Emergency evacuation robot

Abstract

A robot (150) and a method of rescuing a passenger (160) from an elevator system (101) using at least one robot (150). The robot (150) is movable around at least a portion of a building comprising an elevator landing area (125), the robot (150) is configured to interact with an elevator system (101) in the building; the robot (150) is configured to receive at least one emergency notification from the elevator system (101); and the robot (150) is configured to physically interact with the elevator system (103) as part of a rescue operation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a robot that assists in rescue operations from elevator systems during emergencies. In particular, the methods and robots disclosed herein can be used to assist in the evacuation of passengers from elevator cars during rescue operations. Background Technology

[0002] Safety within elevator systems is always of paramount importance. While many systems are designed in place to prevent emergencies, occasional malfunctions within an elevator system can lead to a variety of emergencies. A common occurrence in such situations is that passengers may become trapped inside the elevator car within the shaft.

[0003] For passengers, it is known in the art to use the emergency button to trigger an alarm and contact maintenance when they become trapped in an elevator car. However, in most buildings, there are no maintenance personnel on site, and trapped passengers must wait for maintenance personnel to arrive for rescue. Elevator cars can be small and confined spaces, and passengers trapped in an elevator car without knowing when they will be rescued can experience increased anxiety and fear. Some elevator alarms provide some form of communication with a call center, which can provide passengers with some information and reassurance. However, even with such communication links, sometimes little information may be left for passengers over extended periods. Such scenarios can be very stressful for passengers and can cause additional concerns about their safety. The expectation is to evacuate passengers from the elevator car as quickly as possible. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a robot is provided that is capable of moving around at least a portion of a building including an elevator landing area, the robot being configured to interact with an elevator system in the building; The robot is configured to receive at least one emergency notification from the elevator system; and The robot is configured to physically interact with the elevator system as part of the rescue operation.

[0005] Using robots as part of rescue operations is advantageous because they can quickly and safely access elevator systems within a building, where passengers might otherwise have to wait for extended periods for assistance from maintenance personnel who may not be present in the building during an emergency. The robot can be any suitable type capable of moving freely around at least a portion of the building and having access to at least the elevator landing area. For example, wheeled robots, tracked robots, walking robots, or flying robots are all suitable. The robot can be dedicated solely to assisting in rescue operations, or it may be able to perform other tasks. For instance, outside of emergencies, the robot could be a service robot used for other tasks within the building. The robot can be configured to switch roles when an emergency occurs in the elevator system, for example, it can switch to rescue mode or assistance mode.

[0006] An emergency notification can be a simple notification that an emergency has occurred. Such a message may be sufficient to prompt the robot to take actions such as changing mode, ending the current task, moving to a specific location, requesting additional information, etc. However, in some examples, an emergency notification may include at least one of the following: information about the type of emergency; the location of the emergency in the shaft; and the number of passengers trapped in the elevator car. The emergency notification may provide specific details about the trapped passengers, such as the presence (or number) of young children, the presence (or number) of disabled passengers, and / or the presence (or number) of elderly passengers. Location information may be provided in the form of height within the shaft, or it may be provided as a floor identifier (e.g., floor number) closest to the emergency (e.g., closest to the elevator car).

[0007] The robot can be configured to respond to an emergency notification by moving to the vicinity of an emergency, such as by moving to a floor (or nearby) of an elevator system where an emergency has occurred. The robot then acts as part of the rescue operation by physically interacting with a specific part of the elevator system from a suitable location. For example, the robot may be in a position to help open doors and / or evacuate passengers. Before opening doors and / or assisting passengers, the robot may move the car to the nearest convenient floor.

[0008] Not all malfunctions within an elevator system will require a response from the robot. In some examples, physical interaction is not necessary for the safe use of the elevator system, such as a remotely repairable computer malfunction. The robot may receive a first (e.g., preliminary) emergency notification related to the potential need for a rescue operation. This notification can be issued once a malfunction (or a category of malfunction) occurs. The robot can then begin moving to the required or desired location, where it can assist in the rescue operation. The robot may then receive a second emergency notification indicating the need for a rescue operation. In such examples, the robot may begin moving to the desired location and then not need it (e.g., if the malfunction has been remotely corrected). The emergency notification can then be cancelled and the robot returns to other services. Alternatively, if a second notification is not received within a defined time period, the robot may pause. If an emergency rescue operation is indeed required, a second notification will be sent, and the robot will be in position, or at least en route to that location, facilitating a rapid response.

[0009] In some embodiments, the robot is further configured to send information to the elevator system. The robot may send information about its ability to respond to emergency notifications. For example, the robot may send an estimated time to reach the target location or an estimated time before physical interaction can occur. This helps the system estimate the time that can be attempted (or performed) up to a rescue operation. The robot may send information to the elevator system confirming that physical interaction has occurred. This confirms that a rescue operation has taken place, or a phase of a rescue operation has occurred, or it can be used to notify the system to take further action as part of the rescue operation. The robot may also send requests for additional assistance. Additional assistance may be requested from another robot, or human assistance may be requested. For example, elevator maintenance workers or emergency service members may be specifically requested if needed.

[0010] In some embodiments, the robot is configured to use an emergency elevator landing door key as part of a rescue operation. For safety reasons, the elevator car door and elevator landing door are locked when the elevator car is not present at the landing, and are automatically locked when the elevator car is preparing to move away from the landing area. In an emergency, the elevator landing door may need to be unlocked to rescue trapped passengers. To do this, an emergency landing door key is typically used to trigger an emergency door release. The robot may have a built-in emergency landing door key (or as part of its standard equipment) that allows it to unlock the elevator landing door immediately when needed. Alternatively, the robot may be configured to retrieve the emergency elevator landing door key from a given location within the building. For example, the robot may be able to retrieve the emergency landing door key from a security storage device located at a known location.

[0011] In some examples, the key may need to fit into a slot located at the height of the elevator landing door. Some robots are tall enough to reach the slot. However, robots are typically shorter than the average human height, and therefore may include an extendable arm for using the landing door key. The extendable arm may be arranged to extend to the height of the emergency door lock.

[0012] Elevator landing doors are typically opened by means of elevator car doors (the elevator car doors push the landing doors to move them). However, once the door lock is released, the landing doors may not open automatically. Therefore, manual opening may be required. Thus, the robot can also be configured to manually open the landing doors once the key has unlocked them. In some cases, a power failure can prevent the elevator car doors (and therefore the landing doors) from opening. Therefore, the robot can be configured to manually open both the landing doors and the elevator car doors simultaneously.

[0013] If an elevator car becomes stuck between floors, it may need to be moved to a safe evacuation zone so that the elevator car doors can be opened. Before the elevator car doors can be opened, the safety system may require the elevator car to be within the "door zone" near the landing. A robot can interact with the elevator system to move the elevator car to a position suitable for passenger evacuation. For example, the robot can interact with the elevator system to move the elevator car until it is within the door zone. For any rescue operation, it is highly desirable to move the elevator car into the door zone. However, in rare cases this may not be possible. In such cases, passengers may need to evacuate via a trapdoor on the top of the elevator car (if one exists) and then via the landing door. In such cases, the robot can instruct passengers on how to open the trapdoor, open the landing door above the elevator car, and provide a ladder to help passengers climb from the top of the elevator car to the landing door. It will be understood that other safety requirements may exist in such cases, and the robot may be able to assist with those.

[0014] In some examples, elevator landing door locks can be released using codes entered on the landing control panel (e.g., a specific sequence of pressing the up and / or down lobby call buttons releases the landing door lock). Therefore, in some examples, a robot may be configured to interact with one or more elevator buttons as part of the physical interaction. For safety reasons (e.g., to prevent passengers from knowing the code), such codes may need to be quite long and complex to be sufficiently secure. Robots are particularly well-suited to accurately storing and entering such codes. In some examples, such codes may have a sequence length of ten or more button presses. In some examples, the code sequence may also require pre-defined time intervals between button presses. This is difficult for humans to reproduce accurately, but easy for robots to reproduce accurately.

[0015] The robot can be controlled by a central controller, which provides instructions on how and when to respond to an emergency. However, in systems with a large number of robots, coordinating those robots can become difficult. Therefore, in some examples, the robot can be an autonomous robot, such as one capable of operating primarily based on its own sensors and internal processing. When the robot receives an emergency notification, it can make its own decisions about how to respond, such as how best to move to the target location.

[0016] In some embodiments, the robot may be one of a group of robots operating within a building. The group of robots may be controlled individually, or the group of robots may be controlled by a single central controller within the building. The robot may be partially autonomous and partially controlled by the central controller. As described above, in many examples, each robot in the group may be autonomous.

[0017] In some embodiments, the robot is configured to communicate directly with at least one passenger as part of a rescue operation. Communication with the passenger can be verbal, via a speaker and microphone in the robot. For example, once the robot moves to a floor adjacent to the trapped passenger, the passenger may be able to hear the robot directly without any additional communication equipment. This can be particularly beneficial in situations where there is a loss of power to the elevator system. For example, in severe cases, other communication equipment in the car may malfunction or be inoperable. In such cases, passengers may have no means of comfort and no means of obtaining updates on the rescue operation. Enabling the robot to communicate directly with passengers allows the robot to reassure passengers that an emergency has been identified and a rescue operation is underway. The robot may be able to offer simple reassurance to the passenger. However, in some examples, the robot may be able to provide additional information. For example, the robot may be configured to provide at least one passenger with the current status of the rescue operation. The robot may be able to inform passengers of subsequent steps in the rescue operation (e.g., the arrival of maintenance personnel, or that the robot will attempt its own rescue operation, or that the door is about to open). The robot may be able to provide estimated times until the later stages of the rescue operation, such as an estimated time before the door can be opened or an estimated time until maintenance personnel arrive.

[0018] The robot can be configured to answer questions from at least one passenger. For example, when passengers are anxious about their situation, they may want reassurance that rescue is underway. Passengers can then ask the robot what will happen next, or when they will be released. The robot can be pre-programmed with a set of questions it can answer. Alternatively, the robot may include artificial intelligence that attempts to analyze questions from passengers and provide appropriate answers. The AI ​​can be pre-trained based on common questions asked in various emergency situations. The robot can thus be able to provide appropriate answers based at least on the questions asked and the identified type of emergency.

[0019] The robot may be able to ask passengers for information. For example, it may be able to ask for useful information such as the number of passengers in the elevator car and whether any of them are injured and / or vulnerable. This information can be used by the robot to influence rescue operations. For example, the robot can use this information to call emergency services and / or request high-priority rescue.

[0020] The robot can be deployed to communicate with passengers in other ways (besides direct communication via speakers / microphones, or as an alternative to direct communication via speakers / microphones). For example, the robot may be able to communicate with passengers via their mobile devices. For instance, if the robot is within range of a short-range communication protocol such as Bluetooth, it may be able to contact the mobile devices of passengers trapped inside the elevator car and establish text or voice communication with those passengers. Alternatively, the robot may be deployed to contact passengers via a communication panel within the elevator car. For instance, if there are speakers and / or displays within the elevator car, the robot may be able to send messages through the elevator car speakers and / or display messages on the elevator car displays. Passengers may be able to answer questions via a microphone within the car and / or by using buttons within the car (e.g., buttons on the elevator call panel) or a touchscreen. For example, passengers may be able to use numbered floor buttons to answer multiple-choice questions or enter the number of people in the car. Alternatively, a single button may be used for yes / no questions using codes such as "one for yes, two for no". In other examples, the touchscreen can be located inside the elevator car, allowing information to be provided to passengers and enabling them to input data. For instance, the touchscreen could provide information (e.g., a map) about the robot's location, subsequent stages of the rescue (e.g., the direction the elevator car will move in and / or the estimated time until evacuation). Passengers might be able to input information on the touchscreen about the number of passengers, the number of elderly passengers, the number of children, any injuries, or the need for medical assistance.

[0021] According to a second aspect of the disclosure, an elevator system is provided, comprising: Elevator car; Well shaft; Multiple landing areas with corresponding elevator landing doors; and At least one robot as described above (optionally including any of the optional features mentioned above).

[0022] In some embodiments, the elevator car has a car control panel, and at least one robot is configured to communicate with passengers in the elevator car via the car control panel as part of a rescue operation. As discussed above, the robot may speak to passengers via a speaker / microphone in the car; or the robot may communicate via a display or touchscreen in the elevator car. The elevator car may include a screen, which may be a touchscreen. The screen may provide passengers with information about the rescue operation.

[0023] The elevator system can also send data from elevator car sensors to at least one robot. The sensors may include cameras located within the elevator car. The robot can use data from the sensors in the elevator car, or feedback from passengers using a touchscreen or car control panel, to determine the number of passengers trapped in the elevator car or information about the health / well-being of passengers in the elevator car.

[0024] The system characteristics described in this paper in relation to robots and elevator systems also apply to the methods described below, and vice versa.

[0025] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a method for rescuing passengers from an elevator system using at least one robot is provided, the method comprising: At least one robot receives an emergency notification from the elevator system; and At least one robot physically interacts with the elevator system as part of the rescue operation.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further includes: at least one robot moving to the elevator landing area. Physical interaction may then include any of the following: unlocking the elevator landing door, opening the elevator landing door, unlocking the elevator car door, opening the elevator car door, or assisting passengers to exit the elevator car.

[0027] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting an emergency in the elevator system; and sending an emergency notification from the elevator system to at least one robot. The elevator system may have sensors and / or systems capable of detecting the location of the malfunction and / or the location of the elevator car when the malfunction occurs. In some cases, the malfunction may be classified as an emergency, and the elevator system may send an emergency notification to at least one robot. As discussed above, the notification may include information about the location of the elevator car.

[0028] In some embodiments, the method further includes: detecting the location of an emergency in the elevator system; determining the safest floor closest to the emergency; sending an emergency notification from the elevator system to at least the most suitable robot at the nearest safest floor; and moving the at least most suitable robot to the corresponding landing area on the nearest safest floor. As discussed above, there may be multiple robots within a building capable of responding to an emergency in the elevator system. Many factors can be used to determine the most suitable robot to respond to the emergency notification. The most suitable robot may be one configured to interact with the elevator system in a manner that can assist in the required rescue operation. For example, some robots in a building may be configured to use emergency elevator landing door keys, while others may not. In some examples, the most suitable robot may be the closest robot. In some examples, the most suitable robot may be determined based on available information (e.g., sensors within the building, or location information provided by the robots themselves). In other examples, all robots may receive the emergency notification and may agree among themselves (through further communication) which robot is most suitable. For example, if the emergency notification indicates that an emergency door lock key will be needed, the robot with the emergency door lock key may be selected, even if it is not the closest. In other examples, a robot with idle capacity or one that completes its current task fastest can be selected as the robot to respond to an emergency. It will be understood that if robots have other tasks, they may not be immediately in a safe response position until they complete their current task. Therefore, another robot that is further away may still be the most suitable robot to respond to an emergency notification.

[0029] Elevator systems can detect the location of emergencies in various ways, including using internal feedback and safety sensors. Once an emergency is identified, its location can be determined to guide rescue operations. A robot can then move to the nearest safe floor to allow passengers to evacuate from the elevator car. The nearest safe floor may be a floor above the elevator car in the shaft, or a floor below the elevator car in the shaft. The nearest safe floor can be determined by determining how the elevator car will move when the safety brake is released. The elevator system or robot can determine how the elevator car will move when the safety brake is released by considering at least one of the following: the weight of the elevator car, the weight of the counterweight, and the location where the elevator car is stuck in the shaft. If the elevator car needs to be moved before evacuating passengers, the robot can interact with the elevator system to allow the elevator car to be safely moved to a suitable evacuation location. For example, moving the elevator car during rescue mode may involve causing the brake to be released for a period of time. Movement may need to be controlled to avoid an unwanted increase in the elevator car's speed. Therefore, repeated release and reapplication of the brake may be necessary to control the elevator car's movement without overspeeding. The robot can be configured to perform this operation, thereby causing a controlled movement of the elevator car toward the landing. As part of this process, the robot can physically interact with the elevator system and / or can interact with the elevator system using electronic communication. Communication can be long-range or short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC, or the robot can communicate with the elevator system via a cloud service. The robot can physically interact with the elevator system via a control panel, for example, by pressing a button to release the brake. Once the elevator car reaches the door zone, the robot can stop interacting with the elevator system to move the elevator car and can continue to interact with the elevator landing doors and / or elevator car doors to assist passengers in exiting the elevator car.

[0030] In some embodiments, the elevator system may have an electronic recall system that includes a battery and is capable of moving the elevator car in the event of power failure or other system failure. This system can be used during evacuation to move the elevator car by electrically engaging with the elevator system. For example, a robot may physically interact with the elevator system to move the car, such as by using a special key or pressing a button (e.g., on a control panel) to induce the car to move in the up / down direction. The movement of the elevator car can be monitored during this process. Alternatively or additionally, the robot may activate the recall system and / or otherwise move the elevator car via wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or NFC) or via a cloud service.

[0031] The robot can be deployed to use the recall system to move the elevator car to the nearest convenient floor. A particular advantage of this system is its ability to move in any direction, as the battery provides the power to move the elevator car. Therefore, the direction of movement is not limited by the weight of the elevator car. The nearest convenient floor can be selected to move the elevator car to the unlocking area (or door area). However, the most convenient floor may not always be the closest. For example, the elevator car may be moved to a floor with a building exit or a floor with better medical assistance.

[0032] In some embodiments, the method further includes: alerting at least one robot to a potential emergency using a first emergency notification; and instructing at least one robot to respond to the emergency using a second emergency notification.

[0033] In some embodiments, the method further includes: sending a rejection notification from the first robot to the elevator system indicating that the robot is unable to assist in the rescue operation; and sending an emergency notification from the elevator system to the second robot. This ensures that if the first robot is unable to assist in the rescue operation, the second robot will move to assist in the rescue operation. As discussed above, the first robot may be busy with other tasks or it may be prevented from moving to the target location. The first robot may not be able to assist in a specific rescue operation (while still being able to assist in other rescue operations). For example, the robot may not be able to reach the required location for the rescue operation. For instance, due to its location, the robot may be able to assist in an emergency in one shaft (e.g., on one side of the building) but not in another shaft (on the opposite side of the building).

[0034] The robot can use information from an emergency notification to determine the optimal way to physically interact with the elevator system as part of a rescue operation. The robot can determine that an emergency elevator landing door key is needed. The robot can retrieve the emergency landing door key (e.g., from a known location) to unlock the elevator landing door. The robot can use an extendable arm to access the emergency landing door key. The robot can determine that the elevator landing door needs to be opened manually. The robot can then manually open the elevator landing door.

[0035] The method may also include communication between the robot and passengers in the elevator car as part of the rescue operation. The robot can communicate with passengers in the elevator car via any of the methods described above (e.g., via an elevator car control panel or touchscreen). The robot can communicate with passengers via passenger mobility devices. The robot can communicate verbally with passengers via microphones and speakers. The robot can respond to information or requests provided by passengers as part of the rescue operation. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Some preferred examples of this disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings (by way of example only), in which: Figure 1These are schematic diagrams of elevator systems that may employ various embodiments of the present disclosure; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a robot physically interacting with an elevator system according to various embodiments of this disclosure; Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for rescuing passengers from an elevator system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown; Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating method steps that can be performed by an elevator system according to various embodiments of the present disclosure is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an elevator system 101, which includes an elevator car 103, a counterweight 105, a tension member 107, guide rails 109, a machine 111, a position reference system 113, and a controller 115. The elevator car 103 and the counterweight 105 are connected to each other by the tension member 107. The tension member 107 may include or be configured as, for example, ropes, cables, and / or coated steel strips. The counterweight 105 is configured to balance the load of the elevator car 103 and is configured to facilitate simultaneous and opposite movement of the elevator car 103 relative to the counterweight 105 within the elevator shaft 117 and along the guide rails 109.

[0038] Tension member 107 engages machine 111, which is part of the superstructure of elevator system 101. Machine 111 is configured to control movement between elevator car 103 and counterweight 105. Position reference system 113 may be mounted on a fixed portion at the top of elevator shaft 117, such as on a support or guide rail, and may be configured to provide a position signal related to the position of elevator car 103 within elevator shaft 117. In other embodiments, position reference system 113 may be directly mounted to a moving component of machine 111, or may be located in other locations and / or configurations as known in the art. Position reference system 113 may be any device or mechanism known in the art for monitoring the position of elevator car and / or counterweight. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, position reference system 113 may be, for example (but not limited to), an encoder, sensor, or other system, and may include speed sensing, absolute position sensing, etc.

[0039] As shown, controller 115 is located in controller room 121 of elevator shaft 117 and is configured to control the operation of elevator system 101 (and particularly elevator car 103). For example, controller 115 may provide drive signals to machine 111 to control the acceleration, deceleration, leveling, stopping, etc. of elevator car 103. Controller 115 may also be configured to receive position signals from position reference system 113 or any other desired position reference device. When moving up or down along guide rail 109 within elevator shaft 117, elevator car 103 may stop at one or more floors 125 under the control of controller 115. Although shown in controller room 121, those skilled in the art will understand that controller 115 may be located and / or configured in other locations or positions within elevator system 101. In one embodiment, the controller may be located remotely or in the cloud.

[0040] Machine 111 may include a motor or similar drive mechanism. According to embodiments of this disclosure, machine 111 is configured to include an electrically driven motor. The power supply for the motor may be any power source, including a power grid, which, in combination with other components, supplies power to the motor. Machine 111 may include traction pulleys that apply force to the tension member 107 to move the elevator car 103 within the elevator shaft 117.

[0041] Although shown and described with a rope system including tension member 107, elevator systems employing other methods and mechanisms for moving the elevator car within the elevator shaft may adopt embodiments of this disclosure. For example, embodiments may be employed in a cordless elevator system that uses a linear motor to impart motion to the elevator car. Embodiments may also be employed in a cordless elevator system that uses hydraulic lift to impart motion to the elevator car. Figure 1 These are non-limiting examples presented for purposes of illustration and explanation only.

[0042] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing a robot 150 interacting with elevator system 101. Elevator system 101 shows passengers 160 in elevator car 103 within shaft 117. Elevator car 103 is stationary between two landing areas 125. A car control panel 131 is shown within elevator car 103. Each landing area 125 has an elevator landing door 140 with a keyhole 141 for using an emergency elevator landing door key 142. Robot 150 is shown using an extendable arm 155 to use the emergency elevator landing door key 142 at the nearest safe floor 126.

[0043] exist Figure 2In this example, elevator car 103 becomes stuck between two floors. Robot 150 has received an emergency notification and is undergoing a rescue operation to evacuate passengers 160 from elevator car 103. Robot 150 has moved to the nearest safe floor 126 and physically interacts with elevator system 101 using emergency elevator landing door key 142. In this example, robot 103 is small in size, and therefore uses an extendable arm 155 to reach keyhole 141 for using emergency elevator landing door key 142.

[0044] Figure 2 The image shows elevator car 103 in a position relatively close to safe floor 126. Elevator car 103 may have been moved here by a robot using a rescue procedure to release the brakes and control the speed of elevator car 103 until it is in a suitable rescue position. Figure 2 In this configuration, elevator car 103 is sufficiently close to floor 126 within door zone 128, where elevator car door 143 becomes unlocked and manually operable once robot 150 unlocks elevator landing door 140 with landing door key 142. From this location, passenger 160 can exit elevator car 103 with just a short step down to floor 126.

[0045] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the same rescue operation can be performed by various types of robots 150, not limited to low-profile robots that are close to the ground. Other exemplary robots include humanoid robots and flying robots. The emergency elevator landing door key 142 may be an integral part of the robot 150, or the robot 150 may have retrieved the emergency elevator landing door key 142 from other locations in the building (e.g., secure storage locations) to perform the rescue operation.

[0046] Robot 150 can communicate with passengers 160 in elevator car 103. This communication can notify passengers that a rescue operation is underway. Robot 150 may have a built-in speaker and microphone to speak directly with passengers 160. In some examples, robot 150 can speak with passengers 160 via the car control panel 131. This can be particularly useful if robot 150 is too far from passengers 160 for them to hear or speak directly to it. Robot 150 can reassure passengers 160 that the emergency is being handled and can inform them of possible follow-up steps and / or possible time scales. This can help calm and reassure passengers 160 that they will soon be freed from their situation. Robot 150 may be able to ask passengers 160 questions, such as to obtain information about the number of passengers 160 trapped in elevator car 103 and whether any passengers are injured or vulnerable (e.g., children or the elderly). Robot 150 can transmit this information to elevator controller 115 or directly to other emergency services. For example, robot 150 may communicate with building managers, or it may be able to call for medical assistance or additional rescue help. Robot 150 may also be able to answer questions from passenger 160. The robot may possess artificial intelligence, enabling it to process passenger questions and provide appropriate answers based on a database of previously learned questions and answers.

[0047] What will be understood by those skilled in the art is that Figure 2 The illustration shows an exemplary rescue operation; however, robot 150 may perform various other rescue operations by physically interacting with elevator system 103 in other ways. For example, robot 150 may be able to open elevator landing door 140 and / or elevator car door. Robot 150 may be able to deploy safety devices adjacent to elevator landing door 140 for the safety of other personnel during the rescue operation. Robot 150 may be able to cause elevator car 103 to move closer to safe floor 126. Robot 150 may be able to assist passenger 160 to descend from elevator car 103 to landing floor 126.

[0048] exist Figure 2In the example, only one robot 150 and elevator system 101 are shown. While a building may have only one robot 150 (or only one robot capable of assisting in elevator rescue operations), it is conceivable that a building may have many robots 150, typically assigned different tasks within the building and each capable of assisting in elevator rescue operations. Similarly, many buildings may have multiple elevator systems. In addition to the robots' normal tasks (e.g., as service robots or cleaning robots), each of the robots may be configured to respond to an emergency in elevator system 101. Furthermore, in buildings with multiple elevator systems, robots 150 may assist in emergencies in any elevator system 101 within their reach. In some buildings, robots 150 may move between floors of the building; however, in some buildings, robots may be assigned to a single floor. In such cases, emergency notifications may be directed to a specific robot, such as the robot on the safest floor 126.

[0049] Figure 3 This illustrates a method by which robot 150 responds to an emergency in elevator system 101. At step 200, robot 150 receives an emergency notification from elevator system 101. If necessary, at step 210, robot 150 moves to the landing area. Robot 150 may already be in the relevant location, so robot movement may not be necessary. At step 220, robot 150 physically interacts with elevator system 101 as part of a rescue operation. Figure 2 In the example, this physical interaction may use emergency elevator landing door key 142. Step 230 shows that at any stage, robot 150 may send information back to elevator system 101. The information may include details about the rescue operation. The information may be that robot 150 is unable to respond to the emergency, or it may be an update on the rescue status, such as current location, determined number of passengers and their health, etc. At step 240, robot 150 may communicate with passenger 160 who needs assistance during the rescue operation. This communication with passenger 160 may occur at any stage during the method. Robot 150 may communicate directly with passenger 160 (i.e., via a speaker and microphone, without any intervening communication device), or via other systems within the building, such as car operation panel 131 in elevator car 103. Robot 150 may establish communication via passenger's personal mobile device, such as via cellular phone or via short-range radio service such as Bluetooth. Robot 150 may determine how to respond to the emergency based on information provided in the emergency notification. This determination may be that robot 150 is unable to perform a rescue operation. Robot 150 can transfer rescue operations directly or indirectly (e.g., via elevator system 101, a centralized robot management system, or any other suitable system) to another robot 150.

[0050] Figure 4This diagram illustrates a portion of a method that can be performed by elevator system 101. At step 300, elevator system 101 detects an event it classifies as an emergency. An emergency could be the detection of a malfunction, or any other event that could be classified as an emergency. At step 310, elevator system 101 may detect the position of elevator car 103. At step 320, the nearest safe floor 126 may be determined. At step 330, an emergency notification is sent from elevator system 101 to at least one robot 150 in the building. Elevator system 101 may send the emergency notification only to the robot 150 that it has determined to be the closest or most suitable robot 150, such as the robot 150 on the nearest safe floor 126. Elevator system 101 may send the emergency notification to all of a plurality of robots 150, and the plurality of robots 150 may determine which robot 150 will respond to the emergency notification. Elevator system 101 may send multiple emergency notifications at any of steps 300, 310, or 320 to provide information about the emergency to the robots 150 in the building. Elevator system 101 can send a first notification to inform robot 150 of a potential emergency and a second notification to indicate that assistance is needed. The first notification can be sent to all robots 150 and allows robot 150 to select an individual to respond and begin moving towards the target location while further investigating the nature of the emergency. Once it is determined that assistance is indeed needed, the second notification can be sent. At that point, a single robot 150 may have been selected to assist and may already be en route to elevator floor 126. The second notification can be sent to all robots 150, but can also be sent to only the selected robot 150.

[0051] Although Figure 4 The steps have been described as being performed by elevator system 101; any other suitable system or multiple systems may also be used. Figure 4 The steps of the method include, for example, a building system that monitors multiple different systems within a building, or a centralized robot management system. Robot 150 may be able to obtain information provided by elevator system 101 in the initial emergency notification and detect the location of the emergency and / or determine the nearest safe floor 126 to itself. At any stage, robot 150 may determine that it is unable to perform the required rescue operation, and robot 150 may transfer the rescue operation to another robot 150 or call for assistance from construction or maintenance personnel.

[0052] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the steps of the methods described herein can be performed by various computing devices. In some examples, robot 150 is at least partially controlled by an artificial intelligence (AI) system. The AI ​​system can be trained by elevator maintenance personnel by inputting various known emergency scenarios into the system. Additional training can be performed by using robot 150 with maintenance personnel during a given training period or by training them with data obtained during such events. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various additional uses of AI technology exist in the method steps described herein, including determining what type of rescue operation to perform and how to interact with passengers when they are trapped in elevator car 103.

[0053] It will be understood that the systems and methods described herein have many advantages over existing technologies. The use of robots in rescue operations increases passenger safety while allowing for much faster rescues, as passengers will not have to wait for assistance from personnel in buildings not experiencing an emergency. Furthermore, the robot's ability to communicate (especially directly) with passengers allows it to comfort and calm passengers who may be tense or agitated while trapped.

[0054] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this disclosure is illustrated by describing one or more specific aspects thereof, but is not limited to those aspects; many variations and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A robot (150) capable of moving around at least a portion of a building including an elevator landing area (125), the robot (150) being configured to interact with an elevator system (101) in the building; The robot (150) is configured to receive at least one emergency notification from the elevator system (101); and The robot (150) is configured to physically interact with the elevator system (101) as part of the rescue operation; in, The robot (150) is configured to use an emergency elevator landing door key (142) as part of the rescue operation, wherein the emergency elevator landing door key (142) is an integral part of the robot (150).

2. The robot (150) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The robot (150) is further configured to send information to the elevator system (101).

3. The robot (150) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The robot (150) is an autonomous robot.

4. The robot (150) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, The robot (150) is further configured to communicate directly with at least one passenger (160) as part of the rescue operation.

5. The robot (150) according to claim 4, wherein, The robot (150) is configured to provide the at least one passenger (160) with the current status of the rescue operation.

6. The robot (150) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein, The robot (150) is configured to answer questions from the at least one passenger (160).

7. An elevator system (101), comprising: At least one elevator car (103); Shaft (117); Multiple landing areas (125) with corresponding elevator landing doors (140); and At least one robot (150) according to any of the preceding claims.

8. The elevator system (101) according to claim 7, wherein, The elevator car (103) has a car operation panel (131), and wherein the at least one robot (150) is configured to communicate with at least one passenger (160) in the at least one elevator car (103) via the car operation panel (131) as part of the rescue operation.

9. A method for rescuing a passenger (160) from an elevator system (101) using at least one robot (150); the method comprising: The at least one robot (150) receives an emergency notification from the elevator system (101); as well as The at least one robot (150) physically interacts with the elevator system (101) as part of the rescue operation; The at least one robot (150) is configured to use an emergency elevator landing door key (142) as part of the rescue operation, wherein the emergency elevator landing door key (142) is an integral part of the robot (150).

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein, The method further includes: The at least one robot (150) moves to the elevator landing area (125).

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein, The method further includes: Detecting emergencies in the elevator system (101); and The emergency notification is sent from the elevator system (101) to the at least one robot (150).

12. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 11, wherein, The method further includes: Detect the location of the emergency in the elevator system (101); Determine the safest floor (126) closest to the emergency situation; The emergency notification is sent from the elevator system (101) to at least the most suitable robot (150) to the nearest safe floor (126); and Move at least the most suitable robot (150) to the corresponding floor area (125) on the nearest safe floor (126).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein, The method further includes: The first notification is used to alert the at least one robot (150) to a potential emergency; and The second notification instructs at least one robot (150) to respond to the emergency.

14. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 13, wherein, The method further includes: Sending a rejection notification from the first robot (150) to the elevator system (101) indicating that the first robot (150) is unable to perform a rescue operation; and An emergency notification is sent from the elevator system (101) to the second robot (150).

Images