Operation monitoring method and operation monitoring system for elevator

Abstract

To ensure the safety of an operator by automatically determining an unsafe behavior of the operator on the basis of a monitoring image captured by a camera.SOLUTION: During a normal operation of the elevator, a motion of an operator present in a machine room, on a car of the elevator, or in an elevator pit is monitored by a camera installed at least in the machine room, on the car of the elevator, or in the elevator pit. When there is a motion of the operator in the captured camera image, the camera image is compared with an image registered as an unsafe motion in a database to analyze whether there is an image including the unsafe motion in the camera image. When there is an image including the unsafe motion in the camera image, a motion stop signal is output to operate a safety switch, and power supplying to a hoist is cut off to stop the motion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an elevator operation monitoring method and an elevator operation monitoring system. [Background technology]

[0002] When performing maintenance work in the machine room, on the car, or under the pit, the safety switch is always turned on to stop the operation of the hoist to ensure the safety of the workers. By actively turning on various safety switches, workers can be protected from accidents such as getting caught in, falling, or being pinched.

[0003] Conventionally, techniques have been known in which a cover that covers a rotating part is removed, or in which, during work on the car, an inspector is notified of the approach of the car and the counterweight by means of vibration or an alarm before they come close to each other. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-190851 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-015300 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-007830 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-286952 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Conventional technology uses vibrations and alarms to raise safety awareness among workers, encouraging them to prevent unsafe behavior themselves, but this can lead to workers being fatigued or not paying enough attention, which can delay avoidance action and result in the same type of workplace accident occurring again and again.This can cause malfunctions and stoppages, making the elevator unusable and preventing service to users.

[0006] In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide an elevator work monitoring method and elevator work monitoring system that ensures the safety of workers by automatically determining unsafe behavior of workers based on monitoring images taken by a camera. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one embodiment for achieving the above object, during normal elevator operation, cameras installed in at least one of the machine room, the elevator car, and the elevator pit monitor the movements of workers in the machine room, the elevator car, and the elevator pit. If worker movement is detected in a captured camera image, the camera image is compared with images registered in a database as unsafe movements to analyze whether the camera image contains any unsafe movements. If an image containing an unsafe movement is detected in the camera image, an operation stop signal is output to activate a safety switch, and power supply to the hoist is cut off to stop operation. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator operation monitoring method and an elevator operation monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a configuration diagram of an elevator to which an elevator operation monitoring method and an elevator operation monitoring system according to an embodiment are applied; [Figure 3A] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an elevator operation monitoring method and an elevator operation monitoring system according to an embodiment. [Figure 3B] 3 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of an elevator operation monitoring method and an elevator operation monitoring system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] First Embodiment Configuration of the embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator operation monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an elevator to which the elevator operation monitoring system according to the embodiment is applied.

[0010] As shown in Figure 2, in the elevator of this embodiment, a car 2 installed in a hoistway 1 is connected to a counterweight 3 by a main rope 4, and moves up and down by a hoist 6 and a deflection sheave 7 installed in a machine room 5. The operation of the elevator is controlled by an elevator control panel 8 installed in the machine room 5.

[0011] Network cameras 11 and 12 are installed in the machine room 5 to monitor the movements of a machine room worker 13 working in the machine room 5. Note that multiple network cameras 11 and 12 are installed to eliminate blind spots at the work site, and the number is not limited to two, but three or more may be installed depending on the size of the machine room 5. A safety switch 15 and a hoisting machine power switch 16 are also installed in the machine room 5.

[0012] Additionally, on-car network cameras 21, 22 are installed above the car 2 to monitor the movements of an on-car worker 23 working on the car 2. A safety switch 25 is also installed above the car 2. Note that multiple network cameras 21, 22 are installed to eliminate blind spots at the work site, and are not limited to two, and three or more may be installed depending on the size of the car 2.

[0013] Furthermore, in-pit network cameras 31 and 32 are installed in a pit 30 of the elevator shaft 1, and the movements of in-pit workers 33 working in the pit 30 are monitored. A safety switch 35 is also installed in the pit 30. Note that multiple network cameras 31 and 32 are installed to eliminate blind spots at the work site, and the number is not limited to two, and three or more may be installed depending on the size of the pit 30.

[0014] These network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, 32, safety switches 15, 25, 35, and hoisting machine power switch 16 are connected to elevator control panel 8 and cloud server 60 via network 40. Furthermore, network 40 connects elevator control panels 8 of each elevator car with cloud server 60 that controls each elevator control panel 8, and may be wired or wireless.

[0015] The cloud server 60 includes a camera image input unit 61, a camera image analysis unit 62, a database 63, and an operation stop signal output unit 64.

[0016] The camera image input unit 61 inputs camera images from the network cameras 11 , 12 , 21 , 22 , 31 , and 32 via the network 40 .

[0017] The camera image analysis unit 62 analyzes the camera image input by the camera image input unit. Specifically, it compares the input camera image with images in the database 63 to determine whether or not it matches an image registered in the database 63 as an unsafe operation image. If it does not match an image registered in the database 63, it performs an AI analysis of the camera image, and if the image is highly likely to be an unsafe operation, it executes a process of registering the image in the database 63 as an unsafe operation image.

[0018] The database 63 registers and stores unsafe operation images. The registered images can be updated manually from the outside.

[0019] If the camera image analysis unit 62 determines that the operation is unsafe as a result of the analysis, the operation stop signal output unit 64 outputs an operation stop signal to the corresponding elevator control panel 8.

[0020] The elevator control panel 8 includes a safety switch on / off unit 81 and an alarm output unit 82. When an operation stop signal is output from the operation stop signal output unit 64 of the cloud server 60, the safety switch on / off unit 81 activates the safety switches 15, 25, and 35 installed in various parts to cut off the power supply to the elevator equipment. It also cuts off the hoist power switch 16 and activates the hoist brake (not shown). Upon receiving the operation stop signal from the operation stop signal output unit 64, the alarm output unit 82 issues an alarm to the workers 13, 23, and 33 currently working.

[0021] <<Operation of the embodiment>> Next, the operation (processing procedure) of the elevator operation monitoring method and elevator operation monitoring system of the embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0022] While the elevator is operating, network cameras 11 and 12 monitor the inside of machine room 5, network cameras 21 and 22 monitor the top of car 2, and network cameras 31 and 32 monitor the inside of pit 30. When any of network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, or 32 detects movement (YES in step S1), the camera image is sent to cloud server 60 via network 40 (step S2).

[0023] When the camera image input unit 61 of the cloud server 60 inputs a camera image from any of the network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, and 32, the camera image is analyzed by the camera image analysis unit 62 (step S3). That is, it is determined whether or not the input camera image matches an image registered in the database 63 as an unsafe operation. Here, an unsafe operation refers to, for example, a dangerous operation such as an operator approaching a rotating object such as the hoisting machine 6 or the deflector sheave 7 or live-line equipment within a certain distance.

[0024] If the input camera image matches an image registered in database 63 as an unsafe operation (step S3 YES), an elevator operation stop signal is output from operation stop signal output unit 64 of cloud server 60 to elevator control panel 8 (step S4). As a result, alarm output unit 82, which has received the operation stop signal from operation stop signal output unit 64, issues an alarm to workers 13, 23, 33 who are working. Safety switch on / off unit 81 activates safety switches 15, 25, 35 installed in various parts to cut off the power supply to elevator equipment. In addition, it cuts off the power supply to hoisting machine 6, and the hoisting machine brake is activated to stop the elevator operation (step S5).

[0025] If the input camera image does not match an image registered in database 63 as an unsafe operation, the camera image is subjected to AI analysis (step S6 in FIG. 3B). If the AI ​​analysis results in a high probability of the image being an unsafe operation (YES in step S7), an elevator operation stop signal is output from operation stop signal output unit 64 of cloud server 60 to elevator control panel 8 (step S8). This stops the power supply to hoisting machine 6, activates the hoisting machine brake, and stops the elevator operation (step S9). Then, the image that is determined to have a high probability of being an unsafe operation is registered in database 63 as an unsafe image (step S10).

[0026] After the elevator stops stopping, if the unsafe operation at the site is resolved as a result of analyzing the camera image (step S11 YES), normal operation is resumed (step S12). Thus, according to this embodiment, even if a worker is unable to take the safety measures that should have been taken due to lack of attention caused by fatigue during inspection, the automatic monitoring system using network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, and 32 can provide a service that provides safer work and prevents work-related accidents.

[0027] In particular, the AI ​​analysis program of camera image analysis unit 62 automatically analyzes and learns dangerous actions of workers based on images acquired by network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, and 32, thereby constantly updating the behavioral status of dangerous work. The updated dangerous work behavior is then compared and analyzed in real time with the images acquired by network cameras 11, 12, 21, 22, 31, and 32, and an operation stop signal is sent to elevator control panel 8, thereby constantly providing the latest safety environment. <Other embodiments> In the above embodiment, the database 63 is constructed in the cloud server 60, but this is not limiting. For example, the database 63 may be provided in a data center (remote monitoring center) connected to the cloud server 60 via a network.

[0028] Furthermore, images registered as unsafe operations in the database 63 can be manually registered and updated. In addition to machine learning, humans (workers) can actively learn by adding and deleting images as appropriate, enabling unsafe operations to be detected with high accuracy.

[0029] Furthermore, for elevators that are not group-controlled, the elevator control panel 8 may be configured to include a camera image input unit 61, a camera image analysis unit 62, a database 63, and an operation stop signal output unit 64 of a cloud server 60. In this case, by installing the control software of this system in an existing elevator control panel 8, the same services as for new elevators can be provided to already installed elevators.

[0030] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1...hoistway, 2...car, 3...counterweight, 4...main rope, 5...machine room, 6...hoisting machine, 7...deflector sheave, 8...elevator control panel, 11, 12...machine room network camera, 13...machine room worker, 15...safety switch, 16...hoisting machine power switch, 21, 22...car-mounted network camera, 23...car-mounted worker, 25...safety switch, 30...pit, 31, 32...pit network camera, 33...pit worker, 35...safety switch, 40...network, 60...cloud server, 61...camera image input unit, 62...camera image analysis unit, 63...database, 64...operation stop signal output unit, 81...safety switch on / off unit, 82...alarm output unit

Claims

1. During elevator operation, the movements of workers in the machine room, on the elevator car, and in the elevator pit are monitored by cameras installed in at least one of the machine room, on the elevator car, and in the elevator pit; If the captured camera image shows worker movement, the camera image is compared with images registered in the database as unsafe actions, and an analysis is performed to determine whether the camera image contains any images that include unsafe actions. An elevator operation monitoring method that, if an image containing an unsafe operation is found in a camera image, outputs an operation stop signal to activate a safety switch and cuts off the power supply to the hoist to stop operation.

2. If the result of analyzing whether there are any images containing unsafe behavior in the camera images is that there are no images containing unsafe behavior in the camera images, the camera images are analyzed by AI to determine whether they correspond to unsafe behavior, 2. The elevator operation monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein, when it is determined that the operation corresponds to an unsafe operation, an operation stop signal is output to activate a safety switch, the power supply to the hoist is cut off to stop the operation, and the camera image is registered in a database as a new unstable operation image.

3. a camera installed in at least one of an elevator machine room, an elevator car, and an elevator pit; a camera image analysis unit that monitors the machine room, the car, and the elevator pit from the camera images captured by the camera, and when movement is detected in the camera images, compares the input camera images with images registered in a database as unsafe operations, and analyzes whether or not there is an image containing an unsafe operation in the camera images; An elevator operation monitoring system comprising: an operation stop signal output unit that outputs an operation stop signal to activate a safety switch when a camera image analysis unit detects an image containing an unsafe operation in the camera image, and cuts off the power supply to the hoisting machine to stop operation.

4. The system comprises an elevator control panel that controls each elevator individually and a cloud server that manages all of the elevator control panels, 4. The elevator operation monitoring system according to claim 3, wherein the camera image analysis unit and the operation stop signal output unit are installed in the cloud server, and the database is installed in the cloud server or a data center connected to the cloud server.

5. The elevator operation monitoring system according to claim 3 , wherein the camera image analysis unit and the operation stop signal output unit are installed in an elevator control panel.

6. 5. The elevator operation monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the images registered in the database as unsafe operations can be manually registered and updated.

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