Robot-oriented elevator group management system
By receiving and analyzing the robot's elevator call signals, and selecting non-overlapping elevators for allocation, the problem of low robot transportation efficiency when elevator car space is limited is solved, and efficient and orderly robot transportation is achieved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHANGHAI MITSUBISHI ELEVATOR CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-04-02
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
When the elevator car space can only accommodate one robot, existing technology cannot effectively allocate responsive elevators to the robot, resulting in low robot transportation efficiency.
By receiving elevator call signals from robots, obtaining a list of robots and elevator operation information, selecting elevators that do not overlap with existing robot riding sections as responding elevators, and using traditional group control algorithms or monitoring elevator status for secondary allocation when necessary, the system ensures efficient robot transportation.
It enables efficient and orderly transportation of robots in situations where elevator car space is limited, avoiding empty runs and repeated stops, and improving the overall carrying efficiency of group elevators.
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot elevator technology, and in particular to a robot-oriented elevator group management system that rationally allocates responsive elevators to robots. Background Technology
[0002] Because of the limited space in the elevator car, it can usually only accommodate one robot. In other words, if there is already a robot in the elevator car, even if the elevator stops at the floor where the waiting robot is waiting, the waiting robot cannot get into the elevator car.
[0003] Therefore, how to efficiently transport robots by appropriately allocating responding elevators to their call signals, when the elevator car space can only accommodate one robot, has become a pressing technical problem. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention discloses a robot-oriented elevator group management system, comprising: Receiving module: used to receive new elevator call signals from the robot, the new elevator call signal containing at least the robot's waiting floor and destination floor information; Determination Module: Determines the elevator travel interval of the new elevator call signal based on the waiting floor and destination floor information of the new elevator call signal. The elevator travel interval refers to the floor located between the waiting floor and the destination floor of the robot. The first acquisition module is used to acquire a list of robots, their status information, and their elevator travel range. The robot list consists of all robots that have registered elevator call signals but have not yet been delivered to their destination floor by the elevator. The robot status information includes the waiting status of robots that have registered elevator call signals but are waiting for the elevator on the waiting floor because they have not yet entered the elevator car, the riding status of robots that have registered elevator call signals and have entered the elevator car, and the correspondence between robots in the car and the elevators they ride. The second acquisition module is used to acquire the operating information of each elevator. Selection module: Based on the elevator travel range of the new call signal, select the available elevator from each elevator. The available elevator refers to an elevator in which the travel range of all waiting robots already assigned to the elevator and the travel range of the in-car robots already located in the elevator car do not overlap with the travel range of the new call signal. First allocation module: Select one of the available elevators as the responding elevator for a new call signal.
[0005] Preferably, the elevator group management system further includes: Robot list maintenance module: Used to maintain the robot list. When the receiving module receives a call signal from a new robot, it adds the new robot to the robot list. When the robot is transported to the destination floor by the elevator and successfully disembarks, it is deleted from the robot list.
[0006] Preferably, the step of the selection module selecting an optional elevator includes: Step 1: Select one elevator that has not been selected before from all the elevators as the selected elevator; Step 2: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot based on the robot status information and elevator operation information. The specific in-car robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 1, it is currently in the selected elevator car; Condition 2, the current elevator direction is consistent with the new robot's boarding direction; Condition 3, the destination floor is later than the departure floor of the new robot's call signal. The specific waiting robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 4, it has been assigned to the selected elevator; Condition 5, it has not yet boarded the selected elevator car; Condition 6, its boarding direction is consistent with the new robot's call signal. Step 3: Determine the elevator travel area for a specific in-car robot and the elevator travel area for a specific waiting robot; Step 4: Select one robot that has not been selected from the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting elevator robot as the selected robot; Step 5: Determine whether the elevator access range of the new call signal overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected robot. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 6: Determine whether there are still unselected robots among the specific in-car robots and specific waiting elevator robots. If so, return to step 4; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 7: Mark the selected elevator as an available elevator; Step 8: Determine if there are still elevators that have not been selected. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, end the process.
[0007] Preferably, when there is at least one selectable elevator, the first allocation module uses a traditional group control algorithm to select one of the selectable elevators as the responding elevator for the new call signal; when there is no selectable elevator, the second selection module adds the new call signal to the list of call signals to be allocated by the robot.
[0008] Preferably, the elevator group management system further includes: Monitoring module: Used to monitor whether there is an elevator in each elevator that can transport the robot; The second allocation module: When the monitoring module detects that there is an elevator that can transport the robot, it allocates a responding elevator to the robot call signal in the list of robots to be allocated.
[0009] Preferably, the monitoring module performs the monitoring steps including: Step S1: Obtain the list of robot call signals to be assigned; Step S2: Determine whether there is at least one robot call signal in the list of robots to be assigned. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S1. Step S3: Obtain elevator operation information; Step S4: If at least one elevator's in-car robot successfully disembarks while the elevator is stopped at the robot's destination floor, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S3. Step S5: Use elevators where robots disembark as elevators capable of transporting robots.
[0010] Preferably, the second allocation module allocates a responding elevator to the robot's call signal according to the following steps: Step T1: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot of the selected elevator, and use them as the robots to be checked for the selected elevator; Step T2: Select a robot call signal from the list of robot call signals that has not been selected before and whose direction of travel is consistent with the current direction of elevator operation as the selected call signal; Step T3: Select a robot that has not been selected from the robots to be checked as the selected robot; Step T4: Determine whether the elevator access range of the selected robot overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected call signal. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T6. Step T5: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator’s current direction of travel. If so, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T6: Determine if there are still unselected robots to be checked. If so, return to step T3; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T7: Mark the selected elevator call signal as an assignable elevator call signal; Step T8: Calculate the evaluation value of the assignable elevator call signal; Step T9: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator's current direction of travel. If yes, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T10: Determine if there is at least one assignable elevator call signal. If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T11: Assign the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value to the selected elevator; Step T12: Remove the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value from the list of elevator call signals to be assigned; Step T13: Determine if the elevator call signal list for the assigned robot is empty. If it is, end the process; otherwise, return to step T2. Beneficial technical effects This invention enables efficient transportation of robots even when the elevator car space can only accommodate one robot. By appropriately allocating responding elevators to the robot's call signal, it achieves efficient transportation of the robot. Detailed Implementation
[0011] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are described clearly and completely 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 1
[0012] This embodiment provides a robot-oriented elevator group management system, including: Receiving module: used to receive new elevator call signals from the robot, the new elevator call signal containing at least the robot's waiting floor and destination floor information; Determination Module: Determines the elevator travel interval of the new elevator call signal based on the waiting floor and destination floor information of the new elevator call signal. The elevator travel interval refers to the floor located between the waiting floor and the destination floor of the robot. The first acquisition module is used to acquire a list of robots, their status information, and their elevator travel range. The robot list consists of all robots that have registered elevator call signals but have not yet been delivered to their destination floor by the elevator. The robot status information includes the waiting status of robots that have registered elevator call signals but are waiting for the elevator on the waiting floor because they have not yet entered the elevator car, the riding status of robots that have registered elevator call signals and have entered the elevator car, and the correspondence between robots in the car and the elevators they ride. The second acquisition module is used to acquire the operating information of each elevator. Selection module: Based on the elevator travel range of the new call signal, select the available elevator from each elevator. The available elevator refers to an elevator in which the travel range of all waiting robots already assigned to the elevator and the travel range of the in-car robots already located in the elevator car do not overlap with the travel range of the new call signal. First allocation module: Select one of the available elevators as the responding elevator for a new call signal.
[0013] The elevator group management system described in this embodiment can realize efficient, orderly, and conflict-free operation of the entire process of robot elevator use.
[0014] By selecting available elevators, ineffective allocation, empty runs, and repeated stops are avoided, ensuring that the operating path of each elevator is highly matched with the robot's riding needs, thereby improving the overall carrying efficiency of the group of elevators. Example 2
[0015] This embodiment provides further limitations and explanations based on Embodiment 1.
[0016] The elevator group management system also includes: Robot list maintenance module: Used to maintain the robot list. When the receiving module receives a call signal from a new robot, it adds the new robot to the robot list. When the robot is transported to the destination floor by the elevator and successfully disembarks, it is deleted from the robot list. Example 3
[0017] This embodiment provides further limitations and explanations based on Embodiment 1.
[0018] The steps for selecting an optional elevator in the module selection process include: Step 1: Select one elevator that has not been selected before from all the elevators as the selected elevator; Step 2: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot based on the robot status information and elevator operation information. The specific in-car robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 1, it is currently in the selected elevator car; Condition 2, the current elevator direction is consistent with the new robot's boarding direction; Condition 3, the destination floor is later than the departure floor of the new robot's call signal. The specific waiting robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 4, it has been assigned to the selected elevator; Condition 5, it has not yet boarded the selected elevator car; Condition 6, its boarding direction is consistent with the new robot's call signal. Step 3: Determine the elevator travel area for a specific in-car robot and the elevator travel area for a specific waiting robot; Step 4: Select one robot that has not been selected from the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting elevator robot as the selected robot; Step 5: Determine whether the elevator access range of the new call signal overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected robot. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 6: Determine whether there are still unselected robots among the specific in-car robots and specific waiting elevator robots. If so, return to step 4; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 7: Mark the selected elevator as an available elevator; Step 8: Determine if there are still elevators that have not been selected. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, end the process.
[0019] By ensuring that the elevator travel routes do not overlap, the system ensures that the travel paths of the in-car robots, the assigned waiting robots, and the newly calling robots in the same elevator do not intersect, thus avoiding the problem that a new robot cannot ride the elevator because there is already a robot in the car. Example 4
[0020] This embodiment provides further limitations and explanations based on Embodiment 1.
[0021] When there is at least one selectable elevator, the first allocation module uses a traditional group control algorithm to select one of the selectable elevators as the responding elevator for the new call signal; when there is no selectable elevator, the second selection module adds the new call signal to the list of call signals to be allocated by the robot. Example 5
[0022] This embodiment further defines and explains the embodiments based on Embodiment 4.
[0023] The elevator group management system also includes: Monitoring module: Used to monitor whether there is an elevator in each elevator that can transport the robot; The second allocation module: When the monitoring module detects that there is an elevator that can transport the robot, it allocates a responding elevator to the robot call signal in the list of robots to be allocated. Example 6
[0024] This embodiment further defines and explains the embodiments based on Embodiment 4.
[0025] The monitoring module performs the following steps: Step S1: Obtain the list of robot call signals to be assigned; Step S2: Determine whether there is at least one robot call signal in the list of robots to be assigned. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S1. Step S3: Obtain elevator operation information; Step S4: If at least one elevator's in-car robot successfully disembarks while the elevator is stopped at the robot's destination floor, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S3. Step S5: Use elevators where robots disembark as elevators capable of transporting robots.
[0026] This embodiment automatically adds tasks to the assignment list when no elevator is available. The monitoring module tracks the elevator's idle status in real time, and the robot triggers a secondary assignment immediately after exiting the elevator, ensuring that all elevator call tasks are eventually responded to, with no risk of task loss or backlog. Example 7
[0027] This embodiment further defines and explains the embodiments based on Embodiment 4.
[0028] The second allocation module allocates a responding elevator to the robot's call signal according to the following steps: Step T1: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot of the selected elevator, and use them as the robots to be checked for the selected elevator; Step T2: Select a robot call signal from the list of robot call signals that has not been selected before and whose direction of travel is consistent with the current direction of elevator operation as the selected call signal; Step T3: Select a robot that has not been selected from the robots to be checked as the selected robot; Step T4: Determine whether the elevator access range of the selected robot overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected call signal. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T6. Step T5: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator’s current direction of travel. If so, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T6: Determine if there are still unselected robots to be checked. If so, return to step T3; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T7: Mark the selected elevator call signal as an assignable elevator call signal; Step T8: Calculate the evaluation value of the assignable elevator call signal; Step T9: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator's current direction of travel. If yes, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T10: Determine if there is at least one assignable elevator call signal. If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T11: Assign the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value to the selected elevator; Step T12: Remove the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value from the list of elevator call signals to be assigned; Step T13: Determine if the elevator call signal list for the assigned robot is empty. If it is, end the process; otherwise, return to step T2.
Claims
1. A robot-oriented elevator group management system, characterized in that, The elevator group management system includes: Receiving module: used to receive new elevator call signals from the robot, the new elevator call signal containing at least the robot's waiting floor and destination floor information; Determination Module: Determines the elevator travel interval of the new elevator call signal based on the waiting floor and destination floor information of the new elevator call signal. The elevator travel interval refers to the floor located between the waiting floor and the destination floor of the robot. The first acquisition module is used to acquire a list of robots, their status information, and their elevator travel range. The robot list consists of all robots that have registered elevator call signals but have not yet been delivered to their destination floor by the elevator. The robot status information includes the waiting status of robots that have registered elevator call signals but are waiting for the elevator on the waiting floor because they have not yet entered the elevator car, the riding status of robots that have registered elevator call signals and have entered the elevator car, and the correspondence between robots in the car and the elevators they ride. The second acquisition module is used to acquire the operating information of each elevator. Selection module: Based on the elevator travel range of the new call signal, select the available elevator from each elevator. The available elevator refers to an elevator in which the travel range of all waiting robots already assigned to the elevator and the travel range of the in-car robots already located in the elevator car do not overlap with the travel range of the new call signal. First allocation module: Select one of the available elevators as the responding elevator for a new call signal.
2. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The elevator group management system also includes: Robot list maintenance module: Used to maintain the robot list. When the receiving module receives a call signal from a new robot, it adds the new robot to the robot list. When the robot is transported to the destination floor by the elevator and successfully disembarks, it is deleted from the robot list.
3. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The steps for selecting an available elevator by the selection module include: Step 1: Select one elevator that has not been selected before from all the elevators as the selected elevator; Step 2: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot based on the robot status information and elevator operation information. The specific in-car robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 1, it is currently in the selected elevator car; Condition 2, the current elevator direction is consistent with the new robot's boarding direction; Condition 3, the destination floor is later than the departure floor of the new robot's call signal. The specific waiting robot is one that meets the following conditions: Condition 4, it has been assigned to the selected elevator; Condition 5, it has not yet boarded the selected elevator car; Condition 6, its boarding direction is consistent with the new robot's call signal. Step 3: Determine the elevator travel area for a specific in-car robot and the elevator travel area for a specific waiting robot; Step 4: Select one robot that has not been selected from the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting elevator robot as the selected robot; Step 5: Determine whether the elevator access range of the new call signal overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected robot. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 6: Determine whether there are still unselected robots among the specific in-car robots and specific waiting elevator robots. If so, return to step 4; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step 7: Mark the selected elevator as an available elevator; Step 8: Determine if there are still elevators that have not been selected. If so, return to step 1; otherwise, end the process.
4. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 1, characterized in that, When there is at least one selectable elevator, the first allocation module uses a traditional group control algorithm to select one of the selectable elevators as the responding elevator for the new call signal; when there is no selectable elevator, the second selection module adds the new call signal to the list of call signals to be allocated by the robot.
5. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The elevator group management system also includes: Monitoring module: Used to monitor whether there is an elevator in each elevator that can transport the robot; The second allocation module: When the monitoring module detects that there is an elevator that can transport the robot, it allocates a responding elevator to the robot call signal in the list of robots to be allocated.
6. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The monitoring module performs the following steps: Step S1: Obtain the list of robot call signals to be assigned; Step S2: Determine whether there is at least one robot call signal in the list of robots to be assigned. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S1. Step S3: Obtain elevator operation information; Step S4: If at least one elevator's in-car robot successfully disembarks while the elevator is stopped at the robot's destination floor, proceed to the next step; otherwise, return to step S3. Step S5: Use elevators where robots disembark as elevators capable of transporting robots.
7. The robot-oriented elevator group management system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The second allocation module allocates a responding elevator to the robot's call signal according to the following steps: Step T1: Determine the specific in-car robot and the specific waiting robot of the selected elevator, and use them as the robots to be checked for the selected elevator; Step T2: Select a robot call signal from the list of robot call signals that has not been selected before and whose direction of travel is consistent with the current direction of elevator operation as the selected call signal; Step T3: Select a robot that has not been selected from the robots to be checked as the selected robot; Step T4: Determine whether the elevator access range of the selected robot overlaps with the elevator access range of the selected call signal. If so, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T6. Step T5: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator’s current direction of travel. If so, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T6: Determine if there are still unselected robots to be checked. If so, return to step T3; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T7: Mark the selected elevator call signal as an assignable elevator call signal; Step T8: Calculate the evaluation value of the assignable elevator call signal; Step T9: Determine if there are still unselected robot call signals that are in the same direction as the elevator's current direction of travel. If yes, return to step T2; otherwise, proceed to the next step. Step T10: Determine if there is at least one assignable elevator call signal. If yes, proceed to the next step; otherwise, proceed to step T13. Step T11: Assign the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value to the selected elevator; Step T12: Remove the assignable elevator call signal corresponding to the best evaluation value from the list of elevator call signals to be assigned; Step T13: Determine if the elevator call signal list for the assigned robot is empty. If it is, end the process; otherwise, return to step T2.