Elevator Control Apparatus Using Camera-Based Passenger Position Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator control systems fail to accurately notify passengers when a rear-part passenger needs to exit, leading to inefficient disembarkation and potential missed stops due to inappropriate announcements and lack of situational awareness.
Innovation Solution
An elevator control apparatus that includes a user position detection unit, information input unit, and notification determining unit, which detects and tracks the position of passengers using cameras and identification information, and outputs notifications to inform rear-part passengers to exit, especially in crowded conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a rear operation board is provided to detect passengers in the rear part, then the system can identify rear passengers, but it cannot accurately determine whether to make an announcement because it lacks real-time position tracking
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously tracks passenger positions using cameras and sensors, providing real-time feedback to the control unit. This enables dynamic determination of whether rear passengers need announcement assistance, resolving the contradiction by implementing precise position detection through a feedback-based tracking system rather than static detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical position detection systems with optical sensors and cameras. The control unit processes image data and sensor signals to track passenger positions, substituting mechanical complexity with electronic/optical detection methods that achieve higher precision without proportionally increasing system complexity.
2Reliability
If announcements are made for all registered floors, then no passenger is missed, but unnecessary announcements cause confusion and reduce efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different notification strategies based on local conditions - specifically the real-time position of passengers. When a passenger is detected in the rear part, an announcement is made; when passengers are already near the door, no announcement is made. This localized, condition-based approach ensures reliability only when needed while maintaining efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The announcement decision is made dynamic rather than static. The control unit continuously monitors passenger positions and adjusts announcement behavior in real-time based on current conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high reliability by announcing when necessary while preserving efficiency by avoiding unnecessary announcements.
3Ease of operation
If the elevator waits for rear passengers to move forward, then all passengers can exit smoothly, but the halt time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by detecting rear passengers in advance and making announcements before the elevator halts. This allows passengers to prepare to move forward during the transit, so when the elevator stops, they can exit smoothly without requiring extended waiting time. The preliminary announcement facilitates coordinated action that reduces actual halt time.
Data Source
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AI summary
A passenger position tracking device 10 stores a destination floor registered with a lobby destination floor registration device 3 in an elevator lobby 1 and the feature of an image of a passenger photographed by a lobby camera 4 in relation to each other. As the passenger gets on an elevator car 2, the feature of the passenger photographed by an in-car camera 6 and the feature of the image photographed by the lobby camera 4 are collated. If the features coincide, the passenger in the car and the destination floor are related to each other. Using the in-car camera 6, the passenger position tracking device 10 tracks the position of the passenger in the car on the real-time base. As the elevator car 2 is to stop at a destination floor, the passenger position tracking device 10 determines whether a passenger being to get off at this floor is present in the rear part or front part of the car. If the passenger is present in the rear part, an announcement is made to notify that a passenger in the rear part is to get off.