Management device and elevator system

Abstract

To provide a management device and an elevator system that can provide content having effective attributes for each passenger.SOLUTION: A management device is an elevator system that assigns a call from a passenger including a departure floor to multiple cars that are playing different types of content internally, the management device comprising a first acquisition unit that acquires content attributes of each content being played in the multiple cars, a second acquisition unit that acquires passenger attributes of the passenger, an assignment unit that determines the car among the multiple cars in which the content of the content attributes matching the passenger attributes is being played as an assigned car, and a command unit that assigns the call from the passenger to the assigned car.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an elevator control device and an elevator system. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an elevator system in which attributes of passengers riding in a car are acquired, and content with attributes corresponding to the attributes of the passengers can be played in the car. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-070273 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, a car often contains multiple passengers, each with various attributes. In the elevator system described in Patent Document 1, when passengers with various attributes share the car, there is a risk that content that corresponds to the attributes of one passenger but does not correspond to the attributes of another passenger may be played back.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a management device and an elevator system that can provide content with effective attributes to each passenger. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The management device of the present disclosure is an elevator device that assigns calls from passengers, including departure floors, to multiple cars in which different types of content are being played, and is equipped with a first acquisition unit that acquires content attributes of each content being played in the multiple cars, a second acquisition unit that acquires passenger attributes of the passengers, an allocation unit that determines as an assigned car a car among the multiple cars in which content with content attributes that match the passenger attributes is being played, and a command unit that assigns calls from passengers to the assigned car.

[0007] The elevator system according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of cars, a plurality of playback means provided in each of the cars for playing content within the car, a reception means for receiving calls from passengers including departure floors, and a management means for assigning passenger calls operated by the reception means to one of the plurality of cars. The management means includes a first acquisition unit for acquiring content attributes of each of the content being played in the plurality of cars, a second acquisition unit for acquiring passenger attributes of the passengers, an assignment unit for determining, as an assigned car, a car among the plurality of cars in which content with content attributes matching the passenger attributes is being played, and a command unit for assigning the call from the passenger to the assigned car. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present disclosure, calls from passengers are assigned to cars in which content with content attributes that match the passenger attributes is being played, thereby making it possible to provide content with attributes that are effective for each passenger. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a configuration diagram of a building to which the elevator system according to the first embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] 1 is a functional block diagram of an elevator system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a hall display device of the elevator system in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 4]4 is a flowchart of an operation performed by a management device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram of an elevator system according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram of a management device according to the first and second embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. Duplicate descriptions of these parts will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

[0011] Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a building to which an elevator system according to the first embodiment is applied. Fig. 2 is a functional block diagram of the elevator system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on a hall display device of the elevator system according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 is a flowchart of the operation performed by the management device according to the first embodiment.

[0012] 1, the elevator system 1 includes a plurality of elevator devices 50 and a control device 2. The control device 2 serves as a so-called group control device and allocates calls from passengers to any of the plurality of elevator devices 50.

[0013] As an example, a building is provided with four elevator devices 50a, 50b, 50c, and 50d, each of which has a similar configuration.

[0014] The elevator device 50a includes a driving machine 51a, a car 52a, a control panel 53a, a car operating panel 54a, and a regenerator 55a. The driving machine 51a raises and lowers the car 52a via a main rope. The control panel 53a controls the operation of the car 52a by controlling the driving of the driving machine 51a. Specifically, the control panel 53a registers a call assigned from the management device 2 and moves the car 52a to the departure floor included in the call. Thereafter, the control panel 53a controls the car 52a to move to the destination floor. The car operating panel 54a is provided inside the car 52a. The car operating panel 54a receives car call operations, including destination floors, from passengers traveling in the car 52a.

[0015] The regenerator 55a is provided in the car 52a. The regenerator 55a, as a regenerating means, is capable of regenerating content inside the car 52a. That is, in the elevator system 1, the regenerator 55a reproduces content inside the car 52a.

[0016] The term "content" as used herein refers to digital content, which is realized as sounds, videos, etc. that are perceived by humans through their hearing, vision, etc. Content includes music, images, videos, etc. For example, images or videos include those displayed on a display device by the reproducer 55a, those projected onto the floor or wall inside the car 52a by a projector, and those displayed visually by an augmented reality display means. "Playback" as used herein refers to the output of music, images, or videos in a manner that can be perceived by humans.

[0017] In this embodiment, an example in which video content is played back will be described. In this case, the players 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d are display devices that play back video.

[0018] Similarly, elevator apparatus 50b includes a driving machine 51b, a car 52b, a control panel 53b, a car operating panel 54b, and a regenerator 55b. Similarly, elevator apparatus 50c includes a driving machine 51c, a car 52c, a control panel 53c, a car operating panel 54c, and a regenerator 55c. Similarly, elevator apparatus 50d includes a driving machine 51d, a car 52d, a control panel 53d, a car operating panel 54d, and a regenerator 55d.

[0019] The elevator system 1 further includes a hall operating panel 3, an acquisition device 4, a hall display device 5, a server device 6, and a playback control device 7. The hall operating panel 3, the acquisition device 4, and the hall display device 5 are provided at a hall H where passengers board cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d. Although not shown, the hall operating panel 3, the acquisition device 4, and the hall display device 5 may be provided at a hall H on each floor of a building.

[0020] The hall operating panel 3 accepts hall call operations including at least the departure floor from passengers at hall H. The hall operating panel 3 may be configured with buttons or a touch mechanism indicating up or down, or may be configured with buttons or a touch mechanism indicating the destination floor. The hall operating panel 3 may be configured to be able to read an IC card, and may generate a hall call by reading the IC card. The hall call may further include the destination floor.

[0021] The acquisition device 4 can acquire passenger attributes, which are attributes of passengers. Any item indicating a person's attributes, such as age, gender, occupation, hobbies, and interests, can be set as the passenger attributes. The acquisition device 4 may be any device capable of acquiring passenger attributes. For example, the acquisition device 4 may be configured with a camera and a device that estimates passenger attributes of passengers shown in the image by analyzing the image captured by the camera. For example, the acquisition device 4 may be part of the hall operating panel 3 and may be configured with a device that estimates passenger attributes from information contained in a read IC card. In this way, the hall operating panel 3 and the acquisition device 4 may be installed integrally in the same housing, or may be installed as separate devices in separate housings.

[0022] The hall display device 5 is a display device that displays information to passengers at the hall H. The hall display device 5 is capable of communicating with at least the management device 2.

[0023] The server device 6 is provided in a building separate from the building in which the elevator device 50 is provided. The server device 6 is capable of communicating with the management device 2 and with mobile terminals 80 carried by passengers.

[0024] A dedicated application is installed on the mobile terminal 80. The mobile terminal 80 accepts a call operation from a passenger, including a departure floor and a destination floor. The mobile terminal 80 transmits a call request including the call to the server device 6. In the application, passenger attributes of the passenger carrying the mobile terminal 80 may be set in advance. In this case, information on the set passenger attributes may be included in the call request.

[0025] When the server device 6 receives from the mobile terminal 80 a call request including a call for the elevator system 1 accepted by the mobile terminal 80, the server device 6 transmits the call included in the call request to the management device 2.

[0026] The playback control device 7 can communicate with each of the playback devices 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d via wired or wireless communication. The playback control device 7 can also communicate with the management device 2. The playback control device 7 controls the type, details, etc. of content played back by the playback devices 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d.

[0027] The management device 2 acquires identification information of the content being played back in each of the players 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d from the playback control device 7. When the management device 2, which is a management means, receives a hall call from the hall operating panel 3 or a call included in a call request from the server device 6, it determines an assigned car to allocate the call from among the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d, based on the content being played back in the players 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d and the passenger attributes of the passenger who operated the call. The call is then registered in the car determined to be assigned from among the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d, and the assigned car is dispatched to the departure floor included in the call.

[0028] At this time, calls from passengers can be received from a receiving means, which is a set of the server device 6 and the mobile terminal 80, or the hall operating panel 3. Passenger attributes can be acquired from a set of the server device 6 and the mobile terminal 80 or an acquisition device 4, which is a passenger attribute acquisition means.

[0029] Next, the function of the elevator system 1 will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

[0030] The server device 6 has, as its functions, a request acquisition unit 61 and a call transmission unit 62. The request acquisition unit 61 acquires a call request from the mobile terminal 80. The request acquisition unit 61 identifies a target building from the call request. The call transmission unit 62 transmits the acquired call request to the management device 2 installed in the building identified by the request acquisition unit 61.

[0031] The playback control device 7 has, as its functions, a storage unit 71 and a playback unit 72. The storage unit 71 stores information on a plurality of pieces of content. The content information includes the content of the video, which is the content of the content. For example, the content information includes items such as "arithmetic quiz," "stock price information," and "baseball game results" as the content of the video. The content of the video can be identified individually as video identification information.

[0032] The playback unit 72 causes the players 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d to respectively play back the content information stored in the storage unit 71. The content to be played back may be selected randomly or may be selected in accordance with rules defined by a contract with a contractor who is playing the content.

[0033] The management device 2 includes, as its functions, a first acquisition unit 21, a second acquisition unit 22, an allocation unit 23, and a command unit 24.

[0034] The first acquisition unit 21 acquires information on the content being played back in each of the players 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d, i.e., the content being played back in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d, from the playback control device 7. The first acquisition unit 21 stores content correspondence information in advance. Based on the content correspondence information and the information acquired from the playback control device 7, the first acquisition unit 21 acquires content attributes of the content being played back in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d.

[0035] The content correspondence information includes the content of the video, which is the content of the content, and the content attributes, which are the attributes of the content, in association with each other. The content attributes are the attributes of the people that the content is primarily intended for. For example, the content correspondence information has the associations shown in Table 1 below.

[0036] [Table 1]

[0037] As shown in Table 1, the contents of the video include "math quiz," "stock price information," "baseball game results," etc. Corresponding content attributes include "for children," "for office workers," "for office workers who work at securities companies," "for people whose hobby is baseball," etc. As shown in the row for "stock price information," multiple content attributes may be associated with one piece of content. Note that the content attributes may be set to any item, such as "for adults," "for teenagers," "for people who work at electronics manufacturers," "authors," "doctors," "for people whose hobby is skiing," "for people whose hobby is rugby," or "for people whose hobby is cooking."

[0038] The content information may include content attributes in advance. In this case, the first acquisition unit 21 acquires the content attributes of the content being played back in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d from the playback control device 7.

[0039] When the second acquisition unit 22 receives a call from a passenger, it acquires passenger attributes of the passenger who operated the call from the acquisition device 4 or the set of the server device 6 and the mobile terminal 80, which are acquisition means.

[0040] The allocation unit 23 calculates a match index between the content attribute and the passenger attribute. The match index is an index value of the association between the content attribute and the passenger attribute, and is a value indicating the degree of match between the two attributes. The higher the association between the content attribute and the passenger attribute, the higher the match index. Any method may be adopted as the method used by the allocation unit 23 to calculate the match index. For example, the allocation unit 23 stores a relationship table indicating the correspondence between the content attribute and the passenger attribute, and calculates the match index based on the relationship table.

[0041] [Table 2]

[0042] As shown in the relationship table in Table 2, for example, the content attribute "for children" is associated with passenger attributes "children's age" (6 to 15 years old) and "has children in the family." That is, when the content attribute is "for children" and the passenger attribute is "has children in the family," the matching index calculated by the allocation unit 23 becomes large. In this case, the allocation unit 23 may determine that the matching index is the highest, i.e., "match."

[0043] The allocating unit 23 may calculate the match index by a method other than the example of the relationship table, such as using a model for calculating the match index.

[0044] The allocation unit 23 calculates the matching index of the content attributes of the content being played in the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d for the passenger attributes corresponding to the call.The allocation unit 23 then determines, as the car to be allocated, one of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d in which content with content attributes that match the passenger attributes corresponding to the call is being played.At this time, the allocation unit 23 determines that, among the content being played in the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d, the content with the content attribute that has the highest matching index with the passenger attributes is a match.

[0045] Note that the allocation unit 23 may select multiple candidate cars from among the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d before determining the car to be allocated. The multiple candidate cars may be cars to which a call can be allocated, or may be cars to which operation efficiency is unlikely to decrease even if a call is allocated. The allocation unit 23 may determine, as the car to be allocated, a candidate car from among the multiple candidate cars in which content with content attributes matching the passenger attributes corresponding to the call is being played.

[0046] The command unit 24 assigns the call to the assigned car determined by the assignment unit 23. That is, the command unit 24 transmits a command to register the call to the control panel that controls the assigned car among the control panels 53a, 53b, 53c, and 53d. The command unit 24 causes the hall display device 5 to display information indicating that the registered assigned car will be used.

[0047] As shown in Fig. 3, the hall display device 5 displays, with an arrow X, the position of one of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d that has been determined as an assigned car and will arrive at the hall H. For example, the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d are given names such as A, B, C, and D, respectively. The cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d may be given any name such as 001, 002, 003, and 004.

[0048] In addition, the platform display device 5 may also display information identifying the passenger who operated the call, such as "customer who entered to move to the 5th floor" or "female customer," along with the location of the assigned car.

[0049] The flowchart shown in FIG. 4 starts when a passenger issues a call including a departure floor to the reception means.

[0050] In step S1, the management device 2 receives a call. Then, in step S2, the second acquisition unit 22 of the management device 2 acquires passenger attributes of the passenger who operated the call from the acquisition means. In step S3, the first acquisition unit 21 of the management device 2 acquires content attributes of the content being played in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d. Note that the operations of step S2 and step S3 may be performed in the reverse order.

[0051] Then, in step S4, the allocation unit 23 determines an assigned car. Then, in step S5, the command unit 24 sends a command to the control panel that controls the assigned car to register the call and dispatch the car. Then, in step S6, the command unit 24 causes the hall display device 5 to display information guiding the assigned car.

[0052] Thereafter, the management device 2 ends the operation of the flowchart.

[0053] According to the first embodiment described above, the elevator system 1 includes multiple cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d, multiple playback units 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d, a call reception unit, and a management device 2. The management device 2 includes a first acquisition unit 21, a second acquisition unit 22, an allocation unit 23, and a command unit 24. The allocation unit 23 determines an assigned car in which content with a content attribute matching a passenger attribute is being played. The command unit 24 assigns the call to the assigned car. In conventional technology, content corresponding to the passenger's attributes is played after the passenger boards the car. This makes it difficult to provide content appropriate for each passenger. Furthermore, because content with content attributes that correspond as closely as possible to various passenger attributes is often played, the played content tends to be safe, potentially narrowing the range of content genres. In this embodiment, the management device 2 assigns passenger calls to cars in which content with a content attribute matching the passenger attribute is being played. That is, passenger calls are assigned to cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d according to the content attributes. Therefore, passengers with matching content attributes are gathered in each of cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d. As a result, content with effective attributes can be provided to each passenger. Furthermore, since there is no need to prepare content tailored to various passenger attributes, content from a wide range of genres can be played.

[0054] The allocation unit 23 also calculates the matching index and determines the car in which the content with the highest matching index is being played as the car to be allocated. This makes it possible to quantitatively determine whether the passenger attributes and the content attributes match.

[0055] The allocation unit 23 also calculates a matching index. The allocation unit 23 selects a plurality of candidate cars to which the call can be allocated from among the plurality of cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d. The allocation unit 23 determines the candidate car that is playing content with the highest matching index among the plurality of candidate cars as the car to be allocated. As a result, the management device 2 can provide content with effective attributes to each passenger while maintaining the operating efficiency of the elevator system 1.

[0056] The command unit 24 may cause the portable terminal 80 of the passenger to display information about the location of the assigned car.

[0057] Note that each of the regenerators 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d may play only one or more pieces of content having a single content attribute. In this case, the content attributes of the content played by the regenerators 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d may all be different. In this case, content information is stored in the regenerators 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d, and the playback control device 7 may not be provided. In this case, the first acquisition unit 21 may acquire in advance the content attributes of the content played by the regenerators 55a, 55b, 55c, and 55d. Even in this case, the management device 2 can determine an assigned car playing content with content attributes that match the passenger attributes.

[0058] Embodiment 2 Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram of an elevator system according to embodiment 2. Note that parts that are the same as or equivalent to parts in embodiment 1 are given the same reference numerals, and a description of these parts will be omitted.

[0059] In the second embodiment, the management device 2 further includes a function of a content command unit 25. The content command unit 25 transmits to the playback control device 7 a command specifying the attributes of the content to be played back in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d.

[0060] For example, a command is sent to the playback control device 7 so that content with different content attributes is played back in each of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d. For example, a command is sent to the playback control device 7 so that content with the same content attribute is played back in half of the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d during a certain time period.

[0061] The playback control device 7 causes the cars 52a, 52b, 52c, and 52d to play back the content in accordance with the command from the content command unit 25.

[0062] According to the second embodiment described above, the management device 2 further includes a content command unit 25 as a function. The content command unit 25 specifies the content attributes of the content to be played so that content with different content attributes is played. This allows the management device 2 to create a situation in which content with as high a matching index as possible for various passenger attributes is played. As a result, content with attributes as effective as possible can be provided to each passenger.

[0063] The content command unit 25 may be provided as a function in the playback control device 7.

[0064] Next, an example of hardware constituting the management device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is a hardware configuration diagram of the management device according to the first and second embodiments.

[0065] Each function of the management device 2 may be realized by a processing circuit. For example, the processing circuit includes at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b. For example, the processing circuit includes at least one dedicated hardware 200.

[0066] When the processing circuit includes at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b, the functions of the management device 2 are implemented by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. At least one of the software and firmware is written as a program. At least one of the software and firmware is stored in the at least one memory 100b. The at least one processor 100a implements the functions of the management device 2 by reading and executing the program stored in the at least one memory 100b. The at least one processor 100a is also referred to as a central processing unit, processing device, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP. For example, the at least one memory 100b may be a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or EEPROM, a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a minidisk, or a DVD.

[0067] When the processing circuit includes at least one dedicated hardware 200, the processing circuit may be realized, for example, as a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof. For example, each function of the management device 2 may be realized by a processing circuit. For example, each function of the management device 2 may be realized collectively by a processing circuit.

[0068] Some of the functions of the management device 2 may be realized by dedicated hardware 200, and the other parts may be realized by software or firmware. For example, at least some of the functions of the allocation unit 23 may be realized by a processing circuit as dedicated hardware 200, and the other parts of the functions of the allocation unit 23 may be realized by at least one processor 100a reading and executing a program stored in at least one memory 100b.

[0069] In this way, the processing circuitry realizes the functions of the management device 2 using hardware 200, software, firmware, or a combination of these.

[0070] Although not shown, the functions of the acquisition device 4 and the server device 6 are also realized by processing circuits equivalent to the processing circuits that realize the functions of the management device 2.

[0071] At least some of the functions of the management device 2 may be implemented on a cloud server. In this case, the processing circuit is composed of multiple partial circuits. The multiple partial processing circuits are provided in each of the multiple devices that make up the cloud server. The multiple devices that make up the cloud server may each be provided in a different building. In this case, the functions of the management device 2 implemented on the cloud server are involved in the control of the elevator devices 50 by communicating with the multiple elevator devices 50 via a network. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 elevator system, 2 management device, 3 hall operation panel, 4 acquisition device, 5 hall display device, 6 server device, 7 playback control device, 21 first acquisition unit, 22 second acquisition unit, 23 allocation unit, 24 command unit, 25 content command unit, 50, 50a, 50b, 50c, 50d elevator device, 51a, 51b, 51c, 51d drive machine, 52a, 52b, 52c, 52d car, 53a, 53b, 53c, 53d control panel, 54a, 54b, 54c, 54d car operation panel, 55a, 55b, 55c, 55d playback device, 61 request acquisition unit, 62 call transmission unit, 71 storage unit, 72 playback unit, 80 mobile terminal, 100a Processor, 100b Memory, 200 Hardware, H Platform

Claims

1. An elevator device that allocates passenger calls, including departure floors, to a plurality of cars in which different types of content are being played back, comprising: a first acquisition unit that acquires content attributes of each of the contents being played in the plurality of cars; a second acquisition unit that acquires passenger attributes of the passenger; an allocation unit that determines, among the plurality of cars, a car in which content having the content attribute that matches the passenger attribute is being reproduced as an assigned car; a command unit that assigns calls from the passengers to the assigned cars; A management device comprising:

2. the allocation unit calculates a matching index between the passenger attribute and the content attribute, and determines, as the allocated car, a car in which the content having the highest matching index is being reproduced among the plurality of cars; The management device according to claim 1 .

3. The allocation unit calculating a match index between the passenger attribute and the content attribute; selecting a plurality of candidate cars to which calls can be assigned from among the plurality of cars; determining, from among the plurality of candidate cars, the candidate car in which the content having the highest matching index is being reproduced, as the assigned car; The management device according to claim 1 .

4. a content command unit that specifies a content attribute of a content to be reproduced so that content having a different content attribute is reproduced in each of the plurality of cars; The management device according to claim 1 , further comprising:

5. Multiple baskets, a plurality of playback means provided in each of the plurality of cars, for playing back content within the car in which the playback means is provided; a reception means for receiving a call from a passenger including a call to a departure floor; a management means for assigning a call from the passenger operated by the reception means to one of the plurality of cars; Equipped with The management means a first acquisition unit that acquires content attributes of each of the contents being played in the plurality of cars; a second acquisition unit that acquires passenger attributes of the passenger; an allocation unit that determines, among the plurality of cars, a car in which content having the content attribute that matches the passenger attribute is being reproduced as an assigned car; a command unit that assigns calls from the passengers to the assigned cars; An elevator system with

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