Patent Description:
Commonly, elevator systems are not involved in evacuating people from a building during a fire evacuation. <CIT> discloses a device and method for evacuating passengers in at least one elevator car of an elevator system. <CIT> discloses a method of operating a building elevator system which includes determining that an evacuation call is active for an evacuation floor serviced by a first elevator group.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of operating an elevator system during a fire evacuation as defined by claim <NUM>.

Further embodiments may include detecting a people count using a people counter system, the people count being a number of people located on a landing where the fire is located; and determining the discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity and the people count.

Further embodiments may include obtaining weather data using an external weather sensing system; and determining the discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity and the weather data.

Further embodiments may include displaying the discharge landing on a display device located on a landing where the fire is located.

Further embodiments may include transporting people from a landing where the fire is located to the discharge landing using an elevator car of the elevator system.

IFurther embodiments may include that detecting the fire intensity using the fire quantity measurement system further includes: detecting thermal data of the fire using a thermal sensor.

Further embodiments may include that detecting the fire intensity using the fire quantity measurement system further includes: detecting smoke quantity data of the fire using a smoke quantity sensor.

Further embodiments may include that detecting the fire intensity using the fire quantity measurement system further includes: determining how many smoke quantity sensors have tripped.

Further embodiments may include that detecting the fire intensity using the fire quantity measurement system further includes: determining how many thermal sensors have tripped.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an occupant evacuation system for operating an elevator system when a fire is detected by a fire alarm system as defined by claim <NUM>.

Further embodiments may include an external weather sensing system configured to obtain weather data, wherein the analytics engine is configured to determine the discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity and the weather data.

Further embodiments may include a people counter system configured to detect a people count, the people count being a number of people located on a landing where the fire is located, wherein the analytics engine is configured to determine the discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity, the weather data, and the people count.

Further embodiments may include a people counter system configured to detect a people count, the people count being a number of people located on a landing where the fire is located, wherein the analytics engine is configured to determine the discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity and the people count.

Further embodiments may include a display device configured to display the discharge landing, wherein the display device is located on a landing where the fire is located.

Further embodiments may include that the analytics engine is configured transmit the discharge landing to the elevator system, and wherein an elevator car of the elevator system is configured to transport people from a landing where the fire is located to the discharge landing.

Further embodiments may include that the fire quantity measurement system further includes at least one of a thermal sensor configured to detect thermal data of the fire and a smoke quantity sensor configured to detect smoke quantity data of the fire.

There is also disclosed herein an occupant evacuation system for operating an elevator system when a fire is detected by a fire alarm system. The occupant evacuation system including: a people counter system configured to detect a people count, the people count being a number of people located on a landing where a fire is located; and an analytics engine configured to determine a discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the people count.

Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include an apparatus and method to adjust the discharge landing for an elevator system in real time based upon detection and analysis of a fire spreading.

It should be understood that the following description and drawings are intended to be illustrative and explanatory in nature and non-limiting.

Referring now to <FIG> with continued reference to <FIG>. As seen in <FIG>, a building elevator system <NUM> within a building <NUM> may include one or more elevator systems <NUM> organized in an elevator group <NUM> (e.g., elevator banks). It is understood that while one elevator system <NUM> is utilized for exemplary illustration, embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to building elevator systems <NUM> having one or more elevator systems <NUM>. It is also understood that while nine landings 125a-125i are utilized for exemplary illustration, embodiments disclosed herein may be applied to building elevator systems <NUM> in buildings <NUM> having any number of landings <NUM>.

Further, the elevator system <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is organized into a single elevator group <NUM> for ease of explanation but it is understood that the multiple elevator systems <NUM> may be organized into one or more elevator groups. The elevator group <NUM> serves a plurality of landings <NUM> comprising landings 125a-125i. It is understood that while the elevator group <NUM> serves every landing 125a-125i illustrated within the building <NUM> for exemplary illustration, embodiments disclosed herein may include elevator group having multiple elevator systems where some elevator systems serve a different range of landings and/or not all the landings 125a-125i of the building <NUM>.

Each landing 125a-125i in the building <NUM> of <FIG> may have an elevator call device 89a-89i. The elevator call device 89a-89i sends an elevator call <NUM> to the dispatcher <NUM> including the source of the elevator call <NUM>. The elevator call device <NUM>-89i may include a destination entry option that includes the destination of the elevator call <NUM>. The elevator call device 89a-89i may be a push button and/or a touch screen and may be activated manually or automatically. For example, the elevator call <NUM> may be sent by a person <NUM> entering the elevator call <NUM> via the elevator call device 89a-89i. The elevator call device 89a-89i may also be activated to send an elevator call <NUM> by voice recognition or a passenger detection mechanism in the hallway, such as, for example a weight sensing device, a visual recognition device, depth sensing device, radar device, a laser detection device, and/or any other desired device capable of sensing the presence of a passenger. The elevator call device 89a-89i may be activated to send an elevator call <NUM> through an automatic elevator call system that automatically initiates an elevator call <NUM> when a person <NUM> is determined to be moving towards the elevator system in order to call an elevator or when a person <NUM> is scheduled to activate the elevator call device 89a-89i. The elevator call device 89a-89i may also be a mobile device configured to transmit an elevator call <NUM>. The mobile device may be a smart phone, smart watch, laptop, or any other mobile device known to one of skill in the art.

The controller <NUM> can be local, remote, or cloud based. The dispatcher <NUM> may be local, remote, or cloud based. The dispatcher <NUM> is in communication with the controller <NUM> of the elevator system <NUM>. If there are multiple elevator systems <NUM> then there may be a controller <NUM> that is common to all of the elevator systems <NUM> and controls all of the elevators system <NUM>, a subset of all of the elevator systems <NUM>, or there may be a controller <NUM> for each elevator system <NUM>. The dispatcher <NUM> may be a 'group' software that is configured to select the best elevator car <NUM> assigned to the dispatcher <NUM>. The dispatcher <NUM> manage the elevator call devices 89a-89i related to the elevator group <NUM>.

The dispatcher <NUM> is configured to control and coordinate operation of one or more elevator systems <NUM>. The dispatcher <NUM> may be an electronic controller including a processor and an associated memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The processor may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.

The dispatcher <NUM> is in communication with each of the elevator call devices 89a-89i of the building elevator system <NUM>. The dispatcher <NUM> is configured to receive each elevator call <NUM> transmitted from the elevator call devices 89a-89i. The dispatcher <NUM> is configured to manage the elevators calls <NUM> coming in from each elevator call device 89a-89i and command one or more elevator systems <NUM> to respond to elevator calls <NUM>.

Also illustrated in <FIG> is an occupant evacuation system <NUM>. The occupant evacuation system <NUM> includes an analytics engine <NUM>, a fire alarm system <NUM>, a fire quantity measurement system <NUM>, a people counter system <NUM>, and an external weather sensing system <NUM>. It should be appreciated that, although particular systems are separately defined in the schematic block diagrams, each or any of the systems may be otherwise combined or separated via hardware and/or software. The analytics engine <NUM> is in communication with the fire alarm system <NUM>, the fire quantity measurement system <NUM>, the people counter system <NUM>, and the external weather sensing system <NUM>.

The analytics engine <NUM> may be an electronic controller including a processor and an associated memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform various operations. The processor may be, but is not limited to, a single-processor or multi-processor system of any of a wide array of possible architectures, including field programmable gate array (FPGA), central processing unit (CPU), application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), digital signal processor (DSP) or graphics processing unit (GPU) hardware arranged homogenously or heterogeneously. The memory may be but is not limited to a random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), or other electronic, optical, magnetic or any other computer readable medium.

The fire alarm system <NUM> is configured to report a fire detection <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The fire detection <NUM> may include a location of the fire <NUM> including the landing <NUM> where the fire <NUM> is located. The fire alarm system <NUM> may include a plurality of fire sensors 72a-72i configured to detect a fire <NUM>. The fire sensors 72a-72i may include a smoke detector, a heat sensor, a manual pull fire station, or any similar device known to one of skill in the art. The fire sensors 72a-72i may be located on each landing 125a-125i of the building <NUM>. The fire alarm system <NUM> may also include a plurality of fire alarms 74a-74i configured to activate an alarm when a fire <NUM> is detected by the fire sensors 72a-72i. The alarm produced by the fire alarms 74a-74i may be audible and/or visual (e.g., flashing lights and/or a siren).

The fire quantity measurement system <NUM> is configured to determine a fire intensity of the fire <NUM>. The fire intensity may be a measure of the strength and/or size of the fire <NUM>. The fire quantity measurement system <NUM> includes a fire intensity sensor 62a-62i. The fire intensity <NUM> may be detected using the fire intensity sensor 62a-62i. The fire intensity sensor 62a-62i may include at least one of a thermal sensor <NUM> configured to detect thermal data of the fire <NUM> and a smoke quantity sensor <NUM> configured to detect smoke quantity data of the fire <NUM>. The thermal sensor <NUM> and the smoke quantity sensor <NUM> may continuously or at any interval send fire intensity data <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The fire intensity data <NUM> may include at least one of smoke quantity data and fire intensity data. It is understood that while the fire intensity sensor 62a-62i is illustrated as a single sensor in <FIG>, the fire intensity sensor 62a-62i may be composed of multiple sensors (e.g., heat detectors or smoke detectors) in multiple different locations and for example, the first intensity <NUM> may be based upon a quantity of how many sensors have been tripped (e.g., detect heat or smoke).

The external weather sensing system <NUM> is configured to obtain weather data <NUM> external to the building <NUM>. The weather external to the building may affect the spread of the fire <NUM> internal to the building. For example, high oxygen levels may help fuel the fire and high winds may help spread the fire once the fire is exposed to the wind. The weather data <NUM> may include, but is not limited to, wind speed, oxygen levels, air humidity, and air temperature. The external weather sensing system <NUM> may include sensors to detect weather data <NUM>,and/or the external weather sensing system <NUM> may obtain the weather data <NUM> from the internet. The external weather sensing system <NUM> may obtain weather data <NUM> from any other remote weather information provider known to one of skill in the art. The external weather sensing system <NUM> may include a humidity sensor <NUM> configured to detect air humidity, a wind sensor <NUM> configured to detect wind speed, an oxygen sensor <NUM> configured to detect oxygen levels, and a temperature sensor <NUM> configured to detect air temperature.

The people counter system <NUM> is configured to detect or determine a people count <NUM>. The people count <NUM> may be a number of people <NUM> located on a landing 125a-125i or more specifically a number of people <NUM> located in an elevator lobby <NUM> on a landing 125a-125i. The people count <NUM> may be an exact number of people <NUM> or an approximate number of people. Each landing 125a-125i in the building <NUM> of <FIG> may also include a people counter device 92a-92i. The people counter device 9a-92i may be located proximate the elevator group <NUM> on each landing 125a-125i. The people counter device 92a-92i may include a camera. The people counter device 92a-92i is may be used to determine the people count <NUM> proximate the elevator systems <NUM> and/or within an elevator lobby <NUM> proximate the elevator systems <NUM>. An elevator lobby <NUM> is defined as an area located proximate the elevator system <NUM> on each landing 125a-125i and is not limited to the landing 125f, as illustrated in <FIG>. The people count <NUM> may include number of people <NUM> located in the elevator lobby <NUM>. People <NUM> being located proximate the elevator system <NUM> and/or within the elevator lobby <NUM> is indicative that the people <NUM> would like to board an elevator car <NUM> of the elevator system <NUM> to evacuate the building <NUM>.

The people counter device 92a-92i may include one or more detection mechanisms in the elevator lobby <NUM>, such as, for example a weight sensing device, a visual recognition device, depth sensing device, radar device, a laser detection device, mobile device (e.g., cell phone) tracking, and/or any other desired device capable of sensing the presence of people <NUM>. The visual recognition device may be a camera that utilizes visual recognition to identify individual people <NUM> and objects in elevator lobby <NUM>. The weight detection device may be a scale to sense the amount of weight in an elevator lobby <NUM> and then determine the number of people <NUM>. The laser detection device may detect how many passengers walk through a laser beam to determine the number of people <NUM> in the elevator lobby <NUM>. The thermal detection device may be an infrared or other heat sensing camera that utilizes detected temperature to identify individual people <NUM> and objects in the elevator lobby <NUM> and then determine the number of people <NUM>. The depth detection device may be a <NUM>-D, <NUM>-D or other depth/distance detecting camera that utilizes detected distance to an object and/or people <NUM> to determine the number of passengers. The mobile device tracking may determine a number of people on a landing <NUM> or an in elevator lobby <NUM> by tracking mobile device wireless signals and/or detecting how many mobile devices are utilizing a specific application on the mobile device within the building <NUM> on the landing <NUM> or in the elevator lobby <NUM>. As may be appreciated by one of skill in the art, in addition to the stated methods, additional methods may exist to sense the number of people <NUM> and one or any combination of these methods may be used to determine the number of people <NUM> in the elevator lobby <NUM> or on the landing <NUM>.

In one embodiment, the people counter device 92a-92i is able to detect the people count <NUM> through image pixel counting. The people count <NUM> may compare a current image of the elevator lobby <NUM> to a stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM>. For example, the people counter device 92a-92i may utilize pixel counting by capturing a current image of the elevator lobby <NUM> and comparing the current image of the elevator lobby <NUM> to a stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM> that illustrates the elevator lobby <NUM> with zero people <NUM> present or a known number of people <NUM> present. The number of pixels that are different between the stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM> and the current image of the elevator lobby <NUM> may correlate with the people count <NUM> within the elevator lobby <NUM>. It is understood that the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited to pixel counting to determine a people count <NUM> and thus a people count <NUM> may be determined utilizing other method including but not limited to video analytics software. Video analytics may identify people <NUM> from stationary objections and count each person separately to determine a total number of people <NUM>.

The people count <NUM> may be determined using a machine learning, deep learning, and/or artificial intelligence module. The artificial intelligence module can be located in the people counter device 92a-92i or in a separate module in the elevator lobby <NUM> or on the landing <NUM>. The separate module may be able to communicate with the people counter device 92a-92i. The people count <NUM> may alternatively be expressed as a percentage from zero-to-one-hundred percent indicating what percentage of pixels are different between the stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM> and the current image of the elevator lobby <NUM>. The people count <NUM> of the elevator lobby <NUM> may be expressed as a scale of one-to-ten (e.g., one being empty and ten being full) indicating what percentage of pixels are different between the stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM> and the current image of the elevator lobby <NUM>. The people count <NUM> may be expressed as an actual or estimated number of people <NUM>, which may be determined in response to the number of pixels that are different between the stock image of the elevator lobby <NUM> and the current image of the elevator lobby <NUM>.

The fire alarm system <NUM> is configured to transmit the fire detection <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The fire quantity measurement system <NUM> is configured to transmit the fire intensity <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The external weather sensing system <NUM> is configured to transmit the weather data <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The people counter device 92a-92i is configured to transmit the people count <NUM> to the analytics engine <NUM>. The analytics engine <NUM> is configured to receive the fire detection <NUM>, the fire intensity <NUM>, the people count <NUM>, and the weather data <NUM>. The analytics engine <NUM> is configured to determine a discharge landing <NUM> in response to at least one of the fire detection <NUM>, the fire intensity <NUM>, the people count <NUM>, and the weather data <NUM>. In one embodiment, the analytics engine <NUM> is configured to determine a discharge landing <NUM> in response to at least the fire intensity <NUM>. In another embodiment, the analytics engine <NUM> is configured to determine a discharge landing <NUM> in response to at least the people count <NUM>. The analytics engine <NUM> is configured to transmit the discharge landing <NUM> to the dispatcher <NUM> and/or the controller <NUM> of the elevator system <NUM>. The dispatcher <NUM> may relay the discharge landing <NUM> to the controller <NUM>. The controller <NUM> is configured to adjust operation of the elevator system <NUM> in response to the discharge landing <NUM>.

The discharge landing <NUM> may change based upon the fire detection <NUM>, the fire intensity <NUM>, the people count <NUM>, and the weather data <NUM>. For example, if the fire <NUM> is spreading quickly then the elevator system <NUM> may not have enough time to take people all the way to the bottom landing 125a (e.g., a first discharge landing, original discharge landing, or standard discharge landing) and thus the discharge landing <NUM> may move closer to the landing <NUM> (e.g., a second discharge landing) where the fire <NUM> was detected in order to make shorter trips to the new discharge landing <NUM> to evacuate more people <NUM> away from the fire <NUM>. Once safely away from the fire <NUM> people <NUM> may then utilize stairs to completely evacuate the building <NUM>. In an embodiment, the analytic engine <NUM> may implement a handicap mode to override the current discharge landing <NUM> and transport handicap passenger directly to a landing 125a at the bottom of the building <NUM>.

The occupant evacuation system <NUM> may also include a display device <NUM>. There may be a display device <NUM> located on each landing 125a-125i proximate the elevator system <NUM>. The analytics engine <NUM> is configured to transmit the discharge landing <NUM> to the display device <NUM>. The display <NUM> is configured to receive the discharge landing <NUM> from the analytics engine <NUM> and visually display the discharge landing <NUM>. Advantageously, this will allow people <NUM> to know what landing <NUM> they will be traveling to prior to entering the elevator car <NUM>. The display <NUM> may also be configured to visually display how long (e.g., a countdown time) until each elevator car <NUM> of each elevator system <NUM> arrives at each landing 125a-125i. Advantageously, the display devices <NUM> will allow people <NUM> waiting in the elevator lobby <NUM> to know which elevator cars <NUM> will arrive soon and thus the people can crowd around the correct elevator system <NUM> if there is more than one elevator system <NUM>. The display device <NUM> may also be utilized to provide a people count <NUM> in real time. The people count <NUM> may be continuously updated or updated at a selected interval. The display device <NUM> may also allow people <NUM> to update the people count <NUM> manually. The display device <NUM> may also allow people <NUM> to activate a handicap mode as aforementioned.

Referring now to <FIG>, while referencing components of <FIG> and <FIG>. <FIG> shows a flow chart of a method <NUM> of operating an elevator system <NUM> during a fire evacuation, in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. In an embodiment, the method <NUM> may be performed by the occupant evacuation system <NUM> and/or the analytics engine <NUM>.

At block <NUM>, a fire detection <NUM> from a fire alarm system <NUM> indicating a fire is received. At block <NUM>, a fire intensity <NUM> is detected using a fire quantity measurement system <NUM>. The fire intensity <NUM> may be detected using a fire intensity sensor 62a-62i. The fire intensity sensor 62a-62i may include a thermal sensor <NUM> configured to detect thermal data, a smoke quantity sensor <NUM> configured to detect smoke quantity data, or some combination thereof. At block <NUM>, a discharge landing <NUM> for the elevator system <NUM> is determined in response to at least the fire intensity <NUM>.

The method <NUM> may further comprise that weather data <NUM> is obtained using an external weather sensing system <NUM> and the discharge landing <NUM> for the elevator system <NUM> is determined in response to at least the fire intensity <NUM> and the weather data <NUM>.

The method <NUM> may further comprise that a people count <NUM> is obtained using a people counter system <NUM> and the discharge landing <NUM> for the elevator system <NUM> is determined in response to at least the fire intensity <NUM>, the weather data <NUM>, and the people count <NUM>. The people count <NUM> being a number of people <NUM> located on a landing <NUM> where the fire <NUM> is located. The discharge landing <NUM> for the elevator system <NUM> may also be determined in response to at least the fire intensity <NUM> and the people count <NUM>. The method <NUM> may further comprise displaying the discharge landing <NUM> on a display device <NUM> located on a landing <NUM> where the fire <NUM> is located.

The method <NUM> may additionally comprise that analytics engines <NUM> transmits the discharge landing <NUM> to the controller <NUM> of the elevator system <NUM> and the controller <NUM> instructs the elevator system <NUM> to transport people <NUM> from a landing <NUM> where the fire <NUM> is located to the discharge landing <NUM> using an elevator car <NUM> of the elevator system <NUM>.

As described above, embodiments can be in the form of processor-implemented processes and devices for practicing those processes, such as processor. Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code (e.g., computer program product) containing instructions embodied in tangible media, such as network cloud storage, SD cards, flash drives, floppy diskettes, CD ROMs, hard drives, or any other computer-readable storage medium, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into and executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments. Embodiments can also be in the form of computer program code, for example, whether stored in a storage medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, loaded into and/or executed by a computer, or transmitted over some transmission medium, such as over electrical wiring or cabling, through fiber optics, or via electromagnetic radiation, wherein, when the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes a device for practicing the embodiments.

Those of skill in the art will appreciate that various example embodiments are shown and described herein, each having certain features in the particular embodiments, but the present disclosure is not thus limited.

Claim 1:
A method (<NUM>) of operating an elevator system (<NUM>) during a fire evacuation, the method comprising:
receiving (<NUM>) a fire detection (<NUM>) from a fire alarm system (<NUM>) indicating a fire (<NUM>);
detecting (<NUM>) a fire intensity (<NUM>) using a fire quantity measurement system (<NUM>); and
determining (<NUM>) a discharge landing (<NUM>) for the elevator system (<NUM>) in response to at least the fire intensity (<NUM>).