Elevator system and elevator control method

Abstract

To enable a security process to be properly performed in a case where many passengers get on an elevator car.SOLUTION: An elevator system is provided with: a user detection device that detects the number of waiting person or persons or waiting group or groups to use an elevator, at a place or landing where a security device is installed; a vocal guidance unit for voice-guiding in an elevator car; and a destination floor registration device that, when the number of waiting person or persons or the waiting group or groups detected by the user detecting device is plural, causes the vocal guidance unit to perform guidance for causing the security device to execute recognition on at least a user other than a user first recognized by the security device or a user other than the group recognized by the device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator system and an elevator control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, elevator cars have operation panels with stop floor registration buttons corresponding to floors where the elevator can stop, and passengers who get into the car press the stop floor registration button for their destination floor. For example, when the destination floor is the 10th floor, the passenger presses the stop floor registration button for the 10th floor from among the many stop floor registration buttons arranged corresponding to floors where the elevator can stop. When the stop floor registration button for the 10th floor is pressed, the display color of the pressed stop floor registration button for the 10th floor lights up, indicating that the 10th floor has been registered as a stop floor. As an advanced version of such conventional floor registration buttons, it has been proposed to place a touch panel with a display function inside the elevator car as an operation panel.

[0003] In addition, in line with recent security measures in buildings and other facilities, some elevators are now able to register a stop floor by pressing a stop floor registration button on a specific floor (a so-called security floor) only if the elevator user has been properly authenticated through personal authentication using an ID card or mobile device, or facial recognition. If the stop floor registration button is configured on a touch panel, it will be possible to take measures such as displaying the stop floor registration button for security floors on the touch panel only if authentication using an ID card or the like is successful.

[0004] Patent Document 1 describes a technology for an elevator destination floor registration device in which a platform control panel displays destination floor candidates based on user information read from the user's ID card. In addition, the technology described in Patent Document 1 is designed to automatically register the destination floor on the platform control panel when there is only one destination floor candidate based on the user information. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2018 / 037534 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] As described in Patent Document 1, if the destination floor could be registered on the control panel at the boarding area, users would not need to register the destination floor while inside the car, which would improve user convenience.

[0007] Incidentally, office buildings and the like sometimes have elevators (VIP-only units) reserved for VIPs (Very Important Persons) for use by important people and guests. VIP-only elevators can only be used by VIPs who are qualified to use the VIP-only elevator or by guides who have completed user authentication using their ID cards.

[0008] This VIP-only elevator is normally operated so that only one VIP and their companion can ride in the car, traveling directly between the entrance floor or parking floor and specific floors where executive offices and reception rooms are located. However, when the platform for a VIP-only car is shared with other cars at an entrance hall or the like, general passengers other than VIPs may board the car together. In this case, if the VIP-only car in question has been authenticated by a security device at the platform or the like, not only the VIP and his / her companion, but also general passengers who are in the same car will be able to board until they arrive at a specific floor, which will result in security measures not matching up with actual operation and an undesirable situation occurring.

[0009] Although the problem has been described here in the case of VIP-only elevators, similar problems can occur in elevators other than VIP-only elevators when security floors are provided. That is, when a specific elevator car is automatically registered as a specific destination floor (security floor) in the authentication process at the landing, if another user gets on that car, the other user will arrive at the security floor, resulting in a situation in which the security measures do not match the actual operation. Also, in crowded situations with many users in the elevator hall, such as during rush hour in an office building, even if authentication process is performed at the landing, many users will get on the car when it arrives, and the security measures will not function properly.

[0010] In view of these points, an object of the present invention is to provide an elevator system and an elevator control method that can appropriately perform security processing when a large number of passengers are in the elevator car. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes multiple means for solving the above-mentioned problems, and one example is an elevator system including a security device that authenticates elevator users and transmits to an elevator control device information of a security-free floor registered for the user determined by the authentication, an elevator control device that registers a destination floor for a car or permits destination floor registration based on the security-free floor information transmitted from the security device, and a destination floor registration device that registers a destination floor based on the destination floor registration or destination floor registration permission information from the elevator control device. Furthermore, the elevator system is equipped with a user detection device that detects the number of people or waiting groups waiting to use the elevator at the location or landing where the security device is installed, and a voice guidance unit that provides voice guidance in the elevator car, and when the number of people or waiting groups detected by the user detection device is multiple people or groups, the destination floor registration device is configured so that the voice guidance unit provides guidance to at least users other than the user or group initially authenticated by the security device to perform authentication by the security device. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to appropriately perform security processing when a user other than the initially authenticated user or group gets into one of the elevator cars. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a destination floor registration device of an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a security device and a user detection device for an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of an operation panel in a passenger car according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] 1A to 1C are diagrams showing examples of displays and changes of the displays on a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of security linkage processing at a boarding area according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, an elevator system according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as "this embodiment") will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] [Elevator system configuration] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the elevator system of this example. As shown in Fig. 1, the elevator system of this example includes an elevator control device 10, a destination floor registration device 20, a security device 30, and a user detection device 34. The destination floor registration device 20 is installed in the car. The user detection device 34 may be built into the security device 30. Also, the configuration of the elevator control device 10 shown in Fig. 1 only shows the configuration related to setting the destination floor and registered floors, and other configurations such as car travel control are omitted.

[0016] In addition, in the elevator system of this example, certain floors are set as security floors, and only authorized users and those accompanying them are allowed to get on and off at those security floors. In this example, all floors (multiple floors) other than the shared floors are designated as security floors, and users who are permitted to get on and off the elevator are set individually for each floor. For example, all floors occupied by tenants, other than the entrance floor, lobby floor, parking floor, etc., which are set as common floors, are security floors. On each security floor, employees of the tenants on that floor are registered as elevator users who are allowed to get on and off the elevator on that floor.

[0017] Here, if a tenant resides on only one floor, the employees of that tenant are registered as elevator users who are permitted to get on and off only on the security floor and the common floors on which that tenant resides. On the other hand, some tenants reside on multiple floors in a single building, and the employees of such tenants are registered as elevator users who are permitted to get on and off on those multiple security floors and the common floors. In addition, users with special privileges, such as building managers, are registered as elevator users who are authorized to get on and off all security floors. Elevator users who are not registered to enter or exit the elevator on security floors can only enter or exit the elevator on shared floors.

[0018] In this example, at least one of the multiple elevators (cars) prepared can be operated as a VIP elevator. The VIP elevator is for use by important people and guests. Users of the VIP elevator are also authenticated by the security device 30, and if they are authorized by the authentication, they can call the car at the landing and register the destination floor.

[0019] The elevator control device 10 performs elevator control processing to control the running (ascending and descending) of the car using the hoist, based on the operation of the car call button at the landing of each floor and the operation of registering the destination floor inside the car. However, in this example, the car call and the registration of the destination floor may be performed automatically by authentication by the security device 30.

[0020] The destination floor registration device 20 is disposed in the car, controls the display on an operation panel 40 installed in the car, and performs destination floor registration processing. The destination floor registration device 20 also detects operation inputs on the operation panel 40 and sends instructions to the elevator control device 10. In addition to the operation panel 40, a sub-operation panel on which destination floor buttons and the like are arranged or an operation panel for wheelchairs may be provided in the car.

[0021] The operation panel 40 includes a display panel 41 (see FIG. 4) whose display is controlled by the destination floor registration device 20. In addition, the destination floor registration device 20 detects an input by a finger or the like touching the display panel 41 and sends an instruction to the elevator control device 10. The input operation is detected by the input detection sensor 42. The input detection sensor 42 detects that a finger or the like has touched the surface of the display panel 41, but a non-contact operation that detects the approach of a finger or the like to the surface of the display panel 41 may also be performed.

[0022] In this example, the destination floor is the destination floor where a user who has boarded the elevator car gets off, and the registered floor is the floor registered in the elevator control device 10 as the destination floor. In other words, the user inputs the destination floor on the operation panel in the car and performs an operation to set the destination floor, and the destination floor is registered as a registered floor in the elevator control device 10. Then, the display panel 41 displays the registered floor, and the car stops at the registered floor. However, the car may stop at a floor other than the registered floor due to a car call at the landing, and the registered floor may also be automatically set by authentication in the security device 30.

[0023] Regarding the configuration of the destination floor registration device 20, the destination floor registration device 20 includes an input processing unit 21, an input judgment unit 22, an input information transmission unit 23, a destination floor operation display processing unit 24, a destination floor display area update unit 25, a registered floor display processing unit 26, a registered floor display area update unit 27, a voice guidance processing unit 28, and a voice guidance update unit 29.

[0024] The input processing unit 21 processes the information of a touch detection on the display panel 41 by the input detection sensor 42 . The input determination unit 22 acquires information on the detection state input-processed by the input processing unit 21, and performs an input determination process for determining whether or not a finger or the like has touched a display portion of the display panel 41 (such as a display portion of an operation button). The input information transmitting unit 23 performs an input information transmitting process for transmitting information regarding the input operation determined by the input determining unit 22 to the elevator control device 10.

[0025] The destination floor operation display processing unit 24 receives information on the destination floors set by the elevator control device 10, and performs a destination floor display process to display the destination floors in floor order. The destination floor display area update unit 25 updates the display of the destination floor display area 41a on the display panel 41 based on the processing in the destination floor operation display processing unit 24. Here, the destination floor display area 41a can be updated by instructions from the elevator control device 10, which makes it easier to arrange and design for each building. For example, the number of floors and floor names differ from building to building, but this can be accommodated by simply changing the settings of the elevator control device 10.

[0026] The registered floor display processing unit 26 receives information on registered floors set in the elevator control device 10, and performs registered floor display processing to display the registered floors in floor order. The registered floor display area update unit 27 updates the display of the registered floor display area 41b of the display panel 41 based on the processing in the registered floor display processing unit 26. Here, the display process on the display panel 41 has been described, but the registered floor can also be notified by lighting up buttons 47, 49 provided on the sub-operation panel 46 and the wheelchair operation panel 48, which will be described later. Alternatively, the registered floor, etc. may be notified by displaying on another liquid crystal device in the car, such as on the door.

[0027] The voice guidance processing unit 28 receives the voice guidance transmitted from the voice guidance transmission unit 17 of the elevator control device 10. When the voice guidance processing unit 28 receives the voice guidance, the voice guidance update unit 29 updates the voice guidance output from the voice guidance unit 44 in the car.

[0028] The elevator control device 10 includes a landing release floor processing unit 11, a destination floor release floor processing unit 12, a landing call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 13, a destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 14, a display information transmission unit 15, a destination floor registration / cancellation processing unit 16, and a voice guidance transmission unit 17. The landing release floor processing unit 11 receives a security deactivation signal indicating security deactivation for a specific floor (security floor) from the landing release floor transmission unit 31 of the security device 30. This security deactivation signal includes security deactivation for registering a destination floor and security deactivation for a landing call.

[0029] When the hall call deactivation floor processing unit 11 receives the security deactivation signal, it supplies information on the security deactivation floor indicated in the security deactivation signal to the destination floor deactivation floor processing unit 12 and the hall call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 13. The destination floor release floor processing unit 12 performs a process of releasing security for a floor designated as a security release floor. Here, in the security release process, if there is a security enable / disable switch on the car operation panel, elevator monitoring panel, remote control device, etc., the switch is given priority.

[0030] The automatic hall call registration / registration permission processing unit 13 automatically registers a hall call or permits the registration of a hall call when a hall call is required at a security-free floor. For example, when a hall floor and a security-free floor match, the automatic hall call registration or permits the registration of a hall call is performed. When a hall call is registered for a hall floor by the automatic hall call registration / registration permission processing unit 13, the destination floor cancellation floor processing unit 12 performs a process to cancel security for the corresponding floor. Information on floors (destination floors and call registration floors) for which security has been released by the destination floor release floor processing unit 12 is supplied to a destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 14.

[0031] The destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 14 performs automatic registration or registration permission processing of the destination floor and the call registration floor based on the information of the floor for which security has been released. When automatic registration or registration permission of a destination floor and call registration floor is performed by processing in the destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 14, information on the automatic registration or registration permission of the destination floor and call registration floor is supplied to the destination floor operation display processing unit 24 and the registered floor display processing unit 26 of the destination floor registration device 20 via the display information transmission unit 15.

[0032] The display information transmission unit 15 instructs the buttons 101, 104, 111, 121 (FIG. 5) provided in the destination floor display area 41a to display the elevator service status and the display content according to the received information of the security-free floor. For example, when the elevator serves a landing floor where a security-free floor has already been received or is being received, the display information transmission unit 15 transmits the security-free floor as the display content of each button at the time when the elevator serves the landing floor. If the time when the elevator serves the landing floor is the time when the landing call floor and the elevator car position match and the door starts to open, the floor registered on the car operation panel is displayed when the user gets into the car. Therefore, the display information transmission unit 15 can provide users with a smooth usage scene. Furthermore, by switching the display when the camera installed inside the car detects that a user has boarded from the landing, it is possible to prevent unnecessary registrations when the user does not board.

[0033] The destination floor registration / cancellation processing unit 16 receives information from the input information transmission unit 23 of the destination floor registration device 20, and determines whether or not a destination floor is registered or cancelled in the car. The information on the floor that is registered or cancelled based on the determined operation result is reflected in the information transmitted by the display information transmission unit 15.

[0034] The voice guidance transmitting unit 17 generates voice information for providing voice guidance based on the automatic registration or registration permission of the destination floor and the call registration floor in the destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit 14.

[0035] [Example of hardware configuration for destination floor registration device] FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration in the case where the destination floor registration device 20 is configured as a computer. The destination floor registration device 20, which is configured as a computer device, includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 20a, a main memory unit 20b, a non-volatile storage 20c, a network interface 20d, an input unit 20e, and an output unit 20f, which are all connected to a bus.

[0036] The CPU 20a is an arithmetic processing unit that reads out program code of software that realizes the functions performed by the destination floor registration device 20 from the main storage unit 20b or the non-volatile storage 20c and executes it. The CPU 20a reads out program codes from the main storage unit 20b or the non-volatile storage 20c and executes arithmetic processing in the work area of ​​the main storage unit 20b, thereby configuring various processing function units in the main storage unit 20b. That is, the main storage unit 20b is configured with various processing units such as the destination floor operation display processing unit 24 and the registered floor display processing unit 26 shown in FIG. 1.

[0037] The non-volatile storage 20c may be, for example, a large-capacity information storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a memory card, etc. The non-volatile storage 20c stores software that realizes the functions of the destination floor registration device 20, data obtained by executing the program, and data required for display screen settings.

[0038] The network interface 20d is, for example, a network interface card (NIC), and transmits and receives data to and from other devices such as the elevator control device 10. The input unit 20e performs input processing of the detection information of the input detection sensor 42, the voice information from the voice guidance transmission unit 17, and the like. The output unit 20f supplies display data to the destination floor display area 41a and the registered floor display area 41b of the display panel 41. In addition, the output unit 20f outputs voice information to the voice guidance unit .

[0039] Note that the destination floor registration device 20 configured with the computer shown in Fig. 2 is just an example, and may be configured with other arithmetic processing devices other than a computer. For example, some or all of the functions performed by the destination floor registration device 20 may be realized by hardware such as a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In addition, the elevator control device 10 is also configured by a computer having a hardware configuration similar to that of the destination floor registration device 20, or by other arithmetic processing device.

[0040] [Examples of security devices] The upper part of FIG. 3 shows an example of the configuration of the security device 30 installed at the landing 60 on each floor. That is, a security device 30 connected to a card reader 32 or a camera 33 is installed at a landing 60 on each floor of the elevator, and the security device 30 performs security processing for the elevator. Fig. 3 shows a car 50 stopped at the landing 60. An operation panel 40 and a card reader 43 are installed inside the car 50. Note that it is optional whether or not to install a card reader 43 inside the car 50, and a configuration in which the card reader 43 is not installed is also possible.

[0041] In this example, as shown in the lower part of FIG. 3, an automatic door 61 is installed at a landing 60 of each floor, and a camera 33 is installed, for example, at a location 70 immediately before passing through the automatic door 61, to capture and authenticate users P1, P2, P3, ... heading to the landing 60. Authentication from an image of the camera 33 is one example, and authentication may be performed by a card reader 32. In addition, a user detection process is performed in which a user detection device 34 (FIG. 1) detects the number of elevator users and the number of groups from an image captured by the camera 33. The number of groups is detected by detecting, for example, users who pass in front of the camera 33 as one group. Information on the number of users and the number of groups detected by the user detection device 34 is sent to the landing release floor processing unit 11 of the elevator control device 10. Processing based on the number of users and the number of groups detected by the user detection device 34 will be described later in the flowchart of FIG. 5. In the example at the bottom of Figure 3, a camera 33a is also installed at the boarding area 60 just before boarding each car 50a, 50b, and a user detection device 34 photographs users P1, P2, P3, ... who are planning to board each car 50a, 50b, and detects the number of users and groups planning to board each car 50a, 50b.

[0042] A card reader 32 installed at the landing 60 reads an identification number from an ID card carried by an elevator user, and supplies the read identification number to the security device 30. The identification number read from this ID card is an identification number registered for each elevator user, and information on security-free floors available for each identification number is registered in a database (not shown). There are cases where only one floor is registered as a security-free floor for an elevator user, and cases where multiple floors are registered. In addition, if the user with the corresponding identification number is authorized to use the VIP elevator, information to that effect is provided to the elevator control device 10.

[0043] The camera 33 photographs the face of a user at the landing 60 on each floor, and performs face authentication processing on the photographed image to identify the user. Then, the security device 30 supplies the registered identification number of the user whose face has been authenticated to the security device 30 in the same manner as when the identification number is read from the card reader 32. The security device 30 reads out the information on the security-free floor registered with the supplied identification number from the database, and transmits the read information on the security-free floor from the landing-free floor transmission unit 31 (see FIG. 1) to the elevator control device 10.

[0044] [Example of display panel layout inside a car] FIG. 4 shows an example in which the operation panel 40, the sub operation panel 46, and the wheelchair operation panel 48 are installed in a car 50 of the elevator system of this embodiment. The operation panel 40 is disposed on a door side panel 53 on the right side of a door 51 of a car 50. The operation panel 40 includes a display panel 41. An input detection sensor 42 (see FIG. 1) constituted by a touch sensor or the like is incorporated in the display panel 41.

[0045] In addition, a card reader 43 is disposed below the display panel 41 of the operation panel 40. This card reader 43 is used to read a card held by a user and register a floor with security settings as a destination floor. However, if authentication has been completed before boarding the elevator car 50 by the card reader 32 or camera 33 on the platform 60 side shown in Fig. 3, it is not necessary to read the card by the card reader 43 in the elevator car 50.

[0046] The display panel 41 is composed of a liquid crystal display panel or an organic electro-luminescence (EL) panel, and is arranged vertically with a size that fits within the width of the door side panel 53. The display panel 41 is capable of displaying letters, numbers, and various figures, as will be explained in the display examples described below. The content displayed on the display panel 41 can be changed at any time remotely using a mobile terminal or PC, etc., so that it can be easily adapted to changes in tenants. Note that using a touch sensor as the input detection sensor 42 is just one example, and a non-contact sensor that detects the approach of a finger or the like to the surface of the display panel 41 may also be used.

[0047] 4 shows an example in which a display panel 41 is installed as the operation panel 40, but for example, buttons for instructing to open or close the doors, an emergency call button, and the like may be placed near the display panel 41. Alternatively, the buttons for instructing to open or close the doors, and the emergency call button may be displayed on the display panel 41.

[0048] Further, on the upper portion of the operation panel 40, there is disposed a voice guidance section 44 which outputs operation sounds, guidance voices, and the like. Although not shown in FIG. 4, a camera is installed inside the car 50, so that the elevator control device 10 can determine the state of passengers inside the car 50, etc.

[0049] [Display panel display format] Next, the display mode of the display panel 41 will be described with reference to FIG. As already described with reference to FIG. 1, the display panel 41 has a destination floor display area 41a and a registered floor display area 41b. As shown in displays M11, M12, M13, and M14 in Fig. 5, the destination floor display area 41a is arranged in the right area of ​​the display panel 41, and the registered floor display area 41b is arranged in the left area of ​​the display panel 41. The registered floor display area 41b is formed in a relatively narrow area, and the numerical values ​​of the registered floors can be displayed in one vertical column (or two columns). The remaining area other than the registered floor display area 41b is all the destination floor display area 41a. The sizes of the destination floor display area 41a and the registered floor display area 41b may be variable.

[0050] In this example, the display modes for inputting the destination floor include a shared floor selection mode, a release floor selection mode, and a numeric keypad input mode. The process of selecting the three display modes will be described later. Here, the shared floor selection mode and the release floor selection mode have the same screen configuration, and the processing load on the destination floor registration device can be reduced by changing the contents of the display buttons according to instructions from the elevator control device 10. This makes it possible to inexpensively change between the shared floor selection mode and the release floor selection mode even in conventional systems.

[0051] Display M11 shown in the upper left of Fig. 5 is a display example in the shared floor selection mode. In this shared floor selection mode, a button of a destination floor candidate showing a shared floor in the destination floor display area 41a is directly displayed, and the destination floor can be set directly by operating the button. Note that the shared floor here is a floor for which security release is not required.

[0052] The display M11 of the shared floor selection mode is displayed when the user is not authenticated by the hall security device 30. The display M11 is also displayed when the security release floor registered for the elevator user authenticated by the hall security device 30 is "floor 0." A security-free floor of "0" means that the only security-free floor registered for the elevator user is the security-free floor where the current user is boarding, and there are no other security-free floors. Also, in security specifications where shared floors are also transmitted as security-free floors, floors excluding shared floors are counted as security floors.

[0053] In the destination floor display area 41a of the display M11 in the shared floor selection mode, a destination floor button 101 indicating a shared floor of the building, a screen switching button 102, and an input guide 103 are displayed. 5, only buttons for common floors (main floors) other than security floors are displayed as destination floor buttons 101. That is, the first floor (entrance floor), the second floor (lobby floor), the first basement floor (fourth parking lot), the second basement floor (third parking lot), the third basement floor (second parking lot), and the fourth basement floor (first parking lot) are displayed.

[0054] When a user touches any of these destination floor buttons 101, the floor displayed on the operated button is directly confirmed as the registered floor without performing a confirmation operation or the like. When a touch operation is performed on the destination floor button 101, the button of the destination floor where the touch operation is detected is displayed in a brighter state while the button is being touched, indicating that the touch operation is being accepted. Then, when the touch operation is confirmed as a registered floor, the registered floor is displayed in the registered floor display area 41b. Here, the registered floor may be displayed on this operation panel, but may also be displayed on a separate display device due to the display area.

[0055] The screen switching button 102 displays "To all floors" in both Japanese and English, and by operating this screen switching button 102, the display switches to a floor input mode display M14 (bottom right of Figure 5) which displays buttons such as a numeric keypad. The input guide 103 displays a message in Japanese urging the user to operate the device, saying, "Please enter the destination floor," and also displays a similar message in English, saying, "Please select a destination floor." The same message is displayed in the input guide 103 in all modes.

[0056] In the registered floor display area 41b, as shown in the display M12 in the upper right of Fig. 5, the registered floor that is registered as the destination floor is displayed. In the display M12, only one registered floor "35" is displayed, but if there are multiple registered floors, the registered floors are displayed vertically in a row in the registered floor display area 41b. In the examples of the displays M11, M13, and M14 other than the display M12 in Fig. 5, the fact that nothing is displayed in the registered floor display area 41b indicates that there are no registered floors, that is, there are no floors registered as destination floors.

[0057] When multiple registered floors are displayed in the registered floor display area 41b, the registered floors with the lowest numerical value are displayed in ascending order from the bottom based on the layout of the floors in the actual building. Since the display of the registered floors is based on the layout of the floors in the actual building, the numerical value of the basement floors increases the further down the floor goes. If there are many registered floors that cannot be displayed at once in the registered floor display area 41b, this can be handled by switching between multiple screens or scrolling the displayed registered floors.

[0058] When the number of registered floors decreases as a result of the elevator car stopping at each floor, the remaining registered floors are displayed in the registered floor display area 41b, filling up from the bottom. However, displaying the registered floors in a packed manner from the bottom is merely an example, and the registered floors may be displayed together in the approximate center, or may be displayed in a packed manner from the top. The display in the registered floor display area 41b is performed in the same format in any of the shared floor selection mode, the release floor selection mode, and the numeric keypad input mode.

[0059] Display M12 in the upper right corner of FIG. 5 and display M13 in the center right of FIG. 5 are display examples in the release floor selection mode. A display M12 in the upper right corner of FIG. 5 is an example displayed when the elevator user detected by the security device 30 at the hall 60 has registered one security-free floor. Display M12 of the deactivation floor selection mode when there is only one security deactivation floor shows an example in which the only security deactivation floor for the elevator user in question is the "35th floor," and this one security deactivation floor, the "35th floor," is automatically registered as a registered floor.

[0060] Therefore, the destination floor button 111 for "35th floor" is displayed in the destination floor display area 41a, and the destination floor button 111 for "35th floor" is displayed in a lit state (high brightness display state) corresponding to having already been selected (touched). However, the high brightness display state corresponding to having already been selected may be returned to a normal unlit state after a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of this display. In addition, since the floor is automatically registered as a registered floor, a registered floor display showing the registered floor "35" is performed in the registered floor display area 41b. Here, since the destination floor has already been registered, the action display 103 for the user may display a different content, for example, "Please select the main floor button to go to the shared floor", instead of "Please select the destination floor".

[0061] In addition, in the display M12 of the release floor selection mode, screen switching buttons 102 and 104 are displayed below the destination floor display area 41a. The screen switching button 102 displays "To all floors" in both Japanese and English, and inputting information on this screen switching button 102 switches to a floor input mode display M14 that displays buttons such as a numeric keypad. The screen switching button 104 displays the main floor (shared floor) button, and displays "To main floors" in both Japanese and English. Pressing this button switches to the shared floor selection mode display M11, which displays the main floor buttons. Here, the screen switching button 104 is different from the screen switching button 102 which is processed locally by the destination floor registration device 20, and is a button generated based on information transmitted from the elevator control device 10. Therefore, for the purpose of improving the operation response of the user, it is preferable that the screen switching button 104 transmits information from the elevator control device 10 to the destination floor registration device 20 with priority when switching screens.

[0062] Display M13 in the middle right of Fig. 5 is an example displayed when there are multiple security-release floors registered for the elevator user detected by the security device 30 at the hall 60, and is another display format in the security-release floor selection mode. The "multiple" in display M13 is "2" or more and "5" or less. The reason for limiting the number to "5" or less is that the number corresponds to the number of buttons that can be placed in the destination floor display area 41a, and is "5".

[0063] For example, if the frequently used lobby floor 1 is always displayed except when boarding from the lobby floor, the upper limit of the number of items restricted may be set to "4" when boarding from a floor other than the lobby floor. Also, the frequently used floor may be displayed depending on the time of day, for example, the dining floor during lunch time.

[0064] In the display M13 of the deactivation floor selection mode when there are multiple security-deactivation floors, the security-deactivation floors for the corresponding elevator user are "20th floor," "21st floor," "22nd floor," and "23rd floor." The display M13 displays the destination floor buttons 121 for "20th floor," "21st floor," "22nd floor," and "23rd floor." When there are multiple security-deactivation floors like this, automatic registration is not performed, and the destination floor is registered by the user touching any of the four destination floor buttons 121. When a destination floor button 121 is touched, the corresponding button is displayed in a lit-up state, and the registered floor is displayed in the registered floor display area 41b.

[0065] Here, by making the screen switching buttons 102 and 104 a local button selection detection / screen switching process on the operation panel terminal side, it is possible to improve the operation / display response and further improve operability. In other words, by informing the operation panel terminal side that the main floor button is processed in the same way as the screen switching button 102, the operation response can be improved. Also in the case of this display M13, screen switching buttons 102, 104 are displayed below the destination floor display area 41a.

[0066] Display M14 in the lower right of FIG. 5 is an example of a display in the numeric keypad input mode. In the numeric keypad input mode, the destination floor display area 41a is displayed as a numeric keypad, and the user can input the floor number numerically using this numeric keypad input mode. The numeric keypad input mode display M14 is displayed when the number of security-disabled floors registered for the elevator user detected by the security device 30 at the hall 60 exceeds a predetermined number (here, "6"), or when the numeric keypad input mode is switched to by inputting the screen switching button 102 in another mode.

[0067] That is, in the numeric keypad input mode, the destination floor display area 41a displays floor input buttons 131 consisting of ten number buttons 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 9, a "B" button indicating the basement, a cancel button 132, an input floor display area 133, an input guide 103, and a screen switching button 104. The button at the bottom right of the number buttons 131 is a confirmation button for confirming the input of numbers.

[0068] In display M14 of FIG. 5, nothing is displayed in input floor display area 133, but when floor input button 131 is touched, the touched number is displayed. The input floor display area 133 displays the number or "B" input by tapping the floor input button 131. When the "B" button is pressed followed by a number button, a display such as "B1" indicating a basement floor is displayed.

[0069] Even if a two-digit number or a number followed by "B" is entered, for example, if a floor where the elevator does not stop, such as a floor that does not exist in the building, is entered, or if a security floor where security has not been disabled is entered, the operation is invalid and the entered floor is not displayed in the entered floor display area 133.

[0070] The register button 132 is a button for confirming the floor displayed in the input floor display area 133 as a registered floor. By confirming the floor as a registered floor, the display in the input floor display area 133 disappears, and the confirmed registered floor is displayed in the registered floor display area 41b. The cancel button 134 is a button for performing an operation to cancel the floor displayed in the input floor display area 133. This cancel button 134 may be displayed at all times, or may be displayed only when a floor has been input in the input floor display area 133 by operating the floor input button 131. The input guide 103 and screen switching button 104 are the same as those displayed in the other modes.

[0071] The above explanations have basically been about the display in cases other than VIP elevators, but in the case of VIP elevators, destination floors can be registered only when the user assigned to the VIP elevator has been authenticated. In the case of VIP elevators, for example, only the buttons for the registered security floors and some of the general floors (such as the entrance floor and parking floor) are displayed, allowing destination floors to be registered.

[0072] [Processing performed in conjunction with security devices and user detection devices] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a control process that is performed in conjunction with user authentication by the security device 30 installed at the landing 60 and detection by the user detection device 34. First, the user detection device 34 detects the number of groups of elevator users by treating the number of people who increase outside of a specified time at the same hall as the second group (step S11). The specified time here is, for example, about several seconds, and during that specified time, users are treated as being in the same group until the next user is detected.

[0073] Then, it is assumed that the elevator (car) arrives at the landing 60 of the corresponding floor, the car doors start to open, and passengers start to board the car (step S12). Here, the elevator control device 10 judges whether or not the arriving car is a car number assigned as a VIP exclusive elevator (step S13). In step S13, if the elevator is a VIP-only elevator (YES in step S13), the destination floor registration device 20 automatically registers the security-free floor set for the first group authenticated by the security device 30 as the destination floor (step S14).

[0074] Thereafter, the destination floor registration device 20 judges whether or not there is only one group of users in the elevator 50 in which the first group has boarded (step S15). In this case, in addition to the users detected by the user detection device 34 from the images of the cameras 33, 33a installed in the hall 60 as shown in FIG. 3, the judgment may be made using an image of a camera installed in the elevator 50. In step S15, if there is only one group of users aboard the elevator car 50 (YES in step S15), the elevator control device 10 closes the door of the elevator car 50 and starts traveling to the destination floor automatically registered in step S14. Furthermore, in step S15, if the number of users boarding the elevator car 50 is not one group (NO in step S15), the voice guidance processing unit 28 of the destination floor registration device 20 causes the voice guidance unit 44 in the elevator car 50 to provide voice guidance for waving a card (step S19). As the voice guidance for waving a card here, for example, a voice saying "Please hold your card over the card reader for authentication" is output. Furthermore, for example, voice guidance that is not available to general users, such as "This elevator is in exclusive operation", may be simultaneously provided.

[0075] Furthermore, in step S13, if the corresponding elevator is not a VIP-only elevator (NO in step S13), the destination floor registration device 20 calculates the predicted number of people in the car 50 when the elevator arrives from the number of people waiting at the landing 60 detected by the user detection device 34 (step S16). Again, the calculation here may be performed by calculating the number of people who actually boarded the car from an image captured by a camera inside the car.

[0076] Then, the destination floor registration device 20 judges whether the elevator car 50 is predicted to be full from the number of passengers calculated in step S16 (step S17). Here, the elevator car 50 is deemed to be full when the occupancy rate, which indicates the ratio of the number of passengers to the capacity of the elevator car 50, exceeds a predetermined occupancy rate set in advance, such as 80%. The threshold value, such as 80%, can be set for each building, elevator group, and elevator.

[0077] When the occupancy rate exceeds a predetermined level that is predicted to be full in step S17 (YES in step S17), the destination floor registration device 20 causes the display panel 41 inside the elevator to display M11 of the shared floor selection mode shown in Figure 5 as the default screen (step S18). With this default screen displayed, the destination floor registration device 20 proceeds to processing of step S19, and causes the voice guidance unit 44 in the elevator 50 to execute voice guidance for waving the card, outputting a voice such as "Please hold the card over the card reader for authentication." This allows authentication of the user and the operation of registering the security-free floor obtained by the authentication for each user (group) to be performed. Note that when the card in the car is authenticated in step S19, if there is only one security-free floor, the one security-free floor may be automatically registered as the destination floor.

[0078] Furthermore, when the occupancy rate does not exceed a predetermined level predicted to be full in step S17 (YES in step S17), the destination floor registration device 20 automatically registers the destination floors of all groups (all users) assumed to have boarded (when there is only one security-free floor for each group) based on authentication by the security device 30 at the boarding area 60, and displays the security-free floor on the display panel 41 (when there are multiple security-free floors for each group) (step S20).

[0079] As described above, according to the elevator system of this embodiment, the appropriate destination floor is displayed and automatically registered on the display panel in the car based on the security-free floor registered for the user authenticated at the hall 60. Specifically, in the case of a VIP-only elevator, when only one group boards, the destination floor is automatically registered or a list of security-free floors is displayed based on the authentication process at the hall 60, and appropriate dedicated operation can be performed as a VIP-only elevator.

[0080] When two or more groups board a VIP elevator, the second and subsequent groups are likely to be passengers who should not be allowed to board, and by providing voice guidance in the car to wave a card, they are likely to be identified as users who should not be allowed to use the VIP elevator at the time of authentication. Therefore, passengers from the second and subsequent groups end up getting off car 50, allowing the elevator to be operated appropriately as a VIP elevator.

[0081] Also, if the elevator is not a VIP-only elevator, and the occupancy rate is equal to or exceeds a preset threshold, such as full capacity, authentication processing is similarly performed for each group (each individual user). Therefore, automatic registration is not performed, and the security-disabled floors set for each of the multiple passengers can be individually registered as destination floors. In addition, when the train is not full (when the occupancy rate is not above a threshold), the destination floor for each group is automatically registered or the security-free floor is displayed, allowing each group (user) to move appropriately to the security-free floor.

[0082] [Variations] It should be noted that the embodiment examples described so far have been described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easily understandable manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described.

[0083] For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, in the case of a VIP-only elevator, voice guidance is provided to prompt the second group of users to perform new card authentication. In contrast, in the case of a normal elevator other than a VIP-only elevator, when two or more groups are in the elevator, voice guidance may be provided to prompt the second group of users to perform new card authentication in a similar manner. Alternatively, in the case of a normal elevator with multiple groups of users in the elevator, authentication processing such as card authentication may be performed on all groups (users).

[0084] Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, users who arrive at the boarding area consecutively within a certain period of time are treated as the same group, but it is also possible to authenticate all users one by one, and when multiple people are boarding, to perform a process requiring card authentication for all users except the first user, or to require card authentication for all users. Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, guidance inside the car is provided by voice, but guidance by text similar to the voice guidance may be provided by a display panel 41 or a display provided on the door of the car. This guidance by text display may be used in combination with the voice guidance.

[0085] In addition, in the configuration diagrams shown in Figures 1 and 2, only control lines and information lines that are considered necessary for explanation are shown, and not all control lines and information lines in the product are necessarily shown. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are interconnected. Furthermore, the flow of processing shown in the flowchart in FIG. 6 is also one example, and as long as the processing results are the same, the order of some of the processing may be changed or multiple processing may be executed simultaneously.

[0086] Furthermore, when the elevator control device 10 and the destination floor registration device 20 described in this embodiment are configured as an information processing device such as a computer, the programs realizing each processing function may be prepared in non-volatile storage or memory within the computer device, or may be stored and transferred on a recording medium such as an external memory, an IC card, an SD card, or an optical disk. [Explanation of symbols]

[0087] 10... elevator control device, 11... landing release floor processing unit, 12... destination floor release floor processing unit, 13... landing call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit, 14... destination call automatic registration / registration permission processing unit, 15... display information transmission unit, 16... destination floor registration / cancellation processing unit, 17... voice guidance transmission unit, 20... destination floor registration device, 20a... CPU, 20b... main memory unit, 20c... non-volatile storage, 20d... network interface, 20e... input unit, 20f... output unit, 21... input processing unit, 22... input judgment unit, 23... input information transmission unit, 24... destination floor operation display processing unit, 25... destination floor display area update unit, 26... registered floor display processing unit, 27... registered floor display area update unit, 28... voice guidance processing unit , 29...voice guidance update unit, 30...security device, 31...landing release floor transmission unit, 32...card reader, 33,33a...camera, 34...user detection device, 40...operation panel, 41...display panel, 41a...destination floor display area, 41b...registered floor display area, 42...input detection sensor, 43...card reader, 44...voice guidance unit, 50...car, 51...door, 52,53...door side panel, 60...landing, 61...automatic door, 101...destination floor button, 102...screen change button, 103...input guidance, 104...screen change button, 111...destination floor button, 112...registered floor display, 121...destination floor button, 131...floor input button, 132...cancel button, 133...input floor display location

Claims

1. a security device that authenticates an elevator user and transmits information on a security-disabled floor registered for the user identified by the authentication to an elevator control device; an elevator control device that registers a destination floor of an elevator car or permits destination floor registration based on the security-disabled floor information transmitted from the security device; a destination floor registration device that registers a destination floor based on information of destination floor registration or destination floor registration permission from the elevator control device, a user detection device that detects the number of people or groups waiting to use an elevator at a location or landing where the security device is installed; A voice guidance unit for providing voice guidance in the elevator, When the number of waiting people or waiting groups detected by the user detection device is a plurality of people or groups, the destination floor registration device causes the voice guidance unit to guide at least users other than the user or group initially authenticated by the security device to perform authentication by the security device. Elevator system.

2. The authentication of the user by the security device can be performed both at the elevator hall and in the elevator car, The destination floor registration device automatically registers or permits registration of a security floor registered to a user or group initially authenticated by the security device at a landing, as a destination floor, and also guides users or groups other than the initially authenticated user or group to perform authentication by the security device in a car.

2. The elevator system of claim 1.

3. The car is an elevator that only certain users are allowed to use.

3. The elevator system of claim 2.

4. When a passenger occupancy rate in the elevator is expected to be equal to or higher than a predetermined rate, the user detection device performs voice guidance for all passengers or groups to perform authentication by a security device in the elevator.

2. The elevator system of claim 1.

5. Furthermore, when the passenger detection device does not expect a passenger occupancy rate equal to or greater than a predetermined level in the elevator car, the destination floor registration device automatically registers or permits registration of a security floor registered to a user or group authenticated by the security device at a landing as a destination floor.

5. The elevator system of claim 4.

6. A security process for authenticating an elevator user and transmitting information on a security-disabled floor registered to the user identified by the authentication; an elevator control process for registering a destination floor of an elevator car or permitting destination floor registration based on the information on the security-disabled floor transmitted by the security process; a destination floor registration process for registering a destination floor based on information on the destination floor registration or destination floor registration permission by the elevator control process; A user detection process for detecting the number of people or groups waiting to use the elevator; A voice guidance process for providing voice guidance in the elevator, When the number of waiting people or groups detected by the user detection process is a plurality of people or groups, the voice guidance process guides users other than at least the user or group first authenticated by the security process to perform authentication by the security process in the elevator. Elevator control method.

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