Passenger conveyor operation control system

Abstract

The present invention provides a passenger conveyor operation control system that allows users to safely disembark from the passenger conveyor when a hold-up occurs at the disembarkation point. The operation control system comprises: a detection unit (20) that detects a user of the passenger conveyor; a speaker (30) that outputs sound directed at the user of the passenger conveyor; and a control device (40) that controls the running of the passenger conveyor and controls sound output from the speaker (30). While operating in a predetermined direction, the control device (40) determines a user hold-up at a disembarkation point of the passenger conveyor on the basis of information from the detection unit (20), and upon determining that a hold-up is occurring, stops the operation of the passenger conveyor, causes sound directed at the user to be output from the speaker (30) to encourage the user to face toward the embarkation point of the passenger conveyor, and operates the passenger conveyor in the reverse direction.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor operation control system. [Background technology]

[0002] In passenger conveyors, if people are stranded near the alighting area when users disembark from the conveyor during operation, there is a concern that the users may be accidentally hit or fall. In order to prevent such accidents, Patent Document 1 discloses a passenger conveyor equipped with a safety device that stops the operation of the passenger conveyor when people are stranded near the alighting area. Patent Document 2 discloses a passenger conveyor equipped with an entry prevention device that prevents users from entering the passenger conveyor when people are stranded near the alighting area. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2000-109282 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-043710 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] As described above, when people are stuck near the landing area of ​​a passenger conveyor, it is an important issue to prevent collisions and falls between users. In the methods disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, users who have already boarded the passenger conveyor cannot get off the passenger conveyor until the congestion at the landing area is cleared. In addition, if a user who has already boarded the passenger conveyor walks in the opposite direction to the traveling direction of the passenger conveyor in order to get off the passenger conveyor, there is a risk of collisions between users and falls. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The passenger conveyor operation control system of the present invention comprises a detection unit that detects users of the passenger conveyor, a speaker that outputs audio to users of the passenger conveyor, and a control unit that controls the operation of the passenger conveyor and controls the audio output of the speaker, and when the control unit is operating in a predetermined direction, it determines whether users are stuck at the passenger conveyor's disembarking area based on information from the detection unit, and if it determines that users are stuck, it stops the operation of the passenger conveyor, outputs audio from the speaker to users urging them to face the passenger conveyor's boarding area, and operates the passenger conveyor in the reverse direction. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the passenger conveyor operation control system of the present invention, when congestion occurs near the disembarking area, passengers already on the passenger conveyor can safely disembark while preventing collisions and falls between passengers at the disembarking area. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a traffic control system according to an embodiment; [Diagram 2] 2 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a control device according to an embodiment; FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing a flow of operation control according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, as an embodiment of the present invention, an operation control system for an escalator, which is one form of passenger conveyor, will be described. In this embodiment, the passenger conveyor is assumed to be an escalator, but is not limited to this. The passenger conveyor may be, for example, a moving walkway. In addition, the escalator of this embodiment is assumed to be installed in a commercial facility such as a department store or a shopping mall, but is not limited to this. The escalator may be installed in, for example, a station or an office building.

[0009] 1, the operation control system 1 of this embodiment includes an escalator 10, a detection unit 20 that detects users of the escalator 10, and a speaker 30 that outputs audio to users of the escalator 10. The operation control system 1 further includes a control device 40. The control device 40 controls the travel speed and direction of the escalator 10, as well as the audio output of the speaker 30. The control device 40 also determines whether or not congestion is occurring at the disembarking area, based on information from the detection unit 20.

[0010] The operation control system 1 is a system that stops the operation of the escalator 10 when a congestion occurs at the landing area, ensures the safety of users of the escalator 10, and then operates the escalator 10 in the reverse direction. In this way, when users are stuck at the landing area, collisions between users and falls at the landing area can be prevented, while users who are already on the escalator can safely get off the escalator 10. The control device 40 determines whether a congestion occurs at the landing area and whether the safety of users of the escalator 10 is ensured based on information from the detection unit 20.

[0011] The escalator 10 travels to transport users, and includes a stepped hoistway 11 that moves to upper or lower floors of a building. The hoistway 11 includes a number of steps (not shown) that are connected in an endless manner and move in a circular manner to carry users, and balustrades 12 erected on both ends of the steps. Entrances 13 are provided at both ends of the hoistway 11.

[0012] The boarding / alighting entrance 13 includes a lower boarding / alighting entrance 13A provided on a lower floor and an upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B provided on an upper floor. When the escalator 10 is operating from a lower floor to an upper floor, the lower boarding / alighting entrance 13A is the boarding area and the upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B is the disembarking area. When the escalator 10 is operating from an upper floor to a lower floor, the upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B is the boarding area and the lower boarding / alighting entrance 13A is the disembarking area.

[0013] The escalator 10 has a driving device 14 that drives the escalator 10. The driving device 14 is composed of an electric motor, a reducer, an electromagnetic brake, and the like, and is installed, for example, below the upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B.

[0014] The detection unit 20 detects users of the escalator 10. For example, a camera, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), or millimeter wave radar can be used for the detection unit 20. The detection unit 20 may use only one device, or may use multiple devices. For example, a camera and LiDAR may be used in combination. By using multiple devices in combination, the accuracy of user detection can be improved. The detection unit 20 may be installed in multiple locations. For example, it may be installed in the hoistway 11, the lower boarding / alighting entrance 13A, and the upper part of the upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B of the escalator 10. By installing the detection unit 20 in multiple locations, the accuracy of user detection can be improved. In addition, from the viewpoint of accurately determining the body orientation of a user in the hoistway 11, it is preferable that the detection unit 20 that detects a user of the hoistway 11 includes a camera.

[0015] In this embodiment, one camera 20 is used as the detection unit 20. The camera 20 is a small surveillance camera and has an imaging element such as a CCD image sensor or a CMOS image sensor. The camera 20 is installed at the top near the center of the hoistway 11, and captures the hoistway 11, the lower entrance 13A, and the upper entrance 13B of the escalator 10. The camera 20 constantly captures images of users of the escalator 10 and transmits the images to the control device 40 in real time.

[0016] The speaker 30 is a device that outputs audio to users of the escalator 10. The speaker 30 has a function of converting a signal transmitted from the control device 40 into an audio message. The speaker 30 may also be provided with an amplifier that amplifies the electrical signal.

[0017] In this embodiment, as the speakers 30, the lower speaker 30A is installed at the bottom of the lower entrance 13A, and the upper speaker 30B is installed at the bottom of the upper entrance 13B. Also, the hoistway speakers 30C, 30D, and 30E are installed on one of the left and right balustrades 12. Hereinafter, when simply referring to the speaker 30, it includes all of the lower speaker 30A, the upper speaker 30B, and the hoistway speakers 30C, 30D, and 30E.

[0018] The control device 40 controls the speed and direction of the escalator 10 and the audio output of the speaker 30. Specifically, when the escalator 10 is moving in a predetermined direction, the control device 40 stops the operation of the escalator 10 if a congestion occurs at the landing. Then, the control device 40 outputs an audio message from the speaker 30 to prompt users to turn toward the landing side of the escalator 10, and then moves the escalator 10 in the reverse direction. The control device 40 is equipped with a CPU as an arithmetic processing device that executes the control of the system, a ROM, a RAM, and a hard disk drive (HDD) as storage devices connected to the CPU, and a communication device that transmits and receives information. In this embodiment, the control device 40 is installed at the bottom of the upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B, but the installation location is not limited thereto. The control device 40 may be installed, for example, in the building where the escalator 10 is installed or in a monitoring center in a remote location.

[0019] The functional configuration of the control device 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the control device 40.

[0020] Control device 40 is connected to camera 20 as a detection unit, speaker 30, and drive device 14. Control device 40 includes a determination unit 41 that acquires and analyzes images captured by camera 20 and determines whether or not a person is staying there, an operation control unit 45 that controls the operation speed and direction of escalator 10, and a speaker control unit 46 that controls the audio output of speaker 30.

[0021] The determination unit 41 analyzes the image captured by the camera 20. The determination unit 41 includes a landing determination unit 42 that determines whether a user is staying at a landing, an elevator shaft determination unit 43 that determines the presence or absence of a user in the elevator shaft 11 and the direction of the user's body, and a landing determination unit 44 that determines the presence or absence of a user at a landing.

[0022] The alighting station determination unit 42 analyzes the image of the alighting station taken by the camera 20 in real time and determines whether or not users are stuck at the alighting station. When the alighting station determination unit 42 determines that a user is stuck at the alighting station, the operation control unit 45 stops the escalator 10. This makes it possible to avoid collisions between users near the alighting station.

[0023] As a method for the disembarking station determination unit 42 to determine whether a person is staying at the disembarking station, for example, there is a method in which a moving object is detected from a captured image, the moving object is recognized as a user, and when the number of recognized people exceeds a predetermined number or when the same person stays at the disembarking station for a predetermined time or more, a staying state is determined. The number of users may be calculated by machine learning to determine whether a person is staying at the disembarking station. In this embodiment, the image captured by the camera 20 is used to determine whether a person is staying at the disembarking station, but other methods may be used to determine whether a person is staying at the disembarking station. For example, the number of people staying at the disembarking station may be calculated using LiDAR or millimeter wave radar to determine whether a person is staying at the disembarking station.

[0024] The elevator shaft determination unit 43 analyzes the image of the user in the elevator shaft 11 captured by the camera 20, and determines whether or not there is a user in the elevator shaft 11 and the direction of the user's body. When the operation of the escalator 10 stops due to congestion at the landing, if the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that the user in the elevator shaft 11 is facing the landing side, the operation control unit 45 reverses the escalator 10. This allows the user to safely get off the escalator 10 without losing balance when the escalator 10 is running in reverse. Also, when the escalator 10 is running in reverse, if the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that there is no user in the elevator shaft 11, that is, all users have got off the escalator 10, the operation control unit 45 stops the reverse running of the escalator 10. This prevents users from erroneously entering the escalator 10 running in reverse and falling.

[0025] As a method for the elevator shaft determination unit 43 to determine the presence or absence of a user in the elevator shaft 11, for example, there is a method in which the entire elevator shaft 11 is photographed by the camera 20, a moving object is detected from the image, and the moving object is recognized as a user, thereby determining the presence or absence of a user in the elevator shaft 11. As a method for determining the presence or absence of a user in the elevator shaft 11, for example, there is a method in which the landing (the landing when the escalator 10 is running in reverse) is photographed by the camera 20, and if no user is detected from the image for a predetermined period of time, it is determined that there is no user in the elevator shaft 11.

[0026] As a method for the elevator shaft determination unit 43 to determine the body orientation of a user in the elevator shaft 11, for example, there is a method of recognizing the face of the user by machine learning and determining the body orientation from the face orientation. Also, for example, there is a method of recognizing the posture of the user by machine learning and determining the body orientation from the posture of the user. In this embodiment, the body orientation of the user in the elevator shaft 11 is determined using the image captured by the camera 20, but the body orientation may be determined using other methods.

[0027] The platform determination unit 44 analyzes the image of the platform captured by the camera 20 and determines whether or not there are users at the platform. When the operation of the escalator 10 stops due to congestion at the landing, and the platform determination unit 44 determines that there are no users at the platform, the operation control unit 45 reverses the escalator 10. This makes it possible to avoid collisions between users already on the escalator 10 and users near the platform.

[0028] As a method for the hall determination unit 44 to determine the presence or absence of a user at the hall, for example, there is a method of detecting a moving object from a captured image, recognizing the moving object as a person, and determining the presence or absence of a user. Note that, although the presence or absence of a stagnation at the disembarking hall is determined using the image from the camera 20 in this embodiment, the stagnation may be determined using other methods. For example, the presence or absence of a user at the hall may be determined using LiDAR or millimeter wave radar.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control device 40 includes the function of the determination unit 41, but the determination unit 41 may be provided independently of the control device 40. For example, the detection unit 20 may be provided with the function of the determination unit 41, and the determination result of the determination unit 41 may be transmitted to the control device 40.

[0030] The determination unit 41 may transmit the determination result to a monitoring center in the building where the escalator 10 is installed or in a remote location. Then, a monitor stationed at the monitoring center may check the accuracy of the determination result of the determination unit 41 based on the images captured by the camera 20. The determination unit 41 may also transmit only a part of the determination result to the monitoring center. For example, only the determination result of the disembarking determination unit 42 may be transmitted to the monitoring center.

[0031] The operation control unit 45 adjusts the travel speed of the escalator 10, stops the travel, and controls the travel direction by transmitting commands to the drive device 14. When stopping the travel of the escalator 10, the operation control unit 45 preferably stops the escalator 10 after gradually slowing down the travel speed of the escalator 10. By gradually slowing down the travel speed of the escalator 10, it is possible to prevent a user riding on the escalator 10 from falling or colliding with another person. The operation control unit 45 may also have a function of transmitting the current travel direction and travel speed of the escalator 10 to the determination unit 41 and the speaker control unit 46.

[0032] The speaker control unit 46 controls the audio output of the speakers 30. The speaker control unit 46 may output announcement contents previously stored in the speaker control unit 46, or may output audio within the building in which the escalator 10 is installed or within a remote monitoring center. The speaker control unit 46 may output audio from all the speakers 30, or may output audio from only some of the speakers 30.

[0033] For example, when guiding a user in the hoistway 11 to face the landing side, the speaker control unit 46 selects the hoistway speakers 30C, 30D, and 30E provided on the balustrade 12. Then, the speaker control unit 46 causes the hoistway speakers 30C, 30D, and 30E to output a message saying "The escalator is going in reverse. Please face the landing side." This allows a user riding on the escalator 10 to safely get off the escalator 10 without losing his balance when the escalator 10 moves in reverse.

[0034] For example, when the platform determination unit 44 determines that there is a person at the platform when the escalator 10 is operated in the reverse direction, the speaker control unit 46 selects the lower speaker 30A or the upper speaker 30B provided at the platform. Then, the speaker control unit 46 outputs a message saying "The escalator will reverse. Please move away from the platform" from the lower speaker 30A or the upper speaker 30B. This makes it possible to prevent a collision between a user riding the escalator 10 and a user near the platform.

[0035] In this embodiment, the speaker 30 is used to guide users of the escalator 10, but other guidance devices may be used to guide users. For example, a display device may be provided that displays a message to users to turn around or a message indicating that entry to the platform is prohibited. Also, for example, a Patlite (registered trademark) may be provided to indicate that congestion is occurring at the landing.

[0036] The operation of the traffic control system 1 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the traffic control system 1 from the occurrence of congestion at the landing station to the stopping of the escalator 10 in the reverse direction, and shows the processing operation of the control device 40.

[0037] Assume that escalator 10 is descending from an upper floor to a lower floor. In this case, upper boarding / alighting entrance 13B is the boarding area, and lower boarding / alighting entrance 13A is the alighting area. While escalator 10 is in operation, camera 20 continuously photographs the alighting area and transmits the photographed images to control device 40 in real time. When alighting area determination unit 42 receives an image from camera 20 (step S11), it analyzes the image and determines whether or not congestion is occurring at the alighting area (step S12).

[0038] Here, if the disembarking station determination unit 42 determines that congestion is occurring at the disembarking station (step S12: Yes), the operation control unit 45 gradually slows down the operating speed of the escalator 10 (step S13). Then, after the operating speed of the escalator 10 has sufficiently slowed down, the operation control unit 45 stops the operation of the escalator 10 (step S14). Also, if the disembarking station determination unit 42 determines that congestion is not occurring at the disembarking station (step S12: No), the disembarking station determination unit 42 continues to monitor the disembarking station.

[0039] After the operation of the escalator 10 is stopped, the speaker control unit 46 selects the upper speaker 30B provided at the landing and outputs a voice to guide users around the landing to leave the landing (step S15). Then, the landing determination unit 44 receives an image from the camera 20 (step S16) and determines whether or not a user is present at the landing (step S17).

[0040] Here, when the hall determination unit 44 determines that there is no user at the hall (step S17: Yes), the speaker control unit 46 selects the hoistway speakers 30C, 30D, and 30E provided on the balustrade 12, and outputs a sound to guide the user in the hoistway 11 to face the hall side (step S18). When the hall determination unit 44 determines that there is a user at the hall (step S17: No), the process returns to step S15, and the speaker control unit 46 again outputs a sound to guide the user near the hall to move away from the hall.

[0041] When a voice is output to guide a user in the elevator 11 to face the landing side (step S18), the elevator determination unit 43 receives an image from the camera 20 (step S19) and determines whether the body of the user in the elevator 11 is facing the landing side (step S20).

[0042] Here, if the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that the user in the elevator shaft 11 is facing the landing side (step S20: Yes), the operation control unit 45 causes the escalator 10 to move in the opposite direction to the initial traveling direction, that is, from the lower floor to the upper floor (step S21). Also, if the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that the user is not facing the landing side (step S20: No), the process returns to step S18, and a voice is output again to the user in the elevator shaft 11 to guide him or her to face the landing side.

[0043] When escalator 10 reverses from a lower floor to an upper floor in this manner, elevator shaft determination unit 43 receives an image from camera 20 (step S22) and determines whether or not a user is present in elevator shaft 11 (step S23).

[0044] Here, if the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that there is no user in the elevator shaft 11 (step S23: Yes), the operation control unit 45 stops the reverse run of the escalator 10 (step S24). If the elevator shaft determination unit 43 determines that there is a user in the elevator shaft 11 (step S23: No), the process returns to step S22, and the operation control unit 45 causes the escalator 10 to continue the reverse run.

[0045] In this embodiment, when the disembarking station determination unit 42 determines that congestion is occurring at the disembarking station, the operation control unit 45 gradually slows down the operating speed of the escalator 10, but the determination result of the disembarking station determination unit 42 may be transmitted to a monitoring center in the building in which the escalator 10 is installed or in a remote location. Then, when a monitor stationed at the monitoring center checks the image captured by the camera 20 and determines that congestion is occurring at the disembarking station, the operation control unit 45 may gradually slow down the operating speed of the escalator 10. This makes it possible to prevent the operation of the escalator 10 from being stopped due to a false detection by the disembarking station determination unit 42.

[0046] In addition, in this embodiment, the determination by the landing determination unit 42 as to whether or not congestion has occurred at the landing station is performed only before the operating speed of the escalator 10 is decelerated, but the landing determination unit 42 may determine whether or not congestion has occurred at the landing station while the operating speed of the escalator 10 is being decelerated, or after the operation of the escalator 10 is stopped. Then, when the landing determination unit 42 determines that congestion at the landing station has been resolved, the operation control unit 45 may return the escalator 10 to its original operating speed. This allows the operation of the escalator 10 to be smoothly resumed when congestion at the landing station is resolved.

[0047] In addition, in this embodiment, the determination unit 41 does not perform a determination while the escalator 10 is running in reverse, but the determination unit 41 may perform a determination while the escalator 10 is running in reverse. For example, the platform determination unit 44 may determine whether or not a user has entered the escalator 10 while the escalator 10 is running in reverse. If a user has entered, the operation control unit 45 may slow down the operation speed of the escalator 10 or stop the operation of the escalator 10. Also, for example, the elevator determination unit 43 may determine the direction of the body of a user in the elevator 11 while the escalator 10 is running in reverse. If a user in the elevator 11 is facing the landing side (the landing side when the escalator 10 is running in reverse), the speaker control unit 46 may output a voice to the user in the elevator 11 to guide the user to face the landing side (the landing side when the escalator 10 is running in reverse).

[0048] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and other modified examples, and it goes without saying that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the matters described in the claims of this application. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1 Operation control system, 10 Escalator, 11 Hoistway, 12 Handrail, 13 Entrance, 13A Lower entrance, 13B Upper entrance, 14 Drive unit, 20 Detection unit (camera), 30 Speaker, 40 Control unit, 41 Determination unit, 42 Landing determination unit, 43 Hoistway determination unit, 44 Landing determination unit, 45 Operation control unit, 46 Speaker control unit

Claims

1. A passenger conveyor operation control system, A detection unit that detects a user of the passenger conveyor; A speaker that outputs audio to users of the passenger conveyor; A control device that controls the operation of the passenger conveyor and controls the audio output of the speaker; Equipped with The control device includes: while operating in a predetermined direction, determining whether users are staying at the disembarking area of ​​the passenger conveyor based on information from the detection unit, and when it is determined that users are staying there, stopping the operation of the passenger conveyor and outputting a voice from the speaker to urge users to face the boarding area of ​​the passenger conveyor; An operation control system that determines the orientation of the user's body in the elevator between the landing and the disembarking area based on information from the detection unit, and operates the passenger conveyor in the reverse direction if it determines that the user is facing toward the landing.

2. 2. The operation control system according to claim 1, wherein the control device determines whether or not there is a user at the landing based on information from the detection unit, and when it is determined that there is no user at the landing, causes the passenger conveyor to operate in a reverse direction.

3. 2. The operation control system according to claim 1, wherein the control device determines whether a user is staying at the disembarking station based on information from the detection unit, and if it determines that a user is staying there, outputs a voice from the speaker urging the user to leave the station.

Images