Group control system for double-deck elevators

Abstract

In group control of double-deck elevators, the present invention provides a group control device for double-deck elevators that assigns a responding elevator car to a landing call to prevent users from boarding the wrong elevator. [Solution] The group control device comprises an evaluation unit, an evaluation value modification unit, and an assignment unit. The evaluation unit calculates an evaluation value for each car in a group of double-deck elevators that indicates the priority of assignment to a new landing call. The evaluation value modification unit changes the evaluation value calculated for each car of the same unit with open doors for double-deck elevators where the upper or lower car is stopped and its doors are open at the departure floor of the landing call, and the direction of travel is the same as the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor of the landing call, to the same value as the evaluation value of the car with open doors, or a value with a worse evaluation. The assignment unit assigns the car with the best evaluation value as the assigned car to respond to the new landing call.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a group management control device for double-deck elevators. [Background Art]

[0002] A system that collectively controls a plurality of elevators is referred to as an elevator group management control system. In particular, a group management control system in which each elevator is constituted by a double-deck elevator having an upper car and a lower car coupled together is called a double-deck group management control system.

[0003] In an elevator group management control system, when a user performs a registration operation for a hall call, allocation processing is performed to determine a car (allocated car) that responds to the hall call so that users can be transported most efficiently. [Prior Art Documents] [Patent Documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent No. 5761454 [Summary of the Invention] [Problem to be Solved by the Invention]

[0005] When performing allocation processing for a hall call related to a double-deck elevator, processing is performed by distinguishing between the upper car and the lower car. On the other hand, when call registration at a hall is performed by inputting a destination floor using a hall destination floor registration device, the hall destination floor registration device displays the allocated unit to the user who input the destination floor, but does not notify whether the allocated car is an upper car or a lower car.

[0006] When call registration is performed using a hall destination floor registration device, when the allocated car responds at the departure floor, the call to the destination floor is automatically registered. Accordingly, the user does not operate the destination floor call button inside the car. Alternatively, in such an elevator, the destination floor call button may not be installed inside the car.

[0007] If a passenger makes a call to the elevator on the floor where they have made the call, and another elevator car of the same type as the one assigned to that passenger arrives and opens its doors before the assigned elevator car, traveling in the same direction as the passenger's destination floor, it is possible that the passenger may mistakenly board the elevator car with its doors open. If a passenger who has entered their destination floor into the elevator destination floor registration device mistakenly boards the elevator car with its doors open as described above, the call to the destination floor will not be automatically registered for the elevator car they boarded, resulting in the passenger being unable to alight at their destination floor.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a group control device for a double-deck elevator that can assign a responding elevator car to a landing call in order to prevent users from boarding the wrong elevator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to an embodiment for achieving the above objective, the group control device for a double-deck elevator comprises an evaluation unit, an evaluation value modification unit, and an assignment unit. The evaluation unit calculates an evaluation value for each car in a plurality of double-deck elevators that indicates the priority of assignment to a new landing call. The evaluation value modification unit changes the evaluation value calculated for the same car in each unit of a double-deck elevator where the upper or lower car is stopped and its doors are open at the departure floor of the landing call, and the direction of travel is the same as the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor of the landing call, to the same value as the evaluation value of the car with its doors open, or to a value with a worse evaluation. The assignment unit assigns the car with the best evaluation value as the assigned car to respond to the new landing call. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram of an elevator group control system using a group control device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2A]This flowchart shows the evaluation value change process performed by a group control device for a double-deck elevator according to one embodiment. [Figure 2B] This flowchart shows the evaluation value change process performed by a group control device for a double-deck elevator according to one embodiment. [Figure 3A] This is an explanatory diagram showing the initial state in a specific example of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit when a double-deck elevator is traveling upward. [Figure 3B] This is an explanatory diagram showing the state after the assignment process in a specific example of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit when a double-deck elevator is traveling upward. [Figure 3C] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating a specific example of the state after the assignment process when the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit is assigned to another unit while a double-deck elevator is traveling upward. [Figure 4A] This is an explanatory diagram showing the initial state in a specific example of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit when a double-deck elevator is traveling downwards. [Figure 4B] This is an explanatory diagram showing the state after the assignment process in a specific example of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit when a double-deck elevator is traveling downwards. [Figure 5A] This flowchart shows the evaluation value change process performed by a group control device for a double-deck elevator according to another embodiment. [Figure 5B] This flowchart shows the evaluation value change process performed by a group control device for a double-deck elevator according to another embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] In order to describe embodiments of the present invention, the technical details of the elevator system that serves as a prerequisite will be explained.

[0012] A system that controls multiple elevators collectively is called an elevator group control system. A group control system for elevators that has a Hall Destination Controller (HDC) installed at the elevator landing is called a DCS (Destination Control System). A DCS in which each elevator is a double-deck elevator is called a double-deck DCS.

[0013] When a user enters their destination floor on the HDC and performs a landing call operation, the HDC displays the elevator car they should board. The user waits at the landing in front of the door of the displayed elevator car, and boards when the elevator car, with its direction of travel being towards the destination floor, lands and opens its doors at the floor where the landing call was made. For example, if a user going from the 2nd floor to the 8th floor is assigned elevator car A, the user boards when elevator car A opens its doors with its direction of travel being upward. In this embodiment, the "direction of travel" is the direction in which the elevator car is expected to travel next when it is stopped (indicated by announcements output to the user or by the flashing of lights installed at the landing), and the direction in which the elevator car is moving when it is moving.

[0014] Double-deck elevators have an upper and lower car for each unit, but when a user makes a call to the landing, they are not instructed which car to board. Therefore, they board the assigned elevator, assuming the direction of travel is towards their destination floor, and board the car that first opens its doors at the floor where the call was made. Users can determine which direction the elevator is traveling based on the announcement made when they respond or the indicator lights on the landing.

[0015] On the other hand, in the double-deck DCS, when a new boarding call occurs, the allocation process determines which car to assign to the passenger, including not only the car number but also whether to transport the passenger in the upper or lower car. For example, a boarding call resulting from the boarding call operation performed by the passenger mentioned above would be assigned to "Car A, Upper Car".

[0016] When a user rides in a car, there is no need for the user to press the destination floor button. Since the destination floor information input at the landing has been transmitted to the elevator control device, the car the user rides in will open its door at the user's destination floor. Therefore, the user can get off at the destination floor without performing any operation in the car. However, there are also destination control systems (DCS) configured such that a car call button is installed in the car, allowing the user to get off at the floor operated via this button. In particular, in a DCS (hybrid DCS) provided with a landing call registration device that registers up / down direction calls at some floors, it is necessary to install car call buttons in the car.

[0017] In a double-deck DCS, there may be a case where another car of the same unit as the car assigned to the user's landing call arrives at the landing call generated floor earlier with the traveling direction the same as the direction in which the user heads toward the destination floor, and opens its door. In this case, the user is highly likely to mistake the door-opened car for the assigned car and ride the wrong car. This is because the user is not instructed whether to ride the upper car or the lower car, and both the upper car and the lower car open their doors at the same landing door on one floor, so it is difficult for the user to distinguish between the upper car and the lower car when getting on.

[0018] It should be noted that when a car lands at a landing and opens its door, it is a basic practice to notify the user of whether the car is heading upward or downward via a direction indicator lamp or an announcement. When another car of the same unit as the car assigned to the landing call passes through the landing call generated floor earlier than the assigned car with the traveling direction the same as the direction toward the user's destination floor, the possibility of the user riding the wrong car increases.

[0019] In this case, if a user who has input a destination floor into a hybrid destination control system (HDC) mistakenly rides the door-opened car as described above, the call for the destination floor will not be automatically registered in the wrongly ridden car, which causes the problem that the user cannot get off at the destination floor.

[0020] An embodiment of a double-deck group supervisory control system made in view of the above circumstances will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0021] <Configuration of a double-deck group control system using a group control device according to one embodiment> The configuration of a double-deck group control system using a group control device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1. The double-deck group control system 1 according to this embodiment comprises a plurality of double-deck elevators (elevator A 10A, elevator B 10B, and elevator C 10C) installed in an n-story building, landing destination floor registration devices 20-1 to 20-m installed at the landings of each floor, and a group control device 30. The double-deck group control system 1 of this embodiment is configured using a destination floor control system (DCS) in which landing destination floor registration devices (HDC) 20-1 to 20-m are installed on each floor of the building. In this embodiment, the case in which there are three double-deck elevators installed in the building will be described, but the number is not limited to this, and there may be two or four or more. In addition, the landing destination floor registration devices may be installed on all floors of the building, or on only some floors. On floors where a landing destination floor registration device is not installed, up and down buttons for landings are provided to register a landing call by specifying only the destination direction.

[0022] Elevator A 10A comprises an upper car 11A, a lower car 12A, and an elevator control device 13A. The elevator control device 13A outputs elevator information such as the position information, travel status information, door opening / closing status information, load status information, and car call registration information of the upper car 11A and lower car 12A to the group control device 30. The elevator control device 13A also causes elevator A 10A to respond to the registered floor of the call based on an assignment command from the group control device 30, and opens the doors of the corresponding car.

[0023] Since elevators 10B and 10C of Unit B and Unit C have the same configuration as elevator 10A of Unit A, a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0024] The boarding destination floor registration devices 20-1 to 20-m are devices that allow boarding users to register boarding calls specifying their destination floor and calling one of the elevator cars 11A to 11C or 12A to 12C. Each of the boarding destination floor registration devices 20-1 to 20-m outputs identification information of the elevator car to be boarded to the user who has registered the boarding call.

[0025] Hereafter, unless it is specified which of the boarding destination floor registration devices 20-1 to 20-m is being referred to, it will be written as "boarding destination floor registration device 20". Similarly, unless it is specified which of the control devices 13A, 13B, or 13C is being referred to, it will be written as "control device 13".

[0026] The group control device 30 manages elevators A 10A, B 10B, and C 10C as a group. The group control device 30 includes a landing call registration unit 31 and a CPU 32.

[0027] The landing call registration unit 31 receives and registers landing call information obtained from the landing destination floor registration devices 20-1 to 20-m.

[0028] The CPU 32 is, for example, the CPU (Central Processing Unit) of a general-purpose microcomputer, and by installing and executing a predetermined elevator group management control program, it configures one or more information processing units as shown below. The CPU 32 includes an elevator information acquisition unit 321, an evaluation unit 322, an evaluation value modification unit 323, an allocation unit 324, and an allocation information output unit 325.

[0029] The elevator information acquisition unit 321 acquires elevator information output from each of the control devices 13A, 13B, and 13C.

[0030] When new landing call information is registered in the landing call registration unit 31, the evaluation unit 322 generates an evaluation value indicating the priority of assignment to the new landing call for each car within elevators 10A, 10B, and 10C, based on the elevator information for each unit acquired by the elevator information acquisition unit 321.

[0031] The evaluation value changing unit 323, for double-deck elevators among elevators 10A, 10B, and 10C, where the upper or lower car is stopped and its doors open at the departure floor of a new landing call, and the direction of travel is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the new landing call to the destination floor, changes the evaluation value of the car with its doors open to the same value as or a worse value than the evaluation value of the car with its doors open for other cars of the same unit.

[0032] The assignment unit 324 assigns a car to respond to a landing call registered in the landing call registration unit 31, based on the evaluation value of each car generated by the evaluation unit 322 and modified as necessary by the evaluation value modification unit 323. Hereafter, a car assigned to a landing call will be referred to as an assigned car.

[0033] The allocation information output unit 325 outputs an allocation command to the control device 13 corresponding to the allocated elevator car, and also notifies the elevator car number information corresponding to the determined allocated elevator car to the landing destination floor registration device 20 where the landing call registration operation was performed.

[0034] <Operation of a double-deck group management and control system according to one embodiment> The operation of the double-deck group management control system 1 according to this embodiment will now be explained. When a user inputs destination floor information into the landing destination floor registration device 20 at a landing on any floor of the building and performs a landing call registration operation, the landing call information is registered in the landing call registration unit 31 of the group management control device 30.

[0035] Figures 2A and 2B are flowcharts showing the processes executed by the group control device 30 when landing call information is registered. When a new landing call X is registered in the landing call registration unit 31 (S1:YES), the evaluation unit 322 of the group control device 30 calculates an evaluation value for the assignment to the registered landing call X for each of the upper and lower cars in elevators 10A, 10B, and 10C, based on the elevator information for each unit acquired by the elevator information acquisition unit 321 (S2). This evaluation value is a value (point) that indicates the priority of assignment to landing call X for each car, and the smaller the points, the more suitable it is for assignment to the landing call and the higher the priority, i.e., the better the evaluation.

[0036] When the evaluation unit 322 calculates the evaluation value for each elevator car, the evaluation value change unit 323 executes the evaluation value change process for each elevator (each unit). Here, the evaluation value change process is executed when an evaluation value is calculated for a landing call specifying a destination floor, which is registered by the HDC, etc. In other words, when an evaluation value is calculated for an up-and-down landing call registered by the landing call registration device that registers up-and-down calls, it is excluded from the evaluation value change process. The reason for this is that when a user registers an up-and-down landing call with the landing call registration device, the destination floor is registered by operating the car call button inside the car, so even if the user mistakenly boards a different car of the same unit as the assigned car, the situation where they cannot move to their destination floor will not occur.

[0037] The evaluation value change unit 323 first starts the evaluation value change process for elevator 10A and determines whether elevator 10A is stopped or not (S3). If the evaluation value change unit 323 determines that elevator 10A is stopped (S3:YES), it identifies the first stopping floor, which is the stopping floor for the upper car 11A, and the second stopping floor, which is the stopping floor for the lower car 12A (S4).

[0038] The processes described in steps S5 to S8 below are applied when the elevator 10A is in service while moving upward. The evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the upper car 11A of the elevator 10A has its doors open at the first stop floor (S5). Here, if the upper car 11A has its doors open at the first stop floor (S5: YES), the evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the first stop floor, which is the stop floor of the upper car 11A, is the same as the departure floor of the landing call X, and whether the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X toward the destination floor (S6). In other words, the evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the upper car 11A has stopped and its doors are open at the departure floor of the landing call X, and whether the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X toward the destination floor.

[0039] If the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the upper car 11A has stopped and opened its doors at the departure floor of the landing call X, and that the elevator 10A is traveling in the same direction as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X to the destination floor (S6: YES), it determines whether the evaluation value calculated for the upper car 11A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the lower car 12A, which is a different car of the same unit as the upper car 11A (S7).

[0040] If the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the evaluation value calculated for the upper car 11A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the lower car 12A (S7: YES), it recognizes that there is a possibility that a user may mistakenly board the upper car 11A when the lower car 12A is assigned to the landing call X.

[0041] Therefore, the evaluation value changing unit 323 changes the evaluation value of the lower car 12A to the same value as or higher (worse) the evaluation value of the upper car 11A (S8). For example, if the setting range for the evaluation value (point value) is 1 to 5, and the evaluation value of the upper car 11A is 4 (low priority) and the evaluation value of the lower car 12A is 1 (high priority), the evaluation value of the lower car 12A is changed to 4 or 5. As a result, the lower car 12A is not assigned to the landing call X, and the situation in which a user mistakenly boards the upper car 11A when the lower car 12A is assigned to the landing call X is avoided.

[0042] The processes described in steps S9 to S12 below are applied when the elevator 10A is in service while moving downwards. The evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the lower car 12A of the elevator 10A has its doors open at the second stopping floor (S9). Here, if the lower car 12A has its doors open at the second stopping floor (S9: YES), the evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the second stopping floor, which is the stopping floor of the lower car 12A, is the same as the departure floor of the landing call X, and whether the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X toward the destination floor (S10). In other words, the evaluation value change unit 323 determines whether the lower car 12A has stopped and its doors are open at the departure floor of the landing call X, and whether the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X toward the destination floor.

[0043] If the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the lower car 12A has stopped and opened its doors at the departure floor of the landing call X, and that the elevator 10A is traveling in the same direction as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X to the destination floor (S10: YES), it determines whether the evaluation value calculated for the lower car 12A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the upper car 11A, which is a different car of the same unit as the lower car 12A (S11).

[0044] If the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the evaluation value calculated for the lower basket 12A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the lower basket 12A (S11: YES), it recognizes that there is a possibility that a user may mistakenly board the lower basket 12A when the upper basket 11A is assigned to the landing call X.

[0045] Therefore, the evaluation value changing unit 323 changes the evaluation value of the upper car 11A to the same value as or higher than the evaluation value of the lower car 12A (S12). As a result, the upper car 11A is not assigned to the landing call X, and the situation in which a user mistakenly boards the upper car 12A when the upper car 11A is assigned to the landing call X is avoided.

[0046] Furthermore, the evaluation value changing unit 323 proceeds to step S9 without changing the evaluation value of the lower car 12A if it determines in step S5 that the upper car 11A's doors are not open at the first stopping floor (S5:NO), if it determines in step S6 that the first stopping floor, which is the stopping floor of the upper car 11A, is not the same as the departure floor of the landing call X, or if the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is not the same as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X to the destination floor (S6:NO), or if it determines in step S7 that the evaluation value calculated for the upper car 11A is not higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the lower car 12A (S7:NO).

[0047] Furthermore, if in step S9 it is determined that the doors of the lower car 12A are not open at the second stopping floor (S9:NO), if in step S10 it is determined that the second stopping floor, which is the stopping floor of the lower car 12A, is not the same as the departure floor of the landing call X, or that the direction of travel of the elevator 10A is not the same as the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor of the landing call X (S10:NO), or if in step S11 it is determined that the evaluation value calculated for the lower car 12A is not higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the upper car 11A (S12:NO), then the evaluation value change process for the elevator 10A is terminated without changing the evaluation value of the upper car 11A.

[0048] Furthermore, if it is determined in step S3 that elevator 10A is not stopped (S3:NO), the evaluation value modification process for elevator 10A is terminated.

[0049] When the evaluation value change unit 323 has finished the evaluation value change process for elevator 10A, it also executes the processes described in steps S1 to S12 for elevators 10B and 10C.

[0050] [Specific Example (1)] A specific example (1) of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit 323 when elevator 10A is traveling upward will be explained with reference to Figures 3A and 3B. In these figures, the departure floor of a landing call registered in the landing call registration unit 31 is indicated by a triangle (△), and the destination floor is indicated by a circle (〇).

[0051] Figure 3A shows the initial state in this example. In the initial state, landing call X1 is registered in the landing call registration unit 31. Landing call X1 has a departure floor of the 5th floor and a destination floor of the 7th floor, and upper car 11A is assigned as the assigned car. Upper car 11A stops at the 5th floor and opens its doors in response to landing call X1.

[0052] Here, a new landing call X2 is registered in the landing call registration unit 31 (S1: YES). Landing call X2 has a departure floor of the 5th floor and a destination floor of the 9th floor. Once landing call X2 is registered, the evaluation unit 322 calculates an evaluation value for the assignment of the registered landing call X2 to each of the upper and lower cars in elevators 10A, 10B, and 10C (S2).

[0053] Next, the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that elevator 10A is currently stopped (S3:YES) and that the upper car 11A is open at the first stopping floor [5th floor] (S4, S5:YES). The evaluation value changing unit 323 further determines that the stopping floor [5th floor] of upper car 11A is the same as the departure floor [5th floor] of landing call X2, and that the direction of travel of elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor [5th floor] of landing call X2 to the destination floor [9th floor] (S6:YES).

[0054] At this time, if the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the evaluation value calculated for the upper basket 11A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the lower basket 12A (S7: YES), it changes the evaluation value of the lower basket 12A to the same value as or higher (worse) than the evaluation value of the upper basket 11A (S8).

[0055] As a result, as shown in Figure 3B, the landing call X2 is assigned to the upper car 11A, or as shown in Figure 3C, it is assigned to a car in another elevator, either elevator 10B or 10C. Figure 3C shows the case where the landing call X2 is assigned to the upper car 11B of elevator 10B.

[0056] In this example, since the lower car 12A did not open its doors at the second stopping floor [4th floor] (S9:NO), no process to change the evaluation value of the upper car 11A occurred, and the process terminated.

[0057] [Specific Example (2)] A specific example (2) of the evaluation value change process executed by the evaluation value change unit 323 when the elevator 10A is moving downwards will be explained with reference to Figures 4A and 4B.

[0058] Figure 4A shows the initial state in this example. In the initial state, landing call X3 is registered in the landing call registration unit 31. Landing call X3 has a departure floor of the 5th floor and a destination floor of the 3rd floor, and the lower car 12A is assigned as the assigned car. The lower car 12A stops at the 5th floor and opens its doors in response to landing call X3.

[0059] Here, a new landing call X4 is registered in the landing call registration unit 31 (S1:YES). Landing call X4 has a departure floor of the 5th floor and a destination floor of the 2nd floor. Once landing call X4 is registered, the evaluation unit 322 calculates an evaluation value for the assignment of the registered landing call X4 to each of the upper and lower cars in elevators 10A, 10B, and 10C (S2).

[0060] The evaluation value change unit 323 determines that elevator 10A is currently stopped (S3:YES), but upper car 11A is not open at the first stopping floor [6th floor] (S4, S5:NO), so it does not perform the process to change the evaluation value of upper car 11A and proceeds to step S9. The evaluation value change unit 323 determines that lower car 12A is open at the second stopping floor [5th floor] (S9:YES), that the stopping floor of lower car 12A [5th floor] is the same as the departure floor [5th floor] of landing call X4, and that the direction of travel of elevator 10A is the same as the direction from the departure floor [5th floor] of landing call X4 to the destination floor [2nd floor] (S10:YES).

[0061] At this time, if the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the evaluation value calculated for the lower basket 12A is higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the upper basket 11A (S11: YES), it changes the evaluation value of the upper basket 11A to the same value as or higher (worse) than the evaluation value of the lower basket 12A (S12).

[0062] As a result, as shown in Figure 4B, the landing call X4 is assigned to the lower car 12A or to a car in another elevator, such as elevator 10B or 10C.

[0063] In the embodiment described above, the case in which the landing call registration unit 31 registers landing call information based on destination floor information entered by the user in the landing destination floor registration device 20 installed at the landing on any floor was described, but it is not limited to this. For example, the landing call information may be registered based on destination floor information read from a medium such as an IC card or mobile terminal carried by the user in a reading device (not shown) such as a card reader installed on a flapper gate installed at the landing.

[0064] [Other embodiments] Other embodiments of the double-deck group management and control system 1 will be described with reference to the flowcharts in Figures 5A and 5B. In Figures 5A and 5B, the processes in steps S1 to S12 are the same as those described in Figures 2A and 2B, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0065] In this embodiment, in step S6, the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines that the upper car 11A has stopped and opened its doors at the departure floor of the landing call X, and that the elevator 10A is traveling in the same direction as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X to the destination floor, and then determines whether the assignment process by the assignment unit 324 is excluded from priority assignment control for cars with open doors (S13).

[0066] Priority allocation control for elevators with open doors means that when a new landing call occurs, if there is an elevator with open doors among the managed elevators, this open-door elevator is given priority for the new landing call.

[0067] If the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines that the allocation process by the allocation unit 324 is not subject to priority allocation control for elevators with open doors (S13:YES), it further determines whether the lower elevator car 12A is included in the allocation target (S14). For example, if the lower elevator car 12A is capable of serving the destination floor of the landing call X (S14:YES), the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines that the lower elevator car 12A is included in the allocation target and proceeds to step S7.

[0068] If the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines in step S13 that the assignment process by the assignment unit 324 is not excluded from priority assignment control for a car with its doors open, that is, it is subject to priority assignment control (S13: NO), then the first landing call will be assigned to the upper car 11A and no boarding error will occur, so the evaluation value of the lower car will not be changed and the process will proceed to step S9.

[0069] Furthermore, if the evaluation value changing unit 323 determines in step S14 that the lower elevator car 12A is not capable of serving the destination floor of the landing call X and that the lower elevator car 12A is not included in the allocation target (S14: NO), it proceeds to step S9.

[0070] Furthermore, in step S10, the evaluation value change unit 323 determines that the lower car 12A has stopped and opened its doors at the departure floor of the landing call X, and that the elevator 10A is traveling in the same direction as the direction from the departure floor of the landing call X to the destination floor, and then determines whether the assignment process by the assignment unit 324 is excluded from priority assignment control for cars with open doors (S15).

[0071] If the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines that the allocation process by the allocation unit 324 is not subject to priority allocation control for elevators with open doors (S15:YES), it further determines whether the upper elevator car 11A is included in the allocation target (S16). For example, if the upper elevator car 11A is capable of serving the destination floor of the landing call X (S16:YES), the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines that the upper elevator car 11A is included in the allocation target and proceeds to step S11.

[0072] If the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines in step S15 that the assignment process by the assignment unit 324 is not excluded from priority assignment control for a car with its door open, that is, it is subject to priority assignment control (S15: NO), then the first landing call will be assigned to the lower car 12A and no boarding error will occur, and therefore the evaluation value of the upper car will not be changed.

[0073] Furthermore, if the evaluation value modification unit 323 determines in step S16 that the upper car 11A is not capable of serving the destination floor of the landing call X and therefore the upper car 11A is not included in the allocation target (S16: NO), it will not modify the evaluation value of the upper car.

[0074] According to the above embodiment, a group control device for double-deck elevators that manages multiple double-deck elevators having an upper and lower car comprises a landing call registration unit, an evaluation unit, an evaluation value modification unit, and an assignment unit. The landing call registration unit registers information on a landing call in which the departure floor and destination floor are specified. When new landing call information is registered in the landing call registration unit, the evaluation unit calculates an evaluation value indicating the priority of assignment to the new landing call for each car in the multiple double-deck elevators, based on the operating status of the multiple double-deck elevators. The evaluation value modification unit, for double-deck elevators where, among multiple double-deck elevators, the upper or lower car is stopped and its doors open at the departure floor of a new landing call, and the direction of travel is the same as the direction from the departure floor to the destination floor of the new landing call, will change the evaluation value calculated for the open car to a value equal to or higher (worse) than the evaluation value calculated for the same car unit of the same elevator. The assignment unit will assign the car with the best evaluation value to respond to the new landing call.

[0075] This makes it possible to assign a response elevator car to a landing call in group control of a double-deck elevator, preventing users from boarding the wrong elevator.

[0076] Furthermore, the evaluation value modification unit may choose not to modify the evaluation value if the allocation process by the allocation unit is subject to priority allocation control, which prioritizes assigning an open elevator car to a new landing call. This reduces the processing load by not performing the evaluation value modification process when there is no possibility of a user mistakenly boarding an assigned elevator car but a different elevator car of the same type.

[0077] Furthermore, the evaluation value modification unit may exclude from the allocation target any double-deck elevator cars where the departure or destination floor for a new landing call is a floor where service is unavailable, and thus not change the evaluation value. This reduces the processing load by eliminating the need to modify the evaluation value of cars that are not included in the allocation target.

[0078] Furthermore, the landing call registration unit may register landing call information based on destination floor information entered by the user in a landing destination floor registration device installed at the landing of the double-deck elevator, or destination floor information read from a medium carried by the user using a reader installed at the landing. This makes it possible to easily obtain the user's destination floor information and efficiently assign an elevator car to respond to the landing call based on the obtained information.

[0079] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of 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 and their equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0080] 1…Double-deck group management control system, 10A, 10B, 10C…Elevators, 13, 13A, 13B, 13C…Control devices, 20, 20-1~20-m…Landing destination floor registration devices, 30…Group management control device, 31…Landing call registration unit, 321…Elevator information acquisition unit, 322…Evaluation unit, 323…Evaluation value change unit, 324…Assignment unit, 325…Assignment information output unit

Claims

1. A group control device for double-deck elevators that manages multiple double-deck elevators having an upper and lower car, A boarding call registration unit that registers boarding call information specifying the departure floor and destination floor, When new landing call information is registered in the landing call registration unit, an evaluation unit calculates an evaluation value indicating the priority of assignment to the new landing call for each of the cars in the multiple double-deck elevators, based on the operating status of the multiple double-deck elevators. In the case of a double-deck elevator among the aforementioned multiple double-deck elevators, where the upper car or the lower car is stopped and its doors open at the departure floor of the new landing call, and the direction of travel is the same as the direction from the departure floor of the new landing call to the destination floor, if the evaluation value calculated for the open car is worse than the evaluation value calculated for the same car unit of the same elevator, the evaluation value changing unit changes the evaluation value for the same car unit to the same value as or worse than the evaluation value for the open car. An assignment unit assigns the elevator car with the best evaluation value to the aforementioned new elevator car in response to the aforementioned new elevator car call, A group control system for a double-deck elevator equipped with the following features.

2. The group control device for a double-deck elevator according to claim 1, wherein the evaluation value changing unit does not change the evaluation value when the allocation process by the allocation unit is subject to priority allocation control which preferentially allocates an open elevator car to a new landing call.

3. The evaluation value changing unit does not change the evaluation value for any of the multiple double-deck elevator cars where the departure floor or destination floor of the new landing call is a floor where service is unavailable, as described in claim 1.

4. The group control device for a double-deck elevator according to claim 1, wherein the landing call registration unit registers landing call information based on destination floor information entered by a user in a landing destination floor registration device installed at the landing of the double-deck elevator, or destination floor information read from a medium carried by a user in a reader installed at the landing.

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