Cross-Group Elevator Dispatch via Unified Destination Call
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-rise buildings, passengers often need to make multiple destination calls across different elevator groups, leading to increased wait times and complexity, especially for visitors who may require assistance.
Innovation Solution
The elevator system allocates elevator cars for each phase of a journey based on a single destination call, using centralized control algorithms to manage traffic and hand off passengers between elevator groups, ensuring seamless transitions and consistent service types across phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If elevator groups are divided to serve different floor ranges, then travel time within each group is reduced, but passengers require multiple destination calls and transfers when traveling across groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple destination calls into a single call by integrating control logic across elevator groups. The system merges the functionality of separate group controllers to handle cross-group transfers automatically, allowing passengers to make one destination call rather than multiple calls at different lobbies.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a intermediary transfer floor mechanism that facilitates seamless transitions between elevator groups. This intermediary layer coordinates the handoff between groups, managing passenger transfer and elevator allocation without requiring passenger intervention or multiple calls.
2Adaptability or versatility
If passengers make multiple destination calls at different lobbies, then they can reach their destination across multiple elevator groups, but wait time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary allocation of elevator cars for each phase of the journey when the initial destination call is received. By pre-coordinating elevator availability and planning the multi-phase route in advance, the system eliminates waiting time between calls and transfers.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors elevator status, passenger location, and journey progress to dynamically adjust allocations and timing. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal coordination between phases and minimizes wait times while maintaining adaptability to changing conditions.
3Ease of operation
If a single destination call is processed, then operation complexity is reduced, but coordinating across multiple elevator groups becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the journey into distinct phases, each handled by a specific elevator group controller. This segmentation allows the complex coordination task to be divided into manageable portions while maintaining overall integration through the centralized control logic that processes the single destination call.
Data Source
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AI summary
An elevator system includes a first elevator group controller (GC-1) configured to control a first elevator car (103) of a first elevator group; a second elevator group controller (GC-2) configured to control a second elevator car (103) of a second elevator group, the second elevator group controller (GC-2) in bi-directional communication with the first elevator group controller (GC-1); a destination entry device (204) configured to receive a destination call from a passenger, the destination call identifying a source floor and a destination floor; at least one of the first elevator group controller (GC-1) and the second elevator group controller (GC-2) determining that a journey from the source floor to the destination floor requires a first phase utilizing the first elevator group and a second phase utilizing the second elevator group; at least one of the first elevator group controller (GC-1) and the second elevator group controller (GC-2) allocating the first elevator car and allocating the second elevator car.