Abstract:
An elevator system employing a micro-processor-based group controller communicating with the cars to assign cars to hall calls based on a Relative System Response (RSR) approach. However, rather than using unvarying bonuses and penalties, the assigned bonuses and penalties are varied using "artificial intelligence" techniques based on combined historic and real time traffic predictions to predict the number of people behind the hall call, and calculating and using the average boarding and de-boarding rates at "en route" stops and the expected car load at the hall call floor. Prediction of the number of people waiting behind hall calls for a few minute intervals are made using traffic levels measured during the past few time intervals on that day as real time predictors, using a linear exponential smoothing model, and traffic levels measured during similar time intervals on previous similar days as historic traffic predictors, using a single exponential smoothing model. The remaining capacity in the car at the hall call floor is matched to the waiting queue using a hall call mismatch penalty. The car stop and hall stop penalties are varied based on the number of people behind the hall call and the variable dwell times at "en route" stops. The stopping of a heavily loaded car to pick up a few people is penalized using a car load penalty. These enhancements to RSR result in equitable distribution of car stops and car loads, thus improving handling capacity and reducing waiting and service times.
Abstract:
Modern large buildings and public places are equipped with a plurality of elevators, exits and points of interest for fluent movement. The passenger flows in a building or public place can be traced and modelled by using statistics and information regarding current state of the modelled building or public place. The information derived from this model can be used for controlling elevators, escalators and similar in the building more efficiently. The same information may be used also for guiding passengers in the building or public place to use other transportation means so that the duration high traffic situation can be reduced or sometimes completely avoided.
Abstract:
An elevator control system including an elevator management system obtaining meeting information from at least one of a calendar system and a user interface; the elevator management system generating a control command in response to the meeting information; and an elevator controller controlling destinations of one or more elevator cars in response to the control command.
Abstract:
The present invention discloses a method for controlling an elevator system (100). In the method, hints relating to potential elevator passengers are received from at least one observation point (140, 141) connected to the elevator system (100). Based on the hints, forecasts relating to potential elevator passengers are prepared, on the basis of which forecasts one or more anticipatory control actions are executed.
Abstract:
A method for method for determining a traffic list for elevator cars operating in an elevator system in a building in which system selected performance events associated with those elevator cars and the corresponding times of occurrence thereof can be recorded in a data storage facility during operations of those elevator cars over selected time durations based on acquiring from the data storage facility a chronologically ordered list of operating elevator car performance events and the corresponding times of occurrence thereof and then forming an initial passenger list based on assuming there is a single passenger in each of the operating elevator cars departing from origin building floors after arriving there in response to each summons made in the system from those floors for transportation service to other building floor destinations. The number of passengers in each of the operating elevator cars following such departures is increased by some requests made in each such elevator car for transportation service to a selected building floor destination and by forming chance based additions through using numerical weightings operating similarly to probability distributions to allow probabilistically selecting to include additional passengers and their destinations.
Abstract:
Energy saving methods and apparatus for elevator systems having a plurality of elevator cars operating in a plurality of elevator shafts are disclosed. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for determining which one of the plurality of elevator cars is to be assigned to a new hall call in order to reduce the net energy consumption of the elevator system over time.
Abstract:
A management controller (9) of elevators for calling a cage upon detecting any passengers in an elevator hall by a passenger detector (8) before the passenger operates a hall button (4). The problem is how to estimate the directions desired by the passengers and how to distinguish the passengers from those merely passing through the elevator hall, at the time of call. Therefore, a past utilization state is subjected to a learning statistic processing (9a), and selection (9c) of stand-by cages or provisionally assigned cages is made on the basis of this processing, and the call is suspended in accordance with the recognition of the hall button operation.
Abstract:
An elevator group comprising at least two elevator cars (Car1, Car2) is controlled using a group control unit which allocates the calls to different elevators. Based on statistical data and/or statistical forecasts, a virtual passenger traffic is generated and simulation is applied to create events in the virtual passenger traffic, on the basis of which an elevator-specific cost is computed for each call to be allocated. Based on the costs, the best elevator is selected to serve the call.