CONTROL SYSTEM FOR AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM, ELEVATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATING AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

A control system for an elevator system may comprise elevator cars and an elevator control for assigning elevator cars to destination calls. In a first mode of operation, the elevator control may be adapted to determine and assign an elevator car to transport a passenger based on at least one elevator car determination criterion. The elevator control may wait to provide information identifying the elevator car assigned to the passenger until the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at a floor on which the passenger is located. Waiting to provide such information permits the elevator control to modify which elevator car ultimately transports the passenger based on intervening factors such as a door being held on an elevator car that was initially assigned to transport the passenger. In a second mode of operation, the passenger may be provided with the information that identifies the assigned elevator car immediately after the destination call is placed. In a third mode of operation, up/down calls may be placed.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A control system for an elevator system comprising elevator cars and an elevator control for assigning the elevator cars to destination calls, wherein the elevator control is adapted in a first mode of operation to determine and assign one of the elevator cars for a passenger to use based on at least one elevator car determination criterion, wherein information that identifies the elevator car assigned to the passenger is not provided to the passenger until the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at a floor on which the passenger is located.

17. The control system of claim 16 wherein in the first mode of operation a traveling direction of the assigned elevator car corresponds to a direction of a destination floor relative to the floor on which the passenger is located.

18. The control system of claim 17 wherein upon input of a destination call in the first mode of operation, the passenger is informed that the information that will identify the elevator car assigned to the passenger will be provided to the passenger as the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at the floor on which the passenger is located.

19. The control system of claim 17 wherein upon input of a destination call in the first mode of operation, the passenger is provided with an indication for the passenger to use a next elevator car that arrives to the floor on which the passenger is located.

20. The control system of claim 16 wherein in the first mode of operation the elevator control is capable of modifying which of the elevator cars is assigned to the passenger up until the information that identifies the assigned elevator car is provided to the passenger.

21. The control system of claim 16 wherein the elevator control is adapted in a second mode of operation to provide the passenger with the information that identifies the assigned elevator car immediately after the passenger makes a destination call rather than waiting until the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at a floor on which the passenger is located.

22. The control system of claim 21 wherein the elevator control is adapted in a third mode of operation to receive an elevator call through an up/down-call-device.

23. The control system of claim 22 wherein the elevator control is capable of selecting the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation and the third mode of operation simultaneously for at least one floor.

24. The control system of claim 22 wherein for each floor the elevator control selects the first mode of operation, the second mode of operation, or the third mode of operation based on at least one control parameter.

25. The control system of claim 24 wherein each floor operates in the first mode of operation, the second mode of operation, the third mode of operation, or the first and second modes of operation, wherein for a floor operating in the first and second modes of operation upward destination calls operate in the first mode of operation and downward destination calls operate in the second mode of operation, or upward destination calls operate in the second mode of operation and downward destination calls operate in the first mode of operation.

26. The control system of claim 16 wherein the elevator control is adapted to provide an indication to the passenger which of the elevator cars to use when it is determined that the elevator car to be used has already been indicated due to a prior destination call or if the elevator car to be used is already waiting at the floor on which the passenger is located.

27. An elevator system comprising: elevator cars that service multiple floors; and an elevator control for assigning the elevator cars to destination calls, wherein the elevator control is adapted in a first mode of operation to determine and assign one of the elevator cars for a passenger to use based on at least one elevator car determination criterion, wherein information that identifies the elevator car assigned to the passenger is not provided to the passenger until the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at a floor on which the passenger is located.

28. The elevator system of claim 27 wherein in the first mode of operation the elevator control is capable of modifying which of the elevator cars is assigned to the passenger up until the information that identifies the assigned elevator car is provided to the passenger.

29. The elevator system of claim 27 further comprising a destination selection input device disposed at each of the multiple floors serviced by the elevator cars, wherein each destination input device comprises a touchscreen.

30. The elevator system of claim 27 further comprising a hall lantern device disposed at each shaft on each of the multiple floors serviced by the elevator cars.

31. The elevator system of claim 27 wherein each elevator car comprises a device adapted to be usable as at least one of a display device or a destination call input device.

32. A method of operating an elevator system comprising elevators cars that serve multiple floors, wherein in a first mode of operation the method comprises: receiving a destination call from a passenger located on an entrance floor; determining and assigning an elevator car to transport the passenger based on at least one elevator car determination criterion; and providing information that identifies the assigned elevator car to the passenger as the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at the entrance floor.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the at least one elevator car determination criterion is based on which of the elevator cars reaches the entrance floor first.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising modifying which elevator car is assigned to the passenger at any point up until the information that identifies the assigned elevator car is provided to the passenger.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein in a second mode of operation the method comprises providing the passenger with the information that identifies the assigned elevator car immediately after the destination call is received rather than providing the information that identifies the assigned elevator car as the assigned elevator car approaches or arrives at the entrance floor, wherein in a third mode of operation the method comprises receiving an up/down call.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] FIG. 1 shows an elevator system in which, for an exemplary landing, a destination selection control system operates in the first mode of operation, and

[0039] FIG. 2 the elevator system of FIG. 1, in which, for exemplary landings, the control system operates in the second mode of operation or the third mode of operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] Referring to FIG. 1, an elevator system 100 comprises a plurality of elevator cars 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 moveable in a corresponding plurality of elevator shafts 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. The elevator cars are available to pick up passengers at various landings (floors) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

[0041] Each of the various elevator landings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 is provided with a hall call entry device 31-36, each comprising a destination selection input device 31a-36a, by means of which passengers can enter destination calls on landings. The destination selection input devices 31a-36a are interfaced with a (schematically indicated) elevator control 110 via standard connection means such as cables (not shown).

[0042] Be it assumed that a passenger 41 on an elevator landing 3 enters a destination call into destination selection input device 33a. In the example given in FIG. 1, be it assumed that passenger 41 wishes to be transported from landing 3 to landing 6.

[0043] Instead of immediately assigning one of the elevator cars 11-15 to this destination call and giving the passenger a corresponding indication, as would occur in prior art destination selection control systems, passenger 41 will be advised to use the next elevator car, which stops at landing 3 and is travelling in the same direction as landing 6 relative to landing 3 (i. e. the upward direction). This indication is displayed on the destination selection input device 33a. Only when a suitable elevator car arrives at landing 3 will a corresponding indication be generated for the passenger, for example by illuminating an up-arrow of a hall lantern 53 assigned to the elevator shaft in which the elevator car selected by the elevator control 110 is provided. Such hall lanterns are typically assigned to each elevator shaft, This allows the elevator control 110 to modify the determination or assignment of a suitable elevator car in dependence of current or changing traffic circumstances. For example, in the situation depicted in FIG. 1, elevator car 11 is in landing 2, and thus the elevator car the closest to landing 3, when the destination call is entered by passenger 41. Also, be it assumed that elevator car 11 is travelling in the upward direction as, for example, passenger 43 already in elevator car 11 wishes to be transferred to elevator landing 5.

[0044] Thus, initially, elevator car 11 is assigned to the destination call entered by passenger 41 at landing 3.

[0045] However, be it also assumed in example that the elevator door of elevator car 11 is being kept open, for example by a further person 42 standing in a light barrier, and wishing to talk to passenger 43.

[0046] This information (door held open) is available to elevator control 110, which can then calculate/estimate that maintaining the assignment of elevator car 11 to the destination call entered by passenger 41 at landing 3 will lead to a longer waiting time and later estimated time of arrival ETA. The elevator control can then calculate and generate a re-assignment, and e. g. assign elevator car 14, which is also relatively near to elevator landing 3 and also travelling in the upward direction.

[0047] Only when elevator car 14 arrives at landing 3 (or shortly before, for example 1 sec or 2 sec or 3 sec before) will a corresponding indication by means of hall lantern 53 be provided for passenger 41. Thus, the elevator control 110 as described is capable of modifying elevator car designations depending on current traffic circumstances, at the same time not requiring the passenger 41 to process any kind of complex, i. e. changing, information. Thus, confusion of passengers such as passenger 41 is completely avoidable.

[0048] Referring now to FIG. 2, it will be described how, in certain elevator landings, the second and/or the third modes of operation, as referenced in the claims, can be implemented.

[0049] Be it assumed that in the situation shown in FIG. 2 elevator landings 2, 4, 5 and 6 are operating in the first mode of operation, i. e. have been assigned the first mode of operation by elevator control 110.

[0050] At the same time, elevator landing 3 shall be assumed to operate in the second mode of operation. Herein, a passenger 41 enters a destination call via destination selection input device 33a. As the elevator control 110 has assigned the second mode of operation to elevator landing 3, passenger 41 immediately receives an indication, which elevator car to use to be transported to his destination. In the example shown, destination selection device 33a is additionally shown in dotted lines, to indicate the changed display which is generated after entering the destination call. It displays to the passenger the number of the elevator car to use, i. e. 14 in the example shown.

[0051] For example, the destination selection input device 33a can be provided as a touchscreen. This will initially present fields representing each elevator landing, which can be selected by touching the respective fields. Such a touchscreen can then, after input of a destination selection call by passenger 41 and corresponding processing by control 110, present the number of the elevator to be used by the passenger.

[0052] The third mode of operation is implemented in elevator landing 1. Here, the destination selection input device has been replaced by or is provided as a traditional up/down-selection device. Again, in case of usage of touchscreens, such touchscreens can be adapted to function as destination selection input devices as described above in connection with the first or second mode of operation, as well as up/down-input-devices in combination with the third mode of operation. In case the third mode of operation is implemented on at least one elevator landing, it is necessary to provide destination selection means within the elevator cars. Such a destination selection means is indicated for elevator cars 12 in FIG. 2 and designated 37. Such a means can be provided as a touchscreen, which can operate as (active) destination selection means during the third mode of operation, but also as (passive) display device, for example as a reassurance indicator for passengers in the elevator car, during the first and second mode of operation.