Stackable non-intrusive device for touchless operation of an elevator through finger gestures

A stackable master-slave non-contact system for operating elevator buttons, comprising:

• a plurality of non-contact devices, each non-contact device including:
• a motor;
• a battery switchably connected to the motor;
• a voltage regulator connected to the battery;
• a motor shaft connected to the motor, wherein the motor shaft is configured to rotate when the battery is connected to the motor;
• a dual arm connected to the motor shaft at a center of the arm, wherein the dual arm has a first end and a second end, wherein the dual arm is configured to rotate with the motor shaft;
• a first protrusion connected to the first end, wherein the first protrusion extends perpendicularly from the first end, wherein the first protrusion is configured to depress a first elevator button;
• a second protrusion connected to the second end, wherein the second protrusion extends perpendicularly from the second end, wherein the second protrusion is configured to depress a second elevator button;
• a switch operatively connected to the motor;
• a first proximity sensor configured to detect a first finger gesture and generate a first signal;
• a second proximity sensor configured to detect a second finger gesture and generate a second signal;
• a microcontroller connected to the switch, the first proximity sensor and the second proximity sensor, wherein the microcontroller includes an electrical circuitry, a memory including program instructions and at least one processor configured to execute the program instructions to:
• actuate the switch to cause the motor to rotate the dual arm in a first direction to press the first elevator button when the first signal is received;
• and
• actuate the switch to cause the motor to rotate the dual arm in a second direction to press the second elevator button when the second signal is received,
• wherein the second direction is rotationally opposite the first direction;
• a first light emitting diode;
• a second light emitting diode;
• wherein the microcontroller is connected to the first light emitting diode and the second light emitting diode, wherein the microcontroller is configured to switch ON the first light emitting diode when the first signal is received and switch ON the second light emitting diode when the second signal is received;
• a near field communication receiver operatively connected to the microcontroller, wherein the near field communication receiver is configured to receive first commands from a mobile application installed on a mobile computing device within a near field communication range when the near field communication receiver is turned ON;
• wherein the microcontroller is further configured to switch the motor to rotate the dual arm in one of the first direction to press the first elevator button and the second direction to press the second elevator button based on the first commands;
• a buffer circuit connected between the microcontroller and the motor, wherein the buffer circuit is configured to store a usage count and increase the usage count when one of the first signal and the second signal are received by the microcontroller,
• wherein a first non-contact device of the plurality of non-contact devices is configured as a master device having the near field communication device turned ON;
• and
• wherein the remaining plurality of non-contact devices are configured as slave devices having the near field communication device turned OFF.

A method for using a stackable master-slave non-contact system for operating elevator buttons, comprising:

• operatively stacking a plurality of non-contact devices onto the surface of an elevator control panel so that the each of the plurality of non-contact devices is adjacent to a pair of elevator buttons;
• for each of the plurality of non-contact devices:
• monitoring, by a microcontroller of the non-contact device, a first proximity sensor for a first signal and a second proximity sensor for a second signal;
• receiving, by the microcontroller one of the first signal and the second signal;
• updating, by a buffer circuit connected to the microcontroller, a usage count of a buffer circuit upon receiving one of the first signal and the second signal;
• actuating, by the microcontroller, a motor configured to rotate a dual arm connected to the motor in one of a first rotational direction such that a first protrusion presses a first elevator button based on the first signal and in a second rotational direction such that a second protrusion presses a second elevator button based on the second signal;
• and
• switching ON a first light emitting diode adjacent to the first proximity sensor upon receiving the first signal and switching ON a second light emitting diode adjacent to the second proximity sensor upon receiving the second signal.