elevator control device

Abstract

This allows appropriate boarding space to be secured based on the attribute information of passengers waiting at the boarding area and the congestion level inside the car, thereby preventing a discrepancy between the level of congestion displayed by the system and the level of congestion perceived by users. [Solution] The video analysis unit analyzes the space inside the elevator car based on video from an in-car camera that captures the inside of the car, and analyzes attribute information of people waiting at the platform based on video from a platform camera that captures the area around the platform. The boarding eligibility determination unit determines whether the people waiting at the platform, whose attribute information was analyzed, can board the analyzed space inside the car. If the determination results in the car being full and boarding is not possible, the travel control unit causes the elevator to go directly to the destination floor without landing at the platform call floor.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the present invention relates to an elevator control device and an elevator control method. [Background technology]

[0002] Elevators are an essential means of transportation for users to move up and down within a building. The types of users vary, including people with walking sticks, wheelchair users, stroller users, and shopping cart users. There are also cyclists who use elevators while pulling their bicycles.

[0003] The space inside the car is limited in terms of area, and there are also set limits on the load capacity. Conventionally, there are systems that determine whether passengers who are about to board (hereinafter referred to as passengers waiting at the platform) can board based on the current passenger status inside the car. There are also systems that determine the degree of congestion inside the car by taking into account the size of wheelchairs, etc., and systems that calculate the number of elevators to operate based on the number of people waiting. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-187587 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5946268 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, when determining the congestion status inside the car, the system (controller) usually uses the load measured by a car load detector, while passengers often determine whether they can get in based on whether there is free space inside the car. Also, because the amount of space required varies depending on the attributes of the user, such as whether they are using a wheelchair or a cane, there are cases where it is not possible to determine whether they can get in the car.

[0006] As described above, conventionally, there is a problem that there is often a discrepancy between the congestion level displayed on the system and the congestion level perceived by users.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide an elevator control device and an elevator control method that can ensure appropriate boarding space according to the attribute information of passengers waiting at the landing and the congestion level inside the car, and that suppresses the discrepancy between the congestion level on the system and the congestion level felt by users. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above object, an elevator control device according to an embodiment includes a video analysis unit, a boarding permission determination unit, and a travel control unit.

[0009] The video analysis unit analyzes the space inside the car based on video from an in-car camera that captures the inside of the elevator car, and analyzes attribute information of people waiting at the platform based on video from a platform camera that captures the area around the platform. The boarding eligibility determination unit determines whether the people waiting at the platform, whose attribute information was analyzed, can board the analyzed space inside the car. If the determination results in the car being full and boarding is not possible, the travel control unit causes the elevator to go directly to the destination floor without landing at the platform call floor. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing an elevator according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an elevator control device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of announcement information for each user attribute stored in a guidance information storage unit. [Figure 4A] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to an embodiment. [Figure 4B] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] <Embodiment> As shown in Figure 1, the car 2 of the elevator 1 has an interior space 6 formed by a panel on the car door 3 side, left and right side walls 4, and a rear wall 5. An interior control panel 7 with car call buttons is installed on the panel on the car door 3 side. An interior camera 8 that takes pictures of the interior of the car is installed near the ceiling. Furthermore, an interior speaker 9 and an interior display 10 are installed on the panel on the car door 3 side, and output guide information by voice and video to users 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15. Other equipment inside the car 2 includes lighting equipment and air conditioning equipment, but these are not shown in the figure.

[0012] A platform camera 21 is installed at platform 20 to capture images of the area around the platform. Platform speakers 22 and platform displays 23 are also installed, and output audio and video guidance information to passengers 31, 32, and 33 waiting at the platform. In the figure, platform waiting passengers 31 are general users, platform waiting passengers 32 are passengers with luggage, and platform passengers 33 are wheelchair users. In addition, there are also passengers with strollers, shopping carts, and bicycles, but these are not shown in the figure.

[0013] In Fig. 1, empty space AA indicates an empty space in the car interior space 6 where no users 11 to 15 are present. Also, at the platform 20, area A1 indicates a waiting area occupied by platform waiting persons 31, area A2 indicates a waiting area occupied by platform users 32 carrying luggage, and area A3 indicates a waiting area occupied by platform users 33 who are wheelchair users.

[0014] As shown in Figure 2, the elevator control device 40 includes a video analysis unit 41, a boarding eligibility determination unit 42, a guidance information storage unit 43, a guidance information output unit 44, a travel control unit 45, a lighting control unit 46, and an air conditioning control unit 47.

[0015] The image analysis unit 41 analyzes the space inside the car based on the image inside the car from the in-car camera 8 that captures the inside of the car 2, and analyzes the attribute information of the passengers 31, 32, and 33 waiting at the platform based on the image of the platform from the platform camera 21 that captures the area around the platform.

[0016] The boarding possibility determination unit 42 determines whether or not the passengers waiting at the platform 31-33, whose attribute information has been analyzed by the video analysis unit 41, can board the car interior space 6 of the car 2 analyzed by the video analysis unit 41. Specifically, the unit compares the available space AA in the car interior space 6 with the waiting areas A1-A3 occupied by the passengers waiting at the platform 31-33, and analyzes whether or not any of the passengers waiting at the platform 31-33 can board the car 2.

[0017] The guidance information storage unit 43 stores guidance information such as audio guidance and video guidance for the users 11-15 in the car 2 and the passengers 31-33 waiting at the landing. In this case, each piece of guidance information is set based on the attribute information of the passengers 31-33 waiting at the landing.

[0018] For example, as shown in Figure 3, announcements for each user attribute are as follows: (1) Wheelchair users: Wheelchair users will be boarding. Please leave the center open so that they can board easily. (2) Passengers using a cane: Passengers using a cane will be boarding the bus. Please give them a seat near the handrail. (3) Stroller users: Stroller users board the bus. (4) Trolley user: The person pulling the trolley will board the bus. (5) Bicycle users: The person pulling the bicycle will board. Please leave space from the entrance to the back. In addition, in department stores and supermarkets, announcements such as "Shopping cart users will board" are also possible.

[0019] The guidance information output unit 44 outputs guidance information to the car speaker 9, the car display 10, the hall speaker 22, and the hall display 23 based on the guidance information stored in the guidance information storage unit 43.

[0020] When the boarding possibility determination unit 42 determines that the car 2 is full and none of the people waiting at the hall 31 to 33 can board, the running control unit 45 performs running control (full passenger control) to make the elevator go directly to the destination floor without landing at the hall call floor. Also, when the boarding possibility determination unit 42 determines that some of the people waiting at the hall 31 to 33 can board but all of them cannot board, the running control unit 45 performs control (calls left behind control) to not cancel the hall call even after the car arrives.

[0021] When the boarding permission determining unit determines that an appropriate space is not secured, the lighting control unit 46 prompts the securing of an appropriate space inside the car by changing the brightness of the car interior lighting or changing the illumination location. For example, lighting control may involve illuminating the floor with a point light source to guide users inside the car.

[0022] When the boarding permission determination unit 42 determines that an appropriate amount of space is not available, the air conditioning control unit 47 changes the air volume of the car air conditioning equipment, for example, by increasing the air conditioning in the space that needs to be cleared, thereby encouraging the users 11 to 15 to move out of that space. The air conditioning control unit 47 also activates a forced ventilation function to encourage the users 11 to 15 to ensure an appropriate amount of space in the car 2. Furthermore, if the elevator has a refresh function, the refresh function is activated to encourage the users 11 to 15 to ensure an appropriate amount of space in the car 2.

[0023] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation performed by the elevator control device 40.

[0024] While the elevator is operating, the car interior camera 8 captures images of the interior of the car 2. The image information is output to the image analysis unit 41 of the elevator control device 40. The hall camera 21 also captures images of the area around the hall 20, and the image information is output to the image analysis unit 41.

[0025] The video analysis unit 41 determines whether the car 2 is full or not based on the input video information (S1).

[0026] If car 2 is not full (S1 NO), it is next determined whether or not a hall button has been pressed (S2).

[0027] If the landing button is pressed, an empty space AA in the car 2 is detected (S3). In addition, the video analysis unit 41 detects the attributes of the people 31 to 33 waiting at the landing, such as whether they are wheelchair users, people using a cane, people using a stroller, or people carrying luggage (S4).

[0028] Next, the empty space AA in the car 2 is compared with the waiting areas A1 to A3 based on the attributes of the waiting passengers (S5). Then, the boarding permission determination unit 42 determines whether the waiting passengers can board the empty space AA in the car 2 (S6).

[0029] If the passengers 31-33 waiting at the platform cannot board in the empty space AA in car 2 (S6 NO), car 2 passes through without stopping at the call floor. In this case, the passengers 31-33 waiting at the platform 20 become left-behind passengers (S7). Then, the running control unit 45 requests the group management control device to allocate another car for the left-behind passengers (S8).

[0030] On the other hand, if any of the passengers waiting at the landing 31 to 33 can board the vacant space AA in the car 2 (S6 YES), an announcement for each user attribute is made inside the car 2 through the speaker 9 in the car, as shown in FIG. 3 (S9).

[0031] The boarding permission determination unit 42 determines whether all the people waiting at the landing are able to board (S10). If all the people waiting at the landing 31 to 33 are able to board (S10 YES), the car 2 arrives and picks up the people waiting to board 31 to 33, and then the call is cancelled (S11).

[0032] If all of the people waiting at the platform 31 to 33 are unable to board (S10 NO), an announcement is made to the people waiting at the platform that "not everyone can board" (S12). Then, after the car 2 arrives at the platform 20, platform users with higher priority, such as users with canes or wheelchair users 33, are given priority to board (S13).

[0033] According to this embodiment, it is possible to ensure appropriate boarding space based on the attribute information of passengers waiting at the boarding area and the congestion level inside the car, thereby preventing a discrepancy between the level of congestion displayed by the system and the level of congestion perceived by users.

[0034] <Modifications of the embodiment> Variation 1 In the embodiment, when it is determined that adequate space has not been secured even after an audio message urging passengers to secure adequate space inside the car 2 is played, text and images urging passengers to secure adequate space inside the car 2 are displayed on the in-car display 10. This makes it possible to urge passengers who cannot hear the announcement to secure adequate space inside the car.

[0035] Variation 2 In an embodiment, if it is determined that adequate space has not been secured even after an audio message urging passengers to secure adequate space inside car 2 is played, the brightness of the car interior lighting and the areas illuminated are changed. This makes it possible to urge passengers who cannot hear the announcement to secure adequate space inside car 2.

[0036] Variation 3 In an embodiment, the air volume of the in-car air conditioning equipment is changed when it is determined that adequate space has not been secured even after an audio message urging the passenger to secure adequate space inside the car 2 is played. This makes it possible to urge passengers who cannot hear the announcement to secure adequate space inside the car 2.

[0037] Variation 4 In this embodiment, the forced ventilation function is activated when it is determined that adequate space has not been secured even after an audio message urging passengers to secure adequate space inside car 2 is played. This makes it possible to urge passengers who cannot hear the announcement to secure adequate space inside car 2.

[0038] Variation 5 In the embodiment, the car refresh function is activated when it is determined that adequate space has not been secured even after an audio message urging passengers to secure adequate space inside car 2 is played. This makes it possible to urge passengers who cannot hear the announcement to secure adequate space inside car 2.

[0039] Variation 6 In the embodiment, when it is determined that it is not possible for all passengers to board, a message or image to that effect is displayed on the hall display 23. This allows the congestion situation to be shared with passengers waiting at the hall who cannot hear the announcement.

[0040] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1...Elevator, 2...Cage, 3...Cage door, 4...Side wall, 5...Rear wall, 6...Inside the cage, 7...Inside the cage control panel, 8...Inside the cage camera, 9...Inside the cage speaker, 10...Inside the cage display, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15...Passengers, 20...Platform, 21...Platform camera, 22...Platform speaker, 23...Platform display, 31...Passengers waiting at the platform (general users), 32...Passengers waiting at the platform (passengers with luggage), 33...Platform users user (wheelchair user), 40... elevator control device, 41... image analysis unit, 42... boarding permission determination unit, 43... guidance information storage unit, 44... guidance information output unit, 45... travel control unit, 46... lighting control unit, 47... air conditioning control unit, AA... empty space, A1... waiting area for people waiting at the platform (general users) 31, A2... waiting area for people waiting at the platform (baggage users) 32, A3... waiting area for people at the platform (wheelchair users) 33

Claims

1. An image analysis unit that analyzes the space inside the elevator car based on images from an in-car camera that captures the inside of the car, and analyzes attribute information of people waiting at the platform based on images from a platform camera that captures the area around the platform; a boarding permission determination unit that determines whether or not a person waiting at a boarding hall whose attribute information has been analyzed can board the analyzed space inside the car; and a lighting control unit that, when the boarding eligibility determination unit determines that there is not enough space available for any passenger waiting at the landing to board, prompts the operator to ensure that there is enough space in the car by changing the brightness or illumination location of the lighting inside the car.

2. A video analysis unit that analyzes the space inside the elevator car based on images from an in-car camera that captures the inside of the car, and analyzes attribute information of people waiting at the platform based on images from a platform camera that captures the area around the platform; a boarding permission determination unit that determines whether or not a person waiting at a boarding hall whose attribute information has been analyzed can board the analyzed space inside the car; and an air conditioning control unit that, when the boarding eligibility determination unit determines that there is not enough space available for any passenger waiting at the landing to board, prompts the creation of an appropriate space in the car by changing the air volume of the air conditioning equipment in the car.

3. 3. The elevator control device according to claim 2, wherein, when the boarding permission determination unit determines that an appropriate space is not secured for any passenger waiting at a landing to board, the air conditioning control unit activates a forced ventilation function to prompt securing of an appropriate space in the car.

4. 3. The elevator control device according to claim 2, wherein, when the boarding permission determination unit determines that an appropriate space is not secured for any passenger waiting at a landing to board, the air conditioning control unit activates an in-car refresh function to prompt securing of an appropriate space in the car.

5. 5. The elevator control device according to claim 1, further comprising a guidance information output unit that outputs audio or video prompting the user to secure an appropriate space in the car in accordance with attribute information of the passenger waiting at the landing analyzed by the video analysis unit.

6. An elevator control device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, which is equipped with a travel control unit that, when the boarding eligibility determination unit determines that the car is full and boarding is not permitted, causes the elevator to go directly to the destination floor without landing at the hall call floor.

7. When the boarding possibility determination unit determines that the space inside the car analyzed by the video analysis unit is not capable of boarding all of the passengers waiting at the platform, the passengers waiting at the platform are notified by audio or video that all of the passengers cannot board, 5. The elevator control device according to claim 1, wherein the hall call is not cancelled even after the car has arrived.

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