Elevator system

Abstract

To provide an elevator system capable of preventing confinement of a service robot in an elevator car during a fire control operation.SOLUTION: An elevator system is a system in which a mobile body moving in a building having an elevator installed therein and an elevator control device for controlling an operation of the elevator are connected to be able to communicate with each other. The elevator control device includes: a boarding determination unit that determines whether or not the mobile body is in the elevator on the basis of a boarding signal transmitted from the mobile body and indicating boarding of the mobile body in the elevator and an alighting signal indicating alighting of the mobile body from the elevator; and a control unit that transmits, to the mobile body, a change command for changing a destination floor of the mobile body to a refuge floor when occurrence of a fire is detected and the boarding determination unit determines that the mobile body is in the elevator.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an elevator system.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, it has been considered to provide various services such as a service of transporting (carrying) luggage in a building and a service of guarding the building by moving (traveling) a moving body such as an autonomous mobile robot (hereinafter referred to as a service robot) inside the building.

[0003] When the building in which the service robot moves is, for example, a multi-story building, the service robot can move between a plurality of floors in the building by using an elevator provided in the building.

[0004] By the way, an elevator is equipped with a fire control operation function (fire control operation mode) that stops at an evacuation floor when a fire breaks out in the building and allows passengers to get off at the evacuation floor. According to this function, when a fire breaks out in the building, the risk of users being trapped in the elevator car can be reduced.

[0005] However, in the case of a service robot, even if the elevator arrives at the evacuation floor due to the fire control operation function, unless the evacuation floor is the destination floor of the service robot, it cannot be recognized as the floor to get off at the evacuation floor. For this reason, there is a possibility that the service robot may be trapped in the elevator car.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an elevator system capable of preventing a service robot from being trapped inside an elevator car during a fire control operation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] An elevator system according to an embodiment is a system in which a moving body that moves inside a building where an elevator is installed and an elevator control device that controls the operation of the elevator are communicably connected. The elevator control device includes a fire detection unit that detects the occurrence of a fire, a boarding signal that is a signal transmitted by the moving body and indicates that the moving body has boarded the elevator, and a getting-off signal that indicates that the moving body has gotten off the elevator. Based on these signals, a boarding / alighting determination unit that determines whether the moving body is inside the elevator, and when a fire is detected by the fire detection unit, the elevator is switched from normal operation to a fire control operation in which the elevator is moved to an evacuation floor and the doors of the elevator are controlled to open. Further, when the boarding / alighting determination unit determines that the moving body is inside the elevator, a control unit that transmits a change command to the moving body to change the destination floor of the moving body to the evacuation floor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the disclosure is merely an example, and the invention is not limited by the content described in the following embodiments. Modifications that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art are naturally included in the scope of the disclosure. For the sake of clearer explanation, in the drawings, the sizes, shapes, etc. of each part may be changed with respect to the actual embodiment and represented schematically. In a plurality of drawings, the same reference numerals may be assigned to corresponding elements, and detailed descriptions may be omitted.

[0011] In the embodiment, it is assumed that a moving body moves inside a building in order to provide various services. This moving body includes, for example, an autonomous mobile robot (hereinafter referred to as a service robot) that provides services such as carrying (transporting) luggage inside the building and guarding the building.

[0012] Here, when the building in which the service robot moves is a building or the like having a plurality of floors, the service robot can move between a plurality of floors by using, for example, an elevator installed in the building. Note that, as the building in which the service robot moves, in addition to the above-described building, hospitals, railway stations, etc. having a plurality of floors are assumed.

[0013] Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, an overview of an elevator system according to an embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the elevator system includes a car 10 (elevator), a fire alarm 20, an elevator control device 30, and a service robot 40. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state where the service robot 40 is boarding the car 10 (a state where the service robot 40 is inside the car 10).

[0014] The fire detector 20 is installed at various locations within the building where the car 10 is installed. When the fire detector 20 senses the occurrence of a fire, it transmits a detection signal indicating the occurrence of the fire to the elevator control device 30.

[0015] The elevator control device 30 is communicably connected to the service robot 40 via a network (public communication network) such as the Internet. The elevator control device 30 controls a hoist (not shown) for moving the car 10 up and down, controls the opening and closing of the doors, controls various devices (e.g., lighting, etc.) within the car 10, and controls operations in cooperation with the service robot 40.

[0016] As one of the operations in cooperation with the service robot 40, the elevator control device 30 receives a movement request transmitted by the service robot 40 and performs control to make the car 10 respond to the movement request. The movement request is a request for the service robot 40 to move from the floor corresponding to the departure floor to the floor corresponding to the destination floor (the floor to which it wants to go), and includes information indicating the departure floor and the destination floor. The elevator control device 30 performs control to move the car 10 from the departure floor indicated by the received movement request to the destination floor.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the elevator control device 30 includes a fire detection unit 31, an elevator control unit 32, a robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33, and a robot cooperation unit 34 (communication unit).

[0018] The fire detection unit 31 detects that a fire has occurred within the building based on the detection signal transmitted by the fire detector 20, and outputs a fire detection signal indicating the detection of the fire to the elevator control unit 32.

[0019] The elevator control unit 32 controls the operations of the fire detection unit 31, the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33, and the robot cooperation unit 34, and controls the operation of the car 10 based on various signals from the fire detection unit 31, the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33, and the robot cooperation unit 34.

[0020] The elevator control unit 32 controls the operation of the car 10 based on the fire detection signal output by the fire detection unit 31. Specifically, the elevator control unit 32 switches the operation mode of the car 10 from the normal operation mode to the fire control operation mode, moves the car 10 to the evacuation floor, and performs controls such as opening the door and waiting there. Note that the evacuation floor is a floor predetermined as the most suitable floor for evacuation. For example, the lobby floor or the like corresponds to this. According to this, when a fire occurs in the building, the car 10 can be stopped at the evacuation floor, and the users riding in the car 10 can be made to get off at the evacuation floor, so that the risk of being trapped or the like can be reduced.

[0021] In addition, when the service robot 40 is inside the car 10 during the fire control operation mode (during the fire control operation), the elevator control unit 32 transmits a destination floor change command for changing the destination floor of the service robot 40 to the evacuation floor to the service robot 40 via the robot linkage unit 34.

[0022] Furthermore, when the car 10 lands on the destination floor of the service robot 40, the elevator control unit 32 transmits a destination floor arrival notification (in other words, a notification prompting getting off from the car 10) indicating that the car 10 has arrived at the destination floor to the service robot 40 via the robot linkage unit 34. Although detailed description is omitted in this specification, when the car 10 lands on the departure floor of the service robot 40, the elevator control unit 32 transmits a departure floor arrival notification (that is, a notification prompting boarding the car 10) indicating that the car 10 has arrived at the departure floor to the service robot 40 via the robot linkage unit 34.

[0023] The robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33 detects the boarding and alighting of the service robot 40 in the car 10 based on a signal transmitted from the service robot 40, namely a boarding signal indicating that the service robot 40 has boarded the car 10 and an alighting signal indicating that the service robot 40 has alighted from the car 10, and determines whether the service robot 40 is inside the car 10.

[0024] For example, when the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33 receives a boarding signal transmitted by the service robot 40, it detects that the service robot 40 has boarded the car 10. Further, when the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33 receives an alighting signal transmitted by the service robot 40, it detects that the service robot 40 has alighted from the car 10.

[0025] When the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33 receives the above-described boarding signal but does not receive the above-described alighting signal, it determines that the service robot 40 is inside the car 10 (in other words, detects that the service robot 40 is inside the car 10). The result of the determination (detection) by the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33 is sent to the elevator control unit 32.

[0026] The robot interlocking unit 34 is a communication interface for communicating with the service robot 40. The robot interlocking unit 34 receives a boarding signal transmitted by the service robot 40 and outputs the boarding signal to the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33. Similarly, the robot interlocking unit 34 receives an alighting signal transmitted by the service robot 40 and outputs the alighting signal to the robot boarding / alighting determination unit 33. Further, the robot interlocking unit 34 transmits a destination floor change command output from the elevator control unit 32 to the service robot 40.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 1, the service robot 40 includes an elevator interlocking unit 41 (communication unit), a destination floor setting unit 42, a robot control unit 43, and a robot boarding / alighting transmitter 44.

[0028] The elevator interlocking unit 41 is a communication interface for communicating with the elevator control device 30. The elevator interlock unit 41 receives the destination floor change command transmitted by the elevator control device 30 and outputs the destination floor change command to the destination floor setting unit 42. Further, the elevator interlock unit 41 receives the destination floor arrival notification transmitted by the elevator control device 30 and outputs the destination floor arrival notification to the robot control unit 43. Note that when the elevator interlock unit 41 receives the above-described departure floor arrival notification, it similarly outputs the departure floor arrival notification to the robot control unit 43.

[0029] The destination floor setting unit 42 has a function of setting the destination floor of the service robot 40. Based on the destination floor change command output from the elevator interlock unit 41, the destination floor setting unit 42 changes the destination floor being set for the service robot 40 to the destination floor indicated by the destination floor change command (in this case, the evacuation floor). In other words, the destination floor setting unit 42 changes the destination floor set when the service robot 40 transmits a movement request to the destination floor indicated by the above-described destination floor change command. Information indicating the destination floor set for the service robot 40 is sent to the robot control unit 43.

[0030] The robot control unit 43 controls the operations of the elevator interlock unit 41, the destination floor setting unit 42, and the robot boarding and alighting transmission unit 44, and controls the operation of the service robot 40 based on various signals from the elevator interlock unit 41 and the destination floor setting unit 42. The robot control unit 43 transmits the above-described movement request to the elevator control device 30 via the elevator interlock unit 41. The movement request is generated, for example, when the service robot 40 needs to use the car 10 when providing various services. When the above-described movement request is transmitted to the elevator control device 30, the robot control unit 43 controls the operation of the service robot 40 to move from the departure floor indicated by the movement request to the destination floor.

[0031] In addition, based on the destination floor arrival notification output from the elevator interlocking unit 41, the robot control unit 43 controls the operation (movement) of the service robot 40 so that the service robot 40 gets off the car 10. Note that the robot control unit 43 also controls the operation (movement) of the service robot 40 so that the service robot 40 gets on the car 10 based on the departure floor arrival notification output from the elevator interlocking unit 41.

[0032] Furthermore, the robot control unit 43 outputs a notification indicating that the boarding / alighting of the service robot 40 has been completed to the robot boarding / alighting transmission unit 44.

[0033] Based on the notification indicating that the alighting of the service robot 40 output from the robot control unit 43, the robot boarding / alighting transmission unit 44 transmits an alighting signal indicating that the service robot 40 has alighted from the car 10 to the elevator control device 30 via the elevator interlocking unit 41. Also, based on the notification indicating that the boarding of the service robot 40 output from the robot control unit 43, the robot boarding / alighting transmission unit 44 transmits a boarding signal indicating that the service robot 40 has boarded the car 10 to the elevator control device 30 via the elevator interlocking unit 41.

[0034] Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 2, an example of the operation of the elevator system according to the present embodiment will be described. Here, the operation when a fire breaks out in the building while the car 10 is operating in the normal operation mode will be described.

[0035] When the occurrence of a fire is detected by the fire detection unit 31 included in the elevator control device 30 (step S1), the elevator control unit 32 switches the operation mode of the car 10 from the normal operation mode to the fire control operation mode and performs control to move the car 10 to the evacuation floor (step S2).

[0036] Subsequently, the robot boarding / j alighting determination unit 33 determines whether the service robot 40 is inside the car 10. Specifically, the robot boarding / j alighting determination unit 33 determines whether the service robot 40 is inside the car 10 based on the boarding signal and the alighting signal transmitted by the service robot 40 (step S3).

[0037] Note that when the robot boarding / j alighting determination unit 33 has received the above-mentioned boarding signal but has not received the above-mentioned alighting signal, it determines that the service robot 40 is inside the car 10. On the other hand, when the robot boarding / j alighting determination unit 33 has received both the above-mentioned boarding signal and the alighting signal (that is, when it has received the boarding signal and the alighting signal corresponding to the boarding signal), or when it has not received the above-mentioned boarding signal at all, it determines that the service robot 40 is not inside the car 10.

[0038] In the process of step S3, if it is determined that the service robot 40 is not inside the car 10 (step S3), the series of operations here ends.

[0039] On the other hand, in the process of step S3, if it is determined that the service robot 40 is inside the car 10 (Yes in step S3), the elevator control unit 32 transmits a destination floor change command for changing the destination floor of the service robot 40 to the evacuation floor to the service robot 40 via the robot linkage unit 34 (step S4).

[0040] When the elevator linkage unit 41 included in the service robot 40 receives the destination floor change command (step S5), the destination floor setting unit 42 changes the destination floor being set in the service robot 40 to the destination floor indicated by the destination floor change command (that is, the evacuation floor) (step S6).

[0041] When the elevator car 10 lands on the evacuation floor, the elevator control unit 32 included in the elevator control device 30 performs control to open the door of the elevator car 10 (step S7). After that, the elevator control unit 32 transmits a destination floor arrival notification indicating that the elevator car 10 has arrived at the destination floor of the service robot 40 (in this case, the evacuation floor) to the service robot 40 via the robot linkage unit 34 (step S8).

[0042] When the elevator linkage unit 41 included in the service robot 40 receives the destination floor arrival notification (step S9), the robot control unit 43 controls the operation (movement) of the service robot 40 so that the service robot 40 gets off the elevator car 10 (step S10).

[0043] When the getting-off of the service robot 40 is completed by the process of step S10, the robot boarding / alighting transmission unit 44 transmits a getting-off signal indicating that the service robot 40 has gotten off the elevator car 10 to the elevator control device 30 via the elevator linkage unit 41 (step S11). After the process of step S11, the service robot 40 enters a standby state near the landing. Here, the standby state means that various settings related to the movement request generated when boarding the elevator car 10 this time (for example, the destination floor before change) are reset, and it is waiting for a new request related to the provision of a predetermined service (for example, a new request such as wanting to transport goods from the 1st floor to the 3rd floor).

[0044] After that, when the elevator control device 30 receives the getting-off signal transmitted by the service robot 40 and confirms that the getting-off of the service robot 40 has been completed successfully (normally) (step S12), it ends the series of operations here.

[0045] Here, assuming a specific situation, the operation of the elevator system according to this embodiment will be described. In the following, as shown in FIG. 3, in an elevator system including one car 10 installed in a three-story building, assume that a service robot 40 is riding in the car 10 and moving from the first floor to the third floor, and a fire is detected while the car 10 is moving between the first floor and the second floor.

[0046] In this case, first, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the elevator control unit 32 included in the elevator control device 30 switches the operation mode of the car 10 to the fire control operation mode and controls the car 10 to move to the first floor, which is the evacuation floor (lobby floor). Also, the elevator control unit 32 sends a destination floor change command to the service robot 40 riding in the car 10 to change the currently set destination floor (in this case, the third floor) to the first floor, which is the evacuation floor. The destination floor setting unit 42 included in the service robot 40 changes (sets) the destination floor from the third floor to the first floor based on the destination floor change command sent by the elevator control device 30.

[0047] After that, as shown in FIG. 3(b), when the car 10 lands on the first floor, which is the evacuation floor, the elevator control unit 32 included in the elevator control device 30 controls the door of the car 10 to open. Also, the elevator control unit 32 sends a destination floor arrival notification indicating that the destination floor has been reached to the service robot 40 riding in the car 10.

[0048] The robot control unit 43 included in the service robot 40 controls the operation (movement) of the service robot 40 to get off the car 10 according to the destination floor arrival notification sent by the elevator control device 30. When the service robot 40 finishes getting off, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the robot boarding / alighting transmission unit 44 sends a getting-off signal indicating that the service robot 40 has gotten off the car 10 to the elevator control device 30.

[0049] According to this, even when the service robot 40 is moving while riding in the elevator car 10 and a fire is detected, and the elevator car 10 moves to an evacuation floor on a floor different from the original destination floor in the fire control operation mode, the service robot 40 can be made to get off at the evacuation floor on a floor different from the original destination floor (in the case of FIG. 3, the 1st floor instead of the 3rd floor), thus preventing the service robot 40 from being confined inside the elevator car 10.

[0050] In the present embodiment described above, it is assumed that after getting off at the evacuation floor, the service robot 40 enters a standby state in which various settings (for example, the destination floor before the change) related to the movement request generated when boarding the elevator car 10 this time are reset. However, for example, when the service robot 40 gets off at a floor different from the original destination floor (the evacuation floor), it may save various settings related to the movement request generated when boarding the elevator car 10 this time as an error log, and when the operation of the elevator car 10 is restored, resend the movement request for the various settings indicated by the error log to the elevator control device 30 (that is, register a call to move to the destination floor before the change). According to this, the service robot 40 can automatically resume the provision of the service interrupted, for example, due to the occurrence of a fire, along with the restoration of the elevator.

[0051] Also, in the present embodiment, it is assumed that the service robot 40 enters a standby state near the landing after getting off at the evacuation floor. However, for example, instead of entering a standby state near the landing after getting off at the evacuation floor, the service robot 40 may move to an evacuation location set together with the evacuation floor. In this case, the elevator control device 30 transmits position information indicating the position of the evacuation location of the service robot 40 together with a destination floor change command for changing the destination floor of the service robot 40 to the evacuation floor.

[0052] Here, assume that a fire breaks out while the service robot 40 is transporting flammable chemicals in a hospital, for example. If the service robot 40 gets off at the evacuation floor and enters a standby state near the landing of that evacuation floor, when the fire reaches the evacuation floor, there is a possibility that the chemicals will catch fire and secondary damage will occur. However, by moving the service robot 40 to an evacuation location away from the landing, the occurrence of such secondary damage can be prevented.

[0053] Hereinafter, modified examples will be described. (Modified Example) In this modified example, the operation when the elevator control device 30 cannot receive a car exit signal from the service robot 40 will be described, even though the elevator control device 30 has transmitted a destination floor change command and a destination floor arrival notice to the service robot 40.

[0054] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the elevator control device 30 in the modified example. Note that detailed descriptions of processes similar to those shown in FIG. 2 are omitted here.

[0055] First, as processes similar to steps S1 to S4, S7, and S8 shown in FIG. 2, the processes of steps S21 to S26 are executed. According to this, a destination floor change command and a destination floor arrival notice are transmitted from the elevator control device 30 to the service robot 40.

[0056] When a certain period of time has elapsed after the elevator control device 30 opens the door of the car 10, the elevator control device 30 performs control to close the door of the car 10. At this time, the elevator control device 30 checks whether it has received a car exit signal from the service robot 40 (step S27).

[0057] In the process of step S27, when it is confirmed that a car exit signal has been received from the service robot 40 (Yes in step S27), the elevator control device 30 assumes that the car exit of the service robot 40 has been completed safely (normally) and ends the series of operations here.

[0058] On the other hand, in the process of step S27, when it is confirmed that the elevator control device 30 has not received the getting-off signal from the service robot 40 (No in step S27), the elevator control device 30 re-transmits the destination floor change command transmitted in the process of step S24 described above to the service robot 40, and after performing control to reopen the door of the car 10 (step S28), the process of step S26 described above is executed again.

[0059] By executing the processes of steps S27 and S28 described above, the elevator control device 30 re-executes the process of transmitting the destination floor change command to the service robot 40 and the process of transmitting the destination floor arrival notification to the service robot 40, and can get the service robot 40 to get off from the reopened car 10. According to this, for example, when the communication situation is poor when the process of step S24 is executed and the service robot 40 cannot normally receive the destination floor change command transmitted from the elevator control device 30 and the destination floor of the service robot 40 cannot be changed to the evacuation floor, it is also possible to handle this situation.

[0060] Note that when reopening the door of the car 10 by the process of step S28 described above, the elevator control device 30 performs control to display a notification indicating that the elevator cannot be used currently due to the occurrence of a fire on a display device installed on the landing side (for example, an indicator that displays the floor). According to this, it is possible to prevent users from accidentally getting into the reopened car 10.

[0061] According to the above-described embodiment, it is possible to provide an elevator system that can prevent the service robot 40 from being trapped in the elevator (car 10) during a fire control operation.

[0062] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and gist of the invention, and are also included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0063] 10... Car, 20... Fire alarm, 30... Elevator control device, 31... Fire detection unit, 32... Elevator control unit, 33... Robot boarding / jetting determination unit, 34... Robot interlocking unit, 40... Service robot, 41... Elevator interlocking unit, 42... Destination floor setting unit, 43... Robot control unit, 44... Robot boarding / jetting transmission unit.

Claims

1. An elevator system in which a moving body that moves within a building where an elevator is installed and an elevator control device that controls the operation of the elevator are communicably connected, wherein the elevator control device includes: a fire detection unit that detects the occurrence of a fire; a boarding / alighting determination unit that determines whether or not the moving body is inside the elevator based on signals transmitted by the moving body, namely a boarding signal indicating that the moving body has boarded the elevator and an alighting signal indicating that the moving body has alighted from the elevator; a control unit that, when the fire detection unit detects the occurrence of a fire, switches from normal operation to fire control operation in which the elevator is moved to an evacuation floor and the door of the elevator is controlled to open, and further, when the boarding / alighting determination unit determines that the moving body is inside the elevator, transmits a change command to the moving body to change the destination floor of the moving body to the evacuation floor; An elevator system comprising the above.

2. When the control unit cannot receive the alighting signal from the moving body even though the elevator has landed on the evacuation floor and the door has been opened and closed, the control unit transmits the change command to the moving body again and re-opens the door. The elevator system according to Claim 1.

3. When re-opening the door, the control unit causes a display device installed on the landing side to display a notification indicating that the elevator cannot be used currently due to the occurrence of a fire. The elevator system according to Claim 2.

4. The moving body changes the destination floor to the evacuation floor according to the change command, and when alighting on the evacuation floor, enters a standby state near the landing. The elevator system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

5. When the moving body changes the destination floor to the evacuation floor according to the change command, the moving body saves the destination floor before the change as a log, and after the elevator is restored, registers a call to move to the destination floor before the change indicated by the log. The elevator system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3.

6. The control unit transmits position information indicating the position of the evacuation location of the moving body to the moving body together with the change command. The moving body changes the destination floor to the evacuation floor according to the change command, and when alighting on the evacuation floor, moves to the evacuation location indicated by the position information. The elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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