Method for handling erroneous calls in an elevator system and an elevator system

Abstract

Method for handling erroneous calls in an elevator system, which includes at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls on the floor levels and/or in the elevator car, and also a control system that responds to the aforementioned calls. One or more calls given by a passenger are registered, it is assessed on the basis of at least one criterion whether some call is erroneous, and at least one corrective action is performed for removing a call, or for rectifying the call data of a call, if the call is ascertained to be erroneous on the basis of the aforementioned criterion.

Claims

1. A method for handling erroneous calls in an elevator system, the elevator system comprising at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls on floor levels and/or in an elevator car, and a control system that responds to the calls, said method comprising the steps of: registering one or more calls given by a passenger; assessing on the basis of at least one given criterion whether one or more of the calls are erroneous; performing at least one corrective action for removing the one or more erroneous calls or for rectifying the call data of the one or more erroneous calls, if the one or more calls are ascertained to be erroneous on the basis of the at least one criterion; and providing the elevator system with an observation device configured to observe passengers moving in an elevator lobby and/or using call-giving devices; deducing on the basis of the observation data whether the same passenger gives consecutive calls with one or more call-giving devices in the same elevator lobby; and if a passenger gives the consecutive calls, removing the calls from the plurality of registered calls except for the very last call.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of identifying at least one first registered call as erroneous if, within the given time window from the first call, a second call with the same call-giving device is registered.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: providing the elevator system with an observation device configured to observe passengers moving in an elevator lobby and/or using call-giving devices; deducing on the basis of the observation data whether the same passenger gives consecutive calls with one or more call-giving devices in the same elevator lobby; and if a passenger gives the consecutive calls, removing the calls from the plurality of registered calls except for the very last call.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: providing at least one elevator lobby with an observation device; deducing the group size of a passenger group on the basis of the observation data produced by the observation device; comparing the group size given in connection with a call of a passenger belonging to the passenger group to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data; and if the group sizes differ from each other by more than a given threshold value, rectifying the group size registered in connection with the call to correspond to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of: providing the elevator system with a calculation device configured to determine the number of passengers in an elevator car; registering the calls given by passengers in the elevator car; and if the number of active calls given in the elevator car is greater than the number of passengers in the elevator car detected with the calculation device, performing one or more feedback actions for removing the surplus calls.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing at least one elevator lobby with an observation device; deducing the group size of a passenger group on the basis of the observation data produced by the observation device; comparing the group size given in connection with a call of a passenger belonging to the passenger group to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data; and if the group sizes differ from each other by more than a given threshold value, rectifying the group size registered in connection with the call to correspond to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of: providing the elevator system with a calculation device configured to determine the number of passengers in an elevator car; registering the calls given by passengers in the elevator car; and if the number of active calls given in the elevator car is greater than the number of passengers in the elevator car detected with the calculation device, performing one or more feedback actions for removing the surplus calls.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing the elevator system with a calculation device configured to determine the number of passengers in an elevator car; registering the calls given by passengers in the elevator car; and if the number of active calls given in the elevator car is greater than the number of passengers in the elevator car detected with the calculation device, performing one or more feedback actions for removing the surplus calls.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a surplus call is countermanded by pressing for a pre-defined time the car command button that by pressing which the call was activated.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: providing at least one elevator lobby and/or call-giving device with an observation device configured to observe passengers using wheelchairs; preventing the registration of a handicapped-accessible transport request in connection with a call if the passenger who gave the call is not, on the basis of the observation data produced with the observation device, a passenger using a wheelchair.

11. An elevator system, comprising: at least one elevator; call-giving devices for registering calls on the floor levels and/or in the elevator car; and a control system that responds to the calls, wherein the control system is arranged to register one or more calls given by a passenger, to assess on the basis of at least one criterion given in advance whether one or more of the calls are erroneous, and to perform at least one corrective action for removing, or for rectifying the call data of, the one or more erroneous calls, if the control system ascertains that the one or more calls are erroneous on the basis of the at least one criterion, wherein the elevator system comprises an observation device, on the basis of the observation data produced by which the control system is arranged to deduce whether the same passenger has given consecutive calls in the same elevator lobby and if the same passenger has, the calls are removed except for the very last call.

12. The elevator system according to claim 11, wherein the control system is arranged to remove consecutive calls given inside a given time window with the same call-giving device except for the very last call.

13. The elevator system according to claim 11, wherein the elevator system comprises another observation device, on the basis of the observation data produced by which the control system is arranged to determine the group size of a passenger group, to compare the group size to the group size registered in connection with the call-giving, and to rectify the registered group size to correspond to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data, if the group sizes differ from each other by more than a given threshold value.

14. The elevator system according to claim 11, wherein the elevator system comprises a calculation device configured to determine the number of passengers in an elevator car and for comparing it to the number of active calls given in the elevator car, and to perform one or more feedback actions if the number of calls is greater than the number of passengers in the elevator car.

15. The elevator system according to claim 14 wherein the feedback action comprises an auditive and/or visual instruction given with an audiovisual device to passengers in the elevator car for countermanding surplus calls.

16. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the control system is arranged to cancel a call given in an elevator car when a passenger presses for a pre-defined time the car command button that by pressing which the call was activated.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

(1) In the following, the invention will be described in detail by the aid of a few examples of its embodiments, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 presents an elevator system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(3) FIG. 1 presents an elevator group according to the invention, which group comprises four elevators A, B, C and D, which serve the floors F0, F1 . . . F10 of a building. A destination call terminal 110, which is connected via a device bus 103 to the group control 101 of the elevator group, is installed in the entrance lobby F0. In the other elevator lobbies F1-F10 are conventional up/down pushbuttons 113 for calling an elevator to the floor. In the elevator car 150 of elevator A is a call panel 151 for giving car calls in the elevator car. In connection with the call panel 151 are audio-visual means 156 for giving auditive and/or visual instructions to passengers in the elevator car. In addition, the load-weighing device, which measures the car load in the car, is marked with the reference number 153. The call panel 151, the load-weighing device 153 and the other necessary modules are connected to the elevator control 120 via a device bus 152. Correspondingly, in the elevator cars of elevators B, C, and D there is a call panel 151 and a load-weighing device 153, which are connected with a corresponding device bus to the elevator controls 120 (not presented in FIG. 1). The destination call terminal 110 comprises pushbuttons 111 for giving destination calls and also a so-called group call pushbutton for registering the size of a passenger group and also a handicapped-accessible transport request pushbutton for passengers moving in wheelchairs. The call-giving devices 110, 113 and/or 151 can be provided with ID card readers 115, by means of which a passenger can give a call to the elevator system by presenting his/her ID card to aforementioned the reader. Giving a call using an ID card (access card) is per se prior art, and it is not presented more closely in this context. The number and placement of the call-giving devices on the floors can be vary on a case-by-case basis, e.g. an extra destination call terminal can be disposed in the proximity of the entrance of the entrance lobby F0, in which case a passenger can give a destination call in good time before arriving at the elevators. If the elevator system is a so-called full-destination elevator system, call panels 151 are not necessarily needed in the elevator cars. When a passenger gives from a destination call terminal 110, the group control 101 registers the departure floor (the floor from which the call was given) of the passenger and also the destination floor (the floor to which the passenger is going). Based on the call data, the group control allocates an elevator serving the passenger, which elevator is notified to the passenger e.g. on a display 112 of the destination call terminal 110. The group control sends to the group control 120 the run commands of the allocated elevator for collecting the passenger from the call-giving floor and for taking the passenger to the destination floor.

(4) Marked in FIG. 1 with the reference number 114 is an observation means, e.g. a proximity sensor, in connection with the destination call terminal, which observation means gives information when a passenger giving a call is at the call device. Further, marked in FIG. 1 with the reference number 170 are observation means, e.g. a camera, infrared detector, RF sensor operating at radio frequencies, or other monitoring device or monitoring system suited to the purpose, by means of which the movements of passengers in an elevator lobby or in an elevator car and/or by means of which passengers moving in groups can be monitored. FIG. 1 presents only one observation means 170, but there can be a number of them in the elevator lobbies and/or in the elevator cars. In FIG. 1 integrated into the observation means 170 is its own people-counting processor, which is connected directly to the group control via a suitable data transfer connection but it is obvious to the person skilled in the art that one or more observation means 170 can be connected to a separate people-counting system, which is further connected to the group control for sending observation data to the group control.

(5) According to the invention a passenger gives a first call in an elevator lobby or in an elevator car. After the first call, the passenger can give a new call in the same elevator lobby or in the elevator car. The group control 101 and/or the elevator control controls 120 assess, on the basis of given criteria, whether any of the calls given by the passenger are possibly erroneous. The criteria are e.g. any of the following criteria: A time parameter, which determines the minimum time (so-called time window) between consecutive calls given with the same call-giving device 110 or 151, is recorded in the control system 110 and/or 120. If consecutive calls are registered in a shorter time than the aforementioned time parameter, it is assumed that the same passenger has given the calls, in which case the other calls given by him/her, except for the very last registered call, can be removed from the plurality of calls to be served. The call-giving devices are provided with observation means, on the basis of the observation data produced by which it can be deduced whether the same passenger gives a number of consecutive calls from the same call-giving device without leaving the call-giving device between the calls. If on the basis of the observation data the same passenger gives a number of consecutive calls from the same call-giving device, the other calls, except for the very last registered call, can be removed from the plurality of calls to be served. For example, proximity sensors 114 in connection with call-giving devices and/or observation means 170 in an elevator lobby or in the elevator cars can be used as observation means. The elevator lobbies and/or elevator cars are provided with observation means, on the basis of the observation data produced by which the movements of each passenger can be monitored and it can be deduced whether the same passenger gives a number of consecutive calls with different call-giving devices in the same elevator lobby and/or in the elevator car. If the same passenger gives a number of consecutive calls from different call-giving devices, the other calls, except for the very last registered call, can be removed from the plurality of calls to be served. For example, cameras 170 and/or reading devices 115 of ID cards can be used as observation means. The elevator lobbies are provided with observation means 170, on the basis of the observation data produced by which the group size of a passenger group can be deduced. When a passenger belonging to a passenger group gives a group call in an elevator lobby from the destination call terminal 110, the group size registered in connection with the group call is compared to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data, and if the group sizes differ from each other by more than a given threshold value, the registered group size is rectified to correspond to the group size determined on the basis of the observation data. For example, one or more cameras 107 can be used in an elevator lobby as observation means. The elevator system is provided with calculation means for determining the number of passengers in the elevator car 150. If the number of active (to be served) car calls given in the elevator car is greater than the number of passengers in the elevator car detected with the calculation means, one or more feedback actions are performed, e.g. the starting of the elevator car is prevented and/or the elevator system gives an auditive and/or visual instruction to passengers in the elevator car to countermand the surplus car calls. For example, the load-weighing device 153 of the elevator car and/or a door photocell of the elevator car can be used as calculation means. Countermanding a call can occur e.g. by pressing for a pre-defined time a car command button that is active. The activation data of a call, e.g. the halo or the ON color of the car command button, disappears when the call has been countermanded. The elevator lobbies and/or call-giving devices are provided with observation means, on the basis of the observation data produced by which it can be deduced whether the passenger who gave the call is a passenger using a wheelchair. If, on the basis of the observation data, the passenger is not physically handicapped, the handicapped-accessible transport request is removed if the request in question is registered in connection with the call. The observation means can be e.g. one or more cameras 170. One or more call-giving devices are provided with ID card reader devices 115. An ID card comprising an individual ID code to be read with the aforementioned reader device is given to each passenger using the elevator system. When a passenger takes his/her ID card to a reader device, the passenger is identified on the basis of the data read from the ID card. The group control of the elevator system or the access control system that is in connection with the elevator system in this case generates a destination call e.g. to the home floor of the passenger, which call the group control registers. After this the elevator system and/or the access control system can deduce whether the same passenger gives new calls in the same elevator lobby using an ID card and can remove the other calls given with the ID card of the passenger except for the very latest call.

(6) It is obvious to the person skilled in the art that different embodiments of the invention are not limited to the example described above, but that they may be varied within the scope of the claims presented below. For example, also other than proximity sensors and/or cameras can be used as observation means, e.g. radars, detection-sensitive carpets disposed on the floor surface, et cetera.