Mechanical parking facility operation system and mechanical parking facility equipped with the same

Abstract

To provide a control system of a mechanical parking facility capable of performing a series of operations performed at the time of entering / outgoing parking in a non-contact manner.SOLUTION: A control system of a mechanical parking facility performs a first authentication operation to start entering / outgoing parking of a vehicle at an entering / outgoing parking unit and a second authentication operation after completing the entering / outgoing parking of the vehicle to terminate the entering / outgoing parking. The control system includes: a reader unit that reads information by positioning a non-contact operating medium for performing the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation; and a control unit configured to, when at least the non-contact operating medium is a non-contact authentication medium, collate the information on the non-contact authentication medium read by the reader unit with registered information. The reader unit includes a first reader unit that performs a first operation on the non-contact authentication medium and a second reader unit that performs a second operation on the non-contact authentication medium or a different non-contact operating medium independently from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation system for mechanical parking facilities that can perform entry and exit operations in a mechanical parking facility without contact, and a mechanical parking facility equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] In mechanical parking facilities (the term "mechanical parking facilities" in this specification and claims includes various types of parking facilities such as box-type circulation types, horizontal circulation types, flat-surface reciprocating types, vertical and horizontal movement puzzle types, elevator types, vertical circulation types, multi-level types, and flat-surface parking movement types), authentication means such as a PIN number, IC card, or remote control are used to authenticate the contract holder when entering and leaving the facility.

[0003] Conventionally, the above-mentioned contract holder authentication has been performed using the above authentication means, with authentication performed before entering and leaving the parking lot (hereinafter referred to as the "first authentication") and authentication performed after entering and leaving the parking lot (hereinafter referred to as the "second authentication"). However, safety checks of mechanical parking facilities and door closing operations, which are performed between the first and second authentications, are generally performed by button or touch panel operations.

[0004] For example, prior art related to this type of authentication involves performing a first authentication process before opening an entrance / exit door, performing a second authentication process before closing the entrance / exit door, and after the authentication information from the first authentication process matches the authentication information from the second authentication process, the user operates an operation panel to input a command to close the door, thereby closing the entrance / exit door (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Another prior art technique is a mechanical parking device equipped with a boarding / deboarding space, in which safety of the boarding / deboarding space is confirmed by operating a push button twice (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5710042 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6416299 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in all of the above-mentioned prior art, when entering and exiting a mechanical parking facility, a person must directly touch components of the mechanical parking facility, such as buttons and touch panels, to perform safety checks and door closing operations, making it difficult to take measures against infectious diseases.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an operation system for a mechanical parking facility that can perform a series of operations required when entering and leaving the facility without contact, and a mechanical parking facility equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above object, the operation system of the mechanical parking facility according to the present invention is an operation system of the mechanical parking facility that performs a first authentication operation to start the entry and exit of a vehicle at a parking entry and exit section, and performs a second authentication operation after the entry and exit of the vehicle to end the entry and exit, and includes a reading unit that reads information by holding a contactless operation medium for performing the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, and a control device that compares the information of the contactless authentication medium read by the reading unit with registered information at least when the contactless operation medium is a contactless authentication medium, and the reading unit is separately provided with a first reading unit for performing a first operation with the contactless authentication medium and a second reading unit for performing a second operation with the contactless authentication medium or a different contactless operation medium. In this specification and the claims, the "contactless medium" (contactless authentication medium and contactless operation medium) includes an IC card, a card having an identification code (barcode, two-dimensional code, etc.), a mobile terminal having an IC chip that can be read without contact, and the like. In addition, "holding" includes bringing the non-contact medium close to a position where the reading unit can read it, and touching it to the reading unit.

[0010] With this configuration, in a configuration in which a contactless authentication medium is used to authenticate a user who operates a mechanical parking facility, the second reading unit, which is different from the first reading unit that performs authentication using the contactless authentication medium, can appropriately perform entry and exit operations contactlessly using the contactless authentication medium or a different contactless operation medium. This allows a series of entry and exit operations in a mechanical parking facility to be performed contactlessly, thereby preventing infection. In addition, by providing separate reading units corresponding to different operations, the user can be made aware of which operation he or she is currently performing.

[0011] The first operation may be the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, and the second operation may be configured to perform at least one of an unmanned confirmation operation or a safety confirmation operation of the loading / unloading section performed before or after the second authentication operation. With this configuration, the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, which require authentication, are performed by the first reading unit, and at least one of an unmanned confirmation operation or a safety confirmation / door closing operation, which do not require authentication, are performed by the second reading unit, so that the reading unit can be divided according to the operation. Moreover, the unmanned confirmation operation and the safety confirmation operation can be combined into one reading operation.

[0012] Also, a notification unit may be provided that indicates whether the contactless authentication medium or the contactless operation medium is to be held over the first reading unit or the second reading unit. In this specification and claims, "notification" includes notification by displaying characters, notification by light, notification by sound, etc. With this configuration, the notification unit can notify the user appropriately which operation to perform with which medium.

[0013] Also, either the first reading unit or the second reading unit may be disabled depending on the state of the mechanical parking facility. The state of the mechanical parking facility is the progress state of the operation, and the disabled state includes a state in which the information on the non-contact operation medium is not read or a state in which a signal is not output even if the information is read. By configuring in this way, the first reading unit or the second reading unit can be disabled depending on the progress state of a series of operations in the mechanical parking facility, and erroneous operation can be forcibly prevented.

[0014] The control device may be configured to stop or open the closing operation of the entrance door of the loading / unloading section by detecting the non-contact authentication medium or the non-contact operation medium with the first reading unit or the second reading unit during the closing operation of the entrance door. With this configuration, the closing operation of the entrance door can be stopped or opened by holding the non-contact medium over either reading unit during the closing operation of the entrance door, so that the closing operation of the entrance door can be stopped or opened in a non-contact manner in an emergency, etc.

[0015] The second reading unit may be provided with a separate detection portion for performing the unmanned confirmation operation and a separate detection portion for performing the safety confirmation operation. In this configuration, the unmanned confirmation operation and the safety confirmation operation are performed by separate detection portions, so that the user can more clearly be aware of the series of operations to be performed when entering and leaving the warehouse.

[0016] On the other hand, the mechanical parking facility of the present invention is equipped with any one of the above-mentioned operation systems. With this configuration, a series of operations for entering and exiting a vehicle in the mechanical parking facility can be performed contactlessly by the operation system. Therefore, users can enter and exit the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility, and measures can be taken to prevent infection with infectious diseases. Effect of the Invention

[0017] According to the present invention, a series of entry and exit operations at a mechanical parking facility can be performed without contact. Therefore, when entering and exiting a vehicle, the user does not have to directly touch the components of the mechanical parking facility, and it is possible to take measures to prevent infection with infectious diseases. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view showing a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a reference diagram showing the use of an IC card on the operation panel. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flow chart according to a first embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a flow chart according to a second embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to a third embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiment, an elevator-type parking facility will be described as an example of the mechanical parking facility 10. In addition, an IC card 50 (e.g., a proximity type) will be described as an example of the contactless operation medium. The contactless operation medium may be one contactless operation medium or a combination of multiple different contactless operation media. In the following embodiment, an example will be described in which the same IC card 50 as the contactless authentication medium is used as the contactless operation medium. Note that the IC card 50 in this example has information recorded therein that corresponds to the authentication information registered as a contractor in the control device 14 of the mechanical parking facility 10. The concepts of up, down, left, and right in this specification and the claims are assumed to be consistent with the concepts of up, down, left, and right in the state of facing the entrance door 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0020] (Configuration of mechanical parking facilities) Fig. 1 is a front view showing a mechanical parking facility 10 according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel 20 in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in Fig. 1, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a reference diagram showing a state in which an IC card 50 is used on the operation panel 20.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 1, the mechanical parking facility 10 of this embodiment is an example of an elevator-type parking facility, and an entrance door 12 is provided at the front of a parking tower 11 that stores a pallet (not shown) carrying a vehicle V, allowing users and the vehicle V to enter and exit an entrance / exit section (not shown) inside the parking tower 11. A awning 13 is provided above the entrance door 12, and an operation panel 20 is provided to the side of the entrance door 12 (to the right in this example). In this example, a control device 14 is provided inside the parking tower 11 and is connected to the operation panel 20.

[0022] The control device 14 is equipped with a control unit having a processor, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an I / O interface, etc. The control device 14 controls the operation of each component of the mechanical parking facility 10 (pallets, entrance / exit doors 12, etc.) in response to operations on the driver's operation panel 20. The control of the operation of each component is realized by the processor performing calculations using the volatile memory based on programs stored in the non-volatile memory. Information on contractors who use the mechanical parking facility 10 is registered in the control device 14. Information corresponding to the contractor's authentication information is recorded on an IC card 50 (Fig. 2(b)).

[0023] In addition, when an IC card (not shown) different from the IC card 50 (contactless authentication medium) used for the first and second authentication operations is used as the contactless operation medium for the unmanned confirmation operation and the safety confirmation / door closing operation, the information corresponding to the contractor's authentication information only needs to be recorded in the IC card 50 (contactless authentication medium) used for the authentication operation. As the contactless authentication medium and the contactless operation medium, an IC card equipped with an IC chip 51 (FIG. 2(b)) or a mobile terminal such as a smartphone equipped with an IC chip 51 can be used.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the operation panel 20 of this embodiment is provided with a display unit 21, a first reading unit 22 (hereinafter also referred to as the "authentication IC card reader 22") over which an IC card 50, which is a contactless authentication medium, is held, and a second reading unit 25 (hereinafter also referred to as the "safety confirmation door close IC card reader 25"). A safety confirmation / door close button 28 and a cancel button 29 are provided below the second reading unit 25. In this embodiment, the safety confirmation operation and the door close operation are integrated operations, but they may be operated separately. In that case, the notification process and the determination of whether or not they have been performed can be performed for each of them by performing the same process as the safety confirmation / door close process in the flowcharts shown in each embodiment described later, and may be operated by a contactless operation medium (including a contactless authentication medium). The safety confirmation / door close button 28 is used when a reading error occurs with the safety confirmation door close IC card reader 25. In addition, an unmanned confirmation button may be further provided, which is used when a reading failure occurs during the unmanned confirmation operation S27 in the second embodiment described later, or the safety confirmation / door close button 28 may be used for this purpose. The cancel button 29 is used when it is desired to cancel the operation. An emergency stop button 30 is provided below the display unit 21. In this embodiment, the display unit 21 is a notification unit that notifies (displays) a guide to the operation to be performed by the user. For example, the display unit 21 displays guides such as "safety confirmation / door close operation" and "second authentication operation" described later. In addition, the display unit 21 displays information such as "call number" and "waiting time". The display unit 21 may be a touch panel, and may display an operation means such as a numeric keypad for inputting a PIN number when a reading failure occurs by the IC card readers 22, 25 or for a user who does not have an IC card 50. On the side of the first reading unit 22, a green lamp 23 that is lit when the IC card 50 is held over it and read is provided. Further, on the side of second reading section 25, there are provided a green lamp 26 which lights up when reading is possible, and a red lamp 27 which lights up when IC card 50 is held over and reading is performed.

[0025] A non-contact authentication IC card reader 22 can be used as the first reading unit 22. A non-contact safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25 can be used as the second reading unit 25. The authentication IC card reader 22 and the safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25 can be the same. Also, an IC card 50 having an antenna coil and an IC chip 51 (FIG. 2(b)) inside the card can be used. The IC card 50 includes a mobile terminal such as a smartphone having an IC chip 51.

[0026] 2(b), the authentication IC card reader 22 and the safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25 can detect the IC card 50 by bringing the IC card 50, which has an antenna coil, into close proximity (including contact) with the magnetic field generated by the authentication IC card reader 22 and the safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25. This generates power in the antenna coil of the IC card 50, and this power activates a circuit within the IC card 50, allowing information to be transmitted and received between the authentication IC card reader 22 and the safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25. Note that the reading (including detection) of the IC card 50 by the authentication IC card reader 22 and the safety confirmation door closed IC card reader 25 may be performed in a manner other than this.

[0027] The first reading unit 22 and the second reading unit 25 are not limited to the form shown in the figure. For example, a recess is provided in the driving operation panel 20, and a non-contact type reading unit can be used in which information is transmitted and received by inserting an IC card 50 into the recess. The first reading unit 22 and the second reading unit 25 may be provided separately from the driving operation panel 20 at a position where a user can easily operate them. In this case, it is preferable to provide an emergency stop button adjacent to the first reading unit 22 and the second reading unit 25. The driving operation panel 20 in this embodiment is an example, and the driving operation panel 20 is not limited to this example.

[0028] Furthermore, the operations corresponding to the first reading unit 22 and the second reading unit 25 are not limited to those described above. For example, the first authentication operation, unmanned confirmation operation, and safety confirmation / door closing operation may be performed by the first reading unit 22, and the second authentication operation may be performed by the second reading unit 25, or other reading units may be added depending on the operation.

[0029] (Storage / Return Operation in the First Embodiment) FIG. 3 is a flow chart according to a first embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in FIG.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 3, in the first embodiment, after starting, it is determined whether or not a first authentication operation (first operation) has been performed (S1). The first authentication operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (Fig. 2(b)). Therefore, the user can perform the first authentication operation without directly touching the operation panel 20.

[0031] When the first authentication operation is executed, as the first authentication process, it is determined whether or not the first authentication data matches the authentication data of the registered contractor (S2). If it does not match the authentication data of the registered contractor, an error display process is performed (S3), and the system returns to the state waiting for the first authentication operation (S1). If it matches the authentication data of the registered contractor, the internal machine operates to perform a transport call process (S4), and the called pallet is transported to the loading / unloading section. When the called pallet arrives at the loading / unloading section, a door opening process is performed (S5), and the entrance door 12 is automatically opened.

[0032] Thereafter, if the vehicle is entering the garage, the user gets into the vehicle V and enters the loading / unloading section, and after the vehicle V is loaded onto the call pallet, the user exits the loading / unloading section. If the vehicle is leaving the garage, the user enters the loading / unloading section, gets into the vehicle V on the call pallet, and exits the loading / unloading section. After the door opening process (S5) of the entrance / exit door 12 is executed, the driving operation function can be locked so that at least emergency stop operations are not accepted. This makes it possible to invalidate any safety check or door closing operations performed by another person during the loading / unloading operation after the entrance / exit door 12 is opened.

[0033] After the entrance door 12 is opened, a safety confirmation notification process is performed (S6). In this embodiment, the safety confirmation operation and the door closing operation are integrated, so that, for example, notifications such as "To close the entrance door, confirm the safety of the loading / unloading section and hold the IC card over the second reading section" and "The safety confirmation and door closing operation using the IC card does not check whether it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling" are made. This notification may be displayed on the display section 21 or announced by voice. The "safety confirmation" in this embodiment is also the "unmanned confirmation" described later.

[0034] Then, it is determined whether or not a safety check / door-closing operation (second operation) has been performed (S7). The safety check / door-closing operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). The safety check / door-closing operation does not need to be verified against the contractor's authentication information, so it can also be performed by holding, in addition to the authentication IC card 50, a different IC card equipped with an IC chip, a mobile terminal equipped with an IC chip, or the like, over the second reading unit 25. An IC card that only performs the safety check / door-closing operation becomes a non-contact operation medium. This allows the user to perform the safety check / door-closing operation without directly touching the operation control panel 20.

[0035] Since this safety check / door closing operation does not require verification of the user, acceptance of the operation can be completed simply by the second reading unit 25 detecting the IC card 50. Also, when the IC card 50 is held up to the second reading unit 25 for the safety check / door closing operation, the second reading unit 25 may read information in the IC card 50 and determine whether the card is permitted for operation. For example, the authentication information of the IC card 50 may be verified against the authentication information at the time of the first authentication operation, and if they match, operation may be permitted. Also, for example, if the IC card 50 is an IC card 50 registered in the mechanical parking facility 10 (matching any of the information about the contractor registered in the control device 14), operation may be permitted.

[0036] When it is determined that the safety check and door closing operation has been performed (S7), an announcement (notification) is made to prompt the second authentication operation for starting the door closing (S8). The second authentication operation is notified by performing the second authentication operation, and if the second authentication data matches the first authentication data of the first authentication operation, the closing of the entrance door 12 is started. For example, this notification may be "Please hold your IC card over the first reading unit to perform the second authentication operation. If it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling, the entrance door can be closed." This notification may be made by various methods, such as a voice announcement or by displaying the information on the touch panel display unit 21.

[0037] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the second authentication operation (first operation) has been performed (S9). The second authentication operation is performed by holding the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Therefore, the second authentication operation can also be performed without the user directly touching the operation panel 20. If a predetermined time has elapsed without the second authentication operation being performed (S10), the system returns to the safety confirmation notification processing state (S6) and the safety confirmation and door closing operations are performed again.

[0038] When the second authentication operation is performed, a comparison process is performed as the second authentication process to check whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data (S11). If the first authentication data does not match the second authentication data, an error display process is performed (S12), and the process returns to the safety confirmation notification process state (S6).

[0039] In the verification process (S11), if the first authentication data and the second authentication data match, the door closing operation is started (S13), and the closing operation of the entrance door 12 begins. After that, in this embodiment, during the closing operation of the entrance door 12, as a means for interrupting the closing operation of the entrance door 12 and performing the door opening operation, it is determined whether or not the IC card 50 is held over and detected by the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20 (S14). At this time, a notice such as "In an emergency, hold the IC card over the IC card reader to open the entrance door" may be displayed on the display unit 21 of the operation control panel 20. As a result, after the closing operation of the entrance door 12 has begun, if a person re-enters the room or if you notice something left behind, the closing operation of the entrance door 12 can be stopped and then opened. That is, when the information on the IC card 50 is detected by the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 during the closing operation of the entrance door 12, the door closing process is interrupted (S15), the process returns to before the door opening process (S5), and the entrance door 12 is opened. This operation can also be performed without the user directly touching the operation panel 20. In this case, a comparison may be made to see whether or not the information corresponds to the authentication information of the contractor recorded on the IC card 50 or the first or second authentication data, or it may be determined that the IC card 50 has been held over and detected simply based on the fact that information has been transmitted and received between the IC card 50 and the IC card readers 22, 25.

[0040] After the door closing operation of the entrance door 12 is started (S13), the process ends when the closing process of the entrance door 12 is completed without the IC card 50 being detected by the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 (S16).

[0041] According to this operation system, when a vehicle V enters or leaves the mechanical parking facility 10, the user (contractor) holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the driver's operation panel 20 to perform a first authentication operation, which starts the device, places the desired pallet in the entry / exit area, and opens the entrance / exit door 12. After the user has entered or removed the vehicle V, he or she holds the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 to perform a safety check and door closing operation, and then holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 to perform a second authentication operation, which closes the entrance / exit door 12. Thus, a series of operations during entry and exit can be performed using the IC card 50, which is a non-contact medium.

[0042] Therefore, according to the mechanical parking facility 10 equipped with this operation system, the authentication of the contractor and the series of operations to operate the mechanical parking facility 10 can be performed contactlessly using the IC card 50. As a result, the contractor can enter and leave the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 (the operation panel 20), making it possible to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of contracting an infectious disease via the operation panel 20.

[0043] (Storage / Return Operation in the Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 is a flowchart according to a second embodiment of the entry and exit operations in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in FIG. 1. The components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described using the same symbols as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, the driving operation function lock and the use of different IC cards described in FIG. 3 are possible in the same way, and their description will be omitted. In the flowchart according to the second embodiment, the steps from the start to the "door opening process (S5)" and from the "door closing operation (S13)" to the end are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description of these steps will be simplified.

[0044] After the start, it is determined whether or not a first authentication operation has been performed (S21). Then, it is determined whether or not the first authentication data of the first authentication operation matches the authentication data of the registered contractor (S22), and if they do not match, an error display process is performed (S23), and if they do match, an internal machine is operated to perform a transport call process, and the called pallet is transported to the loading / unloading section (S24). When the called pallet arrives at the loading / unloading section, a door opening process is performed (S25), and the entrance door 12 is automatically opened.

[0045] In the second embodiment, after the entrance door 12 is opened, an unmanned confirmation notification process is performed (S26). At this time, for example, a notification such as "Please confirm that there is no one in the entrance / exit section and hold your IC card over the reading section" can be performed. The unmanned confirmation operation (second operation) is performed by holding the IC card 50 over the second reading section 25 of the driving operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)), so that the user can perform it without directly touching the driving operation panel 20. Since the unmanned confirmation operation does not need to be compared with the contractor's authentication information, it can be performed by holding an IC card equipped with an IC chip over the second reading section 25 of the driving operation panel 20 in addition to the IC card 50 for authentication. When the unmanned confirmation operation is performed (S27), a safety confirmation notification process is performed (S28). The notification in the safety confirmation notification process is the same as in the first embodiment, so its description will be omitted. In this embodiment, the unmanned check operation is, for example, input by the user himself / herself after confirming that no passengers remain, and the safety check / door closing operation is, for example, input by the user or the manager after confirming the safety of the loading / unloading area and the surrounding area, thereby making it possible to check safety from multiple angles. Also, in this embodiment, as described above, the safety check operation and the door closing operation can be performed separately.

[0046] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the safety check and door closing operations have been performed (S29). The safety check and door closing operations can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Since the safety check and door closing operations do not need to be collated with the contractor's authentication information, they can also be performed by holding an IC card equipped with an IC chip over the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20, in addition to the authentication IC card 50. This allows the safety check and door closing operations to be performed without the user having to directly touch the operation control panel 20. In this embodiment, if the safety check and door closing operations are not performed for a predetermined time (S30), the state returns to the unmanned confirmation notification processing state (S26), and the unmanned confirmation operation is performed again.

[0047] In addition, since both the unattended confirmation operation and the safety confirmation / door closing operation are performed by holding the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25, the safety confirmation / door closing operation may not be accepted until the second reading unit 25 no longer detects the IC card 50 after the unattended confirmation operation is performed. In this manner, even if the IC card 50 is held over the second reading unit 25 and left there, the unattended confirmation operation and the safety confirmation / door closing operation are not performed consecutively. In addition, since the unattended confirmation operation is not performed consecutively after the first authentication operation, the unattended confirmation operation may be performed by the first reading unit 22 and the safety confirmation / door closing operation may be performed by the second reading unit 25, or a third reading unit (not shown) may be further provided and the safety confirmation / door closing operation may be performed by the third reading unit.

[0048] Then, when the safety check and door closing operation is performed (S29), a second authentication operation is then performed, and if the second authentication data of the second authentication operation matches the first authentication data of the first authentication operation, a notification is given that the closing of the entrance door 12 will begin (S31). For example, this notification may be something like "Please hold your IC card over the first reading section to perform the second authentication operation. If it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling, the entrance door can be closed."

[0049] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the second authentication operation has been performed (S32). The second authentication operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Therefore, the second authentication operation can also be performed without the user having to directly touch the operation panel 20. If a predetermined time has elapsed without the second authentication operation being performed (S33), the system returns to the unmanned confirmation notification processing state (S26) and the unmanned confirmation operation is performed again.

[0050] When the second authentication operation is performed, a comparison process is performed as the second authentication process to check whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data (S34). If the first authentication data does not match the second authentication data, an error display process is performed (S35) and the state returns to the safety confirmation notification process state (S28). If the first authentication data matches the second authentication data in the comparison process (S34), a door closing operation is started (S36) and the entrance door 12 starts to close.

[0051] Then, after the door closing operation has started, it is determined whether or not the IC card 50 has been held over the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 during the closing operation of the entrance door 12 to perform the door opening operation (S37). If the IC card 50 is held over the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 during the closing operation of the entrance door 12, the door closing process is interrupted (S38), and ends when the closing process of the entrance door 12 is completed without the IC card 50 being held over either the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 (S39).

[0052] Even with such an operation system, when a user (contractor) enters or leaves a vehicle V at the mechanical parking facility 10, the user (contractor) holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the driving operation panel 20 to perform a first authentication operation, which starts the device, places the desired pallet in the entry / exit area, and opens the entrance / exit door 12. Then, after the user has entered or left the vehicle V, he or she holds the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 to perform an unmanned confirmation operation, then holds the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 to perform a safety confirmation / door closing operation, and then holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 to perform a second authentication operation, which closes the entrance / exit door 12. Thus, a series of operations at the time of entry and exit can be performed using the IC card 50, which is a non-contact medium.

[0053] Therefore, according to the mechanical parking facility 10 equipped with this operation system, the authentication of the contractor and the series of operations to operate the mechanical parking facility 10 can be performed contactlessly using the IC card 50. As a result, the contractor can enter and leave the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 (the operation panel 20), making it possible to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of contracting an infectious disease via the operation panel 20.

[0054] (Storage / Return Operation in the Third Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to a third embodiment of the entry and exit operations in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in FIG. 1. The components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described using the same symbols as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, the driving operation function lock and the use of different IC cards described in FIG. 3 are possible in the same way, and their description will be omitted. In the flowchart according to the third embodiment, the steps from the start to the "door opening process (S5)" and from the "door closing operation (S13)" to the end are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description of these steps will be simplified.

[0055] After starting, it is determined whether or not a first authentication operation has been performed (S51). Then, it is determined whether or not the first authentication data of the first authentication operation matches the authentication data of the registered contractor (S52), and if they do not match, an error display process is performed (S53), and if they do match, an internal machine is operated to perform a transport call process, and the called pallet is transported to the loading / unloading section (S54). When the called pallet arrives at the loading / unloading section, a door opening process is performed (S55), and the entrance door 12 is automatically opened.

[0056] Then, in the third embodiment, after the entrance door 12 is opened, a notification is given to perform an authentication operation to permit safety check and door closing operations (S56). This notification may be, for example, "Please hold your IC card over the first reading section to perform the second authentication operation. If it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling, you can perform safety check and door closing operations using the IC card and close the entrance door." After the user has finished entering or leaving the storage / retrieval section, the user follows this notification to perform the second authentication operation.

[0057] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the second authentication operation has been performed (S57). The second authentication operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Therefore, the second authentication operation can also be performed without the user directly touching the operation panel 20.

[0058] When the second authentication operation is executed, a comparison process is performed as the second authentication process to check whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data (S58). If the first authentication data does not match the second authentication data, an error display process is performed (S59), and the state returns to one in which a notification has been given for performing an authentication operation to permit safety check and door closing operations (S56).

[0059] In the verification process (S58), if the first authentication data and the second authentication data match, a safety confirmation notification process is performed (S60). As a notification in the safety confirmation notification process, for example, a notification such as "Please hold your IC card over the second reading section to close the entrance door" is performed.

[0060] Then, it is determined whether or not the safety check and door closing operation has been performed (S61). The safety check and door closing operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Since the safety check and door closing operation does not need to be verified against the contractor's authentication information, it can be performed by holding a different IC card equipped with an IC chip over the second reading unit 25 of the operation control panel 20 in addition to the IC card 50 for authentication. The "safety check" in this embodiment is also "unmanned check". This allows the safety check and door closing operation to be performed without the user directly touching the operation control panel 20. If the safety check and door closing operation is not performed for a predetermined time (S62), the state returns to a state where a notification is given to perform an authentication operation to permit the safety check and door closing operation (S56), and the second authentication operation is performed again. When the safety check and door closing operation is performed (S61), the door closing operation is started (S63).

[0061] Then, after the door closing operation has started, it is determined whether or not the IC card 50 has been held over the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 during the closing operation of the entrance door 12 to perform the door opening operation (S64). If the IC card 50 is held over the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 during the closing operation of the entrance door 12, the door closing process is interrupted (S65), and ends when the closing process of the entrance door 12 is completed without the IC card 50 being held over either the first reading unit 22 or the second reading unit 25 (S66).

[0062] Even with this operation system, when a vehicle V enters or leaves the mechanical parking facility 10, the user (contractor) holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 of the driver's operation panel 20 to perform the first authentication operation, which starts the device, places the desired pallet in the entry / exit area, and opens the entrance / exit door 12. Then, after the user has entered or left the vehicle V, he or she holds the IC card 50 over the first reading unit 22 to perform the second authentication operation, and then holds the IC card 50 over the second reading unit 25 to perform a safety check / door closing operation, which closes the entrance / exit door 12. Thus, a series of operations at the time of entry and exit can be performed using the IC card 50, which is a non-contact medium.

[0063] Therefore, according to the mechanical parking facility 10 equipped with this operation system, the authentication of the contractor and the series of entry and exit operations that operate the mechanical parking facility 10 can be performed contactlessly using the IC card 50. As a result, the contractor can enter and exit the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 (the operation panel 20) during entry and exit operations, making it possible to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of contracting an infectious disease via the operation panel 20.

[0064] (Other variations) The mechanical parking facility 10 is not limited to the configuration in the above embodiment. For example, it can be applied to various types of parking facilities such as a box-type circulation type, a horizontal circulation type, a flat reciprocating type, a vertical and horizontal movement puzzle type, a vertical circulation type, a multi-stage type, and a flat parking movement type. It can also be applied to a parking facility that directly transports a vehicle V without using a pallet.

[0065] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which one IC card 50 is used as the non-contact authentication medium (non-contact operation medium) for the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation held over the first reading unit 22, and as the non-contact operation medium for other operations held over the second reading unit 25. However, the non-contact operation medium may be a plurality of different IC cards 50, and may be different IC cards corresponding to individual operations, such as an "authentication IC card (non-contact authentication medium)", an "unmanned confirmation operation IC card (non-contact operation medium)", and an "safety confirmation / door closing operation IC card (non-contact operation medium)". In this case, the operation panel 20 may be provided with the first reading unit 22 and a second reading unit 25 (not shown) having two detection parts. Then, the "authentication IC card" can be held over the first reading unit 22, the "unmanned confirmation operation IC card" over one detection portion of the second reading unit 25, and the "safety confirmation / door closing operation IC card" over the other detection portion of the second reading unit 25. In this way, the user can more clearly be aware of the series of operations to be performed when entering and leaving the warehouse. The number of reading units is not limited to this example.

[0066] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which a user entering or leaving the facility performs a series of operations contactlessly using his or her own IC card 50. However, the user entering or leaving the facility may perform some operations using his or her own IC card 50, and the manager may perform some operations (for example, the door closing operation) using the manager's IC card.

[0067] In the above embodiment, a series of operations are performed using the IC card 50, which is a non-contact medium, but if the safety confirmation door close IC card reader 25 fails to read the IC card 50, the operations can also be performed using the safety confirmation door close button 28. Other operations using the IC card 50 may also be performed by displaying numbers or the like on the display unit 21 in case of a reading failure, and inputting the numbers by pressing the screen.

[0068] Furthermore, the sequence of operations shown in each of the above flowcharts is just one example, and the order of each flowchart may be reversed. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0069] (Summary) As described above, according to the mechanical parking facility 10, the operation system can appropriately perform the first authentication operation, the second authentication operation during entry and exit operations, as well as the unmanned confirmation operation, safety confirmation, door closing operation, and the like, without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 and without contacting them. This makes it possible to take preventive measures against infection with infectious diseases caused by touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 during entry and exit operations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 10 Mechanical parking facilities 11 Parking Tower 12 Entrance door 14 Control device 20 Operation panel 21 Display unit (notification unit) 22 Authentication IC card reader (first reading unit) 25 Safety confirmation door closed IC card reader (second reading unit) 28 Safety check / door close button 50 IC Card 51 IC chip

Claims

1. An operation system for a mechanical parking facility, which performs a first authentication operation to start a vehicle entering or leaving a parking lot at a parking lot entry / exit section, and performs a second authentication operation after the vehicle has entered or left the parking lot, a reading unit that reads information by holding up a first non-contact operation medium for performing the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, or a second non-contact operation medium different from the first non-contact operation medium; A control device that compares the information of the first non-contact operation medium read by the reading unit with registered information, the reading unit is provided separately with a first reading unit for performing a first operation with the first non-contact operation medium, and a second reading unit for performing a second operation with the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium; A mechanical parking facility operation system configured to disable either the first reading unit or the second reading unit depending on the state of the mechanical parking facility.

2. The mechanical parking facility operation system of claim 1, wherein the first operation is the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, and the second operation is configured to perform at least either an unmanned confirmation operation or a safety confirmation operation of the entry / exit section before or after the second authentication operation.

3. An operation system for a mechanical parking facility, which performs a first authentication operation to start a vehicle entering or leaving a parking area, and performs a second authentication operation after the vehicle has entered or left the parking area to end the vehicle entering or leaving the parking area, a reading unit that reads information by holding up a first non-contact operation medium for performing the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, or a second non-contact operation medium different from the first non-contact operation medium; A control device that compares the information of the first non-contact operation medium read by the reading unit with registered information, the reading unit is provided separately with a first reading unit for performing a first operation with the first non-contact operation medium, and a second reading unit for performing a second operation with the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium; the first operation is the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, The second operation is configured to perform at least one of an unmanned confirmation operation or a safety confirmation operation of the loading / unloading section before or after the second authentication operation, An operating system for a mechanical parking facility, wherein the second reading unit is provided with a detection portion that performs the unmanned confirmation operation and a detection portion that performs the safety confirmation operation separately.

4. An operation system for a mechanical parking facility described in any one of claims 1 to 3, having an alarm unit that indicates whether the first non-contact operating medium or the second non-contact operating medium is to be held over the first reading unit or the second reading unit.

5. The control device is configured to stop the closing operation of the entrance / exit door or open the entrance / exit door by detecting the first non-contact operating medium or the second non-contact operating medium with the first reading unit or the second reading unit during the closing operation of the entrance / exit door of the entry / exit section.An operating system for a mechanical parking facility as described in any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. A mechanical parking facility equipped with an operating system described in any one of claims 1 to 5.

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