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

Abstract

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

Description

[Technical field]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0010] With this configuration, in a configuration in which a contactless authentication medium is used for authentication of a user who operates a mechanical parking facility, the safety confirmation operation can be performed contactlessly by holding the contactless authentication medium or a contactless operation medium different from the contactless authentication medium over the reading unit. Therefore, a series of operations when entering and leaving the mechanical parking facility can be performed contactlessly using the contactless medium without the user directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility, thereby making it possible to take measures against infectious diseases.

[0011] The control device may be configured to read the information on the contactless operation medium with the reading unit, and then to accept the next operation after the information on the contactless operation medium becomes unreadable by the reading unit. With this configuration, the control device can appropriately separate and accept multiple operations performed by holding the same contactless operation medium over the reading unit when the vehicle enters and leaves the garage by temporarily making the contactless operation medium unreadable. As described above, the contactless operation medium here also includes a contactless authentication medium.

[0012] The control device may be configured to determine that each operation has been performed when the contactless operation medium is held over the reading unit for a predetermined period of time or more during the safety confirmation operation. With this configuration, the control device can determine that the safety confirmation operation has been performed when the contactless operation medium is held over the reading unit for a predetermined period of time or more. This makes it possible to prevent the control device from erroneously determining that an operation has been performed when the contactless operation medium approaches the reading unit against the user's intention.

[0013] The system may further include an unmanned confirmation operation of the entry / exit section performed before or after the second authentication operation, and the unmanned confirmation operation may be accepted by holding the contactless authentication medium or a contactless operation medium different from the contactless authentication medium over the reading unit to read information, and may include an alarm unit that notifies the user of whether the second authentication operation, the unmanned confirmation operation, or the safety confirmation operation is in a state to be accepted. In this specification and claims, "alert" includes an alert by displaying characters, an alert by light, an alert by sound, and the like. With this configuration, the alert by the alarm unit allows the user to properly recognize the operation to be performed.

[0014] In addition, the unmanned confirmation operation and the safety confirmation operation may be accepted as an integrated operation by holding the contactless operation medium over the reading unit to have it read. With this configuration, the unmanned confirmation operation and the safety confirmation operation can be performed as an integrated operation by holding the contactless operation medium over the reading unit.

[0015] The control device may be configured to stop or open the closing operation of the entrance door of the loading / unloading section by detecting the non-contact operation medium with the reading unit during the closing operation of the entrance door. With this configuration, the closing operation of the entrance door can be stopped or opened by holding the non-contact medium over the reading unit during the closing operation of the entrance door, so that the closing operation of the entrance door can be stopped or opened in a non-contact manner in an emergency, etc.

[0016] The control device may be configured to compare the information of all the contactless operation media read by the reading unit with registered information to determine whether the medium is permitted to be operated. With this configuration, the read information can be compared with registered information for a series of contactless operations when entering and leaving a mechanical parking facility, and only permitted media can be operated.

[0017] On the other hand, the mechanical parking facility according to the present invention is equipped with any one of the above-mentioned operation systems.

[0018] With this configuration, a series of operations for entering and exiting a vehicle in a mechanical parking facility can be performed contactlessly by the operating system. This allows users to enter and exit the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility, and helps prevent infection with infectious diseases. Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the present invention, a series of operations required for entering and leaving a mechanical parking facility can be performed without contact. This means that users do not have to directly touch the components of the mechanical parking facility when entering and leaving the facility, making it possible to take measures to prevent infection with infectious diseases. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a front view showing a mechanical parking facility according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. 1, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a reference view showing a state in which an IC card is used on the operation panel. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a flow chart according to a first embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distance between the operation panel and the non-contact medium and the control by the control device during the entering and leaving operation shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flow chart according to a second embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to a third embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiment, an elevator-type parking facility will be described as an example of the mechanical parking facility 10. In addition, an IC card 50 (e.g., a proximity type) will be described as an example of the non-contact operation medium. The non-contact operation medium may be one non-contact authentication medium, or may be a combination of the non-contact authentication medium and another different non-contact operation medium. In the following embodiment, an example will be described in which the same IC card 50 is used as the non-contact operation medium used as the non-contact authentication medium. Note that the non-contact operation medium used for unmanned confirmation, safety confirmation, and door closing operations can be any IC card equipped with an IC chip. The concepts of up, down, left, and right directions in this specification and claims are assumed to be consistent with the concepts of up, down, left, and right directions in a state facing the entrance door 12 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0022] (Configuration of mechanical parking facilities) Fig. 1 is a front view showing a mechanical parking facility 10 according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of an operation panel 20 in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in Fig. 1, where (a) is a front view and (b) is a reference diagram showing a state in which an IC card 50 is used on the operation panel 20.

[0023] As shown in Fig. 1, the mechanical parking facility 10 of this embodiment is an example of an elevator-type parking facility, and an entrance door 12 is provided at the front of a parking tower 11 that stores a pallet (not shown) carrying a vehicle V, allowing users and the vehicle V to enter and exit an entrance / exit section (not shown) inside the parking tower 11. A awning 13 is provided above the entrance door 12, and an operation panel 20 is provided to the side of the entrance door 12 (to the right in this example). In this example, a control device 14 is provided inside the parking tower 11 and is connected to the operation panel 20.

[0024] The control device 14 is equipped with a control unit having a processor, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an I / O interface, etc. The control device 14 controls the operation of each component of the mechanical parking facility 10 (pallets, entrance / exit doors 12, etc.) in response to operations on the driver's operation panel 20. The control of the operation of each component is realized by the processor performing calculations using the volatile memory based on programs stored in the non-volatile memory. Information on contractors who use the mechanical parking facility 10 is registered in the control device 14. Information corresponding to the contractor's authentication information is recorded on an IC card 50 (Fig. 2(b)).

[0025] As shown in FIG. 2(a), the operation panel 20 of this embodiment is provided with a display unit 21 and a reading unit 22 (hereinafter also referred to as "IC card reader 22") over which an IC card 50, which is a contactless operation medium, is held. A safety confirmation / door close button 25 and a cancel button 26 are provided below the reading unit 22. In this embodiment, the safety confirmation operation and the door close operation are integrated operations, but they may be operated separately. In that case, the notification process and the determination of whether or not they have been performed may be performed for each of them in the same manner as the safety confirmation / door close process in the flowcharts shown in each embodiment described later, and may be operated by a contactless operation medium (including a contactless authentication medium). The safety confirmation / door close button 25 is used when a reading failure occurs with the IC card reader 22. In addition, an unmanned confirmation button may be further provided, which is used when a reading failure occurs during the unmanned confirmation operation S27 in the second embodiment described later, or the safety confirmation / door close button 25 may be used for this purpose. The cancel button 26 is used when an operation is to be cancelled. An emergency stop button 27 is provided below the display unit 21. In this embodiment, the display unit 21 is a notification unit that notifies (displays) guidance for operations to be performed by the user. For example, guidance such as "safety check / door closing operation" and "second authentication operation" described later is displayed on the display unit 21. Information such as "call number" and "waiting time" is also displayed on the display unit 21. The display unit 21 may be a touch panel to display an operation means such as a numeric keypad for inputting a PIN when a reading error occurs with the IC card reader 22 or for a user who does not have an IC card 50. On the side of the reading unit 22, a green lamp 23 that is lit when the IC card 50 is readable and a red lamp 24 that is lit when the IC card 50 is held over the touch panel are provided.

[0026] A non-contact IC card reader 22 can be used as the reading unit 22. Also, an IC card having an antenna coil and an IC chip 51 (FIG. 2(b)) inside the card can be used as the IC card 50. The IC card 50 includes a mobile terminal such as a smartphone having an IC chip 51.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 2(b), IC card reader 22 can detect IC card 50 by bringing IC card 50, which has an antenna coil, into close proximity (contact) with magnetic field M (Fig. 4) generated by IC card reader 22. This generates power in the antenna coil of IC card 50, which activates a circuit in IC card 50, enabling transmission and reception of information between IC card reader 22. Note that reading (including detection) of IC card 50 by IC card reader 22 may be done in a manner other than this.

[0028] The reading unit 22 is not limited to the form shown in the figure. For example, a recess is provided in the driving operation panel 20, and a non-contact type reading unit can be used in which information is transmitted and received by inserting an IC card 50 into the recess. The reading unit 22 may be provided separately from the driving operation panel 20 in a position that is easy for a user to operate. In this case, it is preferable to provide an emergency stop button adjacent to the reading unit 22. The driving operation panel 20 in this embodiment is an example, and the driving operation panel 20 is not limited to this example.

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

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

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

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

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

[0034] Then, it is determined whether or not the safety check and door closing operations have been performed (S7). The safety check and door closing operations can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Since the safety check and door closing operations do not need to be collated with the contractor's authentication information, they can also be performed by holding, in addition to the authentication IC card 50, a different IC card equipped with an IC chip, a mobile terminal equipped with an IC chip, or the like, over the reading unit 22. This allows the user to perform the safety check and door closing operations without directly touching the operation control panel 20.

[0035] This safety check / door closing operation does not require verification of the user, so acceptance of the operation can be completed simply by the reading unit 22 detecting the IC card 50. Also, when the IC card 50 is held up to the reading unit 22 for the safety check / door closing operation, the reading unit 22 may read information in the IC card 50 and determine whether the card is permitted for operation. For example, the authentication information of the IC card 50 may be verified against the authentication information at the time of the first authentication operation, and if they match, operation may be permitted. Also, for example, if the IC card 50 is an IC card 50 registered in the mechanical parking facility 10 (matching any of the information about the contractor registered in the control device 14), operation may be permitted.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[0043] (Example of non-contact operation medium detection) Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distance between the reading unit 22 (IC card reader 22) of the operation panel 20 and the IC card 50, which is a non-contact operation medium, and the control by the control device 14 during the entry / exit operation shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows the relationship between the magnetic field M from the surface S of the IC card reader 22 and the data communication and control of the display unit 21 by the control device 14 when the IC card 50 enters or leaves the magnetic field M. The vertical axis shows the change in the distance between the surface S of the IC card reader 22 and the IC card 50, and the horizontal axis shows the passage of time.

[0044] Based on Figure 4, we will explain an example of control (discrimination) when the two operations of the safety check / door closing operation (S7) and the second authentication operation (S9) in the flowchart of Figure 3 are performed consecutively by holding IC card 50 over the same IC card reader 22.

[0045] Each operation performed by holding the IC card 50 over the IC card reader 22 is accepted by the IC card reader 22 detecting the IC card 50 as follows. A magnetic field M of a predetermined strength is generated on the surface S of the IC card reader 22. When the IC card 50 is brought close to the IC card reader 22 and enters the magnetic field M, the antenna coil in the IC card 50 generates power, which activates the circuitry in the IC card 50 to transmit and receive data to and from the IC card reader 22.

[0046] When the IC card 50, which is at a position away from the IC card reader 22 ("a" in the figure), approaches the IC card reader 22 and detects the IC card 50 (position "m1" in the figure), the control device 14 determines that it has accepted the safety check / door close operation. The control device 14 then does not accept the next IC card operation until the IC card reader 22 no longer detects the IC card 50 (position "m2" in the figure). This prevents the next operation from being performed unless the IC card 50, which has been detected by holding it over the IC card reader 22, is moved away to a position where it cannot be detected by the IC card reader 22. Note that data communication is possible between the IC card 50 and the IC card reader 22 from position "m1" to position "m2" in the figure ("b" in the figure).

[0047] When this safety check / door closing operation is being performed, the display 21 of the operation panel 20 displays messages such as "To close the entrance / exit door, please check the safety of the loading / unloading area and hold your IC card over the reader," and "The safety check / door closing operation using an IC card does not check whether it matches the authentication information when the pallet was called." This allows the user to distinguish whether the "safety check / door closing operation" or the next "second authentication operation" is being performed.

[0048] Then, when the IC card 50 moves away to a position where it is not detected by the IC card reader 22 (position "m2" in the figure), it enters a state where it is ready to accept the next second authentication operation. The IC card 50 is at position "c" in the figure. In this state, a message such as "Please perform the second authentication operation next" is displayed on the display unit 21 of the operation panel 20. In this state, when the IC card 50 is brought close to the IC card reader 22 and detected after entering the magnetic field M (position "m3" in the figure), a comparison is started to determine whether the second authentication data for the second authentication operation matches the first authentication data. Thereafter, when the IC card 50 is moved away from the IC card reader 22, it is no longer detected (position "m4" in the figure), and it moves away from the IC card reader 22 ("e" in the figure).

[0049] By doing this, even when the two operations of the safety check / door closing operation and the second authentication operation are performed successively with the same IC card 50, by holding the IC card 50 over the IC card reader 22 to perform the safety check / door closing operation and then leaving it there, the next second authentication operation will not be performed immediately.

[0050] As another method for distinguishing between the "safety check and door closing operation" and the "second authentication operation", the safety check and door closing operation can be accepted as having been performed when the IC card reader 22 detects the IC card 50 (at the position "m1" in the figure) and then no longer detects the IC card 50 (at the position "m2" in the figure). Even in this way, the IC card 50 must be removed from the IC card reader 22 for each operation, and each operation can be separated. Note that the method for distinguishing between the "safety check and door closing operation" and the "second authentication operation" is not limited to these. Also, in the "second authentication operation", a comparison of whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data may be started when the IC card reader 22 detects the IC card 50 (at the position "m3" in the figure) and then no longer detects the IC card 50 (at the position "m4" in the figure).

[0051] Furthermore, in order to confirm that IC card 50 has definitely left the detection area of ​​IC card reader 22 after an operation using IC card 50, the next operation using IC card 50 may not be accepted until a state in which IC card reader 22 does not detect IC card 50 is maintained for a certain period of time.

[0052] There is also the risk that a user may unintentionally and mistakenly hold IC card 50 over IC card reader 22 temporarily, resulting in an erroneous operation, which is something that should be prevented, particularly with the safety check and door close operations. For this reason, if the state in which IC card 50 is detected continues for a certain period of time or more (time "b" in the figure; for example, about 3 seconds), the safety check and door close operations can be accepted. Also, for the safety check and door close operations, the IC card 50 can be held over IC card reader 22 twice to have it detected twice, thereby preventing erroneous operations.

[0053] (Storage / Return Operation in the Second Embodiment) FIG. 5 is a flowchart according to a second embodiment of the entry and exit operations in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in FIG. 1. The components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described using the same symbols as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, the driving operation function lock and the use of different IC cards described in FIG. 3 are possible in the same way, and their description will be omitted. In the flowchart according to the second embodiment, the steps from the start to the "door opening process (S5)" and from the "door closing operation (S13)" to the end are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the description of these steps will be simplified.

[0054] After the start, it is determined whether or not a first authentication operation has been performed (S21). Then, it is determined whether or not the first authentication data of the first authentication operation matches the authentication data of the registered contractor (S22), and if they do not match, an error display process is performed (S23), and if they do match, an internal machine is operated to perform a transport call process, and the called pallet is transported to the loading / unloading section (S24). When the called pallet arrives at the loading / unloading section, a door opening process is performed (S25), and the entrance door 12 is automatically opened.

[0055] In the second embodiment, after the entrance door 12 is opened, an unmanned confirmation notification process is performed (S26). At this time, for example, a notification such as "Please confirm that there is no one in the entrance / exit section and hold your IC card over the reading section" can be performed. The unmanned confirmation operation is performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading section 22 of the driving operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)), so that the user can perform it without directly touching the driving operation panel 20. Since the unmanned confirmation operation does not need to be compared with the contractor's authentication information, it can be performed by holding an IC card equipped with an IC chip over the reading section 22 of the driving operation panel 20 in addition to the IC card 50 for authentication. When the unmanned confirmation operation is performed (S27), a safety confirmation notification process is performed (S28). The notification in the safety confirmation notification process is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted. In this embodiment, the unmanned check operation is, for example, input by the user himself / herself after confirming that no passengers remain, and the safety check / door closing operation is, for example, input by the user or the manager after confirming the safety of the loading / unloading area and the surrounding area, thereby making it possible to check safety from multiple angles. Also, in this embodiment, as described above, the safety check operation and the door closing operation can be performed separately.

[0056] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the safety check and door closing operations have been performed (S29). The safety check and door closing operations can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Since the safety check and door closing operations do not need to be collated with the contractor's authentication information, they can also be performed by holding an IC card equipped with an IC chip over the reading unit 22 of the operation control panel 20, in addition to the authentication IC card 50. This allows the safety check and door closing operations to be performed without the user having to directly touch the operation control panel 20. If the safety check and door closing operations are not performed for a predetermined time (S30), the system returns to the unmanned check notification processing state (S26) and the unmanned check operation is performed again.

[0057] Then, when the safety check and door closing operation is performed (S29), a second authentication operation is then performed, and if the second authentication data of the second authentication operation matches the first authentication data of the first authentication operation, a notification is given that the closing of the entrance door 12 will begin (S31). For example, this notification may be something like "Please hold your IC card over the reader to perform the second authentication operation. If it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling, the entrance door can be closed."

[0058] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the second authentication operation has been performed (S32). The second authentication operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Therefore, the second authentication operation can also be performed without the user having to directly touch the operation panel 20. If a predetermined time has elapsed without the second authentication operation being performed (S33), the system returns to the unmanned confirmation notification processing state (S26) and the unmanned confirmation operation is performed again.

[0059] When the second authentication operation is performed, a comparison process is performed as the second authentication process to check whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data (S34). If the first authentication data does not match the second authentication data, an error display process is performed (S35) and the state returns to the safety confirmation notification process state (S28). If the first authentication data matches the second authentication data in the comparison process (S34), a door closing operation is started (S36) and the entrance door 12 starts to close.

[0060] Then, after the door closing operation has started, it is determined whether or not the IC card 50 has been held over the reading unit 22 to perform the door opening operation during the closing operation of the entrance door 12 (S37). If the IC card 50 is held over the reading unit 22 while the entrance door 12 is closed, the door closing process is interrupted (S38), and ends when the closing process of the entrance door 12 is completed without the IC card 50 being held over the reading unit 22 (S39).

[0061] In this embodiment, the control (discrimination) when the three operations of "unmanned confirmation operation (S27)", "safety confirmation / door closing operation (S29)", and "second authentication operation (S32)" are performed successively by holding the IC card 50 over the same IC card reader 22 can be the same as the control shown in Figure 4 above, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

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

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

[0064] (Storage / Return Operation in the Third Embodiment) FIG. 6 is a flowchart according to a third embodiment of the entry and exit operation in the mechanical parking facility 10 shown in FIG. 1. The components shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 will be described using the same symbols as in FIGS. 1 and 2. Also, the driving operation function lock and the use of a different IC card as explained in FIG. 3 are possible in the same way, and their explanations will be omitted. In the flowchart according to the third embodiment, the steps from the start to the "door opening process (S5)" and from the "door closing operation (S13)" to the end are the same as those in the first embodiment, so the explanations of these steps will be simplified.

[0065] After starting, it is determined whether or not a first authentication operation has been performed (S51). Then, it is determined whether or not the first authentication data of the first authentication operation matches the authentication data of the registered contractor (S52), and if they do not match, an error display process is performed (S53), and if they do match, an internal machine is operated to perform a transport call process, and the called pallet is transported to the loading / unloading section (S54). When the called pallet arrives at the loading / unloading section, a door opening process is performed (S55), and the entrance door 12 is automatically opened.

[0066] Then, in the third embodiment, after the entrance door 12 is opened, a notification is given to perform an authentication operation to permit safety check and door closing operations (S56). This notification may be, for example, "Please hold your IC card over the reading section to perform the second authentication operation. If it matches the authentication information at the time of pallet calling, you can perform safety check and door closing operations using the IC card and close the entrance door." After the user has finished entering or leaving the storage / retrieval section, the user follows this notification to perform the second authentication operation.

[0067] Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the second authentication operation has been performed (S57). The second authentication operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the operation panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Therefore, the second authentication operation can also be performed without the user directly touching the operation panel 20.

[0068] When the second authentication operation is executed, a comparison process is performed as the second authentication process to check whether the second authentication data matches the first authentication data (S58). If the first authentication data does not match the second authentication data, an error display process is performed (S59), and the state returns to one in which a notification has been given for performing an authentication operation to permit safety check and door closing operations (S56).

[0069] In the verification process (S58), if the first authentication data and the second authentication data match, a safety confirmation notification process is performed (S60). As a notification in the safety confirmation notification process, for example, a notification such as "Please hold your IC card over the reader to close the entrance door" is performed.

[0070] Then, it is determined whether or not the safety check and door closing operation has been performed (S61). The safety check and door closing operation can be performed by holding the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the operation control panel 20 (FIG. 2(b)). Since the safety check and door closing operation does not need to be verified against the contractor's authentication information, it can be performed by holding an IC card equipped with an IC chip over the reading unit 22 of the operation control panel 20 in addition to the IC card 50 for authentication. The "safety check" in this embodiment is also an "unmanned check". This allows the safety check and door closing operation to be performed without the user directly touching the operation control panel 20. If the safety check and door closing operation is not performed for a predetermined time (S62), the state returns to a state where a notification is given to perform an authentication operation to permit the safety check and door closing operation (S56), and the second authentication operation is performed again. When the safety check and door closing operation is performed (S61), the door closing operation is started (S63).

[0071] Then, after the door closing operation has started, it is determined whether or not the IC card 50 has been held over the reading unit 22 to perform the door opening operation during the closing operation of the entrance door 12 (S64). If the IC card 50 is held over the reading unit 22 while the entrance door 12 is closed, the door closing process is interrupted (S65), and ends when the closing process of the entrance door 12 is completed without the IC card 50 being held over the reading unit 22 (S66).

[0072] In this embodiment, an example of control (discrimination) when the two operations of the "second authentication operation (S57)" and the "safety check / door closing operation (S61)" are performed successively by holding the IC card 50 over the same IC card reader 22 can be similar to the control shown in Figure 4 above, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0073] Even with this operation system, when a vehicle V enters or leaves the mechanical parking facility 10, the user (contractor) holds the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 of the driver's operation panel 20 to perform a first authentication operation, which starts up the device, places the desired pallet in the entry / exit area, and opens the entrance / exit door 12. Then, after the user has entered or left the vehicle V, he or she holds the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 to perform a second authentication operation, and then holds the IC card 50 over the reading unit 22 to perform a safety check / door closing operation, which closes the entrance / exit door 12. Thus, a series of operations during entry and exit can be performed using the IC card 50, which is a contactless operation medium.

[0074] Therefore, according to the mechanical parking facility 10 equipped with this operation system, the authentication of the contractor and the series of entry and exit operations that operate the mechanical parking facility 10 can be performed contactlessly using the IC card 50. As a result, the contractor can enter and exit the facility without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 (the operation panel 20) during entry and exit operations, making it possible to take preventive measures to reduce the risk of contracting an infectious disease via the operation panel 20.

[0075] (Other variations) The mechanical parking facility 10 is not limited to the configuration in the above embodiment. For example, it can be applied to various types of parking facilities such as a box-type circulation type, a horizontal circulation type, a flat reciprocating type, a vertical and horizontal movement puzzle type, a vertical circulation type, a multi-stage type, and a flat parking movement type. It can also be applied to a parking facility that directly transports a vehicle V without using a pallet.

[0076] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the same IC card is used as the contactless authentication medium (contactless operation medium) IC card 50 used for the first authentication operation and the second authentication operation, and as the contactless operation medium IC card 50 used for other operations. However, the contactless operation medium may be a plurality of different IC cards 50, and may be IC cards corresponding to individual operations, such as an "authentication IC card," an "unmanned confirmation operation IC card," and an "safety confirmation / door closing operation IC card." In this way, the user can perform a series of operations to be performed when entering and leaving the warehouse while being clearly aware of the operations.

[0077] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example was described in which a user entering or leaving the facility performs a series of operations contactlessly using his or her own IC card 50. However, the user entering or leaving the facility may perform some operations using his or her own IC card 50, and the manager may perform some operations (for example, the door closing operation) using the manager's IC card.

[0078] In the above embodiment, a series of operations is performed using IC card 50, which is a non-contact medium, but if IC card reader 22 fails to read IC card 50, the operations may be performed using safety check / door close button 25. Also, in preparation for a read failure of IC card 50, numbers or the like may be displayed on display unit 21, and the numbers may be entered by pressing the screen.

[0079] Furthermore, the sequence of operations shown in each of the above flowcharts is just one example, and the order of each flowchart may be reversed. Various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

[0080] (Summary) As described above, according to the mechanical parking facility 10, the operation system can appropriately perform the first authentication operation, the second authentication operation during entry and exit operations, as well as safety checks and door closing operations, without directly touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10. This makes it possible to take preventive measures against infection with infectious diseases caused by touching the components of the mechanical parking facility 10 during entry and exit operations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 10 Mechanical parking facilities 11 Parking Tower 12 Entrance door 14 Control device 20 Operation panel 21 Display unit (notification unit) 22 IC card reader (reading unit) 25 Safety check / door close button 50 IC Card 51 IC chip M magnetic field S surface

Claims

1. An operation system for a mechanical parking facility, which performs a first authentication operation to start a vehicle entering or leaving a parking lot at a parking lot entry / exit section, and performs a second authentication operation after the vehicle has entered or left the parking lot, a reading unit capable of detecting a first contactless operation medium for authentication and reading authentication information recorded on the first contactless operation medium by holding the first contactless operation medium over the reading unit, and capable of detecting a second contactless operation medium different from the first contactless operation medium by holding the second contactless operation medium over the reading unit; a control device that compares the authentication information read by the reading unit with registered information, The first and second authentication operations are performed by holding the first non-contact operation medium on which the authentication information is recorded over the reading unit to read the authentication information, An operation system for mechanical parking equipment, which enables the safety confirmation operation of the entry / exit section, performed before or after the second authentication operation, to be accepted by holding the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium over the reading unit and having it detected by the reading unit.

2. The control device is configured to detect the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium with the reading unit, and then become able to accept the next operation after the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium becomes unable to be detected by the reading unit.An operation system for a mechanical parking facility as described in claim 1.

3. The control device is configured to determine that the safety confirmation operation has been performed when the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium is held over the reading unit for a predetermined period of time or longer during the safety confirmation operation.An operation system for a mechanical parking facility as described in claim 1 or 2.

4. The safety confirmation operation is an operation performed after confirming the safety of the inside and surroundings of the loading / unloading section, The method further includes an unmanned confirmation operation that is executed after confirming that there is no one in the loading / unloading section, which is executed before or after the second authentication operation, The unmanned confirmation operation is accepted by holding the first non-contact operation medium or the second non-contact operation medium over the reading unit and being detected by the reading unit, A mechanical parking facility operation system as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, having an alarm unit that notifies whether the second authentication operation and the unmanned confirmation operation or the safety confirmation operation are in a state to be accepted.

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

6. A mechanical parking facility comprising an operating system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

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