Elevator control system, control device, autonomous mobile device, and elevator control method

Abstract

The goal is to enable the autonomous mobile unit inside the elevator car to determine when it has arrived at its destination floor and is ready to disembark, without the need to install equipment such as routers or 2D barcodes, thereby preventing problems when the autonomous mobile unit is using the elevator. [Solution] The control device includes a calculation unit that calculates the distance traveled from the departure floor to the destination floor when it receives a movement request from an autonomous mobile vehicle, and a door control unit that opens the doors of the elevator car when it arrives at the departure floor. After opening the doors, the first communication unit sends a boarding readiness notification and the distance traveled to the autonomous mobile vehicle that made the movement request, and after the elevator car arrives at the destination floor and the doors are opened, it sends a disembarking readiness notification to the autonomous mobile vehicle.

Claims

1. An elevator control system comprising: a control device provided for each elevator having a movable elevator car installed within a building, the control device for controlling the elevator, and an autonomous mobile body capable of autonomously traveling and boarding the elevator car, The control device is A first communication unit receives a travel request from the autonomous mobile device specifying the departure floor from which the passenger boards the elevator car and the destination floor, which is the floor to be traveled to by the elevator car. A control unit that, upon receiving the aforementioned movement request, moves the elevator car to the departure floor specified in the movement request, The first communication unit, upon receiving the movement request, includes a calculation unit that calculates the distance traveled from the departure floor to the destination floor, A door control unit that opens the doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the departure floor, Equipped with, The first communication unit, after opening the doors, transmits a boarding readiness notification and the distance traveled to the autonomous mobile unit that made the movement request, and after the elevator car arrives at the destination floor and the doors are opened, transmits a disembarking readiness notification to the autonomous mobile unit. The autonomous mobile body, An acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration of the elevator car in the upward and downward direction, A second communication unit transmits the movement request to the control device before boarding the aforementioned elevator, A travel control unit boards the elevator car whose doors have been opened at the departure floor, The system includes a second determination unit that monitors the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor and determines whether the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor based on the received distance traveled and the acceleration, When the aforementioned travel control unit receives the notification from the control device that the passenger is ready to disembark, or when the second determination unit determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor, it will initiate disembarkation from the elevator car with its doors open. Elevator control system.

2. The second determination unit calculates the distance traveled by the elevator car from the departure floor by integrating the acceleration, compares the received distance traveled with the calculated distance traveled, and determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor if the two values ​​match. The elevator control system according to claim 1.

3. The control device is The system further includes a first lighting control unit that, upon determining at the departure floor that the autonomous mobile unit has completed boarding the elevator car, turns off or reduces the illuminance of a first lighting device capable of illuminating the interior of the elevator car. When the control unit determines that the autonomous mobile unit has completed boarding the elevator car, it moves the elevator car to the destination floor specified in the movement request. The autonomous mobile body, An illuminance sensor that detects ambient light, A second determination unit determines that when the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor falls below a second threshold, the elevator car has started moving toward the destination floor. The elevator control system according to claim 1, further comprising the above.

4. The door control unit, even if it has not received a boarding completion notification from the autonomous mobile device after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the boarding preparation completion notification, will close the doors of the elevator car. The first lighting control unit further turns off the first lighting device or reduces its illuminance after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the boarding preparation completion notification. The control device is The system further includes a first determination unit that determines that the autonomous mobile unit has boarded the car when it receives a boarding completion notification from the autonomous mobile unit, or when a first illuminance sensor installed inside the car, which detects illuminance, determines that the illuminance inside the car exceeds a first threshold, The autonomous mobile body, A second lighting device capable of illuminating the surroundings, The vehicle further comprises a second lighting control unit which turns on the second lighting device or increases its brightness when boarding the aforementioned elevator car is completed, The second communication unit transmits a boarding completion notification to the control device when boarding the elevator car is complete. The elevator control system according to claim 3.

5. The calculation unit calculates the travel distance based on the travel information of the elevator. The elevator control system according to claim 1.

6. A server for elevators, which is connected to the control device via a network and controls all elevators in the building, The system further comprises an autonomous mobile server that is connected via a network to the elevator server and the autonomous mobile unit, and controls the autonomous mobile unit, The first communication unit communicates with the autonomous mobile unit via the elevator server and the autonomous mobile unit server. The second communication unit communicates with the control device, the autonomous mobile server, and the elevator server. An elevator control system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A control device is provided for each elevator having a movable elevator car installed within a building, and controls the elevator, A communication unit receives a movement request from an autonomous mobile body capable of autonomously driving and boarding the elevator car, specifying the departure floor from which to board the elevator car and the destination floor, which is the floor to be traveled to in the elevator car. A control unit that, upon receiving the aforementioned movement request, moves the elevator car to the departure floor specified in the movement request, When the communication unit receives the movement request, it includes a calculation unit that calculates the distance traveled from the departure floor to the destination floor, A door control unit that opens the doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the departure floor, Equipped with, The communication unit, after opening the doors, transmits a boarding readiness notification and the distance traveled to the autonomous mobile unit that made the travel request, and after the elevator car arrives at the destination floor and the doors are opened, transmits a disembarking readiness notification to the autonomous mobile unit. Control device.

8. The system further includes a first lighting control unit that, upon determining at the departure floor that the autonomous mobile unit has completed boarding the elevator car, turns off or reduces the illuminance of a first lighting device capable of illuminating the interior of the elevator car. When the control unit determines that the autonomous mobile unit has completed boarding the elevator car, it moves the elevator car to the destination floor specified in the movement request. The control device according to claim 7.

9. The door control unit, even if it has not received a boarding completion notification from the autonomous mobile device after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the boarding preparation completion notification, will close the doors of the elevator car. The first lighting control unit further turns off the first lighting device or reduces its illuminance after a certain period of time has elapsed since the transmission of the boarding preparation completion notification. The control device is The system further includes a first determination unit that determines that the autonomous mobile unit has boarded the car when it receives a boarding completion notification from the autonomous mobile unit, or when a first illuminance sensor installed inside the car, which detects illuminance, determines that the illuminance inside the car exceeds a first threshold, The control device according to claim 8.

10. The calculation unit calculates the travel distance based on the travel information of the elevator. The control device according to claim 7.

11. An autonomous mobile body capable of autonomously traveling to and boarding an elevator car, which has a movable car installed inside a building, An acceleration sensor for detecting the acceleration of the elevator car in the upward and downward direction, Before boarding the elevator car, a communication unit sends a travel request specifying the departure floor from which to board the elevator car and the destination floor to which the elevator car will travel, to the control device that controls the elevator, and receives the travel distance from the departure floor to the destination floor calculated by the control device from the control device. A travel control unit boards the elevator car whose doors have been opened at the departure floor, The elevator includes a determination unit that monitors the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor and determines whether the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor based on the received distance traveled and the acceleration, When the aforementioned travel control unit receives a notification from the control device that the passenger is ready to disembark, or when the determination unit determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor, it will initiate disembarkation from the elevator car with its doors open. Autonomous mobile device.

12. The determination unit calculates the distance traveled by the elevator car from the departure floor by integrating the acceleration, compares the received distance traveled with the calculated distance traveled, and determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor and is ready to disembark if the two values ​​match. The autonomous mobile body according to claim 11.

13. An illuminance sensor that detects ambient light, A determination unit determines that when the illuminance detected by the illuminance sensor falls below a second threshold, the elevator car has started moving toward the destination floor. The autonomous mobile body according to claim 11, further comprising:

14. A lighting device capable of illuminating the surroundings, The vehicle further comprises a lighting control unit that turns on the lighting device or increases its brightness when boarding the aforementioned elevator car is complete, The communication unit transmits a boarding completion notification to the control device when boarding the elevator car is complete. The autonomous mobile body according to claim 13.

15. An elevator control method performed by an elevator control system comprising: a control device provided for each elevator having a movable elevator car installed in a building, and the control device for controlling the elevator; and an autonomous mobile body that can travel autonomously and board the elevator car; The elevator car is equipped with an acceleration sensor that detects the acceleration in the upward and downward direction, The autonomous mobile unit, before boarding the elevator car, transmits a travel request to the control device specifying the departure floor from which to board the elevator car and the destination floor, which is the floor to be traveled to in the elevator car. The control device receives the movement request from the autonomous mobile unit, When the control device receives the movement request, the control device moves the elevator car to the departure floor specified in the movement request, The control device performs a door-opening step, which involves opening the doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the departure floor. The autonomous mobile device includes a step for boarding the elevator car whose doors have been opened at the departure floor, When the control device receives the movement request, it performs the steps of calculating the distance traveled from the departure floor to the destination floor, The control device, after opening the door, transmits a notification of completion of boarding preparations and the distance traveled to the autonomous mobile unit that made the movement request. The control device transmits a notification to the autonomous mobile unit that it is ready to disembark after the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor and its doors have been opened. The autonomous mobile device determines whether the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor and is ready to disembark based on whether it has received a disembarkation preparation completion notification from the control device, or by monitoring the acceleration using the acceleration sensor and determining whether the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor and is ready to disembark based on the received distance traveled and the acceleration. When the autonomous mobile device determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor and that preparations for disembarking are complete, it performs the step of disembarking from the elevator car with its doors open, When the autonomous mobile unit receives a notification from the control device that it is ready to disembark, or when it determines that the elevator car has arrived at the destination floor, it disembarks from the elevator car with its doors open. An elevator control method including [a specific feature / method].

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