Elevator Dispatch Control Preventing Directional Confusion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern elevator systems without hall lanterns can confuse passengers by allowing them to board cars traveling in the opposite direction of their intended destination, leading to frustration and potential cancellation of their requests due to incorrect sensor readings.
Innovation Solution
A method to assign elevator calls that ensures the selected car will not change direction opposite to the passenger's needed travel direction, using criteria such as demand levels, existing calls, and hall calls to determine eligible cars for assignment, thereby minimizing passenger confusion and incorrect cancellations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If destination entry systems are used without hall lanterns, then traffic capacity efficiency is improved, but passenger confusion increases due to inability to determine car movement direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary information display mechanism at the landing that communicates the elevator car's movement direction to the passenger. This intermediary device bridges the gap between the destination entry system and the passenger, providing the directional information that would otherwise be provided by hall lanterns, thus resolving the contradiction between efficiency and ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by providing real-time information about the elevator car's movement direction to the passenger through the display at the landing. This feedback loop allows passengers to make informed decisions about whether to board a particular car, eliminating confusion while maintaining the efficiency benefits of destination entry systems
2Speed
If a car is assigned to a new call without direction checking, then dispatching speed is improved, but passenger frustration increases due to boarding cars moving in opposite direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by checking the elevator car's movement direction and the passenger's desired destination before assigning the call. This pre-assignment verification ensures that passengers are only directed to cars that will travel in the correct direction, preventing frustration while maintaining efficient dispatching through automated decision-making
3Extent of automation
If sensor-based car entry detection is used, then automation is improved, but reliability decreases when passengers board incorrectly causing false cancellation of requests
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from the directional information display to help passengers make correct boarding decisions. By providing clear directional guidance before the passenger boards, the system reduces the likelihood of incorrect boarding, thereby improving the reliability of the automated sensor-based detection system while maintaining its automation benefits
Data Source
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AI summary
An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining a source floor of a new call from a passenger desiring elevator service. A direction of travel from the source floor for the new call is also determined. A path of a considered elevator car is simulated as if the new call were assigned to the considered elevator car by determining at least one of (i) a relationship between a position of the considered elevator car and the source floor or (ii) a relationship between a direction of movement of the considered elevator car and the direction of travel. The new call is assigned to one of a plurality of elevator cars if the assigning will satisfy each of (i) the one of the elevator cars will not move in a direction opposite the direction of travel during a time between the passenger boarding the one of the elevator cars and arriving at a destination of the passenger and (ii) the one of the elevator cars will not move in a direction opposite a travel direction of any currently assigned passenger during a time between the currently assigned passenger boarding the one of the elevator cars and arriving at a destination of the currently assigned passenger.