Elevator floor calibration method, main control module and elevator IoT device

Abstract

This application discloses a method for calibrating elevator floors, a main control module for an elevator IoT device, the elevator IoT device itself, and a computer-readable storage medium. The calibration method is applied to the main control module of the elevator IoT device, which is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors. These photoelectric sensors detect magnetic shielding plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor. Specifically, the method includes: when elevator floor calibration is required, calling the elevator to a first preset floor; if the elevator is determined to be at a first leveling position corresponding to the first preset floor, calling the elevator to a second preset floor; if the elevator is determined to be at a second leveling position corresponding to the second preset floor, and the number of obstructions equals a preset number of obstructions, calibrating the elevator's current floor to the second preset floor. This calibration method is not only user-friendly for robot developers but also enables accurate elevator floor calibration at a relatively low cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of intelligent control technology, and in particular relates to a method for calibrating elevator floors, a main control module for an elevator IoT device, an elevator IoT device, and a computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] For robots that need to operate across multiple floors, elevator use is required during operations. Accurate elevator floor positioning is crucial for reaching the target floor precisely from the starting floor. However, elevator systems sometimes require restarting, which can lead to a loss of floor location. To ensure normal elevator operation, floor calibration is necessary.

[0003] Current floor calibration methods are mainly performed by elevators, which is not only unfriendly to robot developers, but also requires elevators to rely on positioning sensors when calibrating floors. In other words, in addition to the original floor positioning sensors, additional sensors need to be installed on the walls or guide rails of the elevator shaft on the base floor so that the elevator can perform floor calibration.

[0004] The limited reading range of the sensors results in poor versatility, specifically manifested in installation difficulties. If the distance between the positioning sensor and the main unit is too close, while ensuring accurate readings, it can pose a potential hazard to the elevator's normal operation; conversely, if the distance is too far, the reading performance is poor. Besides the increased cost of the sensors themselves, the installation difficulties also incur significant expenses, leading to higher costs for floor calibration.

[0005] In other words, current floor calibration methods are unfriendly to robot developers and have high calibration costs. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This application provides a method for calibrating elevator floors, a main control module for an elevator IoT device, an elevator IoT device, and a computer-readable storage medium. This calibration method is not only user-friendly for robot developers, but also enables accurate calibration of elevator floors at a low cost.

[0007] In a first aspect, this application provides a method for calibrating elevator floors, applied to the main control module of an elevator IoT device. The main control module is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, which are used to detect magnetic shielding plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor. The calibration method includes:

[0008] If the elevator floor needs to be calibrated, call the elevator to the first preset floor;

[0009] If the elevator is determined to be at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor, call the elevator to the second preset floor;

[0010] If the elevator is determined to be at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor, and the number of obstructions is equal to the preset number of obstructions, the current floor of the elevator is calibrated to the second preset floor. The number of obstructions refers to the number of times that the light sources of all photoelectric sensors are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the process of the elevator moving from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. The preset number of obstructions is determined based on the number of floors between the first preset floor and the second preset floor.

[0011] Secondly, this application provides a main control module for an elevator IoT device. The main control module is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, which are used to detect magnetic plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor. The main control module includes:

[0012] The first control module is used to call the elevator to the first preset floor when the elevator floor needs to be calibrated.

[0013] The second control module is used to call the elevator to the second preset floor when it is determined that the elevator is at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor.

[0014] The calibration module is used to calibrate the elevator's current floor to the second preset floor when it is determined that the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor and the number of obstructions is equal to the preset number of obstructions. The number of obstructions refers to the number of times that the light sources of all photoelectric sensors are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the process of the elevator moving from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. The preset number of obstructions is determined based on the number of floors between the first preset floor and the second preset floor.

[0015] Thirdly, this application provides an elevator IoT device, which includes a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0016] Fourthly, this application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect above.

[0017] Fifthly, this application provides a computer program product comprising a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, implements the steps of the method described in the first aspect.

[0018] The advantages of this application compared to existing technologies are as follows: First, by adding an elevator IoT device to the elevator, this application enables robot developers to independently calibrate elevator floors and accurately locate the elevator's current floor without relying on the elevator developer. That is, the elevator floor calibration method in this application is executed by the main control module of the elevator IoT device. Second, to reduce the calibration cost of elevator floors, this application adds two sets of photoelectric sensors to the elevator IoT device and establishes a communication connection between the main control module and at least two sets of photoelectric sensors. These photoelectric sensors are used to detect the magnetic shielding plates corresponding to each floor on the elevator shaft (inherent in the shaft, requiring no additional installation). Their installation location is clearly defined, and installation requirements are low, which helps to reduce the calibration cost of elevator floors.

[0019] Based on the aforementioned hardware, when the main control module determines that the elevator floor requires calibration, it can call the elevator to the first preset floor; when the elevator reaches the first preset floor, it can call the elevator to the second preset floor. Since the height between the first and second preset floors is unique and definite, the main control module can pre-determine the preset number of blocking operations based on the number of floors between the two preset floors. The preset number of blocking operations is theoretically the number of times all photoelectric sensor light sources are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the elevator's movement from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. Based on the preset number of blocking operations, if it is determined that the elevator has reached the second preset floor, the main control module can determine the actual number of blocking operations during the elevator's movement from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. Comparing the number of blocking operations with the preset number of blocking operations—that is, comparing the estimated value with the actual value—can accurately determine whether the elevator's current floor is indeed the second preset floor. If the two counts are equal, it means that the elevator's current floor is indeed the second preset floor, and the main control module can calibrate the elevator's current floor to the second preset floor.

[0020] It is understood that the beneficial effects of the second to fifth aspects mentioned above can be found in the relevant descriptions in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an elevator structure equipped with a photoelectric sensor provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0023] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the occlusion of the two sets of photoelectric sensor light sources provided in the embodiments of this application under different conditions;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the process for determining elevator floors based on photoelectric sensors, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic flowchart of the elevator floor calibration method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the main control module of the elevator IoT device provided in this application embodiment;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the elevator IoT device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] In the following description, specific details such as particular system architectures and techniques are set forth for illustrative purposes and not for limitation, in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will understand that this application may also be implemented in other embodiments without these specific details. In other instances, detailed descriptions of well-known systems, apparatuses, circuits, and methods have been omitted so as not to obscure the description of this application with unnecessary detail.

[0029] In related technologies, current floor calibration methods mainly rely on elevator systems, which limits robot developers to elevator manufacturers and prevents them from calibrating elevator floors independently, which is not conducive to robot elevator operation. In addition, current floor calibration methods require the installation of additional sensors, resulting in high calibration costs.

[0030] To address the issue that traditional floor calibration methods are unfriendly to robot developers, this application adds a corresponding elevator IoT device to the elevator. This allows robot developers to independently calibrate elevator floors based on the elevator IoT device, without being restricted by the elevator manufacturer, thus improving the reliability of robot elevator operations. Furthermore, to solve the problem of high calibration costs, this application adds at least two sets of photoelectric sensors to the elevator IoT device and establishes a communication connection between the main control module and these sensors. These photoelectric sensors detect the magnetic shielding plates corresponding to each floor on the elevator shaft. Their installation location is clearly defined, and installation requirements are low, helping to reduce the calibration cost of elevator floors.

[0031] In some embodiments, at least two sets of photoelectric sensors are used to facilitate the determination of the elevator's direction of movement, i.e., whether the elevator is moving upwards or downwards. See also... Figure 1Each set of photoelectric sensors is installed on one side of the elevator control device on the elevator car, forming the light paths of each light source arranged vertically, so that each magnetic shielding plate blocks the light path of each light source in turn from bottom to top or from top to bottom.

[0032] During the elevator's movement between two floors, the light sources of all photoelectric sensors are unobstructed. However, when the elevator is at the level of a floor, the light paths of all photoelectric sensor light sources are blocked by magnetic shielding plates. Therefore, the main control module can determine whether the elevator has reached the level of the floor based on whether the light sources of each photoelectric sensor are blocked by the magnetic shielding plates.

[0033] During elevator movement, the direction of travel may be upward (going up) or downward (going down). Because the photoelectric sensors are arranged differently in the vertical direction, their light sources are blocked by magnetic plates in a specific order depending on the direction of travel. Therefore, the main control module can determine the elevator's direction of travel by observing the order in which the light sources of the photoelectric sensors are blocked by the magnetic plates.

[0034] For example only, see Figure 2 a. Assume there are two sets of photoelectric sensors, denoted as A and B, where A and B are arranged vertically from top to bottom as A→B. Based on this, refer to... Figure 2 b) During elevator movement, if the light sources of the two sets of photoelectric sensors are blocked in the order A→B, then the main control module can determine that the elevator is moving upwards, i.e., going up; otherwise, refer to [reference needed]. Figure 2 c. If the light sources of the two sets of photoelectric sensors are blocked in the order of B→A, then the main control module can determine that the elevator is moving downwards, i.e., going down.

[0035] In this embodiment, by setting up an elevator IoT device with at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, the magnetic shielding plates already installed in the elevator shaft can be fully utilized, and the direction of elevator movement can be accurately determined according to the exact blocking sequence of the light sources of at least two sets of photoelectric sensors by the magnetic shielding plates.

[0036] In some embodiments, whether the light source of the photoelectric sensor is blocked, i.e. whether the light path of the photoelectric sensor light source is connected or disconnected, can be determined by the main control module based on the settings of each group of photoelectric sensors and the reference elevator floor, by checking whether the light path of each group of photoelectric sensor light source is open or closed.

[0037] For ease of explanation, the following will be used Figure 2 The corresponding example illustrates the calibration of elevator floors. For details, please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 3 The initial elevator floor is initialized to 1, and n is the current elevator floor, meaning n can be initialized to 1. The main control module determines the elevator floor using the following steps:

[0038] Step 310: If the optical paths of light sources A and B are connected within the first preset time period, the main control module determines that the elevator is in motion; that is, the elevator is moving between two floors. As an example only, the first preset time period can be [20s, 30s]. Of course, other value ranges can be set according to actual conditions, which are not limited here.

[0039] Step 320: If the optical path of light source A is disconnected and the optical path of light source B is connected, the main control module determines that the elevator is going up and updates the current elevator floor n = n + 1.

[0040] Step 330: If the optical path of light source A is connected and the optical path of light source B is disconnected, the main control module determines that the elevator is going down and updates the current elevator floor n = n-1.

[0041] Step 340: If the light paths of light sources A and B are disconnected within the second preset time period, the main control module determines that the elevator is stationary; that is, the elevator is at the level of a certain elevator floor. The second preset time period can be [20s, 30s]. Of course, other value ranges can be set according to actual conditions, and are not limited here.

[0042] In this embodiment, based on the logical judgments of the above steps, the main control module can accurately determine the elevator floor corresponding to each leveling position according to the number of times the light source of each group of photoelectric sensors is blocked by the magnetic shielding plate and the direction of elevator movement, thus providing a hardware foundation for the accurate calibration of the elevator floor in the future.

[0043] Based on the aforementioned hardware, this application proposes a calibration method for elevator floors in the main control module of an elevator IoT device. This method is not only user-friendly for robot developers but also enables accurate calibration of elevator floors at a low cost. The calibration method proposed in this application will be described below through specific embodiments.

[0044] The main control module's functions can be implemented through electronic devices such as mobile phones, tablets, in-vehicle devices, augmented reality (AR) / virtual reality (VR) devices, laptops, ultra-mobile personal computers (UMPCs), netbooks, and personal digital assistants (PDAs). This application embodiment does not impose any restrictions on the specific type of electronic device.

[0045] To illustrate the technical solutions proposed in this application, the various embodiments will be described below.

[0046] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of the elevator floor calibration method provided in this application is shown. The elevator floor calibration method includes:

[0047] Step 410: If the elevator floor needs to be calibrated, the main control module calls the elevator to the first preset floor.

[0048] To avoid unnecessary trouble for the robot when the elevator floors are confused, the main control module can call the elevator to the first preset floor if it determines that the elevator needs to be calibrated.

[0049] As an example, situations where elevator calibration is required may include restarting the elevator's IoT device, a power outage, or a malfunction of the photoelectric sensor. In these cases, the main control module typically cannot determine the elevator's current floor, resulting in a floor loss, and thus the main control module can determine that the elevator requires calibration.

[0050] The first preset floor is pre-configured by the main control module and can be either the bottom floor or the top floor of the elevator.

[0051] Step 420: When it is determined that the elevator is at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor, the main control module calls the elevator to the second preset floor.

[0052] When the elevator reaches the first preset floor, that is, when the elevator is at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor, the main control module can call the elevator to move to the second preset floor. The second preset floor is also pre-configured by the main control module, and can be either the bottom floor or the top floor of the elevator building.

[0053] It is important to note that the two preset floor settings are relative; that is, the first preset floor is the bottom floor and the second preset floor is the top floor; conversely, if the first preset floor is the top floor, the second preset floor is the bottom floor.

[0054] Step 430: The main control module determines whether the number of times the occlusion is equal to the preset number of times the occlusion is.

[0055] The reason for setting two preset floors, the bottom floor and the top floor, is that the number of floors between the two floors is fixed, and this number of floors can only be determined by moving between these two extreme floors, which improves the accuracy of elevator floor calibration.

[0056] Magnetic shielding plates are installed in the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor, meaning one magnetic shielding plate per elevator floor – a configuration present in all existing elevators. Therefore, the main control module can determine the number of floors using these magnetic shielding plates without requiring additional elevator configuration. Specifically, when the elevator reaches the second preset floor (i.e., when the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor), the main control module can determine the number of times the light sources of all photoelectric sensors are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plates during the elevator's movement from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. In other words, the main control module can count the number of magnetic shielding plates during this elevator movement; this number of magnetic shielding plates is equivalent to determining the number of floors between the two preset floors. Thus, the number of blocking times is equivalent to the number of floors.

[0057] Since the main control module cannot accurately know the actual movement of the elevator, the number of floors obtained by judging the number of obstructions can be considered as an estimate.

[0058] To verify the estimated value—that is, to verify whether the elevator actually moves from the first preset floor to the second preset floor—the main control module can preset a reference value, namely the preset number of obstructions, based on the number of floors between the two preset floors. This is equivalent to the actual number of floors. By comparing the preset number of obstructions with the actual number of obstructions, the main control module can accurately determine the actual movement of the elevator.

[0059] Step 440: If the number of obstructions is equal to the preset number of obstructions, the main control module will calibrate the current floor of the elevator to the second preset floor.

[0060] Verification showed that when the preset number of obstructions equals the actual number of obstructions, the main control module can determine that the elevator's actual movement is from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. Therefore, the main control module can calibrate the elevator's current floor to the second preset floor. In other words, by executing steps 410 to 440, the main control module successfully determined the elevator's current floor. This elevator floor calibration method was independently completed by the robot developer, freeing them from the elevator developer's constraints, and it also reduces the cost of elevator floor calibration during the process.

[0061] In this embodiment, the main control module of the elevator IoT device first calls the elevator to a first preset floor, and then calls the elevator from the first preset floor to a second preset floor, thereby estimating the number of floors between the two preset floors. Specifically, the estimated number of floors is determined based on the number of obstructions the elevator makes when moving from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. To verify this number of obstructions, the main control module can compare the number of obstructions with a preset number of obstructions (which can represent the actual number of floors) to determine whether the elevator has actually moved from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. When the number of obstructions equals the preset number of obstructions, it indicates that the elevator has indeed moved from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. Therefore, the main control module can consider the current floor of the elevator to be the second preset floor and can calibrate the current floor of the elevator to be the second preset floor. This floor determination method is not only highly accurate and can break free from the limitations of elevator developers, allowing robot developers to independently calibrate elevator floors and improve the reliability of robot operation in elevators; but also, thanks to the clear installation location and simple installation of photoelectric sensors, it can reduce the calibration cost of elevator floors.

[0062] In some embodiments, it is worth noting that although the main control module first calls the elevator to the first preset floor and then calls the elevator from the first preset floor to the second preset floor, during this process, due to program errors or someone calling the elevator via the elevator button, the expected movement of the elevator may not match the actual movement. For example, the actual movement of the elevator may not actually be from the first preset floor to the second floor, but rather from the second floor to the second preset floor, or from the second preset floor to the fifth floor, etc. That is, if the actual movement of the elevator is not from the first preset floor to the second preset floor, and the number of obstructions is greater than or less than the preset number of obstructions, step 440 cannot be executed directly.

[0063] In order to accurately calibrate the elevator floor, after step 430, the method further includes: if it is determined that the elevator is in the second level position and the number of obstructions is greater than or less than the preset number of obstructions, return to execute the aforementioned step 410 until the floor where the elevator is currently located is calibrated to the second preset floor, or the number of times the return is executed is not less than the preset number of returns.

[0064] It's understandable that, besides the verification result that the preset number of obstructions equals the preset number of obstructions, there's also the possibility that the number of obstructions doesn't equal the preset number of obstructions. In this case, the main control module cannot determine the elevator's actual movement, meaning it cannot directly calibrate the elevator's current floor to the second preset floor.

[0065] To improve the reliability of elevator floor determination, the main control module can return to step 410, that is, re-execute the elevator floor calibration step, in order to accurately calibrate the current floor of the elevator. Based on this, during the cyclic execution of steps 410-450, if the main control module determines that the current floor of the elevator has been calibrated to the second preset floor, it means that the goal of accurately calibrating the elevator floor has been achieved, and the loop can be stopped.

[0066] During the iterative execution of steps 410-450, if the main control module consistently fails to accurately calibrate the elevator floors—meaning each return to step 410 results in a caching count that is not equal to the preset caching count—then continuous looping will clearly fail to achieve accurate elevator floor calibration. To reduce system resource waste and avoid unnecessary looping, the main control module can set a preset number of return cycles. Before each return, the main control module can determine if the current return cycle exceeds the preset number. If the current return cycle exceeds the preset number, and elevator floor calibration is still not complete, it is deemed unnecessary to return to step 410, and the loop can be stopped.

[0067] In this embodiment, if the number of obstructions is less than or greater than a preset number of obstructions, it indicates that the elevator has not actually moved from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. To improve the reliability of elevator floor determination, the main control module will repeatedly execute the floor determination step, that is, return to execute the aforementioned step 410 and subsequent steps until the elevator is successfully determined to be on the second preset floor, or the set maximum number of return attempts is reached. This strategy helps improve the reliability of elevator floor determination while avoiding unnecessary loop execution.

[0068] In some embodiments, the elevator's movement trend is predetermined as it moves from a first preset floor to a second preset floor. For example, when the elevator moves from the bottom floor to the top floor, its movement trend is continuously upward; when it moves from the top floor to the bottom floor, its movement trend is continuously downward. However, during this movement, due to human error or elevator malfunction, the elevator may deviate from this movement trend, for example, exhibiting a downward trend instead of continuing upward. This new, opposite movement trend can be referred to as the preset movement trend, which is opposite to the predetermined movement trend during the elevator's movement.

[0069] In this situation, continuing to perform the elevator floor calibration steps will not calibrate the elevator floor. Therefore, to improve the efficiency of elevator floor calibration, if the main control module detects that the elevator has the preset movement trend during the execution of the aforementioned step 420, it does not need to wait for the elevator to move to the second preset floor to verify the accuracy of the number of obstructions. It can directly execute the aforementioned step 410 until the current floor of the elevator is calibrated to the second preset floor, or the number of return executions exceeds the preset number of return executions.

[0070] In this embodiment, by detecting the elevator's movement trend as it moves from the first preset floor to the second preset floor, the success of the elevator floor calibration can be determined in advance. If the elevator exhibits a preset movement trend, it indicates that the elevator floor calibration has failed. In this case, it is not necessary to wait for the elevator to reach the second preset floor to verify the accuracy of the number of obstructions; instead, step 410 and its subsequent steps can be executed directly to improve the efficiency of elevator calibration. During the return execution, if the elevator's current floor is calibrated to the second preset floor, the elevator floor calibration is complete, and the loop can be stopped. However, if calibration cannot be achieved within a limited number of executions, unnecessary loop execution can be abandoned to allow for calibration using other methods.

[0071] In some embodiments, if the main control module cannot accurately calibrate the elevator floors, to improve the reliability of the elevator floor calibration, when the number of return operations exceeds a preset number, the main control module uses a robot to calibrate the elevator floors. Specifically, the aforementioned calibration method further includes:

[0072] Step A1: The main control module receives the floor information sent by the designated self-moving device.

[0073] Generally, to facilitate charging of self-moving devices, relevant information about charging stations, including the elevator floor where the charging station is located, can be pre-configured for the self-moving device. Alternatively, to facilitate operation of the self-moving device, the host computer can control the robot to depart from the starting floor and proceed to the target floor. In other words, the elevator floor where the robot is located is fixed in different operating states; such self-moving devices can be designated as such. The main control module can receive the floor information sent by the designated self-moving device and determine the elevator floor where the self-moving device is located from this floor information.

[0074] Step A2: The main control module sends a waiting command to the self-moving device to control the self-moving device to move to the elevator entrance on the base floor.

[0075] The main control module can determine the reference floor from the floor information. To verify whether the elevator is on the reference floor, the main control module can control the self-moving device to move to the elevator entrance of the reference floor. Specifically, the main control module can send a waiting command to the self-moving device, causing the self-moving device to move to the elevator entrance corresponding to the reference floor based on the waiting command.

[0076] Step A3: The main control module calls the elevator to the reference floor.

[0077] To calibrate the elevator floor, after determining the reference floor, the main control module can call the elevator to the reference floor. It is understood that steps A2 and A3 can be executed simultaneously or sequentially; given that both the elevator moving to the reference floor and the robot moving to the elevator entrance at the reference floor require time, it is preferable to execute steps A2 and A3 simultaneously, thus saving calibration time.

[0078] Step A4: After the main control module receives the calibration command sent by the self-moving device after it moves to the elevator entrance and confirms that the elevator door is open.

[0079] When the elevator reaches the reference floor, the elevator door can open. Once the self-moving device in the waiting area detects the door opening, it can send a calibration command to the main control module. The main control module can then receive this calibration command.

[0080] Optionally, in order to improve the calibration efficiency of elevator floors, after the main control module establishes a specific communication connection with the self-moving device, the main control module can assume that it has received the calibration command.

[0081] Step A5: The main control module calibrates the current floor of the elevator to the reference floor based on the calibration command.

[0082] After receiving the calibration command, the main control module can determine that the current floor of the elevator is the reference floor. In other words, the main control module can calibrate the current floor of the elevator to the reference floor.

[0083] In this embodiment, if the main control module cannot complete the calibration of elevator floors through autonomous calibration, a designated robot can be used to perform the calibration of elevator floors, thereby improving the reliability of elevator floor calibration.

[0084] In some embodiments, it is understood that ensuring the accuracy of the reference floor information is crucial in the method of calibrating elevator floors based on a reference floor. To ensure the accuracy of the reference floor, it may include the departure and return floors of the robot's delivery operation. To accurately determine the floor information of the trigger and return floors and improve the accuracy of elevator calibration, the aforementioned step A1 specifically includes:

[0085] Step A11: Receive the floor information of the departure floor sent by the mobile device when it has identified a matching charging station; or

[0086] Step A12: Receive the floor information of the departure floor sent by the self-mobile device if it successfully locates itself through the matched charging station; or

[0087] Step A13: Receive the floor information of the return floor sent by the self-moving device when the delivery is successful but before it returns.

[0088] To reduce redundant operations and improve the efficiency of automated mobile devices, charging stations are typically located on the departure floor of the operation. Therefore, when an automated mobile device identifies a matching charging station and begins charging, or successfully locates itself via a matching charging station, it indicates that the device is on the departure floor of the delivery operation, allowing for accurate determination of the departure floor's information. In other words, the automated mobile device pre-verifies the trigger floor's information based on the charging station, ensuring the accuracy of the departure floor's information. In this case, the automated mobile device can send the accurate departure floor information to the main control module. Correspondingly, the main control module can execute step A2 and subsequent steps based on the received accurate departure floor information from the automated mobile device to accurately calibrate the elevator floor.

[0089] Furthermore, when the self-moving device completes its task but has not yet returned, it indicates that the self-moving device has successfully reached the return floor and can accurately determine the floor information. In other words, the self-moving device can verify the return floor information in advance based on the task completion status. If the self-moving device has not yet returned, it can be used to verify the elevator floor information. Specifically, the self-moving device sends the accurate return floor information to the main control module. Correspondingly, the main control module can execute step A2 and subsequent steps based on the received accurate return floor information from the self-moving device to accurately calibrate the elevator floor information.

[0090] In this embodiment, it can be understood that the determination of the floor information for the two reference floors is based solely on the robot's existing conditions. That is, no additional settings or conditions are added, and the robot's operation is not affected, yet the floor information for the two reference floors can be accurately determined. Given the accuracy of the two reference floor information, the main control module can accurately calibrate the elevator floors.

[0091] In some embodiments, to avoid interruption of the self-moving device's operation and affect its operational efficiency, after step A1, the main control module can directly execute step A3 and calibrate the elevator floors through the following steps:

[0092] Step B1: The main control module detects the power level of the elevator button corresponding to the base floor.

[0093] The voltage level of elevator buttons is usually related to the elevator's location; this is a feedback mechanism used to indicate the elevator's status and position. Based on this, the main control module can detect the voltage level of the elevator button corresponding to the reference floor to accurately determine whether the elevator is at the level corresponding to that floor.

[0094] Step B2: When the elevator button is at a low level, the main control module calibrates the current floor of the elevator to the reference floor.

[0095] Generally, when an elevator button is pressed, in addition to the corresponding indicator light illuminating, the button's voltage level also changes. Specifically, after the elevator reaches and stops at the target floor indicated by the button, the button's voltage level drops to low, indicating that the elevator has reached the target floor. Based on this, when the main control module determines that the elevator button's voltage level is low, it means that the elevator is at the level corresponding to the reference floor, and the elevator's current floor can be calibrated to the reference floor.

[0096] In this embodiment, the main control module obtains reference floor information from the self-moving device, and can perform floor calibration without interrupting the operation of the self-moving device. This avoids interrupting the operation of the self-moving device and improves the reliability of elevator floor calibration.

[0097] In some embodiments, the first preset floor is preferably the bottom floor, and the second preset floor is preferably the top floor. Determining that the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor includes:

[0098] Step C: During the process of the elevator moving from the bottom floor to the top floor, if the elevator continuously ascends and the number of times the light source of all photoelectric sensors is blocked by the magnetic shielding plate is equal to the total number of floors, and the light source of all photoelectric sensors in the elevator is blocked within a specified time, then it is determined that the elevator is on the top floor; or, during the process of the elevator moving from the bottom floor to the top floor, if the level of the elevator button corresponding to the top floor is detected to be low, then it is determined that the elevator is on the top floor.

[0099] The main control unit can determine whether the elevator has truly moved from the bottom floor to the top floor in two ways. Specifically, the first method is as follows: the main control module can determine the number of times the light source of the photoelectric sensor is blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the elevator's continuous upward movement. When the number of blocking times equals the total number of floors, and the light sources of all photoelectric sensors in the elevator are blocked within a specified time, it indicates that the elevator has indeed started moving from the bottom floor and stopped at the level position corresponding to the top floor. At this time, the main control module can determine that the elevator has indeed moved from the bottom floor to the top floor, and can determine the current floor of the elevator as the top floor.

[0100] The second method replaces the condition "when the number of obstructions equals the total number of floors, and the light sources of all photoelectric sensors in the elevator are obstructed within a specified time" with "when the number of obstructions equals the total number of floors, and the level of the elevator button corresponding to the highest floor is low". This indicates that the elevator does indeed start moving from the bottom floor and stops at the level position corresponding to the highest floor. At this time, the main control module can determine that the elevator has indeed moved from the bottom floor to the top floor, and can determine the current floor of the elevator as the highest floor.

[0101] In this embodiment, in addition to the methods mentioned in the previous embodiments of autonomous elevator floor calibration via the main control module and calibration with the aid of a robot, the main control module can also calibrate the elevator floor based on the relationship between the elevator's position and the voltage level of the elevator buttons. Furthermore, the main control module can even employ different verification methods for elevator movement to determine the actual elevator movement, and then accurately calibrate the elevator floor based on this actual movement. In other words, this embodiment provides multiple calibration methods, improving the flexibility and reliability of elevator floor calibration.

[0102] In some embodiments, it is understood that different calibration methods can be performed individually or in combination to complement each other, thereby improving the reliability of elevator floor calibration.

[0103] As an example only, the main control module can first perform calibration through autonomous calibration. If autonomous calibration fails, it can then perform calibration based on the level of the elevator button. Alternatively, the main control module can first perform autonomous calibration. If autonomous calibration fails, it can then perform calibration based on the level of the elevator button. If the level calibration of the elevator button fails, it can then perform calibration based on the robot.

[0104] In other words, different calibration methods can be combined or selected according to the actual situation to improve the reliability of elevator floor calibration.

[0105] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the above embodiments does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0106] Corresponding to the elevator floor calibration method in the above embodiment, Figure 5 A structural block diagram of the main control module 5 of the elevator IoT device provided in this application embodiment is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts relevant to this application embodiment are shown. The main control module is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, which are used to detect the magnetic shielding plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor.

[0107] Reference Figure 5 The main control module 5 of the elevator IoT device includes:

[0108] The first control module 51 is used to call the elevator to the first preset floor when the elevator floor needs to be calibrated.

[0109] The second control module 52 is used to call the elevator to the second preset floor when it is determined that the elevator is at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor.

[0110] The calibration module 53 is used to calibrate the current floor of the elevator to the second preset floor when it is determined that the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor and the number of obstructions is equal to the preset number of obstructions. The number of obstructions refers to the number of times that the light sources of all photoelectric sensors are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the process of the elevator moving from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. The preset number of obstructions is determined based on the number of floors between the first preset floor and the second preset floor.

[0111] Optionally, the main control module 5 may further include a first determining module, which is specifically used for:

[0112] If the elevator is located at the second floor and the number of obstructions is greater than or less than the preset number of obstructions.

[0113] Or, if the elevator has a preset movement trend during its movement from the first preset floor to the second preset floor.

[0114] Return to call the elevator to the first preset floor until the elevator's current floor is calibrated to the second preset floor, or return to call the elevator more times than the preset number of times.

[0115] Optionally, the main control module 5 may further include:

[0116] The receiving module is used to receive floor information sent by a specified self-mobile device when the number of returns executed exceeds the preset number of returns. The floor information includes the floor information of the reference floor where the self-mobile device is located.

[0117] The sending module is used to send a waiting command to the self-moving device to control the self-moving device to move to the elevator entrance on the reference floor.

[0118] The third control module is used to call the elevator to the reference floor;

[0119] The aforementioned receiving module can also be used to: receive a calibration command sent after the mobile device moves to the elevator entrance and determines that the elevator door is open;

[0120] The calibration module 53 can also be used to calibrate the current floor of the elevator to the reference floor based on calibration instructions.

[0121] Optionally, the reference floor includes the departure floor and return floor of the robot delivery operation; the aforementioned receiving module is specifically used for:

[0122] Receive floor information of the departure floor sent by the mobile device when it has identified a matching charging station; or

[0123] If the mobile device successfully locates itself via a matched charging station, it will send the floor information of the departure floor; or

[0124] Receive floor information sent by the mobile device when the item has been successfully delivered but has not yet been returned.

[0125] Optionally, the main control module 5 may further include:

[0126] The second determination module is used to determine the elevator floor that needs calibration in the event of a restart of the elevator IoT device, a power outage of the elevator, or an abnormality of the photoelectric sensor.

[0127] Optionally, the first preset floor is the bottom floor, the second preset floor is the top floor, and the preset number of obstructions is the total number of floors in the elevator; the main control module 5 may also include:

[0128] The third determining module is used to determine that if the number of times the photoelectric sensor is blocked by the magnetic plate during the elevator's continuous upward movement is equal to the total number of floors, then the number of times the sensor is blocked is equal to the total number of floors.

[0129] Optionally, the main control module 5 may further include:

[0130] The trigger module is used to trigger the receiving module to execute the corresponding steps;

[0131] The jump module is used to jump to the third control module after the trigger receiving module executes the corresponding steps, and then trigger the third control module to execute the corresponding steps.

[0132] The detection module is used to detect the voltage level of the elevator button corresponding to the reference floor.

[0133] The aforementioned calibration module 53 can also be used to: calibrate the current floor of the elevator to the reference floor when the level of the elevator button is low.

[0134] It should be noted that the information interaction and execution process between the above-mentioned devices / units are based on the same concept as the method embodiments of this application. For details on their specific functions and technical effects, please refer to the method embodiments section, and they will not be repeated here.

[0135] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the physical layer structure of an elevator IoT device provided in one embodiment of this application. Figure 6As shown, the elevator IoT device 6 in this embodiment includes: at least one processor 60 ( Figure 6 (Only one is shown) a processor, a memory 61, and a computer program 62 stored in the memory 61 and executable on at least one processor 60. When the processor 60 executes the computer program 62, it implements the steps in the above-described embodiments of the calibration method for any elevator floor, for example... Figure 4 Steps 410-450 are shown.

[0136] The processor 60 may be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or it may be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0137] In some embodiments, memory 61 may be an internal storage unit of the elevator IoT device 6, such as a hard disk or memory of the elevator IoT device 6. In other embodiments, memory 61 may also be an external storage device of the elevator IoT device 6, such as a plug-in hard disk, smart media card (SMC), secure digital (SD) card, flash card, etc. equipped on the elevator IoT device 6.

[0138] Furthermore, the memory 61 may include both internal storage units and external storage devices of the elevator IoT device 6. The memory 61 is used to store operating devices, application programs, bootloaders, data, and other programs, such as program code for computer programs. The memory 61 can also be used to temporarily store data that has been output or will be output.

[0139] Those skilled in the art will clearly understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the above-described division of functional units and modules is merely an example. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional units and modules as needed, that is, the internal structure of the above device can be divided into different functional units or modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The functional units and modules in the embodiments can be integrated into one processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into one unit. The integrated unit can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional unit. Furthermore, the specific names of the functional units and modules are only for easy differentiation and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. The specific working process of the units and modules in the above system can be referred to the corresponding process in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0140] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps described in the various method embodiments above.

[0141] This application provides a computer program product that, when run on an elevator IoT device, enables the elevator IoT device to perform the steps described in the above-described method embodiments.

[0142] If the integrated unit is implemented as a software functional unit and sold or used as an independent product, it can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed by a processor, it can implement the steps of the various method embodiments described above. The computer program includes computer program code, which can be in the form of source code, object code, executable files, or certain intermediate forms. The computer-readable medium can include at least: any entity or device capable of carrying the computer program code to the camera / elevator IoT device, a recording medium, a computer memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), an electrical carrier signal, a telecommunication signal, and a software distribution medium, such as a USB flash drive, a portable hard drive, a magnetic disk, or an optical disk.

[0143] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have different focuses. For parts that are not described in detail or recorded in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments.

[0144] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0145] In the embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus / network devices and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus / network device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. For instance, the division of modules or units described above is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between devices or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0146] The units described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0147] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for calibrating elevator floors, characterized in that, A main control module for use in elevator IoT devices, wherein the main control module is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, wherein the photoelectric sensors are used to detect magnetic plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor; The calibration method includes: If the elevator floor needs calibration, call the elevator to the first preset floor of the elevator floor; If it is determined that the elevator is at the first level position corresponding to the first preset floor, the elevator is called to the second preset floor of the elevator floor. If it is determined that the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor, and the number of obstructions is equal to the preset number of obstructions, the floor where the elevator is currently located is calibrated to the second preset floor; the number of obstructions refers to the number of times that the light sources of all the photoelectric sensors are simultaneously blocked by the magnetic shielding plate during the process of the elevator moving from the first preset floor to the second preset floor; the preset number of obstructions is determined based on the number of floors between the first preset floor and the second preset floor. If it is determined that the elevator is at the second level position and the number of obstructions is greater than or less than the preset number of obstructions. Alternatively, if the elevator has a preset movement trend during its movement from the first preset floor to the second preset floor. Return to the first preset floor of the elevator call until the current floor of the elevator is calibrated to the second preset floor, or, the number of times the return is executed is greater than the preset number of returns; When the number of returns executed exceeds the preset number of returns, the floor information sent by the specified self-mobile device is received, and the floor information includes the floor information of the reference floor where the self-mobile device is located; Send an elevator waiting command to the self-moving device to control the self-moving device to move to the elevator entrance of the elevator on the reference floor; Call the elevator to the reference floor; After receiving the calibration command sent by the self-moving device after moving to the elevator entrance and determining that the elevator door is open; Based on the calibration command, the current floor of the elevator is calibrated to the reference floor; Alternatively, when the number of returns executed exceeds the preset number of returns, the floor information sent by the specified self-mobile device is received, the floor information including the floor information of the reference floor where the self-mobile device is located; Call the elevator to the reference floor; Detect the voltage level of the elevator button corresponding to the reference floor; When the level of the elevator button is low, the current floor of the elevator is calibrated to the reference floor.

2. The calibration method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The calibration method further includes: If the optical paths of the at least two sets of photoelectric sensor light sources are connected within a first preset time period, then the elevator is determined to be in motion. If the optical paths of the at least two sets of photoelectric sensor light sources are disconnected during a second preset time period, then the elevator is determined to be in a stationary state.

3. The calibration method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two sets of photoelectric sensor light sources are arranged vertically, with the first set of photoelectric sensors positioned above the second set. During elevator movement, the current elevator floor n is updated as follows: If the optical path of the first set of photoelectric sensors is disconnected and the optical path of the second set of photoelectric sensors is connected, then it is determined that the elevator is going up, and the current elevator floor is updated to n=n+1; If the optical path of the first set of photoelectric sensors is connected and the optical path of the second set of photoelectric sensors is disconnected, then it is determined that the elevator is descending, and the current elevator floor is updated to n=n-1.

4. The calibration method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The calibration method further includes: If it is determined that an elevator floor is missing, the elevator floor needs to be calibrated.

5. The calibration method as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The reference floor includes the departure floor and return floor for the self-operated mobile device delivery operation; the floor information received from the designated self-operated mobile device is: Receive the floor information of the departure floor sent by the self-mobile device when it identifies a matching charging station; or If the self-mobile device successfully locates itself via a matched charging station, the floor information of the departure floor will be sent; or Receive the floor information of the returning floor sent by the self-moving device when the delivery is successful but before the device has returned.

6. The calibration method as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The calibration method further includes: In the event of a restart of the elevator IoT device, a power outage of the elevator, or an abnormality of the photoelectric sensor, the elevator floor is determined to be lost.

7. The calibration method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The first preset floor is the lowest floor, the second preset floor is the highest floor, and determining that the elevator is at the second level position corresponding to the second preset floor includes: During the process of the elevator moving from the bottom floor to the top floor, if the elevator continuously ascends and the number of times the light source of all the photoelectric sensors is blocked by the magnetic shielding plate is equal to the total number of floors, and the light source of all the photoelectric sensors of the elevator is blocked within a specified time, then it is determined that the elevator is at the top floor. Alternatively, during the process of the elevator moving from the bottom floor to the top floor, if the level of the elevator button corresponding to the top floor is detected to be low, then it is determined that the elevator is on the top floor.

8. A main control module for an elevator IoT device, characterized in that, The main control module is communicatively connected to at least two sets of photoelectric sensors, which are used to detect the magnetic shielding plates on the elevator shaft corresponding to each floor; the main control module is used to execute the elevator floor calibration method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. An elevator IoT device, comprising a main control module, the main control module including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the elevator floor calibration method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the elevator floor calibration method as described in any one of claims 1 to 7.

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