ELEVATOR GROUP MANAGEMENT DEVICE

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention pertains to an elevator group management device that manages multiple elevators as a single group and assigns a landing call to one of the elevators within the group. Background Art

[0002] Described in Patent Reference 1, a group management device of this type has been proposed as an example. In the group management device described in said Patent Reference 1, destination floor buttons are provided at a landing and are used to register a landing call for a specific destination floor. When a destination floor button is operated, the landing call generated is assigned to one of the elevators within the group in order to move said elevator to the call origination floor where the landing call was made.

Patent Citation 1 : Japanese Patent Publn. No. Hei 5[1993]-155542 Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem

[0003] However, in the case of the group management device described in Patent Reference 1, when a group consisting of multiple users wished to use an elevator, the entire group of said users was not able to board an elevator car at the same time, depending on the degree of crowding in the elevator car assigned in response to the landing call made by the group of users. Therefore, sometimes the entire group of said users was not able to travel together.

[0004] The present invention was devised in view of the aforementioned problem, and its purpose is to present an elevator group management device by means of which, when a group of users wishes to use an elevator, a landing call made by said group of users is assigned to an elevator that can accommodate the entire group of users, in order to improve utility. Technical Solution

[0005] The invention of Claim 1 is an elevator group management device that is equipped with an assignment control means that manages multiple elevators as a single group and assigns a landing call that is output from a landing call/registration means to one of the elevators, characterized in that a number of users input means for specifying the number of users is provided at a landing, wherein when said number of users input means is operated, the aforementioned landing call/registration means outputs the number of users input and a landing call, which includes information identifying the call origination floor as the floor where the aforementioned number of users input means is located, to the aforementioned assignment control means; and wherein when a new landing call is output from the aforementioned landing call/registration means, the aforementioned assignment control means assigns said landing call to an elevator that can accommodate the number of users indicated by said landing call and moves said elevator car to the call origination floor.

[0006] Therefore, in the case of said invention of Claim 1, when a group of users wishes to use an elevator, the number of users in the group is input to the number of users input means, and the aforementioned assignment control means assigns an elevator that can accommodate the entire group of users at the same time in response to the landing call, so that the entire group of users can travel in one elevator at the same time.

[0007] More specifically, as described in the invention according to Claim 2, a destination floor input means for specifying a destination floor should be provided in addition to the aforementioned number of users input means, wherein when the aforementioned number of users input means and the destination floor input means are operated, the aforementioned landing call/registration means outputs a landing call, which includes information on the destination floor in addition to information on the aforementioned number of users and the call origination floor, to the aforementioned assignment control means; and wherein the aforementioned assignment control means has an allowable number of passengers computation means that computes the number of users that are allowed on each elevator based on the call origination floors, the total number of users, and destination floors indicated by existing landing calls, wherein when a new landing call is output from the aforementioned landing call/registration means, it assigns the new landing call to an elevator whose allowable number of passengers as computed by the aforementioned allowable number of passengers computation means is greater than the number of users indicated by said landing call.

[0008] In addition, as described in the invention according to Claim 3, the aforementioned assignment control means divides respective service floors into zones and assigns the respective elevators within the group to their zones of responsibility, wherein when a new landing call is output from the aforementioned landing call/registration means, it assigns said landing call to an elevator that is responsible for the zone that includes the destination floor indicated by said landing call, so that the number of stops made by the respective elevator cars can be reduced in order to improve the operating efficiency of the elevators.

[0009] Here, for the aforementioned destination floor input means and number of users input means, number input buttons that serve as the destination floor input means, as well as the number of users input means may be provided at a landing, as described in the invention according to Claim 4. Alternatively, separate number of users specification buttons serving as the number of users input means may be provided at each landing, as described in the invention according to Claim 5. In addition, as described in the invention according to Claim 6, destination floor specification buttons that serve as a destination floor input means may be provided at a landing, and the number of times said destination floor specification buttons are operated may be counted by a button operation counting means serving as the number of users input means in order to use the number of times the destination floor specification buttons are operated as counted by said button operation counting means as the number of users.

[0010] Furthermore, in the invention of Claim 7, when a display means is provided, wherein when a new landing call is output by the aforementioned landing call/registration means, the elevator to which said landing call is assigned is displayed to the user who operated the aforementioned number of users input means, so that the user who operated the aforementioned landing call/registration means is prevented from boarding the wrong elevator.

[0011] According to the present invention, when a group of users wants to use an elevator, the number of the users in the group is input to the aforementioned number of users input means, and the aforementioned assignment control means assigns an elevator that can accommodate the entire group of the aforementioned users at the same time in response to the landing call, so that the entire group can travel together, resulting in the effect that elevator utility can be improved. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0012] [fig.1] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator group management device in a first embodiment of the present invention. [fig.2]Figure 2 shows details of the call input device of Figure 1 in three front views. [fig.3]Figure 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining a specific example of call assignment by the assignment control part shown in Figure 1. [fig.4]Figure 4 is a flow chart showing the processing performed by the group management device of the first embodiment.

[fig.5]Figure 5 is a flow chart showing the processing performed by the group management device of the first embodiment.

[fig.6] Figure 6 shows details of a call input device as in the second embodiment of the present invention in two front views.

[fig.7]Figure 7 shows details of a call input device in a third embodiment of the present invention in two front views. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] Figure 1-5 show details of the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the elevator group management device. This group management device 2 is configured to manage a plurality of elevators, which is installed in one place that is represented by a building, as a single group; wherein, when a destination floor and the number of users are input to call input device 1 that is provided at the landing of each service floor, group management device 2 that serves as an assignment control means, which is connected to said call input device 1 via call registration control means 3 that serves as a landing call/registration means, assigns one of the group of elevators in response to the landing call. Here, although only call input device 1 provided at the landing of a specific service floor is illustrated in Figure 1, said call input device 1 maybe provided at the landings of the respective service floors. In addition, although 3 elevators, namely, Elevator A through Elevator C, are illustrated in Figure 1, the number of elevators in the group can be set arbitrarily as required.

[0015] Figures 2(a)-(c) are front views showing details of each call input device 1. As shown in Figure 2, each call input device 1 has indicator Ia that serves as a display means for carrying out the display to be described below based on a command from call registration controller 3 and multiple number input buttons Ib, whereby an operation signal that is entered by using the respective number input buttons Ib is sent to call registration controller 3.

[0016] More specifically, call registration controller 3 continuously displays the message

"Please enter your destination floor" as shown in Figure 2(a), on message indicator, Ia and it displays the message "Please enter the number of people" as shown in Figure 2(b), on message indicator Ia after the user has entered the destination floor by operating the respective number input buttons Ib. After the user has entered the destination floor and the number of users using the respective number buttons Ib according to said operation guide indications presented by indicator Ia, call registration controller 3 receives said signals and transmits a landing call, which includes information on the call origination floor as the floor on which call input device 1 that was used is installed, in addition to information on the destination floor and the number of users, to assignment control part 2a of group management controller 2. In other words, respective number buttons Ib act as a destination floor input means for specifying a destination floor and as a number of users input means for specifying the given number of users at the same time.

[0017] Then, call registration controller 3 obtains the elevator information assigned to the landing by assignment control part 2a from said assignment control part 2a. For example, when the landing call is assigned to Elevator A, the message "Please board Elevator A" shown in Figure 2(c) is displayed on indicator Ia as a service elevator guide indication for a prescribed period of time. Then, after the service elevator guide indication has been displayed for the prescribed period of time, call registration controller 3 displays the message "Please enter your destination floor" again on indicator Ia and accepts a new landing call.

[0018] As shown in Figure 1, group management controller 2 is equipped with allowable number of passengers computation part 2b, which computes the number of users that are allowed to board a car on the floor on which a new landing call is made when the new landing call is output from call registration controller 3, as the allowable number of passengers computation means. Said allowable number of passengers computation part 2b predicts the number of passengers in a car when the car arrives at the floor on which a new landing call was made, and awaiting users who registered the given landing call board said car based on the floor on which the given landing call was made, its destination, and the number of users; and it then subtracts the number of passengers in said car from the maximum capacity of said car in order to compute an allowable number of passengers. It computes said allowable number of passengers for each elevator in the group.

[0019] Then, upon receiving a new landing call, assignment control part 2a assigns said landing call to an elevator whose allowable number of passengers as computed by allowable number of passengers computation part 2b is greater than the number of users indicated by the new landing call, that is, an elevator that can accommodate the number of users indicated by the new landing call, transmits information on said landing call to elevator controller 4 for the elevator assigned to said landing call, and sends information on the elevator to which the landing call was assigned to call registration controller 3. Then, elevator controller 4 for the elevator to which the landing call was assigned registers the destination floor indicated by the landing call to elevator controller 4 itself automatically upon having moved the car to the floor where said landing call was made and then carries out control to move the car to said destination floor.

[0020] Figure 3 is a diagram for schematically illustrating the assignment control by assignment controller 2a. An example in which 5 elevators, namely, Elevator A- Elevator E, are managed as a single group, and the respective elevators in said group are used to service Floor 1 as the reference floor through Floor 15 is shown. As shown in Figure 3, assignment controller 2a is configured to divide destination floors of cars that depart in the ascending direction from the reference floor during the up peak time, which is represented by the check-in time period of an office building, during which time ascending landing calls made on the reference floor as the call origination floor are greatest, into multiple zones, and assigns the respective elevators in the group to zones of responsibility; whereby, when a landing call is made that originates from the reference floor, it assigns said landing call to the elevator that is responsible for the zone that includes the destination floor of said landing call. When the elevators are assigned the respective zones of responsibility so as to reduce the number of times the cars stop in said manner, the cycle time of the car of each elevator (the time it takes to return to the reference floor after having left it) can be reduced, whereby the transportation efficiency can be improved.

[0021] Figures 4 and 5 are flow charts showing the processing carried out by the elevator group management device of the present embodiment in greater detail. Here, Figure 4 shows operations when call input device 1 installed on the reference floor is operated during the up peak time.

[0022] In the case of the elevator group management device configured in the aforementioned manner, as shown in Figure 4, when a user inputs destination floor X in response to an operation guide indication of the aforementioned type presented by indicator Ia (Step Sl), whether said destination floor X is a service floor is determined (Step S2). When the result indicates that destination floor X is not a service floor, this is displayed on indicator Ia of call input device 1 (Step S3), and input of a destination floor is prompted again.

[0023] On the other hand, when destination floor X is a service floor, the inputting of the number of users is prompted by the operation guide indication of the aforementioned kind presented by indicator Ia. Then, when the user inputs number of users Y in response to the guide presented by indicator Ia (Step S4), whether said number of users Y is less than the prescribed maximum capacity of the elevators is determined (Step S5). Then, if number of users Y is not less than the maximum capacity of the elevators in the group, this fact is displayed on indicator Ia of call input device 1, and the inputting of the number of users is prompted again (Step S6). When number of users Y is less than the maximum capacity of the elevators in the group, it is then determined whether an elevator that belongs to the zone that includes destination floor X is available (Step S7).

[0024] When the result indicates that an elevator that belongs to the zone that includes destination floor X is available, whether or not the allowable number of passengers of said elevator as computed by allowable number of passengers computation part 2b is greater than number of users Y is determined (Step S8). When the allowable number of passengers of said elevator is greater than number of users Y, the landing call is assigned to said elevator (Step S9). That is, information on the landing call, that is, information on call origination floor Z, destination floor X, and number of users Y, is transmitted to elevator controller 4 for said elevator. Then, information on the elevator assigned to the landing call is first displayed on indicator Ia of call registration [sic; input] device 1 (Step SlO) and process control then returns to Step Sl and a new landing call is accepted.

[0025] When an elevator that belongs to the zone that includes destination floor X is not available in Step S7, or when the allowable number of passengers of the elevator that belongs to the zone that includes destination floor X is not greater than number of users Y in Step S8, it is determined whether an elevator that has not been assigned to any zone is available (Step SI l).

[0026] When the result indicates that an elevator that has not been assigned to a zone is available, it is then determined whether the allowable number of passengers of said elevator, as computed by allowable number of passengers computation part 2b, is greater than number of users Y (Step S 12). Then, if the allowable number of passengers of said elevator is greater than number of users Y, the zone that includes destination floor X is assigned to said elevator (Step S 13) before process control advances to Step S9.

[0027] When an elevator that has not been assigned to a zone is available in Step Sl 1, or when the allowable number of passengers of the elevator that has not been assigned to a zone is not greater than number of users Y in Step S 12, the zone that is closest to destination floor X from the zones covered by elevators with an allowable number of passengers greater than number of users Y is expanded so as to include destination floor X (Step S 14) before process control advances to Step S9.

[0028] Here, a specific example of a call assignment in accordance with the present embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 3. In the case of said example shown in Figure 3, respective service floors, that is, floors 2-15, as destination floors of cars that depart from the first floor (reference floor) in the ascending direction are divided into a first zone comprising the second floor through the fourth floor, a second zone comprising the fifth floor through the seventh floor, a third zone comprising the eighth floor through the eleventh floor, and a fourth zone comprising the twelfth floor through the fifteenth floor; and Elevator A is assigned to the second zone, Elevator C is assigned to the third zone, Elevator E is assigned to the fourth zone, respectively. In addition, a landing call from the first floor as the call origination floor is preassigned to Elevator A, Elevator C, and Elevator E. Therefore, waiting passengers 5a who have already registered a landing call are waiting in front of said elevators for the cars to arrive. In particular, landing calls made by many waiting passengers 5a have been registered to Elevator C.

[0029] When a group of 3 users 5b enters a landing call that indicates 3 users and the tenth floor as the destination floor, by means of call input device 1, although Elevator C is responsible for the third zone, which includes the tenth floor as the destination floor of said landing call, because landing calls made by many awaiting passengers 5a have been registered to said Elevator C, its allowable number of passengers will be less than the number of users. In other words, if the landing call made by users 5b is assigned to said Elevator C, not all of the aforementioned users will be able to board Elevator C. Thus, Elevator D, which is unassigned to a zone, is now assigned to the third zone, and the landing call made by users 5b is assigned to said Elevator D. As a result, all of the users in the aforementioned group can be transported to the tenth floor as their destination floor at once using Elevator D.

[0030] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, when a group of users wishes to use an elevator, once the number of users in the group is input to call input device 1, assignment control part 2a assigns an elevator that can accommodate all of the users in the group to the landing call. Thus, all of the users in the aforementioned group can be reliably transported at the same time on the same elevator, resulting in the effect that the utility of the elevators can be improved.

[0031] In addition, because the destination floor and number of users are both input using respective number buttons Ib, there is no need to provide separate buttons for entering the destination floor and for entering the number of users, which is advantageous in terms of cost.

[0032] Furthermore, when a landing call is made at the reference floor as the call origination floor during the up peak time, said landing call is assigned to the elevator that is responsible for the zone that includes the destination floor of said landing call, which is desirable in terms of improved elevator transporting efficiency.

[0033] Here, although the case in which a landing call was made at the reference floor as the call origination floor during the up peak time was explained in the present embodiment, if an elevator whose allowable number of passengers is greater than the number of users indicated by the landing call is assigned to said landing call, all of the users in the group can be transported together regardless of the floor from which said landing call originated. The present embodiment can of course also be applied to normal elevator operations.

[0034] Figures 6(a) and (b) are front views showing details of a call input device as a second embodiment of the present invention. In the case of the second embodiment shown in Figure 6(a) and (b), call input device 6 is equipped with a plurality of destination floor specification buttons 6b, which acts as a destination floor input means for specifying the destination floor, and a plurality of number of users specification buttons 6c, which act as a number of users input means for specifying the number of users, in place of respective number buttons Ib of call input device 1 in the first embodiment. Furthermore, lamps (not shown) are built into respective destination floor specification buttons 6b and respective number of users specification buttons 6c. The other components are identical to those of the aforementioned first embodiment.

[0035] That is, in the present embodiment, the message "Please enter the number of people and the destination floor" shown in Figures 6(a) is continuously displayed on indicator Ia. When the user presses one of the buttons of destination floor specification buttons 6b and one of the number of users specification buttons 6c, the lamps of pressed destination specification button 6b and pressed number of users button 6c light up, and the elevator that is assigned to said landing call is displayed on indicator 6a. For example, as shown in the example in Figure 6(b), when a user presses destination floor specification button 6b for the tenth floor and number of users specification button 6c for 3 people, and Elevator A is assigned to said landing call, the lamps for said destination floor specification button 6b and number of users specification button 6c light up, and the message "Please board Elevator A" is displayed on indicator 6a. Then, after the guide for said service elevator is displayed for a prescribed period of time, the message "Please enter the number of people and the destination floor" shown in Figures 6(a) is displayed again on indicator 6a, and a new landing call is accepted.

[0036] Therefore, according to the present embodiment, not only a similar effect to that achieved by the aforementioned first embodiment can be obtained, but an operation error can be prevented also due to the ease of operating call input device 1, so that even more improved user convenience can be achieved.

[0037] Figures 7(a) and (b) are front views showing details of a call input device 7 in a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figures 7 (a) and (b) of the third embodiment, call input device 7 of said second embodiment is equipped with number of operations counter 7c, which acts as a counting means that counts the numbers of times destination floor specification buttons 7b are pressed for each destination floor, in place of respective number of users specification buttons 6c of call input device 6; and it is configured so that the number of times that destination floor specification buttons 7a is pushed, which is counted by number of operations counter 7c, is displayed on number of operations indicators 7d, which are provided next to respective destination floor specification buttons 7b, as the respective number of users.

[0038] In other words, in the present embodiment, the message "Please enter a destination floor" shown in Figures 7 (a) is continuously displayed on indicator 7a. When the user presses one of the destination floor specification buttons 7b, the number of times it has been pressed is displayed on number of operations count indicator Ia that is provided next to said destination floor specification button 7b, and the user presses the destination floor specification button for the applicable number of users within a prescribed period of time while viewing said indication. Then, when the aforementioned prescribed period of time has passed, number of operations counter 7c outputs information on the number of times destination floor specification button 7a has been pressed, and the destination floor to call registration controller 3; and the elevator that is assigned to said landing call is displayed on indicator 7a. For example, as shown in the example in Figures 7(b), when the user presses the destination floor specification button for the tenth floor 3 times, and Elevator A is assigned to said landing call, "3" is displayed on number-of-operations indicator 7d provided next to destination floor specification button 7b for the tenth floor, and the message "Please board Elevator A" is displayed on indicator 7a. Furthermore, after said service elevator guide is displayed for a prescribed period of time, the message "Please enter the number of people and the destination floor" shown in Figures 7 (a) is displayed on indicator 7a again, whereafter a new landing call can be input. Therefore, according to this third embodiment, because the number of times destination floor specification buttons 7b are operated is used in place of the number of users, call input device 1 can be operated even more easily than that in the aforementioned second embodiment, resulting in the effect that the usefulness to the user can be further improved.