Elevator system

Abstract

An elevator system capable of managing entry of a mobile body to a safety floor. In an elevator system (1), a safety management device (22) manages call registration restriction of a car (10) of an elevator (4) to a safety floor. The safety management device (22) sends an instruction to release the call registration restriction of the car (10) to the safety floor to an elevator control device (17) upon receiving a legitimate request for release of the call registration restriction to the safety floor from a mobile body control device (3). A relay device (21) controls relaying of a call registration request to the safety floor from the mobile body control device (3) to the elevator control device (17) based on information of a state of the elevator (4) sent from the elevator control device (17) to suppress presence of other users in the car (10) upon stopping the car (10) at the safety floor by a call of the mobile body (2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to elevator systems. Background Technology

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of an elevator system. The elevator system includes a mobile body and an elevator. The elevator is installed in a building with a safety floor. The elevator is wirelessly connected to the mobile body. When the mobile body enters the elevator car, it generates a registration request for a car call setting the safety floor as the destination floor and wirelessly transmits it to the elevator. Only the mobile body is permitted to enter the safety floor; general users are not permitted to enter. When the elevator receives the registration request information from the mobile body, if it identifies no general user through images from a camera installed inside the car, it registers the mobile body's car call.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-93883

[0004] In the elevator system described in Patent Document 1, access to a safe floor is restricted, thereby ensuring the safety of the safe floor. Therefore, in this elevator system, calls for safe floors from moving bodies are registered without safety restrictions when no user is present. That is, there is no management of moving bodies' access to safe floors. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This invention relates to a solution to this problem. The invention provides an elevator system capable of managing the entry of moving bodies to safe floors.

[0006] The elevator system of the present invention comprises: a movement control device for controlling the movement of a movement body in a facility having multiple floors, the movement body being able to ride in an elevator car provided in the facility; an elevator control device for collecting elevator status information and controlling the operation of the elevator; a safety management device for managing call registration restrictions for the car stopping at safe floors among the multiple floors; and a relay device for relaying call registration requests sent from the movement control device to the elevator control device and relaying elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the movement control device. When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the movement control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction for the car stopping at the safe floor. The relay device controls the relay of the call registration request for the safe floor to the elevator control device based on the elevator status information, thereby suppressing the presence of other users in the car when the car stops at the safe floor via a call from the movement body.

[0007] If it is the elevator system of the present invention, it is able to manage the entry of a moving body to a safe floor. Attached Figure Description

[0008] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the elevator system according to Implementation Method 1.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware structure of the main part of the elevator control device according to Embodiment 1.

[0010] Figure 3A This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the elevator system according to Embodiment 1.

[0011] Figure 3B This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the elevator system according to Embodiment 1.

[0012] Figure 4 This is a top view showing an example of a moving body riding in a car in an elevator system according to Embodiment 1.

[0013] Figure 5A This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the elevator system according to Embodiment 1.

[0014] Figure 5B This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the elevator system according to Embodiment 1.

[0015] Figure 6A This is a top view showing an example of a moving body descending from the elevator car in the elevator system of Embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 6B This is a top view showing an example of a moving body descending from the elevator car in the elevator system of Embodiment 1.

[0017] Label Explanation

[0018] 1: Elevator system; 2: Moving body; 3: Moving body control device; 4: Elevator; 5: Shaft; 6: Landing; 6a: Landing door; 7: Landing control panel; 8: Landing display panel; 9: Landing controller; 10: Car; 11: Traction machine; 12: Main rope; 13: Car door; 14: Car control panel; 15: Car display panel; 16: Car controller; 17: Elevator control device; 18: Communication unit; 19: Landing transmission cable; 20: Car transmission cable; 21: Relay device; 22: Safety management device; 23: Verification terminal; 24: Position detection unit; 25: Transmitting unit; 26: Storage unit; 27: First determination unit; 28: Second determination unit; 17a: ROM; 17b: RAM; 17c: EEPROM; 17d: CPU. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, identical or equivalent parts are labeled with the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are appropriately simplified or omitted. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and any modifications or omissions of structural elements of the embodiments are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0020] Implementation Method 1

[0021] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of elevator system 1 according to implementation method 1.

[0022] Elevator system 1 is applied to a facility. The facility may be an indoor facility, an outdoor facility, or a combination of both. The facility may consist of one or more buildings. The facility may also be part of a building. Multiple floors are provided within the facility.

[0023] Within the facility, mobile body 2 performs its functions. Multiple mobile bodies 2 may also operate within the facility. Mobile body 2 may be, for example, a robot or other device that moves autonomously within the facility. In this example, mobile body 2 is equipped with sensors and cameras. Mobile body 2 is equipped with user detection functions using sensors and cameras. In this example, the movement of mobile body 2 within the facility is remotely controlled by mobile body control device 3. Mobile body control device 3 may be, for example, a server device that manages the movement of mobile body 2 and the services provided by mobile body 2. Part or all of the functions of mobile body control device 3 may be configured within the facility or outside the facility. Part or all of the functions of mobile body control device 3 may be installed on a virtual machine of a cloud service or installed using storage or processing resources on a cloud service. Mobile body 2 communicates with mobile body control device 3 wirelessly. Mobile body 2 and mobile body control device 3 may be devices constituting part of elevator system 1 or external devices of elevator system 1.

[0024] Elevator system 1 includes elevator 4. Elevator 4 is installed in a facility. A shaft 5 for elevator 4 is provided within the facility. Shaft 5 is a space extending through multiple floors, with the vertical direction defined as the length direction. At least one floor in the facility is designated as a safety floor. Safety floors are floors for managing the entry of users as people and moving objects 2, etc. Multiple floors may be designated as safety floors in the facility. Users and moving objects 2, etc., utilize elevator 4 to move between multiple floors in the facility.

[0025] In the facility, elevator 4 has landings 6 on each floor. Landings 6 are adjacent to the hoistway 5. Each landing 6 has a landing door 6a, a landing control panel 7, a landing display panel 8, and a landing controller 9. Landing door 6a is the door separating the hoistway 5 and landing 6. Landing control panel 7 is a device that receives operations from users located at landing 6. Landing control panel 7 includes, for example, landing call buttons with indicator lights. Landing display panel 8 is a device that displays information about elevator 4 to users located at landing 6. Landing display panel 8 includes, for example, analog indicators, digital indicators, and a destination floor display. Landing controller 9 is a device that controls the landing control panel 7 and landing display panel 8 located at landing 6. Landing controller 9 is electrically connected to landing control panel 7 and landing display panel 8, for example, via a UART (Universal Asynchronous Receiver / Transmitter).

[0026] Elevator 4 includes a car 10, a traction machine 11, and a main rope 12. The car 10 is located inside the hoistway 5. The car 10 is a device that travels vertically within the hoistway 5, thereby transporting users and other passengers within the car 10 between multiple floors of the facility. The load of the car 10 is supported by the main rope 12. The main rope 12 is wound around the drive sheave of the traction machine 11. The traction machine 11 is located, for example, in the hoistway 5 or the machine room of elevator 4. The traction machine 11 winds the main rope 12, etc., by rotating the drive sheave, causing the car 10 to travel vertically within the hoistway 5.

[0027] The car 10 includes a car door 13, a car control panel 14, a car display panel 15, and a car controller 16. The car control panel 14 and car display panel 15 are located inside the car 10. The car door 13 is the door that divides the interior and exterior of the car 10. The car door 13 is a device that, when the car 10 stops at any floor, causes the landing door 6a of that floor to open and close in conjunction, allowing users to board and alight between the landing 6 and the car 10. The car control panel 14 is a device that receives operations from users inside the car 10. The car control panel 14 includes, for example, destination floor buttons with indicator lights. The car display panel 15 is a device that displays elevator 4 information to users inside the car 10. The car display panel 15 includes, for example, analog indicators, digital indicators, and destination floor displays. The car controller 16 is a device for controlling the car operation panel 14 and car display panel 15, which are installed in the car 10. The car controller 16 is electrically connected to the car operation panel 14 and car display panel 15, for example, via a UART.

[0028] Elevator 4 has an elevator control device 17. The elevator control device 17 is located, for example, in the hoistway 5 or the machine room of elevator 4. The elevator control device 17 is a device for controlling the operation of elevator 4. The elevator control device 17 has a communication unit 18. The communication unit 18 is responsible for communication between the elevator control device 17 and external devices. The communication unit 18 is electrically connected to the landing controller 9 via a landing transmission cable 19, for example, via a UART. The communication unit 18 is also electrically connected to the car controller 16 via a car transmission cable 20, for example, via a UART. The elevator control device 17 is electrically connected to the traction machine 11.

[0029] The elevator control device 17 controls the operation of the elevator 4, for example, by managing the calls registered in the car 10. The calls in the elevator 4 include calls from users or the moving body 2 to the departure floor and calls to the destination floor. Calls to the departure floor are, for example, floor calls. For example, at the user's departure floor (floor 6), a floor call is made via the floor operation panel 7. Calls to the destination floor are, for example, car calls. For example, in the car 10 the user is in, a car call is made via the car operation panel 14. When a call is received from a user who has designated a floor that is not a safe floor as the departure or destination floor, the elevator control device 17 registers the user's call in the car 10. The elevator control device 17 controls the operation of the elevator 4, for example, by causing the car 10 to travel to the user's departure or destination floor, thus responding to the calls registered in the car 10.

[0030] Here, elevator 4 may also include multiple cars 10. Each car 10 is contained in the same group. When elevator 4 includes multiple cars 10, elevator control device 17 is composed of, for example, multiple devices including control panels that control the movement of each car 10 and a group management panel that distributes call requests to each car 10.

[0031] Elevator system 1 includes a relay device 21. The relay device 21 may be located, for example, in a management room within the facility. The relay device 21 communicates with the mobile control device 3 via, for example, UDP / IP (User Datagram Protocol / Internet Protocol). The relay device 21 is electrically connected to the communication unit 18 of the elevator control device 17. The relay device 21 may be, for example, an elevator safety gateway device.

[0032] Elevator system 1 includes a safety management device 22. The safety management device 22 is, for example, located in a management room within the facility. The safety management device 22 communicates with a relay device 21, for example, via UDP / IP. The safety management device 22 is connected to the elevator control device 17, for example, via a parallel line or a serial line via the relay device 21. The safety management device 22 is a device for performing safety management within the facility. For example, the safety management device 22 manages restrictions on the registration of calls to the elevator control device 17 for calls to the car 10 stopping at a safe floor. In this example, the elevator control device 17 restricts the registration of calls to the car 10 stopping at a safe floor by users who are not authorized to access the safe floor. Here, a call to the car 10 stopping at a safe floor is a call that sets the safe floor as the departure floor or the destination floor. The safety management device 22 outputs a release command signal to the elevator control device 17, thereby releasing the restriction on the registration of calls to the elevator control device 17 for calls to the car 10 stopping at a safe floor. In addition, the safety management device 22 outputs a command signal to the elevator control device 17 to restore the restriction, thereby restoring the registration restriction of the elevator control device 17 for the call of the car 10 stopping at a safe floor.

[0033] A verification terminal 23 is installed in the facility. The verification terminal 23 is, for example, a terminal device that reads verification information from a verification medium held by the user. The verification medium is, for example, an information storage medium such as a card or key. The verification information is, for example, an ID (IDentifier) ​​identifying the user. In the elevator system 1, the verification information may include, for example, security permissions related to whether or not access to a safe floor is permitted.

[0034] The safety management device 22 is communicatively connected to the verification terminal 23. Based on the user's verification information and associated security permissions read by the verification terminal 23, the safety management device 22 determines whether to grant the user permission to enter the safe floor. For example, when the safety management device 22 reads the verification information of a user authorized to enter the safe floor, it sends a release instruction signal to the elevator control device 17 for the user's legitimate call registration to the safe floor. After registering the user's legitimate call, the safety management device 22 sends a restore instruction signal to the elevator control device 17 for the call registration to the safe floor.

[0035] The mobile body 2 sends its call registration request for the departure or destination floor to the communication unit 18 of the elevator control unit 17 via the mobile body control device 3 and the relay device 21. When the elevator control unit 17 receives a call registration request from the mobile body 2 that sets a floor that is not a safe floor as the departure or destination floor, it registers the call of the mobile body 2 in the car 10. Here, the call registration request from the mobile body 2 includes verification information identifying the mobile body 2. In the elevator system 1, the verification information of the mobile body 2 may include, for example, security permissions related to whether or not access to a safe floor is permitted.

[0036] The communication unit 18 can read the communication between the relay device 21 and the car operation panel 14 via the car transmission cable 20. Therefore, it can obtain information such as whether the destination floor buttons on the car operation panel 14 inside the car 10 have been operated through serial transmission. More specifically, when the user operates the destination floor button on the car operation panel 14, the communication unit 18 and the relay device 21 detect that the button has been operated by illuminating the button. In addition, sometimes a prohibition signal for call registration to the corresponding destination floor based on the operation of the destination floor button is prevented from being transmitted from the elevator control device 17 to the car operation panel 14. At this time, the communication unit 18 and the relay device 21 can also obtain the prohibition signal. Furthermore, a prohibition signal for call registration to a certain floor as the destination floor is prevented, for example, when the car 10 is stopped at that floor, from being transmitted to the car operation panel 14 of the car 10.

[0037] The relay device 21 continuously transmits the call information of the moving body 2 for the destination floor, etc., to the car control panel 14 and the car display panel 15 via the elevator control device 17 and the car transmission cable 20. The communication unit 18 can read the communication between the relay device 21 and the car control panel 14 via the car transmission cable 20, and therefore can obtain information related to all indicator codes of each indicator in the car 10 through serial transmission or the like.

[0038] The relay device 21 continuously transmits the call information from the moving body 2 for the departure floor, etc., to the landing operation panel 7 and the landing display panel 8 via the elevator control device 17 and the landing transmission cable 19. The communication unit 18 can read the communication between the relay device 21 and the landing operation panel 7 via the landing transmission cable 19, and therefore can obtain information related to all indicator codes of each indicator of the landing 6 through serial transmission or the like.

[0039] Here, in the elevator control device 17 of elevator 4, each floor of the facility is managed by an elevator management floor. An elevator management floor is, for example, a floor number assigned to each floor in elevator 4. Furthermore, in the mobile body control device 3, each floor of the facility is managed by a building management floor. A building management floor is, for example, a floor number assigned to each floor in a system including mobile body 2.

[0040] The communication unit 18 transmits the elevator management floor information to the mobile body control device 3 based on the elevator management floor check indicator code and the elevator management floor. The mobile body 2 switches from the elevator management floor to the building management floor, thereby enabling the identification of the departure floor and destination floor of the requesting elevator call registration, as well as the current position of the car 10.

[0041] Based on call information received from the relay device 21 regarding destination floors, the car control panel 14 illuminates the destination floor buttons according to the physical connection sequence of the buttons, starting from the lowest floor and proceeding in an either-or-out order. As a result, the destination floor button corresponding to the destination floor is illuminated.

[0042] The destination floor display on the car display panel 15 determines the elevator management floor whose destination floor button has been illuminated based on call information received from the relay device 21. The destination floor display retrieves the indicator code from the floor table information for the illuminated elevator management floor. The destination floor display shows the name of the floor corresponding to the indicator code as the name of the destination floor. Then, the elevator control device 17 moves the car 10 to the destination floor. During this time, the elevator control device 17 continuously sends the indicator code corresponding to the current position of the car 10 to the car 10 via the car transmission cable 20. The analog indicator works similarly.

[0043] The mobile body 2 or the mobile body control device 3 identifies that the car 10 has arrived at the departure floor of the mobile body 2 based on information obtained from the elevator control device 17, etc., via the relay device 21. At this time, for example, the mobile body control device 3 outputs a door opening request to the communication unit 18 so that the mobile body 2 can board the car 10. The communication unit 18 transmits the door opening request to the car operation panel 14 via the elevator control device 17, etc., through serial or parallel transmission, thereby realizing the opening control of the car door 13 by the mobile body 2. The communication unit 18 can read the communication between the elevator control device 17 and the car operation panel 14 via the car transmission cable 20, so it can obtain information such as whether the door opening button and door closing button of the car operation panel 14 inside the car 10 have been operated through serial transmission, etc. Based on the obtained information, the communication unit 18 transmits door opening and closing information via the relay device 21 and the mobile body control device 3, thereby enabling the mobile body 2 to confirm the opening of the car door 13. At this time, for example, the mobile body control device 3 outputs a door opening request at a preset time, thereby maintaining the opening of the car door 13. The same applies to the request related to closing the car door 13 after the mobile body 2 has boarded the car 10.

[0044] The moving body control device 3 has a position detection unit 24 and a transmission unit 25.

[0045] The position detection unit 24 is a component that detects the position information of the user inside the car 10 where the mobile body 2 is traveling. The position detection unit 24 detects the user's position information, for example, using sensors or cameras mounted on the mobile body 2. The position detection unit 24, for example, measures the distance between the mobile body 2 and the car door 13 of the car 10. The position detection unit 24, for example, measures the distance between the user and the car door 13 of the car 10. The position detection unit 24 also detects information such as whether the distance between the user's position and the car door 13 is closer than the distance between the mobile body 2 and the car door 13 of the car 10.

[0046] The communication unit 25 is a component equipped with the function of issuing warnings. The warnings issued by the communication unit 25 may be notifications to the facility management office, or warning broadcasts via voice to users located near the mobile unit 2 through a speaker mounted on the mobile unit 2.

[0047] The relay device 21 has a storage unit 26, a first determination unit 27, and a second determination unit 28.

[0048] The storage unit 26 is a functional part that stores the status information of the elevator 4 relayed by the storage relay device 21. The status of the elevator 4 includes the illumination status of the button lights on the landing 6 and car 10, the display status of the indicators on the landing 6 and car 10, the travel status including information such as the direction of travel or no-direction stopping of the car 10, and the opening and closing status of the car door 13. When the elevator 4 includes multiple cars 10, the storage unit 26 stores the status information of each car 10 as the status information of the elevator 4. The status information of each car 10 includes the illumination status of the button lights on the car 10, the display status of the indicators on the car 10, the travel status of the car 10, and the opening and closing status of the car door 13.

[0049] The first determination unit 27 is a part that has the function of determining whether a user is not riding in the car 10. The first determination unit 27 makes the determination, for example, based on information such as the status of the car 10 stored in the storage unit 26. For example, if no car call is registered in the car 10 and the car 10 is in a non-directional stop, the first determination unit 27 determines that no user is riding in the car 10. When the elevator 4 includes multiple cars 10, the first determination unit 27 determines the cars 10 that users have not ridden in as candidate cars. A candidate car is a car 10 among the multiple cars 10 that is a candidate for registering a call for the moving body 2.

[0050] The second determination unit 28 is equipped with the following functions: for registered cars among the multiple cars 10 that have registered calls for the moving body 2, it determines the positional relationship between the landing floor of the car based on the call for the moving body 2 and other landing floors. The second determination unit 28 makes the determination, for example, based on information such as the state of the car 10 stored in the storage unit 26. In this example, the second determination unit 28 makes the determination if the landing floor of the car 10 based on the call for the moving body 2 is a safe floor. The second determination unit 28 detects intermediate landing floors from the current position of the registered car to the landing floor of the car based on the call for the moving body 2. Intermediate landing floors are, for example, floors where the car stops via a user's landing call. The second determination unit 28 detects the opening of the car door 13 of the registered car at the intermediate landing floor. The second determination unit 28 detects the operation of adding a destination floor to the registered car by the car operation panel 14 at the intermediate landing floor. The second determination unit 28 determines the sequential relationship between the destination floor added through the car call and the floor where the elevator based on the moving body 2 stops, as observed from the intermediate stop floor. That is, the second determination unit 28 determines, from the intermediate stop floor, whether the added destination floor is a floor that stops before the floor where the elevator based on the moving body 2 stops, etc.

[0051] More specifically, consider the following example: A mobile unit 2 registers an elevator call from floor 6 (a safe floor) onto car 10, and car 10 is currently positioned below floor 6. At floor 2 (below floor 6), when the user calls the elevator to stop car 10, floor 2 is detected as an intermediate stop. The second determination unit 28 detects the user's registration of the destination floor using the car control panel 14. If floor 5 is added as a destination floor using the car control panel 14, the second determination unit 28 determines that, viewed from floor 2 (an intermediate stop), floor 5 (the added destination floor) is a floor that stops before floor 6 (the stop floor for the mobile unit 2's elevator call). On the other hand, when the car operation panel 14 is used to register 8 additional floors as destination floors, the second determination unit 28 determines that, from the perspective of the 2nd floor which is an intermediate stop floor, the 8th floor which is an additional destination floor is a floor that stops after the 6th floor which is a stop floor for the elevator based on the moving body 2.

[0052] Next, use Figure 2 An example of the hardware structure of the elevator control device 17 will be described.

[0053] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing an example of the hardware structure of the main part of the elevator control device 17 according to Embodiment 1.

[0054] The elevator control device 17 includes a ROM 17a (Read Only Memory), a RAM 17b (Random Access Memory), an EEPROM 17c (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), and a CPU 17d (Central Processing Unit). The ROM 17a stores the program executed on the elevator control device 17. The RAM 17b stores, for example, information used for operations such as temporary storage of communication packet data. The EEPROM 17c stores information such as instruction data and instruction response data for playback. The CPU 17d executes the program stored in the ROM 17a and communicates with the moving body control device 3 and the relay device 21. Thus, the various functions of the elevator control device 17 are implemented by a processing circuit that includes storage devices such as ROM 17a, RAM 17b, and EEPROM 17c, and a processing unit such as the CPU 17d. Part or all of the processing circuitry can also be constructed using dedicated hardware. Part or all of the processing circuitry can also be composed of software or firmware.

[0055] Similar to the elevator control device 17, the functions of various devices in the elevator system 1, such as the moving body control device 3, the relay device 21, and the safety management device 22, are also realized through the processing circuits mounted on each device.

[0056] In elevator system 1, for example, each device such as elevator control device 17, moving body control device 3, relay device 21, and safety management device 22 reads the program recorded in the recording medium and performs actions according to the program, thereby executing various functions. The recording medium for recording the program may be, for example, a recording medium built into the processing circuitry of each device, a recording medium connected to each device, or a recording medium from which information is read by a reading device such as a driver of each device. The program may also be a software package containing multiple software programs that perform actions on multiple devices constituting elevator system 1.

[0057] Next, using Figure 3 and Figure 4 An example of the operation of the elevator system 1 when the moving body 2 is taken on the car 10 from the departure floor, which is a safe floor, will be explained.

[0058] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of elevator system 1 according to embodiment 1.

[0059] Figure 4 This is a top view showing an example of a situation in which a moving body 2 rides on a car 10 in an elevator system 1 according to Embodiment 1.

[0060] When the mobile body 2 boards the car 10 from the departure floor, the elevator system 1 prevents users without permission to enter the departure floor from boarding or alighting from the car 10. In this example, the elevator 4 contains multiple cars 10.

[0061] exist Figure 3A In step S301, when the moving body 2, which uses elevator 4 to move between floors, arrives at the departure floor station 6, it entrusts the moving body control device 3 to send an elevator call registration request. The moving body control device 3 outputs the elevator call registration request of the moving body 2 for the departure floor to the relay device 21. Then, elevator system 1 proceeds to step S302.

[0062] In step S302, the relay device 21 periodically receives the status of the elevator 4 from the elevator control device 17 and stores it in the storage unit 26. The relay device 21 transmits the status of the elevator 4 received from the elevator control device 17 to the moving body control device 3 at regular intervals. The processing in step S302 can also be performed in parallel with the processing in other steps. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S303.

[0063] Here, the relay device 21 determines, for example, whether the departure floor for which the movement control device 3 has requested elevator call registration is a safe floor. The relay device 21 transmits the elevator call registration request from the movement control device 3 to the elevator control device 17. Then, based on signals obtained from the elevator control device 17, if the button lights on the landing control panel 7 or the car control panel 14 are still off, it determines that the departure floor of the movement 2 is a safe floor. Alternatively, the relay device 21 may also determine whether the departure floor of the movement 2 is a safe floor based on a prohibition signal output from the elevator control device 17 prohibiting elevator call registration for the departure floor. In this example, the departure floor of the movement 2 is a safe floor; therefore, the relay device 21 instructs the movement control device 3 to request a safety release as follows.

[0064] In step S303, the first determination unit 27 determines whether there is a car 10 among the plurality of cars 10 that has not registered a car call and is currently stopped in no direction. If there is no car 10 that meets the criteria, the elevator system 1 re-enters the process in step S302. On the other hand, if there is a car 10 that meets the criteria, the first determination unit 27 determines that car 10 as a candidate car, and the elevator system 1 enters the process in step S304. Thus, a car 10 that has no users inside is determined as a candidate car.

[0065] In step S304, the mobile body control device 3 sends a safety release request to the safety management device 22 for the departure floor, which is designated as a safe floor. At this time, the mobile body control device 3 may also send the release request via the relay device 21. The safe floor release request output from the mobile body control device 3 may, for example, include verification information of the mobile body 2. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S305.

[0066] In step S305, the safety management device 22 verifies whether the safe floor release request output from the mobility control device 3 is a legitimate request. For example, if the safety management device 2 determines that the mobility 2 is permitted to enter the safe floor based on the verification information of the mobility 2 included in the release request, the safety management device 22 determines that the release request is legitimate. If the release request is legitimate, the safety management device 22 sends a release permission response to the mobility control device 3. Conversely, if the release request is not legitimate, the safety management device 22 sends a release rejection response to the mobility control device 3. In this case, the safety management device 22 may also send a response to the mobility control device 3 via the relay device 21. If the safety management device 22 receives a legitimate release request from the mobility control device 3, it sends a restriction release command to the elevator control device 17. The elevator control device 17 continues to release the safe floor until it receives a restriction restoration command from the safety management device 22. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S306.

[0067] In step S306, upon receiving a safety release authorization response from the safety management device 22, the moving body control device 3 outputs the registration request for the call from the moving body 2 to the relay device 21. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S307.

[0068] In step S307, the relay device 21 requests the elevator control device 17 to register the call for the moving body 2. At this time, the relay device 21 relays the registration request for the call for the moving body 2 to the elevator control device 17, so that the car 10 determined by the first determination unit 27 as a candidate car is designated as the registered car. For example, if the elevator control device 17 includes control panels corresponding to each car 10, the relay device 21 relays the registration request to each control panel corresponding to the candidate car. Alternatively, if the first determination unit 27 determines multiple cars 10 as candidate cars, the relay device 21 may select any one of the cars 10 to relay the registration request for the call. Then, the elevator system 1 enters... Figure 3B The processing of step S308.

[0069] exist Figure 3B In step S308, the second determination unit 28 detects intermediate stops from the current position of the registered car to the departure floor of the moving body 2 based on information such as the state of the car 10 stored in the storage unit 26. If an intermediate stop is detected, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S309. On the other hand, if no intermediate stop is detected, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S314.

[0070] In step S309, the second determination unit 28 determines whether the destination floor added during the intermediate stop is a floor that, from the perspective of the intermediate stop floor, stops before the departure floor of the moving body 2. If it is not a floor that stops before the departure floor of the moving body 2, the relay device 21 outputs a stop request to the moving body control device 3, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S310. On the other hand, if it is a floor that stops before the departure floor of the moving body 2, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S314. Here, even if there is no destination floor added during the intermediate stop floor, the elevator system 1 can still proceed to step S314.

[0071] In step S310, the moving body control device 3, which receives the abort request from the relay device 21, sends a restriction restoration request for the departure floor of the moving body 2, which is a safe floor, to the safety management device 22. At this time, the moving body control device 3 can also send the restriction restoration request to the safety management device 22 via the relay device 21. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S311.

[0072] In step S311, upon receiving a restriction restoration request, the safety management device 22 sends a restriction restoration response to the movement control device 3, and sends a restriction restoration instruction to the elevator control device 17. At this time, the elevator control device 17 resumes applying the safety restriction to the departure floor, which is designated as a safe floor. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S312.

[0073] In step S312, the moving body control device 3 outputs a cancellation request for the call registration of the moving body 2 for the departure floor to the relay device 21. Then, as part of step S313, the relay device 21 outputs a cancellation request for the registered car to the elevator control device 17. Here, the relay device 21 checks, for example, the car status stored in the storage unit 26 to determine whether the call registration for car 10 and its cancellation were successful. If the call registration cancellation was successful, the relay device 21 notifies the moving body control device 3 to retry. Then, the elevator system 1 enters... Figure 3A The processing of step S301.

[0074] In step S314, the moving body control device 3 determines whether the registered car has reached the departure floor of the moving body 2. If the registered car has not reached the departure floor of the moving body 2, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S308. If the registered car has reached the departure floor of the moving body 2, it is generally assumed that no user is riding in the registered car. On the other hand, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S315, which allows for handling situations where a user who has been riding in the registered car without making a call needs to disembark at the departure floor of the moving body 2, which is considered a safe floor.

[0075] In step S315, for example, Figure 4 As shown, the mobile body 2 waits at the landing door 6a at the departure floor. The mobile body 2 determines whether a user is disembarking from the registered car parked at the departure floor. The mobile body 2 uses, for example, onboard sensors or a camera to detect the user disembarking from the registered car. If a user is disembarking, the mobile body 2 notifies the mobile body control device 3 that a user has been detected, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S316. Conversely, if no user is disembarking, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S320.

[0076] In step S316, the moving body control device 3 outputs a continuous door opening request for the car door 13 of the registered car to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. Thus, the moving body control device 3 intentionally stops the operation of the registered car in the elevator 4. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S317.

[0077] In step S317, the transmitter 25 of the moving body control device 3 continuously issues warnings. The warnings from the transmitter 25 can, for example, notify the facility management office of the possibility of improper entry into a safe floor, or inform users who wish to disembark of access restrictions. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S318.

[0078] In step S318, the mobile body 2 determines whether the user will again board the registered car at the departure floor where the mobile body 2 is stopped. Alternatively, for example, this can be combined with monitoring by the mobile body 2's camera; the relay device 21 or similar device can detect the user's re-boarding based on whether the registered car's load value in the car status storage unit 26 is the same as the value before the warning was issued. If the user who wanted to disembark did not board again, the transmission unit 25 continues to issue a warning, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S319. On the other hand, if the user who wanted to disembark boarded again, the transmission unit 25 stops issuing warnings, and the mobile body 2 notifies the mobile body control device 3. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S320.

[0079] In step S319, the safety management device 22 determines whether the verification terminal 23 installed at the departure floor 6 of the moving body 2 has read the pre-set management verification information. The management verification information may be stored, for example, in the management key held by the administrator. If no verification information is read, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S317, and the transmission unit 25 continuously issues a warning. On the other hand, if verification information is read, the safety management device 22 notifies the moving body control device 3, and the transmission unit 25 stops issuing warnings. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S320.

[0080] In step S320, the moving body control device 3 causes the moving body 2 to board the registration car. Then, the processing of elevator system 1 ends.

[0081] Next, using Figures 5 and 6, an example of the operation of the elevator system 1 when the moving body 2 descends from the car 10 at the destination floor, which is a safe floor, will be described.

[0082] Figure 5A and Figure 5B This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of elevator system 1 according to embodiment 1.

[0083] Figure 6A and Figure 6B This is a top view showing an example of the situation where the moving body 2 descends from the car 10 in the elevator system 1 of Embodiment 1.

[0084] When the mobile body 2 disembarks from car 10 at the destination floor, the elevator system 1 prevents users without permission to enter that destination floor from boarding or alighting from car 10. In this example, elevator 4 comprises multiple cars 10.

[0085] Here, similar to the elevator call registration for the departure floor, the elevator call registration for the destination floor of the mobile body 2 is performed through a release request and an elevator call registration request for the destination floor. Additionally, an elevator call registration request is made for the car 10, the registration car, in which the mobile body 2 is traveling. The processing shown in Figure 5 begins from the state where the mobile body 2 is traveling in the registration car and the elevator call registration for the destination floor of the mobile body 2 is completed.

[0086] exist Figure 5A In step S501, the relay device 21 periodically receives the status of the elevator 4 from the elevator control device 17 and stores it in the storage unit 26. The relay device 21 sends the status of the elevator 4 received from the elevator control device 17 to the moving body control device 3 at regular intervals. The processing of step S501 can also be performed in parallel with the processing of other steps. Then, the elevator system 1 enters the processing of step S502.

[0087] In step S502, the second determination unit 28 detects intermediate stops from the current position of the registered car to the destination floor of the moving body 2 based on information such as the state of the car 10 stored in the storage unit 26. If an intermediate stop is detected, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S503. On the other hand, if no intermediate stop is detected, the elevator system 1 proceeds to... Figure 5B The processing of step S512.

[0088] In step S503, the second determination unit 28 determines whether the destination floor of the user added to the intermediate stop floor is a floor that, from the perspective of the intermediate stop floor, is stopped before the destination floor of the moving vehicle 2. If it is not a floor that is stopped before the destination floor of the moving vehicle 2, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S504. On the other hand, if it is a floor that is stopped before the destination floor of the moving vehicle 2, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S512. Here, if there is no destination floor added to the intermediate stop floor, the elevator system 1 may also proceed to step S512. Figure 5B The processing of step S512.

[0089] In step S504, the position detection unit 24 determines whether a user exists between the moving body 2 and the car 10, i.e., the car door 13 of the registered car, where the moving body 2 is located. For example, Figure 6A As shown, if the distance between the user's position and the car door 13 of the registration car is closer than the distance between the moving body 2 and the car door 13 of the registration car, the position detection unit 24 determines that a user exists between the moving body 2 and the car door 13 of the registration car. On the other hand, for example, as Figure 6B As shown, if the distance between the user's position and the car door 13 of the registered car is greater than the distance between the moving body 2 and the car door 13 of the registered car, the position detection unit 24 determines that there is no user between the moving body 2 and the car door 13 of the registered car. When there is a user between the moving body 2 and the car door 13, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S505. On the other hand, when there is no user between the moving body 2 and the car door 13, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S505. Figure 5B The processing of step S512.

[0090] In step S505, the mobile body control device 3 sends a restriction restoration request for the destination floor of the mobile body 2, which is designated as a safe floor, to the safety management device 22. At this time, the mobile body control device 3 can also send the restriction restoration request to the safety management device 22 via the relay device 21. Upon receiving the restriction restoration request, the safety management device 22 sends a restriction restoration response to the mobile body control device 3, sending a restriction restoration instruction to the elevator control device 17. At this time, the elevator control device 17 resumes the safety restriction of the destination floor of the mobile body 2, which is designated as a safe floor. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S506.

[0091] In step S506, the mobile body control device 3 outputs a cancellation request to the relay device 21 to cancel the elevator call registration for the destination floor of the mobile body 2. Then, the relay device 21 outputs a cancellation request for the registered car to the elevator control device 17. Here, the relay device 21 checks, for example, the car status stored in the storage unit 26 to determine whether the elevator call registration for the car 10 and its cancellation were successful. If the elevator call registration was successfully cancelled, the relay device 21 notifies the mobile body control device 3 to retry. Upon receiving the retry notification, the mobile body control device 3 puts the mobile body 2 into standby mode in the registered car. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S507.

[0092] In step S507, the first determination unit 27 determines whether the registered car of the moving body 2 is in a state of unregistered car call, undergoing a non-directional stop, and with the car door 13 fully closed. If the registered car does not meet this condition, the elevator system 1 re-enters the process of step S507. On the other hand, if the registered car meets this condition, the elevator system 1 enters the process of step S508.

[0093] In step S508, the moving body control device 3 sends a release request to the safety management device 22 again regarding the safety of the destination floor of the moving body 2, which is a safe floor. At this time, the moving body control device 3 can also send the release request via the relay device 21. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S509.

[0094] In step S509, the safety management device 22 verifies whether the safety floor release request output from the motion control device 3 is a legitimate request. If the release request is legitimate, the safety management device 22 sends a release permission response to the motion control device 3. If the safety management device 22 accepts the legitimate release request from the motion control device 3, it sends a restriction release instruction to the elevator control device 17. The elevator control device 17 continues to release the safety floor until it receives a restriction restoration instruction from the safety management device 22. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S510.

[0095] In step S510, upon receiving a safety release authorization response from the safety management device 22, the mobile body control device 3 outputs the mobile body 2's elevator call registration request for the destination floor to the relay device 21. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S511.

[0096] In step S511, the relay device 21 requests the elevator control device 17 to register the call of the moving body 2, so as to set the car 10 on which the moving body 2 is riding and waiting as the registered car. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing of step S501.

[0097] exist Figure 5B In step S512, the moving body control device 3 determines whether the registered car has reached the destination floor of the moving body 2. If the registered car has not reached the destination floor of the moving body 2, the elevator system 1 enters... Figure 5A The process in step S501. If the registered car has reached the destination floor of the moving body 2, it is generally assumed that no user is riding in the registered car. However, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S513, enabling it to handle situations where a user who has been continuously riding in the registered car without making a call needs to disembark at the destination floor of the moving body 2, which is considered a safe floor.

[0098] In step S513, the moving body control device 3 outputs a continuous door opening request for the car door 13 to the elevator control device 17 and the relay device 21. Then, as part of step S514, the relay device 21 sends a continuous door opening request to the elevator control device 17, registering the car as the target. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S515.

[0099] In step S515, the moving body control device 3 causes the moving body 2 to descend from the interior of the registered car to the landing 6 of the destination floor. At this time, the moving body 2 can also descend while simultaneously checking the opening and closing status of the car door 13 and the landing door 6a using onboard cameras and sensors. For example, with... Figure 4 Similarly, the moving body control device 3 stops the moving body 2, which is descending at the landing 6, in front of the landing door 6a. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S516.

[0100] In step S516, after the moving body 2 descends from the registered car, the moving body control device 3 outputs the closing request of the car door 13 of the registered car to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. Then, the elevator system 1 enters the processing of step S517.

[0101] In step S517, the moving body 2 determines whether there is a user disembarking from the registered car stopped at the destination floor. The moving body 2 detects users disembarking from the registered car, for example, using onboard sensors or cameras. If no user is disembarking, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S518. On the other hand, if a user is disembarking, the moving body 2 notifies the moving body control device 3 that a user has been detected, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S519.

[0102] In step S518, the relay device 21 determines whether the car door 13 of the registered car is fully closed. If the car door 13 is not fully closed, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S517. On the other hand, if the car door 13 is fully closed, the relay device 21 notifies the moving body control device 3, and the moving body control device 3 begins the movement of the moving body 2 at the destination floor. Then, the processing of the elevator system 1 ends.

[0103] In step S519, the moving body control device 3 outputs a continuous door opening request for the car door 13 of the registered car to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. Thus, the moving body control device 3 intentionally stops the operation of the registered car in the elevator 4. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S520.

[0104] In step S520, the transmitter 25 of the moving body control device 3 continuously issues warnings. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to the processing in step S521.

[0105] In step S521, the moving body 2 determines whether the user will again board the registered car at the destination floor where the moving body 2 is stopped. If the user who wants to disembark does not board again, the transmission unit 25 continuously issues a warning, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S522. On the other hand, if the user who wants to disembark boards again, the moving body 2 notifies the moving body control device 3, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S523.

[0106] In step S522, the safety management device 22 determines whether the verification terminal 23 installed at the landing 6 of the destination floor of the moving body 2 has read the pre-set management verification information. The management verification information may be stored, for example, in the management key held by the administrator. If no verification information is read, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S520, and the communication unit 25 continuously issues a warning. On the other hand, if verification information is read, the safety management device 22 notifies the moving body control device 3, and the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S523.

[0107] In step S523, the transmitting unit 25 stops issuing warnings. Then, the elevator system 1 proceeds to step S516.

[0108] As described above, the elevator system 1 of Embodiment 1 includes a motion control device 3, an elevator control device 17, a safety management device 22, and a relay device 21. The motion control device 3 controls the movement of the motion body 2 within the facility. The elevator control device 17 collects information about the status of the elevator 4 and controls its operation. The safety management device 22 manages the call registration restrictions for the car 10 stopping at a safe floor. The relay device 21 relays call registration requests sent from the motion control device 3 to the elevator control device 17. The relay device 21 also relays information about the status of the elevator 4 sent from the elevator control device 17 to the motion control device 3. When the safety management device 22 receives a valid request from the motion control device 3 to release the call registration restrictions for the car 10 stopping at a safe floor, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device 17 to release the call registration restrictions for the car 10 stopping at the safe floor. The relay device 21 controls the relay of the elevator control device 17 to register the call request for the safe floor based on the status information of the elevator 4, so as to suppress the presence of other users in the car 10 when the call of the moving body 2 stops the car 10 at the safe floor.

[0109] According to this structure, the restriction on safe floors that are normally restricted from call registration is lifted when a proper release request is output from the movement control device 3. This appropriately manages the movement of the 2 to the safe floor. Furthermore, based on the elevator 4's status information collected by the elevator control device 17, the call registration request is controlled via a relay to the elevator control device 17. Therefore, the elevator system 1 can be applied to elevators 4 with low-performance cameras installed in the car 10 and elevators 4 without cameras installed in the car 10. Moreover, by controlling the call registration request based on the elevator 4's status, the improper use of the 2's call function to access safe floors is prevented. This more reliably ensures the safety of the safe floors.

[0110] Furthermore, elevator 4 includes multiple cars 10. The relay device 21 has a storage unit 26 and a first determination unit 27. The storage unit 26 stores information about the status of each of the multiple cars 10 as information about the status of elevator 4. The first determination unit 27 determines from the multiple cars 10 candidate cars that have not been registered for a call and are currently stopped in no direction. When the relay device 21 receives a registration request for a call from the motion control device 3, it relays the registration request to the elevator control device 17 based on the determination result of the first determination unit 27, thus designating the candidate car as a registered car. When the relay device 21 receives a registration cancellation request for a call from the motion control device 3, it relays the registration cancellation request for the registered car to the elevator control device 17. In this way, cars 10 that users have not ridden are determined as candidate cars, thus suppressing the presence of other users in those cars 10 when a call from the motion 2 stops the car 10 at the departure floor.

[0111] Furthermore, the relay device 21 has a second determination unit 28. The second determination unit 28 detects intermediate stops from the current position of the registered car to the safe floor reached by the call of the mobile body 2 for the registered car. The second determination unit 28 detects the opening of the car door 13 of the registered car at the intermediate stop and additional car calls. The second determination unit 28 determines the floor relationship between the additional destination floor of the additional car call and the safe floor, as observed from the intermediate stop. Here, when the mobile body 2 is at station 6, which is the departure floor (a safe floor), a proper cancellation request for the departure floor is sent from the mobile body control device 3 to the safety management device 22. Then, when the second determination unit 28 detects that the additional destination floor is a floor further back than the departure floor as observed from the intermediate stop, the relay device 21 outputs a stop request to the mobile body control device 3. When the mobile body control device 3 receives a stop request, it sends a request to restore the restriction on the departure floor to the safety management device 22, and then outputs a request to cancel the elevator call registration to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. When the safety management device 22 receives the request to restore the restriction on the departure floor from the mobile body control device 3, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device 17 to restore the elevator call registration restriction for the car 10 to stop at the departure floor. Thus, when a user riding in a registered car reaches the departure floor of the mobile body 2, the call for the mobile body 2 is canceled. This prevents other users from being present in the car 10 when the car 10 stops at the departure floor via the call of the mobile body 2.

[0112] Furthermore, consider the case where the second determination unit 28 does not detect an additional destination floor that, when viewed from an intermediate stop floor, is a floor further than the departure floor. In this case, if the moving body 2 detects a user disembarking from the car 10 stopped at the departure floor, the moving body control device 3 outputs a continuous opening request for the car door 13 of the registered car to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. Thus, the moving body control device 3 can intentionally stop the operation of the registered car within the elevator 4, thereby preventing the user from moving to other floors if they improperly enter a safe floor. This further ensures the safety of the facility.

[0113] Furthermore, the mobile body control device 3 includes a position detection unit 24. The position detection unit 24 detects the position information of the user inside the car 10 in which the mobile body 2 is traveling. If the distance between the user's position and the car door 13 of the car 10, as detected by the position detection unit 24, is closer than the distance between the mobile body 2 and the car door 13, the mobile body control device 3 sends a request to the safety management device 22 to restore the restriction on the destination floor, which is a safe floor. Then, the mobile body control device 3 outputs a call cancellation request to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21. Upon receiving the request to restore the restriction on the destination floor from the mobile body control device 3, the safety management device 22 sends an instruction to the elevator control device 17 to restore the call registration restriction for the car 10 stopping at the destination floor. When the user is able to disembark at the destination floor, which is the safe floor, before the mobile body 2, the call for the mobile body 2 is cancelled. This prevents users from improperly entering the safe floor, thus ensuring the safety of the safe floor more reliably.

[0114] Furthermore, the mobile unit control device 3 includes a transmitter 25. When the mobile unit 2 detects a user disembarking from the car 10 at its destination floor (a safe floor), the transmitter 25 issues a warning. By issuing this warning, unauthorized entry into the safe floor is prevented, and the possibility of unauthorized entry is promptly notified to facility managers and others.

[0115] Furthermore, the movement control device 3 continuously outputs the continuous door opening request of the car door 13 of the car 10 to the elevator control device 17 via the relay device 21 until the movement 2 detects that the user who disembarked from the car 10 at the destination floor has boarded the car 10 again, or that the verification terminal 23 of the landing 6 at the destination floor has read the pre-set management verification information. Thus, the movement control device 3 can intentionally stop the operation of the car 10 in the elevator 4, thereby preventing the user from moving to other floors if they improperly enter a safe floor. This further ensures the safety of the facility.

[0116] Furthermore, after the car 10 stops at the destination floor (designated as a safety floor) and the car door 13 opens, the movement control device 3 causes the movement body 2 to descend from the car 10 to the landing 6 of the destination floor. At this time, the movement control device 3 stops the movement body 2 in front of the landing door 6a of the destination floor until the car door 13 of the car 10 closes. Thus, the movement body 2 monitors users attempting to improperly enter the safety floor and prevents improper descent. This further ensures the safety of the safety floor with greater reliability.

[0117] Furthermore, if the distance between the user's position and the car door 13 of the car 10 detected by the position detection unit 24 is greater than the distance between the moving body 2 and the car door 13 of the car 10, the moving body control device 3 can also send a release request for the destination floor to the safety management device 22. When the possibility of the user improperly entering a safe floor is low, the call for the moving body 2 can be registered, thus increasing the working efficiency of the moving body 2.

[0118] In addition, the call registration request from the moving body control device 3 can be used as a car call signal to call the car 10 to the departure floor or the destination floor, or it can be used as a floor call signal to call the car 10 to the departure floor or the destination floor.

[0119] Furthermore, the mobile control device 3, the safety management device 22, and the relay device 21 can be separate hardware components or can be installed using the same hardware. Additionally, the mobile control device 3 can be a separate device from the mobile body 2, or it can be a device mounted on the mobile body 2 itself.

[0120] In summarizing the above description, the technically desirable structures of the present invention include the following structures shown as appendices.

[0121] (Postscript 1)

[0122] An elevator system having:

[0123] A mobile body control device that controls the movement of a mobile body in a facility with multiple floors, the mobile body being able to ride in the car of an elevator installed in the facility.

[0124] An elevator control device that collects information about the elevator's status and controls the elevator's operation;

[0125] A safety management device manages the call registration restrictions for the elevator car stopping at safe floors among the plurality of floors; and

[0126] A relay device that relays elevator call registration requests sent from the mobile body control device to the elevator control device, and relays elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the mobile body control device.

[0127] When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction that the car is stopped at the safe floor.

[0128] The relay device controls the relay of the elevator control device to process the registration request for the call to the safe floor based on the elevator status information, so as to suppress the presence of other users in the car when the car stops at the safe floor by the call of the moving body.

[0129] (Postscript 2)

[0130] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 1, wherein,

[0131] The elevator comprises multiple cars.

[0132] The relay device has a storage unit that stores the status information of multiple cars for each car as the status information of the elevator.

[0133] (Note 3)

[0134] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 2, wherein,

[0135] The relay device has:

[0136] The first determination unit, based on the information about the car's status stored in the storage unit, determines from among a plurality of cars a candidate car that has not been registered for a car call and is currently undergoing a stop without a direction; and

[0137] The second determination unit, for registered cars among the plurality of cars that have registered the call for the movable body, detects intermediate stops from the current position of the registered car to the safe floor where the call for the movable body stops, detects the opening of the car door of the registered car at the intermediate stop floor and additional car calls, and determines the front-to-back relationship between the additional destination floor of the additional car call and the safe floor as observed from the intermediate stop floor.

[0138] (Note 4)

[0139] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 3, wherein...

[0140] When the relay device receives the registration request for calling the elevator from the moving body control device, it relays the registration request to the elevator control device according to the determination result of the first determination unit, so as to set the candidate car as the registered car.

[0141] (Note 5)

[0142] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 4, wherein...

[0143] When the relay device receives a registration cancellation request for the elevator from the moving body control device, it relays the registration cancellation request for the registered car to the elevator control device.

[0144] (Note 6)

[0145] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 3, wherein...

[0146] When the mobile vehicle is located at a floor that serves as the departure floor of the safe floor, and a legitimate release request for the departure floor is sent from the mobile vehicle control device to the safety management device, if the second determination unit detects that the additional destination floor observed from the intermediate stop floor is a floor further back than the departure floor, the relay device outputs a stop request to the mobile vehicle control device.

[0147] When the movement control device receives the abort request, it sends a request to restore the restriction on the departure floor to the safety management device, and then outputs a request to cancel the elevator call registration to the elevator control device through the relay device.

[0148] When the safety management device receives the restriction restoration request for the departure floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to restore the call registration restriction for the car stopping at the departure floor.

[0149] (Note 7)

[0150] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 3, wherein...

[0151] When the mobile body is located at a floor that serves as the departure floor of the safety floor, and a legitimate release request for the safety floor is sent from the mobile body control device to the safety management device, if the second determination unit does not detect an additional destination floor that, as observed from the intermediate stop floor, is a floor further back than the departure floor,...

[0152] When the moving body detects a user alighting from the car parked at the departure floor, the moving body control device outputs a continuous door opening request for the registered car door to the elevator control device via the relay device.

[0153] (Note 8)

[0154] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 1, wherein,

[0155] The mobile body control device includes a position detection unit that detects the position information of the user inside the car in which the mobile body is traveling.

[0156] If the distance between the user's position and the car door detected by the position detection unit is closer than the distance between the moving body and the car door, the moving body control device, after sending a restriction restoration request for the destination floor (which is the safe floor) to the safety management device, outputs a call cancellation request to the elevator control device via the relay device.

[0157] When the safety management device receives the restriction restoration request for the destination floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to restore the call registration restriction for the car stopping at the destination floor.

[0158] (Note 9)

[0159] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 8, wherein...

[0160] If the distance between the user's position and the car door detected by the position detection unit is greater than the distance between the moving body and the car door, the moving body control device will send a release request for the destination floor to the safety management device.

[0161] (Postscript 10)

[0162] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 1, wherein,

[0163] The mobile body control device has a transmitter that issues a warning when it detects a user exiting the elevator car while the mobile body is exiting the car at the destination floor, which is the safe floor.

[0164] (Postscript 11)

[0165] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 10, wherein,

[0166] The mobile body control device continuously outputs the continuous door opening request of the car door to the elevator control device through the relay device until the mobile body detects that the user who got off the car at the destination floor gets back into the car, or the verification terminal of the landing at the destination floor reads the pre-set management verification information.

[0167] (Postscript 12)

[0168] According to the elevator system described in Appendix 1, wherein,

[0169] After the car stops at the destination floor, which is the safety floor, and the car door opens, the moving body control device causes the moving body to descend from the car to the landing of the destination floor, stopping the moving body in front of the landing door of the destination floor until the car door closes.

Claims

1. An elevator system, the elevator system having: A mobile body control device that controls the movement of a mobile body in a facility with multiple floors, the mobile body being able to ride in the car of an elevator installed in the facility. An elevator control device that collects information about the elevator's status and controls the elevator's operation; A safety management device that manages the call registration restrictions for the elevator car stopping at safe floors among the multiple floors; as well as A relay device that relays elevator call registration requests sent from the mobile body control device to the elevator control device, and relays elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the mobile body control device. When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction that the car is stopped at the safe floor. The relay device, based on the elevator's status information, controls the relay of the elevator control device to process the registration request for a call to the safe floor, thereby preventing other users from being present in the car when the car stops at the safe floor due to a call from the moving body. The elevator comprises multiple cars. The relay device has: The storage unit stores the status information of multiple cars as the status information of the elevator, according to each car. The first determination unit, based on the information about the car's status stored in the storage unit, determines from among a plurality of cars a candidate car that has not been registered for a car call and is currently undergoing a stop without a direction; and The second determination unit, for registered cars among the plurality of cars that have registered the call for the movable body, detects intermediate stops from the current position of the registered car to the safe floor where the call for the movable body stops, detects the opening of the car door of the registered car at the intermediate stop floor and additional car calls, and determines the front-to-back relationship between the additional destination floor of the additional car call and the safe floor as observed from the intermediate stop floor.

2. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein, When the relay device receives the registration request for calling the elevator from the moving body control device, it relays the registration request to the elevator control device according to the determination result of the first determination unit, so as to set the candidate car as the registered car.

3. The elevator system according to claim 2, wherein, When the relay device receives a registration cancellation request for the elevator from the moving body control device, it relays the registration cancellation request for the registered car to the elevator control device.

4. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein, When the mobile vehicle is located at a floor that serves as the departure floor of the safe floor, and a legitimate release request for the departure floor is sent from the mobile vehicle control device to the safety management device, if the second determination unit detects that the additional destination floor observed from the intermediate stop floor is a floor further back than the departure floor, the relay device outputs a stop request to the mobile vehicle control device. When the movement control device receives the abort request, after sending a request to restore the restriction on the departure floor to the safety management device, it outputs a request to cancel the elevator call registration to the elevator control device via the relay device. When the safety management device receives the restriction restoration request for the departure floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to restore the call registration restriction for the car stopping at the departure floor.

5. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein, When the mobile body is located at a floor that serves as the departure floor of the safety floor, and a legitimate release request for the safety floor is sent from the mobile body control device to the safety management device, if the second determination unit does not detect an additional destination floor that, as observed from the intermediate stop floor, is a floor further back than the departure floor,... When the moving body detects a user alighting from the car parked at the departure floor, the moving body control device outputs a continuous door opening request for the registered car door to the elevator control device via the relay device.

6. An elevator system, the elevator system having: A mobile body control device that controls the movement of a mobile body in a facility with multiple floors, the mobile body being able to ride in the car of an elevator installed in the facility. An elevator control device that collects information about the elevator's status and controls the elevator's operation; A safety management device that manages the call registration restrictions for the elevator car stopping at safe floors among the multiple floors; as well as A relay device that relays elevator call registration requests sent from the mobile body control device to the elevator control device, and relays elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the mobile body control device. When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction that the car is stopped at the safe floor. The relay device, based on the elevator's status information, controls the relay of the elevator control device to process the registration request for a call to the safe floor, thereby preventing other users from being present in the car when the car stops at the safe floor due to a call from the moving body. The mobile body control device includes a position detection unit that detects the position information of the user inside the car in which the mobile body is traveling. If the distance between the user's position and the car door detected by the position detection unit is closer than the distance between the moving body and the car door, the moving body control device, after sending a restriction restoration request for the destination floor (which is the safe floor) to the safety management device, outputs a call cancellation request to the elevator control device via the relay device. When the safety management device receives the restriction restoration request for the destination floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to restore the call registration restriction for the car stopping at the destination floor.

7. The elevator system according to claim 6, wherein, If the location of the user detected by the location detection unit is farther from the car door than the distance between the moving body and the car door, the moving body control device will send a release request for the destination floor to the safety management device.

8. An elevator system, the elevator system having: A mobile body control device that controls the movement of a mobile body in a facility with multiple floors, the mobile body being able to ride in the car of an elevator installed in the facility. An elevator control device that collects information about the elevator's status and controls the elevator's operation; A safety management device that manages the call registration restrictions for the elevator car stopping at safe floors among the multiple floors; as well as A relay device that relays elevator call registration requests sent from the mobile body control device to the elevator control device, and relays elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the mobile body control device. When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction that the car is stopped at the safe floor. The relay device, based on the elevator's status information, controls the relay of the elevator control device to process the registration request for a call to the safe floor, thereby preventing other users from being present in the car when the car stops at the safe floor due to a call from the moving body. The mobile body control device has a transmitter that issues a warning when it detects a user exiting the elevator car while the mobile body is exiting the car at the destination floor, which is the safe floor.

9. The elevator system according to claim 8, wherein, The mobile body control device continuously outputs the continuous door opening request of the car door to the elevator control device through the relay device until the mobile body detects that the user who got off the car at the destination floor gets back into the car, or the verification terminal of the landing at the destination floor reads the pre-set management verification information.

10. An elevator system, the elevator system having: A mobile body control device that controls the movement of a mobile body in a facility with multiple floors, the mobile body being able to ride in the car of an elevator installed in the facility. An elevator control device that collects information about the elevator's status and controls the elevator's operation; A safety management device that manages the call registration restrictions for the elevator car stopping at safe floors among the multiple floors; as well as A relay device that relays elevator call registration requests sent from the mobile body control device to the elevator control device, and relays elevator status information sent from the elevator control device to the mobile body control device. When the safety management device receives a legitimate release request for the safe floor from the moving body control device, it sends an instruction to the elevator control device to release the call registration restriction that the car is stopped at the safe floor. The relay device, based on the elevator's status information, controls the relay of the elevator control device to process the registration request for a call to the safe floor, thereby preventing other users from being present in the car when the car stops at the safe floor due to a call from the moving body. After the car stops at the destination floor, which is the safety floor, and the car door opens, the moving body control device causes the moving body to descend from the car to the landing of the destination floor, stopping the moving body in front of the landing door of the destination floor until the car door closes.

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