A method of operating a dispatcher of an elevator group of a building elevator system having a plurality of elevator systems organized into multiple elevator groups including: receiving an elevator call, the elevator call including a desired destination; transmitting elevator status data from the elevator group to one or more other elevator groups of the building elevator system; receiving elevator status data from each of the one or more other elevator groups of the building elevator system; determining a verdict depicting whether an elevator car of the elevator group is best to serve the elevator call in response to the elevator status data of each of the one or more other elevator groups of the building elevator system; and calling an elevator car in response to the verdict.

An elevator system includes a first elevator group controller configured to control a first elevator car of a first elevator group; a second elevator group controller configured to control a second elevator car of a second elevator group, the second elevator group controller in bi-directional communication with the first elevator group controller; a destination entry device configured to receive a destination call from a passenger, the destination call identifying a source floor and a destination floor; at least one of the first elevator group controller and the second elevator group controller determining that a journey from the source floor to the destination floor requires a first phase utilizing the first elevator group and a second phase utilizing the second elevator group; at least one of the first elevator group controller and the second elevator group controller allocating the first elevator car and allocating the second elevator car.

A method for controlling a lift installation having a plurality of cabins that can each stop at a number of floors may involve assigning calls placed outside the cabins to the cabins by way of a lift controller based on at least one assignment criterion. The method may involve considering a current traffic situation of the lift installation during the assignment. The method may further involve generating and considering a forecast of a future traffic situation of the lift installation during the assignment. The forecast may account for personal information of at least one of a person who is in a predetermined environment of the lift installation, a person who is in a section of the lift installation, a person who enters a predetermined environment of the lift installation, or a person who leaves a predetermined environment of the lift installation.

A system and method for controlling multiple elevator cabs in an elevator shaft of a structure, where at least one elevator shaft having a plurality of zones, each zone representing at least one floor of the structure; at least one zone having at least one sensor; at least two elevator cabs moveable within the shaft, each cab moveable independently of other cabs; and a controller that determines movement of each cab into a zone. A first cab preceding any other cab, designated a leading cab; each cab following the leading cab, designated as a trailing cab; each cab moveable in the same direction of travel to service zones until each cab reaches its designated end zone; wherein the controller only instructs a trailing cab to move into a zone with a sensor, after the sensor in the zone detects a cab that was located in such zone has exited that zone thereby preventing collisions.

A system and method for controlling multiple elevator cabs in an elevator shaft of a structure, where at least one elevator shaft having a plurality of zones, each zone representing at least one floor of the structure; at least one zone having at least one sensor; at least two elevator cabs moveable within the shaft, each cab moveable independently of other cabs; and a controller that determines movement of each cab into a zone. A first cab preceding any other cab, designated a leading cab; each cab following the leading cab, designated as a trailing cab; each cab moveable in the same direction of travel to service zones until each cab reaches its designated end zone; wherein the controller only instructs a trailing cab to move into a zone with a sensor, after the sensor in the zone detects a cab that was located in such zone has exited that zone thereby preventing collisions.

Lift systems may include a first shaft unit and a second shaft unit, each of which may include a number of lift shafts. One or more single-car systems and/or multi-car systems may be disposed in the first shaft unit, whereas one or more shaft-changing multi-car systems may be disposed in the second shaft unit. A transporting operation may be carried out from an initial floor to a destination floor wherein a control unit determines whether to utilize one or more cars from the single car systems, the multi-car systems, the shaft-changing multi-car systems, or some combination thereof depending on factors such as the destination floors of the passengers, traffic density, energy demand, and/or availability of cars.

An elevator system may include upper and lower shuttle cars in a first shaft. The shuttle cars are at least at times fixedly coupled to one another and can move vertically upward and downward together. Upper and lower distribution cars in a second shaft may be movable vertically upward and downward separately. The upper shuttle and upper distribution cars may each comprise a stopping point at an upper shuttle level. The lower shuttle and lower distribution cars may each comprise a stopping point at a lower shuttle level. The second shaft may include a first stop element that can selectively limit a driving range of the upper distribution car to the upper shuttle level and a range vertically above it. A second stop element in the second shaft may selectively limit a driving range of the lower distribution car to the lower shuttle level and a range vertically below it.