Parking lot system, elevator control device, and elevator control method

Abstract

To provide a parking lot system that enables a user of a multi-story parking lot to easily and efficiently move to a parking position of a vehicle.SOLUTION: A parking lot system according to an embodiment includes: a parking lot management device configured to manage a multi-story parking lot; and an elevator control device configured to control an elevator installed in the multi-story parking lot. The parking lot management device is configured to store use identification information generated for each use of a user of a vehicle entering the multi-story parking lot and parking position information of the vehicle of the user in association with each other as parking information regarding the vehicle. The elevator control device includes: a presentation information processing unit configured to acquire parking position information corresponding to the use identification information from the parking lot management device, when acquiring the use identification information presented from the user; a call generation unit configured to generate and register call information of the elevator that has, as a destination floor, a floor corresponding to the acquired parking position information; and an operation control unit configured to operate the elevator in response to the call information generated by the call generation unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to a parking system, an elevator control device, and an elevator control method. [Background technology]

[0002] In parking lots that are open to the general public, such as those attached to commercial facilities, users search for available parking spaces and park their vehicles in them. As a result, the parking space used varies each time, and users are required to remember the location of the parking space where they parked their vehicle each time they use the parking lot.

[0003] In view of this, a system has been disclosed that identifies and provides a location where a parking lot user has parked a vehicle (for example, Patent Document 1). By using this system, a user can confirm the parking location of their vehicle when leaving the parking lot. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-198172 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, there have been many large, multi-story self-propelled parking garages. In such parking garages, even if users use the system described above to check their parking location, they still need to take an elevator to the floor where the parking location is located, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a parking lot system, an elevator control device, and an elevator control method that enable users of a multi-story parking lot to move to their vehicle's parking position easily and efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to an embodiment for achieving the above object, the parking lot system includes a parking lot management device that manages a multi-story parking lot and an elevator control device that controls elevators installed in the multi-story parking lot. The parking lot management device associates usage identification information generated for each use by a user of a vehicle entering the multi-story parking lot with parking location information of the user's vehicle and stores the associated information as parking information related to the vehicle. The elevator control device includes a presentation information processing unit that, upon receiving usage identification information presented by the user, acquires parking location information corresponding to the usage identification information from the parking lot management device, a call generation unit that generates and registers elevator call information with the floor corresponding to the acquired parking location information as the destination floor, and an operation control unit that operates the elevator in response to the call information generated by the call generation unit. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of a parking lot system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of an elevator car control panel used by the parking system according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator control device and a central management device in a parking lot system according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing the processing executed by the elevator control device and the central management device in the parking system according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] 1 is an example of a parking ticket issued by a ticket issuing device in a parking lot system according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is an example of display information displayed on a display device in an elevator car by a parking lot system according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is another example of display information displayed on a display device in an elevator car by the parking lot system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] As an embodiment of the present invention, a parking lot system that manages the use of a self-propelled multi-story parking lot installed adjacent to a commercial facility will be described below.

[0010] <Configuration of parking lot system according to one embodiment> 1 is an overall diagram showing the configuration of a parking lot system 1 according to one embodiment. The parking lot system 1 includes devices installed in a multi-story parking lot 10, such as a ticket issuing device 11, an entrance camera device 12, area camera devices 13-1 to 13-8, a first communication unit 14, and an elevator 20, as well as a central management device 50 that is communicatively connected to these devices via a wide area communication network 40 and serves as a parking lot management device for remotely managing the multi-story parking lot 10.

[0011] The multi-story parking garage 10 is an eight-story building, with two parking areas, A and B, provided on each of the first to eighth floors. Five parking spaces, A-1 to A-5, are provided in parking area A on each floor, and five parking spaces, B-1 to B-5, are provided in parking area B on each floor. The number of floors in the multi-story parking garage is not limited to eight, and may be any number of floors, provided it is two or more. Furthermore, the number of parking areas provided on each floor is not limited to two, and may be one or three or more. Furthermore, the number of parking spaces provided in each parking area is not limited to five, and may be one or three or more.

[0012] The ticket issuing device 11 is installed near the parking lot entrance E1, which is the entrance to the multi-story parking lot 10 from the outside, and when it detects a vehicle entering the multi-story parking lot 10, it generates usage identification information for that vehicle's single use of the multi-story parking lot 10. The ticket issuing device 11 issues a parking ticket to the user of that vehicle, holding the generated usage identification information in a state that can be read from the outside. The ticket issuing device 11 also transmits the generated usage identification information to the central management device 50.

[0013] The entrance camera device 12 is installed near the parking lot entrance E1 and photographs the vehicle for which the ticket issuing device 11 has issued a parking ticket. The entrance camera device 12 analyzes the photographed image information and obtains vehicle number information, which is identification information for the photographed vehicle. The entrance camera device 12 transmits the obtained vehicle number information to the central management device 50.

[0014] Area camera devices 13-1 to 13-8 each capture images of parking space A and parking space B on the floor where they are installed. Area camera devices 13-1 to 13-8 analyze the captured image information to obtain vehicle number information of a vehicle parked in one of the parking spaces, and parking area identification information or parking space identification information as parking position information. Area camera devices 13-1 to 13-8 transmit the obtained vehicle number information and parking position information to central management device 50.

[0015] The first communication unit 14 connects each device in the parking garage 10 to the wide area communication network 40.

[0016] Elevator 20 has a hoist 22 installed above an elevator shaft 21 in multi-story parking garage 10, a rope 23 hung from hoist 22, a car 24 suspended from one end of rope 23, and an elevator control device 26 connected to car 24 via a tail cord 25 and to hoist 22 via a communication line. Elevator 20 is installed near facility entrance E2 within multi-story parking garage 10, which provides access to an adjacent commercial facility, and operates on floors 1 to 8 of multi-story parking garage 10 as service floors.

[0017] 2 is a front view of the car operation panel 30 installed in the car 24. The car operation panel 30 has an operation button group 31, a reading device 32, and a display device 33 as an output device.

[0018] The operation button group 31 includes a destination floor registration button, a door open button, and a door close button for the user to specify a destination floor. When the user presents a parking ticket issued by the ticket issuing device 11, the reading device 32 reads usage identification information from the parking ticket and transmits it to the elevator control device 26. The display device 33 displays display information obtained from the elevator control device 26 as described below.

[0019] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the detailed configuration of the elevator control device 26 and the central management device 50.

[0020] The elevator control device 26 has a call registration unit 261, a first CPU 262, and a second communication unit 263. The call registration unit 261 registers information on a destination floor designation operation operated on an in-car operating panel 30 installed in the elevator car 24 as car call information, and also registers information on a destination direction designation operation operated on a hall operating panel (not shown) installed at the elevator hall of each floor as hall call information. The call registration unit 261 also registers car call information generated by the first CPU 262 as described below.

[0021] The first CPU 262 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and by installing and executing a predetermined elevator control program, constitutes one or more information processing units described below. The first CPU 262 has an operation control unit 262a, a presentation information processing unit 262b, a call generation unit 262c, and a display control unit 262d as an output control unit. The operation control unit 262a controls devices such as the hoist 22 to operate the elevator 20 so as to respond to car calls and hall calls registered in the call registration unit 261.

[0022] When the presentation information processing unit 262b acquires the usage identification information read by the reading device 32 from the parking ticket presented by the user, it acquires the parking position information of the vehicle corresponding to this usage identification information from the central management device 50. The call generation unit 262c generates car call information with the floor corresponding to the parking position information acquired by the presentation information processing unit 262b as the destination floor, and registers it in the call registration unit 261.

[0023] The display control unit 262d generates display information as output information, including the parking position information acquired by the presentation information processing unit 262b, and causes the display device 33 in the car 24 to display the information.

[0024] The second communication unit 263 communicates with the central management device 50 via the first communication unit 14 and the wide area communication network 40 .

[0025] The central management device 50 has a third communication unit 51, a second CPU 52, and a parking information storage unit 53. The third communication unit 51 communicates with the ticket issuing device 11, the entrance camera device 12, the area camera devices 13-1 to 13-9, and the elevator control device 26 via the wide area communication network 40.

[0026] The second CPU 52 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and configures one or more information processing units described below by installing and executing a predetermined elevator control program.

[0027] The second CPU 52 has a parking information generation unit 521 and a parking information acquisition unit 522. The parking information generation unit 521 generates linked information that links the usage identification information acquired from the ticket issuing device 11 with the vehicle number information acquired from the entrance camera device 12 corresponding to the timing when the ticket issuing device 11 performed the ticket issuing process. Furthermore, when the parking information generation unit 521 acquires vehicle number information and parking position information from any of the area camera devices 13-1 to 13-9, it identifies linked information having vehicle number information that matches the vehicle number information, and generates parking information by linking the usage identification information in the identified linked information with the parking position information. The second CPU 52 stores the generated parking information in the parking information storage unit 53.

[0028] When the elevator control device requests parking position information corresponding to specified usage identification information, the parking information acquisition unit 522 acquires the parking position information corresponding to this request from the parking information storage unit 53 and transmits it to the elevator control device 26.

[0029] Operation of the parking lot system according to one embodiment As an example of the operation of the parking lot system 1 according to this embodiment, a case will be described in which a user U driving a vehicle C uses the multi-story parking lot 10. Fig. 4 is a sequence diagram showing the operations executed by the elevator control device 26 and the central management device 50 when the parking lot system 1 is put into operation.

[0030] When a vehicle C driven by a user U enters the parking lot 10 through the parking lot entrance E1, the ticket issuing device 11 detects the vehicle C and generates usage identification information "x1" related to the vehicle's single use of the parking lot 10. The ticket issuing device 11 issues a parking ticket 111 that displays two-dimensional barcode information 111a including the generated usage identification information "x1." Figure 5 shows an example of a parking ticket 111 issued by the ticket issuing device 11, which includes two-dimensional barcode information 111a.

[0031] The user U receives the parking ticket 111 issued by the ticket issuing device 11. After generating the usage identification information and issuing the parking ticket 111, the ticket issuing device 11 transmits the generated usage identification information to the central management device 50.

[0032] In the central management device 50, the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the usage identification information "x1" transmitted from the ticket issuing device 11 via the third communication unit 51 (S1).

[0033] Furthermore, when vehicle C enters through parking lot entrance E1, entrance camera device 12 photographs vehicle C, for which a parking ticket 111 has been issued. Entrance camera device 12 analyzes the photographed image information and acquires vehicle number information "14-1", which is identification information for the photographed vehicle. Entrance camera device 12 transmits the acquired vehicle number information "14-1" to central management device 50.

[0034] In the central management device 50, the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the vehicle number information "14-1" transmitted from the entrance camera device 12 via the third communication unit 51 (S2).

[0035] Thereafter, when vehicle C drives through the parking garage 10 and parks in parking space A-1 in parking area A on the seventh floor, area camera device 13-7 captures an image of the parked vehicle C. Area camera device 13-7 analyzes the captured image information and acquires vehicle number information "14-1" of vehicle C and parking position information, i.e., identification information of the parking space where vehicle C is parked, "7th floor A-1" (S3). Area camera device 13-1 transmits the acquired identification information of the parking space, "7th floor A-1," to the central management device 50.

[0036] In the central management device 50, the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the parking space identification information "7th floor A-1" transmitted from the area camera device 13-7 via the third communication unit 51 (S3).

[0037] The parking information generation unit 521 generates linking information "x1;14-1" that links the usage identification information "x1" obtained from the ticket issuing device 11 with the vehicle number information "14-1" obtained from the entrance camera device 12 corresponding to the timing when the ticket issuing device 11 performed the ticket issuance process.

[0038] If the time when the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the usage identification information "x1" from the ticket issuing device 11 and the time when the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the vehicle number information "14-1" from the entrance camera device 12 are within a predetermined time range (for example, within 3 seconds), the parking information generation unit 521 determines that the usage identification information "x1" and the vehicle number information "14-1" correspond to each other, and generates linking information "x1;14-1" based on this information. Alternatively, the parking information generation unit 521 recognizes the vehicle number information "14-1" of the vehicle along with the time when the ticket issuing device 11 issued the parking ticket 111 based on the image information captured by the entrance camera device 12, determines that the vehicle number information "14-1" of the vehicle corresponds to the usage identification information "x1" generated for the parking ticket 111 issued at this time, and generates and stores linking information "x1;14-1" based on this information.

[0039] Thereafter, when the parking information generation unit 521 acquires the vehicle number information "14-1" and the parking space identification information "7th floor A-1" from the area camera device 13-7, it identifies from the stored information the linking information "x1;14-1" having vehicle number information that matches the vehicle number information "14-1", and links the usage identification information "x1" in the identified linking information "x1;14-1" with the parking space identification information "7th floor A-1" to generate the parking information "x1;7th floor A-1". The second CPU 52 stores the generated parking information in the parking information storage unit 53 (S4).

[0040] When the vehicle C leaves the parking lot, the user U gets into the elevator car 24 of the elevator 20 to go to the parking spot of the vehicle C, and holds up the two-dimensional barcode information 111a displayed on the parking ticket 111 he / she has over the reader 32 in the elevator car 24 to present it and have it read.

[0041] The reader 32 reads the usage identification information “x1” from the two-dimensional barcode information 111a of the parking ticket 111 presented by the user U, and transmits it to the elevator control device 26.

[0042] In the elevator control device 26, the presentation information processing unit 262b acquires the usage identification information "x1" transmitted from the reading device 32 as the usage identification information presented by the user U ("YES" in S5). The presentation information processing unit 262b transmits a parking position request to the central management device 50, requesting parking position information corresponding to the acquired usage identification information "x1."

[0043] In the central management device 50, the parking information acquisition unit 522 acquires the parking position request transmitted from the elevator control device 26, and acquires parking position information corresponding to this parking position request, specifically, the parking position information "7th floor A-1" corresponding to the usage identification information "x1", from the parking information storage unit 53. The parking information acquisition unit 522 transmits the acquired parking position information "7th floor A-1" to the elevator control device 26 (S7).

[0044] In the elevator control device 26, the presentation information processing unit 262b acquires the parking position information "7th floor A-1" transmitted from the central management device 50 and sends it to the call generation unit 262c and the display control unit 262d. The call generation unit 262c generates a car call y1 with the "7th floor," which is the floor corresponding to this parking position information "7th floor A-1," as the destination floor, and registers it in the call registration unit 261 (S8).

[0045] When the car call y1 is registered in the call registration unit 261, the operation control unit 262a controls the equipment such as the hoist 22 to operate the elevator 20 so as to respond to this car call y1 (S9).

[0046] The display control unit 262d also generates display information including information indicating floors and parking spaces within the acquired parking position information "7th floor A-1" and displays it on the display device 33 in the elevator car 24. The display control unit 262d displays this information for each vehicle (S10).

[0047] An example of the display information displayed on the display device 33 is shown in Fig. 6. The display information in Fig. 6 shows the vehicle number information, parking floor, and parking space information of four vehicles, including vehicle C with vehicle number information "14-1."

[0048] In the above-described embodiment, if area camera devices 13-1 to 13-9 are configured with camera devices with low analysis accuracy, when a vehicle parks in a parking space within the imaging range, area camera devices 13-1 to 13-9 may acquire identification information of parking area A or B without identifying the parking space as parking position information and transmit this information to central management device 50. In this case, display device 33 displays display information including information on the parking floor and parking area as parking position information for each vehicle, as shown in FIG. 7. Configuring the parking lot system in this way makes it possible to reduce the cost of building the system.

[0049] According to the above-described embodiment, the parking system includes a central management device that manages a multi-story parking lot and an elevator control device that controls elevators installed in the multi-story parking lot. The central management device has a parking information storage unit that associates usage identification information generated for each use by a user of a vehicle entering the multi-story parking lot with parking location information of the user's vehicle and stores the associated information as parking information related to the vehicle. The elevator control device also has a presentation information processing unit that, upon receiving usage identification information presented by the user, obtains parking location information corresponding to the usage identification information from the central management device, a call generation unit that generates and registers elevator call information with the floor corresponding to the obtained parking location information as the destination floor, and an operation control unit that operates the elevator in response to the call information generated by the call generation unit.

[0050] This allows a user of a multi-story parking garage to easily and efficiently use the elevator to move to the parking position of the vehicle even if the user forgets where the vehicle is parked when leaving the parking garage.

[0051] The elevator control device further includes a display control unit that generates display information including the parking position information acquired by the presentation information processing unit and displays the information on a display device inside the elevator car.

[0052] This allows the user to travel in an elevator that automatically drives to the parking floor of the vehicle, while checking the parking location of the vehicle using the displayed information.

[0053] Furthermore, the presented information processing unit of the elevator control device acquires the usage identification information read by a reading device installed in the elevator car as the usage identification information presented by the user.

[0054] This allows the user to perform a simple operation inside the elevator car to have the reader read the usage identification information from the parking ticket and transmit it to the elevator control device.

[0055] In the above-described embodiment, when a vehicle enters a multi-story parking garage, a parking ticket displaying two-dimensional barcode information including user identification information is issued to the user of the vehicle. However, this is not limited to this. An information issuing device (not shown) installed near the entrance to the parking garage may generate user identification information and transmit it to a mobile device carried by the user that has an application for using the specified parking garage installed. In this case, the mobile device uses a function of the application to generate two-dimensional barcode information including the acquired user identification information. When the user leaves the garage, the generated two-dimensional barcode information can be displayed on the display of the mobile device and read by a reading device.

[0056] Furthermore, the information used to read the usage identification information by the reading device is not limited to two-dimensional barcode information, but may be one-dimensional barcode information, text information, graphic information, etc. Furthermore, the usage identification information may be transmitted to the reading device from the parking ticket or the user's mobile terminal via short-range wireless communication.

[0057] In the above-described embodiment, a case where one reading device is installed in the elevator car has been described, but this is not limiting, and multiple reading devices may be installed in multiple locations in the car. By installing reading devices in multiple locations, users can easily perform the reading operation of their usage identification information even when the car is crowded.

[0058] Furthermore, the location where the reading device is installed is not limited to inside the elevator car, but may be at the elevator landing on each floor or on a predetermined floor.

[0059] The elevator control device may also generate audio information including the parking position information acquired from the central control device and output the audio information from a speaker device (not shown), thereby providing the parking position information to the user.

[0060] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1...Parking lot system, 10...Multi-story parking lot, 11...Ticket issuing device, 12...Entrance camera device, 13-1 to 13-9...Area camera device, 14...First communication unit, 20...Elevator, 21...Hoistway, 22...Winching machine, 23...Rope, 24...Car, 25...Tail code, 26...Elevator control device, 30...In-car operation panel, 31...Operation button group, 32...Reading device, 33...Display device, 40...Wide area Communication network, 50... central management device, 51... third communication unit, 52... second CPU, 53... parking information storage unit, 111... parking ticket, 111a... two-dimensional barcode information, 261... call registration unit, 262... first CPU, 262a... operation control unit, 262b... presentation information processing unit, 262c... call generation unit, 262d... display control unit, 263... second communication unit, 521... parking information generation unit, 522... parking information acquisition unit

Claims

1. A parking lot management device that manages a multi-story parking lot and an elevator control device that controls elevators installed in the multi-story parking lot, The parking lot management device a parking information storage unit that associates usage identification information generated for each use by a user of a vehicle entering the multi-story parking lot with parking position information of the user's vehicle and stores the information as parking information related to the vehicle; The elevator control device includes: a presentation information processing unit that, when acquiring the usage identification information presented by the user, acquires parking position information corresponding to the usage identification information from the parking lot management device; a call generation unit that generates and registers call information for the elevator, the call information specifying a floor corresponding to the acquired parking position information as a destination floor; and an operation control unit that operates the elevator in response to the call information generated by the call generation unit.

2. 2. The parking lot system according to claim 1, wherein the parking location information included in the parking information is identification information of an area or parking space within the multi-story parking lot where the vehicle is parked.

3. Controlling elevators installed in multi-story parking garages, The parking lot management device is communicatively connected to the parking lot management device, which associates usage identification information generated for each use of a vehicle entering a multi-story parking lot with parking position information of the vehicle of the user and stores the information as parking information related to the vehicle, a presentation information processing unit that, when acquiring the usage identification information presented by the user, acquires parking position information corresponding to the usage identification information from the parking lot management device; a call generation unit that generates and registers call information for the elevator, the call information specifying a floor corresponding to the acquired parking position information as a destination floor; and an operation control unit that operates the elevator in response to the registered call information.

4. The elevator control device according to claim 3 , further comprising an output control unit that generates output information including the parking position information acquired by the presentation information processing unit and causes an output device to output the output information.

5. a communication device connected to a reader that reads the usage identification information presented by the user; The elevator control device according to claim 3 , wherein the presented information processing unit acquires the usage identification information read by the reading device as the usage identification information presented by the user.

6. Controlling elevators installed in multi-story parking garages, An elevator control device is communicably connected to a parking lot management device that associates usage identification information generated for each use of a user of a vehicle entering a multi-story parking lot with parking position information of the user's vehicle and stores the information as parking information related to the vehicle, When the usage identification information presented by the user is acquired, parking position information corresponding to the usage identification information is acquired from the parking lot management device; generating and registering call information for the elevator with the floor corresponding to the acquired parking position information as the destination floor; An elevator control method for operating the elevator in response to registered call information.

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