Elevator Cabin Radar Monitoring for Automatic Door Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automatic door systems fail to accurately monitor the movement of objects and differentiate between humans and inanimate objects, leading to inefficient energy usage and potential safety hazards, while also struggling to manage passenger density and health parameters in elevator systems.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a radar-based monitoring system with phased-array-radar technology to detect door status and passenger movement, using electromagnetic waves to distinguish between specular and diffuse reflections, and integrating health monitors to analyze passenger health parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If optical sensors, pressure sensors, or infra-red sensors are used to detect door opening/closing, then door operation control is achieved, but the system cannot monitor movement of objects in the surrounding region or differentiate between humans and inanimate objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional optical, pressure, and infra-red sensors with radar-based detection systems. Radar technology uses electromagnetic waves to detect objects and measure their velocity through Doppler shift, enabling both versatile monitoring of the surrounding region and precise differentiation between moving humans and stationary inanimate objects.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the detection parameter from static presence detection (optical/pressure sensors) to velocity-based detection (radar Doppler effect). By measuring the velocity of detected objects, the system can distinguish between moving humans and stationary objects, resolving the differentiation accuracy problem while maintaining versatile monitoring.
2Reliability
If automatic doors open in response to any detected object, then detection sensitivity is high, but energy is wasted due to false alarms from inanimate objects like passing animals or rippling water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces contact-based or simple presence-based detection systems with radar velocity detection. By measuring the velocity of detected objects, the system can filter out stationary inanimate objects (zero velocity) while responding to moving humans, improving detection accuracy and reducing false alarms that waste energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar velocity measurement acts as an intermediary filter between object detection and door activation. Instead of directly opening the door upon detecting any object, the system first measures velocity through radar, uses this intermediate information to distinguish humans from inanimate objects, and then decides whether to activate the door, reducing energy waste from false alarms.
3Productivity
If existing sensor systems are used for automatic doors, then basic door operation is controlled, but stationary objects introduced into the monitored area are not detected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional sensors with radar technology that continuously emits electromagnetic waves and measures the Doppler shift of reflected waves. This allows the system to detect stationary objects by comparing phase or frequency changes over time, improving detection reliability while maintaining system efficiency.
4Loss of information
If elevator systems use manual buttons for passenger notification, then passenger presence is recorded, but there is no direct method to monitor the actual number of passengers waiting at each stop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual button-based notification systems with radar-based passenger counting systems. The radar monitors the waiting zone and automatically counts passengers based on detected objects, eliminating the need for manual input and providing accurate real-time passenger count information without significantly increasing system complexity.
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
Enhances door safety and efficiency by reducing false alarms, optimizing energy consumption, and effectively managing passenger density and health monitoring in elevator systems.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting electromagnetic waves into the cabin; and receiving electromagnetic waves reflected back from the sides of the cabin
Implementation Method 2
providing at least one cabin-based radar monitor configured and operable to monitor passengers within at least one elevator cabin
Implementation Method 3
using electromagnetic waves to distinguish between specular and diffuse reflections
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator monitoring system and method includes cabin-based radars monitor doors and passengers within a cabin; waiting zone radars monitor passengers in a waiting zone; a central processor analyzes data from the various monitors and executes an elevator control function to control the elevator system. The door state is determined by detecting reflections from internal angles within the cabin and a door management system manages door operation safely by monitoring a proximal zone around the automatic door, detecting moving objects and obstructions.