Elevator user attribute acquisition system and elevator user attribute acquisition method

Abstract

A user attribute acquisition system for an elevator is provided with: a first beacon device that is provided at a landing of an elevator of a facility and that emits a first beacon signal including landing beacon information corresponding to the landing; a second beacon device that is provided in a moving body used by a user of the facility, and that emits a second beacon signal that includes user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the moving body; and a portable terminal. When it is determined that the first beacon signal is detected and it is determined that the second beacon signal is detected, the portable terminal transmits user attribute information to a management device of the elevator. The user attribute information is information in which the landing beacon information included in the first beacon signal and the user attribute beacon information included in the second beacon signal are associated with each other.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a technique for obtaining user attributes of an elevator. Background Art

[0002] In Patent Document 1, there is disclosed an elevator control device that enables a stroller user or a wheelchair user to preferentially use an elevator. In this elevator control device, a stroller user, a wheelchair user, etc. receive the issuance of a priority card through a priority card issuing device at the entrance of a building, wait near the arrival number machine recorded on the priority card until the arrival scheduled time, and preferentially use the car when the car arrives. Thus, the stroller user, the wheelchair user, etc. are given the priority of boarding and appropriate instructions for using the elevator. Therefore, even in a crowded elevator landing, the stroller user, the wheelchair user, etc. can preferentially and comfortably use the elevator without disputes.

[0003] Prior Art Documents

[0004] Patent Documents

[0005] Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-238113 Summary of the Invention

[0006] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] In the technique of Patent Document 1, the elevator control device grasps the user attributes of a stroller user, a wheelchair user, etc. by accepting the active operation of the user. Such a manual input operation of the user causes trouble to the user. There is a need for a technique that enables a system to obtain the user attributes of a user who is using a moving body such as a stroller, a wheelchair, a flatbed cart, or a shopping cart in a facility without relying on the manual input of the user.

[0008] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a technique for obtaining the user attributes of a user who is using a moving body such as a stroller, a wheelchair, or a shopping cart in a facility without relying on the manual input of the user.

[0009] Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] The user attribute acquisition system of the elevator of the present disclosure includes: a first beacon device that is provided at a landing of an elevator in a facility and emits a first beacon signal including landing beacon information corresponding to the landing; a second beacon device that is provided on a mobile body used by a user of the facility and emits a second beacon signal including user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the mobile body; and a portable terminal. The portable terminal includes: a first beacon signal detection unit that determines whether the first beacon signal is detected; a second beacon signal detection unit that determines whether the second beacon signal is detected; and a user attribute information transmission unit that, when it is determined that the first beacon signal is detected and the second beacon signal is detected, transmits user attribute information to a management device of the elevator, where the user attribute information is information obtained by associating the landing beacon information included in the first beacon signal with the user attribute beacon information included in the second beacon signal.

[0011] In addition, the user attribute acquisition method of the elevator of the present disclosure is executed by a portable terminal installed with an application for receiving services of a facility to obtain the user attribute of a mobile body used by a user waiting at a landing of an elevator in the facility. In the user attribute acquisition method of the elevator, the portable terminal, by starting the application, performs the following processes: a first process of determining whether a first beacon signal including landing beacon information corresponding to the landing is detected from a first beacon device provided at a landing of an elevator in the facility; a second process of determining, when it is determined that the first beacon signal is detected, whether a second beacon signal including user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the mobile body is detected from a second beacon device provided on the mobile body; and a third process of transmitting user attribute information to a management device of the elevator, where the user attribute information is information obtained by associating the landing beacon information included in the second beacon signal with the user attribute beacon information included in the first beacon signal.

[0012] Advantages of the Invention

[0013] According to the user attribute acquisition system of the present disclosure, when the portable terminal determines that the first beacon signal is detected, it can be determined that the portable terminal is near the landing where the first beacon device is provided. Therefore, when the portable terminal that has detected the first beacon signal determines that the second beacon signal is detected, it can be determined that the mobile body, which is the emission source of the second beacon signal, i.e., the second beacon device, is near the landing. Thus, the user attribute of the user presumed to be waiting at the landing can be obtained without relying on the manual input of the user. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the outline of the user attribute acquisition system of the elevator according to the embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 It is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of a user attribute acquisition system.

[0016] Figure 3 It is a functional block diagram showing functions related to a facility-specific application implemented by executing a program on a processor of a portable terminal.

[0017] Figure 4 It is a flowchart of a routine executed in a user attribute acquisition system.

[0018] Figure 5 It is a flowchart showing a modified example of a second beacon signal detection process.

[0019] Figure 6 It is a diagram showing a modified example of the hardware resources of a portable terminal. Detailed implementation manners

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same reference numerals are assigned to common elements in the respective drawings, and repeated descriptions are omitted.

[0021] 1. Embodiment

[0022] 1-1. Outline of the overall structure of the user attribute acquisition system

[0023] Figure 1 It is a conceptual diagram for explaining the outline of a user attribute acquisition system of an elevator according to an embodiment. The elevator 10 is, for example, an elevator installed in a large commercial facility. The user attribute acquisition system 100 is a system for acquiring user attributes of facility users waiting at each landing 2 of the elevator 10. The user attribute here is an attribute of a moving object that moves with the user, and examples include a flatbed cart, a shopping cart, a baby stroller, a wheelchair, etc.

[0024] Figure 1 The shown user attribute acquisition system 100 includes at least one second beacon device 20, at least one first beacon device 30, at least one portable terminal 40, a management server 50, and a management device 8.

[0025] The first beacon device 30 is respectively provided at each landing 2 of the elevator 10 in the facility. The first beacon device 30 may also be provided only at one or more pre-set landings 2. The first beacon device 30 functions as a transmitter that periodically transmits weak radio wave information including three types of identifiers: UUID, Major, and Minor. Hereinafter, this radio wave information is referred to as the "first beacon signal". The first beacon signal includes landing beacon information corresponding to the landing 2 where the first beacon device 30 is provided. The landing beacon information includes information such as the machine number of the elevator 10 and the floor of the landing 2, for example, "3F of Machine No. 12345670-001". The transmission interval and transmission radio wave intensity of the first beacon signal transmitted by the first beacon device 30 can be appropriately set according to various criteria.

[0026] The second beacon device 20 is respectively provided on the mobile body M. The second beacon device 20 functions as a transmitter that periodically transmits weak radio wave information including three types of identifiers: UUID, Major, and Minor. Hereinafter, this radio wave information is referred to as the "second beacon signal". The second beacon signal includes user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the mobile body M on which it is provided and the unique identification information of the mobile body M. The transmission interval and transmission radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal transmitted by the second beacon device 20 can be appropriately set according to various criteria.

[0027] The portable terminal 40 is a portable terminal device held by a user of the facility. Examples of the portable terminal 40 include, for example, a smart phone, a tablet computer, etc. In Figure 1 the example shown, the user A holds the portable terminal 40. The portable terminal 40 is configured to be able to communicate with the management server 50 via the communication network 52.

[0028] An operating system and application software are installed in the hardware of the portable terminal 40. The application program includes, for example, a dedicated application program for receiving services in a commercial facility. Hereinafter, this application program is referred to as the "facility-specific application". By executing the facility-specific application under the operating system, various functions described later are realized.

[0029] The management server 50 receives the information sent from the portable terminal 40 and sends this information to the management device 8 of the elevator 10 that is the object. The management server 50 is, for example, provided in the facility where the elevator 10 is provided or at a distance separate from the facility.

[0030] The management device 8 is a device that controls the operation of the elevator 10 according to the information received from the management server 50. The operations of the elevator 10 controlled by the management device 8 include, for example, opening and closing of the doors, management of the registered calls, and management of the allocation and travel of the car in response to the calls.

[0031] 2. Operation Outline of User Attribute Acquisition System

[0032] In Figure 1 In the example shown, the states of users A, B, and C of the facility near landing 2 of elevator 10 are illustrated. User A holds a portable terminal 40. User A is using a shopping cart as the moving body M. User B is using a stroller as the moving body M. User C is using a wheelchair as the moving body M. Second beacon devices 20 that emit corresponding second beacon signals are respectively provided on these moving bodies M.

[0033] User A uses a facility-specific application of the portable terminal 40 within the facility. During the startup of the facility-specific application, the operating system of the portable terminal 40 receives the call registration for elevator 10 input by user A and sends this information to the management server 50. Hereinafter, this process is referred to as the "call registration process". The management server 50 sends the received call registration information to the management device 8 of the corresponding elevator 10.

[0034] In addition, during the startup of the facility-specific application, the operating system of the portable terminal 40 determines whether a first beacon signal is detected. Hereinafter, this process is referred to as the "first beacon signal detection process". In the first beacon signal detection process, for example, it is determined whether a first beacon signal with a radio wave intensity greater than a preset first threshold is detected. The radio wave intensity here can use, for example, the RSSI value. The first threshold can be set to a value that can be detected when user A holding the portable terminal 40 waits near landing 2.

[0035] In addition, during the startup of the facility-specific application, the operating system of the portable terminal 40 determines whether a second beacon signal is detected. Hereinafter, this process is referred to as the "second beacon signal detection process". In the second beacon signal detection process, for example, it is determined whether a second beacon signal with a radio wave intensity greater than a preset second threshold is detected. The radio wave intensity here can use, for example, the RSSI value. The second threshold can be set to a value that can detect the second beacon signal of other users waiting near user A waiting near landing 2. Additionally, the second threshold here can also be the same value as the second threshold in the first beacon signal detection process.

[0036] When the operating system of the portable terminal 40 detects a first beacon signal in the first beacon signal detection process, it is considered that the user A who holds the portable terminal 40 is waiting near the landing 2 of the landing beacon information included in the first beacon signal. At this time, when the operating system of the portable terminal 40 detects one or more second beacon signals in the first beacon signal detection process, it is considered that the users corresponding to the user attribute beacon information included in the detected second beacon signals are waiting near the landing 2 in the same way as the user A. In Figure 1 In the example shown, for example, it is considered that the respective second beacon signals corresponding to the users B and C waiting near the landing 2 are detected.

[0037] The operating system of the portable terminal 40 sends the user attribute information obtained by associating the landing beacon information with the detected user attribute beacon information to the management server 50. Hereinafter, this process is referred to as the "user attribute information sending process". The management server 50 sends the received user attribute information to the management device 8 of the corresponding elevator 10. According to such a process, the management device 8 can obtain the user attributes of the users waiting at the landing 2. Thereby, the management device 8 can allocate the car corresponding to the user attributes, and therefore, the convenience of the users who are using the moving body M such as a shopping cart is improved.

[0038] 3. Structural example of the user attribute acquisition system 100

[0039] Figure 2 It is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of the user attribute acquisition system 100. The user attribute acquisition system 100 has at least one second beacon device 20, at least one first beacon device 30, a portable terminal 40, a management server 50, and a management device 8. The portable terminal 40 has the function of a processing device as a computer. Typically, the portable terminal 40 has at least one processor 400 and at least one memory 410 coupled to the processor 400. At least one program 420 that can be executed by the processor 400 and various associated data 430 are stored in the memory 410. At least one program 420 includes a program for the operating system and a program for a facility-specific application executed under the operating system. The facility-specific application is a dedicated application program used in the facility where the elevator 10 is installed.

[0040] After the facility-specific application of the portable terminal 40 is started, the processor 400 executes the program 420, thereby implementing various processes related to the facility-specific application. Figure 3 It is a functional block diagram showing the functions related to the facility-specific application implemented by the processor 400 of the portable terminal 40 executing the program 420. As Figure 3As shown, the processor 400 includes a first beacon signal detection unit 42, a second beacon signal detection unit 44, a user attribute information transmission unit 46, and a call registration unit 48.

[0041] The first beacon signal detection unit 42 is a functional block for performing the first beacon signal detection process. The second beacon signal detection unit 44 is a functional block for performing the second beacon signal detection process. The user attribute information transmission unit 46 is a functional block for performing the user attribute information transmission process. Moreover, the call registration unit 48 is a functional block for performing the call registration process. Next, the processes executed in each functional block of the processor 400 will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart.

[0042] 4. Specific Processes Executed in the User Attribute Acquisition System 100

[0043] Figure 4 It is a flowchart of a routine executed in the user attribute acquisition system 100. During the period when the facility-specific application is started in the portable terminal 40, in the processor 400, the routine shown is repeatedly executed at a predetermined control cycle. Figure 4 In addition, Figure 4 The process of the routine shown also represents a method for acquiring the user attribute of the elevator 10.

[0044] In the first process shown in step S10, the processor 400 performs the first beacon signal detection process in the first beacon signal detection unit 42. In the first beacon signal detection process, in step S12, it is determined whether the radio wave intensity of the detected first beacon signal is greater than the first threshold. Here, the radio wave intensity is the RSSI value. As a result, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon signal is equal to or less than the first threshold, it is determined that the user holding the portable terminal 40 is not near the first beacon device 30, that is, near the landing 2, and this routine ends. On the other hand, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon signal is greater than the first threshold, it is determined that the user holding the portable terminal 40 is near the landing 2, and the process proceeds to step S20.

[0045] In the second process shown in step S20, the processor 400 performs a second beacon signal detection process in the second beacon signal detection unit 44. In the second beacon signal detection process, in step S22, it is determined whether the radio wave intensity of the detected second beacon signal is greater than a second threshold. The radio wave intensity here is the RSSI value. As a result, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is equal to or less than the second threshold, it is determined that there is no second beacon device 20 near the user holding the portable terminal 40, that is, there is no moving body M around the user, and this routine ends. On the other hand, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than the second threshold, it is determined that there is a user using the moving body M around the user holding the portable terminal 40, and the process proceeds to step S30. In addition, when the portable terminal 40 detects a plurality of second beacon signals, the processor 400 performs the second beacon signal detection process for each second beacon signal.

[0046] Based on the result of the first beacon signal detection process in step S10, it is considered that the user holding the portable terminal 40 is waiting near the landing 2. Therefore, it is considered that the user or users of one or more moving bodies M determined to be around the user in the second beacon signal detection process in step S20 are waiting near the landing 2 in the same way as the user holding the portable terminal 40.

[0047] In the third process shown in step S30, the processor 400 performs a user attribute information transmission process in the user attribute information transmission unit 46. In the user attribute information transmission process, in step S32, the landing beacon information is extracted from the first beacon signal, and the user attribute beacon information is extracted from the second beacon signal. Then, the processor 400 generates user attribute information obtained by associating the landing beacon information with the extracted user attribute information. After performing the process of step S32, the process proceeds to step S34. In step S34, the generated user attribute information is transmitted to the management server 50. In addition, when the portable terminal 40 detects a plurality of second beacon signals, the processor 400 performs the user attribute information transmission process for each second beacon signal.

[0048] According to the user attribute acquisition system 100 described above, it is possible to acquire the user attributes of the users waiting near the landing 2 without manual input by the users. As a result, the management device 8 of the elevator 10 can perform allocation of the car corresponding to the user attributes for the call registration of the users based on the call registration process. As a result, the convenience of the users using the moving body M in the facility is improved.

[0049] In addition, it is also considered that the user who holds the portable terminal 40 with the facility-specific application launched is a user who does not use the moving body M and waits at the landing 2 or simply passes near the landing 2. In such a case, the user attribute acquisition system 100 can also acquire the user attributes of the users waiting near the landing 2 according to the user attributes.

[0050] 5. Variation

[0051] The user attribute acquisition system 100 of the embodiment can also be applied in a modified manner as follows.

[0052] 5-1. Management server 50

[0053] In the user attribute acquisition system 100, the management server 50 is not an essential structure. That is, in the user attribute information transmission process, the processor 400 can also be configured to directly send the user attributes to the management device 8 via the communication network 52.

[0054] 5-2. Second beacon signal detection process

[0055] In the second beacon signal detection process, when a passerby using the moving body M passes near the user holding the portable terminal 40, the user attributes of the passerby may also be sent as the user attributes of the user waiting at the landing 2. Therefore, in the second beacon signal detection process, the passage of time of the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal can also be further added to the determination.

[0056] Figure 5 It is a flowchart showing a variation of the second beacon signal detection process. In the process of step S20 of the variation, in step S22, the processor 400 determines whether the radio wave intensity of the detected second beacon signal is greater than the second threshold. As a result, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than the second threshold, it is determined that there is a user using the moving body M around the user holding the portable terminal 40, and the process proceeds to step S24.

[0057] In step S24, the processor 400 determines whether the elapsed time since the start of the second beacon signal detection process has exceeded the determination time. The determination time here is a preset value used to determine whether the user corresponding to the second beacon device 20 is a waiting person or a passerby. As a result, when it is determined that the elapsed time has not exceeded the determination time, the processor 400 executes the process of step S22 again. Then, in the process of step S22, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal becomes below the second threshold, it is determined that the second beacon device 20 has moved away from the vicinity of the user holding the portable terminal 40, that is, the user corresponding to the second beacon device 20 is a passerby, and this routine ends.

[0058] On the other hand, in the process of step S24, when it is determined that the elapsed time has exceeded the determination time, it is determined that the second beacon device 20 stays near the user holding the portable terminal 40, that is, the user corresponding to the second beacon device 20 is a waiting person, and the process proceeds to the next user attribute information sending process.

[0059] According to the second beacon signal detection process of such a modification example, it is possible to exclude the detection of the second beacon signal of a passerby passing near the user holding the portable terminal 40. Thus, it is possible to obtain the user attribute of the user waiting at the landing 2 with high accuracy.

[0060] In addition, in the second beacon signal detection process, it may also have a process of determining the user attribute of the user holding the portable terminal 40. That is, it is highly likely that the second beacon signal always detected in the second beacon signal detection process is the second beacon signal transmitted from the second beacon device 20 corresponding to the user holding the portable terminal 40. Therefore, in the second beacon signal detection process, the processor 400 may also determine the user attribute information of the second beacon signal always detected as the user attribute corresponding to the user holding the portable terminal 40. According to such an additional process, when the call registration process is performed from the portable terminal 40, it is possible to associate the call registration with the user attribute, and thus, in the allocation of the car by the management device 8, etc., the convenience can be further improved.

[0061] 5-3. Hardware Resources of the Portable Terminal 40

[0062] Figure 6 FIG. is a diagram showing a modification example of the hardware resources of the portable terminal 40. In Figure 6 the example shown, the portable terminal 40 has, for example, a processing circuit 450, and the processing circuit 450 includes a processor 400, a memory 410, and dedicated hardware 440. Figure 6 FIG. shows an example of implementing a part of the functions of the portable terminal 40 by the dedicated hardware 440. It is also possible to implement all of the functions of the portable terminal 40 by the dedicated hardware 440. As the dedicated hardware 440, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof can be adopted.

[0063] Reference Numeral Explanation

[0064] 2: Landing; 8: Management device; 10: Elevator; 20: Second beacon device; 30: First beacon device; 40: Portable terminal; 42: First beacon signal detection unit; 44: Second beacon signal detection unit; 46: User attribute information transmission unit; 48: Call registration unit; 50: Management server; 52: Communication network; 100: User attribute acquisition system; 400: Processor; 410: Memory; 420: Program; 430: Data; 440: Dedicated hardware; 450: Processing circuit.

Claims

1. An elevator user attribute acquisition system, comprising: A first beacon device, which is arranged at the landing of the elevator in the facility and emits a first beacon signal containing landing beacon information corresponding to the landing; A second beacon device, which is arranged on a mobile body used by the user of the facility and emits a second beacon signal containing user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the mobile body; And A portable terminal, The portable terminal includes: A first beacon signal detection unit, which determines whether the first beacon signal is detected; A second beacon signal detection unit, which determines whether the second beacon signal is detected; And A user attribute information transmission unit, which, when it is determined that the first beacon signal is detected and the second beacon signal is also detected, transmits user attribute information to the elevator management device. The user attribute information is information obtained by associating the landing beacon information contained in the first beacon signal with the user attribute beacon information contained in the second beacon signal.

2. The elevator user attribute acquisition system according to claim 1, wherein An application for receiving the service of the facility is installed on the portable terminal, The portable terminal is configured to execute the processing in the first beacon signal detection unit, the second beacon signal detection unit, and the user attribute information transmission unit by executing the application.

3. The elevator user attribute acquisition system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The first beacon signal detection unit is configured to determine that the first beacon signal is detected when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon signal is greater than a first threshold.

4. The elevator user attribute acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The second beacon signal detection unit is configured to determine that the second beacon signal is detected when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than a second threshold.

5. The elevator user attribute acquisition system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The second beacon signal detection unit is configured to determine that the second beacon signal is detected when the elapsed time in a state where the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than the second threshold exceeds a determination time.

6. An elevator user attribute acquisition method, which is executed by a portable terminal installed with an application for receiving the service of the facility to acquire the user attribute of a mobile body used by a user waiting at the landing of the elevator in the facility. The method is characterized in that The portable terminal executes the following processing by starting the application: A first process of determining whether a first beacon signal containing landing beacon information corresponding to the landing is detected from a first beacon device arranged at the landing of the elevator in the facility; A second process of, when it is determined that the first beacon signal is detected, determining whether a second beacon signal containing user attribute beacon information corresponding to the user attribute of the mobile body is detected from a second beacon device arranged on the mobile body; And Third process: Send user attribute information to the management device of the elevator, where the user attribute information is information obtained by associating the floor beacon information included in the second beacon signal with the user attribute beacon information included in the first beacon signal.

7. The method for obtaining user attributes of an elevator according to claim 6, wherein: In the first process, when the radio wave intensity of the first beacon signal is greater than a first threshold, the portable terminal determines that the first beacon signal has been detected.

8. The method for obtaining user attributes of an elevator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein: In the second process, when the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than a second threshold, the portable terminal determines that the second beacon signal has been detected.

9. The method for obtaining user attributes of an elevator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein: In the second process, when the elapsed time in a state where the radio wave intensity of the second beacon signal is greater than the second threshold exceeds a determination time, the portable terminal determines that the second beacon signal has been detected.

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