Elevator control method

Abstract

The invention discloses an elevator control method, which comprises the following steps of: when monitoring that a robot and a wheelchair passenger exist in an elevator car at the same time, judging whether one of the robot and the wheelchair passenger hinders the other one from getting off the elevator or not according to a riding-in sequence and an arrival sequence, and when a judgment result is that the other one hinders getting off the elevator; the robot is controlled to eliminate or avoid the obstacle of the robot to the elevator getting-off of the wheelchair passengers, and the riding-in sequence refers to the sequence of the robot riding in the elevator car and the riding in the elevator car of the wheelchair passengers, and the riding-in sequence refers to the riding-in sequence of the robot riding in the elevator car and the riding in the elevator car of the wheelchair passengers. The arrival sequence refers to the sequence that the elevator arrives at the target floor of the robot and arrives at the target floor of the wheelchair passenger. According to the elevator control method, the problem that one of a robot and a wheelchair passenger who take an elevator at the same time hinders the other of the robot and the wheelchair passenger can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of elevators, and in particular to an elevator control method when a robot and a wheelchair passenger ride in the elevator at the same time. Background Technology

[0002] As robotics technology matures and its applications expand, robot delivery is becoming increasingly common in office buildings and hotels. Since delivery destinations are often located on different floors, robots frequently need to use elevators to perform cross-floor deliveries.

[0003] On the other hand, in places like hotels, wheelchair users may ride elevators simultaneously, creating scenarios where robots and wheelchair users ride together. Because both wheelchair users and robots are large and their rotational movement is constant, if one is near the elevator door while the other is further away, and the latter disembarks before the former, it's almost impossible for the latter to disembark smoothly without the former leaving the elevator. In other words, when a robot and a wheelchair user are riding the elevator together, one may obstruct the other, preventing the latter from disembarking smoothly.

[0004] Therefore, how to solve the problem of robots and wheelchair passengers obstructing each other's exit from the elevator has become a technical issue that needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is how to solve the problem of one robot and one wheelchair passenger obstructing the other's exit from the elevator when they are riding in the same elevator at the same time.

[0006] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention discloses an elevator control method. When the method detects both a robot and a wheelchair passenger inside the elevator car, it determines whether one of the two—the robot or the wheelchair passenger—is obstructing the other's descent based on the boarding and arrival order. If the determination is that one is obstructing the other, the method controls the robot to eliminate the obstruction caused by the robot obstructing the wheelchair passenger's descent or to avoid the wheelchair passenger obstructing the robot's descent. The boarding order refers to the sequence in which the robot and the wheelchair passenger board the elevator car, and the arrival order refers to the sequence in which the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor and the wheelchair passenger's destination floor.

[0007] Preferably, when the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car first and the robot enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor first and then the robot's destination floor, the elevator control method determines that the robot will obstruct the wheelchair passenger from getting off the elevator; when the robot enters the elevator car first and the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the robot's destination floor first and then the wheelchair passenger's destination floor, the elevator control method determines that the wheelchair passenger will obstruct the robot from getting off the elevator.

[0008] Preferably, when the robot is the obstructor and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructed party, the elevator control method first controls the robot to leave the elevator car when the elevator car stops at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor, and then controls the robot to re-enter the elevator car after the wheelchair passenger disembarks, thereby eliminating the robot's obstruction of the wheelchair passenger's disembarkation.

[0009] Preferably, the elevator control method monitors whether the robot successfully enters the elevator car again, and when the robot fails to enter the elevator car, it determines whether the elevator can carry the robot again in subsequent operations based on the reason why the robot failed to enter the elevator car.

[0010] Preferably, when a robot fails to board the elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, it is determined that the elevator cannot be used by the robot again in subsequent operations.

[0011] Preferably, the subsequent operation refers to the range between the elevator car's current position and the farthest human passenger destination floor in the current operating direction, or the farthest stop floor in the current operating direction, or the period during which the operating direction is changed.

[0012] Preferably, when the robot fails to enter the elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, the elevator control method is to re-register the elevator call signal for the robot with the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger as the departure floor and the original destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and select one of the remaining elevators (excluding the elevator it just left) as the responding elevator for the robot based on the re-registered elevator call signal.

[0013] Preferably, when the elevator to be stopped in the list of floors to be stopped by the robot that the robot has just left, and the floors to be stopped that are the same as the robot's destination floor are generated only by the robot's destination floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's destination floor from the list of floors to be stopped by the elevator that the robot has just left.

[0014] Preferably, when the robot is the obstructed party and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructor, the elevator control method controls the robot not to get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger, and controls the elevator to transport the robot to its destination floor after the wheelchair passenger gets off the elevator, thereby completing the transportation of the robot without affecting the wheelchair passenger's elevator ride.

[0015] Preferably, when the elevator's list of floors to be stopped contains floors that are the same as the robot's target floor, and these floors are generated only by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's list of floors to be stopped.

[0016] Preferably, the elevator control method determines the distance between the current position of the elevator car and the farthest floor to be stopped in the current direction of elevator operation, and decides whether the robot should get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger or at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger based on the relationship between the distance and a threshold.

[0017] Preferably, when the distance is less than a threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car, and then disembark when the elevator changes direction and reaches the robot's destination floor again.

[0018] Preferably, after the elevator arrives at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger and after the wheelchair passenger disembarks until the elevator changes direction, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car; and after the elevator changes direction, the robot's destination floor is added to the elevator's list of floors to be stopped, and the robot is controlled to disembark after the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor.

[0019] Preferably, when the distance is greater than or equal to a threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to descend the elevator when the elevator stops at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger; updates the robot to the waiting state and keeps it in the robot list; generates a new elevator call signal for the robot with the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger as the departure floor and the original destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and reallocates a responding elevator for the robot according to the new elevator call signal.

[0020] Preferably, when the elevator's waiting-to-stop floor list is the same as the robot's target floor only because it was generated by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's waiting-to-stop floor list after re-registering the call signal for the robot.

[0021] Beneficial technical effects This invention, through proper robot control, avoids situations where a robot and a wheelchair passenger riding the elevator simultaneously obstruct each other's descent. Attached Figure Description

[0022] none Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification and claims of the present invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. Example

[0024] In this embodiment, when the elevator control method detects that there are both a robot and a wheelchair passenger in the elevator car at the same time, it determines whether one of the robot and the wheelchair passenger is obstructing the other from getting off the elevator based on the boarding order and the arrival order. When the determination result is obstruction, the robot is controlled to eliminate the obstruction caused by the robot to the wheelchair passenger getting off the elevator or to avoid the obstruction caused by the wheelchair passenger to the robot getting off the elevator. The boarding order refers to the order in which the robot enters the elevator car and the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car. The arrival order refers to the order in which the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor and the elevator arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor.

[0025] When the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car first and the robot enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor first and then the robot's destination floor, the elevator control method determines that the robot will obstruct the wheelchair passenger from getting off the elevator; when the robot enters the elevator car first and the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the robot's destination floor first and then the wheelchair passenger's destination floor, the elevator control method determines that the wheelchair passenger will obstruct the robot from getting off the elevator.

[0026] Along the direction of elevator travel, the elevator car first arrives at the destination floor of the robot and the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger that is closer to the current position of the elevator car, and then arrives at the destination floor of the robot and the wheelchair passenger that is farther from the current position of the elevator car. Example

[0027] This embodiment, based on embodiment 1, provides a detailed explanation of how to control the robot to prevent either the robot or the wheelchair passenger from obstructing the other's descent from the stairs.

[0028] Scenario 1: The robot is the obstructor, and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructed party. When the robot is the obstructor and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructed party, the elevator control method first controls the robot to leave the elevator car when the elevator car stops at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor, and then controls the robot to re-enter the elevator car after the wheelchair passenger disembarks, thereby eliminating the robot's obstruction of the wheelchair passenger's disembarkation.

[0029] The elevator control method monitors whether the robot successfully enters the elevator car again, and when the robot fails to enter the elevator car, it determines whether the elevator can carry the robot again in subsequent operations based on the reason why the robot failed to enter the elevator car.

[0030] If a robot fails to board an elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, it is determined that the elevator cannot be used by the robot again in subsequent operations.

[0031] The subsequent operation refers to the range between the elevator car's current position and the farthest human passenger destination floor in the current direction of operation, or the farthest stop floor in the current direction of operation, or the period during which the direction of operation changes.

[0032] When a robot fails to enter the elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, the elevator control method is to re-register the elevator call signal for the robot, taking the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger as the departure floor and the original destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and select one of the remaining elevators (excluding the elevator it just left) as the responding elevator for the robot based on the re-registered elevator call signal.

[0033] When the elevator to which the robot has just left is in the list of floors to be stopped, and the floor to which the robot is to be stopped is the same as the floor to which the robot is to be stopped, the elevator control method removes the robot's floor to be stopped from the list of floors to be stopped of the elevator to which the robot has just left.

[0034] Scenario 2: The robot is the obstructed party, and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructor. When the robot is the obstructed party and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructor, the elevator control method controls the robot not to get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger, and controls the elevator to transport the robot to its destination floor after the wheelchair passenger gets off the elevator, thereby completing the transportation of the robot without affecting the wheelchair passenger's elevator ride.

[0035] When the elevator's list of floors to be stopped contains a floor that is the same as the robot's target floor, and this floor is generated only by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's list of floors to be stopped.

[0036] The elevator control method determines the distance between the current position of the elevator car and the farthest floor to be stopped in the current direction of elevator operation, and decides whether the robot should get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger or get off the elevator at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger (get off the elevator after the wheelchair passenger gets off the elevator) based on the relationship between the distance and a threshold.

[0037] When the distance is less than the threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car, and to disembark when the elevator changes direction and reaches the robot's destination floor again.

[0038] After the elevator arrives at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger and after the wheelchair passenger disembarks until the elevator changes direction, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car; and after the elevator changes direction, the robot's destination floor is added to the elevator's list of floors to be stopped, and the robot is controlled to disembark after the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor.

[0039] When the distance is greater than or equal to the threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to descend the elevator when the elevator stops at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger; updates the robot to the waiting state and keeps it in the robot list; generates a new call signal for the robot with the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger as the departure floor and the original destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and reallocates a responding elevator for the robot according to the new call signal.

[0040] When the elevator's waiting floor list is the same as the robot's target floor, and the only floor that is generated by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's waiting floor list after re-registering the elevator call signal for the robot.

Claims

1. An elevator control method, characterized in that, When the elevator control method detects that there are both a robot and a wheelchair passenger in the elevator car, it determines whether one of the robot or the wheelchair passenger is obstructing the other's exit from the elevator based on the order of entry and the order of arrival. If the determination result is obstruction, the robot is controlled to eliminate the obstruction caused by the robot to the wheelchair passenger's exit from the elevator or to avoid the obstruction caused by the wheelchair passenger to the robot's exit from the elevator. The order of entry refers to the order in which the robot enters the elevator car and the order in which the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car. The order in which the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor and the order in which the elevator arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor.

2. The elevator control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, When the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car first and the robot enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor first and then the robot's destination floor, the elevator control method determines that the robot will obstruct the wheelchair passenger from getting off the elevator. When the robot enters the elevator car first, and the wheelchair passenger enters the elevator car later, and the elevator car arrives at the robot's destination floor first, and then arrives at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor later, the elevator control method determines that the wheelchair passenger will obstruct the robot from getting off the elevator.

3. The elevator control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the robot is the obstructor and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructed party, the elevator control method first controls the robot to leave the elevator car when the elevator car stops at the wheelchair passenger's destination floor, and then controls the robot to re-enter the elevator car after the wheelchair passenger disembarks, thereby eliminating the robot's obstruction of the wheelchair passenger's disembarkation.

4. The elevator control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The elevator control method monitors whether the robot successfully enters the elevator car again, and when the robot fails to enter the elevator car, it determines whether the elevator can be used to carry the robot again in subsequent operations based on the reason why the robot failed to enter the elevator car.

5. The elevator control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, If a robot fails to board an elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, it is determined that the elevator cannot be used by the robot again in subsequent operations.

6. The elevator control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The subsequent operation refers to the range between the elevator car's current position and the farthest human passenger destination floor in the current direction of operation, or the farthest stop floor in the current direction of operation, or the period during which the direction of operation changes.

7. The elevator control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, When a robot fails to enter the elevator car due to reasons other than its own malfunction, the elevator control method is to re-register the elevator call signal for the robot, taking the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger as the departure floor and the original destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and select one of the remaining elevators (excluding the elevator it just left) as the responding elevator for the robot based on the re-registered elevator call signal.

8. The elevator control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, When the elevator to which the robot has just left is in the list of floors to be stopped, and the floor to which the robot is to be stopped is the same as the floor to which the robot is to be stopped, the elevator control method removes the robot's floor to be stopped from the list of floors to be stopped of the elevator to which the robot has just left.

9. The elevator control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, When the robot is the obstructed party and the wheelchair passenger is the obstructor, the elevator control method controls the robot not to get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger, and controls the elevator to transport the robot to its destination floor after the wheelchair passenger gets off the elevator, thereby completing the transportation of the robot without affecting the wheelchair passenger's elevator ride.

10. The elevator control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, When the elevator's list of floors to be stopped contains a floor that is the same as the robot's target floor, and this floor is generated only by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's list of floors to be stopped.

11. The elevator control method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The elevator control method determines the distance between the current position of the elevator car and the farthest floor to be stopped in the current direction of elevator operation, and decides whether the robot should get off the elevator in front of the wheelchair passenger or at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger based on the relationship between the distance and a threshold.

12. The elevator control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the distance is less than the threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car, and to disembark when the elevator changes direction and reaches the robot's destination floor again.

13. The elevator control method according to claim 12, characterized in that, After the elevator arrives at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger and after the wheelchair passenger disembarks until the elevator changes direction, the elevator control method controls the robot to remain in the elevator car; and after the elevator changes direction, the robot's destination floor is added to the elevator's list of floors to be stopped, and the robot is controlled to disembark after the elevator arrives at the robot's destination floor.

14. The elevator control method according to claim 11, characterized in that, When the distance is greater than or equal to the threshold, the elevator control method controls the robot to descend the elevator when the elevator stops at the destination floor of the wheelchair passenger. The robot is then updated to wait-for-ladder status and retained in the robot list; Generate a new elevator call signal for the robot, with the wheelchair passenger's destination floor as the departure floor and the robot's original destination floor as the destination floor, and reallocate a response elevator for the robot based on the new elevator call signal.

15. The elevator control method according to claim 14, characterized in that, When the elevator's waiting floor list is the same as the robot's target floor, and the only floor that is generated by the robot's target floor, the elevator control method removes the robot's target floor from the elevator's waiting floor list after re-registering the elevator call signal for the robot.