Escalator walk suppression system

Abstract

To provide a means for effectively restraining walking on a footstep, by notifying specific information on a pedestrian, by reducing a circulating speed of the footstep, when detecting the walking on the footstep of an escalator.SOLUTION: An escalator walking restraining system 30 includes a walker detection part for detecting a walker 40 on a step 1, a control part 33 for controlling an escalator 50, and an attention calling part for calling attention to a user, and the control part 33 controls a motor 7 to decelerate the circulating speed of the step 1 when the walker 40 on the step 1 is detected based on information from the walker detection part, and specifies at least one walker 40 as a cause of deceleration based on information from the walker detection part, and notifies specified information about the walker 40 by an attention calling part 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an escalator pedestrian prevention system. [Background technology]

[0002] An escalator is a means of transportation that moves multiple steps connected in an endless fashion, transporting users standing on the steps to different floors.As a general rule, escalators are not intended for users to walk on the steps, and the proper way to use an escalator is to hold on to the handrail and remain on the steps.

[0003] Patent Document 1 states that when walking on the steps of an escalator is detected, the speed at which the steps move is slowed down and the change in the speed at which the steps move is notified to all users, thereby spreading awareness of the rule against walking on escalators and promoting correct use. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-140219 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The above-mentioned conventional technologies have a certain deterrent effect on walking on steps, but because it is physically possible to continue walking even when the steps are being slowed down and there are no individual penalties imposed on pedestrians, the current situation is that they have not completely eliminated walking on steps. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The escalator pedestrian prevention system of the present invention is a pedestrian prevention system for an escalator with steps that are driven in a circular motion by a motor, and is equipped with a pedestrian detection unit for detecting pedestrians on the steps, a control unit for controlling the escalator, and an attention warning unit for warning users.When the control unit detects a pedestrian on the steps based on information from the pedestrian detection unit, it controls the motor to slow down the circular speed of the steps, and identifies at least one pedestrian who caused the slowdown based on the information from the pedestrian detection unit, and notifies the user of specific information about the pedestrian via the attention warning unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, since walking on the steps of an escalator slows down the circulation speed of the steps, users are made aware that walking on the steps is a factor that hinders the smooth operation of the escalator, and walking on the steps can be discouraged.In addition, by individually imposing penalties on pedestrians on the steps, a greater discouraging effect against walking on the steps can be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an escalator mechanism. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control panel in an escalator pedestrian prevention system according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing a flow in an escalator walking prevention system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is an overall front view illustrating an escalator pedestrian prevention system according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the flow in an escalator walking prevention system according to another embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the embodiment described below is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. In the following, the operating state of escalator 50 will be described as an upward operation. Figure 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration for explaining the escalator mechanism.

[0010] As shown in Figure 1, escalator 50 allows users 31 to move between floors by circulating multiple steps 1 between lower floor 20, which serves as the boarding and alighting entrance, and upper floor 21. Since escalator 50 shown in Figure 1 operates in the upward direction, the boarding entrance 22 is on the lower floor 20 side, and the exit 23 is on the upper floor 21 side. Truss 3, which forms the framework of escalator 50, has driving wheels 4 on the upper floor side and driven wheels 5 on the lower floor side, and step chain 6, which circulates and drives multiple steps 1, is hung between driving wheels 4 and driven wheels 5.

[0011] The steps 1 are endlessly connected to a step chain 6. Power is supplied from a motor 7 to a driving wheel 4 via a reducer 8 and a drive chain 9, and the step chain 6 moves cyclically between the driving wheel 4 and the driven wheel 5, thereby driving the steps 1 cyclically. A control panel 10 installed inside the truss 3 has the function of controlling the so-called driving devices such as the motor 7 and reducer 8.

[0012] The balustrades 11 are erected on both sides of the width of the steps 1, spanning from the lower floor 20 to the upper floor 21, and a belt-like handrail 2 is provided around the periphery of the balustrades 11. A handrail chain (not shown) and a handrail drive device (not shown) are provided within the truss 3, and power is supplied from the motor 7 to the handrail drive device via the handrail chain, causing the handrail 2 to travel in a circular motion in the same direction as the steps 1.

[0013] The escalator walking prevention system 30 of the present invention includes a camera 32 that captures images of pedestrians and serves as a pedestrian detection unit for detecting pedestrians 40 on steps 1. The image (analog information) captured by camera 32 is processed into digital information by a first processing unit 36, which will be described later with reference to FIG. 2, and is used to determine whether a pedestrian has been detected. Camera 32 is installed, for example, on the ceiling above escalator 50, but is not limited to this and may also be attached to a protective plate provided at the corner between escalator 50 and the ceiling. Camera 32 does not need to be newly installed as a pedestrian detection unit; for example, a security camera or the like already installed in the building facilities in which escalator 50 is installed may be used.

[0014] Pedestrians 40 are detected on the inclined portion 24 of the escalator 50. Since users 31 may walk on the steps 1 near the entrance 22 and the exit 23 to get on and off the escalator, the range of pedestrian detection is limited to the inclined portion 24 so as not to detect walking near the entrance 22 and the exit 23.

[0015] The pedestrian detection unit may be a swing width sensor that detects expansion and contraction of the step chain 6, and when the swing width sensor detects expansion and contraction of the step chain 6 over multiple steps in the inclined portion 24, it is determined that a pedestrian 40 is walking on the step 1. The pedestrian detection unit may be a pressure sensor provided on the tread of the step 1, and when the load fluctuation on the tread of the step 1 in the inclined portion 24 is outside a reference value, it is determined that a pedestrian 40 is on the step 1. The pedestrian detection unit may also be a speed sensor that measures the moving speed of a user, and when the moving speed of the step 1 in the inclined portion 24 does not match the moving speed of the user, it may be determined that the user is walking on the step 1.

[0016] The attention drawing unit 34 included in the escalator walking prevention system 30 of the present invention has a function of drawing attention to the user 31 of the escalator 50. The attention drawing unit 34 is, for example, a speaker installed on the ceiling above the escalator 50.

[0017] Next, a process executed by the escalator walking prevention system 30 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control panel in the escalator walking prevention system, which is an example of an embodiment.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the control panel 10 installed in the truss 3 (see FIG. 1) is configured with a computer, such as a microcomputer, and includes a processor 12, a memory 13, and a control unit 33. The processor 12 includes, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory 13 is configured with a hard disk drive (HDD), a semiconductor memory, etc. The semiconductor memory is configured with a non-volatile memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a volatile memory such as a RAM (Random Access Memory). The non-volatile memory has a function of pre-storing control programs, predetermined thresholds, etc. The volatile memory has a function of temporarily storing read programs and processing data. The processor 12 reads programs, etc. pre-stored in the memory 13 and executes the functions of each processing unit of the control unit 33, thereby allowing the control unit 33 to control the escalator 50 (see FIG. 1). The control unit 33 and each processing unit may not be installed in the control panel 10 and may be installed outside the control panel 10 as appropriate.

[0019] The control unit 33 includes a first processing unit 36 ​​that detects a pedestrian 40 (see FIG. 1) on the steps 1 (see FIG. 1) based on information from the pedestrian detection unit. Specifically, the first processing unit 36 ​​has a function of converting the video (analog information) captured by the camera 32 into digital information and detecting a person moving across multiple steps 1 within a predetermined time period as a pedestrian 40 using a known object tracking function or the like. Even a user 31 (see FIG. 1) who is using the escalator 50 properly may move up the steps 1 by about one step to avoid interference with users in front and behind. Therefore, the detection target is limited to a person who continues to move across multiple steps so as not to detect such proper users 31 as pedestrians 40.

[0020] When the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40, it outputs a circulation speed deceleration signal to the second processing unit 37 and the third processing unit 38 (described later) to decelerate the circulation speed of the steps 1. Furthermore, when the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40, it identifies at least one pedestrian 40 who caused the deceleration, and outputs a pedestrian information signal that is a signal representing an image of the pedestrian 40 captured by the camera 32 to the third processing unit 38. When the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect a pedestrian 40, it does not output the circulation speed deceleration signal or the pedestrian information signal.

[0021] When the second processing unit 37 receives a circulation speed deceleration signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that has detected a pedestrian 40, it outputs a motor control signal to control the motor 7 and decelerate the circulation speed of the steps 1.

[0022] The third processing unit 38 outputs an attention signal to the attention warning unit 34. When the escalator 50 is operating at a normal speed, the third processing unit 38 periodically outputs an attention warning signal to the attention warning unit 34 to notify the user that "if a pedestrian is detected on the steps, the escalator will decelerate."

[0023] In addition, when the third processing unit 38 receives a circulation speed deceleration signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that has detected a pedestrian 40, it outputs a warning signal to the warning unit 34 informing the user that "a pedestrian has been detected and deceleration driving will be performed."

[0024] Furthermore, when the third processing unit 38 receives the pedestrian information signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that has detected the pedestrian 40, it outputs a pedestrian identification signal that is a text version of the characteristics of the detected pedestrian 40 to the attention alert unit 34. The attention alert unit 34 that has received the pedestrian identification signal from the third processing unit 38 has a function of notifying the user 31 of the escalator 50 by voice of the identification information about the pedestrian 40 who has walked on the step 1.

[0025] The escalator walking prevention system 30 may further include an image display unit 35 installed near the exit 23 (see FIG. 1 ) of the escalator 50. In this case, the third processing unit 38 receives the pedestrian information signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that detected the pedestrian 40, outputs an image display signal to the image display unit 35 to display an image of the detected pedestrian 40, and causes the image display unit 35 to display the image of the pedestrian 40 that was captured by the camera 32 and caused the escalator to decelerate.

[0026] If the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40 on the steps 1 while the escalator 50 is decelerating, that is, if the pedestrian 40 continues walking or if another pedestrian 40 walks on the steps 1, the second processing unit 37, which has received the circulation speed deceleration signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that detected the pedestrian 40, controls the motor 7 to further decelerate the circulation speed of the steps 1. At this time, the third processing unit 38, which has received the circulation speed deceleration signal output by the first processing unit 36 ​​that detected the pedestrian 40, outputs an attention signal to the attention unit 34 to notify the user that "further deceleration will be required because pedestrian detection continues."

[0027] If no pedestrian 40 is detected while the escalator 50 is decelerating, the first processing unit 36 ​​stops outputting the circulation speed deceleration signal and the pedestrian information signal. As the output of the circulation speed deceleration signal stops, control of the motor 7 by the second processing unit 37 ends, and the circulation speed of the steps 1 returns to normal. The third processing unit 38 outputs an attention signal to the attention unit 34 notifying that "operation will return to normal speed," and stops outputting the pedestrian identification signal and image display signal, thereby ending the notification of identification information about the pedestrian 40 by the attention unit 34 or the display of an image of the pedestrian 40 by the image display unit 35.

[0028] Next, the escalator walking prevention system 30 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 is a flow diagram showing the flow in the escalator walking prevention system, which is an example of an embodiment. Figure 4 is an overall front view for explaining the escalator walking prevention system, which is an example of an embodiment.

[0029] First Embodiment As shown in FIG. 3, when escalator 50 is operating at a normal speed, attention alert unit 34 periodically issues a notification that "if a pedestrian is detected on a step, the escalator will decelerate" (S30).

[0030] If the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40 based on the image captured by the camera 32 while the escalator is operating at a normal speed (S31 Yes), the warning unit 34 issues a warning that "a pedestrian has been detected and the escalator will decelerate" (S32), and the escalator 50 decelerates (S33), and the image of the pedestrian 40 that caused the deceleration, captured by the camera 32, is displayed on the image display unit 35 (S34).

[0031] When the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect the pedestrian 40 while the escalator is operating at a normal speed, the escalator walking prevention system 30 waits for the detection of a pedestrian (S31 No).

[0032] On the other hand, if the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40 during deceleration operation (S35 Yes), and the detected pedestrian 40 is the same as the pedestrian 40 currently being displayed as an image (S36 Yes), the escalator 50 continues deceleration operation and the image display unit 35 continues displaying the image.

[0033] If the pedestrian detected by the first processing unit 36 ​​during deceleration driving is different from the pedestrian 40 detected during driving at normal speed and currently displayed as an image (S36 No), at least one pedestrian who caused the deceleration and was detected based on the image captured by the camera 32 is newly identified and displayed as an image by the image display unit 35 (S37), and deceleration driving continues.

[0034] If the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect a pedestrian 40 during deceleration (S35 No), the image display unit 35 stops displaying the image of the pedestrian 40, the warning unit 34 issues a notification to "return to normal speed" (S38), and the escalator 50 returns to normal speed and operates (S39).

[0035] As shown in Fig. 4, in the first embodiment, when the first processing unit 36 ​​(see Fig. 2) detects pedestrians 40-1 and 40-2 on the steps 1 based on the image captured by the camera 32, the first processing unit 36 ​​decelerates the vehicle, and identifies at least one pedestrian 40-1 who caused the deceleration based on the image captured by the camera 32, and displays the identified image on the image display unit 35. Displaying the image of the pedestrian 40-1 so that it is visible to other users 31 and the like is a penalty for the pedestrian 40-1, and also has the effect of deterring other users 31 from walking on the steps 1. It is also expected to have the effect of deterring other pedestrians 40-2 from walking on the steps 1 to avoid incurring a penalty.

[0036] Next, an escalator walking prevention system 30 according to another embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flow diagram showing the flow of an escalator walking prevention system according to another embodiment.

[0037] Second Embodiment As shown in FIG. 5, when escalator 50 is operating at a normal speed, attention alert unit 34 periodically issues a notification that "if a pedestrian is detected on a step, the escalator will decelerate" (S50).

[0038] If the first processing unit 36 ​​detects a pedestrian 40 while the escalator is operating at a normal speed (S51 Yes), the warning unit 34 issues a notification that "a pedestrian has been detected and the escalator will decelerate" (S52), and the escalator 50 performs deceleration (hereinafter referred to as first deceleration), and identifies at least one pedestrian 40 who caused the deceleration based on information from the pedestrian detection unit, and the warning unit 34 issues specific information about the pedestrian 40 (S53).

[0039] When the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect the pedestrian 40 while the escalator is operating at a normal speed, the escalator walking prevention system 30 waits for the detection of a pedestrian (S51 No).

[0040] On the other hand, if the first processing unit 36 ​​continues to detect a pedestrian 40 or detects a new pedestrian 40 during the first deceleration operation (S54 Yes), the warning unit 34 will notify the user that "a pedestrian has been detected continuously, so further deceleration operation will be performed" (S55), and the escalator 50 will perform further deceleration operation (hereinafter referred to as second deceleration operation) (S56).

[0041] If the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect a pedestrian 40 during the first deceleration operation (S54 No), the warning unit 34 ends the notification of specific information about the pedestrian 40 and notifies the user to "return to normal speed" (S58), and the escalator 50 returns to normal speed and operates (S59).

[0042] During the second deceleration operation, if the first processing unit 36 ​​continues to detect the pedestrian 40 or detects a new pedestrian 40 (Yes in S57), the escalator 50 continues the second deceleration operation.

[0043] If the first processing unit 36 ​​does not detect a pedestrian 40 during the second deceleration operation (No in S57), the warning unit 34 terminates the notification of specific information about the pedestrian 40 and notifies the user to "return to normal speed" (S58), and the escalator 50 returns to normal speed and operates (S59).

[0044] As described above, by using the escalator walking prevention system 30 having the above configuration, the user 31 is made aware that walking on the step 1 is a factor that hinders the smooth operation of the escalator 50, and a deterrent effect can be exerted against walking on the step 1. Specifically, if the pedestrian 40 walks on the step 1, wanting to move faster than remaining on the step 1 of the escalator 50, the pedestrian's walking causes the step 1 to move slower, and the pedestrian's characteristics are also reported by voice and displayed as specific information. In other words, walking on the step 1 not only results in an outcome that deviates from the pedestrian 40's intention to move faster, but also results in the pedestrian being penalized by being notified to other users 31 as a factor in slowing down the escalator 50. Users 31 who want to avoid slowing down the escalator and the penalty will no longer walk on the step 1, and the escalator walking prevention system 30 has a deterrent effect against walking on the step 1 of the escalator 50.

[0045] The above embodiment can be appropriately modified in design without impairing the object of the present invention. For example, the warning unit 34 may issue a warning by sound from a speaker, or may issue a visual warning by turning on a lamp provided in the truss 3 or on the parapet 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0046] 1 step, 2 handrail, 3 truss, 4 drive wheel, 5 driven wheel, 6 step chain, 7 motor, 8 reducer, 9 drive chain, 10 control panel, 11 balustrade, 12 processor, 13 memory, 20 lower floor, 21 upper floor, 22 boarding entrance, 23 exit entrance, 24 inclined portion, 30 escalator walking prevention system, 31 user, 32 camera, 33 control unit, 34 warning unit, 35 image display unit, 36 first processing unit, 37 second processing unit, 38 third processing unit, 40 pedestrian, 50 escalator

Claims

1. A walking prevention system for an escalator with steps that are driven in a circular motion by a motor, a pedestrian detection unit for detecting a pedestrian on the steps; a control unit that controls the escalator; an alert unit that alerts a user; Equipped with When the control unit detects a pedestrian on the steps based on information from the pedestrian detection unit, the control unit controls the motor to slow down the circulation speed of the steps, and also identifies at least one pedestrian who caused the slowdown based on information from the pedestrian detection unit, and notifies the attention calling unit of specific information about the pedestrian. Escalator pedestrian prevention system.

2. 2. The escalator walking prevention system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the motor to further decelerate the circulation speed of the steps when a pedestrian is detected on the steps while the escalator is decelerating.

3. Further comprising an image display unit, the pedestrian detection unit is a camera that photographs pedestrians, The control unit causes the image display unit to display an image of the pedestrian who caused the deceleration, the image being captured by the camera. The escalator pedestrian prevention system according to claim 1 or 2.

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