Elevator system configured to allocate one or more elevators to a passenger group and method of performing same

Abstract

A method for allocating elevators including reading, via one or more reading devices, identification data from one or more access cards associated with passengers until a desired termination condition is fulfilled; forming a passenger group based on the identification data such that the passenger group is formed only if the reading reads the identification data associated with two or more of the passengers, the passenger group containing the passengers therein; registering one or more destination calls to the passenger group, the one or more destination calls having at least one or more destination floors associated therewith; and allocating one or more of a plurality of elevators to the passenger group to transport the passengers belonging to the passenger group from a departure floor to the one or more destination floors.

Claims

1. A method of allocating one or more of a plurality of elevators in an elevator system to a passenger group, the elevator system including the plurality of elevators, call-giving devices and one or more reading devices, the method comprising: reading, via the one or more reading devices, identification data from one or more access cards associated with passengers until a desired termination condition is fulfilled; forming a passenger group based on the identification data such that the passenger group is formed only if the reading reads the identification data associated with two or more of the passengers, the passenger group containing the passengers therein; registering one or more destination calls to the passenger group, the one or more destination calls having at least one or more destination floors associated therewith; and allocating the one or more of the plurality of elevators to the passenger group to transport the passengers belonging to the passenger group from a departure floor to the one or more destination floors.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: connecting group data to the identification data of the one or more access cards; and forming the passenger group based on the group data.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the reading includes reading two or more access cards in close range of each other, and the forming the passenger group includes generating the group data based on the identification data of the two or more access cards, and linking the group data to the identification data.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: deleting the group data automatically after the passengers in the passenger group are transported to the one or more destination floors group.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the call-giving devices is a destination call panel in an elevator lobby of the departure floor.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the reading includes reading, via the one or more reading devices, the identification data from consecutive access cards until a last one of the passengers belonging to the passenger group registers the at least one destination call via pushbuttons of the destination call panel or until a threshold period of time has passed from the reading of a last one of the consecutive access cards.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the registering includes registering the destination call given by the last one of the passengers to the passenger group, and registering any consecutive destination calls following the destination call given by the last one of the passengers to the passenger group, if the consecutive destination calls are given with the pushbuttons within a given time window.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: displaying, via the destination call panel, which of the plurality of elevators is allocated to the passenger group.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the call-giving devices are terminal devices associated with respective ones of the passengers.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one of the one or more reading devices are configured to monitor an elevator lobby associated with the departure floor, and the reading reads the identification data from the terminal devices associated with the passengers who are simultaneously in the elevator lobby.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the registering includes receiving the one or more destination calls from the terminal devices associated with the passengers belonging to the passenger group before the one or more elevators allocated to the passenger group arrive at the departure floor.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: transmitting an announcement to the terminal devices, the announcement indicating which of the plurality of elevators is allocated to the passenger group.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining access rights of the passengers belonging to the passenger group based on the identification data read from access cards, wherein the registering only registers ones of the one or more destination calls having associated destination floors which all of the passengers of the passenger group have credentials to access based on the access rights.

14. An elevator system, comprising: a plurality of elevators; call-giving devices configured to register one or more destination calls given by passengers, one or more reading devices configured to read one or more access cards associated with the passengers; and a controller connected to the call-giving devices and to the reader devices, the controller configured to, read, via the one or more reading devices, the identification data from the one or more access cards until a desired termination condition is fulfilled, form a passenger group based on the identification data such that the controller is configured to form the passenger group only if the controller reads the identification data associated with two or more of the passengers, register the one or more destination calls to the passenger group, the one or more destination calls having at least one or more destination floors associated therewith; and allocate one or more of the plurality of elevators to the passenger group to transport the passengers belonging to the passenger group from a departure floor to the one or more destination floors.

15. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to, connect group data to the identification data of the one or more access cards, and forming the passenger group based on the group data.

16. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more access cards includes a client-side reading device configured to read the identification data of the one or more access cards in close range thereto, and to form group data based on the identification data.

17. The elevator system according to claim 15, wherein the group data is recorded in at least one of the one or more access card a memory associated with the controller.

18. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to read, via the one or more reading devices, the identification data from consecutive access cards until the controller registers the at least one destination call given via pushbuttons of a destination call panel or until a threshold period of time has passed from the controller reading a last one of the consecutive access cards.

19. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein at least one of the one or more reading devices are configured to monitor an elevator lobby associated with the departure floor, and the controller is configured to read, via the at least one of the one or more reading devices, the identification data from the terminal devices associated with the passengers who are simultaneously in the elevator lobby.

20. The elevator system according to claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to register the one or more destination calls by, receiving the one or more destination calls from the terminal devices associated with the passengers belonging to the passenger group before the one or more elevators allocated to the passenger group arrive at the departure floor.

21. The elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to display, via the destination call panel or a terminal device, which of the plurality of elevators is allocated to the passenger group with a display in connection with a destination call panel or with a display in connection with a terminal device.

22. Elevator system according to claim 14, wherein the control system is arranged to determine the access rights of all the passengers belonging to a passenger group on the basis of the identification data read from access cards and to connect to the data of the passenger group only those destination calls to a destination floor designated by which destination calls all passengers of the passenger group have an access right.

23. An elevator controller comprising: a memory and a processor, the memory containing computer readable code that, when executed by the processor, configures the processor to, read, via one or more reading devices, identification data from one or more access cards associated with passengers until a desired termination condition is fulfilled, form a passenger group based on the identification data, the passenger group containing the passengers therein such that the controller is configured to form the passenger group only if the controller reads the identification data associated with two or more of the passengers, registering one or more destination calls to the passenger group, the one or more destination calls having at least one or more destination floors associated therewith, and allocating one or more of a plurality of elevators to the passenger group to transport the passengers belonging to the passenger group from a departure floor to the one or more destination floors.

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 one elevator system according to the invention, and

(3) FIG. 2 presents a second elevator system according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 presents one elevator system 10 according to the invention. The elevator system 10 forms an elevator group, which comprises two elevators 10a, 10b, the elevator cars 10aa, 10bb of which move in the elevator hoistway between the floors F1, F2 . . . F10. In the elevator lobbies of the floors F1, F2 . . . F10 are destination call panels 12, of which FIG. 1 presents only the destination call panel of floor F1 (entrance lobby). The destination call panels 12 are connected via a data transfer connection suited to the purpose, e.g. via a fieldbus 10d, to the control system 10c of the elevator group 10 (the group control) for transmitting data between the group control and the destination call panels 12. A destination call panel comprises a display 12b, call-giving pushbuttons 12a and also a reader device 12c. Passengers have been given personal access cards 11 (11, 11 and 11), which are e.g. passive RFID identifiers, and they contain an individual identification code (ID code). The identification code can be read with a reader device 12c, when the access card 11 is taken to the reader device 12c. For taking an access card to a reader device, it is sufficient that it is taken into the operating range of the reader device 12c, which extends e.g. to a few centimeters from the reader device 12c.

(5) In the following the invention will be described with the aid of an example.

(6) Three people, who want to travel in the same elevator car to floor F5, arrive in the entrance lobby F1. Each person has in his/her possession an access card 11 (11, 11, 11). The first person takes his/her access card 11 to the reader device 12c without giving a destination call with the pushbuttons 12a of the destination call panel. Also the next person belonging to the passenger group takes his/her access card 11 to the reader device 12c without giving a destination call with the pushbuttons 12a. The third person belonging to the passenger group takes his/her access card 11 to the reader device 12c and gives a destination call to floor F5 with the pushbuttons 12a. The identification data contained in all three access cards 11, 11 and 11 is transmitted consecutively from the reader device 12c to the group control 10c as also the manual destination call given by the third passenger with the pushbuttons 12a. Since the access cards of all three passengers were read consecutively with the same reader device 12c and only the third passenger gave a manual destination call, the group control 10c forms a passenger group of three passengers and connects to it a destination call from the entrance lobby F1 to floor F5. The group control 10c allocates an elevator for the use of the passenger group and informs about the elevator allocated with the display 12b of the destination call panel. If, as an exception from the above example, the people are traveling to different floors, e.g. to floor F4 and F5, the third passenger can register destination calls consecutively to floors F4 and F5 with the pushbuttons 12a inside a predetermined time window. If the time window is e.g. three seconds, the third person must first give a destination call to floor F5 and within three seconds after that a destination call to floor F4 (or first to floor F4 and after that to floor F5). The group control registers the aforementioned destination calls and connects them to the passenger group formed. The group control allocates to the passenger group the optimal elevator for taking the people belonging to the passenger group from the entrance lobby F1 to floors F4 and F5. The number of passengers belonging to the passenger group and the destination floors to which the people belonging to the passenger group must be taken can be taken into account in the optimization. If, e.g. owing to the traffic situation, there are no elevators in the elevator system with which the passengers of the group could be served, the elevator system can request the people of the passenger group to give destination calls in the normal manner and can allocate a number of elevators for the use of the group.

(7) In the embodiments presented above, the last passenger belonging to a passenger group gives one or more destination calls with the pushbuttons 12a. If the group control ascertains that not a single destination call was given with the pushbuttons 12a within the predefined time window after the last passenger of the passenger group took his/her access card to the reader device 12c, the group control 10c determines on the basis of the identification data the default floors of the passengers belonging to the group and registers destination calls to the floors in question. The default floor is e.g. the floor on which a person works.

(8) FIG. 2 presents a second elevator system, wherein passengers have a terminal device 20 (20, 20) in use. The terminal device 20 comprises a plurality of pushbuttons 20a for giving destination calls and other necessary operating commands. The terminal device further comprises a display 20b, on which can be presented e.g. information relating to the giving of a call. A transponder 20c is integrated into the terminal device for transmitting data between the terminal device and a reader device 21 by radio. The transponder 20c is e.g. an active RFID identifier, which comprises an antenna, a memory, a processor unit, and also connection electronics for reading the status data of the pushbuttons 20a and for formatting the information to be presented with the display 20b. A reader device 21, which is connected via a local area network 23 to the group control 10a of the elevator group, is able to receive and to send data from the transponder/to the transponder 20c. The operating range 21a of the reader device 21 covers e.g. the entrance lobby F1.

(9) In the following the invention will be described in the light of a second example in an elevator system according to FIG. 2. In addition to an individual ID code, group data is also connected to the identification data of the terminal devices 20, which group data the group control 10c uses for forming passenger groups. Group data is e.g. a list of the ID codes of those terminal devices that belong to the same passenger group. Alternatively the group data can be information identifying a passenger group (a so-called group ID), which is the same for all passengers belonging to the group. Two people, who have in their possession a personal terminal device 20 (20, 20), want to travel together from the entrance lobby F1 to floor F5. The ID codes of the terminal devices are recorded in the terminal devices of the people as group data. When the people arrive in the entrance lobby F1, the reader device 21 monitoring the entrance lobby reads the identification data of both terminal devices 20, 20 and transmits the identification data together with the group data to the group control 10a. The reading distance can in this case be a few meters, if necessary even tens of meters. The first person belonging to the passenger group gives with his/her terminal device 20 a destination call to floor F5. The destination call is transmitted via the reader device 21 to the group control 10c, which forms a passenger group of two people because the people are simultaneously in the operating range 21a of the reader device 21 and the same group data (the FIG. 100) is in the identification data read from the terminal devices of the people. The group control allocates to the passenger group an elevator for traveling to floor F5. When the elevator has been allocated, the group control sends via the reader device 21 to the terminal devices 20, 20 information about the elevator allocated. The information about the elevator allocated is shown on the display 20b of the terminal devices, e.g. with the text Go to elevator A. Before the arrival of the allocated elevator at the entrance lobby F1, the second passenger belonging to the passenger group can give a destination call with his/her terminal device 20, if he/she is going to some other floor than the destination floor F5 given by the first passenger.

(10) The group data is configured by taking the terminal devices of the passengers belonging to the group into the close range of each other, in which case the terminal devices read each other's identification data, e.g. the ID codes of the terminal devices taken into close range. At least one of the aforementioned terminal devices records the ID codes as group data in the internal memory of the terminal device and/or sends it to the group control for recording as group data in the memory of the group control 10a. Close range in this context means a distance, which is e.g. approx. 0.2 meters, or a distance shorter than that. Configuration of group data can occur automatically such that the users of terminal devices do not need to do anything other than take the terminal devices into the aforementioned close range of each other. For preventing unintentional configuration of group data, a confirmation can be requested from the users of terminal devices as to whether he/she wants to belong to the group being configured, e.g. he/she must press the OK button on the terminal device.

(11) The transmission of ID codes between terminal devices can occur e.g. via the transponders 20c. It is also possible to provide terminal devices with special communications means 20d suited to near-field communication, which means are used primarily for configuring group data when the terminal devices are in close range of each other. The communications means in question can be based on e.g. RFID, NFC, infrared or some other corresponding technology.

(12) Group data can be either dynamic group data or static group data. Dynamic group data is valid only for a certain maximum time or during only one group trip and as a result of that the data must always be configured again when it is desired to make a new group trip. Static group data is permanent group data and it is sufficient that the data is configured once. For example, all the employees of the same company can be configured permanently into the same passenger group. If two or more employees of the company are identified at the same time in the same elevator lobby, the group control can automatically form a passenger group on the basis of the aforementioned group data.

(13) In one embodiment of the invention the group control determines on the basis of identification data the access rights in a building of each passenger belonging to the passenger group and determines those floors to which all the passengers participating in a group trip have an access right. When the passengers participating in a group trip give destination calls, the group control registers only the destination calls to the common floors in question. With the application the access of unauthorized persons along with a passenger group to floors for which they have no access right is prevented.

(14) The invention is not only limited to be applied to the embodiments described above, but instead many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive concept defined by the claims below. Thus, for example, the control system of the elevator system can comprise a number of separate control units, of which one or more control unit can belong to the access control system of the building.