Elevator Dispatch System Using Depth Sensing for Passenger Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator systems face inefficiencies in passenger conveyance due to unnecessary stops at floors where no passengers embark or debark, affecting travel and wait times, which impact passenger satisfaction.

Innovation Solution

A passenger conveyance control system utilizing a sensor system with depth sensing technology to track passengers from the waiting area to the elevator car, maintaining passenger identification data until debarkation, and canceling destination requests if passengers change their minds or fail to board, ensuring efficient dispatch and reducing unnecessary stops.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the elevator stops at every floor to check for passengers, then no passenger is left behind, but travel time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger conveyance accuracyVSAvoidtravel time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary tracking of passengers from the waiting area through the elevator entrance and maintains identification until debarkation. This preliminary action allows the elevator to proceed directly to the destination without stopping at intermediate floors to verify passenger presence, thereby reducing travel time while ensuring no passenger is left behind.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the elevator stops at every floor to check for passengers, then no passenger is left behind, but the number of stops increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger conveyance accuracyVSAvoidelevator service efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary tracking of passengers from the waiting area through the elevator entrance and maintains identification until debarkation. This preliminary action allows the elevator to proceed directly to the destination without stopping at intermediate floors to verify passenger presence, thereby reducing the number of stops and improving productivity while ensuring no passenger is left behind.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the elevator makes unnecessary stops, then all potential passengers are served, but wait time increases and productivity decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepassenger service coverageVSAvoidwait time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sensor feedback to continuously monitor passenger presence and location throughout the journey. This feedback mechanism allows the elevator to dynamically adjust its operation, making stops only when actually needed based on real-time passenger information, thereby reducing wait time while maintaining comprehensive service coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary tracking of passengers from the waiting area through the elevator entrance and maintains identification until debarkation. This preliminary action allows the elevator to proceed directly to the destination without stopping at intermediate floors to verify passenger presence, thereby reducing wait time while ensuring no passenger is left behind.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If traditional destination request systems are used, then passengers can request service, but unnecessary stops occur when passengers change their minds or fail to board

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedestination request capabilityVSAvoiddispatch efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses sensor feedback to continuously monitor passenger presence and location throughout the journey. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when passengers fail to board or change their minds, and automatically cancel destination requests, thereby eliminating unnecessary stops and improving dispatch efficiency while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically tracks and monitors passengers without requiring manual confirmation or intervention. The sensor system self-service monitors passenger presence and automatically manages destination requests, canceling them when passengers fail to board or change their minds, thereby improving dispatch efficiency without adding operational complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 system enhances elevator service performance by eliminating unnecessary stops and improving passenger satisfaction by ensuring accurate tracking and dispatching, particularly benefiting forgetful or mobility-impaired passengers and those using sky lobbies for transfers.

Implementation Method 1

A passenger conveyance control system utilizing a sensor system with depth sensing technology to track passengers from the waiting area to the elevator car

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDepth sensing: LIDAR

Data Source

PatentEP3098190B1Flexible destination dispatch passenger support system
Publication Date: 2021.05.26 OTIS ELEVATOR CO
  • EP3098190B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3098190B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3098190B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method of passenger conveyance control includes receiving a destination request; tracking a passenger who entered the destination request while in a waiting area; and canceling the destination request in response to the passenger leaving the waiting area.