Elevator Systems

Abstract

To improve operability when an operation panel in a car is composed of a display panel of a non-contact type or the like.SOLUTION: An elevator system comprises, to constitute a car inner operation panel of an elevator for registering a destination floor in non-contact manner: a destination floor registration processing unit that transmits a destination floor selected by an operation detection unit to an elevator control device; and a registered floor display processing unit that displays a registered floor received from the elevator control device on a display panel. The display panel has a destination floor registration area disposed on the right side of the display panel to display a destination floor button and a registered floor display area disposed on the left side of the display panel to display the registered destination floor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to elevator systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, a destination floor registration button for registering a destination floor is arranged as an operation panel inside an elevator car, and a user who gets into the car operates to press the destination floor registration button for the destination floor. For example, when the destination floor is the 10th floor, the user operates to press the destination floor registration button for the 10th floor from among the destination floor registration buttons arranged on the operation panel. When the destination floor registration button for the 10th floor is pressed, the display color of the pressed destination floor registration button for the 10th floor changes to a more conspicuous color, making it clear that the 10th floor has been registered as a destination floor.

[0003] As an improvement over the conventional destination floor registration buttons, it has been proposed to place a touch panel with a display function as an operation panel inside the car. In addition, as a measure against infectious diseases in recent years, it has been proposed to make the touch panel a non-contact touchless panel. A non-contact panel is operated by the user bringing their finger close to the button displayed on the display panel. Patent Document 1 describes an example in which a destination floor display device inside a car is made into a touch panel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2010 / 001466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the case of the technology described in Patent Document 1, the display format of the characters indicating the destination floor on the display panel is switched depending on the situation at the time. That is, since the display panel that can be placed in the elevator car is placed next to the door, the display area is not so large, and in a building with many floors such as a high-rise building, it can be difficult to display all the destination floors on one screen. Here, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, when the number of destination floors of an elevator is more than the maximum number that can be displayed, the destination floors are divided into numbers less than the maximum number that can be displayed, and the divided screens are switched to display.

[0006] However, when the destination floor display is switched in an elevator, if the destination floor information is not displayed when the user looks at the display panel screen, the user is left in a situation where he or she does not know whether the destination floor is registered as a stop floor. In a situation where it is not clear whether the destination floor is registered as a stop floor, even if the destination floor is already registered as a stop floor, the user will search for and try to operate the destination floor registration button, resulting in unnecessary operation. Therefore, when the operation panel is configured with a touch panel or a non-contact display panel, there is a problem that it is not desirable to simply switch the elevator destination floor display.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an elevator system that can improve operability and visibility when the operation panel inside the elevator car is configured as a non-contact type display panel or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, for example, the configurations described in the claims are adopted. The present application includes a number of means for solving the above problems. One example of such means is a non-contact or contact manipulation In an elevator system equipped with an in-cab operation panel that registers a destination floor, the operation panel includes a destination floor registration processing unit that transmits the destination floor selected by the operation detection unit to an elevator control device, and a registered floor display processing unit that displays the registered floor received from the elevator control device on a display panel. The display panel is arranged to the right of the display panel. To register The display panel has a destination floor registration area for displaying buttons, and a registered floor display area for displaying registered destination floors, which is disposed on the left side of the display panel. The destination floor registration area displays two input modes: a numeric keypad input mode and a floor button input mode. In the numeric keypad input mode, the destination floor registration area displays number buttons, a registration button for confirming input using the numeric buttons, and an inputted floor display area. The inputted floor display area displays the number entered using the numeric buttons, and the floor corresponding to the number registered by operating the registration button is confirmed as the destination floor. In the floor button input mode, the destination floor registration area displays a destination floor button indicating a destination floor, and by operating the destination floor button, the floor displayed on the operated button is confirmed as the registered destination floor. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, non-contact or contact manipulation This improves the operability of the elevator car control panel that registers the destination floor. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a non-contact input control device for an elevator system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example (example 1) of a display panel arrangement in a car according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example (example 2) of a display panel arrangement in a car according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example (ten-key input mode) of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a display example (floor button input mode) of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example (example 1) of a change in display according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example (example 2) of a change in display according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9]FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a display example (example 3) of a display panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an input process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an input determination process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] 5 is a flowchart showing an example (first half) of a destination floor registration process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 10 is a flowchart showing an example (second half) of a destination floor registration process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 13 is a flowchart showing an example of a destination floor cancellation process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 15] 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a registered floor display process according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of page (screen) allocation according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, an elevator system according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, referred to as "this embodiment") will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0012] [Elevator system configuration] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the elevator system of this example. As shown in Fig. 1, the elevator system of this example has an elevator control device 10 and a non-contact input control device 20. The elevator control device 10 controls the running (ascending and descending) of the car by the hoist based on the operation of the car call button at the landing of each floor and the operation of registering the destination floor inside the car.

[0013] The non-contact input control device 20 is disposed in the elevator car, and controls the display on a display panel 41 (FIGS. 3 and 4) with a non-contact input function that is disposed on an operation panel installed in the elevator car. The non-contact input control device 20 also detects a non-contact input by a finger or the like approaching the display panel 41, and sends an instruction to the elevator control device 10. The non-contact input is detected by a non-contact sensor 42. The display panel 41 has a destination floor registration area 41a and a registered floor display area 41b. In the following description, the input operation basically refers to a non-contact input operation, but also includes an operation of directly touching the surface of the display panel 41 with a finger.

[0014] The destination floor indicates the destination floor where the user who boards the elevator car gets off, and the registered floor indicates the floor registered in the elevator control device 10 as the destination floor. In other words, the user needs to input the destination floor on the operation panel in the car, and once the registered floor is registered, the car stops at the registered floor. However, the car may stop at a floor other than the registered floor due to a call registered at the landing.

[0015] Returning to the explanation of the configuration in Figure 1, the non-contact input control device 20 comprises an input processing unit 21, an input judgment unit 22, a destination floor registration processing unit 23, a registered floor cancellation processing unit 24, a registered floor receiving unit 25, a registered floor sorting unit 26, a registered floor display processing unit 27, a registered floor display area update unit 28, and a destination floor registration update unit 29.

[0016] The input processing unit 21 processes the input of information on the state of detection of a finger or the like that is not in contact with the display panel 41 by the non-contact sensor 42 . The input determination unit 22 acquires information on the detection state input processed by the input processing unit 21, and determines which display portion of the display panel 41 has been approached by a finger, a touch pen, or the like to perform a non-touch operation.

[0017] When the non-contact operation determined by the input determination unit 22 is an operation for registering a destination floor, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 performs a registration process for the destination floor where the corresponding non-contact operation has been performed. When the non-contact operation determined by the input determination unit 22 is an operation to cancel the registration of a destination floor, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 performs a process to cancel the registration of the destination floor where the corresponding non-contact operation has been performed. The destination floor registration process in the destination floor registration processing unit 23 and the destination floor registration cancellation process in the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 are performed on the elevator control device 10, and the elevator control device 10 controls the operation based on the instructions. In addition, information on the destination floor registration processing in the destination floor registration processing unit 23 and information on the destination floor registration cancellation processing in the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 are sent to the registered floor display processing unit 27 and the registered floor display area update unit 28. Here, information on the destination floor registration processing and cancellation processing may be sent via the elevator control device 10, rather than being sent directly from the destination floor registration processing unit 23 and the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 to the registered floor display processing unit 27 and the registered floor display area update unit 28.

[0018] The registered floor receiving unit 25 receives information about the registered floors set in the elevator control device 10. The registered floor sorting unit 26 executes a process of sorting the registered floors received by the registered floor receiving unit 25 in the order of display.

[0019] The registered floor display processing unit 27 performs processing to display the registered floors rearranged by the registered floor rearrangement unit 26 in the registered floor display area 41b of the display panel 41. Information for the display processing in the registered floor display processing unit 27 is sent to the registered floor display area 41b via the registered floor display area update unit 28. The registered floor display area update unit 28 then updates the display in the registered floor display area 41b as needed. Here, the registered floors displayed in the registered floor display area 41b may be floors registered from another operation panel in the car. For example, by displaying floors registered from an operation panel for wheelchair users installed on the inner side of the car in the registered floor display area 41b, all registered floors can be displayed, and passengers can be informed of which floor the car they are riding in will stop at. The destination floor information registered by the destination floor registration processing unit 23 is supplied to the destination floor registration update unit 29, which updates the display in the destination floor registration area 41a as needed. The floor displayed here may be configured to highlight the floor where the car is currently stopped by using bold text or changing the color, so that passengers can know which floor they are currently on. With this configuration, passengers standing in front of the operation panel can check their current location without having to turn their heads upwards and look up at the floor indicator installed on the top of the operation panel. This is particularly effective when there are many passengers in the car, as it becomes necessary to stand in front of the operation panel.

[0020] [Hardware configuration example of a non-contact input control device] FIG. 2 shows an example of a hardware configuration in which the non-contact input control device 20 is configured by a computer. The non-contact input control device 20, which is configured by a computer device, includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 20a, a main memory unit 20b, a non-volatile storage 20c, a network interface 20d, an input unit 20e, and an output unit 20f, which are all connected to a bus.

[0021] The CPU 20a is an arithmetic processing unit that reads out program code of software that realizes the functions performed by the non-contact input control device 20 from the main storage unit 20b or the non-volatile storage 20c and executes it. The CPU 20a reads out the program code from the main memory 20b or the non-volatile storage 20c and executes arithmetic processing in the work area of ​​the main memory 20b, thereby configuring various processing function units in the main memory 20b. That is, the main memory 20b is configured with various processing units such as the destination floor registration processing unit 23 and the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 shown in FIG. 1.

[0022] The non-volatile storage 20c may be, for example, a large-capacity information storage medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a memory card, etc. The non-volatile storage 20c stores software that realizes the functions of the non-contact input control device 20, data obtained by executing the program, and data required for display screen settings.

[0023] The network interface 20d is, for example, a network interface card (NIC), and transmits and receives data to and from other devices such as the elevator control device 10. The input unit 20e performs an input process for information on the detection state of the non-contact sensor . The output unit 20f supplies display data to the destination floor registration area 41a and the registered floor display area 41b of the display panel 41.

[0024] 2 is merely an example, and the non-contact input control device 20 may be configured with an arithmetic processing device other than a computer. For example, some or all of the functions performed by the non-contact input control device 20 may be realized by hardware such as a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), or may be realized by software on the cloud.

[0025] [Example of display panel layout inside a car] FIG. 3 shows an example (example 1) in which a display panel 41 is installed inside a car 30 provided in the elevator system of this embodiment. 3 is a view of the vicinity of the door 31 of the car 30 as seen from inside the car 30. Door side panels 32 and 33 are disposed on the left and right sides of the door 31. Here, an operation panel 40 is disposed on the door side panel 33 on the right side of the door 31.

[0026] On the operation panel 40, a display panel 41 and a non-contact sensor 42 that detects a finger or the like approaching or touching the surface of the display panel 41 are arranged. The display panel 41 is composed of a liquid crystal display panel or an organic electro-luminescence (EL) panel, and is arranged vertically with a size that fits within the width of the door side panel 33. The display panel 41 is capable of displaying letters, numbers, and various figures as described in display examples below, as well as images, videos, and information distribution services via the cloud. The non-contact sensor 42 is composed of, for example, an infrared sensor, and is arranged on the right side of the display panel 41 (the side panel 34 side) to detect when a finger or the like approaches the surface of the display panel 41.

[0027] 3, the non-contact sensor 42 is disposed so as to protrude slightly from the surface of the operation panel 40, and is capable of scanning the surface of the display panel 41 with infrared rays or the like. Also, the display panel 41 may be disposed slightly behind the surface of the operation panel 40, and the non-contact sensor 42 may be disposed within the operation panel, thereby eliminating any protruding portion on the surface of the operation panel. The non-contact sensor 42 detects when a finger approaches within, for example, several centimeters of the surface of the display panel 41. The non-contact sensor 42 also detects the coordinate position of which part of the display panel 41 the finger or the like approaches.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows another example (example 2) in which a display panel 41 is installed inside the car 30 of the elevator system of this embodiment. 4 is a view of the vicinity of the door 31 of the car 30 as seen from inside the car 30, similar to FIG. In the example of FIG. 4, only a display panel 41 is disposed on the operation panel 40 of the door side panel 33 on the right side of the door 31, and the non-contact sensor 42 is disposed on the lateral panel . The non-contact sensor 42 on the side panel 34 detects a finger or the like approaching or touching the surface of the display panel 41 of the operation panel 40. In the example of Fig. 4, the non-contact sensor 42 also detects that a finger has approached within about a few centimeters of the surface of the display panel 41.

[0029] Note that using an infrared sensor as non-contact sensor 42 is just one example, and other sensors may be used to detect an object such as a finger approaching the surface of display panel 41. For example, non-contact sensor 42 may detect the approach of a finger from a capacitance value. In the case of a non-contact sensor that detects a capacitance value, non-contact sensor 42 is integrated into display panel 41.

[0030] 3 and 4 show a state where the display panel 41 and the non-contact sensor 42 are installed as the operation panel 40, but for example, buttons for instructing to open or close the door, an emergency call button, etc. may be arranged near the display panel 41. Alternatively, the buttons for instructing to open or close the door, and an emergency call button may be displayed on the display panel 41. In particular, in these days when display panels are becoming larger, even if mechanical buttons are arranged on the display panel, the size of the buttons can be made equal to or larger than before, and visibility and operability can be improved. Furthermore, even for those who are not good at visual operation, operation is possible by using voice or tactile sensors, etc. 3 and 4, the display panel 41 is disposed on the door side panel 33 on the right side of the door 31, but the display panel 41 may be disposed on the door side panel 32 on the left side of the door 31. Alternatively, the display panel 41 may be disposed individually on both the door side panel 33 on the right side of the door 31 and the door side panel 32 on the left side of the door 31, or one of them may be a conventional operation panel with mechanical buttons. The display panel may be a projection type display system using a projector or the like, a simple display system using a sticker or the like, or a system using conventional push buttons in combination.

[0031] [Display panel display format] Next, the display mode of the display panel 41 will be described with reference to FIGS. As already explained, the display panel 41 has a destination floor registration area 41a and a registered floor display area 41b. As shown in Fig. 5 or 6, the destination floor registration area 41a is arranged in the right region of the display panel 41, and the registered floor display area 41b is arranged in the left region of the display panel 41. The registered floor display area 41b is a relatively narrow region capable of displaying the numerical values ​​of registered floors in one or two vertical columns, and the remaining region is entirely the destination floor registration area 41a. The size of each of the display areas 41a and 41b may change as shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9. The display form of each diagram will be described in detail below.

[0032] 5 is a display example in the numeric keypad input mode, in which the destination floor registration area 41a is displayed as a numeric keypad and the user inputs a floor number. That is, the destination floor registration area 41a displays floor input buttons 101 consisting of ten number buttons 0, 1, 2, 3, ..., 9 and a "B" button indicating the basement, input guide 102, input floors 103, registration button 104, cancel button 105, and screen switching button 106. 5 shows a state in which a finger approaches "6" on the floor input button 101, the "6" lights up, and "6" is displayed in the input floor column 103. Here, the timing at which "6" is displayed in the input floor column 103 may be the point at which the non-contact sensor 42 no longer detects a finger, or the point at which the elevator control device 10 registers it.

[0033] The input guidance 102 displays a message in Japanese urging the user to "enter the destination floor," and also displays a similar message in English. The input floor number 103 displays the number entered using the floor input buttons 101 or "B." Figure 3 shows an example where "6" has been entered, but if two or more buttons are pressed, a two-digit number is displayed. Also, if the "B" button is pressed followed by a number button, a display indicating a basement floor such as "B1" is displayed. In addition, when a two-digit number or a number followed by "B" is input, and a floor where the elevator does not stop (such as a security floor) is input, the corresponding operation may be invalidated and the floor input in input floor number 103 may not be displayed, and the user may be notified of this, such as "the elevator will not stop at that floor."

[0034] The register button 104 is a button for confirming the floor displayed in the input floor 103 as a registered floor. After a button input occurs, the register button 104 can be flashed or highlighted to prompt the user to press the register button 104. The cancel button 105 is a button for performing an operation to cancel the floor displayed in the input floor 103. This cancel button 105 is displayed only when a floor has been input in the input floor 103 by operating the floor input button 101. By displaying the button only when a floor has been input in the input floor 103, it is possible to reduce the amount of displayed information and provide an easy-to-use interface with better visibility. However, the cancel button 105 may be displayed at all times. The screen switching button 106 displays "To main floors" in both Japanese and English, and pressing this button switches to the display in floor button input mode (Fig. 6) showing the main floor buttons. The floor button input mode can display more specific information about the displayed floor, making it easy for users who do not use the facility frequently to understand, and it is also an easy-to-use operation mode because it does not require multiple button operations like numeric keypad input.

[0035] In the registered floor display area 41b, the registered floor row 107 is displayed in a vertical row. In the registered floor column 107, registered floors with smaller numerical values ​​are displayed in ascending order from the bottom based on the floor arrangement in an actual building. Since the registered floor column 107 is based on the floor arrangement in an actual building, for basement floors, the numerical value of the floor increases the further down you go. The display here is in descending order from the bottom to match the floor configuration of an actual building, but it may be in ascending order from the top, or ascending order spreading out from the center.

[0036] FIG. 5 shows a state where 10 registered floors have been registered, and shows a state where the display of the registered floor row 107 is lined up almost entirely in the registered floor display area 41b. When the number of registered floors is small, the registered floors are displayed, for example, from the bottom of the registered floor display area 41b. In other words, when the registered floors are "6th floor" and "10th floor", "6" and "10" are displayed from the bottom in the registered floor display area 41b. Also, when the number of registered floors decreases as a result of the elevator stopping at each floor, the remaining registered floors are displayed in the registered floor display area 41b, moving from the bottom up. However, displaying the registered floors from the bottom up is just one example, and for example, the registered floors may be displayed together in the center, or when a predetermined number is exceeded, the display may be switched from centered to bottom-up, or the registered floors may be displayed from the top up. Furthermore, if the display panel is placed slightly behind the surface of the operation panel and the non-contact sensor is placed on the back of the operation panel, the registered floor display displayed on the left side on the display panel will be difficult to see from passengers in the car, so it is desirable to display the registered floors close to the right side within the registered floor display area 41b. The timing of updating the display of registered floors may be constant, or may be such that when a new floor is registered, it is displayed immediately, and when an already registered floor is reached, the arrival floor may flash from the time of arrival until departure, and then the display may be deleted after departure.

[0037] 6 is a display example in a floor button input mode. In this floor button input mode, buttons indicating floors are directly displayed in the destination floor registration area 41a, and the registered floors are directly set by operating the buttons. That is, the destination floor registration area 41 a displays a destination floor button 201 indicating a main floor of the building, a screen switching button 202 , and an input guide 203 . In the example of Fig. 6, only the buttons for the first floor (entrance floor), second floor (lobby floor), first basement floor (first parking lot), second basement floor (second parking lot), and third basement floor (third parking lot), which are major floors where the car stops frequently, are displayed as destination floor buttons 201. When these destination floor buttons 201 are operated, the floor displayed on the operated button is directly confirmed as the registered floor without the need for a confirmation operation or the like. For the user, being able to complete registration with fewer operations is more stress-free.

[0038] The screen switching button 202 displays "To all floors" in both Japanese and English, and pressing the screen switching button 202 switches to a numeric keypad input mode display (FIG. 5) that displays buttons such as a numeric keypad. However, it is preferable that the language selection and parallel writing can be changed to Japanese only, English only, or other languages, depending on the building's purpose and operation. In particular, in facilities such as hotels that are used by an unspecified number of people, it is preferable that the display and audio correspond to the main language regions in which use is expected. For example, a more personalized service can be provided by identifying the user's language through personal authentication and displaying the information in accordance with the user's language. In the input guidance 203, a message is displayed in Japanese urging the user to "enter the destination floor," and a similar message is displayed in English saying, "please select a destination floor." As described above, if the user's language can be identified by personal authentication or the like, guidance can be provided only in the user's language, making it possible to provide a more personalized service.

[0039] In the registered floor display area 41b, the registered floor row 204 is displayed in a vertical row. The registered floor column 204 is the same as the display of the registered floor column 107 in the numeric keypad input mode, and displays the registered floors in ascending order from the lowest floor number to the highest floor number based on the layout of floors in an actual building. By intentionally displaying the registered floor display area 41b and the destination floor registration area 41a in separate areas, passengers in the car can confirm the registered floor in the registered floor display area 41b even if someone is operating the car and holds their hand over the destination floor registration area 41a. Furthermore, the registered floor can be confirmed even in a numeric keypad input mode such as a numeric keypad. In addition, either the display in the numeric keypad input mode shown in Fig. 5 or the display in the floor button input mode shown in Fig. 6 is set as the initial screen, and the other screen is switched to when a switching instruction is given. In this case, the initial screen may always be the same screen, but may be changed depending on the time of day or the operation status. By switching the screen in this way, it is possible to provide an inexpensive operation panel using a standard size display panel such as those used in tablet PCs. In addition, in office buildings or apartment buildings where security is strongly oriented, such as through card readers or facial recognition, convenience can be improved by setting a common floor, such as a lobby floor where security is always disabled, as the initial screen for the numeric keypad input mode.

[0040] 7 to 9 show examples in which the display changes from that shown in FIG. 5 or 6 based on an input operation. FIG. 7 shows an example (example 1) in which the number of registered floors is increased. That is, as shown in Fig. 7(a), in the numeric keypad input mode, the destination floor registration area 41a of the display panel 41 displays floor input 301 such as the floor input button 101 described in Fig. 5, and the registered floor display area 41b displays registered floor 302. In Fig. 7, the display of some buttons is omitted for simplicity of explanation, but in reality, the display shown in Fig. 5 is performed. The registered floor display 302 can display up to 10 registered floors in one vertical line. Fig. 7(b) shows an example in which the registered floors are displayed in two lines when the number of registered floors increases. When the number of registered floors is further increased, the display may be switched to three columns.

[0041] FIG. 8 shows another example (example 2) when the number of registered floors is increased. Here too, the registered floor display area 41b can display up to 10 registered floors in a vertical row, but FIG. 8 shows a case where there are more than 10 registered floors. At this time, as shown in Figure 8(a), the registered floor display area 41b switches between displaying 303 registered floors below the 10th floor and displaying 304 registered floors above the 10th floor as shown in Figure 8(b) every few seconds. Switching between registered floors below 10 floors and registered floors above 10 floors is one example, and it would also be possible to switch to the first 10 registered floors that are stopped on the first screen, and then switch to the remaining registered floors on the next screen, etc.

[0042] FIG. 9 shows an example (example 3) in which the number of registered floors is increased. FIG. 9 shows an example in which the destination floor registration area 41a is narrowed and the registered floor display area 41b is widened when it becomes necessary to display the registered floors in two columns. That is, the registration floor display area 41b occupies a relatively wide range and displays the registration floor 312 in two columns, while the destination floor registration area 41a occupies a relatively narrow range and displays the input button 311.

[0043] The expanded display of the registered floor display area 41b shown in Fig. 9 may be performed when there is no operation by the approach of a finger (object) to the destination floor registration area 41a for a certain period of time. In addition, when a finger approaches the destination floor registration area 41a in a state where the expanded display of the registered floor display area 41b shown in Fig. 9 is performed, the display state of the original display range as shown in Fig. 7 or Fig. 8 may be restored. 9 is displayed in an expanded manner due to no operation for a certain period of time (first period of time), and then when no operation is performed for a further certain period of time (second period of time), various kinds of guidance information may be displayed in the destination floor registration area 41a or the registered floor display area 41b. The guidance information here may be information about tenants on each floor of the building, information about events taking place in the building, or information obtained from outside, such as a weather forecast. As a result, if no operation is performed for a certain period of time, the registered floor is displayed in a larger area, making the display form easier for the user to understand.

[0044] [Processing performed by the non-contact input control device] Next, a process performed by the non-contact input control device 20 in order for the display panel 41 to perform the display described above will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of input processing performed by the non-contact input control device 20. As shown in FIG. First, the input processing unit 21 of the non-contact input control device 20 acquires information on the attachment state determined from the positional relationship between the display panel 41 and the non-contact sensor 42 (step S10). This attachment state information may be a preset value or may be set by a prior calibration process, and the input processing unit 21 sets the correspondence between the detection data from the non-contact sensor 42 and the coordinate position of the operation position on the display panel 41 (step S11).

[0045] With the coordinates of this operation position set, an elevator user in the car starts an input operation by bringing a finger close to or touching a button on the display panel 41 (step S12). At this time, the input processing unit 21 executes a first input point detection process (step S13). Then, the input processing unit 21 judges whether or not an input point has been added within a certain period of time (step S14).

[0046] If the number of input points is increased in step S14 (Yes in step S14), the input processing unit 21 repeats the determination in step S14. If the number of input points is not increased within a certain period of time in step S14 (No in step S14), the input determination unit 22 executes an input determination process to select an input point (step S15).

[0047] FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing the flow of the input determination process performed by the input determination unit 22. When the non-contact sensor 42 in the input processing unit 21 detects the approach of an object (finger) to the surface of the display panel 41 (step S20), the input determination unit 22 starts the input determination process. When starting the input determination process, the input determination unit 22 determines whether or not the position of an object is within a predetermined distance (for example, within 5 cm) from the surface of the display panel 41 (step S21).

[0048] In step S21, when the distance is not within the predetermined distance (No in step S21), the input determination unit 22 ends the input determination process. Then, when it is determined in step S21 that the object is within the predetermined distance (Yes in step S21), the input determination unit 22 determines whether the size of the detected object is equal to or larger than a predetermined size (step S22). The predetermined size here is set to exclude objects larger than a finger, assuming that the object is operated with a finger.

[0049] If it is determined in step S22 that the size is greater than the predetermined size (No in step S22), the input determination unit 22 ends the input determination process. Then, when it is determined in step S22 that the size is equal to or larger than the predetermined size (Yes in step S22), the input determination unit 22 determines whether the area in which the proximity is detected is a destination floor registration area (step S23).

[0050] In step S23, if the area is a destination floor registration area (Yes in step S23), the input determination unit 22 determines whether or not an object has been approaching for a predetermined time or more (step S24). In step S24, if an object has not been approaching for the predetermined time or more (No in step S24), the input determination unit 22 repeats the determination in step S24. The predetermined time here is set as a minimum expected duration during operation with a finger or the like, such as 0.1 to 0.5 seconds, in order to eliminate cases where an object such as a finger has erroneously approached the display panel 41. When it is detected in step S24 that an object is approaching for a predetermined time or more (Yes in step S24), the input determination unit 22 transitions to a destination floor registration processing mode (step S25). Here, in order to convey the operation feeling in non-contact to the user, when a finger is detected, when an approach for a predetermined time is detected, when registration is confirmed, etc., the user is notified by voice, display, tactile sensor, etc., thereby improving operability.

[0051] Furthermore, in step S23, when the area where the approach is detected is not the destination floor registration area (No in step S23), the input determination unit 22 determines whether the area where the approach is detected is the registered floor display area (step S26). In step S26, when the area is not the registered floor display area (No in step S26), the input determination unit 22 ends the input determination process. Then, in step S26, if the area is the registered floor display area (Yes in step S26), the input determination unit 22 determines whether or not an object has been approaching for a predetermined time or more (step S27). In step S27, if an object has not been approaching for a predetermined time or more (No in step S27), the input determination unit 22 repeats the determination in step S27. The determination in step S27 is the same as that in step S24. In step S26, when it is detected that an object is approaching for a predetermined time or more (Yes in step S26), the input determination unit 22 proceeds to a registered floor cancellation process (step S28).

[0052] 12 and 13 are flowcharts showing the flow of the destination floor registration process performed by the destination floor registration processing unit 23. "A" in Fig. 12 connects to "A" in Fig. 13, and "B" in Fig. 13 connects to "B" in Fig. 12. First, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 judges whether the destination floor input when the finger or the like is detected in the registered floor display area 41b is displayed (step S30). In other words, it judges whether the input floor 103 shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. In step S30, when the inputted destination floor is displayed (Yes in step S30), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 displays the cancel button 105 (FIG. 5) (step S31). Then, if the inputted destination floor is not displayed in step S30 (No in step S30), after displaying the cancel button 105 in step S31, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether or not it has detected the approach of the operator's finger (object) to the detection area within the destination floor registration area 41a (step S32).

[0053] If the approach of the operator's hand to the detection area is not detected in step S32 (No in step S32), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 judges whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed without detecting the approach (step S33). The predetermined time here is a relatively long time, for example, 10 seconds. When it is determined in step S33 that the predetermined time has elapsed (Yes in step S33), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 changes the display in the destination floor registration area 41a of the display panel 41 to an initial screen (step S34). After displaying the initial screen in step S34, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 ends the registration process here and waits until the next operation is performed. Moreover, in step S33, if a finger or the like is detected before the predetermined time has elapsed (No in step S33), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 returns to the determination in step S30.

[0054] If the approach of the operator's finger is detected in the detection area in step S32 (Yes in step S32), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 judges whether the detected area is the approach of the finger to the area of ​​the destination floor registration area 41a (floor input button 101 or destination floor button 201) (step S35). Since a non-contact finger causes the finger to wobble in the air, by defining an area larger than the button size as the detection area, it is possible to suppress variations in operability due to individual differences between users and provide stable services to a wider range of customers. In step S35, when it is in the area of ​​a destination button (Yes in step S35), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 inverts the display color of the corresponding button to another display color (step S36). Then, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger that has detected the approach has been released from the surface of the display panel 41 (step S37). In step S37, when the user has not left the surface of the display panel 41 (No in step S37), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 repeats the determination in step S37.

[0055] Then, in step S37, when the finger is removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (Yes in step S37), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 inverts the display color of the corresponding button to the original display color (step S38). Furthermore, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 displays the letters (numbers) corresponding to the button whose approach was detected in step S35 in the input floor 103 (step S39), and returns to the judgment of step S30. Note that display in the input floor 103 is the case in the numeric keypad input mode (FIG. 5), and in the floor button input mode (FIG. 6), the corresponding floor is directly selected as the registered floor in step S39.

[0056] Also, when it is determined in step S35 that the area in which the approach of the finger is detected is not the area of ​​the destination button (No in step S35), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger has approached the area of ​​the cancel button 105 (Figure 5) (step S40). When it is determined in step S40 that a finger has approached the area of ​​the cancel button 105 (Yes in step S40), the display color of the cancel button 105 is inverted to another display color (step S41). Then, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger that detected the approach has been removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (step S42). Here, by providing exclusive processing in the destination floor registration area 41a and the registered floor display area 41b, such as invalidating detection in the registered floor display area 41b when approach to the detection area in the destination floor registration area 41a is detected, erroneous operation, erroneous registration, and erroneous cancellation can be suppressed, and an interface with a higher level of satisfaction can be provided. In step S42, when the finger has not been removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (No in step S42), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 repeats the determination in step S42.

[0057] Then, in step S42, when the finger is removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (Yes in step S42), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 inverts the display color of the cancel button 105 to the original display color (step S43). Furthermore, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 erases the letters (numbers) displayed in the input floor number 103 (step S44), and returns to the judgment in step S30.

[0058] If it is determined in step S40 that the finger has not approached the area of ​​the cancel button 105 (No in step S40), the process proceeds to Fig. 13, where the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger has approached the area of ​​the registration button 104 (Fig. 5) (step S45). Since a non-contact finger causes the finger to wobble in the air, by defining an area larger than the button size as the detection area, it is possible to reduce variations in operability due to individual differences between users, and provide stable services to a wider range of customers. When it is determined in step S45 that a finger has approached the area of ​​the registration button 104 (Yes in step S45), the display color of the registration button 104 is inverted to another display color (step S46). Then, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger that has detected the approach has been released from the surface of the display panel 41 (step S47). In step S47, when the finger has not been removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (No in step S47), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 repeats the determination in step S47.

[0059] Then, in step S47, when the finger is removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (Yes in step S47), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 inverts the display color of the registration button 104 to the original display color (step S48). Furthermore, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 registers the floor displayed in the input floor 103 as a registered floor (step S49), and returns to the judgment of step S30 in Fig. 12. Note that since the registration button 104 in step S45 is a button for finalizing the input display floor in the numeric keypad input mode, the processes of steps S46 to S49 are performed in the numeric keypad input mode (when displayed in Fig. 5), but are not performed in the floor button input mode (when displayed in Fig. 6).

[0060] When it is determined in step S45 that the finger has not approached the area of ​​the registration button 104 (No in step S45), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger has approached the area of ​​the screen switching buttons 106, 202 (step S50). In step S50, when it is determined that a finger has approached the area of ​​the screen switching button 106, 202 (Yes in step S50), the display color of the screen switching button 106, 202 is inverted to another display color (step S51). Then, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 determines whether the finger that has detected the approach has been removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (step S52). In step S52, when the finger has not been removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (No in step S52), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 repeats the determination in step S52.

[0061] Then, in step S52, when the finger is removed from the surface of the display panel 41 (Yes in step S52), the destination floor registration processing unit 23 inverts the display color of the screen switching buttons 106, 202 to the original display color (step S53). Furthermore, the destination floor registration processing unit 23 changes the display of the destination floor registration area 41a to another mode (ten-key input mode or floor button input mode) (step S54), and returns to the judgment of step S30 in FIG.

[0062] FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow of the registered floor cancellation process performed by the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24. First, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 detects the approach of the operator's finger (object) to the registered floor display area 41b (step S60). At this time, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 detects which area displays a registered floor in the list of registered floors displayed in the registered floor display area 41b to which the finger has approached (step S61). Then, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 inverts the display color of the registered floor displayed in the area detected in step S61 to a different color (step S62).

[0063] Thereafter, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 detects that the object (finger) approaching the display panel 41 has been removed (step S63), and inverts the registered floor that was inverted in step S62 back to its original color (step S64).Then, the registered floor cancellation processing unit 24 sends an instruction to the elevator control device 10 to cancel the registered floor that was inverted in step S62 from the registered floors (step S65), and ends the registered floor cancellation processing.

[0064] FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing the flow of the registered floor display processing performed by the registered floor display processing unit 27 and the like. First, the registered floor receiving unit 25 receives information on the registered floor from the elevator control device 10 (step S70). At this time, the registered floor display processing unit 27 determines whether or not the registered floor received in step S70 has changed from the currently displayed registered floor (step S71). When it is determined in step S71 that there is no change in the received registered floor information (No in step S71), the process returns to the registered floor receiving unit 25 receiving data on the registered floor.

[0065] Then, when it is determined in step S71 that there has been a change in the received registered floor information (Yes in step S71), the registered floor sorting unit 26 executes a process of sorting the registered floors received by the registered floor receiving unit 25 in display order (step S72). At this time, the basement floor and ground floor are displayed in order from the bottom, and for the ground floor, the sorting is performed so that the floor with the smaller value is at the bottom. Also, for the basement floor, the registered floor sorting unit 26 sorts the floor with the larger value at the bottom. However, if the floor information of the building has been obtained, the sorting is performed according to the floor information of the building.

[0066] Next, page numbers (screen numbers) are assigned to the registered floors in units of a predetermined number (step S73). For example, when the registered floor display area 41b can display 10 floors as shown in Fig. 8, page numbers (screen numbers) are assigned to the registered floors in units of 10. The page numbers here are screen numbers assigned to each of the screens when there are multiple screens to be displayed. Then, the registered floor display processing unit 27 determines whether or not an object such as a finger has approached the registered floor display area 41b (step S74).

[0067] When it is determined in step S74 that no finger is approaching (Yes in step S74), the registered floor display processing unit 27 switches the page (screen) displayed in the registered floor display area 41b at predetermined time intervals in ascending order of the page numbers assigned in step S73 (step S76). Also, when it is determined in step S74 that a finger is approaching (No in step S74), the registered floor display processing unit 27 interrupts the page switching in the registered floor display area 41b, and returns to the processing of step S70. The processing of the flowchart in Figure 15 corresponds to the case where the display of the registered floor display area 41b is divided into multiple pages (multiple screens) as shown in Figure 8, and when it is possible to display all registered floors on one screen, the processing of steps S71 to S72 is repeated and the processing from step S73 onwards is unnecessary.

[0068] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of page allocation when registering floors on multiple pages. The example shown in the upper part of FIG. 16 shows a case where a maximum of 10 floors are displayed on one page, and the example shown in the lower part shows a case where a maximum of 5 floors are displayed on one page.

[0069] When displaying up to 10 floors on one page, the registered floors from the 1st to 10th floors from the bottom are assigned to the first page, and the registered floors from the 11th to 20th floors from the bottom are assigned to the second page. Also, when displaying up to five floors on one page, the first to fifth registered floors from the bottom are assigned to the first page, and the sixth to tenth registered floors from the bottom are assigned to the second page. Furthermore, the eleventh to fifteenth registered floors from the bottom are assigned to the third page, and the sixteenth to twentieth registered floors from the bottom are assigned to the fourth page. By allocating the page of the registered floor to be displayed in this manner, the registered floor can be appropriately displayed on multiple pages. Here, as the number of registered floors increases, the number of pages also increases, and it takes time to switch between all the pages. Therefore, by changing the switching interval according to the number of pages, it is possible to display all the pages in a short time even if the number of pages is large. In addition, in a numeric keypad input mode such as a numeric keypad, since one will want to confirm in the registered floor display area 41 that the registration has been completed after the registration is complete, it is desirable to forcibly transition to the page of the floor for which registration has been completed when registration is complete.

[0070] [Effects of this elevator system] According to the elevator system of this embodiment described above, the display panel 41 of the operation panel 40, which can be operated without contact, can provide appropriate display. That is, the destination floor registration display and registration operation in the destination floor registration area 41a and the display of registered destination floors in the registered floor display area 41b are performed simultaneously. Therefore, elevator users can check the registered destination floors displayed in the registered floor display area while performing the destination floor registration operation.

[0071] Moreover, in this example, the destination floor registration area 41a is located on the right side of the screen of the display panel 41, and the registered floor display area 41b is located on the left side of the screen of the display panel 41, resulting in a display form with very good operability. That is, when a right-handed person operates the destination floor registration operation, the operation is often performed with the fingers of the right hand, and the operation of the destination floor registration area 41a on the right side of the screen can be performed smoothly without being obstructed by the registered floor display. Conversely, the display of the registered floor in the registered floor display area 41b is unlikely to be blocked by the user's hand when operating, resulting in a display form that is easy to see not only for the operator but also for other passengers in the car.

[0072] 3 and 4 show an example in which the display panel 41 is disposed on the right side of the door in the car, but even if the display panel 41 is disposed on the left side of the door in the car, it is preferable to place the destination floor registration area 41a on the right side of the screen and the registration floor display area 41b on the left side of the screen. This is because if the left and right are reversed, operability with the fingers of the right hand becomes poor.

[0073] In addition, by making the destination floor registration area 41a on the right side a relatively large display area and the registered floor display area 41b on the left side a relatively small display area, the destination floor registration area 41a can have relatively large buttons, improving operability for users. Furthermore, the registered floor display area 41b can be displayed in a form that is easy for users to understand according to the current state by being displayed in multiple pages as shown in Fig. 8, or by being enlarged as shown in Fig. 9 when no operation is performed for a certain period of time.

[0074] [Variations] It should be noted that the embodiment examples described so far have been described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easily understandable manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all of the configurations described. Moreover, the display examples shown in each drawing are merely preferred examples, and the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, if no object such as a finger is detected approaching the display panel 41 for a certain period of time after the elevator stops at each floor, guidance information providing instructions on how to operate the vehicle using text, video, etc. may be displayed in the destination floor registration area 41a of the display panel 41.

[0075] When guidance information for this operation method is displayed, the display area of ​​other buttons in the destination floor registration area 41a, such as the numeric keys, may be made smaller, or, while the guidance information is displayed, the buttons for registering the destination floor may be temporarily hidden and the guidance information may be displayed in large letters or with animation.

[0076] If no object such as a finger is detected approaching the display panel 41 for a certain period of time while the elevator is moving, the destination floor registration area 41a of the display panel 41 may display a pre-prepared building guide screen or advertisement screen, or a screen of a weather forecast or news obtained from outside. It is preferable that the registered floor display area 41b displays the registered floor even while these guidance screens are being displayed, but it may also be used as a temporary display area for the guidance screen.

[0077] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to an operation panel 40 equipped with a non-contact sensor 42 that allows non-contact operation, but the present invention may also be applied to a configuration in which operations are performed by touching the surface of the display panel 40, in which the displays described in each figure are displayed.

[0078] In addition, in the configuration diagrams shown in Figures 1 and 2, only control lines and information lines that are considered necessary for explanation are shown, and not all control lines and information lines in the product are necessarily shown. In reality, it can be considered that almost all components are connected to each other. Furthermore, the process flows shown in the flowcharts of FIGS. 10 to 15 are also examples, and so long as the process results are the same, the order of some processes may be changed or multiple processes may be executed simultaneously.

[0079] Furthermore, when the system described in this embodiment is configured with an information processing device such as a computer, the programs that realize each processing function may be prepared in non-volatile storage or memory within the computer device, or may be stored on a recording medium such as an external memory, an IC card, an SD card, or an optical disk, and then transferred. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 10... elevator control device, 20... non-contact input control device, 20a... CPU, 20b... main memory unit, 20c... non-volatile storage, 20d... network interface, 20e... input unit, 20f... output unit, 21... input processing unit, 22... input determination unit, 23... destination floor registration processing unit, 24... registered floor cancellation processing unit, 25... registered floor receiving unit, 26... registered floor sorting unit, 27... registered floor display processing unit, 28... registered floor display area update unit, 29... destination floor registration update unit, 31... door, 32... door side panel, 33... door side panel, 34... side panel, 40... operation panel, 41... display panel, 41a... destination floor registration area, 41b... registered floor display area, 42... non-contact sensor

Claims

1. In an elevator system having an in-cab operation panel for registering a destination floor by a non-contact or contact operation, The operation panel includes: a destination floor registration processing unit that transmits the destination floor selected by the operation detection unit to the elevator control device; A registered floor display processing unit that displays the registered floor received from the elevator control device on a display panel, the display panel has a destination floor registration area arranged on the right side of the display panel, which displays a button for registering a destination floor, and a registered floor display area arranged on the left side of the display panel, which displays the registered destination floor, and the destination floor registration area displays two input modes, a numeric keypad input mode and a floor button input mode; In the numeric keypad input mode, the destination floor registration area displays numeric buttons, a registration button for confirming the input by the numeric buttons, and an input floor display area, the input floor display area displays the numeric value input by the numeric buttons, and the floor of the numeric value registered by operating the registration button is confirmed as the destination floor, In the floor button input mode, the destination floor registration area displays a destination floor button indicating a destination floor, and by operating the destination floor button, the floor displayed on the operated button is confirmed as the registered destination floor. Elevator system.

2. When a number is displayed in the input floor display area, the destination floor registration area displays a cancel button so that the input by the number button can be canceled.

2. The elevator system of claim 1.

3. The operation panel further includes a registered floor sorting unit that sorts the already-accepted destination floors and the newly-accepted destination floors in ascending order when the destination floor registration processing unit accepts a new destination floor, The registered floor display processing unit displays the destination floors sorted by the registered floor sorting unit in ascending order in the registered floor display area.

3. An elevator system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. When the number of accepted destination floors exceeds a predetermined number, the registered floor display processing unit displays the accepted destination floors in multiple lines in the registered floor display area.

4. The elevator system of claim 3.

5. When the number of accepted destination floors exceeds a predetermined number and no input is detected in the destination floor registration area, the registered floor display processing unit switches and displays the destination floors registered in the registered floor display area at regular intervals.

4. The elevator system of claim 3.

6. When the destination floor registration area is not input for a predetermined first time or longer, the registered floor display processing unit expands the area of ​​the registered floor display area to display the registered destination floor.

4. The elevator system of claim 3.

7. When a first time period has elapsed and there is no input in the destination floor registration area for a second time period, the display panel displays guidance information.

7. The elevator system of claim 6.

Images