig. 8: uses a load image 44a with five aspect ratios related to five load intervals to identify the range of car loads La; uses only an aspect ratio characteristic of one fifth (Ar = 1/5) to designate a zero load, La = Lo = 0; uses an aspect ratio characteristic of one (Ar = 1) to designate the maximum load La = Lmx, with optional use of the color red to emphasize a full load; designates the next arriving car within a set time period with the color black; and, has hall lantern

36a, 38a and car identification images 48a that move with the load image. The information shown in Fig. 8 may be represented in tabular form as follows:

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OT-5176 Fig. 9 is an alternate embodiment 12a of the hall displays 12b, 12c shown in the prior figures. The hall display 12a has a background 13a and a series of floor images 42a (e.g. F1, F2, F3, etc.) disposed along a side of the hall display, as represented by the side 72a. The floor images are spaced vertically one from the other and approximate the relative spacing of the floor locations in the building 16. The number of persons waiting for a car at each floor location is shown as a numeral adjacent to the associated floor image 42a, as represented by the numerals 80.

Fig. 9 illustrates the use of the load image 44a with the frame image 46a. As can be seen from cars D-H, the two images enable a ready comparison between the current load La and the full load Lmx of a car. In addition, as shown for cars B-C, the use of the load image 44a and frame image 46a also enables using an aspect ratio characteristic of zero for an empty car (Ar = 0). Accordingly, the frame image for cars B and C shows no gray area within the frame for the load image. Car A is fully loaded and the load image has an aspect ratio characteristic of one (La = Lmx; Ar = 1). The load image is coextensive with the frame image.

Using a load image having an aspect ratio characteristic of zero for an empty car and an aspect ratio characteristic of one for a full load enables the use of a large number (up to an infinite number in the limit) of equal sized load intervals to divide up the load range from empty to full. Thus, using the combination of a load image 44a and frame image 46a enables use of a load image 44a having an aspect ratio characteristic that is proportional to all actual loads La from an empty car to a full car. For example, the load image for car E having an aspect ratio characteristic of three- fourths (Ar = 3/4) identifies car E as having an actual load La which is three fourths of the load of a full car (3/4 Lmx). Cars B and C have no load (La = Lo = 0) and have load images with an aspect ratio characteristic of zero (Ar = 0). Car G has an aspect ratio characteristic of one fourth (1/4) and has one fourth of a full load (1/4 Lmx). Car H has a load of three-fifths (3/5) Lmx and has an aspect ratio characteristic of three fifths (Ar = 3/5).

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OT-5176 For all embodiments of the hall displays 12, including the embodiments 12a, 12b, 12c shown in Figs. 7-9, waiting passengers can view load images that are simple geometric shapes, such as the load images 44a, b, c, and use the information from the load images to readily compare the loads of cars and to rapidly decide which car 14 to board. The load images shown in Figs. 2A-6B may be used as stationary load images next to car identification images 48 to symbolically display such load information with simple geometric shapes in any hall display 12.

Providing load information in a readily comprehensible fashion has two advantages. First, it allows passengers to more quickly and efficiently distribute themselves more equally among the available cars which increases the overall operative efficiency of the elevator system. This results from avoiding disproportionately larger loads of passengers on some of the available cars and disproportionately smaller loads of passengers on others, which will typically occur if a large number of passengers at a floor try to crowd into the first arriving car.

Secondly, it increases passenger satisfaction with operation of a non-destination entry elevator system because it couples the passengers' ability to select an elevator car, which is inherent in such an elevator system, with the passengers' having information available to them about the relative size of the loads carried by the cars that is helpful in making an optimum decision about which car to select.

Providing information about arriving cars by having a moving load image, as shown in hall displays 12a, 12b, 12c, further increases the ability of passenger to intelligently choose between available cars and soon-to-arrive cars. The hall displays12a, 12b, 12c simultaneously communicate to waiting passengers 1) the direction the cars are moving; 2) the load on each car; and, 3) the next approaching car or cars. Comparing the time needed to obtain substantially the same information from Figs. 7-8 and the tables summarizing Figs. 7-8 indicates how quickly a passenger can grasp car information from displays using simple geometric shapes as compared to detailed displays of multidimensional information, such as time, distance and car capacity.

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OT-5176 Because these decisions are often made after viewing the hall display for a matter of seconds and after noting the arriving and soon-to-depart cars, the colors selected for the simple geometric shapes may speed the conveyance of information to waiting passengers. For example, red may be selected for load images 44a, b, c associated with cars having a full load. Waiting passengers should disregard fully loaded cars that they cannot board. Red is suggested because it conventionally signifies an alert in most cultures. Red also makes a bright object from the load image for an unavailable car; and, makes a load image that is easily distinguished from any background, especially a background that is white. Other primary colors migiit be used because they are also highly saturated and might be selected because a color has significance in a particular culture. However, red is the preferred color.

Black is used to identify load images 44a for cars 14 that are nearing a particular floor location FL. Examples are load images for the next available car in a particular direction as shown in Fig. 7 for cars E and H; and, for cars arriving within a set interval of time as shown in Fig. 8 for cars E and F and in Fig. 9 for car E. Like red, black is also easily distinguished from a white background as, for example, the backgrounds 13a, b, c of Figs. 7-9 or the frame margin 54a of the frame image 46a. Black is also an achromatic, de-saturated color and does not simultaneously compete with a highly saturated, spectrally extreme primary color, such as red.

As discussed below, gray is particularly useful for load images for cars not arriving within a short time that have an aspect ratio characteristic for an intermediate load interval, for example, as the loads in Fig. 8 between a zero load Lo

(empty car) and the full load Lmx. Gray is also useful for load images for cars that passengers are boarding at a floor location. Typically, the new passenger has made a quick, preliminary decision about those cars after noting the number of waiting passengers and the relative capacity of those cars from the associated load image.

There are at least three reasons for selecting gray for intermediate load images. First, as a desaturated color, gray does not compete simultaneously with red, which is a highly saturated, spectrally extreme color. Second, gray is

25

OT-5176 distinguishable from the critical red and black rectangular load images (boxes) that symbolize, for red, unavailable, fully loaded cars and, for black, cars that are arriving within a short period. Third, gray is sufficiently light, as compared to red and black, to indicate lesser importance of meaning. The up and-down hall lantern images are gray because they are each associated with a load image which is typically gray.

For hall displays 12a, 12 b, 12c, the colors of the load image 44a, the colors of the frame image 46a, and the colors of the background images 13a, 13 b, 13c are sufficiently distinctive from each other to avoid subtle differences in color and to provide high contrasts that clearly delineate shapes by creating sharp, clearly discernible boundaries. One example of a satisfactory combination uses white for both the background image of the hall display and the frame margin 54a of the frame image 46a in combination with the foreground colors red, black, green and gray for the load images 44a, b, c and the color black for the frame line 52a. Black font is used for text against a white background for the car identification images 48 that identify each elevator (that is, A, B, C etc.) and, in Fig. 9, the numerals for the floors.

In summary, the automatic display of simple, geometric load images that are constantly updated to quickly convey information to passengers about car loads increases the efficiency with which passengers move through an elevator system to their destination and increases the satisfaction of waiting passengers with use of the system. Presenting load information as shown, and particularly as shown in Figs. 7- 9, enables the passengers to exercise a degree of intelligent autonomy in deciding which car to board. Moreover, the information is provided in such a way that passengers may monitor the changing situation of car availability and car loads allowing the passengers to participate in a continuing, rational process for deciding which car to board. The constantly updated information about cars at the floor and about moving cars is continuously displayed for waiting passengers. The passengers have the opportunity to perform cost-benefit analyses about which car to board that may decrease passenger frustration simply by occupying the waiting passengers with an activity that will improve their travel situation. Further, constantly updating the load information may further provide for a more orderly process in boarding cars by removing the pressure on impatient waiting passengers to press

26

OT-5176 forward toward cars presently at their floor location. Instead, information about how quickly the cars are filling and the availability of new cars is rapidly acquired and allows the passengers to distribute themselves among the presently available and soon-to-be available elevator cars.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to detailed embodiment thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

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Claims

We claim:

1. For a non-destination entry elevator system 10 in a structure 16 for a plurality of floor locations F1 , F2, F3 each at a different elevation, the elevator system having at least two elevator cars 14 for carrying actual loads under operative conditions, the actual loads having a range from a level of no load Lo through intermediate loads to a full load Lmx that is divided into intervals of the range for at least the intermediate loads, the elevator system having at least two of said cars which are adapted to arrive at one of said floor locations in a period of time during which a waiting passenger may choose between said cars, a display which comprises: a hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c for each car 14 at the said floor location that includes a load image 44a, 44b, 44c having a first color, the load image having a load image width w, having a load image height h and having an aspect ratio characteristic Ar under each operative condition that is a ratio of the load image width w to the load image height h (Ar = w/h) and that is associated with each interval of the load range; wherein the magnitude of the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image is dependent on the level of load carried by the car such that the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image indicates the associated interval of load and provides at least an approximation of the actual intermediate load carried by the car.

2. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the load image 44a, 44c has a first aspect ratio characteristic Ara which is less than one (Ara < 1) under a first operative condition under which the car 14 carries no load Lo and has a second aspect ratio characteristic Arb which is greater than the first aspect ratio characteristic (Ara > Arb) under a second operative condition under which the car carries an actual load that is greater by a predetermined amount than no load.

3. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 2 wherein the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image 44a, 44c increases as a step function of the actual load carried by the car under operative conditions as the actual load carried by the car increases.

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4. The hall display 12 of claim 1 wherein the load image 44b has a first aspect ratio characteristic Ara which is greater than one (Ara >1) under a first operative condition under which the car carries no load Lo and has a second aspect ratio characteristic Arb which is less than the first aspect ratio characteristic (Ara < Arb) under a second operative condition under which the car carries an actual load that is greater by a predetermined amount than no load.

5. The hall display 12 of claim 4 wherein the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image 44b decreases as a step function of the actual load carried by the car under operative conditions as the actual load carried by the car increases.

6. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the load image 44a, 44b, 44c has a second color under at least one of said operative conditions to indicate the next arriving cars whose load is less than a full load.

7. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 6 wherein the second color is an achromatic color.

8. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 7 wherein the achromatic color is the color black.

9. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 6 wherein under at least one of said operative conditions the car is not one of the next arriving cars and wherein the associated load image has the first color for the intermediate load wherein the first color indicates an intermediate actual load which is less than a full load Lmx and that the car is not one of the next arriving cars.

10. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 9 wherein the first color is a first achromatic color different from the second color.

11. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 10 wherein the first achromatic color is the color gray.

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12. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein under at least one of said operative conditions the actual load of the car is a full load Lmx and the associated load image has a chromatic color which indicates the car has a full load Lmx.

13. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 12 wherein the chromatic color is red.

14. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 10 wherein under at least one of said operative conditions the actual load of the car is a full load Lmx and the associated load image has a chromatic color which indicates the car has a full load Lmx.

15. The hall display 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the hall display 12a, 12b, 12c has a vertical direction, a horizontal direction, and a horizontal reference indicator FL representing the floor location of the hall display and wherein under an operative condition the load image of at least three of the cars 14 is spaced from the reference indicator by a distance in the vertical direction that is related to the actual relative location of the car with respect to the floor location such that the load image 44a, 44b, 44c of each of said at least three cars is related to the actual relative location of the other of said at least three cars under said operative condition.

16. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the hall display includes car identification images 48a, 48b, 48c and wherein each load image 44a, 44b, 44c has an associated car identification image.

17. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the hall display includes a lantern image 36, 36a, 36b, 38, 38a, 38b, 40, 41 in close proximity to an associated load image 44a, 44b, 44c for indicating the direction of travel of the associated car 14.

18. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the load image 44a, 44b has a shape that is rectangular.

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19. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the load image 44c has a shape that is triangular under an operative condition in which the car has a full load Lmx.

20. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 which further includes at least one additional image in at least close proximity to said load image and wherein said at least one additional image is selected from the group consisting of an up lantern image 36, 36a, 36b, 40, a down lantern image 38, 38a, 38b, 41, a car identification image 48a, 48b, and a frame image 46a, 46c.

21. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 1 wherein the load image 44a, 44b, 44c has a perimeter under operative conditions and wherein the hall display 12, 12a, further includes a second image 46a, 46c adjoining said load image and wherein the hall display further includes a combined image 44a, 44b, 44c, 46a, 46c formed by the load image and the adjoining second image and wherein the combined image has a perimeter which corresponds to the perimeter of the load image 44a, 44b, 44c under an operative condition in which the car has a full load Lmx.

22. The hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 20 wherein the load image 44a, 44b, 44c has a perimeter under operative conditions, wherein the adjoining image to the load image is a frame image 46a, 46c having a perimeter and wherein the hall display further includes a combined image 44a, 44b, 44c, 46a, 46c formed by the load image 44a, 44b, 44c and the adjoining frame image 46a, 46c and wherein the combined image has a perimeter which corresponds to the perimeter of the load image under an operative condition in which the car has a full load Lmx such that under operative conditions under which the car is partially loaded the frame image is complementary to the load image to form the combined image and the combined image has an aspect ratio that is equal to one under all operative conditions.

23. The hall display 12, 12a of claim 22 wherein the frame image 46a, 46c has a frame line 52a, 52c and wherein the combined image 44a, 44c, 46a, 46c includes at least a portion of said frame line 52a, 52c in the perimeter of the combined image.

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24. The hall display 12 of claim 19 which further includes a frame image 46c having a frame line 52c which corresponds to the shape required for a lantern image 40, 41 for indicating the direction of travel of the associated car 14, the frame line under operative conditions forming a perimeter which corresponds to the perimeter of the load image 44c under an operative condition in which the car has a full load Lmx.

25. The hall display 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 15 which further includes at least one additional image in at least close proximity to said load image and wherein said at least one additional image is selected from the group consisting of an up lantern image 36, 36a, 36b, 40, a down lantern image 38, 38a, 38b, 41, a car identification image 48a and a frame image 46a, 46c and wherein said at least one additional image has the same relative location with respect to the associated load image under operative conditions such that the additional image appears to move with said load image as said load image changes its relative location with respect to the horizontal reference indicator under operative conditions.

26. The method of forming a display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 25 wherein the step of forming a load image 44a, 44b, 44c includes determining the ratio of said actual load to the maximum load that said car carries under normal operative conditions and displaying a load image having an aspect ratio which is approximately equal to said ratio of the actual load to the maximum load that said car carries.

27. The method of forming a display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c of claim 26 wherein said aspect ratio of said load image 44a, 44b, 44c is equal to the ratio of said actual load to said maximum load.

28. A method of forming a display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c for a non-destination entry elevator system 10 in a structure 16 for a plurality of floor locations F1, F2, F3, each at a different elevation, the elevator system having at least two elevator cars 14 for carrying actual loads under operative conditions, the actual loads having a range from a level of no load Lo through intermediate loads to a full load Lmx that is

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OT-5176 dividable into intervals of the range, the elevator system having at least two of said cars which are adapted to arrive at one of said floor locations in a period of time during which a waiting passenger may choose between said cars, comprising: disposing a hall display 12, 12a, 12b, 12c for each car 14 at the said floor location under an operative condition wherein the car carries an intermediate load, which includes dividing the load range into intervals of the range for at least the intermediate loads, forming a load image 44a, 44b, 44c for said car such that the load image has a load image width w, has a load image height h and has an aspect ratio characteristic Ar that is a ratio of the load image width w to the load image height h (Ar = w/h); associating each interval of the load range with a magnitude of the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image, sensing the actual load carried by said car under said operative condition; determining the interval of the load range which covers the actual load carried by said car and the magnitude of the aspect ratio associated with said interval of the load range that covers the actual load carried by said car, displaying the load image with an aspect ratio of the magnitude that was determined to be associated with the load interval that covers the actual load carried by said car; wherein the aspect ratio characteristic is dependent on the level of load carried by the car such that the aspect ratio characteristic Ar of the load image indicates the associated interval of load and provides at least an approximation of the actual intermediate load carried by the car.

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