Dynamic Elevator Stopping Strategy for Evacuation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current elevator systems used for evacuating occupants in high-rise buildings during emergencies lack the ability to dynamically adjust their stopping strategies based on real-time occupant and disaster information, leading to inefficiencies and potential safety risks.

Innovation Solution

An elevator control device and method that acquires occupant and disaster information using sensors and image processing, dynamically adjusting the stopping strategy of elevator cars to prioritize evacuation floors based on occupant quantity, distribution, and disaster severity, allowing for intermediate stops to optimize evacuation efficiency and safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the elevator car travels back and forth between evacuation floor and safe floor in shuttle-bus mode, then the evacuation path is simplified and control is easier, but the evacuation efficiency is reduced because occupants can only be transported to the safe floor without intermediate stops

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevacuation control simplicityVSAvoidevacuation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The elevator control system dynamically adjusts the stopping strategy based on real-time occupant information and disaster information. The control module determines whether to perform intermediate stopping at evacuation floors between the current floor and safe floor, transitioning from a fixed shuttle-bus mode to a flexible dynamic control mode that optimizes evacuation efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system acquires real-time occupant information (quantity, distribution, flow) and disaster information (type, position, spreading trend) from multiple sources including sensors and image processing. This feedback mechanism enables the control module to make informed decisions about intermediate stopping, resolving the contradiction by using information feedback to optimize the evacuation path and timing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the elevator car performs intermediate stopping at multiple evacuation floors, then the evacuation efficiency is improved by picking up more occupants, but the evacuation time increases and the control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevacuation efficiencyVSAvoidtotal evacuation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control module selectively performs intermediate stopping at specific evacuation floors based on prioritization of occupant information and disaster information, rather than stopping at all floors. This partial action approach optimizes evacuation efficiency by focusing resources on floors with highest priority occupants while minimizing unnecessary stopping time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically determines the stopping strategy based on real-time conditions. The control module adjusts the number and location of intermediate stops according to changing occupant distribution and disaster development, optimizing the balance between evacuation efficiency and time consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If the elevator system uses fixed stopping strategy, then the control system is simpler and more reliable, but the system cannot adapt to real-time changes in occupant information and disaster information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol system reliabilityVSAvoidresponse to real-time changes
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The control system transitions from a fixed stopping strategy to a dynamic adaptive strategy. The control module continuously receives real-time occupant information and disaster information, and adjusts the stopping strategy accordingly, enabling the system to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining reliability through structured decision-making protocols

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback loops where occupant information (from sensors and image processing) and disaster information (from detection devices) are constantly monitored and fed back to the control module. This feedback mechanism enables real-time adaptation of the stopping strategy while maintaining system reliability through systematic information processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Quantity of substance

If the elevator car waits for predetermined time periods at each evacuation floor, then more occupants can board the elevator, but the total evacuation time increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of occupants evacuatedVSAvoidtotal evacuation time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control module implements selective waiting strategies based on prioritization. Instead of waiting at all evacuation floors, the system identifies high-priority floors with critical occupants and allocates waiting time preferentially to those floors, optimizing the balance between evacuating maximum occupants and minimizing total evacuation time

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The waiting time at each evacuation floor is dynamically adjusted based on real-time information. The control module determines optimal waiting durations according to occupant quantity, distribution, and disaster severity at each floor, rather than using fixed predetermined times, thereby optimizing both occupancy and time efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution enhances evacuation efficiency and safety by dynamically adjusting the stopping strategy of elevator cars, ensuring that occupants are evacuated more quickly and reliably, even in high-rise buildings, by prioritizing stops based on real-time data.

Implementation Method 1

an image sensor and an image processing component coupled to the image sensor, the image sensor configured to capture image information of an area, the image processing component configured to process the captured image information to acquire the occupant information of the area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectImage sensor detection: Photoelectric Effect

Data Source

PatentEP3524561B1Elevator control system and elevator control method for evacuation
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3524561B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3524561B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3524561B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to an elevator control device and method for evacuation, pertaining to the field of elevator control technologies. The elevator control device and method of the present invention control, according to the occupant information and disaster information of a plurality of evacuation floors, stopping of an elevator car at at least one of the plurality of evacuation floors. The present invention makes the evacuation process of a plurality of evacuation floors more efficient and reliable.