Devices, methods and computer programs for elevator call allocation with stochastic multi-objective optimization are disclosed. At least some of the disclosed embodiments allow an elevator group control to take into account knowledge about possible future passenger arrivals when allocating new calls. At the same time, the new elevator calls can be allocated via optimizing multiple objectives, such as the waiting time, the time to destination, and/or the energy consumption. In other words, the invention makes it possible to both take into account the uncertainty related to future passengers and control the trade-off between different optimization objectives.

Disclosed is a car mover, configured to move an elevator car in lane of a hoistway, having: a power supply configured to power one or more motors to drive a respective one or more wheels; a car mover controller operationally connected to the power supply and a supervisory controller operationally connected to the car mover controller, wherein the car mover controller and the supervisory controller are configured to execute health monitor protocols to thereby: monitor a state of charge (SOC) of the power supply; and control the car mover in response to determining that the power supply is in a low SOC.

An elevator system drive includes: an electric machine: a first converter electrically connected to an alternating current source and the electric machine: a drive controller controlling the drive: a drive safety circuit unit electrically connected to a safety circuit of the elevator system, to a controller of the elevator system, and to the drive controller; and at least one mechanical brake that is closed by a brake closing command from the elevator system controller. The drive safety circuit unit operates in a first operating state wherein it transmits an emergency stop command coming from the elevator system safety circuit directly and without delay to the first converter, and operates in a second operating state wherein it relays a modified emergency stop command coming from the elevator system safety circuit, with a delay, to the first converter to ensure safe braking of the elevator system even if the mechanical brakes fail.

A method for elevator call allocations in an elevator group of an elevator system includes applying statistical traffic forecasts modelling future passenger arrivals in the elevator system; receiving an indication of at least one elevator call; generating, for a fixed parameter, a set of scenarios based on the statistical traffic forecasts; determining a quality attribute for each candidate allocation policy of a set of candidate allocation policies by simulating, for each candidate allocation policy, the set of scenarios according to the candidate allocation policy in a current elevator call allocation situation in the elevator system; selecting a candidate allocation policy based on the quality attributes associated with the candidate allocation policies; and allocating the at least one elevator call to at least one elevator in the elevator group according to the selected candidate allocation policy.

An elevator and a method for determining energy and/or power consumption of an elevator, the elevator comprising a drive system comprising a drive unit for driving an electric motor and an elevator control system for controlling the drive system, wherein at least two different operating states are used for the elevator. The method comprises measuring at least part of power and/or energy consumption of the drive system, at least when the elevator is moving, determining duration which the elevator spends in different operating states of the elevator, and determining energy and/or power consumption of the elevator based at least in part on the measured power and/or energy consumption of the drive system and determined and/or estimated energy and/or power consumption in different operating states of the elevator.

To have information on power consumption of an elevator, escalator and/or a moving walkway, an apparatus-specific static power consumption model modelling power consumption and being parametrized with apparatus-specific parameter is used with a distance to travel, a time and a load determined from controller events to calculate and output a total power consumed.

A method for controlling an elevator group having a plurality of elevators based upon user generated destination calls includes: receiving a destination call containing information regarding the waiting floor on which an associated user is waiting and the destination floor to which the user should be transported; waiting for a delay time period; assigning a service elevator from the plurality of elevators after the delay time period has passed and controlling the service elevator to pick up the user on the waiting floor and transport the user to the destination floor. Because the service elevator is calculated and assigned only after the delay time period has expired, and because further destination calls received during the delay time period are also taken into consideration, the assignment of service elevators can be made more efficient and more appropriate to the situation and waiting times for users can be reduced on average.

An elevator system includes a first elevator car (28) constructed and arranged to move in a first lane (30, 32, 34) and a first propulsion system (40) constructed and arranged to propel the first elevator. An electronic processor of the elevator system is configured to selectively control power delivered to the first propulsion system (40). The electronic processor includes a software-based power estimator configured to receive a first weight signal and a nm trajectory signal for calculating a power estimate and comparing the power estimate to a maximum power allowance. The electronic processor is configured to output an automated command signal if the power estimate exceeds the maximum power allowance.

The invention relates to a method for controlling a passenger transport system, which transport system comprises at least two passenger conveyors, as e.g. escalators or elevators, which transport system comprises a control for the passenger conveyors and for controlling passenger flow in the transport system. The control is connected to a passenger flow determination device for establishing a passenger flow reference value of the actual passenger flow to be expected in the passenger transport system, and which control further comprises a passenger guide system for controlling passenger flow in the transport system, which passenger guide system uses a cost function considering a set of system control parameters as passenger riding time, energy consumption, passenger waiting time, passenger transport capacity, maintenance demand, etc. The control uses a transport model simulating the function of the hardware components of the transport system under consideration of correlated system operating parameters as e.g. number of active passenger conveyors, passenger conveyor speed, still-stand times, door opening times etc. in connection with passenger flow, whereby the passenger flow reference value is input to the transport model and in an optimization process the system operating parameters are optimized under use of the transport model to meet the passenger flow reference value under consideration of at least one significant system control parameter from said set of system control parameters to achieve a best set of system operating parameters. The best set of system operating parameters is applied to the control of the passenger transport system.

According to an aspect, there is provided a method for elevator call allocation in an elevator system. The method comprises receiving charge information associated with an energy storage of an elevator car from each of a plurality of elevator cars of the elevator system; receiving an elevator call to a floor providing a charging arrangement for the energy storages; and allocating the elevator call to an elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars at least partly based on the charge information received from each of the plurality of elevator cars.