Patent Publication Number: US-10308476-B2

Title: Elevator control system having controller in communication with power provider

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The subject matter disclosed herein relates to elevator control systems and, in particular, to elevator control systems that negotiate with external elevator management systems. 
     Smart grid systems allow elevators to communicate with devices and systems that are external to the closed elevator system, such as computers and networks outside a building in which the elevator operates. Some applications communicate elevator position information or status information to external devices. Smart grid systems also permit external systems to communicate with the elevator system, such as by sending control information to the elevator system to shut down or start up the elevator. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, an elevator control system includes an elevator group system including one or more elevators and an elevator group controller configured to control operation of the one or more elevators. The system includes at least one of an external elevator management system and an external power provider connected via a data communications link to the elevator group controller. The elevator group controller is configured to transmit to the at least one of the external elevator management system and the external power provider elevator operation information, and the at least one of the external elevator management system and the external power provider is configured to transmit to the elevator group controller elevator operation control information based on the elevator operation information. The elevator group controller is configured to then control operation of the one or more elevators based on the elevator operation control information. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, an elevator group controller includes memory that stores elevator operation information of one or more elevators in an elevator group and a processor. The processor transmits the elevator operation information to at least one of an external elevator management system and an external power provider, receives elevator operation control information from the at least one of the external elevator management system and the external power provider based on the transmitted elevator operation information, and generates elevator control signals to control operation of the one or more elevators based on the elevator operation control information. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a method of controlling an elevator group includes transmitting, by an elevator group controller that controls an operation of one or more elevators, elevator operation information to at least one of an external elevator management system and an external power provider via a data communications link and receiving, by the elevator group controller, from the at least one of the external elevator management system and the external power provider elevator control information based on the elevator operation information. The method further includes controlling, by the elevator group controller, the one or more elevators based on the elevator control information. 
     These and other advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter, which is regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an elevator system network according to an embodiment of the invention; and 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a block diagram of a method for controlling the elevator system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     The detailed description explains embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventional elevator control systems may collect elevator operation information and may control operation of the elevators based on the elevator operation information. However, conventional elevator control systems may have limited interaction with external systems. Embodiments of the invention are directed to elevator control systems in which an elevator group controller exchanges information with external management systems to control operation of the elevators. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an elevator system  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. The system  100  includes an elevator group system  110  and external elevator management systems  120 . The elevator group system  110  includes an elevator group  111  including a first elevator  112  and a second elevator  113 . An elevator group controller  114  controls the elevators  112  and  113  in the elevator group  111 . 
     While two elevators  112  and  113  are illustrated in the elevator group  111  of  FIG. 1 , embodiments of the invention encompass any number of elevators in a group, from one up. In one embodiment, the elevator group  111  is made up of all of the elevators in a bank of elevators in a building. For example, if the building includes three banks of elevators at different locations, each bank of elevators may correspond to a different elevator group. In another embodiment, the elevator group  111  corresponds to all of the elevators in a building or other structure. In yet another embodiment, the elevator group  111  corresponds to elevators in multiple buildings or structures, such as all of the elevators located on a particular campus. 
     Similarly, in one embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  controls the operation of all of the elevators in a bank of elevators in a building. For example, if the building includes three banks of elevators at different locations, each bank of elevators may be controlled by a separate elevator group controller  114 . In another embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  controls all of the elevators in a building or other structure. In yet another embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  controls elevators in multiple buildings or structures, such as all of the elevators located on a particular campus. 
     The elevator group system  110  may also include a local power source  115  to provide power to the elevator group  111  to operate the elevators  112  and  113 . 
     The elevator group controller  114  is connected to the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130  via a data link, such as a wire line or wireless communications connection. The external elevator management systems  120  include one or more multi-group management systems  121 . The power providers  130  include one or more of a first power provider  131  and a second power provider  132 . While each of the first power provider  131 , second power provider  132  and multi-group management system  121  are illustrated in  FIG. 1  by way of description, embodiments of the invention encompass any combination of the first power provider  131 , second power provider  132  and multi-group management system  121  being present, from only one to all of them. Embodiments of the invention further encompass additional external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130 , such as three or more power providers and two or more multi-group management systems. For example, a first multi-group management system may manage multiple elevator groups  111 , and a second multi-group management system may manage multiple multi-group management systems, to form a hierarchy of management systems. In addition, while only one elevator group system  110  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  for purposes of description, embodiments of the invention encompass multiple elevator group systems  110  connected to the external elevator management systems  120  via data links 
     In operation, the elevator group controller  114  and the external elevator management systems exchange information to control the elevator group  111 . In one embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  transmits to the external elevator management systems  120  or power providers  130  elevator operation information. The elevator operation information includes past usage information, present usage information, and future usage information. Usage information includes numbers of ascents and descents, power levels consumed, peak power levels in a predetermined period of time, and average or other time-representative power levels. 
     In response to receiving the elevator operation information, the external elevator management systems  120  or power providers  130  provide elevator control information to the elevator group controller  114 , and the elevator group controller  114  controls the elevators  112  and  113  based on the elevator control information. 
     In the present specification and claims, elevator control information is defined as information provided from the elevator management systems  120  or power providers  130  to the elevator group controller  114  that is used by the elevator group controller  114  to generate elevator control signals. In one embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  includes a processor and memory, and the elevator group controller generates an elevator operation plan based on the elevator control information and stores the elevator operation plan in memory. The elevator group controller  114  then controls the operation of the elevator group  111  over time based on the elevator operation plan. 
     Examples of elevator control information include direct control information and indirect control information. Direct control information is information that directs the elevator group controller  114  to control elevators in a particular manner, such as limiting power usage by the elevators (if there is an low-power mode), shutting down elevators, running elevators at certain times, relying on a local power source  115  for a portion of power to the elevator group  111 , or any other direct control information. 
     Indirect control information is information that does not expressly direct the elevator group controller  114  to control the elevator group  111  in a particular way, but is used by the elevator group controller  114  to generate elevator control signals or an elevator control plan. Examples of indirect elevator control information include power cost values, power-limiting values corresponding to a power provider, such as a peak power level permitted by the power provider, average power level permitted by the power provider, maximum sustained power level over a period of time, or any other information that is relevant to operating the elevator group  111  but is not a command to operate the elevator group  111  in a particular way. For example, the first power provider  131  may be an electrical power provider, and may indicate that the electrical power provider has a predetermined maximum power level that the elevator group  111  is permitted to draw over a period of time. The elevator group controller  114  may then generate an elevator operation plan or guidelines to control the elevator group  111  based on the elevator control information. 
     In an embodiment in which the elevator group system  110  includes a local power source  115 , the elevator group controller  114  may control power supplied to the elevator group  111  from the local power source  115  based on the elevator control information obtained from the external elevator management systems  120  or the power providers  130 . For example, in an embodiment in which the first power provider  131  is an electrical utility, and the first power provider has a power limit that limits the amount of power the elevator group  111  can draw from the first power provider  131 , the elevator group controller  114  may control the local power source  115  to supplement power from the first power provider  131  during peak elevator usage times to meet the power demand of the elevator group  111  and the requirements of the first power provider  131 . 
     The local power source  115  may be any type of power source controlled by the elevator group controller  114 , including a battery or battery bank, a generator, a renewable energy source or any other power source. 
     In one embodiment, the power providers  130  include a first power provider  131  and a second power provider  132 . The first power provider  131  and the second power provider  132  may provide the same type of power, such as electrical power, or they may provide different power types, such as one providing electrical power and the other providing gas power. While electrical and gas power are provided by way of example, embodiments of the invention encompass any type of power provider. 
     In operation, the elevator group controller  114  may transmit elevator operation information to each of the first power provider  131  and the second power provider  132 . The first power provider  131  may respond by sending first elevator control information to the elevator group controller  114 , and the second power provider  132  may respond by sending second elevator control information to the elevator group controller  114 . The elevator group controller  114  may analyze the first and second elevator control information, and may control the operation of the elevator group  111  based on both the first and second elevator control information. In one embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  adjusts a ratio of power supplied to the elevator group  111  from the first power provider  131  relative to the second power provider  132  based on the first and second elevator control information. For example, if the first power provider  131  is an electrical power provider and the second power provider  132  is a gas power provider that drives a gas generator of the elevator group system  110 , the elevator group controller  114  may determine the most cost-effective or power-effective ratio of driving the elevator group  111  with the electrical power from the first power provider  131  and with the gas from the second power provider  132 . 
     In one embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  negotiates with the external elevator management systems  120  and the power providers  130 . In such an embodiment, the elevator group controller  114  transmits the elevator operation information to the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130 , the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130  transmit the elevator control information to the elevator group controller  114 , and the elevator group controller  114  transmits back to the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130  adjusted elevator operation information to receive from the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130  adjusted elevator control information. For example, the first power provider  131  may provide to the elevator group controller  114  power rates based on an elevator usage plan provided to the first power provider  131  from the elevator group controller  114 . The elevator group controller  114  may then alter the elevator usage plan and submit the adjusted plan to the first power provider  131  to receive more favorable power rates. 
     In one embodiment of the invention, the elevator system  100  includes multiple elevator group systems  110  connected to the external elevator management systems  120  and power providers  130 . In such an embodiment, the multi-group management system  121  coordinates operations of the elevator groups  111  of each elevator group system  110 . In one embodiment, the multi-group management system  121  gathers elevator operation information from each of the multiple elevator group systems  110 . The multi-group management system  121  then stores the operation information electronically, analyzes the operation information from the elevator group systems  110  with elevator management processing circuitry, and generates the elevator operation control information to coordinate operation of all of the elevator group systems  110 . 
       FIG. 2  is a flow chart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the invention. In block  201 , an elevator group controller transmits elevator operation information to an external elevator management system or power provider via a data communications link. In block  202 , the elevator group controller receives elevator control information from the external elevator management system or power provider based on the elevator operation information. In block  203 , the elevator controller negotiates with the power management system or power provider. For example, the elevator controller may transmit adjusted elevator operation information to the external elevator management system and may receive, in return, adjusted elevator control information. 
     In block  204 , the elevator group controller controls the elevators of the elevator group based on the elevator control information or adjusted elevator control information. 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the invention encompass methods, systems, devices and other assemblies for communicating with elevator management systems and power providers external to an elevator group system, exchanging information with the elevator management systems and power providers, and controlling the elevator group based on the information exchanges. Embodiments of the invention allow elevator systems to optimize energy storage and management strategies in real-time, while meeting any requirements imposed by external elevator management systems connected to the elevator group system electronically, such as via a smart grid. 
     While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the invention may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.