Patent Publication Number: US-7717238-B2

Title: Elevator control system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates to an elevator control system for enhancing the convenience of visitors. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   In a conventional elevator control system as described in patent document 1, a doorway management apparatus includes: an elevator installed in a building; and a release device for releasing locking of an automatic locking entrance door of the building is installed in a room. In the elevator control system further includes entrance floor call registration means for registering a call of a car of the elevator to the floor where the entrance placed in association with the release operation when a release operation of the entrance door with the release device is performed. 
   Further, the elevator control system includes destination floor registration means for registering the floor where the room of the operated release device exists as the destination floor after responding to the call registration to the entrance floor by the call registration means. 
   According to the elevator control system, when a visitor calls on a resident in one room and contacts the resident through an interphone, etc., installed in the entrance, the resident operates the release device in his or her room to release the automatic locking entrance door for enabling the visitor to enter the building. The entrance floor call registration means generates a call of the entrance floor (hall call or car call) in association with the release operation and the car stopped at any floor is called to the entrance floor. The visitor goes to the room of the resident using the arriving car. 
   Further, after the car arrives at the entrance floor in response to the entrance floor call, the destination floor registration means registers the floor of the room where the release operation has been performed (resident&#39;s room) as the destination floor, which enables the visitor to go to the floor of the resident&#39;s room using the elevator simply by getting into the elevator after the car arrives. 
   Therefore, if a visitor calls on a resident, the resident can permit the visitor to go to the floor of the resident&#39;s room simply by performing operation of unlocking the automatic locking of the entrance door to allow the visitor to enter the building. 
   Patent document 1: JP-A-H10-95575 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   Problems to be Solved by the Invention 
   However the background art described above involves the following problem: when a resident of the building and a visitor use the elevator from the same hall floor, etc., if the resident early uses the elevator, the later coming visitor fails to get into the elevator. In this case, to use the elevators the visitor must return to the automatic locking entrance door and then the entrance door must be released for registering a call. 
   The invention is intended for solving the problems as described above and it is an object of the invention to provide an elevator control system for preventing a visitor from failing to get into an elevator. 
   Means for Solving the Problems 
   An elevator control system according to a first aspect of the invention includes permission means provided at a predetermined distance from an elevator hall for permitting a first passenger to use an elevator and registering a call of the elevator; storage means for storing a predetermined estimated move time value for the first passenger to move from the permission means to the hall; arrival detection means for detecting the elevator arriving at the hall; time count means for starting to count based on permission of the permission means and setting an arrival time value when the arrival detection means detects the elevator arriving at the hall; and notification means for notifying a second passenger in a car or at the hall of a presence of the first passenger, wherein the notification means is activated if the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value. 
   An elevator control system according to a second aspect of the invention includes permission means provided at a predetermined distance from an elevator hall for permitting a first passenger to use an elevator and registering a call of the elevator; storage means for storing a predetermined estimated move time value for the first passenger to move from the permission means to the hall; arrival detection means for detecting the elevator arriving at the hall; time count means for starting to count based on permission of the permission means and setting an arrival time value when the arrival detection means detects the elevator arriving at the hall; and door open time prolonging means for prolonging the open time of a door of the elevator, wherein the door open time prolonging means is activated if the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value. 
   An elevator control system according to a third aspect of the invention includes riding detection means for detecting a person getting in the car, wherein, in addition to an activation requirement of the notification means or the door open time prolonging means, the notification means or the door open time prolonging means is activated when the riding detection means detects the second passenger getting in the car. 
   An elevator control system according to a fourth aspect of the invention includes determination means for determining whether or not the elevator stops on a floor where the first passenger is scheduled to get into the car and a car call in a same direction as the call is registered, wherein, in addition to an activation requirement of the notification means or the door open time prolonging means, the notification means or the door open time prolonging means is activated based on the determination of the determination means that the car call is registered. 
   In an elevator control system according to a fifth aspect of the invention, an operation of at least one of the notification means and the door open time prolonging means is stopped when an estimated arrival time expires. 
   ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION 
   According to the first aspect of the invention, the time count means starts to count based on permission of the permission means and sets the arrival time value when the arrival detection means detects the elevator arriving at the hall and if the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value, the notification means notifies the second passenger in the car or at the hall of the presence of the first passenger. Therefore, the visitor of the first passenger can promote preventing the car from moving by a call signal of the second passenger. Accordingly, the elevator control system has the advantage that the first passenger failing to get into the elevator can be remedied. 
   According to the second aspect of the invention, the time count means starts to count based on permission of the permission means and sets the arrival time value when the arrival detection means detects the elevator arriving at the hall and if the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value, the door open time prolonging means prolongs the time required for opening or closing the door of the elevator. Therefore, the time for the visitor of the first passenger to get into the elevator can be prolonged. Accordingly; the elevator control system has the advantage that the first passenger can be prevented from failing to get into the elevator. 
   According to the third aspect of the invention, the riding detection means detects the second passenger getting in the car and the notification means or the door open time prolonging means is activated. Therefore, the elevator control system has the advantage that the reliability of preventing the first passenger from failing to get into the elevator is enhanced. 
   According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the notification means or the door open time prolonging means is activated based on the determination of the determination means that the elevator stops on the floor where the first passenger is scheduled to get into the car and a car call in the same direction as the call is registered. Therefore the elevator control system has the advantage that the reliability of preventing the first passenger from failing to get into the elevator is enhanced. 
   According to the fifth aspect of the invention the operation of at least one of the notification means and the door open time prolonging means is stopped when the estimated arrival time expires so that the elevator control system has the advantage that the operation of the notification means or the door open time prolonging means can be controlled appropriately. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the periphery of an elevator showing one embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a general block diagram of an elevator control system according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart to show the operation of a remote control unit shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the elevator control system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of an elevator control system according to another embodiment. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     30   c : Determination and generation section,  30   m : Storage section,  31 : Door control unit,  33 : Riding detection section,  34 : Arrival detection section,  35 : Loudspeaker,  37 : Display,  38 : Monitor. 
   BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   Embodiment 1 
   One embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 .  FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the periphery of an elevator showing one embodiment, and  FIG. 2  is a general block diagram of an elevator control system according to one embodiment. 
   In  FIG. 1 , a car  3  of an elevator is installed in a building such as an apartment house as it can move up and down and a home interphone  15  is installed in each home. 
   The building entrance is provided with an entrance interphone  11  as permission means, an entrance person authentication section  12  for authenticating personal identification based on a card having a person ID number, etc., and generating a first control signal, and an automatic locking entrance door  13  that can be opened and closed by remote operation. The entrance door  13  is adapted to be able to be locked and unlocked by an automatic locking control section  13   c . The entrance interphone  11  and the automatic locking control section  13   c  are connected through a home automation unit  17  to the home interphone  15  installed in each home, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Accordingly, a visitor  7  talks to a resident through the home interphone  15  via the home automation unit  17  from the entrance interphone  11  and when the resident permits the visitor to enter the building, the automatic locking control section  13   c  is released through the home automation unit  17  to open the entrance door  13  and a hall call and a car call for the resident to permit use of the elevator can be registered. 
   In the elevator hall, there are provided a hail call button  6  of the car  3  doors  5  of the hall and the car  3 , and a person authentication device  19  for authenticating personal identification based on a card having a person ID number, etc. and generating a second control signal. A camera  41  is provided on a ceiling between the hall and the entrance for picking up an image of the visitor  7 , etc. from the entrance. In the car  3 , a loudspeaker  35  for producing a predetermined announcement is attached to a ceiling and a display  37  for displaying a predetermined character string, etc. and a monitor  38  for displaying image pick-up information of the camera  41  are fixed onto a side. At least one of the loudspeaker  35 , the display  37 , and the monitor  38  forms notification means. 
   In  FIG. 2  the elevator control system includes an elevator control unit  30  for controlling the door  5 , etc. a remote control unit  20  connected to the elevator control unit  30 , and the home automation unit  1  connected to the remote control unit  20 . 
   The remote control unit  20  includes a signal analysis section  20   d  for analyzing either a first or second control signal, a command signal generation section  20   c  for generating a command signal to control the elevator in accordance with the control signal from the signal analysis section  20   d , and a transmission section  20   a  for transmitting the command signal to the elevator control unit  30 . 
   The elevator control unit  30  is connected to: a riding sensor  33  as riding detection means for detecting a person getting in the car  3  by light, etc. and generating a person detection signal; and an arrival detection section  34  for detecting the car  3  of the elevator arriving at the hall on the first floor by a position detection sensor and generating an arrival signal. 
   The elevator control unit  30  includes: a storage section  30   m  as storage means for storing the move time required for a visitor to arrive at the hall from the entrance by walking; a reception section  30   a  for receiving the command signal transmitted from the transmission section  20   a ; and a determination and generation section  30   c  for making a predetermined determination based on the command signal, the person detection signal from the riding sensor  33  and the arrival signal from the arrival detection section  34  and generating an operation signal responsive to the determination result. 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  is connected to: the loudspeaker  35  through a guide notification section  30   h ; the display  37  provided in the car  3  through a display control section  30   j ; the monitor  38  through a monitor control section  30   k ; a timer  30   t  as time count means; and a door control unit  31  through a door control section  30   f  for also controlling the open/closing time of the door  5  of the elevator. The display  37  also has a function of lighting or blinking a door open button for opening the door  5 . 
   The operation of the above-described elevator control system will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4 .  FIG. 3  is a flowchart to show the operation of the remote control unit shown in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 4  is a flowchart of the elevator control system shown in  FIG. 1 . Now, if a passenger  8  inserts a card into the person authentication device  19  at the hall on the bottom floor, a second control signal is transmitted to the control signal analysis section  20   d  together with the identification number, and the command signal generation section  20   c  of the remote control unit  20  receives the second control signal from the control signal analysis section  20   d  (step S 101 ) and determines whether or not the signal is a second control signal from the person authentication device  19  (step S 103 ). If the command signal generation section  20   c  determines that the signal is a second control signal from the person authentication device  19 , the command signal generation section  20   c  determines whether the elevator is to be used by a resident or a superintendent according to the identification signal (step S 105 ). If the command signal generation section  20   c  determines that the elevator is to be used by a resident of the apartment house, the command signal generation section  20   c  reads information of the residence floor of the resident contained in the identification signal and transmits a hall call signal to the entrance floor and a car call signal to the residence floor to the transmission section  20   a  as command signals (step S 107 ). 
   On the other hand, if the command signal generation section  20   c  determines at step S 105  that the elevator is to be used by a superintendent, the command signal generation section  20   c  transmits only a hall call signal to the transmission section  20   a  as a command signal (step S 111 ) because information of the residence floor is not contained in the identification signal. If the command signal generation section  20   c  determines at step S 103  that the signal is a first control signal from the home automation unit  17  the command signal generation section  20   c  determines whether the elevator is to be used by a visitor or a superintendent according to the identification signal (step S 109 ). If it is determined that the elevator is to be used by a superintendent, above-described step S 111  is executed. 
   At the entrance, a visitor/uses the entrance interphone  11  to talks to a resident using the home interphone  15 , and authentication of use of the elevator and use information of the elevator are transmitted from the home interphone  15  through the home automation unit  17  to the control signal analysis section  20   d.    
   On the other hand, if the command signal generation section  20   c  determines at step S 109  that the elevator is to be used by the visitor  7 , the command signal generation section  20   c  reads information contained in the identification signal and indicating the residence floor of the resident on whom the visitor  7  calls and includes visitor information into a command signal where the visitor information indicates that the visitor  7  use a hall call signal to the bottom floor and a car call signal to the resident on whom the visitor  7  calls after the car  3  arrives at the bottom floor, and the command signal is transmitted from the transmission section  20   a  (step S 113 ). The entrance door  13  is unlocked through the home automation unit  17  through the automatic locking control section  13   c  for opening the entrance door  13  to permit the visitor  7  to enter the apartment house. The entrance door  13  is locked after the expiration of a predetermined time. 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  of the elevator control unit receives a command signal from the reception section  30   a  (step S 201 ) and determines whether or not the command signal contains visitor information of the visitor  7  (step S 203 ). If the determination and generation section  30   c  determines that the command signal contains visitor information, the determination and generation section  30   c  starts to count the tiller  30   t  (step S 205 ). 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not the car  3  arrives at the bottom floor namely, whether or not the car  3  responding to the hall call received at step S 201  arrives based on the presence or absence of an arrival signal from the arrival detection section  34  (step S 207 ). If the determination and generation section  30   c  determines that the car does not arrive, the determination and generation section  30   c  uses the time count value of the timer  30   t  as an arrival time value and determines whether or not the arrival time value is longer than the estimated arrival time value stored in the storage section  30   m  (step S 209 ). If the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated arrival time value, the determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not the car  3  arrives at the bottom floor, namely, whether or not the car  3  responding to the hall call received at step S 201  arrives based on the presence or absence of an arrival detection signal from the arrival detection section  34  (step S 211 ). 
   If the arrival time value is longer than the estimated arrival time value at step S 209 , the processing is terminated. 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not a car call signal is registered (step S 213 ) and if a car call signal is registered the determination and generation section  30   c  generates an announcement of “Someone will use the elevator. Please wait for a while.” from the loudspeaker  35  through the guide notification section  30   h  and displays a message of “Someone will use the elevator. Please wait for a while.” on the display  37  through the display control section  30   j . The determination and generation section  30   c  also turns on power of the monitor  38  and displays video of the camera  41  on the monitor through the monitor control section  30   k , thereby notification the passenger of a presence of a visitor (step S 215 ). 
   Accordingly the passenger  8  is prompted to leave the elevator stopped to allow the visitor  7  to get into the car  3 . 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not the visitor  7  getting in the car is detected based on the presence or absence of a person detection signal from the riding sensor  33  (step S 217 ) and determines whether or not the arrival time as the count value of the timer  30   t  is longer than the estimated arrival time step S 219 ). If the arrival time is longer than the estimated arrival time, the determination and generation section  30   c  stops guidance from the guide notification section  30   h  and display of the display  37  at step S 215  (step S 221 ). 
   According to embodiment 1 described above, the elevator control system includes the entrance interphone  11  provided at a predetermined distance from the elevator hall for permitting the visitor  7  to use the elevator and registering a call of the elevator; a storage section  30   r  for storing a predetermined estimated move time value for the visitor  7  to move from the entrance interphone  11  to the hall; the arrival detection section  34  for detecting the elevator arriving at the hall; the timer  30   t  for starting to count based on permission of the entrance interphone  11  and setting the arrival time value when the arrival detection section  34  detects the elevator arriving at the hall; and the loudspeaker  35 , etc for notifying the passenger  8  in the car or at the hall of the presence of the visitor  7 . If the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value, the loudspeaker  35  is activated. Therefore, the visitor  7  can promote preventing the car from moving by the call signal of the passenger  8 . Accordingly, the elevator control system has the advantage that the visitor  7  failing to get into the elevator can be remedied. 
   Embodiment 2 
   Another embodiment of the invention will be described. The configuration of an elevator control system of embodiment 2 is the same as that of embodiment 1 and therefore will not be discussed again. The operation of the elevator control system of the embodiment will be described centering on the differences from embodiment 1 with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3  and  5 .  FIG. 3  is a flowchart of the elevator control system shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   At steps S 201  to S 209 , if the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated arrival time value, the determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not the car  3  arrives at the bottom floor, namely, whether or not the car  3  responding to the hall call received at step S 201  arrives based on the presence or absence of an arrival detection signal from the arrival detection section  34  (step S 211 ). If the determination and generation section  30   c  determines that the car arrives, the determination and generation section  30   c  prolongs the open time of the door  5  through the door control section  30   f  (S 312 ). The determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not a car call signal is registered (step S 213 ) and if a car call signal is registered, the determination and generation section  30   c  lights or blinks the door open button through the display control section  30   j  for prompting the passenger in the car  3  to press the door open button (step S 315 ). 
   The determination and generation section  30   c  determines whether or not the visitor  7  getting in the car is detected based on the presence or absence of a person detection signal from the riding sensor  33  (step S 217 ) and determines whether or not the arrival time as the count value of the timer  30   t  is longer than the estimated arrival time (step S 219 ). If the arrival time is longer than the estimated arrival time, the determination and generation section  30   c  switches off the lighting of the door open button at step S 315  (step S 321 ). 
   According to embodiment 2 described above, the elevator control system includes the entrance interphone  11  provided at a predetermined distance from the elevator hall for permitting the visitor  7  to use the elevator and registering a call of the elevator; a storage section  30   m  for storing a predetermined estimated move time value for the visitor  7  to move from the entrance interphone  11  to the hall; the arrival detection section  34  for detecting the elevator arriving at the hall; the timer  30   t  for starting to count based on permission of the entrance interphone  11  and setting the arrival time value when the arrival detection section  34  detects the elevator arriving at the hall; and the door control section  30   f  for prolonging the time required for opening the door  5  of the elevator. If the arrival time value is shorter than the estimated move time value, the door control section  30   f  is activated. Therefore, the visitor  7  can prolong the time until the car moves by the call signal of the passenger  8 . Accordingly, the elevator control system has the advantage that the visitor  7  failing to get into the elevator can be remedied. 
   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   The elevator control system according to the invention is suited to call registrations etc., in an entrance at a distance from the elevator hall.