Voice guidance output device for elevator and voice guidance method for elevator

Abstract

To transmit information of proper content to a user of an elevator in a car and in an individual unit according to a use state.SOLUTION: The elevator control device includes a floor information storage unit for storing floor information set for each destination floor of the car operation panel, a common information storage unit for storing guide information common to all the floors, an analysis unit for acquiring attribute information of a destination floor button operator when detecting the destination floor button operator who operates the destination floor button of the car operation panel by analyzing the imaged information imaged by the camera, and an output control unit for acquiring the floor information set for each destination floor of the car operation panel or the guide information common to all the floors from the floor information storage unit or the common information storage unit based on the attribute information acquired by the analysis unit and outputting the acquired information as voice guide information from the output device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to an elevator voice guidance output device and an elevator voice guidance method. [Background technology]

[0002] When a building sends out communications, information, advertisements, etc. to building users, it is necessary for the users to be aware of the content of the information. A traditional method for making building users aware of the content of information is to post posters on the walls. However, while building users are aware that a poster is posted on a designated wall, there is no point in sending out information unless they notice that the poster has been replaced and the content has changed.

[0003] There is also technology that transmits information about each destination floor to elevator passengers in the car individually as sounds. By using this technology, elevator passengers can receive information transmitted from the building without having to search for the information themselves, allowing them to make effective use of their elevator travel time. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 63-272762 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As mentioned above, in the past, buildings used posters and digital signage to communicate information, publicize information, and advertise to building and elevator users, requiring building users to search for the information themselves.

[0006] Furthermore, elevator users have different destination floors and require different information, so there has been a demand for technology that can convey information tailored to each individual elevator user's destination floor, even if the same information is simply displayed to elevator users using posters or digital signage.

[0007] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and aims to provide an elevator voice guidance output device and an elevator voice guidance method that are capable of individually transmitting information according to the destination floor to elevator users as sound. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In an embodiment for achieving the above object, the elevator voice guidance output device is communicatively connected to a camera that photographs the entire interior of the car, including elevator users and the car control panel, and an output device that outputs voice guidance information for elevator users.

[0009] The system also includes a floor information storage unit that stores floor information set for each destination floor on the car operation panel, an all-floor common information storage unit that stores guidance information common to all floors, an analysis unit that analyzes photographic information taken by the camera and, when it detects a destination floor button operator operating the destination floor button on the car operation panel, acquires attribute information of the destination floor button operator, and an output control unit that acquires floor information set for each destination floor on the car operation panel or guidance information common to all floors from the floor information storage unit or the all-floor common information storage unit based on the attribute information acquired by the analysis unit, and outputs it as voice guidance information from the output device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of an elevator system using an elevator voice guidance output device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a top view of the inside of an elevator car managed by a voice guidance output device according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a voice guidance output device according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 10 is a flowchart showing a target person selection performed for elevator users by a voice guidance output device according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] <Configuration of an elevator system using an elevator voice guidance output device according to an embodiment> FIG. 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of an elevator system 1 according to this embodiment.

[0012] Elevator system 1 includes camera 31 installed in the car of elevator 10, first superdirectional speaker 21, second superdirectional speaker 22, third superdirectional speaker 23, fourth superdirectional speaker 24, normal speaker 25, and voice guidance output device 50. Voice guidance output device 50 is communicatively connected to camera 31, first superdirectional speaker 21, second superdirectional speaker 22, third superdirectional speaker 23, fourth superdirectional speaker 24, and normal speaker 25.

[0013] In this embodiment, the voice guidance output device 50 is described as being connected to one camera 31, four superdirectional speakers 21 to 24, and one normal speaker 25 installed for one elevator, but it may also be connected to one camera, three or less or five or more superdirectional speakers, and one normal speaker installed for one elevator.

[0014] The elevator 10 has a car operating panel 11 and destination floor buttons 12 arranged on the car operating panel 11. A destination floor is registered on the destination floor buttons 12 when a user in the car presses the desired destination floor button. In the embodiment, it is assumed that the destination floors (stop floors) are in a building with 1st to 10th floors.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, camera 31 is installed on the ceiling near the entrance and captures an image of the entire area AR1 inside elevator 10, including users of elevator 10 and car operating panel 11.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, first superdirectional speaker 21 outputs audio information toward first area AR11. Second superdirectional speaker 22 outputs audio information toward second area AR12. Third superdirectional speaker 23 outputs audio information toward third area AR13. Fourth superdirectional speaker 24 outputs audio information toward fourth area AR14. Normal speaker 25 outputs audio information toward the entire area AR1 inside the car. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the elevator users are standing in the car (in-car location areas). Destination floor button operator 41 is located in third area AR13. Destination floor button operators 42 and 43, who are having a conversation, are located in fourth area AR14. Destination floor button operator 44, who is looking at a mobile terminal, is located in first area AR11. Destination floor button operator 45, who is wearing earphones, is located in second area AR12.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 3, the voice guidance output device 50 includes a CPU 51 and a storage unit 52.

[0018] The CPU 51 is, for example, a CPU (central processing unit) provided in a general-purpose microcomputer, and by installing and executing a specified elevator travel time effective utilization program, the CPU 51 functionally has an image information acquisition unit 511, an analysis unit 512, and an audio output control unit 513.

[0019] The imaging information acquisition unit 511 acquires imaging information captured by the camera 31 .

[0020] The analysis unit 512 analyzes the imaging information acquired by the imaging information acquisition unit 511 and detects a user (destination floor button operator) who presses the destination floor button 12 on the car operating panel 11 inside the elevator 10. When the analysis unit 512 detects the destination floor button operator, it further acquires attribute information of the destination floor button operator. The attribute information of the destination floor button operator includes the destination floor of the destination floor button operator and the standing position of the destination floor button operator inside the car.

[0021] The audio output control unit 513 obtains information corresponding to the attribute information of the destination floor button operator obtained by the analysis unit 512 from the memory unit 52, and selects one to four of the first superdirectional speaker 21, the second superdirectional speaker 22, the third superdirectional speaker 23, or the fourth superdirectional speaker 24, or selects the normal speaker 25 to output the information.

[0022] The storage unit 52 has a floor information storage unit 521 and an all-floor common information storage unit 522. The floor information storage unit 521 stores floor information set for each floor. The all-floor common information storage unit 522 stores common guidance information to be transmitted to the entire car, including auto-announcements, for example, guidance information common to all floors from the 1st to 10th floors.

[0023] <Operation of elevator system according to embodiment> The operation of the elevator system 1 according to the embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the analysis unit 512 of the voice guidance output device 50 acquires, as attribute information, whether the destination floor button operator is wearing earphones, whether they are using a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet, and whether they are talking.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the selection of a target person for the elevator 10 performed by the voice guidance output device 50 while the elevator system 1 is in operation.

[0025] The following describes the selection of a target person performed by the voice guidance output device 50 for the elevator 10. While the elevator system 1 is in operation, the imaging information acquisition unit 511 of the voice guidance output device 50 sequentially acquires imaging information captured by the camera 31 (S1). The analysis unit 512 analyzes the acquired imaging information and monitors whether or not a person operating a destination floor button is present within the entire area AR1 inside the car (S2).

[0026] When the analysis unit 512 detects a destination floor button operator from the imaging information ("YES" in S2), it further analyzes the imaging information to obtain information indicating whether the number of destination floor button operators is less than or equal to the number of superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 (S3).

[0027] Here, when the analysis unit 512 acquires information indicating that the number of destination floor button operators is less than or equal to the number of superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 ("YES" in S3), the audio output control unit 513 acquires floor information corresponding to the destination floor (e.g., the 5th floor), which is the attribute information of the destination floor button operator, from the floor information storage unit 521, and outputs it from the superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 according to the standing position in the car (in-car location area) of the attribute information of the destination floor button operator (S4).

[0028] If information is obtained in step S3 indicating that the number of destination floor button operators is not less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21-24 ("NO" in S3), information is further obtained indicating whether the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones is less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21-24 (S5).

[0029] Here, when the analysis unit 512 acquires information indicating that the number of destination floor button operators not wearing earphones is equal to or less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21-24 ("YES" in S5), the audio output control unit 513 acquires floor information corresponding to the destination floor (for example, the 6th floor) which is attribute information of the destination floor button operator from the floor information storage unit 521, and outputs it from the superdirectional speakers 21-24 according to the standing position in the car (in-car location area) of the attribute information of the destination floor button operator (S4). In the example of FIG. 2, If, in step S3, information is obtained indicating that the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones is not less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21-24 ("NO" in S5), information is further obtained indicating whether the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals is less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21-24 (S6).

[0030] Here, when the analysis unit 512 acquires information indicating that the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals is less than the number of superdirectional speakers ("YES" in S6), the audio output control unit 513 acquires floor information corresponding to the destination floor, which is the attribute information of the destination floor button operator, from the floor information storage unit 521, and outputs it from the superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 according to the standing position in the car (in-car location area) of the attribute information of the destination floor button operator (S4).

[0031] If, in step S6, information is obtained indicating that the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals is not less than the number of superdirectional speakers ("NO" in S6), information is further obtained indicating whether the number of destination floor button operators who are not having a conversation is less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 (S7).

[0032] Here, when the analysis unit 512 acquires information indicating that the number of destination floor button operators who are not engaged in a conversation is less than the number of superdirectional speakers ("YES" in S7), the audio output control unit 513 acquires floor information corresponding to the destination floor (e.g., the 10th floor), which is the attribute information of the destination floor button operator, from the floor information storage unit 521, and outputs it from the superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 according to the in-car location area of ​​the attribute information of the destination floor button operator (S4).

[0033] When information is obtained in step S7 indicating that the number of destination floor button operators who are not engaged in a conversation is not less than the number of superdirectional speakers 21 to 24 ("NO" in S7), the audio output control unit 513 obtains all-floor common information from the all-floor common information storage unit 522 and outputs it from the normal speaker 25 (S8).

[0034] The voice guidance output device 50 repeats the processes of steps S1 to S8 for the elevator 10 while the elevator system 1 is in operation, thereby selecting a target person.

[0035] As described above, according to this embodiment, information corresponding to the destination floor can be individually transmitted to elevator users as sound, and the time spent traveling can be set as the time for providing information corresponding to each elevator user. As a result, it is possible to provide an elevator voice guidance output device and an elevator voice guidance method that can save users the trouble of having to search for floor information themselves and provide more efficient and meaningful guidance and notifications about building use. <Modification>

[0036] The walls constituting the car may be made of sound-absorbing material that absorbs the reflection of the sound emitted from the super-directional speakers 21 to 24. This configuration can prevent highly directional sound from being reflected from the walls, thereby preventing floor information from being provided to users using other floors due to the reflection, and making it possible to provide the service only to users who truly need to receive the floor information.

[0037] 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]

[0038] 1... elevator system, 10... elevator, 11... car operation panel, 12... destination floor button, 50... voice guidance output device, 21... first superdirectional speaker, 22... second superdirectional speaker, 23... third superdirectional speaker, 24... fourth superdirectional speaker, 25... normal speaker, 31... camera, 41... destination floor button operator, 42, 43... destination floor button operator during conversation, 44... destination floor button operator looking at mobile terminal, 45... destination floor button operator wearing earphones, 51... CPU, 52... memory unit, 511... imaging information acquisition unit, 512... analysis unit, 513... voice output control unit, 521... floor information memory unit, 522... all floor common information memory unit

Claims

1. a camera that photographs the entire interior of the elevator car, including elevator users and the car control panel; an output device that outputs voice guidance information for users of the elevator; and a floor information storage unit that stores floor information set for each destination floor of the car operating panel; an all-floor common information storage unit that stores guidance information common to all floors; an analysis unit that analyzes photographed information photographed by the camera, and when a destination floor button operator who operates a destination floor button on the car operation panel is detected, acquires attribute information of the destination floor button operator; and an output control unit that acquires floor information set for each destination floor on the car operating panel or guidance information common to all floors from the floor information storage unit or the all-floor common information storage unit based on the attribute information acquired by the analysis unit, and outputs the information as voice guidance information from the output device.

2. The analysis unit acquires, as attribute information of the destination floor button operator, a destination floor of the destination floor button operator and a standing position of the destination floor button operator in a car, and 2. The elevator voice guidance output device according to claim 1, wherein the voice guidance output device acquires at least one of information indicating whether the destination floor button operator is wearing earphones, information indicating whether the destination floor button operator is looking at a mobile terminal if the destination floor button operator is not wearing earphones, and information indicating whether the destination floor button operator is talking if the destination floor button operator is not wearing earphones and not looking at the mobile terminal.

3. The output device is provided with an ultra-directional speaker that is arranged on the ceiling and delivers sound over a narrow range and a long distance, and a normal speaker that transmits sound including auto-announcements to the entire car, The output control unit When the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones is equal to or less than the number of the superdirectional speakers, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speaker to the destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones; If the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones exceeds the number of the superdirectional speakers, but the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals is equal to or less than the number of the superdirectional speakers, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speakers to the destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals, If the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals exceeds the number of superdirectional speakers, but the number of destination floor button operators who are not currently in conversation is equal to or less than the number of superdirectional speakers, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speakers to the destination floor button operators who are not currently in conversation, 3. The voice guidance output device for an elevator according to claim 2, wherein when the number of operators of the destination floor buttons is greater than the number of the superdirectional speakers, guidance information stored in the all-floor common information storage unit is output from a normal speaker to all elevator users in the car.

4. 2. The voice guidance output device for an elevator according to claim 1, further comprising a sound absorbing member that absorbs reflections of the voice emitted from the output device.

5. Stores floor information set for each destination floor on the car operation panel and guidance information common to all floors in the building, By analyzing photographic information from a camera that photographs the entire interior of the car including the elevator user and the car operation panel, when a destination floor button operator who operates a destination floor button on the car operation panel is detected, the destination floor of the destination floor button operator and the standing position of the destination floor button operator in the car are acquired as attribute information of the destination floor button operator, When the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones is equal to or less than the number of superdirectional speakers arranged on the ceiling, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speakers to the destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones; If the number of destination floor button operators who are not wearing earphones exceeds the number of the superdirectional speakers, but the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile devices is equal to or less than the number of the superdirectional speakers, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speakers to the destination floor button operators who are not using mobile devices, If the number of destination floor button operators who are not using mobile terminals exceeds the number of superdirectional speakers, but the number of destination floor button operators who are not currently in conversation is equal to or less than the number of superdirectional speakers, floor information corresponding to the destination floor is output from the superdirectional speakers to the destination floor button operators who are not currently in conversation, When the number of people operating the destination floor buttons is greater than the number of superdirectional speakers, the elevator voice guidance method outputs guidance information common to all floors in the building from a normal speaker to all elevator users in the car.

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