elevator system

Abstract

To enable call registration specifying a destination floor without operating a hall button, etc., even in an elevator in a high-rise building with many floors where the elevator stops. [Solution] This elevator system includes a destination floor detection unit that, when a specific user stops at one of the presentation units that present each of the elevator's service floors divided into multiple floors, detects the floor presented on the presentation unit where the specific user stopped as the selected floor; a destination floor notification unit that sequentially notifies the multiple floors belonging to the selected floor using an alarm device; and a destination floor selection unit that detects the floor that was notified by the alarm device when the specific user moves out of the presentation unit as the specific user's destination floor.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an elevator call registration detection device. The call registration detection device in Patent Document 1 includes a hall button installed in the elevator hall as a device for users to call a car, as well as a floor mat with a switch on the floor that has the same function as a hall button. In Patent Document 1, users can register a directional call by stepping on the floor mat installed on the hall floor that corresponds to the direction they want to go, without having to touch the hall button. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 3-118983 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] According to Patent Document 1, even users who have difficulty directly pressing the hall button can register a call for a car heading toward their destination floor. However, while the floor mat in Patent Document 1 allows users to specify the direction of ascent and descent, it does not allow users to register a call specifying a destination floor. It is also possible to replace the floor mat in Patent Document 1 with a switch for each stopping floor. However, particularly in the case of elevators in buildings with many stopping floors, such as high-rise buildings, it is difficult to place switches on the floor corresponding to all stopping floors. For this reason, there is a need for the development of a system that allows users who have difficulty operating the hall button, such as users of electric wheelchairs with mobility issues, to register a call specifying a destination floor.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and provides a technology that enables call registration specifying a destination floor without operating a hall button or the like, even in high-rise buildings with many stopping floors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure is an elevator system that includes: a destination floor detection unit that, when a specific user stops at one of a presentation unit that presents floors divided into a plurality of service floors of the elevator, detects the floor presented on the presentation unit where the specific user stopped as the selected floor, a destination floor notification unit that sequentially notifies the multiple floors belonging to the selected floor by an alarm device, and a destination floor selection unit that, when the specific user moves out of the presentation unit, detects the floor that was notified by the alarm device as the destination floor of the specific user. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] Even in high-rise buildings with many floors where the train stops, the user's destination floor can be detected without the user having to operate hall buttons, etc. This improves convenience for users who have difficulty operating hall buttons, etc. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an elevator system and its peripheral configuration according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the elevator system of FIG. 1 as seen from a landing. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a control function of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing a control operation executed in the elevator system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5]4 is a flowchart showing a control operation executed in the elevator system according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

[0010] Embodiment 1 Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an elevator system according to this embodiment and its peripheral configuration. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the elevator system of Fig. 1 as seen from a landing. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, elevator system 100 includes elevator 10 installed in a building.

[0011] In this embodiment, elevator 10 has units 1 to 3 as shown in FIG. 2. However, there is no limit to the number of units, i.e., the number of cars 3. Each unit of elevator 10 is equipped with a hoisting machine 1, ropes 2, a car 3, a door 14, and a hall operating panel 5. Hoisting machine 1 is installed at the top of the hoistway. Car 3 is suspended in the hoistway by ropes 2, and moves up and down in the hoistway via ropes 2 by the operation of hoisting machine 1.

[0012] A car control panel 9 is disposed inside the car 3. In FIG. 1, the car control panel 9 is shown in perspective on the outside of the car 3, but in reality it is installed, for example, on a wall surface inside the car 3 near an entrance / exit. The car control panel 9 has, for example, destination buttons 91 corresponding to each service floor. A general passenger inside the car 3 can register a destination floor by selecting and pressing the button corresponding to his / her destination floor from the destination buttons 91.

[0013] A door 14 and a door sensor 15 are arranged on the car 3. The door 14 opens and closes the entrance and exit of the car 3. The door sensor 15 detects objects or people present around the door. The car 3 is also equipped with an announcement device 17 and a weighing device 18. In FIG. 1, the announcement device 17 is shown in perspective on the outside of the car 3, but in reality it is installed inside the car 3. The announcement device 17 functions as an alarm device and notifies passengers inside the car 3 of information such as the operating status of the car 3. The announcement device 17 may be installed, for example, near a landing. The weighing device 18 is arranged on the ceiling of the car 3 and measures the load of the car 3.

[0014] The hall operating panel 5 is installed at the landing 4 of each floor in the building, which is a stop floor of the elevator 10. The hall operating panel 5 is installed, for example, near the landing door of each elevator. The hall operating panel 5 includes, for example, an indicator 51 and a hall button 52. The indicator 51 displays operation information such as the current position and traveling direction of the car 3 of the elevator corresponding to the hall operating panel 5. A user can make a hall call for the elevator 10 by pressing the hall button 52. Note that the hall operating panel 5 is not limited to being installed near the landing door for each elevator, and a common hall operating panel 5 for multiple elevators may be installed at the hall 4. An elevator number 16 is painted on the floor in front of each elevator at the hall 4. The elevator number may be painted directly or displayed by a video projection device or the like.

[0015] A display 11 is installed as an alarm device next to each hall operating panel 5. However, the installation location of the display 11 is not limited to this, and it may be, for example, above or below the hall operating panel 5 or above the hall door. Furthermore, the number of displays 11 does not need to correspond to the number of cars, and one or more common displays 11 may be installed on each floor.

[0016] The elevator system 100 includes a plurality of active sensors 12 installed on each floor and a video projection device 13. The active sensors 12 detect the presence or absence of an object in a detection target area. The plurality of active sensors 12 are arranged at intervals from one another on the ceiling of the landing 4 on each floor.

[0017] The image projection device 13 is, for example, a projector, and displays an image in the detection target area of ​​each of the multiple active sensors 12. While FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a state in which multiple image projection devices 13 are arranged integrally with the active sensors 12, there are no limitations on the installation location or number of image projection devices 13, as long as they can display a predetermined image in each detection target area of ​​each of the multiple active sensors 12. Furthermore, the display of the predetermined image is not limited to being by the image projection device 13; for example, the predetermined image may be drawn directly on the floor, or the predetermined image may be displayed by an LED floor display or the like.

[0018] There is no limit to the number of active sensors 12 to be installed, i.e., the number of detection target areas, and this number is set appropriately taking into consideration the total number of floors in the building, the space of the landing 4, etc.

[0019] In this embodiment, each of the floors where the elevator 10 stops is divided into levels with the same number of zones as the number of installed active sensors 12, and a number of consecutive service floors are divided into levels. In this case, each of the floors where the elevator 10 stops belongs to one level, and no single floor belongs to multiple different levels. Furthermore, this division by level is different for each floor, and is performed excluding each floor itself. In other words, a certain floor itself is not classified into the multiple levels divided at that floor. Furthermore, in the division by level of each floor, floors above and below that floor do not belong to the same level.

[0020] One of the floors is assigned to each of the image projection devices 13. Each image projection device 13 displays characters in a character area 13a, which is a presentation part of the floor surface included in the detection target area of ​​each active sensor 12, so that all floors belonging to the assigned floor can be recognized as a "predetermined image."

[0021] For example, when three active sensors 12 are installed as shown in Fig. 2, the service floors of the elevator 10 are divided into three floors: lower, middle, and upper. For example, in the character areas 13a corresponding to the three active sensors 12, if the elevator is located at hall 4 on the first floor of a building with floors 1 to 15, the characters "to floors 2 to 5," "to floors 6 to 10," "to floors 11 to 15," etc. are displayed.

[0022] Elevator system 100 comprises an elevator control panel 7 and an elevator group control panel 8. The elevator control panel 7 is installed above the hoistway of each elevator car. Each elevator control panel 7 is connected to a hall operating panel 5 and a hoisting machine 1 by signal lines, and is also connected via tail cords 6 to devices such as a car operating panel 9, door sensor 15, announcement device 17, and weighing device 18 provided in a car 3. In addition, all active sensors 12 on each floor are connected to the elevator control panel 7 of the first elevator car. The elevator control panels 7 of all elevator cars are connected to the elevator group control panel 8 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0023] Each elevator control panel 7 controls, for example, the raising and lowering of each car 3 and the opening and closing of the doors. The elevator group control panel 8 assigns elevators to respond to hall calls from users and monitors the operating status of each elevator in real time.

[0024] The elevator system 100 of this embodiment, particularly for specific users to be detected, does not require operation of the hall operating panel 5 and car operating panel 9; instead, the destination floor is detected and a call is registered based on the movement and stopping actions of the specific user, a car number is assigned to the registered call, and the car 3 of that car is operated. This control is performed through cooperation between the elevator group management panel 8 and the elevator control panel 7. Here, the specific user may be, for example, a physically disabled person with limited mobility or a person using an electric wheelchair, and can be set appropriately in advance. The following describes the case where the specific user is a person using an electric wheelchair.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the control functions of the elevator system. As shown in FIG. 3, the elevator control panel 7 of the first elevator has an operation control unit 71, a door control unit 72, a call registration unit 73, a destination floor selection unit 74, a destination floor notification unit 75, and an abnormality notification unit 76. The elevator control panels 7 of the other elevators do not have the destination floor selection unit 74 and the destination floor notification unit 75 of the first elevator control panel 7, but instead have an operation control unit 71, a door control unit 72, a call registration unit 73, and an abnormality notification unit 76. The elevator group control panel 8 has an allocation unit 81 and an elevator notification unit 82. Each weighing device 18 has a congestion detection unit 31, each active sensor 12 has a destination floor detection unit 32, and each door sensor 15 has an entry detection unit 33 and an exit detection unit 34.

[0026] The congestion level detection unit 31 detects the congestion level in the car 3 based on the output of the weighing device 18. Information on the congestion level detected by the congestion level detection unit 31 is sent to the allocation unit 81.

[0027] Based on the output of the active sensor 12, the destination layer detection unit 32 detects that an electric wheelchair is present above the character area 13a, and that the detection target has changed from a presence state to an absence state. Here, the active sensor 12 distinguishes between electric wheelchairs and other users using a known method. Specifically, the active sensor 12 can detect electric wheelchairs and other users by, for example, analyzing the movement patterns unique to electric wheelchairs, the reflection characteristics of the metal parts of the electric wheelchair, tags attached to the electric wheelchair user, and images acquired by the active sensor 12.

[0028] Furthermore, if the destination floor detection unit 32 detects, based on the detection result, that the electric wheelchair has been stopped above the character area 13a for a first reference time, it sends stop information to the destination floor selection unit 74 and the allocation unit 81. The first reference time is set in advance as a time threshold for distinguishing between a person who is simply passing above the character area 13a and a user who has stopped to move to the zone of that floor.

[0029] Furthermore, when the electric wheelchair stops in the character area 13a for a first reference time or longer and then disappears from the character area 13a, the destination floor detection unit 32 detects the movement of the electric wheelchair out of the character area 13a and sends the movement information to the destination floor selection unit 74.

[0030] The boarding detection unit 33 detects whether the electric wheelchair has boarded or has not boarded based on the output of the door sensor 15, and sends the detected information to the door control unit 72, the call registration unit 73, or the car number notification unit 82. The disembarking detection unit 34 also detects whether the electric wheelchair has disembarked or has not disembarked based on the output of the door sensor 15, and sends the detected information to the door control unit 72 or the abnormality notification unit 76.

[0031] When the destination floor selection unit 74 receives stop information from the destination floor detection unit 32, it determines the floor indicated by the character area 13a corresponding to the destination floor detection unit 32, i.e., the active sensor 12 that detected the stop. The destination floor selection unit 74 sends information on the determined floor to the destination floor notification unit 75 and the allocation unit 81.

[0032] Furthermore, when the destination floor selection unit 74 receives movement information from the destination floor detection unit 32, it acquires the floor information that the destination floor notification unit 75 is displaying on the display 11 at that time, and determines the acquired floor as the destination floor (i.e., the destination floor) of the electric wheelchair. The destination floor selection unit 74 sends the information on the determined destination floor to the destination floor notification unit 75, the allocation unit 81, and the call registration unit 73.

[0033] The destination floor notification unit 75 determines the content to be displayed on the display 11 and controls display operations such as turning on and off the display 11. In this embodiment, a display 11 is installed next to each hall operating panel 5 of each elevator, so for example, the destination floor notification unit 75 selects the display 11 closest to the character area 13a where the electric wheelchair has stopped, i.e., the display 11 directly in front of the stopped character area 13a, and displays the content. Hereinafter, this display 11 will also be referred to as the "front display 11." The content displayed on the front display 11 by the destination floor notification unit 75 is information intended for the user of the electric wheelchair.

[0034] When the destination floor notification unit 75 receives floor information from the destination floor selection unit 74, it displays the floors belonging to that floor one by one in order on the front display 11. Here, the display time for each floor is the second reference time. The second reference time is preset to an appropriate time that is longer than the time it takes for at least the user of the electric wheelchair to recognize whether the displayed floor is the destination floor or not and for the electric wheelchair to move out of the character area 13a of the active sensor 12.

[0035] Furthermore, when the destination floor notification unit 75 receives information about the destination floor from the destination floor selection unit 74, it flashes the destination floor on the front display 11. However, the display method is not limited to flashing, and any display method can be used as long as it notifies the user of the electric wheelchair that the destination floor has been determined and that destination floor has been determined.

[0036] Furthermore, when the destination floor notification unit 75 receives information about the car number assigned to the electric wheelchair call registration from the allocation unit 81, it displays the information about the assigned car number on the display 11 at the front.

[0037] Furthermore, the destination floor notification unit 75 turns off the front display 11, for example, when the assigned elevator arrives at the electric wheelchair landing floor and receives information from the boarding detection unit 33 that the electric wheelchair has boarded, or when no information about the completion of boarding of the electric wheelchair is received from the boarding detection unit 33 within a third reference time after the door opens. The third reference time is preset to a time equal to or longer than the time required for the electric wheelchair to board.

[0038] The abnormality notification unit 76 determines the content to be displayed on the display 11 and controls the display operation such as displaying or turning off the display 11. Specifically, when the abnormality notification unit 76 receives information from the allocation unit 81 that there is currently no car 3 to be allocated, it displays information on the front display 11 informing that there is currently no car 3 that can be allocated. One example of the content to be displayed is "We are currently congested, please wait a moment."

[0039] Furthermore, the abnormality notification unit 76 controls notifications by the announcement device 17. If, after arrival at the destination floor, the alighting detection unit 34 does not transmit information about the electric wheelchair alighting for a fourth reference time, the abnormality notification unit 76 notifies the outside of the occurrence of an abnormal state by, for example, sounding a buzzer from the announcement device 17. The fourth reference time is a threshold for detecting an abnormality in which the electric wheelchair cannot alight, and is set in advance to a time equal to or longer than the time required for the electric wheelchair to alight. The fourth reference time may be the same as the third reference time.

[0040] The allocation unit 81 determines whether there is a candidate car to be allocated to a hall call for an electric wheelchair, and allocates a car 3 to a registered hall call.

[0041] Specifically, when the allocation unit 81 receives stop information from the destination floor detection unit 32, it acquires information on the congestion level in each car 3 from each congestion level detection unit 31. Based on the operating status of each car 3 and the acquired congestion level information for the car 3, the allocation unit 81 determines whether or not there are any candidate cars to be allocated, depending on whether or not there are two or more cars 3 that satisfy the following conditions (a) and (b): (a) The congestion level in car 3 is below the standard value. The degree of congestion in the car 3 is detected by the congestion detection unit 31 based on the output of the weighing device 18. The reference value is set based on the degree of congestion at which an electric wheelchair can be accommodated. (b) Car 3 is not assigned to any other power wheelchair platform call. Here, it is determined whether the hall call has been assigned to any other hall call for another electric wheelchair, including hall calls from the same floor.

[0042] The reason for requiring the existence of two or more cars 3 that satisfy conditions (a) and (b) is to prevent all cars from being assigned to electric wheelchairs, thereby preventing a situation in which general users cannot use the elevator.

[0043] If the allocation unit 81 determines that a candidate car for allocation exists, it sends the determination result to the destination floor notification unit 75, and if it determines that a candidate car for allocation does not exist, it sends the determination result to the abnormality notification unit 76.

[0044] Furthermore, when information about the destination floor of the electric wheelchair is input from the destination floor selection unit 74, the allocation unit 81 registers a hall call in the direction of the destination floor at the boarding floor of the electric wheelchair, and acquires information about the congestion level in each car 3 from each congestion level detection unit 31. Based on the operating status and congestion level information of each car 3, the allocation unit 81 selects the car 3 with the highest operating efficiency as the car to be allocated from among the cars 3 that satisfy the above conditions (a) and (b), and allocates it to the hall call for the electric wheelchair. The allocation unit 81 sends information about the allocated car, i.e., the assigned car number, to the car number notification unit 82 and the operation control unit 71 of the assigned car number.

[0045] The car number notification unit 82 determines the display content to be displayed on the display 11 and controls the display and extinguishing operations. Specifically, when the car number notification unit 82 receives information about the car number assigned from the assignment unit 81, it causes the car number information to be displayed on the display 11 in front for a certain period of time.

[0046] The following describes the operation of the call registration unit 73, operation control unit 71, and door control unit 72 of the elevator control panel 7 in the car assigned to the electric wheelchair hall call. When the call registration unit 73 receives information from the boarding detection unit 33 that the electric wheelchair has boarded car 3, it registers the car call for the destination floor of the electric wheelchair sent from the destination floor selection unit 74. The call registration unit 73 sends the destination floor information registered by the call registration unit 73 to the operation control unit 71 of that car.

[0047] When the operation control unit 71 receives information from the allocation unit 81 indicating that it has been assigned to a hall call for an electric wheelchair, it drives the car 3 to the boarding floor for the electric wheelchair and stops it. The operation control unit 71 sends information that the car 3 has stopped to the door control unit 72. Furthermore, when it receives information from the door control unit 72 that the doors have been closed, the operation control unit 71 drives the car 3 toward the destination floor. During this time, if there is a destination floor for general users that has been assigned separately by the allocation unit 81, it may stop at that floor in accordance with normal operation control.

[0048] The door control unit 72 controls the opening and closing of the elevator doors. When the door control unit 72 receives information from the operation control unit 71 that the car 3 has landed at the boarding floor or destination floor of the electric wheelchair, it opens the doors. After the doors open, the door control unit 72 closes the doors when it receives information from the boarding detection unit 33 that the electric wheelchair has boarded, or when it receives information from the disembarking detection unit 34 that the electric wheelchair has disembarked. The door control unit 72 sends information that the door closing has been completed to the operation control unit 71.

[0049] The above describes the various functions used by the elevator system 100 to control when an electric wheelchair uses an elevator, but some or all of the functions of these various sensors may be provided by the elevator control panel 7 or the elevator group management panel 8, or some or all of the functions of the elevator control panel 7 may be provided by the various sensors or the elevator group management panel 8, or some or all of the functions of the elevator group management panel 8 may be provided by the elevator control panel 7 or the various sensors.

[0050] 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing control operations executed in the elevator system 100 of this embodiment. In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, an example will be described in which the elevator 10 includes elevators 1 to 3. The control operations in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are executed at regular control intervals while the elevator 10 is providing service.

[0051] The electric wheelchair user determines whether another electric wheelchair is parked above the character area 13a at the boarding area 4 that displays the floor including the user's destination floor. If the electric wheelchair user determines that another electric wheelchair is parked, the electric wheelchair user waits behind the electric wheelchair until the other electric wheelchair moves. If the other electric wheelchair is not parked, or if the other electric wheelchair has moved, the electric wheelchair user moves above the character area 13a that displays the floor including the user's destination floor.

[0052] 4, in step S1, it is determined whether the electric wheelchair has stopped for a first reference time after moving onto the character area 13a indicating the floor including the destination floor. If it is determined in step S1 that the electric wheelchair has not moved onto the character area 13a or that the time the electric wheelchair has been stopped on the character area 13a is less than the first reference time, the process returns to step S1, and the process of step S1 is repeated at a fixed control cycle.

[0053] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S1 that the electric wheelchair has been stopped for the first reference time or longer, then in step S2 it is determined whether or not there is a candidate car to be allocated to the electric wheelchair hall call. Here, if there are two or more cars 3 that satisfy the above conditions (a) and (b), it is determined that there is a candidate car to be allocated.

[0054] If it is determined in step S2 that there is no candidate car to be allocated, a message such as "We are currently congested, please wait a moment" is displayed on the display 11 in front of the character area 13a where the electric wheelchair is located, informing the user of the electric wheelchair that there is currently congestion and no car 3 to be allocated.

[0055] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S2 that there is a candidate car to be allocated, then in step S4, the floors included in the tier corresponding to the character area 13a below the electric wheelchair are obtained and displayed sequentially on the front display 11 at intervals of the second reference time.

[0056] Here, when the electric wheelchair's destination floor is displayed on the display 11 in front of it, it moves towards the display 11 and out of the character area 13a.

[0057] In step S5, it is determined whether the electric wheelchair has moved from above the character area 13a to outside the character area 13a and whether the second reference time has elapsed. If it is determined in step S5 that the second reference time has not elapsed (i.e., if the determination in step S5 is NO), the process returns to step S4, and the target floors are displayed sequentially on the display 11 until it is determined in step S5 that the second reference time has elapsed since the electric wheelchair moved.

[0058] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S5 that the second reference time has elapsed since the electric wheelchair moved, then in step S6, the floor displayed on the front display 11 at the time when the movement of the electric wheelchair outside the character area 13a was detected is determined to be the destination floor of the electric wheelchair.

[0059] Next, in step S7, information about the determined destination floor is flashed on the front display 11.

[0060] Next, in step S8, a hall call in the direction of the destination floor is registered at the boarding floor of the electric wheelchair.

[0061] Next, in step S9, the most suitable car is assigned to the hall call from among the cars 3 that satisfy the above conditions (a) and (b).

[0062] Next, in step S10, the allocation of other hall calls to the assigned car is changed to a car other than the assigned car, and the assigned car is made unable to respond to other hall calls.

[0063] In step S11, after a fifth reference time has elapsed since the display in step S7, the car number of the car assigned to the hall call is displayed on the front display 11. The fifth reference time is a time period that is longer than the time required for a user to recognize the displayed destination floor. The display content is such that it is clear that it is a display of the assigned car number, rather than the floor number, such as "Car No. 1."

[0064] Here, the electric wheelchair user, having checked the display, moves to the door of the platform with the displayed car number and waits for the arrival of car 3.

[0065] Subsequently, in step S12 of Fig. 5, the assigned car travels to the landing floor and stops at the landing floor. After car 3 has landed, in step S13, a door-opening operation is performed to open the door of the assigned car.

[0066] Next, in step S14, it is determined whether or not an electric wheelchair has boarded the assigned car based on the output of the door sensor 15. If it is determined in step S14 that an electric wheelchair has not boarded, it is then determined in step S15 whether or not a third reference time or more has passed since the door was opened and no electric wheelchair has boarded the car.

[0067] If it is determined in step S14 that the third reference time or more has elapsed since the door was opened, the display 11 is turned off, the door is closed, and the current operation is terminated in step S16.

[0068] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S15 that the third reference time or more has not elapsed, the process returns to step S14. If it is determined in step S14 that an electric wheelchair has boarded, then in step S17, a car call for the destination floor of the electric wheelchair is automatically registered.

[0069] Next, in step S18, the door is closed when a sixth reference time has elapsed since the door was opened in step S13. Here, the sixth reference time is set to a time equal to or longer than the third reference time based on the time it takes for the electric wheelchair to complete boarding.

[0070] Next, in step S19, the display 11 is turned off. Next, in step S20, the assigned car 3 runs toward the registered destination floor, and when it arrives at the destination floor, the assigned car 3 is stopped. Next, in step S21, the door of the assigned car is opened.

[0071] In step S22, it is determined whether or not the electric wheelchair has dismounted after the door is fully opened. If it is determined in step S21 that the electric wheelchair has not dismounted, it is next determined in step S22 whether or not a fourth reference time has elapsed since the door was fully opened without the electric wheelchair dismounting being detected.

[0072] If it is determined in step S23 that the fourth reference time has elapsed, then in step S24, the buzzer from the announcement device 17 sounds to notify the outside of the abnormality, and then the current processing ends.

[0073] If it is determined in step S23 that the fourth reference time has not elapsed, the process returns to step S22. If it is determined in step S22 that the electric wheelchair has dismounted, after the sixth reference time has elapsed since the door was opened, the door is closed in step S25, and the process ends.

[0074] As described above, according to this embodiment, even in an elevator in a building that stops at many floors, a specific user can make a hall call, register a destination floor, and use elevator 10 by moving into character area 13a, stopping, and then moving out of character area 13a, without having to operate hall operating panel 5 or car operating panel 9. In addition, floors within the building are displayed on the floor surface, dividing them into multiple zones, and once a floor is selected, the floors included in that floor are displayed on display 11. This two-stage display allows a specific user to register a destination floor without requiring a large space. This makes it possible to provide an elevator that is highly convenient for users of electric wheelchairs, for example, who have mobility issues, even in a high-rise building with many stops.

[0075] The functions realized by the components of the elevator system 100 described in the above embodiments may be implemented using circuits including general-purpose processors, application-specific processors, integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), central processing units (CPUs), conventional circuits, or combinations thereof, programmed to realize the described functions. A processor is considered a circuit because it includes transistors and other circuits. A processor may execute a program stored in a memory. Furthermore, the circuits, units, and means in the embodiments are hardware programmed to realize the described functions or hardware that executes the functions. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed in the embodiments or any hardware known to be programmed to realize or execute the described functions. When the hardware is a processor, which can be considered a type of circuit, the circuit, means, or unit is a combination of hardware and software used to configure the hardware and / or processor.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the destination floor is detected and when the assigned car is decided, the case has been described whereby the information is displayed on the display 11 at the front, but this is not limited to this, and the assigned car may be notified by the display 11 installed near the hall operating panel 5 of the car containing the assigned car, the hall 4 or other display device, or by audio notification, etc.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a case has been described in which control is performed to prevent two or more electric wheelchairs from riding in the same car 3 at the same time. This prevents significant restrictions on use by other general users. However, the elevator system of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and the number of electric wheelchairs that can ride in one car 3 at the same time is set appropriately depending on the size of the car and the number of cars 3 that the elevator 10 has.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the call registration unit 73 has been described as registering a car call for a destination floor when the electric wheelchair has completed boarding the car 3. This allows the user of the electric wheelchair to register a car call for their own destination floor without operating the car operation panel 9. However, the building system of the present disclosure is not limited to this, and may be configured, for example, so that call registration from the landing floor to the destination floor is automatically performed when the destination floor of the electric wheelchair is detected.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when there is currently no car 3 to be assigned, information to that effect is displayed on the display 11, and when completion of disembarking of an electric wheelchair is not detected after arrival at the destination floor, an abnormality is notified, thereby improving the convenience of the elevator 10 for specific users such as electric wheelchairs. However, the elevator system of the present disclosure is not necessarily limited to having these functions.

[0080] The above describes in detail preferred embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0081] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices. (Appendix 1) a destination floor detection unit that, when a specific user stops at one of the presentation units that presents each of the floors into which the elevator's service floors are divided into a plurality of floors, detects the floor presented on the presentation unit where the specific user has stopped as the selected floor; A destination floor notification unit that sequentially notifies the plurality of floors belonging to the selected floor by a notification device; a destination floor selection unit that detects the floor that has been notified by the notification device when the specific user moves outside the presentation unit as the destination floor of the specific user; An elevator system comprising: (Appendix 2) The specific user is a wheelchair user. 10. The elevator system of claim 1. (Appendix 3) the elevator comprises a plurality of cars; The elevator system comprises: an allocation unit that determines, from among the cars that the wheelchair can board, a car to be allocated for moving the wheelchair from the boarding floor where the wheelchair is located to the destination floor; a car number notification unit that notifies the car assigned to the allocation unit by the notification device; 3. The elevator system of claim 2, further comprising: (Appendix 4) When a plurality of wheelchairs use the elevator, the allocation unit allocates the elevator cars so that two or more wheelchairs do not get on each car at the same time. 10. The elevator system of claim 3. (Appendix 5) an entry detection unit that detects that the specific user has entered the car; a call registration unit that registers a car call for the destination floor when the boarding detection unit detects that the specific user has boarded; 5. The elevator system of claim 1, comprising: (Appendix 6) a vehicle alighting detection unit that detects that the specific user has alighted from the car; an abnormality notification unit that notifies an abnormality when the alighting detection unit does not detect the specific user alighting until the elapsed time from the arrival of the car at the destination floor exceeds a threshold value; 6. The elevator system of claim 1, further comprising: (Appendix 7) When the selected floor is detected by the destination floor detection unit, if there is no car available for allocation, the destination floor notification unit notifies the user by the notification device that there is no car available for allocation at present. 7. The elevator system of any one of claims 1 to 6.

[0082] In the above embodiments, when the number, quantity, amount, range, etc. of each element is mentioned, the elevator system of the present disclosure is not limited to the mentioned number unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle. Furthermore, the structures, etc. described in these embodiments are not necessarily essential to the elevator system of the present disclosure unless otherwise specified or clearly specified in principle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] 100 elevator system, 1 hoist, 2 rope, 3 car, 4 landing, 5 landing operation panel, 51 indicator, 52 landing button, 6 tail code, 7 elevator control panel, 71 operation control unit, 72 door control unit, 73 registration unit, 74 destination floor selection unit, 75 destination floor notification unit, 76 abnormality notification unit, 8 elevator group control panel, 81 allocation unit, 82 unit notification unit, 9 operation panel, 91 destination button, 10 elevator, 11 display, 12 active sensor, 12 all active sensors, 13 video projection device, 13a character area, 14 door, 15 door sensor, 16 unit number, 17 announcement device, 18 weighing device, 31 Crowding detection unit, 32 destination floor detection unit, 33 boarding detection unit, 34 alighting detection unit

Claims

1. a destination floor detection unit that, when a specific user stops at any of the presentation units that present each of the floors into which the elevator's service floors are divided into a plurality of floors, detects the floor presented on the presentation unit where the specific user has stopped as the selected floor; A destination floor notification unit that sequentially notifies the plurality of floors belonging to the selected floor by a notification device; a destination floor selection unit that detects the floor that has been notified by the notification device when the specific user moves outside the presentation unit as the destination floor of the specific user; An elevator system comprising:

2. The specific user is a wheelchair user.

10. The elevator system of claim 1.

3. the elevator comprises a plurality of cars; The elevator system comprises: an allocation unit that determines, from among the cars that the wheelchair can board, a car to be allocated for moving the wheelchair from the boarding floor where the wheelchair is located to the destination floor; a car number notification unit that notifies the car assigned to the allocation unit by the notification device; The elevator system of claim 2 further comprising:

4. When a plurality of wheelchairs use the elevator, the allocation unit allocates the cars so that two or more wheelchairs do not get on each car at the same time.

4. The elevator system of claim 3.

5. an entry detection unit that detects that the specific user has entered the car; a call registration unit that registers a car call for the destination floor when the boarding detection unit detects that the specific user has boarded; 5. The elevator system according to claim 1, comprising:

6. a vehicle alighting detection unit that detects that the specific user has alighted from the car; an abnormality notification unit that notifies an abnormality when the alighting detection unit does not detect the specific user alighting until the elapsed time from the arrival of the car at the destination floor exceeds a threshold value; The elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising:

7. When the selected floor is detected by the destination floor detection unit, if there is no car available for allocation, the destination floor notification unit notifies the user by the notification device that there is no car available for allocation at present.

5. An elevator system according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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