Patent Description:
Elevators in high rise buildings may be divided into multiple groups for effective traffic management, and to reduce travel time. Not all elevator groups serve from the bottom floor to the top floor of the building. If the elevator group at a source floor does not serve the destination floor, the passenger needs to go to the nearest lobby where the passenger can transfer to another elevator group to reach destination floor. In this process, the passenger needs to give multiple destination calls at elevator lobbies, wait for elevators to come, and if passenger is a visitor to the building, request assistance.

<CIT> describes a method of coordinating elevator group traffic in a building with one or more change levels, where the control of at least some of the elevator groups operating on opposite sides of the change level is subordinated to a centralized control algorithm, which alters the control parameters for the elevator groups depending on traffic condition.

<CIT> describes a method for controlling the elevators of an elevator group in a building divided into multiple zones comprising different floors. When elevators are given calls to floors beyond the limits of the departure zone the call is divided into two or more calls.

<CIT> describes an elevator system including multiple elevator cars that each service a group of floors. The group of floors overlap on at least one transfer floor. Each transfer floor includes a transfer opening such that a load is transferable between elevator cars via the transfer opening.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an elevator system is provided in accordance with claim <NUM>.

Further embodiments may include wherein allocating the first elevator car comprises detecting an operating mode of the first elevator car and allocating a further first elevator car for the first phase when the operating mode of the first elevator car is not normal.

Further embodiments may include wherein the second destination call and the first destination call have the same type.

Further embodiments may include wherein allocating the second elevator car comprises determining if a next stop of the first elevator car is an end of the first phase.

Further embodiments may include wherein when the next stop of the first elevator car is the end of the first phase, at least one of the first elevator group controller and the second elevator group controller determining a time delay for the passenger to begin the second phase of the journey.

Further embodiments may include wherein allocating the second elevator car for the second phase is in response to the time delay.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of operating an elevator system is provided in accordance with claim <NUM>.

Further embodiments of the method may include wherein the second destination call and the first destination call have the same type.

Further embodiments of the method may include wherein allocating the first elevator car comprises detecting an operating mode of the first elevator car and allocating a further first elevator car for the first phase when the operating mode of the first elevator car is not normal.

Technical effects of embodiments of the present disclosure include the ability to allocate elevator cars to a passenger for each phase of a journey based on a single destination call from the passenger.

The counterweight <NUM> is configured to balance a load of the elevator car <NUM> and is configured to facilitate movement of the elevator car <NUM> concurrently and in an opposite direction with respect to the counterweight <NUM> within an elevator hoistway <NUM> and along the guide rail <NUM>.

The controller <NUM> is located, as shown, in a controller room <NUM> of the elevator hoistway <NUM> and is configured to control the operation of the elevator system <NUM>, and particularly the elevator car <NUM>. When moving up or down within the elevator hoistway <NUM> along guide rail <NUM>, the elevator car <NUM> may stop at one or more landings <NUM> as controlled by the controller <NUM>.

Although shown and described with a roping system including tension member <NUM>, elevator systems that employ other methods and mechanisms of moving an elevator car within an elevator hoistway may employ embodiments of the present disclosure.

<FIG> depicts an elevator system architecture in an example embodiment. The elevator system may include a plurality of elevator cars <NUM> arranged in groups, where each group of one or more elevators cars <NUM> is controlled by an elevator group controller. In the example in <FIG>, there are three elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM>. It is understood that any number of elevator group controllers may be used. Each elevator group controller controls the travel and operation of, for example, four elevator cars, labeled E1-E4, respectively. Each elevator group controller may be implemented using a processor based device (e.g., a server or computer) having conventional computer components, including memory, communication devices, etc. The elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM> communicate with each other in a bi-directional manner over a network <NUM> interconnecting the elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM>. Network <NUM> may be implemented using a wired and/or wireless network components.

A destination entry terminal <NUM> allows a passenger to enter a destination call. The destination call is then processed by one or more of the elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM> to determine the journey from the source floor (i.e., where the passenger entered the destination call) to the destination floor. A database of building information <NUM> stores an association of elevator groups and the floors serviced by each elevator group. The elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM> access the building information <NUM> over network <NUM>. The building information <NUM> may be managed through a terminal <NUM> (e.g., a personal computer) used to create and edit the association of elevator groups and the floors serviced by each elevator group as needed.

The journey from the source floor to the destination floor may require multiple phases, where each phase includes travel using an elevator car from a different group. The journey may be determined by the elevator group controller assigned to the first phase of the journey. The elevator group controllers may GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM> work in unison to provide the requisite destination calls as the passenger travels from one group to another. For example, if a passenger initially boards an elevator car <NUM> served by elevator group controller GC-<NUM>, then elevator group controller GC-<NUM> may handle generation of all the needed destination calls along the journey. This may include elevator group controller GC-<NUM> sending a request for a destination call to elevator group controller GC-<NUM>. Alternatively, the elevator group controller GC-<NUM> may "hand off" responsibility for additional destination calls to elevator group controller GC-<NUM> once the passenger has completed travel on the elevator car <NUM> controlled by elevator group controller GC-<NUM>. It is understood that other control options are available between the elevator group controllers, and embodiments are not limited to the examples described herein.

<FIG> depicts a method for processing destination calls in an example embodiment. The method is described as being executed by one or more of the elevator group controllers GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM> and GC-<NUM>. As noted above, the elevator group controllers may share processing and assignment of elevator cars as the passenger travels along phases of the journey from the source floor to the destination floor. Each phase of the journey is handled by a different elevator group.

The method begins at <NUM> where a passenger enters a travel request in the form of a destination call. At <NUM>, one or more of the elevator group controllers determines if the destination floor is serviceable by a single group of elevator cars. If so, flow proceeds to <NUM> where a single destination call is created for the passenger. The passenger is assigned an elevator car and is directed to the assigned elevator car via a display or other known devices.

If at <NUM> the destination floor is not serviceable by a single group of elevator cars then flow proceeds to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers divides the journey from the source floor to the destination floor into a plurality of phases and allocates an elevator car for the first phase of the journey. This is performed by accessing the building information <NUM> that identifies which elevator group(s) serve each floor in the building. For example, elevator group controller GC-<NUM> may determine that the first phase of the journey will be served by elevator car E4 of elevator group <NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> then creates the destination call that allocates elevator car E4 of elevator group <NUM> to this passenger.

At <NUM>, one or more of the elevator group controllers obtains the position, load and operating mode of the elevator car assigned to the first phase of the journey at <NUM>. At <NUM>, one or more of the elevator group controllers determines if the operating mode of the assigned elevator car is normal. If the operating mode is not normal, this may indicate a fault in the operation of the elevator car assigned at <NUM>. The process flows to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers directs the elevator car assigned at <NUM> to the nearest safe landing. The one or more of the elevator group controllers also assigns a new elevator car at <NUM> by assigning a new elevator car for the first phase, and the method loops back to <NUM>.

If the operating mode of the elevator car assigned at <NUM> is normal, then flow proceeds from <NUM> to <NUM>, where one or more of the elevator group controllers determines if the load in the assigned elevator car is not zero. If the load in the elevator car is zero, this indicate that the passenger has not boarded the assigned elevator car and the method flows to <NUM>, where the passenger destination call is ignored and an error event is logged. The process then terminates at <NUM>.

If the load in the elevator car is not zero, the method flows to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers determines if the next stop of the elevator car is the destination or end of the current phase of the journey. If at <NUM> the next stop is not the destination of the current phase, the method returns to <NUM>.

If at <NUM> the next stop is the destination of the current phase, the method flows to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers determines the time the passenger will arrive at a landing to commence the second phase of the journey. The time may be calculated based on the geographical location of the elevator car relative to the landing where the second phase of the journey begins and the time for the elevator car to reach the first destination at the end of the first phase. This computation takes into account the time it will take to complete the first phase of the journey and the time it will take for the passenger to walk to the next elevator car landing.

From <NUM>, the method flows to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers registers a second destination request corresponding to the second phase of the journey. The second destination request may include a delay time as computed at <NUM>. The second destination request may also include a type of call, where the type of call corresponds to a type of the original destination call. The type of call may specify a type of service, such as standard service, wheelchair service, VIP service, etc. One or more of the elevator group controllers creates a second destination call that allocates a second elevator car of a second elevator group to this passenger. In this manner, each phase of the journey the passenger receives the same type of elevator service, despite using multiple elevator cars.

From <NUM> the method proceeds to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers confirms that the elevator car for the next phase of the journey is confirmed. If not, flow returns to <NUM> for allocation of an elevator car for the next phase of the journey. If so, flow proceeds to <NUM> where one or more of the elevator group controllers provides the next elevator car information to the passenger. The information may be provided to the passenger using an in-car display, in-car audio, landing display or landing audio. The passenger may be directed to the next elevator car using a display route map and/or announcements. Each phase of the journey may be handled in the manner as depicted in <FIG>. In other words, the processing depicted in <NUM>-<NUM> may be performed during a first phase of a journey, second phase of a journey, third phase of a journey, etc., until the journey is completed.

<FIG> depicts an example arrangement of elevator groups and example journeys by passengers. The elevator system in <FIG> employs five elevator group controllers GC-<NUM> through GC-<NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> controls elevator car(s) servicing floors <NUM>-<NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> controls elevator car(s) servicing floors <NUM>-<NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> controls elevator car(s) servicing floors <NUM>-<NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> controls elevator car(s) servicing floors <NUM>-<NUM>. Elevator group controller GC-<NUM> controls elevator car(s) servicing floors B2-<NUM>. <FIG> illustrates two travel cases. In case <NUM>, the passenger uses an elevator car from group <NUM> to perform a first phase of travel from floor <NUM> to floor <NUM> and an elevator car from group <NUM> to perform a second phase of travel from floor <NUM> to floor <NUM>. In case <NUM>, the passenger uses an elevator car from group <NUM> to perform a first phase of travel from floor B2 to floor <NUM> and an elevator car from group <NUM> to perform a second phase of travel from floor <NUM> to floor <NUM>.

Embodiments provide several advantages such as avoiding the need for a passenger to give multiple destination requests, reducing wait time and travel time and enriching user experience by guiding passengers to different elevator groups using display route map and/or announcements. The type of elevator service is preserved across multiple phases of the journey.

As described above, embodiments can be in the form of processor-implemented processes and devices for practicing those processes, such as a processor in a group controller.

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, but only limited by the appended claims. Rather, the present disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, combinations or sub-combinations not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the appended claims. Additionally, while various embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the present disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims. the computer program code is loaded into an executed by a computer, the computer becomes an device for practicing the embodiments.

Claim 1:
An elevator system (<NUM>) comprising:
a first elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>) configured to control a first elevator car (<NUM>) of a first elevator group;
a second elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>) configured to control a second elevator car (<NUM>) of a second elevator group, the second elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>) in bi-directional communication with the first elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>);
a destination entry device (<NUM>) configured to receive a destination call from a passenger, the destination call identifying a source floor and a destination floor;
at least one of the first elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>) and the second elevator group controller (GC-<NUM>) determining that a journey from the source floor to the destination floor requires a first phase utilizing the first elevator group and a second phase utilizing the second elevator group;
at least one of the first elevator group controller and the second elevator group controller allocating the first elevator car (<NUM>) for the first phase and allocating the second elevator car (<NUM>) for the second phase;
characterised in that:
allocating the first elevator car (<NUM>) for the first phase comprises generating a first destination call; and detecting a load of the first elevator car (<NUM>) and terminating the first destination call if the first elevator car (<NUM>) load is zero;
if the load in the first elevator car (<NUM>) is not zero, one or more of the elevator group controllers (GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM>) determines if the next stop of the first elevator car (<NUM>) is the end of the first phase of the journey;
if the next stop is the end of the first phase, one or more of the elevator group controllers (GC-<NUM>, GC-<NUM>):
determines the time the passenger will arrive at a landing to commence the second phase of the journey; and
registers a second destination call corresponding to the second phase of the journey;
and in that allocating the second elevator car (<NUM>) for the second phase comprises:
generating a second destination call; and
detecting a load of the second elevator car (<NUM>) and terminating the second destination call when the second elevator car (<NUM>) load is zero.