# US 4,400,787 A · Elevator system with speech synthesizer for repetition of messages > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,400,787 A - Document ID: US4400787A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/215,894 - Filed: 1980-12-12 - Granted: 1983-08-23 - Earliest claimed: 1980-12-12 - Assignees: Westinghouse Electric Corp. - Inventors: Alan F. Mandel; Kenneth M. Eichler - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400787A ## CPC - B66B 3/00: Applications of devices for indicating or signalling operating conditions of elevators - B66B: ELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS ({apparatus for raising or lowering persons on theatrical stages or the like A63J5/12} ; funicular railbound systems with rigid ground-supported tracks and cable traction, e.g. cliff railways, B61B9/00; arrangements of ammunition handlers in vessels B63G3/00; hoists, lifts, or conveyors for loading or unloading in general B65G; braking or detent devices controlling normal movements of winding drums or barrels B66D; ship-lifting devices E02C; garages for many vehicles with mechanical means for lifting vehicles E04H6/12; hoists for feeding ammunition or projectiles to launching apparatus or to loading mechanisms F41A9/00) ## Abstract An elevator system having an elevator car, and communication apparatus which includes a speech synthesizer for each car which provides audible, informative messages in its associated elevator car in response to its operation. Messages which are repeated within a predetermined period of time have one or more parameters thereof varied, to relieve the monotony which would be otherwise caused by the repetition of identical messages presented in an identical manner, and/or, to emphasize predetermined words or phrases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 In an elevator system including an elevator car, control means for providing status signals indicative of the operation of the elevator car, and communication means for providing audible, informative messages in the elevator car in response to at least certain of its status signals, with the communication means including a central processor unit, memory means having a first location for storing a predetermined vocabulary common to all messages, and a second location for storing a series of instructions for each message, said communication means further including sound reproduction means and speech synthesizer means, with said speech synthesizer means having memory means for storing information from said first memory means, said central processor unit being responsive to the status signals from said elevator car and operating in response thereto to address the instructions in said second memory means, as required by a specific status signal, and using these instructions to extract vocabulary information from said first memory means and store it in the memory means of said speech synthesizer means, the improvement comprising: said communication means including means for varying a predetermined parameter of at least one of the messages before the repetition thereof, with the variation being apparent when the same information is repeated following such variation, to prevent a monotonous repetition of exactly the same message information audibly delivered in exactly the same manner when a predetermined status signal results in the repetition of the same information, and/or to change the emphasis or urgency of the message. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined parameter is the delay time between at least certain of the words of the message. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined parameter is the use of a different word order for at least certain of the words. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined parameter is the number of words in the message. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined parameter is the volume of at least certain of the words. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The elevator system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined parameter is the reverberation of at least certain of the words in the message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6 wherein the varying means adds reverberation by connecting a reverberation unit into the communication system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The elevator system of claim 6 wherein the communication means includes two speakers in the elevator car, with the varying means adding reverberation by supplying the identical message to both speakers, with one having about a 30 msec delay. ### Claim 9 In an elevator system including an elevator car having doors for providing access thereto, control means for providing status signals indicative of the operation of the elevator car, and communication means for providing audible, informative messages in the elevator car in response to at least certain of its status signals, with the communication means including a central processor unit, memory means having a first location for storing a predetermined vocabulary common to all messages, and a second location for storing a series of instructions for each message, said communication means further including sound reproduction means and speech synthesizer means, with said speech synthesizer means having memory means for storing information from said first memory means, said central processor unit being responsive to the status signals from said elevator car and operating in response thereto to address the instructions in said second memory means, as required by a specific status signal, and using these instructions to extract vocabulary information from said first memory means and store it in the memory means of said speech synthesizer means, the improvement comprising: said communication means including means for changing the volume of a message in response to the message being delivered while the elevator car is standing at a predetermined floor with its door open. ### Claim 10 In an elevator system including and elevator car, control means for providing status signals indicative of the operation of the elevator car, and communication means for providing audible, informative messages in the elevator car in response to at least certain of its status signals, with the communication means including a central processor unit, memory means having a first location for storing a predetermined vocabulary common to all messages, and second location for storing a series of instructions for each message, said communication means further including sound reproduction means and speech synthesizer means, with said speech synthesizer means having memory means for storing information from said first memory means, said central processor unit being responsive to the status signals from said elevator car and operating in response thereto address the instructions in said second memory means, as required by a specific status signal, and using these instructions to extract vocabulary information from said first memory means and store it in the memory means of said speech synthesizer means, the improvement comprising: said communication means including a microphone providing a signal responsive to background noise, and means responsive thereto for directly varying the volume of the message in response to the level of background noise.