Elevator information display system

Abstract

By visualizing the usage status of elevators, escalators, and landings, and distributing users between elevators and escalators, congestion on elevators and escalators can be alleviated, reducing user dissatisfaction. [Solution] The system includes a usage status detection means for detecting the usage status of elevators and escalators installed in a building, a building server that receives detection information detected by the usage status detection means, and a plurality of monitor devices installed in the building where the elevators are installed, which display information stored in the building server based on the detection information according to the installation status of the elevators.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a guidance information display system.

Background Art

[0002] Elevators, escalators and other hoisting apparatuses are extremely important as means of transportation in buildings.

[0003] Conventionally, as a technology for supporting users to use hoisting apparatuses, there is a system that outputs route information to the user for reaching a specified destination via the hoisting apparatus, and presents the route to the destination via the hoisting apparatus to the user. There is also a technology in which a user carrying a card terminal is guided through a building by a voice loudspeaker, an earphone, a vibration generator or the like provided on the card terminal, so that the user can arrive at a desired destination on a desired floor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

Summary of the Invention

Problem to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, with the conventional technology, the congestion status of elevators and escalators cannot be known until the user actually goes to the landing. Therefore, when there are many users of the elevator or escalator, the waiting time becomes long, and there is a risk that the landing will be crowded. When congestion occurs, the travel time to the destination floor is lost and the operation efficiency decreases, which causes dissatisfaction among users. This is the problem to be solved.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide an elevator guidance information display system that can alleviate congestion on elevators and escalators and reduce user dissatisfaction by visualizing the usage status of landings, elevators, and escalators, and distributing users between elevators and escalators. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] An embodiment for achieving the above objective comprises a means for detecting usage status, a building server, and a plurality of monitoring devices.

[0008] The usage status detection means detects the usage status of elevators and escalators installed in the building. The building server receives the detection information detected by the usage status detection means. Multiple monitoring devices are installed within the building where the elevators are installed and display information stored in the building server based on the detection information, according to the installation status of the elevators. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] A block diagram showing the configuration of a building to which the guidance information display system in the embodiment is applied. [Figure 2] An explanatory diagram showing the building's structure, including the elevator car and landing. [Figure 3] An explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an escalator. [Figure 4] A block diagram showing the configuration of the guidance information display system in the embodiment. [Figure 5] An explanatory diagram showing the display information classified and stored in the display information storage unit. [Figure 6] A flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of the embodiment. [Figure 7] An explanatory diagram showing an example of the display information shown on the monitoring device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] 《Configuration of the Embodiment》 As shown in Figures 1 to 3, Building 1 has multiple elevators 2 and escalators 3 installed. The elevator car 4 of Elevator 2 moves up and down within the hoistway installed in Building 1 by a hoisting machine 5. An elevator camera 6 is installed inside the car 4 to capture images of users 60. In addition, a landing camera 7 is installed at the landing 50 of Elevator 2 to capture images of users 60 at the landing 50, and an escalator camera 8 is installed at the location of the escalator 3 to capture images of users of the escalator 3. Each elevator 2 is controlled by an elevator control panel 10, and each escalator 3 is controlled by an escalator control panel. Furthermore, the camera images from these elevator cameras 6 are supplied to the building server 40 via the elevator control panel 10, and the camera images from the escalator camera 8 and landing camera 7 are supplied directly to the building server 40.

[0011] As shown in Figure 2, the elevator camera 6 consists of an in-car camera that monitors the inside of the elevator car 4 and a door camera that monitors the area near the entrance and exit, capturing images of users 60 inside the car 4 and near the door. Users 60 at the landing 50 are captured by the landing camera 7. A monitoring device 70 is installed on the building wall near the elevator installation location at the landing 50, displaying information desired by users 60. Specifically, it displays items such as congestion status for each elevator 2 and escalator 3, congestion prediction data, and a facility map, which users can select. If congestion status is selected, the camera image will display the congestion status of either a specific floor, the landing, the elevator, or the escalator. A specific example of the display will be described later using Figure 7.

[0012] Figure 3 shows the area around the installation location of escalator 3, with the monitoring device 70 mounted on the outer deck 31. In Figure 3, the monitoring device 70 is mounted on the outer deck 31, but the monitoring device 70 may also be installed on the wall near the escalator.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 4, a building server 40 connected to an elevator control panel 10 and an escalator control panel 20 includes an elevator information input unit 41, a camera image input unit 42, a sensor data input unit 43, a congestion degree calculation unit 44, a display information storage unit 45, a display information selection unit 46, a display information output unit 47, and a QR code (registered trademark) adding unit 48.

[0014] The elevator information input unit 41 receives elevator information relating to the operation of an elevator from the elevator control panel 10, and escalator information relating to the operation of an escalator from the escalator control panel 20.

[0015] The camera image input unit 42 respectively receives a camera image obtained by imaging a user 60 in a car 4 from an elevator camera 6, a camera image obtained by imaging a user 60 of the escalator 3 from an escalator camera 8, and a camera image of a user 60 waiting at a landing 50 from a landing camera 7.

[0016] The sensor data input unit 43 receives data from various sensors that detect the user 60, such as load sensors and human sensors installed in elevators and escalators.

[0017] The congestion degree calculation unit 44 obtains attributes of the user 60 (wheelchair users, stroller users, cart users, elderly people walking with canes, etc.) and the number of users for each attribute of the user 60 from the input camera image, and calculates the respective congestion degrees in the car 4 of the elevator 2, on the escalator 3, and at the landing 50. In this case, calculation may be performed by using the sensor data from the sensor data input unit 43 in combination.

[0018] The display information storage unit 45 stores information such as advertisement information 451, weather / news information 452, and building guide information 453. Specific display contents are shown in FIG. 5.

[0019] The display information selection unit 46 selects display information to be displayed on a monitor device 70 from the display information storage unit 45.

[0020] The display information output unit 47 outputs the selected display information to the corresponding monitor device.

[0021] The QR code generation unit 48 displays the URL of the website related to the displayed information as a two-dimensional code. Users can access the information on the corresponding website by scanning the code with their smartphone or other device.

[0022] The monitor device 70 comprises a screen selection unit 71, a display information input unit 72, and a display unit 73. When a menu item displayed on the screen is selected, the screen selection unit 71 sends that information to the display information selection unit 46 of the building server 40. The display information input unit 72 receives the selected screen information from the building server 40. The display unit 73 controls the display of the monitor screen.

[0023] Figure 5 shows an example of the display content stored in the display information storage unit 45 in a table format.

[0024] The displayed information varies depending on the direction of movement of the elevator (EV) / escalator (ESC), the installation location, whether the person requesting the information is the building owner / management company / tenant or a user, the monitor's installation location, and whether there are many or few users.

[0025] The direction of movement depends on whether the elevator (EV) / escalator (ESC) is going up (UP) or down (DOWN), and whether you are entering or exiting the building.

[0026] Those who desire this display are divided into two groups: building owners / management companies / tenants and users.

[0027] The monitor installation location will vary depending on whether it's at the building entrance, before boarding the EV / ESC, or after disembarking from the EV / ESC.

[0028] (1) When the direction of movement is UP or entering the building (1-1) In the case of building owner / management company / tenant (1-1-1) Building entrance If the monitor is installed at the building entrance, the following display example 1 will be shown regardless of whether there are many or few users.

[0029] Example 1 Event / campaign / festival information, advertising distribution (commercial facilities), floor guide (displaying tenant names for each floor), floor map, maintenance / construction notices (apartments), garbage collection schedules (apartments), etc.

[0030] (1-1-2) Before boarding an EV / ESC If the monitor is installed before boarding the EV / ESC, the following display example 2 will be shown regardless of whether there are many or few users.

[0031] Example 2 Event / campaign / festival information, emergency response, advertising distribution (commercial facilities), floor guide (displaying tenant names for each floor), warnings, etc.

[0032] (1-1-3) After exiting the EV / ESC If the monitor is installed after exiting the EV / ESC vehicle, the following display example 3 will be shown regardless of whether there are many or few users.

[0033] Example 3 Event / campaign / festival information, advertising distribution (commercial facilities), floor map (1-1) For users (1-1-1) Building entrance If the monitor is installed at the building entrance, display example 4 will be shown if there are many users, and display example 5 will be shown if there are few users.

[0034] Example 4 Floor map, elevator / escalator waiting times, elevator / escalator congestion levels, usage / reservation information (meeting rooms, restaurants, etc.), floor guide (tenant names displayed for each floor), maintenance / construction notices (for apartments), garbage collection days (for apartments), etc.

[0035] Example 5 Floor map, usage / reservation information (meeting rooms, restaurants, etc.), floor guide (tenant names displayed for each floor), maintenance / construction notices (for apartments), garbage collection schedules (for apartments), etc.

[0036] Example 6 Event / campaign / festival information, EV / ESC waiting times, EV / ESC congestion levels, usage / reservation information (meeting rooms, restaurants, etc.), floor guide (tenant names displayed for each floor), news, floor numbering, etc.

[0037] Example 7 Event / campaign / festival information, floor guide (displaying tenant names for each floor), news, floor number, etc.

[0038] Example 8 Floor maps, transfer information (within train stations), information signs, floor number indicators, etc.

[0039] Examples 9-13 show the display content when the elevator is moving in the downward direction (DOWN) or when it is installed on the exit side of Building 1.

[0040] Example 9 Event / campaign / festival information announcements, advertising distribution (commercial facilities), maintenance / construction notices (apartments), garbage collection schedules (apartments), etc.

[0041] Example 10 Event / campaign / festival information, advertising distribution (commercial facilities), floor guide (displaying tenant names for each floor), floor maps, etc.

[0042] Example 11 Event / campaign / festival information announcements, maintenance / construction notices (for apartments), neighborhood maps, garbage collection schedules (for apartments), etc.

[0043] Example 12 Event / campaign / festival information, weather information, health-related information (pollen information, etc.), EV / ESC waiting times, EV / ESC congestion levels, usage / reservation information (meeting rooms, restaurants, etc.), floor guide (tenant names displayed for each floor), news, floor number display, departure boards (railway station information), etc.

[0044] Example 13 Event / campaign / festival information, weather information, health-related information (pollen information, etc.), usage / reservation information (meeting rooms, restaurants, etc.), floor guide (tenant names displayed for each floor), news, floor number display, departure boards (railway station information), etc.

[0045] As described above, depending on the location and direction of movement of the elevator, the information that the building owner wants to inform users 60 about, or the information that users 60 want to know, is displayed differently depending on whether there are many or few users, depending on the location of the monitor 70. For example, if there are few users 60 of elevator 2, the monitor 70 installed at the entrance (lobby) of building 1 can display information on the congestion level of elevator 2, and the monitor 70 installed at the elevator landing 50 can display information on tenant events, making it possible to display different information depending on the location of the monitor 70.

[0046] <Operation of the Embodiment> Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of the embodiment.

[0047] The elevator information input unit 41 of the building server 40 inputs elevator information from the elevator control panel 10 and the escalator control panel 20 while the elevators are in operation. In addition, while the elevators are in operation, the camera image input unit 42 collects camera images of the inside of the elevator car 4 from the elevator camera 6, camera images of the area around the escalator boarding / alighting platform from the escalator camera 8, and camera images of the landing 50 from the landing camera 7 for each floor (S1).

[0048] The sensor data input unit 43 inputs sensor data (S2). It inputs data from various sensors that detect users 60, such as load sensors and motion sensors installed on elevators 2 and escalators 3.

[0049] The congestion level calculation unit 44 calculates the congestion level (S3). Specifically, it obtains the attributes of users 60 (wheelchair users, stroller users, cart users, elderly people with canes, etc.) and the number of users for each attribute from the input camera images, and also uses the sensor data from the sensor data input unit 43 to calculate the congestion levels inside the elevator car 4 of the elevator 2, the escalator 3, and the landing 50, respectively. For example, the congestion level inside the elevator car can be calculated by quantifying the number of users inside the car, the number of strollers, and the number of wheelchairs, etc., and comparing this quantified data with the area inside the car.

[0050] Based on the calculated congestion level, the system determines and stores whether the number of users (60) is high or low for each floor (S4).

[0051] The display information selection unit 46 displays the congestion level calculated by the congestion level calculation unit 44 on the monitor device 70 and also announces it to the user 60 (S5). The congestion level is displayed as a pie chart for each unit or floor, for example, as shown in the monitor (2) in Figure 7(b).

[0052] Furthermore, the display information output unit 47 selects information to be displayed on each monitoring device corresponding to the level of congestion and displays it on each monitoring device 70 (S6). If the landing 50 of elevator 2 and the inside of elevator 2 are crowded, and it is determined from the camera image of the landing camera 7 that a person who can only use the elevator, such as a wheelchair user or stroller user, visits the landing 50 and that this person 60 will use elevator 2, the monitoring device 70 will broadcast an announcement to the effect that "those who can use the escalator should give way to those who can only use the elevator."

[0053] Next, it is determined whether the user 60 has touched the menu screen of the monitor device 70 (S7). If the menu screen is touched, the display information selection unit 46 selects the display information to be displayed on the monitor device 70 from the display information storage unit 45. The display information output unit 47 outputs the selected display information to the corresponding monitor device 70. When the display information input unit 72 of the monitor device 70 receives the display information, the display unit 73 displays the screen of the touched menu item (S8). For example, it displays as shown in monitor (1) in Figure 7(a). An example of the screen layout of the monitor device 70 shown in Figure 7 will be described below.

[0054] As shown in the figure, the monitoring device 70 consists of two screens, monitor (1) and monitor (2). Note that monitor (1) and monitor (2) can be configured on a single monitoring device 70, or, as shown in Figure 2, two monitoring devices 70 can be installed side by side, with one serving as monitor (1) and the other as monitor (2).

[0055] Monitor (1) has a selection menu 75, including "Congestion Status," "Congestion Prediction Data," and "Facility Map." The "Congestion Status" menu allows users to choose whether to display camera footage 76 of congestion status at the landing, elevator, or escalator for each floor. A QR code 77 is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen, and when a user holds their smartphone over it, they can switch to the corresponding application. By scanning the QR code with a smartphone, users can check a map of Building 1, their current location, the route to the elevators and escalators, and the congestion status from anywhere other than the location where the monitor device 70 is installed.

[0056] As mentioned above, the monitor (2) can display the level of congestion for each floor in each elevator and escalator in a pie chart format.

[0057] As described above, according to this embodiment, multiple monitoring devices 70 are installed at the building entrance, elevator landing, escalator entrance, etc., to visualize the usage status of elevator 2 and escalator 3. If there are many elevator users 60, the users 60 are guided to escalator 3, and if there are many users of escalator 3, the users 60 are guided to elevator 2. By distributing users 60 between elevator 2 and escalator 3, dissatisfaction among users 60 due to congestion can be suppressed, and congestion on elevators and escalators can be alleviated. In addition, since the congestion status can be communicated to users visually, optimal guidance can be provided when moving around within the building. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, depending on the location of the elevators and escalators, information that the building owner / management company / tenants want to convey and information that users want to know (advertisements and congestion levels) can be displayed, thereby increasing the effectiveness of advertising and improving the convenience of building 1.

[0058] <Modified examples of embodiments> Depending on the congestion levels of the elevators and escalators, the color of the respective locations of elevator 2 and escalator 3 on the facility map displayed on the monitoring device 70 may be changed.

[0059] If the congestion level at elevator 2's landing 50 exceeds a certain number, the monitoring device 70 can announce an announcement recommending the use of the escalator or an estimated waiting time for boarding elevator 2, further improving convenience for users 60.

[0060] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented 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 variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0061] 1...Building, 2...Elevator, 3...Escalator, 4...Car, 5...Hoisting machine, 6...Elevator camera, 7...Landing camera, 8...Escalator camera, 10...Elevator control panel, 20...Escalator control panel, 40...Building server, 41...Elevator information input unit, 42...Camera image input unit, 43...Sensor data input unit, 44...Congestion level calculation unit, 45...Display information storage unit, 451...Advertising information, 452...Weather / news information, 453...Building information, 46...Display information selection unit, 47...Display information output unit, 48...QR code assignment unit, 50...Landing, 60...User, 70...Monitor device, 71...Screen selection unit, 72...Display information input unit, 73...Display unit

Claims

1. A means for detecting the usage status of elevators and escalators installed in a building, A building server that receives detection information detected by the usage status detection means, The building in which the elevator is installed has a plurality of monitoring devices that display information stored in the building server based on the detection information, according to the installation status of the elevator. A guidance information display system for elevators and escalators, in which the display screen of the monitoring device allows users to select at least the following items: congestion status, congestion prediction data, and facility map, and when congestion status is selected, the congestion status of one of the following—a specific floor, landing, elevator, or escalator—is displayed as camera footage.

2. A means for detecting the usage status of elevators and escalators installed in a building, A building server that receives detection information detected by the usage status detection means, The building in which the elevator is installed has a plurality of monitoring devices that display information stored in the building server based on the detection information, according to the installation status of the elevator. The content displayed on the monitoring device is: In relation to the installation status of elevators and escalators, they can be broadly classified according to whether the elevator's direction of movement is upward or downward, whether it is towards the entrance or exit of the building, and whether the entrance of the escalator is at the entrance or the exit of the building. Furthermore, regarding the installation status of elevators, those who desire the display can be divided into those belonging to the building management and those belonging to the users. Furthermore, the monitoring devices are categorized based on whether they are installed at the building's entrance or exit, and whether the user is using the elevator before boarding or after disembarking. The information displayed on the monitoring devices is determined based on whether there are many or few users at the location where each monitoring device is set up, and this is a guidance information display system for elevators.

3. The aforementioned usage detection means consists of cameras installed inside the elevator car, on the elevator landing, and around the escalator, and sensors installed on the elevator and escalator to detect users. The elevator guidance information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the building server calculates the congestion status of the elevator landing, elevator car, and escalator from the occupancy rate and load of floors, cars, and steps near the elevators and escalators, and user attribute information, and displays the information desired by the user on a monitoring device according to the congestion status.

4. The elevator information display system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the display screen of the monitoring device displays a QR code (registered trademark) corresponding to each display content, and each QR code contains a URL that, when scanned by the user with a mobile device, leads to an information site showing details of the content displayed on the display screen.

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