Elevator system and its control method

Abstract

An elevator system is disclosed. 【Solution means】The elevator system includes: a video unit that classifies, detects, and tracks an object boarding an elevator car; and a control unit that receives information regarding the presence or absence of the object boarding from the video unit and controls and manages the operation of the elevator. When the object being tracked by the video unit is hidden in the video and not detected, the determination as to whether the object has boarded the elevator car is corrected by additional information.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator system and a control method thereof.

Background Art

[0002] An elevator includes an elevator car that moves along a hoistway formed vertically inside a building, a hoisting machine that generates power to raise and lower the elevator car, a power transmission member that transmits the power of the hoisting machine to the elevator car, and the like.

[0003] The elevator car moves along a hoistway formed vertically inside the building. To raise and lower the elevator car, a motor, a hoisting machine, etc. that generate power are installed. One or more elevators installed inside the building may be integrally controlled and managed.

[0004] Non-robots such as people, goods, animals and plants, and / or robots can move vertically in the building via the elevator.

[0005] In recent years, robot services have been activated. However, robots that have been commercialized so far can move horizontally but are not designed to move vertically. Therefore, a means for moving between floors in a building is necessary.

[0006] Accordingly, various interlocking control technologies between the robot and the elevator have been developed so that the robot can move between floors in the building after boarding the elevator.

[0007] In particular, in order to control so that an object such as a robot can smoothly move between floors in the building using the elevator, information regarding whether the object is in a state of boarding the elevator plays an important role.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] The present invention aims to provide a system capable of enhancing the reliability of information regarding whether an object is in a state of boarding an elevator.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, there is provided an elevator system including: a video unit that classifies, detects, and tracks an object boarding an elevator car; and a control unit that receives information regarding whether the object has boarded from the video unit and controls and manages the operation of the elevator. When the object being tracked by the video unit is hidden and not detected in the video, the determination as to whether the object has boarded the elevator car is corrected by additional information.

[0011] The additional information may be one or more of the following: whether the door of the elevator car is open or closed, a change in weight inside the elevator car, a short-range signal sent by the object, a position signal sent by the object, movement path monitoring information of the object, and destination information of the object.

[0012] The object may be a robot or a non-robot.

[0013] When the object being tracked by the video unit inside the elevator car is not hidden by another object in the video and is hidden only for a short time within a preset value, and it can be determined that the video unit is continuously tracking the object, priority can be given to the video information.

[0014] In a situation where it is determined that the object is on board the elevator car, if the door of the elevator car has never opened, even if the object is hidden and not detected in the video, it can be determined that the object is on board the elevator car.

[0015] The floor of the elevator car may be divided into a number of regions, and may further include one or more weight sensors provided in the number of regions, to identify which region the object is in (the "identified region"), and it is possible to determine whether the object is on board the elevator car through an increase or decrease in weight in each region.

[0016] If the weight of the identified region decreases within the error range of a preset value as the weight of the object, and there is not so much weight increase in other regions, it can be determined that the object has gotten off the elevator car.

[0017] When the position signal sent by the object persists for a set time or more, alone or in combination with other additional information, it is possible to determine whether the object is on board based on the position signal sent by the object.

[0018] According to another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, in a control method of the elevator system, a step of determining whether the object is hidden in the video; and a step of enhancing the reliability of the determination based on additional information; are further included, and a control method of the elevator system is provided.

[0019] The additional information may be "whether the door of the elevator car is opened", and the control method of the elevator system may further include a step of determining whether the object was on board the elevator car before being hidden in the video; and a step of determining whether the door of the elevator car has opened even once.

[0020] The additional information may be "the change in weight inside the elevator car", and the control method of the elevator system may further include: determining whether there is a weight decrease in a "specified area"; and determining whether there is a corresponding weight increase in an area other than the "specified area".

[0021] The additional information may be "the position signal sent by the object", and the control method of the elevator system may further include: determining whether the object boarded the elevator car before being hidden in the video; and determining whether the position signal sent by the object persists for a set time or more inside the elevator car.

Advantages of the Invention

[0022] According to the present invention, even when an object is hidden and not detected in the video, the reliability of determining whether the object has boarded the elevator can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

[0024]

Figure 2

[0025]

Figure 3

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Figure 4

[0027]

Figure 5

[0028]

Figures 6 - 8

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings, the configuration and operation of preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail as follows. The present invention can be variously applied in the fields of robot control and elevator control. Also, the following embodiments can be modified into many other forms, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a state in which a robot 20 and a non-robot 30 such as a person are on board an elevator car 10.

[0031] Referring to FIG. 1, in the elevator car 10 included in the elevator system of the present invention, not only non-robots 30 such as people, goods, animals and plants, but also the robot 20 can be on board. The robot 20 may be a service robot for providing services on at least one floor in a building.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the system of this embodiment includes a video unit 100 and a control unit 200.

[0033] The imaging unit 100 can include a camera for photographing the interior of the elevator car 10, an image recognition device such as a CCTV. The imaging unit 100 can calculate the video information inside the elevator car 10 recognized by the image recognition device, and classify and detect one or more objects 300 boarding the elevator car 10 to recognize them. The object 300 can include non-robots 30 such as people, goods, animals and plants, and robots 20. The imaging unit 100 can improve the classification and detection capabilities for the object 300 through Machine Learning.

[0034] The imaging unit 100 can track one or more recognized objects. The object being tracked may be visually displayed in the video. The administrator (person) can confirm the object being tracked through the visual display in the video. The imaging unit 100 can send the recognition and tracking information of the object 300 to the control unit 200 in real time.

[0035] When the object 300 is a mechanical device such as a robot, the object 300 can send a short-range signal such as a radio signal to the image recognition device installed inside the elevator car 10. The imaging unit 100 can determine whether the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10 through the short-range signal received by the image recognition device.

[0036] The control unit 200 can generally control and manage the operation of one or more elevators installed in the building, and can send control signals to the imaging unit 100 and objects 300 such as robots. The control unit 200 can perform group management of the elevators. The control unit 200 can include a terminal for monitoring the elevator, a monitoring panel, etc.

[0037] When the object 300 is a mechanical device such as a robot, the object 300 can send a position signal to the control unit 200. The control unit 200 can monitor the movement path of the object 300 based on the position signal sent by the object 300. The control unit 200 can determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator. Also, when the object 300 is a mechanical device such as a robot, the destination information of the object 300 may be sent to the control unit 200.

[0038] The control unit 200 can receive information regarding whether an object has boarded from the imaging unit 100 and use it to control and manage the operation of the elevator. In particular, the control unit 200 can use the said information to determine the opening and closing of the door of the elevator car 10.

[0039] Basically, the control unit 200 can determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator through the position information of the object 300 (hereinafter referred to as "position signal information") determined by the position signal sent by the object 300, and the information regarding whether the object has boarded sent by the imaging unit 100 (hereinafter referred to as "imaging information").

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing an example of the internal image of an elevator car recognized by an image recognition device, and FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing another example of the internal image of an elevator car recognized by an image recognition device.

[0041] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the objects 300 being tracked by the imaging unit 100 are four persons 30 and one robot 20. In FIG. 3, since both the non-robot 30 that has boarded and the robot 20 are detected in the image, high reliability can be given to the imaging information. However, as shown in FIG. 4, when a part of the object 300 is hidden, it may become unclear whether it is hidden by the person 30 or the robot 20 has gotten off and is not detected in the image even though the robot 20 is boarding.

[0042] Therefore, in certain cases, priority can be given to video information to determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator, or the determination can be corrected with additional information, thereby enhancing the reliability of the determination of whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator. This will be described in detail below.

[0043] FIG. 5 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 5, the control method of this embodiment includes a step (S110) of determining whether the object 300 is hidden in the video, a step (S120) of determining that the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10, a step (S130) of enhancing the reliability of the determination with additional information, a step (S140) of determining whether the presence or absence of the object 300 boarding the elevator car 10 can be determined with the additional information, a step (S150) of determining whether the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10, and a step (S160) of determining that the object 300 is not boarding the elevator car 10.

[0045] (1) Step (S110) of determining whether the object 300 is hidden in the video

[0046] When it can be determined that the video unit 100 is continuously tracking the object 300 (the first situation), the reliability of the video information can be increased. Here, the first situation is an example, and as shown in FIG. 3, it can include cases where the object 300 being tracked by the video unit 100 inside the elevator car 10 is not hidden by other objects in the video or is hidden only for a short time within a preset value.

[0047] In the first situation, priority is given to the video information, and even when the position signal information of the object 300 cannot be obtained or is obtained outside the elevator, it can be determined by the video information that the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10 (S120).

[0048] When it is determined that the object 300 being tracked by the imaging unit 100 is not detected in the image (second situation), it may become unclear whether the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10. Here, the second situation is an example. As shown in FIG. 4, the object 300 being tracked by the imaging unit 100 inside the elevator car 10 may be hidden in the image for a time exceeding a preset value by other objects, etc.

[0049] In the second situation, it may be uncertain whether the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10 but is hidden by other objects, or whether the object 300 has gotten off the elevator and is not in a boarding state. Therefore, in this case, the reliability of the determination can be enhanced through correction with additional information (S130).

[0050] If it is not possible to determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 based on the additional information (S140), the operation of further enhancing the reliability of the determination is repeated with other additional information. When it becomes possible to determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 based on the additional information (S140), it is determined whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 (S150).

[0051] The additional information for enhancing the reliability of the determination can include one or more of 1) whether the door of the elevator car 10 is opened, 2) the weight change inside the elevator car 10, 3) the short-range signal sent by the object 300, 4) the position signal sent by the object 300, 5) the movement path monitoring information of the object 300, and 6) the destination information of the object 300.

[0052] 1) Whether the door of the elevator car 10 is opened

[0053] FIG. 6 is a schematic flowchart of an example that embodies the "step of enhancing the reliability of judgment by additional information (S130)". Referring to FIG. 6, when the additional information is "whether or not the door of the elevator car 10 is opened", the control method of the elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention further includes a step (S210) of determining whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 before being hidden in the video, and a step (S220) of determining whether the door of the elevator car 10 has been opened at least once.

[0054] In a situation (S210) where it is determined by the position signal information and the video information that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 before the object 300 is hidden in the video, and when the door of the elevator car 10 has never been opened (S220), even if the object 300 is hidden in the video and not detected, it can be determined that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 (S120).

[0055] If it cannot be determined by the position signal information and the video information that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 before the object 300 is hidden in the video (S210), the reliability of the judgment can be further enhanced by other additional information (S130).

[0056] In a situation (S210) where it is determined by the position signal information and the video information that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 before the object 300 is hidden in the video, and when the door of the elevator car 10 has been opened at least once (S220), there is a possibility that the object 300 has gotten off the elevator car 10. Also, when the door of the elevator car 10 is currently in an open state, the object 300 may be continuing to board the elevator car 10, may be in the process of getting off, or may have completed getting off.

[0057] Therefore, before the object 300 is hidden in the video, in a situation (S210) where it is determined that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 based on the position signal information and the video information, if the door of the elevator car 10 has opened even once or is currently in an open state (S220), additional information is further required to determine whether the object 300 has boarded and its current state.

[0058] 2) Change in weight inside the elevator car 10

[0059] When the object 300 gets off, the weight inside the elevator car 10 can decrease by only the weight of the object 300, so this can be used to determine whether the object 300 has boarded.

[0060] Generally, when the object 300 is hidden by other objects, there are many people, robots, etc. boarding the elevator car 10, and in most cases, the object 300 can hardly move, so there is a high probability that it remains in the area where it was located before being hidden in the video.

[0061] The floor of the elevator car 10 may be divided into a number of areas. One or more weight sensors may be installed in each of the number of areas. The control unit 200 can identify (hereinafter referred to as the "identified area") which area the object 300 was in before being hidden in the video by each weight sensor installed by area. Then, the control unit 200 can determine whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 through the increase or decrease in weight in each area.

[0062] In particular, when the object 300 being tracked is a mechanical device such as a robot, since the weight of the object 300 is known in advance, when the weight in the identified area decreases within the error range of the value preset for the weight of the object 300, it can be considered that the object 300 has moved in the identified area. If there is no such weight increase in other areas, it can be determined that the object 300 has gotten off the elevator car 10.

[0063] In order to measure the weight inside the elevator car 10, an existing load cell can also be utilized.

[0064] FIG. 7 is a schematic flowchart of an example that embodies "the stage of enhancing the reliability of judgment based on additional information (S130)". Referring to FIG. 7, when the additional information is "the change in weight inside the elevator car 10", the control method of the elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a step (S310) of determining whether there is a weight decrease in the "specified area", and a step (S320) of determining whether there is a corresponding weight increase in an area other than the "specified area".

[0065] If there is a weight decrease in the "specified area" (S310), and if there is no corresponding weight increase in an area other than the "specified area" (S320), it can be determined that the object 300 is not on board the elevator car 10 (S160).

[0066] If there is a weight decrease in the "specified area" (S310), and if there is a corresponding weight increase in an area other than the "specified area" (S320), since it is not known whether the object 300 has only moved its position inside the elevator car 10 or has gotten off the elevator car 10, the reliability of the judgment can be further enhanced by other additional information (S130).

[0067] If there is no weight decrease in the "specified area" (S310), the reliability of the judgment can be further enhanced by other additional information (S130).

[0068] 3) The short-range signal sent by the object 300

[0069] When the object 300 is a mechanical device such as a robot, the object 300 can send a short-range signal such as a radio signal. The short-range signal sent by the object 300 is received by a video recognition device installed inside the elevator car 10, and it can be determined whether the object 300 is boarding the elevator car 10.

[0070] 4) Position signal sent by the object 300

[0071] FIG. 8 is a schematic flowchart of an example that embodies the "step of enhancing the reliability of determination by additional information (S130)". Referring to FIG. 8, when the additional information is the "position signal sent by the object 300", the control method of the elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of determining whether the object 300 had boarded the elevator car 10 before being hidden in the video (S210), and a step of determining whether the position signal sent by the object 300 continues inside the elevator car 10 for a set time or more (S510).

[0072] Before the object 300 is hidden in the video, in a situation where it is determined that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 based on the position signal information and the video information (S210), even if the object 300 is hidden in the video and not detected, when the control unit 200 recognizes that the position signal sent by the object 300 continues inside the elevator car 10 for a set time or more (S510), it can be determined that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 (S120).

[0073] Before the object 300 is hidden in the video, in a situation where it is determined that the object 300 has boarded the elevator car 10 based on the position signal information and the video information (S210), when the control unit 200 recognizes that the position signal sent by the object 300 does not continue inside the elevator car 10 for a set time or more (S510), the reliability of the determination can be enhanced by other additional information (S130).

[0074] Before the object 300 is hidden in the video, if it is determined by the position signal information and the video information that the object 300 is not on board the elevator car 10 (S210), the reliability of the determination can be further enhanced by other additional information (S130).

[0075] Even when the door of the elevator car 10 is open and the object 300 is not detected as hidden in the video, the position signal sent by the object 300 can indicate that the object 300 is getting off. At this time, the object 300 is considered to have a high probability of getting off from the elevator car 10.

[0076] Therefore, when the position signal sent by the object 300 continues for a set time or more, the presence or absence of the object 300 on board can be determined by the position signal sent by the object 300 alone or in combination with other additional information.

[0077] 5) Movement route monitoring information of the object 300

[0078] The control unit 200 can monitor the movement route of the object 300 based on the position signal sent by the object 300. By referring to the movement route monitoring information of the object 300 by the control unit 200, it can be determined whether the object 300 has gotten off from the elevator car 10 or is still on board.

[0079] 6) Destination information of the object 300

[0080] When the object 300 is a mechanical device such as a robot, the destination information of the object 300 may be sent to the control unit 200. By referring to the destination information of the object 300, it can be determined whether the object 300 has gotten off from the elevator car 10 or is still on board.

[0081] According to the present invention, when the object 300 being tracked by the video unit 100 is hidden in the video and not detected, the control unit 200 can correct an error that provides information that the object 300 is not on board even though it is actually in a state of boarding the elevator car 10. Even when the object 300 being tracked by the video unit 100 is hidden in the video and not detected, the reliability of determining whether the object 300 has boarded the elevator can be enhanced.

[0082] The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains that various modifications or variations can be made and implemented without departing from the technical gist of the present invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0083] 10: Elevator car 20: Robot

[0084] 30: Non-robot 100: Video unit

[0085] 200: Control unit 300: Object

Claims

1. An imaging unit that classifies, detects, and tracks an object boarding an elevator car; and A control unit that receives information regarding the presence or absence of boarding of the object from the imaging unit and controls and manages the operation of the elevator; including An elevator system that corrects a determination as to whether the object has boarded the elevator car by additional information when the object being tracked by the imaging unit is hidden in the image and not detected.

2. The additional information is one or more of the presence or absence of opening of the door of the elevator car, a change in weight inside the elevator car, a short-range signal sent by the object, a position signal sent by the object, movement path monitoring information of the object, and destination information of the object. The elevator system according to claim 1.

3. The object is a robot or a non-robot. The elevator system according to claim 1.

4. When the object being tracked by the imaging unit inside the elevator car is not hidden by another object in the image or is hidden only for a short time within a preset value and the imaging unit can determine that it is continuously tracking the object, prioritize the video information. The elevator system according to claim 1.

5. In a situation where it is determined that the object has boarded the elevator car, if the door of the elevator car has never opened, even if the object is hidden in the image and not detected, determine that the object has boarded the elevator car. The elevator system according to claim 1.

6. The floor of the elevator car is divided into a number of areas, and further includes one or more weight sensors provided in the number of areas, Identify which area the object was in (the "identified area"), and determine whether the object has boarded the elevator car through increases and decreases in weight in each area. The elevator system according to claim 1.

7. If the weight of the identified area decreases within an error range of a preset value as the weight of the object, and there is no corresponding weight increase in other areas, determine that the object has gotten off the elevator car. The elevator system according to claim 6.

8. The elevator system according to claim 1, wherein when the position signal sent by the object persists for a set time or longer, the presence or absence of boarding of the object is determined alone or in combination with other additional information based on the position signal sent by the object.

9. Determining whether the object is hidden in the video; and Enhancing the reliability of the determination with additional information; The control method of the elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising.

10. The additional information is "whether the door of the elevator car is opened or not", Determining whether the object had boarded the elevator car before being hidden in the video; and Determining whether the door of the elevator car has opened even once; The control method of the elevator system according to claim 9, further comprising.

11. The additional information is "the change in weight inside the elevator car", Determining whether there is a decrease in weight in the "specified area"; and Determining whether there is only an increase in weight in the area other than the "specified area"; The control method of the elevator system according to claim 9, further comprising.

12. The additional information is "the position signal sent by the object", Determining whether the object had boarded the elevator car before being hidden in the video; and Determining whether the position signal sent by the object persists for a set time or longer inside the elevator car; The control method of the elevator system according to claim 9, further comprising.

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