Abstract:
An elevator system to continue communication even if a tracking error exists and to reduce interference on other transponders when transmitting a video and audio between an endstation facility and another endstation facility via a transponder mounted on communications satellite. This transmission system includes a tracking antenna that tracks a transponder, a tracking error calculation circuit that obtains a tracking error in a tracking operation of the tracking antenna, a transmission level control circuit that obtains a transmission level of a signal in response to the tracking error, and a transmitter that transmits the signal at the obtained signal level via the tracking antenna to the transponder of the communication target.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to an elevator system. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0002]    Devices for performing group control of double-deck elevators are disclosed in Patent documents 1 through 4 listed below. 
         [0003]    The device disclosed in each of Patent documents 1 and 2 allows a speaker or a display to provide predetermined guidance such that a passenger does not get in a wrong car that is an upper car or a lower car. In the device disclosed in each of Patent documents 3 and 4, a new hall call is assigned in consideration of a hall call that has been already registered. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0004]    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent No. 3889471 
         [0005]    Patent Literature 2: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-3099 
         [0006]    Patent Literature 3: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-272847 
         [0007]    Patent Literature 4: Japanese Patent No. 3435882 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
       [0008]    In a related-art device, a notification device such as a speaker and a display has to be installed so that a passenger does not get in a wrong car. The passenger needs to listen to the announcement or see the display to check whether he/she is in a correct car (an upper car or a lower car). 
         [0009]    The present invention was made in order to solve the above problem and an object of the present invention is to provide an elevator system for enabling a passenger to get in an appropriate car without using a speaker and a display. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0010]    An elevator system of the present invention is a system which comprises a group control device which performs group control of a plurality of elevator devices, and a destination call registration device, installed in an elevator hall, by which a passenger registers a destination call in the hall. Each of the elevator devices includes a plurality of cars that ascend and descend in the same shaft. The group control device includes a first determination unit which tentatively assigns a call newly registered from the destination call registration device to a first car, and excludes the first car from candidate cars of a first group in a case where a second car arranged above or below the first car stops at the hall before the first car, and an assigned car determination unit which selects a car to which the new registration call is assigned from the candidate cars of the first group. 
         [0011]    An elevator system of the present invention is a system which comprises a group control device which performs group control of a plurality of elevator devices, and a destination call registration device, installed in an elevator hall, by which a passenger registers a destination call in the hall. Each of the elevator devices includes a plurality of cars that ascend and descend in the same shaft. The group control device includes a second determination unit which tentatively assigns a call newly registered from the destination call registration device to a first car, and excludes the first car from candidate cars of a first group in a case where the first car and a second car arranged above or below the first car successively stop at the hall, and an assigned car determination unit which selects a car to which the new registration call is assigned from the candidate cars of the first group. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0012]    The elevator system of the present invention enables a passenger to get in an appropriate car without using a speaker and a display. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating operation of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each of the drawings, identical reference numerals refer to identical or corresponding parts. Redundant descriptions are appropriately simplified or omitted. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0018]    Reference numeral  1  denotes a car device which ascends and descends in an elevator shaft. The car device  1  includes an upper car  2  and a lower car  3  where passengers ride. The upper car  2  and the lower car  3  are vertically coupled. The lower car  3  is arranged below the upper car  2 . The upper car  2  and the lower car  3  integrally and vertically move in the shaft. 
         [0019]    Reference numeral  4  denotes a car control device which controls the car device  1 . The car control device  4  controls opening and closing of doors and travelling of the car device  1 . The car control device  4  separately controls the opening and closing of the door of the upper car  2 , and the opening and closing of the door of the lower car  3 . 
         [0020]    The upper car  2  includes a car operation panel (not illustrated). The car operation panel is a device by which a passenger registers a destination call in the upper car  2 . The car operation panel includes, for example, a destination button (not illustrated) for each floor at which the upper car  2  stops. A passenger operates the destination button to input his/her destination floor. When the destination floor is input from the car operation panel, the car control device  4  outputs a corresponding call registration request to a group control device  12 . This call registration request includes information on the car (i.e., the upper car  2 ) in which the destination floor is input, and information on the input destination floor. 
         [0021]    The lower car  3  includes a car operation panel (not illustrated) as similar to the upper car  2 . The car operation panel included in the lower car  3  functions similar to that included in the upper car  2 . When a destination floor is input from the car operation panel of the lower car  3 , the car control device  4  outputs a corresponding call registration request to the group control device  12 . This call registration request includes information on the car (i.e., the lower car  3 ) in which the destination floor is input, and information on the input destination floor. 
         [0022]    Reference numeral  5  denotes a car device which ascends and descends in another shaft. That is, the car device  5  ascends and descends in the shaft different from the shaft in which the car device  1  ascends and descends. The car device  5  includes an upper car  6  and a lower car  7  where passengers ride. The upper car  6  and the lower car  7  are vertically coupled. The lower car  7  is arranged below the upper car  6 . The upper car  6  and the lower car  7  integrally and vertically move in the shaft. 
         [0023]    Reference numeral  8  denotes a car control device which controls the car device  5 . The car control device  8  controls opening and closing of doors and travelling of the car device  5 . The car control device  8  separately controls the opening and closing of the door of the upper car  6 , and the opening and closing of the door of the lower car  7 . 
         [0024]    The upper car  6  includes a car operation panel (not illustrated). The car operation panel is a device by which a passenger registers a destination call in the upper car  6 . The car operation panel includes, for example, a destination button (not illustrated) for each floor at which the upper car  6  stops. A passenger operates the destination button to input his/her destination floor. When the destination floor is input from the car operation panel, the car control device  8  outputs a corresponding call registration request to the group control device  12 . This call registration request includes information on the car (i.e., the upper car  6 ) in which the destination floor is input, and information on the input destination floor. 
         [0025]    The lower car  7  includes a car operation panel (not illustrated) as similar to the upper car  6 . The car operation panel included in the lower car  7  functions similar to that included in the upper car  6 . When a destination floor is input from the car operation panel of the lower car  7 , the car control device  8  outputs a corresponding call registration request to the group control device  12 . This call registration request includes information on the car (i.e., the lower car  7 ) in which the destination floor is input, and information on the input destination floor. 
         [0026]    Reference numeral  9  denotes a destination call registration device which is installed in an elevator hall. The destination call registration device  9  may be installed in each of all the halls at which the car devices  1  and  5  stop, or some of the halls. A plurality of destination call registration devices  9  may be installed in one hall. 
         [0027]    The destination call registration device  9  is a device by which a passenger registers a destination call in a hall. The destination call registration device  9  includes, for example, input buttons  10  and a display  11 . A passenger operates the input button  10  in the hall to input his/her destination floor. When the destination floor is input, the destination call registration device  9  outputs a corresponding call registration request to the group control device  12 . This call registration request includes information on (the floor of) the hall in which the destination call registration device  9  is installed, and information on the input destination floor. 
         [0028]    The group control device  12  has a function of performing group control of the car device  1  and the car device  5 . That is, the group control device  12  controls a plurality of double-deck elevators as one group. The present embodiment represents a case in which the group control device  12  controls a double-deck elevator including the car device  1  and a double-deck elevator including the car device  5  as one example. The group control device  12  may perform group control of three or more double-deck elevators, although a detailed description thereof is not given in the present embodiment. 
         [0029]    The group control device  12  includes an assignment control unit  13 . The assignment control unit  13  registers a call (a hall call, a destination call) based on the call registration request which has been input. The assignment control unit  13  determines, based on a predetermined condition, a car that should respond to the registered call from the cars controlled by the group control device  12 . 
         [0030]    The assignment control unit  13  includes a storage unit  14 , a first determination unit  15 , a second determination unit  16 , an assigned candidate car selection unit  17 , and an assigned car determination unit  18 . 
         [0031]    The storage unit  14  stores information on a call (a hall call, a destination call) which is currently registered. For example, the storage unit  14  manages information by making a table to link the information on the registered call to the information on the car (assigned car) which should respond to the registered call, and stores the linked information. 
         [0032]    The first determination unit  15  has a function of selecting candidate cars of a first group with respect to a call newly registered from the destination call registration device  9 . The first determination unit  15  selects the candidate cars of the first group based on the information stored in the storage unit  14 . 
         [0033]    For example, when a new call (a hall call, a destination call) is registered by operating the destination call registration device  9  by a passenger, the first determination unit  15  tentatively assigns the new registration call to each of the cars controlled by the group control device  12 . In the present embodiment, the first determination unit  15  tentatively assigns the new registration call to each of the upper car  2 , the lower car  3 , the upper car  6 , and the lower car  7  in order. The first determination unit  15  determines whether the passenger may get in a wrong car which is above or below a certain car in a case where the new registration call is tentatively assigned to the certain car. If there is a possibility that the passenger may get in the wrong car in a case where the new registration call is tentatively assigned to the certain car, the first determination unit  15  excludes the tentatively assigned car from the candidate cars of the first group. 
         [0034]    For example, consider a case where the first determination unit  15  tentatively assigns a new registration call to the lower car  3 . 
         [0035]    The first determination unit  15  determines whether the tentative assignment of the new registration call to the lower car  3  causes the upper car  2  to stop at a hall where the passenger is present before the lower car  3  stops at the hall. If the upper car  2  stops at the hall where the passenger is present before the lower car  3 , there is a possibility that the passenger may get in the upper car  2  by mistake. In such a case, the first determination unit  15  determines that there is a possibility that the passenger may get in the wrong car. The first determination unit  15  excludes the lower car  3  from the candidate cars of the first group. 
         [0036]    On the other hand, if the upper car  2  does not stop at the hall where the passenger is present, and if the lower car  3  stops at the hall where the passenger is present before the upper car  2  even in a case where the upper car  2  stops at the hall, the passenger who registered the new call does not get in the upper car  2  by mistake. In such cases, the first determination unit  15  determines that there is no possibility that the passenger gets in the wrong car. The first determination unit  15  selects the lower car  3  as a candidate car of the first group. 
         [0037]    The second determination unit  16  has a function of selecting candidate cars of a second group with respect to a call newly registered from the destination call registration device  9 . The second determination unit  16  selects the candidate cars of the second group from the candidate cars of the first group based on the information stored in the storage unit  14 . 
         [0038]    For example, when a new call (a hall call, a destination call) is registered by operating the destination call registration device  9  by a passenger, the second determination unit  16  tentatively assigns the new registration call to each of the cars controlled by the group control device  12 . The second determination unit  16  determines whether a certain car and a car above or below the certain car successively stop at the same hall in a case where the new registration call is tentatively assigned to the certain car. If the upper and lower cars successively stop at the same hall in a case where the new registration call is tentatively assigned to the certain car, the second determination unit  16  excludes the tentatively assigned car from the candidate cars of the first group. The second determination unit  16  selects the car excluded from the candidate cars of the first group as a candidate car of the second group. 
         [0039]    The second determination unit  16  may limit a car to which the new registration call should be assigned to the cars selected as the candidate cars of the first group. 
         [0040]    The assigned candidate car selection unit  17  selects a car to be an assigned candidate (an assigned candidate car) for the new registration call based on a determination result of the first determination unit  15  and a determination result of the second determination unit  16 . 
         [0041]    The assigned car determination unit  18  selects a car to be actually assigned (an assigned candidate car) for the new registration call from the assigned candidate cars selected by the assigned candidate car selection unit  17 . For example, the assigned car determination unit  18  considers various evaluation items (e.g., waiting time for the passenger, and travel distance of the car) regarding the cars selected as the assigned candidate cars, and then determines the assigned car. 
         [0042]    Next, operation of the elevator system (operation of the group control device  12 , in particular) including the above configuration is particularly described with reference to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a flowchart illustrating operation of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0043]    When a passenger appropriately operates the destination call registration device  9  in a hall, a call registration request is transmitted from the destination call registration device  9  to the group control device  12 . Upon receipt of the call registration request from the destination call registration device  9 , the group control device  12  registers a corresponding hall call and a corresponding destination call (S 101 ). For example, the passenger in a hall on a third floor inputs a seventh floor as a destination floor from the destination call registration device  9 . Accordingly, in the group control device  12 , a hall call of the third floor and a destination call of the seventh floor are registered. 
         [0044]    When the calls are newly registered, the first determination unit  15  selects candidate cars of the first group according to a current registration condition of calls stored in the storage unit  14  (S 102 ). The first determination unit  15  first selects all the cars that can provide serves as the candidate cars of the first group. Next, the first determination unit  15 , for example, tentatively assigns the third-floor hall call to each of the cars. The first determination unit  15  excludes a certain car from the candidate cars of the first group if there is a possibility that the passenger may get in a wrong car in a case where the third-floor hall call is tentatively assigned to the certain car. 
         [0045]    When the candidate cars of the first group are selected by the first determination unit  15 , the second determination unit  16  selects candidate cars of the second group (S 103 ). For example, the second determination unit  16  tentatively assigns the third-floor hall call to each of the cars selected in S 102  as the candidate cars of the first group. If the upper and lower cars successively stop at the hall on the third floor in a case where the third-floor hall call is tentatively assigned, the second determination unit  16  excludes the tentatively assigned car from the candidate cars of the first group. The second determination unit  16  selects the car excluded from the candidate cars of the first group in S 103  as a candidate car of the second group. 
         [0046]    When the candidate cars of the first group are re-selected and the candidate cars of the second group are selected in S 103 , the assigned candidate car selection unit  17  determines whether there is a car selected as the candidate car of the first group (S 104 ). If there is a car selected as the candidate car of the first group (Yes in S 104 ), the assigned candidate car selection unit  17  selects such a car as an assigned candidate car. 
         [0047]    When assigned candidate cars are selected by the assigned candidate car selection unit  17 , the assigned car determination unit  18  calculates various evaluation values regarding each of the cars selected as the assigned candidate cars (S 105 ). The assigned car determination unit  18  determines, based on the calculated comprehensive evaluation value, the assigned car corresponding to the call registered in S 101  from the assigned candidate cars selected by the assigned candidate car selection unit  17  (S 106 ). 
         [0048]    If there is no car selected as a candidate car of the first group (No in S 104 ), the assigned candidate car selection unit  17  selects the cars selected as the candidate cars of the second group as assigned candidate cars. When the assigned candidate cars are selected by the assigned candidate car selection unit  17 , the assigned car determination unit  18  calculates various evaluation values regarding each of the cars selected as the assigned candidate cars (S 107 ). The assigned car determination unit  18  determines, based on the calculated comprehensive evaluation value, the assigned car corresponding to the call registered in S 101  from the assigned candidate cars selected by the assigned candidate car selection unit  17  (S 106 ). 
         [0049]    Therefore, the elevator system having the above configuration enables the passenger to get in an appropriate car without using a speaker and a display. 
         [0050]    When the new call is registered from the destination call registration device  9 , the first determination unit  15  excludes a certain car from the candidate cars of the first group if there is a possibility that the passenger may get in a wrong car in a case where the new registration call is assigned to the certain car. This can reliably prevent the passenger from getting in a wrong car arranged above or below the assigned car. When the passenger gets in the car, the passenger does not need to be aware that the car is the upper car or the lower car. 
         [0051]    Moreover, the second determination unit  16  excludes the car, which causes upper and lower cars to successively stop at the same hall, from the candidate cars of the first group in a case where the new registration call is assigned to that car, then selects it as a candidate car of the second group. Thus, when the passenger gets in a car, the car does not stop again immediately after the passenger gets in the car. For example, the present elevator system can prevent a situation in which the upper car  2  simply stops and waits so that a passenger can get in and off the lower car  3 . This elevator system, therefore, can enhance a transport efficiency. 
         [0052]    As long as the assignment control unit  13  includes the second determination unit  16 , an advantageous effect similar to the above can be achieved even if the assignment control unit  13  does not include the first determination unit  15 . That is, as long as the assignment control unit  13  includes the second determination unit  16 , the passenger can be prevented from getting in a wrong car arranged above or below the assigned car. 
         [0053]    The present embodiment has been described using a case in which the group control device  12  performs group control of a plurality of double-deck elevators. The elevator device controlled by the group control device  12  may be a multi-deck elevator in which three or more cars are vertically coupled. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0054]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an elevator system according to a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0055]    The present embodiment is described using a case in which a group control device  12  controls a plurality of one-shaft multi-car elevators as one group. 
         [0056]    In  FIG. 3 , an upper car  2   a  and a lower car  3   a  ascend and descend in the same shaft. The lower car  3   a  is arranged below the upper car  2   a.  A car control device  4   a  controls opening and closing of doors and travelling of the upper car  2   a  and the lower car  3   a.  The upper car  2   a  and the lower car  3   a  are not vertically coupled, so that the upper car  2   a  and the lower car  3   a  can individually perform an ascending and descending operation and a door opening and closing operation. 
         [0057]    An upper car  6   a  and a lower car  7   a  ascend and descend in a shaft different from that in which the upper car  2   a  and the lower car  3   a  ascend and descend. The upper car  6   a  and the lower car  7   a  ascend and descend in the same shaft. The lower car  7   a  is arranged below the upper car  6   a.  A car control device  8   a  controls opening and closing of doors and travelling of the upper car  6   a  and the lower car  7   a.  The upper car  6   a  and the lower car  7   a  are not vertically coupled, so that the upper car  6   a  and the lower car  7   a  can individually perform an ascending and descending operation and a door opening and closing operation. 
         [0058]    Configurations and functions that are not disclosed in the present embodiment are similar to those disclosed in the first embodiment. 
         [0059]    Also, when the group control of a plurality of one-shaft multi-car elevators is performed, the group control device  12  having a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment is employed, thereby achieving an advantageous effect similar to that in the first embodiment. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0060]    The elevator system according to the present invention can be applied to a system for performing group control of a plurality of elevator devices. The elevator device includes a plurality of cars which ascend and descend in the same shaft. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0061]      1 ,  5  car device 
         [0062]      2 ,  2   a,    6 ,  6   a  upper car 
         [0063]      3 ,  3   a,    7 ,  7   a  lower car 
         [0064]      4 ,  4   a,    8 ,  8   a  car control device 
         [0065]      9  destination call registration device 
         [0066]      10  input button 
         [0067]      11  display 
         [0068]      12  group control device 
         [0069]      13  assignment control unit 
         [0070]      14  storage unit 
         [0071]      15  first determination unit 
         [0072]      16  second determination unit 
         [0073]      17  assigned candidate car selection unit 
         [0074]      18  assigned car determination unit