Elevator cleaning robot control system, elevator cleaning robot control method, and elevator cleaning robot control program

Abstract

To support appropriate control of a cleaning robot according to the actual state of an elevator car. [Solution] The elevator cleaning robot control system comprises an elevator foreign object detection unit 1 that detects the presence and location of foreign objects inside an elevator car 5, an elevator dispatch unit 2 that assigns cars 5 for cleaning by cleaning robots 6 based on the detection results by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1, and an elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 that controls the operation of the cleaning robot 6 based on the location of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an elevator cleaning robot control system, an elevator cleaning robot control method, and an elevator cleaning robot control program. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an elevator cleaning method using a cleaning robot. The technology described in Patent Document 1 efficiently cleans the inside of the car by determining the cleaning time based on the degree of contamination inside the car. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-182402 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The conventional technology described in Patent Document 1 only considers the degree of contamination inside the elevator car, and does not consider, for example, the location of the dirt. This makes it difficult to appropriately control the cleaning robot according to the actual condition of the elevator car.

[0005] The present disclosure is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems. An object of the present disclosure is to support appropriate control of a cleaning robot according to the actual state of an elevator car. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The elevator cleaning robot control system according to the present disclosure includes a detection means for detecting the presence and location of a foreign object in an elevator car, a dispatch means for assigning a car for a cleaning robot to clean the car based on the detection result by the detection means, and a control means for controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the location of the foreign object detected by the detection means. The elevator cleaning robot control method according to the present disclosure involves a computer or computer system acquiring information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in an elevator car and the location of the foreign object, assigning a car for a cleaning robot to clean the car based on the detection results of the presence of the foreign object and the detection results of the location of the foreign object, and controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection results of the location of the foreign object. The elevator cleaning robot control program according to the present disclosure causes a computer or computer system to acquire information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in an elevator car and the location of the foreign object, assign a car for a cleaning robot to clean the car based on the detection results of the presence of the foreign object and the detection results of the location of the foreign object, and control the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection results of the location of the foreign object. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to assist in appropriate control of a cleaning robot according to the actual state of an elevator car. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator cleaning robot control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a foreign object is present inside an elevator car. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an elevator hall when the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the first embodiment is applied. FIG. [Figure 4]1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a hardware configuration of a main part of an elevator cleaning robot control system according to a first embodiment. [Figure 5] 4 is a flowchart showing a first example of operation processing of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 6 is a flowchart showing a second example of operation processing of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] 10 is a flowchart showing a third example of operation processing of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of setting evaluation items in the first embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In this disclosure, duplicated descriptions will be appropriately simplified or omitted. Note that this disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments and their modifications. Any components described in the following embodiments and their modifications can be freely combined, modified, or omitted within the scope of the spirit of this disclosure.

[0010] Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator cleaning robot control system according to a first embodiment. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment includes an elevator foreign object detection unit 1 that detects the presence of a foreign object in an elevator car 5. The elevator foreign object detection unit 1 is an example of a detection means in the present disclosure. The elevator foreign object detection unit 1, which is an example of a detection means, has a function of detecting the presence of a foreign object as well as the position of the foreign object. The elevator foreign object detection unit 1 functions as a means for acquiring information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the car 5 and the position of the foreign object.

[0011] The "foreign object" detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1, which is an example of a detection means, can be any type of object that can be removed, such as dirt or an obstacle. In this disclosure, "foreign object" means anything that reduces the operating efficiency of the elevator or anything that causes discomfort to elevator users.

[0012] Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a foreign object is present inside an elevator car 5. In the example of Fig. 2, foreign objects such as a dropped notice 10a and dirt 10b are present in the car 5 in addition to a user 9. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment is a system that aims to prevent a decrease in elevator operation efficiency by quickly removing foreign objects such as notice 10a and dirt 10b using a cleaning robot 6.

[0013] Various methods can be used to detect the presence and location of foreign objects using the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. For example, the interior of the car 5 can be photographed using a camera or other imaging device, and the presence and location of foreign objects can be detected through image processing. More specifically, the presence and location of foreign objects can be detected based on the difference between a reference image taken of a state where no foreign objects are present and an image taken of the current state inside the car 5. The presence and location of foreign objects can also be detected using information other than visual information obtained from a camera or other device. For example, odor sensors can be installed at multiple locations inside the car 5 to obtain information on the distribution of odor components, and the presence and location of foreign objects can be detected based on this information. Alternatively, multiple weight sensors can be arranged under the floor of the car 5, and the presence and location of foreign objects can be detected based on fluctuations in the detection results of the multiple weight sensors. Other methods, such as infrared or ultrasonic sensor detection, can also be used.

[0014] In some cases, elevator cars 5 or halls are equipped with motion sensors such as infrared sensors to detect users. These motion sensors can be used to detect foreign objects. In this example, existing equipment can be used as the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 without the need for an additional sensor, thereby avoiding the need for a complex device configuration. Furthermore, foreign objects near the doors, which are an important location when using the elevator car 5, can be efficiently detected.

[0015] The elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment is characterized by controlling the operation of a cleaning robot 6 to clean the interior of a car 5 based on the detection results of an elevator foreign object detection unit 1. As shown in FIG. 1 , the elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment includes an elevator dispatch unit 2 as an example of the dispatching means of the present disclosure. The elevator dispatch unit 2 assigns cars 5 based on the detection results of the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 to have the cleaning robot 6 clean the car 5, i.e., remove the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. For example, the elevator dispatch unit 2 may assign cars 5 based on the level of dirt or obstacles inside the car 5 detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. The cars 5 operate in accordance with the dispatching instructions from the elevator dispatch unit 2.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 1 , the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the present embodiment includes an elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 and an elevator foreign object information notification unit 4. The elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 and the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 constitute an example of a control means in the present disclosure. The elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 and the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4, which are examples of a control means, control the operation of the cleaning robot 6 based on the location of a foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. For example, the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 outputs an instruction to the cleaning robot 6 to clean the car 5. For example, the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 notifies the cleaning robot 6 of information about a foreign object in the car 5. The elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 may also communicate with an elevator information output device 7 that outputs information about elevator operation. The elevator information output device 7 is an example of a notification means in the present disclosure.

[0017] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an elevator hall when the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the first embodiment is applied. The elevator cleaning robot control system may be implemented, for example, as a circuit in an elevator control panel 8 that controls elevator operation. The elevator control panel 8 may be connected to one or more cars 5. For example, in the example of Fig. 3, the elevator control panel 8 is connected to cars 5a, 5b, and 5c.

[0018] An elevator control panel 8 equipped with the elevator cleaning robot control system communicates with the cleaning robot 6 and controls the operation of the cleaning robot 6. The elevator control panel 8 equipped with the elevator cleaning robot control system also communicates with elevator information output devices 7, such as hall displays 7a or mobile terminals 7c, which convey elevator operation information to users.

[0019] The elevator cleaning robot control system may be configured, for example, by one or more servers, computers, or computer systems. At least a portion of the functions of the elevator cleaning robot control system may be provided in the building where the elevator is installed, or may be provided outside the building. At least a portion of the functions of the elevator cleaning robot control system may be implemented by processing or storage resources on a cloud service.

[0020] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the main parts of an elevator cleaning robot control system. Each function of the elevator cleaning robot control system can be realized by a processing circuit. The processing circuit includes at least one processor 100a and at least one memory 100b. The processing circuit may include at least one dedicated hardware 200 together with the processor 100a and the memory 100b, or as a substitute for them. The processing circuit is installed in, for example, an elevator control panel 8 or other equipment or device that constitutes the elevator.

[0021] When the processing circuit includes a processor 100a and a memory 100b, each function of the autonomous mobile object control system is realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. At least one of the software and firmware is written as a program. The program is stored in the memory 100b. The processor 100a realizes each function of the autonomous mobile object control system by reading and executing the program stored in the memory 100b. The program that realizes each function of the autonomous mobile object control system may be a software package or the like that includes multiple pieces of software that are respectively applied to multiple computers or the like.

[0022] The processor 100a is also called a CPU (Central Processing Unit), processing device, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP. The memory 100b is configured by, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM, ROM, flash memory, EPROM, or EEPROM.

[0023] Where the processing circuitry comprises dedicated hardware 200, the processing circuitry may be implemented, for example, as a single circuit, multiple circuits, a programmed processor, parallel programmed processors, an ASIC, an FPGA, or a combination thereof.

[0024] Each function of the elevator cleaning robot control system can be realized by a separate processing circuit. Alternatively, each function of the elevator cleaning robot control system can be realized collectively by a processing circuit. Some of the functions of the elevator cleaning robot control system may be realized by dedicated hardware 200, and the other parts may be realized by software or firmware. In this way, the processing circuit realizes each function of the autonomous mobile object control system by dedicated hardware 200, software, firmware, or a combination of these.

[0025] As described above, the elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment includes the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 that detects the presence and location of a foreign object in the elevator car 5. The elevator cleaning robot control system also includes the elevator dispatch unit 2 that assigns cars 5 for the cleaning robots 6 to clean based on the detection results from the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. The elevator cleaning robot control system also includes the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 and the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 that control the operation of the cleaning robot 6 based on the location of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. With the elevator cleaning robot control system configured as described above, the cleaning robot 6 can be appropriately controlled in accordance with the actual state of the car 5 by taking into account the location of the foreign object in the car 5.

[0026] Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing a first operation processing example of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to Embodiment 1. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing a second operation processing example of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to Embodiment 1. A specific example of the operation of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6.

[0027] First, a first example of operation processing will be described with reference to Fig. 5. In the example shown in Fig. 5, first, processing is performed to acquire information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the car 5 and the position of the foreign object. Specifically, the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 detects the presence and position of a foreign object in the car 5 (step S101).

[0028] If the presence of a foreign object in the car 5 is not detected, the cleaning robot 6 does not perform a cleaning operation, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the presence of a foreign object in the car 5 is detected (step S102), the cleaning robot 6 is controlled to clean the position of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. As a result, the cleaning robot 6 cleans the position of the detected foreign object (step S103).

[0029] In the process of step S103, for example, the elevator dispatch unit 2 assigns the car 5 in which a foreign object has been detected. Furthermore, the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 outputs an instruction to the cleaning robot 6 to clean the interior of the car 5. Furthermore, the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 notifies the cleaning robot 6 of information on the location of the foreign object inside the car 5. Having received the instruction from the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3, the cleaning robot 6 cleans the location of the foreign object inside the car 5 based on the information notified by the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4.

[0030] According to the example in Figure 5, cleaning is performed at the location of the foreign object that was actually detected. This allows the foreign object to be quickly removed according to the actual condition, and the inside of car 5 to be efficiently cleaned. Furthermore, by efficiently cleaning the inside of car 5, a decrease in elevator operation efficiency can be prevented.

[0031] Next, a second example of operation processing will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the example shown in Fig. 6, first, processing is performed to acquire information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the car 5 and the position of the foreign object. Specifically, the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 detects the presence and position of a foreign object in the car 5 (step S201).

[0032] If the presence of a foreign object in the car 5 is not detected, the cleaning robot 6 does not perform a cleaning operation, and the process ends. On the other hand, if the presence of a foreign object in the car 5 is detected (step S202), it is determined whether the location of the detected foreign object is a cleaning target (step S203). If the location of the detected foreign object is a cleaning target, control is performed to clean the car 5. As a result, the cleaning robot 6 cleans the car 5 (step S204). If the location of the detected foreign object is not a cleaning target, control is performed to put the cleaning robot 6 on standby, and the cleaning robot 6 does not perform a cleaning operation, and the process ends.

[0033] In the processing of step S204, for example, the elevator dispatch unit 2 assigns the car 5 in which a foreign object has been detected. Furthermore, the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 outputs an instruction to the cleaning robot 6 to clean the interior of the car 5. The cleaning robot 6 that has received the instruction from the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 cleans the interior of the car 5. At this time, the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 may notify the cleaning robot 6 of information on the location of the foreign object inside the car 5. The cleaning robot 6 may clean the location of the foreign object inside the car 5 based on the information notified by the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4. Alternatively, in the processing of step S204, when the cleaning robot 6 is made to clean the car 5, control may be performed to have the cleaning robot 6 clean the entire car 5 without taking the location of the foreign object into consideration.

[0034] In the example shown in FIG. 6, depending on the location of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1, the cleaning robot 6 is selectively controlled to clean the car 5 or to wait for the cleaning robot 6. That is, the location of the foreign object inside the car 5 is taken into consideration when determining whether to have the cleaning robot 6 clean the elevator car 5. The cleaning target is set as a location where the presence of a foreign object would hinder users from using the car 5. For example, a certain area including the center of the floor of the car 5 or an area near the door is set as the cleaning target. According to the example of FIG. 6, by taking the location of the foreign object inside the car 5 into consideration when determining whether to have the cleaning robot 6 clean the elevator car 5, a decrease in elevator operation efficiency can be effectively prevented.

[0035] For example, if there is a foreign object in a position that interferes with use, such as a certain area including the center of the floor of the car 5 or an area near the door, even if the degree of dirt is low or the obstruction is small, the density of users inside the car 5 may decrease, which may result in a decrease in operation efficiency. In such cases, the decrease in operation efficiency can be prevented by having the cleaning robot 6 perform the cleaning. Also, if there is a foreign object in a position that does not interfere with use, such as a corner of the car 5, the cleaning robot 6 can be placed on standby to prevent a decrease in operation efficiency due to the cleaning work by the cleaning robot 6.

[0036] As shown in the example of FIG. 3, an elevator may have multiple cars 5. In this embodiment, the elevator dispatch unit 2 may set the priority of car 5 allocation based on at least one of the position and size of a foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. For example, a high priority may be set for allocation of a car 5 in which a foreign object, such as the cleaning target described above, is present in a position that would prevent a user from using the car 5 if the foreign object were present. Also, a high priority may be set for allocation of a car 5 that is heavily soiled or in which the size of the obstacle present is large. The cleaning robot 6 may clean the cars 5 that are assigned with priority. In this example, cars 5 that should be cleaned quickly can be cleaned with priority.

[0037] The elevator dispatch unit 2 may set the priority of car 5 allocation based on, for example, the distance from the position of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 to the door of the car 5. This allows for preferential removal of foreign objects near the door that are likely to interfere with users' use of the car 5.

[0038] Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing a third example of operation processing of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to Embodiment 1. A specific example of the operation of the elevator cleaning robot control system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 7.

[0039] In the example of FIG. 7, first, a process for acquiring information about a foreign object inside a car 5 is performed. Specifically, the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 detects the presence and location of a foreign object inside each car 5 of the elevator (step S301). At this time, in addition to detecting the presence and location of a foreign object, it is also preferable to detect the size of the foreign object. In this disclosure, "size" refers to the area or volume of the foreign object relative to the surface to which it is attached. The size of a foreign object, like the presence and location of a foreign object, can be detected by various methods using various sensors.

[0040] After the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 acquires foreign object information for all cars 5, the acquired information is passed to the elevator dispatch unit 2. The elevator dispatch unit 2 sets the priority of allocation of cars 5 based on the foreign object information acquired by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 (step S302).

[0041] As a method for determining the priority of the allocation of cars 5, for example, a method using a weighted evaluation method can be considered. A specific example of determining the priority using a weighted evaluation table when there are three cars 5 as shown in Figure 2 will be described. Figure 8 is a diagram showing an example of setting evaluation items in the first embodiment. First, the evaluation items are set as shown in Figure 8. A weight may be set for each evaluation item as shown in Figure 8.

[0042] Next, an evaluation value for each evaluation item is calculated for each car 5 for all cars 5. For example, when calculating the evaluation value of "proximity from the foreign object position to the door," the distance from the foreign object position to the door is found using the foreign object information for each car 5, and the evaluation value of the car 5 with the foreign object closest to the door is set to 3. Next, the evaluation values ​​are calculated by decrementing the evaluation value by 1 in order, such as 2 for the car 5 with the foreign object closest to the door, 1 for the car 5 with the foreign object farthest from the door, and so on. If weights are set, the above evaluation values ​​are multiplied by the weights.

[0043] The evaluation values ​​for other evaluation items are calculated in the same manner. If multiple foreign objects are present in the car 5, an evaluation value is calculated for each foreign object. The sum of the evaluation values ​​for each foreign object is then used as the evaluation value for that evaluation item. Finally, the sum of the evaluation values ​​for each evaluation item is calculated as the evaluation value for the car 5.

[0044] The higher the evaluation value calculated as described above, the higher the priority is set for the car 5. For example, if the evaluation value of car 5a is 20, the evaluation value of car 5b is 10, and the evaluation value of car 5c is 15, the priorities are set to be higher in the order of car 5a, car 5c, and car 5b.

[0045] As evaluation items for setting the priority, any parameters other than the example shown in Fig. 8 can be set. For example, "proximity from the position of the foreign object to the center of the floor" may be set as an evaluation item. In addition, the weight of each evaluation item may be arbitrarily changed.

[0046] In the example of Fig. 7, when the evaluation value of the car 5 with the highest priority is equal to or greater than the reference value (step S303), it is determined that cleaning of the inside of the car 5 needs to be carried out immediately, and a notification is sent to the user by the elevator information output device 7 via the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 (step S306). The reference value in step S303 can be set arbitrarily.

[0047] In the example of Fig. 7, the elevator information output device 7 notifies the user in advance before the cleaning by the cleaning robot 6. This makes it possible to warn the user not to come into contact with foreign objects by mistake, improving convenience. The content of the notification here may be any content, such as "there is a foreign object that needs to be removed" or "cleaning by the cleaning robot will now begin."

[0048] If the evaluation value of the car 5 with the highest priority is below the reference value (step S303), it is determined whether the elevator congestion level is above the reference value (step S304). The reference value in step S304 can be set arbitrarily. If the elevator congestion level is below the reference value, it is determined that cleaning will not affect the elevator operation efficiency, and a notification is first issued to users (step S306). If the elevator congestion level is above the reference value, the cleaning robot 6 is made to wait for a certain period of time so as not to reduce the elevator operation efficiency, and the process is temporarily terminated (step S305).

[0049] In this disclosure, "elevator congestion level" refers to a parameter related to the number of users in each car 5 or the space occupancy rate of users in each car 5, and indicates the load status of the elevator. For example, the ratio of the area occupied by users to the floor surface of the car 5 in a plan view may be set as the elevator congestion level, or the weight inside the car 5 may be set as the elevator congestion level. The elevator congestion level can be detected by a sensor constituting the elevator foreign object detection unit 1. Alternatively, a separate device may be provided to acquire information on the elevator congestion level.

[0050] After notifying the user in step S306, the elevator dispatch unit 2 determines whether the foreign object in the car 5 can be cleaned with the specifications of the cleaning robot 6 based on the information obtained from the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 (step S307). A possible scenario in which the cleaning robot 6 cannot clean the foreign object is when dirt inside the car 5 is near the ceiling and the robot cannot reach it. If it is determined that the cleaning robot 6 cannot clean the foreign object, the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 notifies the elevator information output device 7, such as a mobile terminal 7c owned by the elevator manager, that the cleaning robot 6 cannot clean the foreign object, along with information about the detected foreign object (step S314). This prevents the cleaning robot 6 from operating unnecessarily and interfering with elevator operation. Alternatively, for example, a notification may be sent to another cleaning robot 6 with specifications that allow cleaning, instructing that cleaning robot 6 to perform the cleaning.

[0051] If it is determined in step S307 that cleaning by the cleaning robot 6 is possible, the elevator dispatch unit 2 dispatches the target car 5 so that the cleaning robot 6 can clean the target car 5 (step S308). At this time, the elevator dispatch unit 2 passes information about the floor to which the target car 5 will be dispatched to the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3.

[0052] The elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 determines the target location of the cleaning robot 6 and the cleaning location in the car 5 based on the information acquired from the elevator dispatch unit 2 and the information acquired from the elevator foreign object detection unit 1, and issues instructions to the cleaning robot 6 according to the determined information (step S309). As a result, the cleaning of the car 5 is performed by the cleaning robot 6.

[0053] After issuing an instruction to the cleaning robot 6 in step S309, the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 starts counting time. After completing cleaning, the cleaning robot 6 notifies the elevator cleaning instruction unit 3 that cleaning has been completed. For example, the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 periodically sends foreign object information to the cleaning robot 6, allowing the cleaning robot 6 to determine whether or not a foreign object is currently present, and thus determine whether cleaning has been completed. If the cleaning robot 6 has a camera, the cleaning robot 6 can store a reference image of the state inside the car 5 when no foreign object is present, and compare the current camera image with the reference image to determine whether cleaning has been completed.

[0054] If the cleaning robot 6 notifies the completion of cleaning within a certain period of time (step S310), it is determined that the cleaning of the car 5 has been completed without any problems, and the elevator foreign object information notification unit 4 cancels the notification of foreign object information (step S311). In addition, the control of the dispatch of the car 5 that was the target of cleaning by the cleaning robot 6 and the cleaning operation by the cleaning robot 6 is canceled, and the process ends (step S312).

[0055] If the cleaning robot 6 does not notify the completion of cleaning within a certain time (step S310), it is determined that a problem has occurred during cleaning, and the elevator information output device 7, such as a mobile terminal 7c owned by the elevator manager, notifies the user that the cleaning has failed and information about the foreign object via the elevator foreign object information notifying unit 4 (step S313). This prevents the cleaning robot 6 from becoming stuck in the car 5. Note that the certain time for determining that a problem has occurred during cleaning in the process of step S310 may be set taking into account the distance required for the cleaning robot 6 to travel to the target car 5, the size of the foreign object to be removed, etc.

[0056] The process shown in the flowchart of Fig. 7 is performed periodically, and this period may be set by a parameter or the like.

[0057] As shown in the example of FIG. 7 , the elevator cleaning robot control system according to this embodiment may be configured to selectively control the cleaning robot 6 to clean the car 5 or to place the cleaning robot 6 on standby, depending on the level of the foreign object detected by the elevator foreign object detection unit 1 and the elevator congestion level. More specifically, if the level of foreign object is equal to or greater than a certain level, it may be determined that immediate cleaning is necessary and the cleaning robot 6 may be placed on standby. Alternatively, if the level of foreign object is smaller than a certain level, the cleaning robot 6 may be placed on standby if the elevator congestion level is below the certain level, thereby efficiently preventing a decrease in elevator operation efficiency. The "level of foreign object" refers to various parameters that can be set as evaluation items in the example of FIG. 8 , such as the size or location of the foreign object.

[0058] Various aspects of the present disclosure are summarized below as appendices.

[0059] (Appendix 1) a detection means for detecting the presence and location of a foreign object in an elevator car; a dispatching means for assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result by the detecting means; a control unit that controls the operation of the cleaning robot based on the position of the foreign object detected by the detection unit; An elevator cleaning robot control system equipped with the above. (Appendix 2) The elevator cleaning robot control system described in Appendix 1, characterized in that the control means controls the cleaning robot to clean the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means depending on the position of the foreign object. (Appendix 3) The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means selectively controls the cleaning robot to clean the car or controls the cleaning robot to wait, depending on the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means. (Appendix 4) The elevator cleaning robot control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 3, wherein the dispatching means sets a priority for allocating the cars based on at least one of the position and size of the foreign object detected by the detection means. (Appendix 5) The elevator cleaning robot control system described in Appendix 4, wherein the dispatching means sets a priority for allocating the car based on the distance from the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means to the car door. (Appendix 6) The elevator cleaning robot control system according to any one of Supplementary Note 1 to Supplementary Note 5, wherein the control means selectively controls the cleaning robot to clean the car or controls the cleaning robot to wait depending on the level of foreign matter detected by the detection means and the degree of congestion in the elevator. (Appendix 7) An elevator cleaning robot control system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an alarm means for notifying a user before the cleaning robot cleans the car. (Appendix 8) A computer or computer system Obtaining information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the elevator car and the location of the foreign object; assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the presence of the foreign object and the detection result of the position of the foreign object; Controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the position of the foreign object; The elevator cleaning robot control method performs the following steps. (Appendix 9) A computer or computer system Obtaining information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the elevator car and the location of the foreign object; assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the presence of the foreign object and the detection result of the position of the foreign object; Controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the position of the foreign object; An elevator cleaning robot control program that executes the following. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1 elevator foreign object detection unit, 2 elevator dispatch unit, 3 elevator cleaning instruction unit, 4 elevator foreign object information notification unit, 5 car, 6 cleaning robot, 7 elevator information output device, 7a landing display, 7c mobile terminal, 8 elevator control panel, 9 user, 10a notice, 10b dirt, 100a processor, 100b memory, 200 dedicated hardware

Claims

1. a detection means for detecting the presence and location of a foreign object in an elevator car; a dispatching means for assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result by the detecting means; a control unit that controls the operation of the cleaning robot based on the position of the foreign object detected by the detection unit; An elevator cleaning robot control system equipped with the above.

2. 2. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the cleaning robot to clean the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means according to the position of the foreign object.

3. 3. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1, wherein the control means selectively controls the cleaning robot to clean the car or controls the cleaning robot to wait, depending on the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means.

4. 3. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1, wherein the dispatching means sets a priority for allocating the cars based on at least one of the position and size of the foreign object detected by the detection means.

5. 5. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 4, wherein the dispatching means sets a priority for allocating the car based on a distance from the position of the foreign object detected by the detection means to the door of the car.

6. 3. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1, wherein the control means selectively controls the cleaning robot to clean the car or controls the cleaning robot to wait, depending on the level of foreign matter detected by the detection means and the degree of congestion in the elevator.

7. 3. The elevator cleaning robot control system according to claim 1, further comprising a notification means for notifying a user before the cleaning robot cleans the car.

8. A computer or computer system Obtaining information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the elevator car and the location of the foreign object; assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the presence of the foreign object and the detection result of the position of the foreign object; Controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the position of the foreign object; The elevator cleaning robot control method performs the following steps.

9. A computer or computer system Obtaining information on the presence or absence of a foreign object in the elevator car and the location of the foreign object; assigning the car for cleaning by the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the presence of the foreign object and the detection result of the position of the foreign object; Controlling the operation of the cleaning robot based on the detection result of the position of the foreign object; An elevator cleaning robot control program that executes the following.

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