Robot management device, robot, and program

Abstract

To enable the lengthening of the riding time of a user to be mitigated that can happen when the user and a robot get onboard a cage together.SOLUTION: A robot management device manages a robot which is used in a building where an elevator is installed. In the case of moving the robot from a boarding floor to a target floor using a car of the elevator, after a car call designating the target floor of the robot as a destination floor is registered by a control device of the elevator, the robot management device can cause the controller to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot by transmitting a cancellation signal to the control device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control technology for a robot that uses an elevator. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, robots have been increasingly used for various tasks within buildings (cleaning, monitoring, transportation, etc.) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Accordingly, elevators are increasingly being used to move robots between floors within buildings, and there are an increasing number of cases where both users and robots use elevators. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 7380793 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] On the other hand, robots take longer to board and disembark than users. Therefore, in an environment where a robot uses an elevator together with a user, if the robot boards at an intermediate floor while the user is being transported, or if the robot disembarks at an intermediate floor while the user is being transported, the user will be forced to wait in the elevator car until the robot has finished boarding and disembarking. In this way, when a user and a robot ride in the elevator together, the user may be forced to spend a longer time riding the elevator until they reach their destination floor.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to alleviate the possibility of a user's riding time being prolonged when the user and the robot ride in the same car. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The robot management device of the present invention is a device that manages robots used in buildings where elevators are installed.When a robot is moved from a boarding floor to a destination floor using an elevator car, after a car call for the robot is registered in the elevator control device with the destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, a cancellation signal can be sent to the control device to cause the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot (mode 1).

[0007] According to the above-mentioned aspect 1, if the response to the car call for the robot is executed as is, a situation will arise in which a user will have to experience the robot disembarking at a floor on the way to the user's disembarkation while traveling in the car, or if it is determined that such a situation may occur, it is possible to cause the elevator control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot. Then, such a cancellation makes it possible to pass the car with the robot still inside the car through the robot's destination floor. This prevents users from having to experience the robot disembarking while traveling in the car. As a result, it is possible to alleviate the length of the user's ride time.

[0008] The robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 may have the following configuration (aspect 2). The robot management device may determine whether or not the condition (1) that a car call for a user is registered in the elevator control device is satisfied during a predetermined period, which is a period from when a car call specifying the robot's destination floor as a destination floor is registered in the elevator control device until the car is confirmed to stop at the destination floor. If the robot management device determines that condition (1) is satisfied, it may further determine whether or not the condition (2) that the car stops at the destination floor indicated by the car call for the user after arriving at the robot's destination floor is satisfied, and if it determines that condition (2) is satisfied within the predetermined period, it may send a cancellation signal to the elevator control device.

[0009] If both conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied, and the robot responds to the car call as is, the passengers on board would inevitably have to experience the robot disembarking at a floor along the way to the floor where they disembark. Therefore, according to the above-described aspect 2, when both conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied within a predetermined period, one process for preventing passengers from experiencing the robot disembarking while traveling in the car is to have the elevator control device cancel the registration of the car call for the robot. Such cancellation then allows the car to pass through the robot's destination floor with the robot still inside. As a result, it is possible to alleviate the lengthening of passengers' ride times.

[0010] When the robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 or 2 transmits a cancellation signal to the elevator control device after determining that the direction from the robot's boarding floor to the destination floor is the forward direction, the robot management device may, before or after transmitting the cancellation signal, make a new request to the elevator control device to allocate a hall call for the robot, with the end floor located in the forward direction of the robot's destination floor as the departure floor and the destination floor being the robot's destination floor (aspect 3).

[0011] According to the above-mentioned aspect 3, even after a car moving in the forward direction has passed the robot's destination floor, when the car moves in the opposite direction to the forward direction, the car can be stopped at the robot's destination floor and the robot can be allowed to disembark there. Also, by making a request to assign a hall call to the robot using an end floor where the direction of movement of the car will necessarily reverse as the departure floor, it is possible to avoid unnecessary stops of the car.

[0012] The robot management device according to the above-described aspect 3 may further include the following configuration (aspect 4). The robot management device may perform this by transmitting the departure floor and destination floor required for the hall call allocation to the elevator control device. Furthermore, when the car arrives at a stop floor, the robot management device may determine (A1) whether the arrival floor of the car matches any of the departure floors transmitted in the allocation request. If the determination (A1) determines that the arrival floor of the car matches any of the departure floors, the robot management device may use the matching allocation request as a first focus request, and determine (B1) whether the departure direction of the car from the arrival floor matches the transport direction using the departure floor and destination floor transmitted in the first focus request, and then set the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor as the robot's transport direction. Furthermore, if the robot management device determines in the determination (B1) that the departure floor matches the robot's transport direction, the robot management device may determine (C1) whether the departure floor transmitted in the first focus request matches the robot's boarding floor. If the robot management device determines in decision (C1) that the floor matches the boarding floor of the robot, it may send a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device and instruct the robot to board the car, and then send a boarding completion signal to the elevator control device when the robot has completed boarding.On the other hand, if the robot management device determines in decision (C1) that the floor does not match the boarding floor of the robot, it may not send a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device and may not instruct the robot to board the car, but may send a boarding completion signal to the elevator control device as a dummy signal.

[0013] According to the above aspect 4, the robot management device itself can make the judgments (A1) and (B1) to determine that the elevator car has arrived at the departure floor in response to a hall call for the robot, without notification from the elevator control device.

[0014] Therefore, when the robot management device determines that there is a "match" in decision (C1), it sends a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device, thereby causing the control device to execute the door-open extension necessary for the robot to board the elevator car, and to recognize that a boarding completion signal will be sent from the robot management device when the robot has completed boarding.

[0015] On the other hand, if the robot management device determines "no match" in decision (C1), it can determine that the car has responded to a new hall call for the robot (the hall call described in aspect 3) and arrived at the departure floor (here, an end floor) indicated by that hall call. Here, when the car responds to such a new hall call, it will arrive at the departure floor indicated by the hall call with the robot inside. Therefore, there is no need to have the robot board the car. Therefore, the robot management device does not instruct the robot to board the car, but instead sends a boarding completion signal as a dummy signal to the elevator control device. This makes it possible to keep the robot in the car without disrupting elevator control.

[0016] When the robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 or 2 transmits a cancellation signal to the elevator control device after determining that the direction from the robot's boarding floor to the destination floor is the forward direction, it may, before or after transmitting the cancellation signal, make a new request to the elevator control device to allocate a hall call for the robot, with the destination floor of the robot set as the departure floor and causing the car to depart from the destination floor in the opposite direction to the forward direction (aspect 5).

[0017] According to the above aspect 5, even after a car moving in the forward direction has passed the robot's destination floor, when the car moves in the reverse direction, it is possible to stop the car at the robot's destination floor and allow the robot to disembark there.

[0018] The robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 5 may request the allocation of a hall call for a robot, with the destination floor of the robot set as the departure floor and the destination floor being an end floor located in the opposite direction from the destination floor (aspect 6).

[0019] According to the above-mentioned aspect 6, by making a request to assign a platform call to the robot with the end floor, where the direction of movement of the elevator car will necessarily be reversed, as the destination floor, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary stops of the elevator car after the robot disembarks.

[0020] The robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 5 may request the allocation of a hall call for a robot, in which the destination floor of the robot is the departure floor and the destination direction from the departure floor is the opposite direction to the forward direction (aspect 7).

[0021] According to the seventh aspect, by making a request for allocation of a hall call to the robot using the destination direction, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary stops of the elevator car after the robot gets off.

[0022] The robot management device according to any one of the above aspects 5 to 7 may further include the following configuration (aspect 8). The robot management device may perform the allocation of the hall call by transmitting the departure floor and destination floor or destination direction required for the hall call allocation to the elevator control device. Furthermore, when the car arrives at a stop floor, the robot management device may determine (A1) whether the arrival floor of the car matches any of the departure floors transmitted in the allocation request, and if it determines in the determination (A1) that the arrival floor matches any of the departure floors, the robot management device may treat the matching allocation request as a first focus request, and use the departure floor and destination floor or destination direction transmitted in the first focus request to set the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor or the destination direction as the conveyance direction of the robot, and then determine (B1) whether the departure direction of the car from the arrival floor matches that conveyance direction. Furthermore, if the robot management device determines in decision (B1) that the departure floor matches the robot's transport direction, it may determine (C1) whether the departure floor transmitted in the first focus request matches the robot's boarding floor or its destination floor. If the robot management device determines in decision (C1) that the departure floor matches the robot's boarding floor, it may transmit a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device and instruct the robot to board the car, and then, when the robot has boarded, transmit a boarding completion signal to the elevator control device. Also, if the robot management device determines in decision (C1) that the departure floor matches the robot's destination floor, it may transmit a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device and instruct the robot to disembark from the car, and then, when the robot has disembarked, transmit a boarding completion signal as a dummy signal to the elevator control device.

[0023] According to the above aspect 8, the robot management device itself can make the judgments (A1) and (B1) to determine that the elevator car has arrived at the departure floor in response to a hall call for the robot, without notification from the elevator control device.

[0024] Therefore, when the robot management device determines in judgment (C1) that the floor matches the "boarding floor" of the robot, it sends a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device, causing the control device to execute the door-open extension necessary for the robot to board the elevator car, and to recognize that a boarding completion signal will be sent from the robot management device when the robot has completed boarding.

[0025] Furthermore, if the robot control device determines in decision (C1) that the destination floor matches the robot's "destination floor," it also sends a door-open extension signal to the elevator control device. This allows the control device to execute the door-open extension necessary for the robot to disembark from the car. Meanwhile, since the control device has already caused the car to arrive at the departure floor indicated by the hall call (normally the boarding floor), when it receives the door-open extension signal from the robot control device, it interprets the signal as a boarding completion signal from the robot control device indicating that the robot has boarded the car, even though the robot is disembarking. Therefore, the robot control device commands the robot to disembark from the car, and then, when the robot has disembarked, sends a boarding completion signal as a dummy signal to the elevator control device. This allows the robot to disembark from the car without stalling elevator control.

[0026] The robot management device according to the above-mentioned aspect 1 or 2 may set the direction from the robot's boarding floor to the destination floor as the forward direction, send a cancellation signal to the elevator control device, and then, if the direction of movement of the car reverses from the forward direction to the reverse direction, request the elevator control device to re-register the car call with the robot's destination floor as the destination floor (aspect 9).

[0027] According to the above-mentioned aspect 9, even after a car moving in the forward direction has passed the destination floor of the robot, when the car moves in the reverse direction, the car can be stopped at the destination floor of the robot and the robot can be allowed to disembark there. Furthermore, by re-registering the car call, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary control such as stopping the car at floors other than the destination floor just to allow the robot to disembark.

[0028] The robot of the present invention is a robot used in a building where an elevator is installed, and when the robot uses the elevator car to travel from a boarding floor to a destination floor, after a car call for the robot itself is registered in the elevator control device with the destination floor as the destination floor, the robot can send a cancellation signal to the control device, causing the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot itself (mode 10).

[0029] The program of the present invention is a program executed by a robot used in a building where an elevator is installed, or by a robot management device that manages the robot.When the robot is moved from a boarding floor to a destination floor using an elevator car, after a car call for the robot is registered in the elevator control device with the destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, the program can cause the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot (mode 11). [Effects of the Invention]

[0030] According to the present invention, it is possible to alleviate the lengthening of the user's riding time that can occur when a user and a robot ride in the same car. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of an elevator according to an embodiment. [Figure 2]1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams illustrating (A) device management data, (B) hall call management data and car call management data for users, and (C) hall call management data and car call management data for robots, which are used in an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are conceptual diagrams illustrating examples of robot management data and assignment request management data used in an embodiment. [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing allocation request processing executed in the embodiment. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an allocation process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart illustrating a response process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a first response process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing a second response process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart showing a third response process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart showing a part of the third response process. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart showing a cancellation process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 12] 10 is a conceptual diagram illustrating allocation request management data in which information on an allocation request is recorded in a cancellation process executed in the embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing a boarding / alighting command process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart showing a boarding command process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 15] 10 is a flowchart showing a dismount command process executed in the embodiment. [Figure 16] 10 is a flowchart showing a door opening extension process executed when boarding a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 17] 10 is a flowchart showing a door opening extension process executed when disembarking in an embodiment. [Figure 18] 10 is a flowchart showing a cancellation process executed in a first modified example. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram illustrating allocation request management data in which information on an allocation request is recorded in a cancellation process executed in a first modified example. [Figure 20] 10 is a flowchart showing a boarding / exiting command process executed in a first modified example. [Figure 21] 10 is a flowchart showing an operation command process executed in a first modified example. [Figure 22] 10 is a flowchart showing a cancellation process executed in a second modified example. [Figure 23] 10A and 10B are conceptual diagrams illustrating assignment request management data and hall call management data for robots, respectively, used in a second modified example. [Figure 24] 10 is a flowchart showing an allocation process executed in a second modified example. [Figure 25] 10 is a flowchart showing a first response process executed in a second modified example. [Figure 26] 10 is a flowchart showing a part of a third response process executed in a second modified example. [Figure 27] 13 is a flowchart showing a cancellation process executed in a fourth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] [1] Implementation [1-1] Overall structure of the elevator FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of an elevator according to an embodiment. In this embodiment, the elevator is equipped with one car G, and the car G is used not only by passengers but also by a robot H that performs various tasks (cleaning, monitoring, transport, etc.) within the building in which the elevator is installed. In addition, in this elevator, destination direction buttons 1 are installed at the landings of each floor so that passengers can specify a destination direction Kc, and destination floor buttons 2 are installed within the car G so that passengers can specify a destination floor Fd. In addition to these components, the elevator of this embodiment further includes an elevator control device 3 and a robot management device 4. The configuration of each part will be described in detail below.

[0033] <Destination direction button> On floors other than the terminal floor Fy, which is the top floor or the bottom floor, the destination direction button 1 includes an up button for specifying an up direction as the destination direction Kc and a down button for specifying a down direction as the destination direction Kc. On the other hand, on the top floor, the destination direction button 1 includes only the down button, and on the bottom floor, the destination direction button 1 includes only the up button.

[0034] When a user presses a destination direction button 1 at a hall to specify a destination direction Kc, the destination direction Kc is transmitted to the elevator control device 3. As a result, the elevator control device 3 is requested to allocate a hall call Rg for the user (allocation of the hall call Rg to the car G) (allocation request from the user). At this time, the destination direction button 1 transmits to the elevator control device 3 device information Pd for identifying itself from other buttons, devices, etc., along with the destination direction Kc, so that the elevator control device 3 can recognize which destination direction button 1 is the source of the destination direction Kc.

[0035] <Destination floor button> The destination floor button 2 is provided for each stop floor that can be guided by the elevator car G, and is a button for registering the stop floor as a destination floor Fd.

[0036] When a user presses the destination floor button 2 in the car G to register a destination floor Fd, the destination floor Fd is transmitted to the elevator control device 3. As a result, the elevator control device 3 is requested to register a car call Vg for the user (registering a car call Vg in the car G).

[0037] <Elevator control device> The elevator control device 3 is a device that controls the operation of the car G. Specifically, the elevator control device 3 assigns a hall call Rg to the car G in response to an assignment request from a user at a hall (an assignment request from the destination direction button 1 in which the user specifies a destination direction Kc) (assignment process (see FIG. 5)), and causes the car G to perform an operation to respond to the hall call Rg (response process (see FIGS. 6 to 10)). In this embodiment, the elevator control device 3 not only assigns a hall call Rh to the car G in response to an assignment request from a user at a hall, but also assigns a hall call Rh to the car G in response to an assignment request (assignment request for the robot H) from a robot management device 4 (described later) (assignment process (see FIG. 5)), and causes the car G to perform an operation to respond to the hall call Rh (response process (see FIGS. 6 to 10) and door opening extension process (see FIGS. 14 and 15)). Details of these processes will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 cancels the registration of the car call Vh that was made when responding to the hall call Rh for the robot H (the registration of the car call Vh using the destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rh) when a cancellation signal Sc is transmitted from the robot management device 4. Details of this process will be described later.

[0039] Specifically, the elevator control device 3 includes a storage unit 31 and a control unit 32 (see FIG. 1).

[0040] The storage unit 31 is a part configured with storage devices such as ROM and RAM, and stores information necessary for the control processing performed by the elevator control device 3. In this embodiment, the information stored in the storage unit 31 includes device management data Dp, hall call management data Dq1G and car call management data Dq2G for users, and hall call management data Dq1H and car call management data Dq2H for the robot H.

[0041] Here, the device management data Dp is a database for managing, for each destination direction button 1, multiple pieces of information related to that destination direction button 1 by linking them together. The hall call management data Dq1G and the car call management data Dq2G are data for managing information on hall calls Rg and car calls Vg for users, respectively. The hall call management data Dq1H and the car call management data Dq2H are data for managing information on hall calls Rh and car calls Vh for robot H, respectively. Specifically, they are as follows.

[0042] 2A is a conceptual diagram illustrating the device management data Dp used in this embodiment. In the device management data Dp illustrated in this figure, the device information Pd and the installation floor Fs are recorded for each destination direction button 1 in a mutually associated state.

[0043] As a result, when the elevator control device 3 receives the device information Pd together with the destination direction Kc from each destination direction button 1, it becomes possible to identify the floor Fs on which the destination direction button 1 (the destination direction button 1 for which the user has specified the destination direction Kc) is located from the device information Pd. In this embodiment, the floor Fs on which the destination direction button 1 is located is used as the departure floor Fc (boarding floor) for the user who specified the destination direction Kc using the destination direction button 1.

[0044] FIG. 2(B) is a conceptual diagram illustrating the hall call management data Dq1G and car call management data Dq2G for users used in this embodiment.

[0045] In the hall call management data Dq1G, for each stopping floor that can be guided by the car G, and further for each direction that can be traveled from that stopping floor, an allocation status is associated which indicates whether or not a hall call Rg for a user whose stopping floor is the departure floor Fc and whose direction is the destination direction Kc has been allocated to the car G (in other words, whether or not the button (up button or down button) for specifying that direction as the destination direction Kc on the destination direction buttons 1 provided at that stopping floor has been pressed). The example in FIG. 2(B) shows a case where the allocation status for each direction from each stopping floor is updated to "ON" when a hall call Rg whose stopping floor is the departure floor Fc and whose direction is the destination direction Kc has been allocated, and is updated to "OFF" when that hall call Rg is deleted.

[0046] Furthermore, in the car call management data Dq2G, each stop floor that can be guided by car G is associated with a registration status that indicates whether or not a car call Vg for a user whose destination floor is that stop floor Fd has been registered in car G (in other words, whether or not the destination floor button 2 for registering that stop floor as the destination floor Fd has been pressed). The example in FIG. 2(B) shows a case in which the registration status for each stop floor is updated to "ON" when a car call Vg whose destination floor is that stop floor Fd is registered, and is updated to "OFF" when that car call Vg is deleted.

[0047] FIG. 2(C) is a conceptual diagram illustrating hall call management data Dq1H and car call management data Dq2H for robot H used in this embodiment.

[0048] In the hall call management data Dq1H, each time a hall call Rh for each robot H is assigned to a car G, the robot information Ph of that robot H and the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd indicated by that hall call Rh are recorded in a mutually associated state. Then, when each hall call Rh has completed its role, the information corresponding to that hall call Rh is deleted from the hall call management data Dq1H, thereby erasing it.

[0049] Furthermore, in the car call management data Dq2H, each time a car call Vh for each robot H is registered in a car G, the robot information Ph of that robot H and the destination floor Fd indicated by that car call Vh are recorded in a mutually associated state. Then, when each car call Vh has completed its role, the information corresponding to that car call Vh in the car call management data Dq2H is erased, thereby deleting the car call Vh.

[0050] The control unit 32 is responsible for executing the control processes (including assignment processes, response processes, and door-open extension processes) performed by the elevator control device 3. Specifically, the control unit 32 is composed of a processing device such as a CPU or an MPU, and executes a control program installed in the elevator control device 3 to realize the execution of its own control processes in software. Note that, before being installed in the elevator control device 3, this control program may be stored in a readable state on a portable storage medium (e.g., a flash memory) or may be stored in a downloadable state on another server, etc. Furthermore, the control processes performed by the elevator control device 3 are not limited to being realized in software by executing a program, but may also be realized in hardware by a processing circuit (control unit 32) built in the elevator control device 3.

[0051] <Robot management device> The robot management device 4 is a device that centrally manages the robots H used in the building where the elevator of this embodiment is installed.

[0052] In this embodiment, when each robot H needs to move between floors, it transmits the destination floor Fx to the robot management device 4. At this time, the robot H transmits to the robot management device 4 the destination floor Fx as well as robot information Ph for identifying itself from other robots H, so that the robot management device 4 can recognize which robot H has transmitted the destination floor Fx.

[0053] When the robot management device 4 receives the destination floor Fx and the robot information Ph from each robot H, the robot management device 4 executes a control process to move the robot H between floors, in order to alleviate the lengthening of the user's riding time that may occur when the user and the robot H ride together in the elevator G. Specifically, the robot management device 4 executes an allocation request process (see FIG. 4), a cancellation process (FIG. 11), and a boarding / alighting command process (see FIGS. 13 to 15). Details of these processes will be described later.

[0054] Specifically, the robot management device 4 includes a storage unit 41 and a control unit 42 (see FIG. 1).

[0055] The storage unit 41 is a part configured with storage devices such as ROM and RAM, and stores information necessary for the control processing performed by the robot management device 4. In this embodiment, the storage unit 41 stores robot management data Dr and assignment request management data Ds as such information.

[0056] Here, the robot management data Dr is a database for managing, for each robot H, multiple pieces of information related to that robot H by linking them together. The allocation request management data Ds is data for managing information on allocation requests for the robot H. Specifically, it is as follows.

[0057] 3(A) is a conceptual diagram illustrating the robot management data Dr used in this embodiment. In the robot management data Dr illustrated in this figure, for each robot H, its robot information Ph and boarding floor Ft, and the destination of the robot H when it moves between floors are recorded in a mutually associated state. Here, the boarding floor Ft associated with each robot H is the floor on which the robot H is located, and is updated each time the robot H moves between floors. In addition, the destination associated with each robot H is the destination floor Fx transmitted by the robot H for moving between floors, and the destination floor Fx is erased when the robot H has finished disembarking at that floor.

[0058] As a result, when the robot management device 4 receives robot information Ph together with the destination floor Fx from each robot H, it becomes possible to identify the boarding floor Ft of that robot H from the robot information Ph. In this embodiment, the boarding floor Ft of that robot H is used as the departure floor Fc when that robot H moves between floors using an elevator car G. Furthermore, by referring to the movement destination associated with the robot information Ph of each robot H, if the movement destination has the destination floor Fx recorded, the robot management device 4 can determine that the robot H is moving between floors, and on the other hand, if the movement destination has no destination floor Fx recorded, it can determine that the robot H is deployed at the boarding floor Ft.

[0059] 3(B) is a conceptual diagram illustrating the allocation request management data Ds used in this embodiment. In the allocation request management data Ds illustrated in this figure, each time an allocation request for each robot H is made to the elevator control device 3, the robot information Ph of that robot H and the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd transmitted to the elevator control device 3 in the allocation request are recorded in a mutually associated state. In this embodiment, the information of each allocation request is deleted from the allocation request management data Ds when the car G arrives at the destination floor Fd associated with the allocation request (specifically, after a disembarkation completion signal Sy, described later, is transmitted to the elevator control device 3).

[0060] The control unit 42 is a part that is responsible for executing the control processes (including allocation request processes, cancellation processes, and boarding / disembarking command processes) performed by the robot management device 4. Specifically, the control unit 42 is composed of processing devices such as a CPU and an MPU, and executes a control program installed in the robot management device 4 to realize the execution of its own control processes in software. Note that, before being installed in the robot management device 4, this control program may be stored in a readable state on a portable storage medium (e.g., a flash memory, etc.), or may be stored in a downloadable state on another server, etc. Furthermore, the control processes performed by the robot management device 4 are not limited to being realized in software by executing a program, but may also be realized in hardware by a processing circuit (control unit 42) built in the robot management device 4.

[0061] [1-2] Control process executed by elevator [1-2-1] Allocation request processing performed by the robot management device 4 is a flowchart showing the allocation request process executed in this embodiment. This allocation request process is started each time the robot management device 4 receives a destination floor Fx and robot information Ph from any robot H. In the allocation request process, the robot H that has transmitted this information will be referred to as the "target robot Hk." Furthermore, the information received by the robot management device 4 at that time (including the destination floor Fx and robot information Ph) will be collectively referred to as the "received information Pr1."

[0062] When the allocation request process is started, the robot management device 4 records the destination floor Fx in the received information Pr1 as the destination associated with the robot information Ph in the received information Pr1 in the robot management data Dr (step S100; see FIG. 3(A)). This enables the robot management device 4 to grasp the destination of the target robot Hk even in the dismount command process described later.

[0063] In this allocation request process, the robot management device 4 makes a normal allocation request to the elevator control device 3 (step S110). Specifically, the robot management device 4 makes a normal hall call Rh allocation request to the elevator control device 3 as a request for allocation of a hall call Rh for the target robot Hk, in which the boarding floor Ft and destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk are set as the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd, respectively. More specifically, the robot management device 4 sets the boarding floor Ft and destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk as the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd of the target robot Hk, respectively, and transmits this information together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk to the elevator control device 3. Furthermore, the robot management device 4 records the information transmitted to the elevator control device 3 (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd) as allocation request information in the allocation request management data Ds in a mutually associated state (see FIG. 3(B)). After step S110, the robot management device 4 ends the allocation request process.

[0064] [1-2-2] Allocation process performed by elevator control device 5 is a flowchart showing the allocation process executed in this embodiment. This allocation process is started when a hall call allocation request is made to the elevator control device 3 from the destination direction button 1 or the robot management device 4.

[0065] Hereinafter, the information received by the elevator control device 3 for each allocation request will be collectively referred to as "received information Pr2." Specifically, if the allocation request is a request from the destination direction button 1 (a request to allocate a hall call Rg for a user), this received information Pr2 will be a set of information including the destination direction Kc and device information Pd, and if the allocation request is a request from the robot management device 4 (a request to allocate a hall call Rh for robot H), it will be a set of information including the departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd, and robot information Ph.

[0066] When the allocation process begins, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the received allocation request is from the destination direction button 1 or the robot management device 4 by determining whether the device information Pd or the robot information Ph is included in the received information Pr2 (step S200).

[0067] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S200 that the device information Pd is included, it can determine that the received allocation request is a request from the destination direction button 1. In this case, the elevator control device 3 uses the device management data Dp to extract the installation floor Fs associated with the device information Pd in ​​the received information Pr2 and sets it as the user's departure floor Fc. Then, the elevator control device 3 assigns the departure floor Fc and the destination direction Kc in the received information Pr2 (the user's destination direction Kc) to a car G as a single hall call Rg (allocation for the user; step S201; see the left diagram in Figure 2(B)). After that, the elevator control device 3 terminates the allocation process.

[0068] On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S200 that "robot information Ph" is included, it can determine that the received allocation request is a request from the robot management device 4. In this case, the elevator control device 3 assigns the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd in the received information Pr2 as one hall call Rh to the car G (assignment for robot H; step S202; see the left diagram in Figure 2(C)). Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 ends the allocation process.

[0069] [1-2-3] Response processing by elevator control device 6 is a flowchart showing the response process executed in this embodiment. This response process is a normal response process executed by the elevator control device 3, and is started when the next stopping floor of the car G is determined.

[0070] When the response process is started, the elevator control device 3 determines what kind of calls are included in the response targets to be responded to in the response process (step S30X). Specifically, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the response targets include only hall calls (either or both of a hall call Rg of a user and a hall call Rh of the robot H), only car calls (either or both of a car call Vg of a user and a car call Vh of the robot H), or both hall calls and car calls.

[0071] Then, the elevator control device 3 executes a first response process if it determines in step S30X that the call is "only a hall call," executes a second response process if it determines in step S30X that the call is "only a car call," and executes a third response process if it determines in step S30X that the call is "both a hall call and a car call." These processes will be explained in detail below.

[0072] <First response process> 7 is a flowchart showing the first response process executed in this embodiment. In this first response process, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether or not the response targets include a hall call Rh of the robot H (step S300).

[0073] If the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S300, it can determine that only the user's hall call Rg is included in the response targets. In this case, the elevator control device 3 transmits a command to the car G to stop the car G at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rg (the user's departure floor Fc) in the same direction as the destination direction Kc indicated by the hall call Rg (step S301).

[0074] After step S301, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the car G has arrived at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rg (step S302). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes step S302 until it can determine "arrived (Yes)" in step S302.

[0075] Then, when the elevator control device 3 determines that the elevator has arrived (Yes) in step S302, it deletes the hall call Rg that has completed its role upon arrival (step S303).

[0076] Thereafter, the user boards the arriving car G and then registers his / her destination floor Fd by pressing the destination floor button 2 inside the car G. At this time, if the destination floor button 2 corresponding to the user's destination floor Fd has already been registered by another user, the user only boards the car G.

[0077] Therefore, after step S303, the elevator control device 3 determines whether or not an unregistered destination floor Fd has been pressed on the destination floor button 2 in the car G (step S304).

[0078] If the elevator control device 3 determines that the button is pressed (Yes) in step S304, it registers the pressed destination floor Fd as a car call Vg for the user in the car G (step S305). This makes it possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fd registered by the user in the car G. Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 ends the first response process.

[0079] On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines that the button was not pressed (No) in step S304, it ends the first response process without performing step S305.

[0080] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S300 that the hall call Rh of the robot H is "included (Yes)" in the response targets, it responds to the hall call Rh, and if the response targets further include the hall call Rg of the user, it also processes the hall call Rg of the user. Specifically, it is as follows.

[0081] The elevator control device 3 sends a command to the elevator G to stop the elevator G at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh (the departure floor Fc of the robot H) in the direction toward the destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rh (step S401).

[0082] After step S401, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the car G has arrived at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh (step S402). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes step S402 until it can determine "arrived (Yes)" in step S402.

[0083] When the elevator control device 3 determines that the elevator has arrived (Yes) in step S402, it executes the door-open extension process at the time of boarding shown in Fig. 16, thereby causing the elevator car G to extend the door open period in accordance with the command transmitted from the robot management device 4 at that time. The details of the door-open extension process at the time of boarding will be described later.

[0084] After completing the door opening extension process at the time of boarding, the elevator control device 3 returns to the process in FIG. 7 and registers the destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rh (the destination floor Fd of the robot H) in the car G as a car call Vh for the robot H (step S403). This makes it possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rh. Meanwhile, with the registration of the car call Vh in the car G in this way, the hall call Rh has completed its role. Therefore, the elevator control device 3 deletes the hall call Rh that has completed its role.

[0085] Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the hall call Rg of the user is further included in the response targets in this first response process (step S404). If the elevator control device 3 determines "included (Yes)" in step S404, it executes the processes of steps S303 to S305 (deleting the hall call Rg to registering the car call Vg) as the process for the hall call Rg. Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 ends the first response process. On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S404, it ends the first response process without executing the processes of steps S303 to S305.

[0086] <Second response process> 8 is a flowchart showing the second response process executed in this embodiment. In this second response process, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether or not the car call Vh of the robot H is included in the response targets (step S310).

[0087] If the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S310, it can determine that only the user's car call Vg is included in the response targets. In this case, the elevator control device 3 transmits a command to the car G to stop the car G at the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vg (the user's destination floor Fd) (step S311).

[0088] After step S311, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the car G has arrived at the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vg (step S312). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes step S312 until it can determine "arrived (Yes)" in step S312.

[0089] If the elevator control device 3 determines that the car has arrived (Yes) in step S312, it deletes the car call Vg whose role has been completed upon the arrival (step S313). After that, the elevator control device 3 ends the second response process.

[0090] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S310 that the car call Vh of the robot H is included in the response targets (Yes), it responds to the car call Vh, and if the response targets also include a car call Vg of a user, it also processes the car call Vg of the user. Specifically, it is as follows.

[0091] The elevator control device 3 transmits a command to the car G to stop the car G at the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vh (the destination floor Fd of the robot H) (step S411).

[0092] After step S411, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the car G has arrived at the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vh (step S412). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes step S412 until it can determine "arrived (Yes)" in step S412.

[0093] If the elevator control device 3 determines "arrived (Yes)" in step S412, it deletes the car call Vh that has completed its role upon arrival (step S413). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 executes the door open extension process at the time of disembarking shown in Fig. 17, thereby causing the car G to extend the door open period in accordance with the command transmitted from the robot management device 4 at that time. The door open extension process at the time of disembarking will be described in detail later.

[0094] After completing the door opening extension process when a passenger disembarks, the elevator control device 3 returns to the process of Fig. 8 and determines whether the user's car call Vg is further included in the response targets of this second response process (step S414). If the elevator control device 3 determines "included (Yes)" in step S414, it executes the process of step S313 (deleting the car call Vg) as the process for that car call Vg. Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 terminates the second response process. On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S414, it terminates the second response process without executing the process of step S313.

[0095] <Third response process> 9 and 10 are flowcharts showing the third response process executed in this embodiment. In this third response process, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether the response targets include a hall call Rh of the robot H (step S320).

[0096] If the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S320, it can determine that the response target includes the user's hall call Rg. In this case, the elevator control device 3 executes the same processes as steps S301 to S305 described in the first response process (steps S321 to S325).

[0097] On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines that the information is included (Yes) in step S320, it proceeds to process X in Figure 10 and executes the same processes as steps S401 and S402 described in the first response process (steps S421 and S422).

[0098] Here, if another robot H is riding in the car G and the stop floor (arrival floor Fg) at which the car G arrives is the destination floor Fx of the other robot H, the other robot H will dismount from the car G at the arrival floor Fg. In this embodiment, in order to smoothly board the robot H from the hall and dismount the other robot H from the car G, the robot H in the car G dismounts first, and then the robot H at the hall boards.

[0099] Therefore, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether or not the response targets in this third response process further include a car call Vh of another robot H (step S423).

[0100] If the elevator control device 3 determines "included (Yes)" in step S423, it can determine that another robot H in the car G will disembark at the stop floor (arrival floor Fg) where the car G has arrived. In this case, the elevator control device 3 deletes the car call Vh for the other robot H that has completed its mission with the arrival (step S430), and then executes the door open extension process at disembarkation shown in FIG. 17 as the process at disembarkation for the other robot H. Details of the door open extension process at disembarkation will be described later. In this door open extension process (see FIG. 17), the elevator control device 3 receives a door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4 for the disembarkation of the other robot H. Therefore, the elevator control device 3 determines "received (Yes)" in step S901, and then proceeds to step S902 (door open extension) and then step S910A.

[0101] After the completion of the door open extension process at the time of disembarking (when it is determined that the signal is "received (Yes)" in step S910A of FIG. 17), or when it is determined that the signal is "not included (No)" in step S423 of FIG. 10, the elevator control device 3 next (see FIG. 10) executes the door open extension process at the time of boarding shown in FIG. 16 as the process at the time of boarding for the robot H at the hall. The details of the door open extension process at the time of boarding will be described later, but in this door open extension process (see FIG. 16), the elevator control device 3 receives the door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4 for the boarding of the robot H at the hall, so it determines that the signal is "received (Yes)" in step S801, and then proceeds to step S810A via step S802 (door open extension). If the elevator control device 3 determines that the call has been received (Yes) in step S810A, it returns to the processing of Figure 10 and executes the same processing as step S403 (registration of car call Vh, deletion of hall call Rh) described in the first response processing (step S424).

[0102] 9, and determines whether the hall call Rg of the user is further included in the response targets in this third response process (step S441). If the elevator control device 3 determines "included (Yes)" in step S441, it executes steps S323 to S325 (deleting the hall call Rg to registering the car call Vg) as the process for the hall call Rg. Then, the elevator control device 3 proceeds to step S442. On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S441, it proceeds to step S442 without executing the processes of steps S323 to S325.

[0103] In step S442, the elevator control device 3 determines whether or not a user's car call Vg is further included in the response targets in this third response process. If the user's car call Vg is included in the response targets, the arrival of the car G will mark the end of the car call Vg's role. Therefore, if the elevator control device 3 determines "included (Yes)" in step S442, it also deletes the car call Vg that has completed its role (step S443). Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 ends the third response process. On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not included (No)" in step S442, it ends the third response process without performing the processing of step S443.

[0104] [1-2-4] Cancellation process performed by the robot management device 11 is a flowchart showing the cancellation process executed in this embodiment. In this embodiment, the robot management device 4 constantly acquires elevator information Pe (including information indicating the operating status of the car G and the usage status of the elevator) from the elevator control device 3, and based on that information, it understands the details of hall call allocation and car call registration in the elevator control device 3. Specifically, the robot management device 4 constantly requests the elevator control device 3 to return the elevator information Pe at that time. The robot management device 4 then acquires the necessary information by receiving the elevator information Pe returned from the elevator control device 3 in response to its own request.

[0105] Therefore, the robot management device 4 can grasp what kind of hall call Rh has been assigned to the robot H, and can also grasp what kind of car call Vh has been registered. The cancellation process is started when the robot management device 4 grasps that a car call Vh with the destination floor Fd of the robot H as the destination floor Fx has been registered for a car G moving in the forward direction Ks for the robot H (the direction from the boarding floor Ft of the robot H to the destination floor Fx). In other words, in this embodiment, the cancellation process is started when the robot management device 4 grasps that a normal hall call Rh for the robot H became the response target in the first response process (step 403 in FIG. 7) or the third response process (step S424 in FIG. 10), and that a car call Vh has been registered from that hall call Rh.

[0106] In the following, a car call Vh having the destination floor Fd as the target floor Fx of the robot H and registered in a car G moving in the forward direction Ks for the robot H will be referred to as a "normal car call Vh" for the robot H. Furthermore, as terms used in explaining the cancellation process, the normal car call Vh that triggered the start of the process will be referred to as a "call of interest Vhx," and the robot H corresponding to that car call Vh will be referred to as a "target robot Hk."

[0107] In the cancellation process, the robot management device 4 uses the elevator information Pe at that time (present time) to determine whether the target robot Hk and the user will ride in the elevator car G together, and whether the user's riding time, which may be prolonged if they do, can be mitigated, and then performs processing according to the results.

[0108] Therefore, the robot management device 4 first acquires the current elevator information Pe from the elevator control device 3 again (step S121). At this time, the robot management device 4 acquires information on the current position Qt and movement direction Kg of the car G as information indicating the operating status of the car G, and acquires information on the hall call Rg for the user assigned to the car G as information indicating the elevator usage status. Note that the elevator information Pe acquired by the robot management device 4 in step S121 may be the elevator information Pe currently acquired by the robot management device 4 at the time of execution of step S121.

[0109] Next, the robot management device 4 makes the following determination using the elevator information Pe acquired in step S121.

[0110] The robot management device 4 first determines whether the current elevator status is within a predetermined period during which the registration of the target call Vhx executed by the elevator control device 3 can be canceled (step S122). In this embodiment, the predetermined period is the period until the car G is confirmed to stop at the destination floor Fd (= the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk) indicated by the target call Vhx.

[0111] If the robot management device 4 determines in step S122 that the period is not within the predetermined period (No), it can determine that the elevator is not in a situation where it can cancel the registration of the target call Vhx. In this case, the robot management device 4 terminates the cancellation process while maintaining the normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk (in other words, without transmitting a cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3).

[0112] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines in step S122 that "it is within the predetermined period (Yes)," it can determine that the elevator is in a situation where it can cancel the registration of the target call Vhx. In this case, if the target robot Hk and the user are riding in the elevator car G together, and if the response to the target call Vhx is executed as is, the user's riding time will be extended (in other words, if the user will have to experience the target robot Hk getting off at an intermediate floor before the user gets off), it is preferable to cancel the registration of the target call Vhx.

[0113] Therefore, in order to determine whether or not there is a user riding with the target robot Hk, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not the following condition is met: (1) a car call Vg for the user has been registered in the elevator control device 3 (step S123). Specifically, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not information on the car call Vg for the user is included in the elevator information Pe (current elevator information Pe) acquired in step S121.

[0114] If the robot management device 4 determines in step S123 that the condition is satisfied (Yes), it next determines whether the ride time of the passengers would be prolonged if the response to the target call Vhx were executed as is, by determining whether the condition (2) that the car G stops at the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vg for the passenger after arriving at the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk (in other words, the destination floor Fd indicated by the target call Vhx) is satisfied (step S124). Specifically, the robot management device 4 determines whether the destination floor Fd of the passenger (disembarkation floor) is a floor later than the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk in the current movement direction Kg of the car G.

[0115] Then, the robot management device 4 repeatedly executes steps S121 to S124 until it determines in step S124 that the condition is met (Yes) or until it determines in step S122 that the condition is not within the predetermined period (No).

[0116] Here, if both conditions (1) and (2) are satisfied, and a response to a normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk is executed as is, the passenger riding in the car will inevitably have to experience the target robot Hk getting off at a floor along the way before the passenger gets off. In this case, the passenger will be forced to wait in the car G until the target robot Hk has finished getting off at the floor along the way. As a result, the passenger will be forced to spend a longer time riding in the car G before getting off.

[0117] Therefore, if the robot management device 4 determines in step S124 that the condition is met (Yes), it sends a cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3 to cancel the registration of the target call Vhx, in order to alleviate the prolongation of the passenger's riding time (step S130). At this time, the robot management device 4 sends the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk together with the cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3, in order to make the elevator control device 3 recognize for which robot H the cancellation signal Sc is instructing the cancellation of the registration of the car call Vh. In addition, the robot management device 4 erases information about the allocation request made for the target robot Hk (the information recorded in the allocation request management data Ds in step S110 of FIG. 4) from the allocation request management data Ds.

[0118] When the elevator control device 3 receives a cancellation signal Sc and robot information Ph from the robot management device 4, it cancels the registration of the car call Vh made for the target robot Hk identified by the robot information Ph. Specifically, the elevator control device 3 deletes the car call Vh for the target robot Hk. Furthermore, even when the elevator control device 3 is executing response processing (FIGS. 6 to 10) with a normal car call Vh for the target robot Hk as the response target, it can cancel the registration of the car call Vh by receiving a cancellation signal Sc from the robot management device 4 until it is confirmed that the car G will stop at the destination floor Fd (= target floor Fx) indicated by the car call Vh.

[0119] After step S130, when the car G passes the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk and then reverses its moving direction Kg and moves in the opposite direction Kt to the forward direction Ks, the robot management device 4 makes a new allocation request for the target robot Hk to disembark at the destination floor Fx (step S131).

[0120] In this embodiment, the robot management device 4 issues a new allocation request to the elevator control device 3, requesting the elevator control device 3 to allocate a hall call Rh, in which the first terminal floor Fy1 located in the forward direction Ks relative to the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk is set as the departure floor Fc and the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk is set as the destination floor Fd. Specifically, the robot management device 4 sets the first terminal floor Fy1 as the departure floor Fc and the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk as the destination floor Fd, and transmits this information together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk to the elevator control device 3. The robot management device 4 also records the information transmitted to the elevator control device 3 (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd) in the allocation request management data Ds in a mutually associated state as information on the allocation request (see FIG. 12). After that, the robot management device 4 terminates the cancellation process.

[0121] According to this cancellation process, if a response to a normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk were to be executed as is within a predetermined period, the elevator control device 3 can be made to cancel the registration of the normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk when it becomes clear that a situation will arise in which, while traveling in the car G, the user will have to experience the target robot Hk disembarking at a floor on the way to the user's disembarkation. Such a cancellation then makes it possible for the car G to pass through the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk while still carrying the target robot Hk. This prevents the user from experiencing the target robot Hk disembarking while traveling in the car G. As a result, it is possible to alleviate the lengthening of the user's riding time.

[0122] Furthermore, according to the new allocation request in step S131, even after the car G moving in the forward direction Ks has passed the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk, when the car G moves in the direction Kt opposite to the forward direction Ks, it is possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk and have the target robot Hk disembark there. Also, by making an allocation request for a hall call Rh for the target robot Hk with the end floor Fy (here, the first end floor Fy1) where the moving direction Kg of the car G is sure to reverse as the departure floor Fc, it is possible to avoid unnecessary stops of the car G.

[0123] [1-2-5] Boarding and disembarking command processing performed by the robot management device FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the boarding / alighting command processing executed in this embodiment. As described above, in this embodiment, the robot management device 4 constantly acquires elevator information Pe (including information indicating the operation status of the car G and the usage status of the elevator) from the elevator control device 3. Based on this information, the robot management device 4 also knows the current position Qt and movement direction Kg of the car G. Therefore, the robot management device 4 can determine whether the car G has arrived at a stop floor, and when it determines that the car G has "arrived," it can identify the arrival floor Fg of the car G at that time, the departure direction Kg1 of the car G from the arrival floor Fg (the movement direction Kg at the time of departure), and the arrival direction Kg2 of the car G to the arrival floor Fg (the movement direction Kg at the time of arrival). The boarding / alighting command processing shown in FIG. 13 is started each time the robot management device 4 determines that the car G has "arrived" at a stop floor.

[0124] When the boarding / alighting command processing begins, the robot management device 4 first determines whether the arrival floor Fg of the elevator car G matches any of the destination floors Fd recorded in the allocation request management data Ds (see Figures 3(B) and 12) (in other words, the destination floors Fd sent in the allocation request) in order to determine whether there is a possibility that the stopping of the elevator car G at the arrival floor Fg corresponds to a stop in response to an elevator call Vh for the robot H (step S501).

[0125] If the robot management device 4 determines "match (Yes)" in step S501, it can determine that there is a possibility that the stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg corresponds to a stop in response to the car call Vh for the robot H. On the other hand, this determination alone does not allow it to be determined that the stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg is a stop in response to the car call Vh for the robot H. Therefore, the robot management device 4 executes the dismount command processing shown in FIG. 15 to further determine what kind of stop the car G at the arrival floor Fg is, and performs processing necessary for the inter-floor movement of the robot H depending on the determination result. The dismount command processing will be described in detail later.

[0126] After completing the disembarkation command processing, or if the robot management device 4 determines that there is no match (No) in step S501, it next determines whether the arrival floor Fg of the elevator G matches any of the departure floors Fc recorded in the allocation request management data Ds (see Figures 3(B) and 12) (in other words, the departure floors Fc sent in the allocation request) in order to determine whether the stopping of the elevator G at the arrival floor Fg is likely to be a stop in response to a hall call Rh for the robot H (step S502).

[0127] If the robot management device 4 determines "match (Yes)" in step S502, it can determine that there is a possibility that the stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg corresponds to a stop in response to the hall call Rh for the robot H. On the other hand, this determination alone does not allow it to be determined that the stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg is a stop in response to the hall call Rg for the robot H. Therefore, the robot management device 4 executes the boarding command processing shown in FIG. 14 to further make a determination to identify what kind of stop the car G at the arrival floor Fg is, and performs processing necessary for the inter-floor movement of the robot H according to the determination result. The boarding command processing will be described in detail later.

[0128] The robot management device 4 terminates the boarding / alighting command processing after completing the boarding command processing or if it determines "no match" in step S502. Furthermore, if the robot management device 4 determines "no match" in step S501 and also determines "no match" in step S502, it can determine based on these determinations that the stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg is not a stop in response to a hall call Rh or car call Vh for the robot H, in other words, a stop in response to a hall call Rg or car call Vg for the user. In this case, the robot management device 4 terminates the boarding / alighting command processing without performing either the boarding command processing (FIG. 14) or the alighting command processing (FIG. 15) because no processing for the robot H is necessary.

[0129] In the boarding / alighting command processing of Fig. 13, by making it possible to execute the disembarking command processing (see Fig. 15) before the boarding command processing (see Fig. 14) in this way, when it becomes necessary to perform both boarding of a robot H from a hall and disembarking of another robot H from a car G at the same stopping floor, the disembarking of the other robot H can be executed first. Therefore, according to the boarding / alighting command processing of Fig. 13, boarding and alighting of the two robots H can be performed smoothly.

[0130] <Boarding command processing> FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the boarding command process executed in this embodiment.

[0131] In the boarding command processing, the robot management device 4 first determines the allocation request that was determined to be "matching (Yes)" in step S502 of Figure 13 as the first target request, and uses the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd sent in that first target request (specifically, the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd corresponding to the first target request in the allocation request management data Ds) to identify the direction from the departure floor Fc to the destination floor Fd as the transport direction Kh of the robot H (step S601).

[0132] Next, the robot management device 4 determines whether the departure direction Kg1 of the elevator G from the arrival floor Fg matches the conveying direction Kh of the robot H identified in step S601 (step S602) to determine whether the stopping of the elevator G at the arrival floor Fg is in response to a hall call Rh for the robot H.

[0133] If the robot management device 4 determines that there is a match (Yes) in step S602, it can use that determination to identify that the stopping of the elevator G at the arrival floor Fg is a stop in response to the hall call Rh for the robot H.

[0134] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines "no match" in step S602, it can determine that the stopping of the car G at the arrival floor Fg is not a stop in response to a hall call Rh for the robot H, in other words, a stop in response to a hall call Rg or car call Vg for the user. In this case, the robot management device 4 terminates the boarding command processing because no processing for the robot H is necessary.

[0135] In this way, by the robot management device 4 making the judgments of steps S502 and S602, the robot management device 4 itself can determine that the elevator car G has arrived at the departure floor Fc in response to the hall call Rh for the robot H, without notification from the elevator control device 3.

[0136] On the other hand, even if such a determination is possible, it is not necessarily necessary to have the robot H board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G at that time. Specifically, this is as follows.

[0137] First, the case where it is necessary to have the robot H board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G occurs when the hall call Rh to be responded to at that time has been assigned to the car G in response to a normal assignment request (step S110 in FIG. 4) from the robot management device 4. In this case, the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh is the boarding floor Ft of the robot H, and when the car G arrives at the arrival floor Fg, the robot H has not yet boarded the car G and is waiting at the boarding floor Ft for a command to board the car G.

[0138] On the other hand, a case where it is not necessary for the robot H to board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G occurs when the hall call Rh currently being responded to has been assigned to the car G in response to a new assignment request from the robot management device 4 (step S131 in FIG. 11 ) (a new hall call Rh for the robot H). In this case, the departure floor Fc indicated by the new hall call Rh is a floor (the first terminal floor Fy1 in this embodiment) different from the boarding floor Ft of the robot H, and the elevator control device 3 is executing a response process for the new hall call Rh as the response target after canceling the registration of the car call Vh for the robot H (in other words, with the robot H still aboard the car G). Therefore, when the car G arrives at the arrival floor Fg, the robot H is already aboard the car G. Therefore, it is not necessary for the robot H to board the car G from the hall.

[0139] Therefore, in order to determine whether the robot H should board at the arrival floor Fg of the current car G, the robot management device 4 determines whether the departure floor Fc transmitted in the first focus request matches the boarding floor Ft of the robot H targeted by the first focus request (step S603). Specifically, the robot management device 4 refers to the departure floor Fc and robot information Ph corresponding to the first focus request in the allocation request management data Ds (see Fig. 3(B) and Fig. 12), and then determines whether the departure floor Fc matches the boarding floor Ft recorded in association with the robot information Ph in the robot management data Dr (see Fig. 3(A)).

[0140] If the robot management device 4 determines that the values ​​match (Yes) in step S603, it can determine that the robot H should be allowed to board the car G that has arrived.

[0141] In this case, the robot management device 4 transmits a door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3 to request a door open extension necessary for the robot H to board (step S611). At this time, the robot management device 4 extracts robot information Ph corresponding to the first target request from the allocation request management data Ds (see FIG. 3(B)) so that the elevator control device 3 can recognize which robot H requires a door open extension, and transmits the robot information Ph together with the door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3. As a result, the elevator control device 3 receives the door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4 when responding to a hall call Rh for the robot H identified by the robot information Ph (here, this robot H will be referred to as the "target robot Hk") and performing the door open extension process for boarding shown in FIG. 16. In this way, the elevator control device 3 can be made to execute the door opening extension necessary for the target robot Hk to board the elevator car G, and can also be made to recognize that a boarding completion signal Sx will be sent from the robot management device 4 when the boarding of the target robot Hk is complete.

[0142] After step S611, the robot management device 4 commands the robot H (target robot Hk) identified by the robot information Ph transmitted to the elevator control device 3 to get on the car G (step S612). As a result, the target robot Hk starts getting on the car G in response to the command from the robot management device 4, and when the getting on is completed, notifies the robot management device 4 of the completion of the getting on.

[0143] Therefore, after step S612, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not it has received a notification of completion of boarding from the target robot Hk, thereby determining whether or not boarding of the target robot Hk into the car G has been completed (step S613). Furthermore, the robot management device 4 repeatedly executes step S613 until it can determine "completed (Yes)" in step S613.

[0144] If the robot management device 4 determines "completed (Yes)" in step S613, it transmits a boarding completion signal Sx to notify the elevator control device 3 that the boarding of the target robot Hk has been completed, along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk (step S620A). Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the boarding command processing.

[0145] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines that there is no match (No) in step S603, it can determine that there is no need to allow the target robot Hk to board the arriving car G.

[0146] In this case, the robot management device 4 transmits the boarding completion signal Sx as a dummy signal to the elevator control device 3 along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk without transmitting the door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3 or issuing a command to the target robot Hk to board the car G (step S620B). As a result, when responding to a hall call Rh for the robot H (target robot Hk) identified by the robot information Ph, while performing the boarding door open extension process shown in FIG. 16, the elevator control device 3 receives the boarding completion signal Sx from the robot control device 4 without receiving the door open extension signal Sz. This process makes it possible to keep the target robot Hk boarded in the car G without stalling the elevator control by the elevator control device 3. The robot management device 4 then terminates the boarding command process.

[0147] <Disembarkation command processing> FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the dismount command process executed in this embodiment.

[0148] In the disembarkation command processing, the robot management device 4 first determines the allocation request that was determined to be "matching (Yes)" in step S501 of Figure 13 as the second focus request, and uses the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd sent in the second focus request (specifically, the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd corresponding to the second focus request in the allocation request management data Ds) to identify the direction from the departure floor Fc to the destination floor Fd as the transport direction Kh of the robot H (step S701).

[0149] Next, the robot management device 4 determines whether the arrival direction Kg2 of the elevator G at the arrival floor Fg matches the transport direction Kh of the robot H identified in step S701 (step S702), in order to determine whether the stopping of the elevator G at the arrival floor Fg is in response to an elevator call Vh for the robot H.

[0150] If the robot management device 4 determines that there is a match (Yes) in step S702, it can use that determination to identify that the stopping of the elevator car G at the arrival floor Fg is a stop in response to the elevator car call Vh for the robot H.

[0151] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines "no match" in step S702, it can determine that the stopping of the car G at the arrival floor Fg is not a stop in response to a car call Vh for the robot H, in other words, a stop in response to a hall call Rg or a car call Vg for the user. In this case, the robot management device 4 terminates the disembarkation command processing because no processing for the robot H is necessary.

[0152] In this way, by the robot management device 4 making the judgments of steps S501 and S702, the robot management device 4 itself can determine that the elevator car G has arrived at the destination floor Fd in response to the car call Vh for the robot H without notification from the elevator control device 3.

[0153] On the other hand, even if such identification is possible, it is not necessarily necessary to have the robot H get off at the arrival floor Fg of the car G at that time. Specifically, this is as follows.

[0154] First, when it is necessary to have the robot H disembark at the arrival floor Fg of the car G, the car call Vh to be responded to at that time is one that has been registered to the car G through a hall call Rh corresponding to a normal allocation request (step S110 in FIG. 4) from the robot management device 4, or one that has been registered to the car G through a hall call Rh (new hall call Rh) corresponding to a new allocation request (step S131 in FIG. 11). In these cases, the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vh is the target floor Fx of the robot H, and the arrival floor Fg of the car G at that time coincides with the target floor Fx of the robot H.

[0155] On the other hand, a case where it is not necessary to have the robot H disembark at the arrival floor Fg of the car G does not occur in this embodiment, but it occurs when, as in the first modified example described below, a new allocation request is made for a hall call Rh in which the destination floor Fd is not the target floor Fx of the robot H (see step S140 in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19), and the registration to the car G is made through such a hall call Rh. In this case, the destination floor Fd indicated by the car call Vh is a floor different from the target floor Fx of the robot H. Therefore, there is no need for the robot H to disembark from the car G to the hall.

[0156] Therefore, in order to determine whether or not the robot H should be disembarked at the arrival floor Fg of the current car G, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not the destination floor Fd transmitted in the second focus request matches the destination floor Fx of the robot H targeted by the second focus request (step S703). Specifically, the robot management device 4 refers to the destination floor Fd and robot information Ph corresponding to the second focus request in the allocation request management data Ds (see FIGS. 3(B), 12, and 19), and then determines whether or not the destination floor Fd matches the destination floor Fx recorded as a movement destination in association with the robot information Ph in the robot management data Dr (see FIG. 3(A)).

[0157] If the robot management device 4 determines that the two match (Yes) in step S703, it can determine that the robot H should be allowed to disembark from the car G that has arrived.

[0158] In this case, the robot management device 4 transmits a door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3 to request a door open extension necessary for robot H to disembark (step S711). At this time, the robot management device 4 extracts robot information Ph corresponding to the second target request from the allocation request management data Ds (see FIGS. 3(B) and 12) so that the elevator control device 3 can recognize which robot H requires a door open extension, and transmits the robot information Ph together with the door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3. As a result, the elevator control device 3 receives the door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4 when responding to a hall call Rh for the robot H identified by the robot information Ph (here, this robot H will be referred to as the "target robot Hk") and performing the door open extension process for disembarkation shown in FIG. 17. In this way, the elevator control device 3 can be made to execute the door opening extension required for the target robot Hk to disembark from the elevator car G, and can also be made to recognize that a disembarkation completion signal Sy will be sent from the robot management device 4 when the target robot Hk has completed disembarking.

[0159] After step S711, the robot management device 4 commands the robot H (target robot Hk) identified by the robot information Ph transmitted to the elevator control device 3 to dismount from the car G (step S712). As a result, the target robot Hk starts dismounting from the car G in response to the command from the robot management device 4, and when dismounting is complete, notifies the robot management device 4 of the dismounting completion.

[0160] Therefore, after step S712, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not a notification of dismounting completion has been received from the target robot Hk, thereby determining whether or not dismounting of the target robot Hk from the car G has been completed (step S713). Furthermore, the robot management device 4 repeatedly executes step S713 until it can determine "completed (Yes)" in step S713.

[0161] If the robot management device 4 determines that the process is completed (Yes) in step S713, it sends a dismounting completion signal Sy to the elevator control device 3 along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk to notify the elevator control device 3 that the target robot Hk has dismounted (step S720A).

[0162] Then, the robot management device 4 updates the boarding floor Ft recorded in the robot management data Dr for the target robot Hk to the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk used in the determination in step S703 (step S721). The robot management device 4 also deletes the destination floor Fx recorded as the movement destination of the target robot Hk in the robot management data Dr. Furthermore, the robot management device 4 deletes information about the second target request (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd) from the allocation request management data Ds (step S722). Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the dismount command processing.

[0163] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines that there is no match (No) in step S703, it can determine that there is no need to have the target robot Hk disembark from the car G that has arrived.

[0164] In this case, the robot management device 4 transmits a dismounting completion signal Sy as a dummy signal to the elevator control device 3 along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk (step S720B) without transmitting a door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3 and without instructing the target robot Hk to dismount from the car G. As a result, when responding to a hall call Rh for the robot H (target robot Hk) identified by the robot information Ph, while performing the dismounting door open extension process shown in Fig. 17, the elevator control device 3 receives the dismounting completion signal Sy from the robot management device 4 without receiving the door open extension signal Sz. This process allows the elevator control in the elevator control device 3 to transition to the next process without stagnation.

[0165] After step S720B, the robot management device 4 proceeds to step S722, where it deletes the information about the second target request (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd) from the allocation request management data Ds, and then ends the disembarkation command processing.

[0166] [1-2-6] Door opening extension process performed by elevator control device <Door opening extension when boarding> FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the door opening extension process executed in this embodiment when boarding.

[0167] According to the boarding and alighting command processing (Figures 13 to 15) performed by the robot management device 4 described above, when the elevator control device 3 is executing the response processing described above and the response target at that time is a hall call Rh for robot H, and when the elevator control device 3 is executing the boarding door opening extension processing (boarding door opening extension processing in the first response processing (see Figure 7) or the third response processing (see Figure 10)) for that robot H (here, this robot H will be referred to as the "target robot Hk"), the elevator control device 3 will receive a door opening extension signal Sz and a boarding completion signal Sx from the robot management device 4 together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk.

[0168] Therefore, in the door open extension process when boarding, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether or not a door open extension signal Sz for the target robot Hk has been received from the robot management device 4 (step S801).

[0169] If the elevator control device 3 determines that the signal has been received (Yes) in step S801, it can determine that the target robot Hk will board, and can further recognize that a boarding completion signal Sx will be sent from the robot management device 4 when the boarding is complete.

[0170] Therefore, the elevator control device 3 starts extending the door opening time of the car G at the arrival floor Fg at that time (step S802), and then determines whether or not a boarding completion signal Sx has been received from the robot management device 4 (step S810A). The elevator control device 3 also repeatedly executes step S810A until it determines "received (Yes)" in step S810A. If the elevator control device 3 determines "received (Yes)" in step S810A, it can determine that the boarding of the target robot Hk has been completed, and therefore ends the door opening extension process for boarding.

[0171] On the other hand, the robot management device 4 may send a boarding completion signal Sx as a dummy signal without instructing the target robot Hk to board the elevator car G. In this case, the elevator control device 3 will receive the boarding completion signal Sx together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk without receiving the door opening extension signal Sz.

[0172] Therefore, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not received (No)" in step S801, it determines whether or not the boarding completion signal Sx has been received from the robot control device 4 (step S810B) as a process for determining whether or not the boarding completion signal Sx has been transmitted as a dummy signal from the robot control device 4. Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes steps S801 and S810A until it determines "received (Yes)" the door-open extension signal Sz in step S801 or determines "received (Yes)" the boarding completion signal Sx in step S810B.

[0173] If the elevator control device 3 determines "received (Yes)" in step S810B, it can determine that the received boarding completion signal Sx is a dummy signal. In this case, the elevator control device 3 ends the boarding door opening extension process at the time of receiving the dummy signal.

[0174] When the robot H gets on the car G, some kind of trouble (such as a power system failure or insufficient battery power) may occur, and the robot H may not be able to complete boarding the car G. Therefore, if the elevator control device 3 is unable to receive the boarding completion signal Sx (is unable to determine "received (Yes)" in step S810A or S810B) after a predetermined time has elapsed, the elevator control device 3 may delete the hall call Rh, and proceed to step S404 in the processing of Figure 7, or to S441 in the processing of Figure 9.

[0175] <Extended door opening when getting off> FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the door open extension process executed in this embodiment when a passenger gets off the vehicle.

[0176] According to the boarding and alighting command processing (Figures 13 to 15) performed by the robot management device 4 described above, when the elevator control device 3 is executing the response processing described above and the response target at that time is a car call Vh for robot H, and when the elevator control device 3 is executing the door opening extension processing at the time of disembarking (door opening extension processing at the time of disembarking in the second response processing (see Figure 8) or the third response processing (see Figure 10)) for that robot H (here, this robot H will be referred to as the "target robot Hk"), the elevator control device 3 will receive a door opening extension signal Sz and a disembarking completion signal Sy from the robot management device 4 along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk.

[0177] Therefore, in the door open extension process when disembarking, the elevator control device 3 first determines whether or not a door open extension signal Sz for the target robot Hk has been received from the robot management device 4 (step S901).

[0178] If the elevator control device 3 determines that the signal has been received (Yes) in step S901, it can determine that the target robot Hk will dismount, and further recognize that a dismount completion signal Sy will be sent from the robot management device 4 when the dismount is complete.

[0179] Therefore, the elevator control device 3 starts extending the door opening time of the car G at the arrival floor Fg at that time (step S902), and then determines whether or not a disembarkation completion signal Sy has been received from the robot management device 4 (step S910A). The elevator control device 3 also repeatedly executes step S910A until it determines "received (Yes)" in step S910A. If the elevator control device 3 determines "received (Yes)" in step S910A, it can determine that the disembarkation of the target robot Hk has been completed, and therefore ends the door opening extension process at disembarkation.

[0180] On the other hand, the robot management device 4 may send a dismounting completion signal Sy as a dummy signal without instructing the target robot Hk to dismount from the elevator car G. In this case, the elevator control device 3 will receive the dismounting completion signal Sy together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk without receiving the door opening extension signal Sz.

[0181] Therefore, if the elevator control device 3 determines "not received (No)" in step S901, it determines whether or not the dismounting completion signal Sy has been received from the robot control device 4 (step S910B) as a process for determining whether or not the dismounting completion signal Sy has been transmitted as a dummy signal from the robot control device 4. Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes steps S901 and S910A until it can determine in step S901 that the door-open extension signal Sz has been "received (Yes)" or until it can determine in step S910B that the dismounting completion signal Sy has been "received (Yes)."

[0182] If the elevator control device 3 determines "received (Yes)" in step S910B, it can determine that the received disembarkation completion signal Sy is a dummy signal. In this case, the elevator control device 3 ends the door-open extension process for disembarkation at the time of receiving the dummy signal.

[0183] According to the control processing of this embodiment, the robot management device 4 itself becomes able to determine whether or not the robot H should board or disembark at the arrival floor Fg of the car G without notification from the elevator control device 3, and further becomes able to send corresponding commands (door opening extension signal Sz, boarding completion signal Sx, disembarking completion signal Sy, dummy signal) to the elevator control device 3.

[0184] Furthermore, according to the above control process, if a response to a normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk were to be executed as is within a predetermined period, the elevator control device 3 can be caused to cancel the registration of the normal car call Vh (= target call Vhx) for the target robot Hk when it becomes clear that a situation will arise in which, while traveling in the car G, the user will have to experience the target robot Hk disembarking at a floor on the way to the user's disembarkation. Such cancellation then makes it possible to allow the car G to pass through the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk with the target robot Hk still inside. This prevents the user from having to experience the target robot Hk disembarking while traveling in the car G.

[0185] As a result, the lengthening of passenger riding times can be alleviated by autonomous control of the robot management device 4 from the elevator.

[0186] [2] Variation [2-1] First modified example The first modification is a modification of the above-described embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, the cancellation process and the boarding / disembarking command process executed by the robot management device 4 may be modified as appropriate to the following processes.

[0187] 18 is a flowchart showing the cancellation process executed in the first modified example. In the cancellation process of this modified example, the robot management device 4 sends a cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3 in step S130, and then sends a new allocation request to the elevator control device 3 for allocating a hall call Rh, in which the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk is set as the departure floor Fc and the second terminal floor Fy2 located in the opposite direction Kt from the target floor Fx is set as the destination floor Fd (step S140). Specifically, the robot management device 4 sets the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk as the departure floor Fc and the second terminal floor Fy2 as the destination floor Fd, and transmits this information together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk to the elevator control device 3. Furthermore, the robot management device 4 records the information (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd) sent to the elevator control device 3 as allocation request information in the allocation request management data Ds in a mutually associated state (see FIG. 19). By such an allocation request, an allocation request for a new hall call Rh for the target robot Hk to depart the car G from the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk in the reverse direction Kt is made to the elevator control device 3. Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the cancellation process.

[0188] Even with such a new allocation request in step S140, after the car G moving in the forward direction Ks passes the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk, when the car G moves in the opposite direction Kt to the forward direction Ks, it becomes possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk and allow the target robot Hk to disembark there.

[0189] Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the boarding / alighting command processing executed in the first modified example. In this modified example, if the robot management device 4 determines "match (Yes)" in step S501, it executes the same processing as the alighting command processing shown in Fig. 15, and if the robot management device 4 determines "match (Yes)" in step S502, it executes the operation command processing shown in Fig. 21. As a result, the robot management device 4 makes a judgment to identify the type of stop of the car G at the arrival floor Fg, and performs processing necessary for the inter-floor movement of the robot H depending on the judgment result.

[0190] <Operation command processing> Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing the operation command processing executed in the first modified example. In the operation command processing of this modified example as well, the robot management device 4 first performs the same processing as steps S601 and S602 in Fig. 14 (steps S631 and S632) using the allocation request that is determined to be "matched (Yes)" in step S502 in Fig. 20 as the first target request in order to determine whether the car G has arrived at the departure floor Fc in response to the hall call Rh for the robot H without notification from the elevator control device 3.

[0191] Also in this modified example, just because it is determined in step S632 that the results are "matched (Yes)," it does not necessarily mean that the robot H needs to board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G at that time. Here again, the case where the robot H needs to board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G is when the hall call Rh to be responded to at that time has been assigned to the car G in response to a normal assignment request from the robot management device 4 (step S110 in FIG. 4). Also, the case where the robot H does not need to board at the arrival floor Fg of the car G is when the hall call Rh to be responded to at that time has been assigned to the car G in response to a new assignment request from the robot management device 4 (step S140 in FIG. 18) (a new hall call Rh for the robot H). On the other hand, the departure floor Fc indicated by the new hall call Rh is a floor different from the boarding floor Ft of the robot H, but is the destination floor Fx of the robot H. Therefore, when the car G arrives at the departure floor Fc (=destination floor Fx) indicated by the new hall call Rh, it is necessary to make the robot H disembark from the car G.

[0192] Therefore, in order to determine whether the robot H should board or disembark at the arrival floor Fg of the current car G, the robot management device 4 determines whether the departure floor Fc transmitted in the first focus request matches the boarding floor Ft or destination floor Fx of the robot H targeted in the first focus request (step S633). Specifically, the robot management device 4 refers to the departure floor Fc and robot information Ph corresponding to the first focus request in the allocation request management data Ds (see Fig. 3(B) and Fig. 19), and then determines whether the departure floor Fc matches the boarding floor Ft or destination floor Fx recorded in association with the robot information Ph in the robot management data Dr (see Fig. 3(A)).

[0193] If the robot management device 4 determines in step S633 that the number matches the "boarding floor Ft," it can determine based on this determination that the robot H should board the arriving car G.

[0194] In this case, the robot management device 4 executes the same processes as steps S611 to S613 in Fig. 14 (steps S641 to S643). If the robot management device 4 determines "completed (Yes)" in step S643, it transmits a boarding completion signal Sx to the elevator control device 3 to notify that the target robot Hk has boarded, along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk (step S650). Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the operation command process.

[0195] On the other hand, if the robot management device 4 determines in step S633 that it matches the "destination floor Fx", it can determine based on this determination that the robot H should be made to disembark from the car G that has arrived.

[0196] In this case, the robot management device 4 transmits a door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3 to request a door open extension necessary for the robot H to disembark (step S661). Furthermore, in order to make the elevator control device 3 recognize which robot H requires a door open extension, the robot management device 4 extracts robot information Ph corresponding to the first target request from the allocation request management data Ds (see FIG. 19), and transmits the robot information Ph together with the door open extension signal Sz to the elevator control device 3.

[0197] This enables the elevator control device 3 to execute the door open extension necessary for the robot H to disembark from the car G. Meanwhile, at this time, when responding to a hall call Rh for the robot H identified by the robot information Ph (here, this robot H will be referred to as the "target robot Hk"), the elevator control device 3 receives a door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4 while performing the door open extension process at boarding time shown in Fig. 16. Therefore, when the elevator control device 3 receives the door open extension signal Sz from the robot management device 4, it recognizes that a boarding completion signal Sx will be transmitted from the robot management device 4 when the boarding of the target robot Hk is complete, even though the target robot Hk has disembarked.

[0198] Therefore, the robot management device 4 executes the following process.

[0199] The robot management device 4 first commands the target robot Hk to dismount from the car G (step S662) in order to cause the target robot Hk to dismount from the car G. As a result, the target robot Hk starts to dismount from the car G in response to the command from the robot management device 4, and when dismounting is complete, notifies the robot management device 4 of the dismounting completion.

[0200] After step S662, the robot management device 4 determines whether or not a notification of dismounting completion has been received from the target robot Hk, thereby determining whether or not dismounting of the target robot Hk from the car G has been completed (step S663). Furthermore, the robot management device 4 repeatedly executes step S663 until it can determine "completed (Yes)" in step S663.

[0201] If the robot management device 4 determines "completed (Yes)" in step S663, it transmits the boarding completion signal Sx as a dummy signal together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk to the elevator control device 3 (step S670). As a result, when responding to a hall call Rh for the target robot Hk, the elevator control device 3 receives the boarding completion signal Sx (dummy signal) from the robot management device 4 while performing the boarding door opening extension process shown in Fig. 16.

[0202] According to this processing, it becomes possible to make the target robot Hk dismount from the car G without causing the elevator control by the elevator control device 3 to stagnate.

[0203] After step S670, the robot management device 4 updates the boarding floor Ft recorded in the robot management data Dr for the target robot Hk to the disembarking floor of the target robot Hk (the departure floor Fc (= destination floor Fx) corresponding to the first target request in the allocation request management data Ds) (step S671). The robot management device 4 also erases the destination floor Fx recorded as the movement destination of the target robot Hk in the robot management data Dr. Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the operation command processing.

[0204] In step S633 of Fig. 21, the robot management device 4 may refer to the departure floor Fc and robot information Ph corresponding to the first target request in the allocation request management data Ds (see Fig. 19), and then determine whether the departure floor Fc matches the boarding floor Ft recorded in association with the robot information Ph in the robot management data Dr (see Fig. 3(A)). If the robot management device 4 determines that the departure floor Fc and the robot information Ph match (Yes), it may execute processing for boarding the car G (steps S641 to S650 of Fig. 21), and if the robot management device 4 determines that the departure floor Fc and the robot information Ph do not match (No), it may execute processing for disembarking the car G (steps S661 to S671 of Fig. 21).

[0205] For the same reasons as in the embodiment, the control process of this modified example also makes it possible to mitigate the increase in the passenger's riding time by controlling the robot management device 4 autonomously from the elevator.

[0206] Furthermore, according to the new allocation request in step S140 (see Figure 18), by requesting allocation of a hall call Rh for the target robot Hk to the terminal floor Fy (here, the second terminal floor Fy2) as the destination floor Fd, where the moving direction Kg of the elevator G will necessarily reverse, unnecessary stops of the elevator G after the target robot Hk disembarks can be avoided.

[0207] Furthermore, in step S140 (new allocation request) of this modified example, as long as there is no need to generate unnecessary control such as stopping the elevator car G at a floor where no one gets on or off after the target robot Hk disembarks, the new allocation request may be to request the elevator control device 3 to allocate a hall call Rh with the destination floor Fd being a floor (not limited to the second terminal floor Fy2) located in the opposite direction Kt from the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk.

[0208] [2-2] Second variant The second modification is a further modification of the first modification described above. In the first modification described above, the cancellation process and the boarding / alighting command process executed by the robot management device 4, and the assignment process and the response process executed by the elevator control device 3 may be modified as appropriate to the following processes.

[0209] FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing the cancellation process executed in the second modified example. In the cancellation process of this modified example, the robot management device 4 transmits a cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3 in step S130, and then transmits a new allocation request to the elevator control device 3 for an allocation of a hall call Rh, in which the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk is set as the departure floor Fc and the direction Kt opposite to the forward direction Ks is set as the destination direction Kc from the departure floor Fc (step S150). Specifically, the robot management device 4 transmits information about the target robot Hk, specifying the departure floor Fc as the target floor Fx and the reverse direction Kt as the destination direction Kc, together with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk, to the elevator control device 3. The robot management device 4 also records the information transmitted to the elevator control device 3 (robot information Ph, departure floor Fc, destination direction Kc) in the allocation request management data Ds in a mutually associated state as information about the allocation request (see FIG. 23(A)). By such an allocation request, a new hall call Rh for the target robot Hk, which causes the car G to depart in the reverse direction Kt from the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk, is requested to be allocated to the elevator control device 3. After that, the robot management device 4 ends the cancellation process.

[0210] 23(A) and 23(B) are conceptual diagrams illustrating an example of allocation request management data Ds used in the second modified example. In the allocation request management data Ds of this modified example, each time an allocation request for each robot H is made to the elevator control device 3, the robot information Ph of that robot H and information on the departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd, and destination direction Kc are recorded in a mutually associated state. In addition, "upward" and "downward" are associated as information indicating the destination direction Kc.

[0211] 23(A) shows a case where, when an allocation request for each robot H is made in step S150 of Fig. 22, the departure floor Fc transmitted in step S150 is recorded in the allocation request management data Ds, and the direction transmitted as the destination direction Kc in step S150, out of the two directions, up and down, is set to "ON", while the other direction is set to "OFF", and further the destination floor Fd is set to "Null". Then, the information of each allocation request in which the destination floor Fd is set to "Null" is deleted from the allocation request management data Ds when the car G arrives at the departure floor Fc associated with the allocation request (specifically, after the boarding completion signal Sx is transmitted to the elevator control device 3).

[0212] 23(B) shows a case where, when an allocation request for each robot H is made in step S110 of FIG. 4, the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd transmitted in step S110 are recorded in the allocation request management data Ds, while the "upward" and "downward" indicating the destination direction Kc are both set to "OFF." Then, the information of each allocation request in which information other than "Null" is recorded in the destination floor Fd (stop floor of the car G) is deleted from the allocation request management data Ds when the car G arrives at the destination floor Fd associated with the allocation request (specifically, after the disembarkation completion signal Sy is transmitted to the elevator control device 3).

[0213] Even with this new allocation request in step S150, after the car G moving in the forward direction Ks passes the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk, when the car G moves in the opposite direction Kt to the forward direction Ks, it becomes possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk and allow the target robot Hk to disembark there.

[0214] In this modified example, when the robot management device 4 identifies the transport direction Kh of the robot H in step S631 of the operation command processing (see Figure 21), if the departure floor Fc and destination direction Kc (destination floor Fd="Null") are associated in the allocation request management data Ds as information on the first target request, the robot management device 4 will identify the destination direction Kc as the transport direction Kh of the robot H as is.

[0215] 24 is a flowchart showing the allocation process executed in the second modified example. In this modified example, the allocation process is also started when a request for hall call allocation is made to the elevator control device 3 from the destination direction button 1 or the robot management device 4.

[0216] In this modified example, the information (received information Pr2) received by the elevator control device 3 each time an allocation request is received will be a set of information including the departure floor Fc, destination direction Kc, and robot information Ph if the allocation request is a request from the robot management device 4 (a request to allocate a hall call Rh for robot H), or a set of information including the departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd, and robot information Ph.

[0217] Therefore, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S200 that "robot information Ph" is included, it further determines which of the two sets of information described above was received as an allocation request for robot H, namely, the destination direction Kc or the destination floor Fd, is included in the received information Pr2 (step S210).

[0218] Then, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S210 that the "destination direction Kc" is included, it assigns the departure floor Fc and the destination direction Kc in the received information Pr2 as one hall call Rh to the car G (assignment for the robot H; step S211; see FIG. 23(C)). After that, the elevator control device 3 ends the assignment process.

[0219] On the other hand, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S210 that the "destination floor Fd" is included, it assigns the departure floor Fc and the destination floor Fd in the received information Pr2 as one hall call Rh to the car G (assignment for the robot H; step S212; see Figure 23(D)). Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 terminates the assignment process.

[0220] 23(C) and 23(D) are conceptual diagrams illustrating hall call management data Dq1H for robot H used in the second modified example. In the hall call management data Dq1H of this modified example, each time a hall call Rh for each robot H is assigned to a car G, the robot information Ph of that robot H and information on the departure floor Fc, destination floor Fd, and destination direction Kc are recorded in a mutually associated state. In addition, "upward" and "downward" are associated as information indicating the destination direction Kc.

[0221] 23(C) shows a case where, when the allocation of a hall call Rh to each robot H is performed in step S211, the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh is recorded in the hall call management data Dq1H, and one of the two directions, up and down, indicated as the destination direction Kc by the hall call Rh is set to "ON", while the other direction is set to "OFF", and further, the destination floor Fd is set to "Null". Also, the example of FIG. 23(D) shows a case where, when the allocation of a hall call Rh to each robot H is performed in step S212, the departure floor Fc and destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rh are recorded in the hall call management data Dq1H, while both "upward" and "downward" indicating the destination direction Kc are set to "OFF". When each hall call Rh has completed its role, the information in the hall call management data Dq1H corresponding to that hall call Rh is deleted, thereby being deleted.

[0222] FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing the first response process executed in the second modified example. In this modified example, when the response target is a hall call Rh of the robot H, the hall call Rh indicates either the destination direction Kc or the destination floor Fd. Therefore, in the first response process of this modified example, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S300 that the hall call Rh of the robot H is included in the response targets (Yes), it determines whether the hall call Rh indicates the destination direction Kc or the destination floor Fd (step S460). Specifically, by referring to the hall call management data Dq1H (FIGS. 23(C) and 23(D)), the elevator control device 3 determines whether, as information about the hall call Rh to be responded to, either one of "upward" or "downward" indicating the destination direction Kc is "ON," or whether information other than "null" (the stopping floor of the car G) is recorded for the destination floor Fd.

[0223] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S460 that the "destination direction Kc" is indicated, it sends a command to the elevator G to stop the elevator G at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh (the departure floor Fc of the robot H) in the same direction as the destination direction Kc indicated by the hall call Rh (step S461).

[0224] After step S461, the elevator control device 3 determines whether the car G has arrived at the departure floor Fc indicated by the hall call Rh (step S462). Furthermore, the elevator control device 3 repeatedly executes step S462 until it can determine "arrived (Yes)" in step S462.

[0225] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S462 that the elevator has arrived (Yes), it deletes the hall call Rh (in this modified example, a new hall call Rh) that has completed its role with the arrival (step S463). At this time, the hall call Rh does not include a destination floor Fd (specifically, the destination floor Fd corresponding to the hall call Rh is set to "Null" in the hall call management data Dq1H (see FIG. 23(C))), and no new destination floor Fd is specified by the robot management device 4. Therefore, the elevator control device 3 does not register a car call Vh in response to the hall call Rh at this time.

[0226] In this way, the robot management device 4 requests the elevator control device 3 to allocate a new hall call Rh for the target robot Hk, with the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk as the departure floor Fc and the conveying direction Kh of the target robot Hk (here, the reverse direction Kt) as the destination direction Kc.In this way, the response processing performed by the elevator control device 3 makes it possible to stop the elevator car G at the departure floor Fc of the target robot Hk in the conveying direction Kh of the target robot Hk without generating a car call Vh corresponding to the hall call Rh.

[0227] After step S463, the elevator control device 3 executes the door open extension process at the time of boarding shown in Fig. 16, thereby causing the car G to extend the door open period in accordance with the command transmitted from the robot management device 4 at that time. Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 proceeds to step S404.

[0228] If the elevator control device 3 determines in step S460 that the destination floor Fd is indicated, it executes steps S401 to S403 (including the door opening extension process when boarding shown in Figure 16) described in the first response process (see Figure 7) of the above embodiment, and then proceeds to step S404.

[0229] Fig. 26 is a flowchart showing a part of the process X in the third response process executed in the second modified example. In the third response process of this modified example, if the elevator control device 3 determines in step S320 (see Fig. 9) that the hall call Rh of the robot H is "included (Yes)" in the response targets, it executes the same process as step S460 described in the first response process above (step S470).

[0230] If it is determined in step S470 that the "destination direction Kc" is indicated, the elevator control device 3 executes the same processes as steps S461 to S463 described in the first response process of this modified example (steps S471 to S473). Then, the elevator control device 3 executes the door opening extension process at the time of boarding shown in Fig. 16, and then proceeds to step S441 (see Fig. 9).

[0231] If it is determined in step S470 that the destination floor Fd is indicated, the elevator control device 3 executes steps S421 to S424 and S430 (including the door-open extension process shown in FIGS. 16 and 17) described in the third response process (see FIG. 10) of the above embodiment. Thereafter, the elevator control device 3 proceeds to step S441 (see FIG. 9).

[0232] According to such first response processing and third response processing, when responding to a new hall call Rh (when it is determined in step S460 or S470 that the "destination direction Kc" is indicated), it becomes possible to cause the target robot Hk to disembark from the car G without generating a car call Vh. Therefore, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary control such as stopping the car G at an intermediate floor where no one is getting on or off just to cause the target robot Hk to disembark from the car G heading in the opposite direction Kt.

[0233] Therefore, according to the new allocation request in step S150 (see Figure 22), by making an allocation request for a hall call Rh for the target robot Hk using the destination direction Kc, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary stops of the elevator G after the target robot Hk disembarks.

[0234] By the control process of this modified example, for the same reasons as in the embodiment and the first modified example, it is possible to mitigate the increase in the passenger's riding time by controlling the robot management device 4 autonomously from the elevator.

[0235] [2-3] Third variant In any of the above-described embodiments and variations, if the robot management device 4 determines in step S124 (see Figures 11, 18, and 22) that condition (2) is "satisfied (Yes)", it may request the allocation of a new hall call Rh (steps S131, S140, and S150) before transmitting the cancellation signal Sc, and then transmit the cancellation signal Sc (step S130).

[0236] [2-4] Fourth Variation The fourth modification is a modification of the above-described embodiment. In the above-described embodiment, the cancellation process executed by the robot management device 4 may be modified as appropriate to the following process.

[0237] Fig. 27 is a flowchart showing the cancellation process executed in Modified Example 4. In the cancellation process of this modified example, if the robot management device 4 determines in step S124 that condition (2) is "satisfied (Yes)," it transmits a cancellation signal Sc to the elevator control device 3, while retaining the information on the allocation request made for the target robot Hk (the information recorded in the allocation request management data Ds in step S110 of Fig. 4) without deleting it from the allocation request management data Ds (step S160).

[0238] After step S160, the robot management device 4 acquires the elevator information Pe at that time (current time) from the elevator control device 3 again (step S161). Note that the elevator information Pe acquired by the robot management device 4 in step S161 may be the elevator information Pe currently acquired by the robot management device 4 at the time of execution of step S161.

[0239] Then, the robot management device 4 uses the elevator information Pe acquired in step S161 to determine whether the moving direction Kg of the car G has reversed from the forward direction Ks to the reverse direction Kt (step S162). Furthermore, the robot management device 4 repeatedly executes steps S161 and S162 until it can determine "reversed (Yes)" in step S162.

[0240] If the robot management device 4 determines "reversed (Yes)" in step S162, it requests the elevator control device 3 to re-register the car call Vh with the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk as the destination floor Fd (step S163). Specifically, the robot management device 4 transmits only the target floor Fx of the target robot Hk to the elevator control device 3 along with the robot information Ph of the target robot Hk. Thereafter, the robot management device 4 ends the cancellation process.

[0241] When the elevator control device 3 receives a request from the robot management device 4 to re-register the car call Vh, it re-registers the car call Vh that was canceled in response to a command from the robot management device 4 by a cancellation signal Sc for the car G that has reversed its moving direction Kg to the opposite direction Kt.

[0242] For the same reasons as in the embodiment, the control process of this modified example also makes it possible to mitigate the increase in the passenger's riding time by controlling the robot management device 4 autonomously from the elevator.

[0243] Furthermore, by re-registering the car call Vh, after the car G moving in the forward direction Ks passes the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk, when the car G moves in the reverse direction Kt, it becomes possible to stop the car G at the destination floor Fx of the target robot Hk and allow the target robot Hk to disembark there. Also, by re-registering the car call Vh, it becomes possible to avoid unnecessary control such as stopping the car G at a floor other than the destination floor Fx just to allow the target robot Hk to disembark.

[0244] [2-5] Fifth variant In any of the above-described embodiments and variants, in the allocation request process (see FIG. 4), the robot management device 4 not only makes a normal allocation request (step S110), but also makes the following two allocation requests that are different from the normal allocation request in order to avoid a situation in which, if the normal allocation request were made, the user would have to experience robot H boarding at an intermediate floor after boarding car G and before disembarking.

[0245] As the first allocation request, the robot management device 4 requests allocation of a hall call Rh that sets the boarding floor Ft of the robot H as the departure floor Fc and causes the elevator G to depart in the reverse direction Kt from the boarding floor Ft, in order to board the robot H into an elevator G moving in the reverse direction Kt.

[0246] As a second allocation request, the robot management device 4 requests allocation of a hall call Rh that sets the destination floor Fd as the destination floor Fx of the robot H in order to have the robot H disembark from the elevator car G moving in the forward direction Ks, and that causes the elevator car G to arrive at the destination floor Fx in the forward direction Ks.

[0247] Then, when the hall call Rh corresponding to the second allocation request becomes the response target in the first response process (step 403 in FIG. 7) or the third response process (step S424 in FIG. 10) and a car call Vh is registered from that hall call Rh, a car call Vh with the destination floor Fd being the target floor Fx of the robot H will be registered for the car G moving in the forward direction Ks for that robot H. Therefore, in this case as well, the robot management device 4 can execute the cancellation process described above.

[0248] [2-6] Sixth Variation In any of the above-described embodiments and modifications, the request for allocation of a hall call Rg for a user may be appropriately changed to one requested from a destination floor registration device installed on each floor by the user registering a destination floor Fd in the destination floor registration device. In this case, the destination floor registration device transmits the destination floor Fd registered by the user and its own device information Pd to the elevator control device 3 as a request for allocation of a hall call Rg for the user.

[0249] When the elevator control device 3 receives an allocation request from a destination floor registration device, it determines in step S200 of Figure 5 that it is "device information Pd", and then in the subsequent step S201, it sets the floor where the destination floor registration device (the destination floor registration device identified by the received device information Pd; see Figure 2(A)) is installed as the departure floor Fc, and then assigns the departure floor Fc and the received destination floor Fd (the destination floor Fd registered by the user in the destination floor registration device) to the elevator car G as one hall call Rg.

[0250] In this configuration, when responding to a hall call Rg for a user in the first response processing of Fig. 7, the elevator control device 3 registers the destination floor Fd indicated by the hall call Rg (the destination floor Fd of the user) as a car call Vg for the user in the car G in step S303, instead of executing steps S304 and S305. Then, the elevator control device 3 deletes the hall call Rg that has completed its function, and then ends the first response processing. Furthermore, when responding to a hall call Rg for a user in the third response processing of Fig. 9, the elevator control device 3 performs similar processing, instead of executing steps S324 and S325.

[0251] [2-7] 7th variant In any of the above-described embodiments and modifications, each robot H may be modified as appropriate to execute the control processes (including allocation request processes, cancellation processes, and boarding / disembarking command processes) performed by the robot management device 4 on behalf of the robot management device 4. In this case, each robot H will communicate with the elevator control device 3 without going through the robot management device 4. This allows each robot H to use the elevator car G autonomously.

[0252] The above-described embodiments and modifications should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined not by the above-described embodiments and modifications, but by the claims. Furthermore, the scope of the present invention is intended to include all modifications that are equivalent to the scope of the claims and fall within the scope thereof.

[0253] Furthermore, from the above-described embodiments and modifications, the subject matter of the invention is not limited to the robot management device 4 or the robot H, but the control processes and programs executed by the robot management device 4 or the robot H may be extracted individually, or some of them may be extracted partially. Also, some or all of an elevator equipped with the robot management device 4 or the robot H may be extracted as the subject matter of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0254] 1 Destination button 2 Destination floor button 3 Elevator control device 4. Robot Management Device G car H Robot 31, 41 Storage section 32, 42 Control section Dp Equipment Management Data Dr. Robot Management Data Ds Allocation request management data Fc Departure Floor Fd Destination floor Fg Arrival Floor Fs Installation floor Ft boarding floor Fx destination floor Fy end floor Hk Target Robot Kc destination direction Kg Moving direction Kh Conveying direction Ks forward Kt reverse direction Pd device information Pe Elevator Information Ph Robot Information Qt current position Rg, Rh platform call Sc Cancellation signal Sx ride completion signal Sy exit completion signal Sz Door open extension signal Vg, Vh cage call Dq1G, Dq1H Hall call management data Dq2G, Dq2H cage call management data FY1 1st floor FY2 2nd End Floor Kg1 Departure direction Kg2 Arrival Direction Pr1, Pr2 received information

Claims

1. A device that manages robots used in buildings where elevators are installed, When the robot is moved from the boarding floor to the destination floor using the elevator car, after a car call for the robot is registered in the elevator control device with the destination floor of the robot as the car call for the robot, the robot management device can send a cancellation signal to the control device to cause the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot.

2. A predetermined period is defined as a period from when a car call with the destination floor of the robot as the destination floor is registered in the elevator control device until the car is confirmed to stop at the destination floor, and during this predetermined period: (1) A condition that a car call for the user is registered in the elevator control device; Determine whether or not is satisfied, If it is determined that the condition (1) is satisfied, (2) the condition that the car stops at the destination floor indicated by the car call for the user after the robot arrives at the destination floor; Determine whether or not is satisfied, 2. The robot management device according to claim 1, wherein the robot management device transmits the cancellation signal to the elevator control device when it is determined that the condition (2) is satisfied within the predetermined period.

3. 3. The robot management device according to claim 1, wherein, when the direction from the boarding floor of the robot to the destination floor is defined as the forward direction and the cancellation signal is transmitted to the elevator control device, a new hall call assignment request for the robot is made to the elevator control device before or after transmitting the cancellation signal, in which an end floor located in the forward direction with respect to the destination floor of the robot is defined as a departure floor and the destination floor of the robot is defined as a destination floor.

4. 4. The robot management device according to claim 3, wherein a request for hall call allocation for the robot is made by transmitting a departure floor and a destination floor required for the hall call allocation to the elevator control device, When the car arrives at the stop floor, A determination is made (A1) as to whether the arrival floor of the elevator car matches any of the departure floors transmitted in the allocation request; If it is determined in the determination (A1) that the request matches any of the departure floors, the matching allocation request is set as a first focus request, and the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor is set as the conveyance direction of the robot using the departure floor and the destination floor transmitted in the first focus request, and then a determination (B1) is made as to whether the departure direction of the elevator from the arrival floor matches the conveyance direction, If it is determined in the determination (B1) that the direction of transport of the robot matches, a determination (C1) is made as to whether the departure floor transmitted in the first focus request matches the boarding floor of the robot; If it is determined in the determination (C1) that the floor coincides with the boarding floor of the robot, a door-open extension signal is sent to the elevator control device, and the robot is instructed to board the car, and then, when the robot has completed boarding, a boarding completion signal is sent to the elevator control device; If the judgment (C1) determines that the floor does not match the floor the robot is to board, the robot management device does not send the door opening extension signal to the elevator control device, and does not instruct the robot to board the car, but sends the boarding completion signal as a dummy signal to the elevator control device.

5. 3. The robot management device according to claim 1, wherein, when the direction from the boarding floor of the robot to the destination floor is defined as the forward direction and the cancellation signal is transmitted to the elevator control device, a new request for assigning a hall call to the robot is made to the elevator control device before or after transmitting the cancellation signal, in which the destination floor of the robot is defined as the departure floor and the car is to depart from the destination floor in a direction opposite to the forward direction.

6. 6. The robot management device according to claim 5, wherein the request for assigning the hall call to the robot is made with the destination floor of the robot set as the departure floor and the destination floor set as an end floor located in the opposite direction from the forward direction relative to the destination floor.

7. 6. The robot management device according to claim 5, wherein the request for assigning the hall call to the robot is a request for assigning a hall call in which the destination floor of the robot is a departure floor and the direction from the departure floor is a direction opposite to the forward direction.

8. 4. The robot management device according to claim 3, wherein a request for hall call allocation for the robot is made by transmitting a departure floor and a destination floor or a destination direction required for the hall call allocation to the elevator control device, When the car arrives at the stop floor, A determination is made (A1) as to whether the arrival floor of the elevator car matches any of the departure floors transmitted in the allocation request; If it is determined in judgment (A1) that the request matches any of the departure floors, the matching assignment request is set as a first focus request, and the departure floor and the destination floor or the destination direction transmitted in the first focus request are used to determine the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor or the destination direction as the conveyance direction of the robot, and then a judgment (B1) is made as to whether the departure direction of the elevator from the arrival floor matches the conveyance direction, If it is determined in the determination (B1) that the direction of travel of the robot matches the direction of travel of the robot, a determination (C1) is made as to whether the departure floor transmitted in the first focus request matches the boarding floor or the destination floor of the robot, If it is determined in the determination (C1) that the floor coincides with the boarding floor of the robot, a door-open extension signal is sent to the elevator control device, and the robot is instructed to board the car, and then, when the robot has completed boarding, a boarding completion signal is sent to the elevator control device; If the judgment (C1) determines that the destination floor matches the robot's destination floor, the robot management device sends the door opening extension signal to the elevator control device and commands the robot to disembark from the elevator car, and then, when the robot has completed disembarking, sends the boarding completion signal as a dummy signal to the elevator control device.

9. 3. A robot management device as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the direction from the boarding floor of the robot to the destination floor is set as the forward direction, and after transmitting the cancellation signal to the elevator control device, if the direction of movement of the car reverses from the forward direction to the reverse direction, the robot management device requests the elevator control device to re-register a car call with the destination floor of the robot as the destination floor.

10. This robot is used in buildings with elevators. When the robot uses the elevator car to move from a boarding floor to a destination floor, after a car call for the robot itself is registered in the elevator control device with the destination floor as its own car call, the robot can send a cancellation signal to the control device to cause the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot itself.

11. A program to be executed by a robot used in a building where an elevator is installed, or a robot management device that manages the robot, When a robot is moved from a boarding floor to a destination floor using the elevator car, the program executes the following to cause the elevator control device to register a car call for the robot with the destination floor of the robot as the destination floor, and then sends a cancel signal to the control device, thereby causing the control device to cancel the registration of the car call for the robot.

Images