Patent Description:
Safety codes for escalators and moving walks hereinafter referred to as escalators are different depending on the area of installation. One of the more used codes worldwide is EN115 family of standards, applicable in Europe and taken usually as a reference in the countries where there is no specific code for escalator products. According to the code, it is necessary to have enough free unrestricted available space at the exit of the escalator to accommodate passengers who arrives to the landing plate and moves to the exit. In particular, the code requests that the required space at the escalator exit shall at least correspond to the distance between the outer edges of the handrails plus <NUM> on each side. The depth shall be at least <NUM>,<NUM> measured from the end of the balustrade. The code allows to reduce the free space length to <NUM>,<NUM> if the width of the unrestricted area is increased to at least double the distance between the outer edges of the handrails plus <NUM> on each side.

Situations can occur that cause passengers to queue (for example at airport police control, at an airport boarding gate, at a cashiers desk in a shopping mall, at an entrance to a show, at a platform in a metro or train station, etc.). Sometimes, this can pose risks to passenger safety, e.g., when the queue reaches the exit of the escalator blocking the passage of the escalator passengers so they cannot leave the moving steps or pallets when it is a moving walk. It could also happen that one escalator precedes another escalator and depending on the configuration of the building, there could be no exit in the space between both landings, i.e. the arrival of one escalator and the departure of the other one. In this scenario, if one escalator stops, the one that precedes it should also stop in order to avoid overloading the space in-between which could cause an accident.

<CIT> discloses a passenger conveyance system. It describes a system that detects a passenger using 3D sensors to customize the door operation. The system however has no connection with the operation of the elevator or escalator doors.

<CIT> describes a system that monitors an area and adapts the video sending function depending on the position of the people in the area. The system is focused on how to send the video data.

<CIT> describes a congestion detection system in an alighting place of an escalator. The system detects a passenger and measures the time between two points at an alighting place of the escalator. If the time exceeds a predefined time, congestion is detected. The system is not connected to the controller and does not perform any action in relation to the escalator.

These solutions involve monitoring an area inside or close to an escalator/elevator. However, none of them monitor the complete exit area or lobby.

A solution to the above problem is currently solved by synchronizing both controllers so that when the upper escalator stops, it triggers the stopping of the preceding one. There is currently no solution to detect overcrowding unless a person monitors the installation and stops the escalator. Additionally, an escalator should not be stopped if there are passengers using it as it could cause an accident.

There remains a need to be able to constantly monitor an escalator or moving walk in order to avoid that a situation of overcrowding arises. Ideally, when a risk of overcrowding starts due to the stoppage of an escalator or to any other event, the escalator that feeds the overcrowding should decrease its speed gradually until it comes to a complete stop. This escalator should not be used again for any passengers until the risk of overcrowding reduces.

<CIT> discloses a device for area monitoring at least one of within and outside an elevator car for using in a process for monitoring said area. The process includes recognizing at least one of the states of e.g.: a number of passengers in an elevator car or in an access area in front of an elevator shaft; a number of persons entering or leaving the elevator car; a directional flow of persons; an overload of the elevator car; an incorrect loading of the elevator car.

<CIT> discloses a passenger conveyor control device comprising: an inverter circuit for variably controlling the speed of a drive machine that drives a moving surface; and a control circuit for variably controlling the output frequency of the inverter circuit. The device comprises a congestion level detection means for detecting a congestion level of a landing, and the control circuit variably controls the output frequency of the inverter circuit in accordance with the congestion level of the landing detected by the congestion level detection means.

<CIT> discloses an escalator exit monitoring system used to monitor the congestion condition of the exit area, the monitoring system comprises: a pressure sensor is disposed in the outlet area, and is used to detect a pressure value in the outlet area; a processor, data-connected to the pressure sensor, and generating a congestion signal when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor is continuously greater than a preset pressure threshold for a period exceeding a preset stay time; and a controller is data-connected to the processor, and controls the escalator to slow down or stop when receiving the congestion signal.

It is an object of the invention, to provide a way in which to automatize a monitoring process for a passenger moving system, which is an escalator or moving walk, in order to avoid overcrowding.

If the system is able to detect when the risk is too high, it can decide autonomously that the stop should be performed immediately without having to first reduce the speed since the code allows for a hard stop.

This object is solved by process according to claim <NUM>; embodiments are subject of the subclaims and the description.

The invention relates to a process for automizing the monitoring of passengers on a passenger moving system comprising the steps of:.

This advantageously provides a process that can directly and continuously monitor the queue area and measure the volume of people using a monitoring device, e.g., a 3D sensor, a camera, an electromagnetic sensor. By continuously measuring the free space available, the process allows that the passenger moving system knows the percentage occupation and can update the operation of the moving system accordingly.

For the purposes of this invention, "passenger moving system" includes escalators and moving walks.

In an embodiment of the invention, the process further comprises the steps of:.

In an embodiment of the invention, monitoring is performed by a monitoring device, preferably a camera, 3D sensor, electromagnetic sensor.

In an embodiment of the invention, detecting is performed by a processor, wherein the processor is adapted to calculate the amount of people and/or free space in the area. The processor is also preferably adapted to be in communication with the monitoring device and the controller.

In an embodiment of the invention, activating a speed change function is performed by a controller, wherein the controller is comprised within the passenger moving system.

In an embodiment of the invention, the controller is connected with the processor and the monitoring device. This connection advantageously allows for a faster reaction time.

In an embodiment of the invention, the area comprises at least:.

wherein the exit area, precedes the queue area in the travelling direction of the passenger on the passenger moving system.

The invention also relates to a use of a process according to any of the preceding embodiments in a building comprising at least one of:.

The invention is described in more detail with the help of the figures, herein shows schematically.

<FIG> shows a schematic representation of an example of a passenger moving system <NUM> used in a common existing building. In this particular example, the passenger moving system <NUM> is an escalator. In this particular example, the escalator <NUM> is adapted to implement a process according to the invention. In order to perform the process, the following is required:.

The controller <NUM>, processor <NUM> and the monitoring device <NUM> are interconnected and adapted to continuously monitor the queue area <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a steady flow of passengers travelling upwards on the escalator <NUM> towards the queue area <NUM>. There are already a number of passengers in the queue area <NUM> however they will have moved outside of it by the time the passengers on the escalator <NUM> arrive. When the calculated free area F in the queue area <NUM> is below a configured value, for example <NUM>% the command sent to the escalator <NUM> is RUN, i.e., <NUM>% speed. As the occupation of the queue area <NUM> increases, however, this is detected by the camera <NUM> and the processor <NUM> sends the controller <NUM> a command to reduce the speed e.g., to between <NUM>-<NUM> %. An example of this is shown in <FIG>.

In <FIG>, the queue area <NUM> has a higher proportion of passengers than the queue area <NUM> shown in <FIG>. The cameras <NUM> feed this information to the processor <NUM> which then calculates an amount of "free" area F and sends a new command signal to the escalator controller <NUM> accordingly. In this case, the command is REDUCE, e.g., <NUM>% speed. "Reduce" can be any speed that is less than the speed at <NUM>%. The exact speed % is dependent on the calculations performed by the processor <NUM>.

In <FIG>, the queue area <NUM> is full of people, the processor <NUM>, via the controller <NUM>, sends the escalator <NUM> a STOP command accordingly.

In <FIG>, the queue area <NUM> has free space F, however due to an external factor, e.g., passport control, or a succeeding escalator, the passengers have to wait in the exit area <NUM>. This also poses a risk for incoming passengers travelling on the escalator <NUM> towards the exit area <NUM> who are anticipating disembarking. When the amount of people becomes too large in the exit area <NUM>, there will be no free space for passengers to leave the escalator <NUM>. This can cause a serious safety risk if the escalator <NUM> cannot respond to the rapidly changing situation. By implementing the process according to the invention, the exit area <NUM> is also continuously monitored by the camera <NUM> so that agglomerations of people at the exit <NUM> of the escalator <NUM> can be detected and a high risk situation can be avoided. By implementing the process according to the invention, the escalator system <NUM> is able to assess autonomously the risk level of the situation depending on the available free space F in the queue area <NUM>, and/or the exit area <NUM>. The system is able to assess whether:.

The barrier can close automatically when a space around the barrier is free of passengers. A warning signal system e.g., a visual or audible alarm or voice message can optionally alert passengers about the barrier action.

The controller <NUM> activates the order to close barriers where they will remain closed until there is free space again in the queue area <NUM>.

Once the queue area <NUM> and/or the exit area <NUM> has enough space to accommodate more people, the system either:.

in order to allow people to use the escalator <NUM> again.

The described figures show only one escalator <NUM> but multiple escalators can be controlled using this process.

This solution could also be used for a passenger boarding bridge (PBB) <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The cameras <NUM> feed images to the processor <NUM> which in this case could send the information about the free and/or occupied space to the person performing the boarding pass check. If this process is done automatically, the controller <NUM> triggers an order to close the boarding gate door at the terminal building to prevent passengers from entering the passenger boarding bridge.

The process allows that the number of people in the PBB area <NUM> can be calculated and this information can then be provided to the aircraft crew and boarding gate personnel in order to give an indication as to the amount of people that are waiting and the amount of people that have already entered the aircraft.

<FIG> relates to a situation when the process is used in an elevator <NUM>, the process is as described above. The monitoring device <NUM>, in this example, a camera, continuously monitors the people in the queue area <NUM>. However, due to the limited cabin space, the information related the number of people or occupied space in the area <NUM> in front the elevator door <NUM> can also be used by the dispatching unit <NUM> to send, if necessary, more cabins to this particular floor in order to accommodate the waiting passengers and bring them to their desired destinations. In the same way, if the system detects that there are no passengers waiting for an elevator, the dispatching system <NUM> can remove this particular floor as a destination if it was already programed, thereby freeing the elevator cabin to travel to a floor where a greater number of people are present.

Claim 1:
Process for automizing the monitoring of passengers on a passenger moving system (<NUM>), which is an escalator or a moving walk, comprising the steps of:
a) continuously monitoring an area (<NUM>, <NUM>) of a first passenger moving system (<NUM>) wherein the area (<NUM>, <NUM>) is located beyond at least one threshold (<NUM>) on the passenger moving system (<NUM>) wherein the threshold (<NUM>) refers to a point of entry or exit;
b) calculating the amount of free and/or occupied space (F) within the area (<NUM>, <NUM>);
c) detecting a risk of overcrowding in the area (<NUM>, <NUM>);
d) optionally activating a speed change function on the passenger moving system (<NUM>);
characterized by the step of
e) communicating a warning signal to passengers informing them that they should not use the passenger moving system (<NUM>).