Elevator Passenger Detection Using Ceiling Reflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator systems face challenges in accurately determining the number of passengers making destination calls, leading to potential overload and inefficient dispatching, as existing sensors may fail to detect passengers obscured by others, resulting in erroneous signals and inadequate allocation of elevator cars.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating passenger sensors at landings that utilize a reflecting building structure, such as a ceiling, to detect passengers by reflecting signals, ensuring accurate counting and preventing overload by correlating sensor signals with destination calls, and optionally using emitters and detectors to enhance detection reliability and adjust detection zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a passenger sensor is installed at the landing to detect passengers, then the number of passengers can be determined for optimized elevator dispatching, but the detection accuracy deteriorates when passengers are obscured by other passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection dimension by using a ceiling-mounted sensor to detect passengers from above rather than from the front. This vertical dimension change allows the sensor to detect passengers through the reflection of detection signals off the ceiling, avoiding the problem of passengers being obscured by other passengers in the horizontal detection plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces the ceiling as an intermediary reflecting surface. The sensor emits detection signals that reflect off the ceiling and then off the passengers, with the ceiling acting as a mediator that enables indirect detection. This intermediary approach allows detection of passengers who would otherwise be obscured from direct view.
2Device complexity
If the sensor is positioned to detect passengers directly, then the detection setup is simple, but passengers obscured by others cannot be detected
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor is mounted on the ceiling rather than at ground level, changing the detection geometry from horizontal to vertical. This dimensional change maintains installation simplicity while dramatically improving detection reliability by eliminating line-of-sight obstructions between passengers.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the sensor detect passengers directly from the front, the system inverts the detection approach by having the sensor detect the reflection of detection signals off the ceiling that have subsequently reflected off the passengers. This inverted detection path around the ceiling eliminates the obscuration problem.
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
This solution enables efficient dispatching of elevator cars by ensuring each car has sufficient space for passengers, optimizing transportation and reducing the risk of overcrowding, thereby enhancing passenger experience and system efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one passenger sensor is configured for detecting passengers, i.e. one or more passengers, which are present within a detection zone defined at the respective landing, by detecting a detection signal reflected by a reflecting building structure at the respective landing
Data Source
AI summary
An elevator system (2) comprises an elevator car (10) configured for traveling along a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8); and at least one passenger sensor (20) provided at least one of the landings (8). The at least one passenger sensor (20) is configured for detecting passengers (26) being present within a predefined detection zone (28) at the respective landing (8) by detecting a detection signal (30b) reflected by a reflecting building structure (22, 24) of the respective landing (8), and for providing a corresponding sensor signal.