Elevator Dispatch Thresholds for Missed Pickup Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator systems often dispatch cars based on estimated travel time, leading to passengers missing their assigned car due to the time required to travel to the elevator location, resulting in decreased traffic flow and increased wait times.
Innovation Solution
A dispatch system that determines the duration for each elevator car to travel to a location and for passengers to reach the elevator, dispatching cars based on a threshold duration to minimize instances of passengers missing their assigned car.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If an elevator car located at a distant location is dispatched based on shortest travel time, then the elevator system can minimize elevator travel time, but the passenger may miss the elevator due to insufficient time to reach the location
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of both elevator travel time and passenger walking time before making the dispatch decision. By pre-computing these durations and comparing them against a threshold, the system proactively identifies suitable elevator assignments before the passenger reaches the location, preventing missed pickups while optimizing for quick response
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary threshold duration that mediates between the conflicting requirements of minimal elevator travel time and reliable passenger pickup. This threshold acts as a filter that balances the two competing objectives, allowing the system to select elevator assignments that satisfy both efficiency and reliability requirements
2Reliability
If the system only dispatches elevators located near the call location, then passenger pickup reliability is improved, but the overall elevator traffic flow efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically changes the selection parameter from purely distance-based to a composite parameter that includes both elevator travel time and passenger walking time. By adjusting these temporal parameters and comparing their sum against a threshold, the system expands the pool of eligible elevators beyond just nearby locations, improving traffic flow while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic evaluation of multiple elevator options based on real-time conditions. Instead of a static rule that only considers proximity, the system continuously assesses travel times and walking durations, adapting the dispatch decision to current system state, thereby optimizing both reliability and overall traffic flow efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A method for dispatching an elevator car that includes determining a first duration for each of a plurality of first elevator cars to travel from a current location to a first location, and dispatching at least one of the first elevator cars to the first location when the first duration of the at least one first elevator car is less than a threshold duration. The method includes determining a second duration for an occupant to travel from the first location to a second location, and each of a plurality of second elevator cars to travel from the current location to the second location, when the first duration for the first elevator cars exceeds the threshold duration. The method includes dispatching at least one of the second elevator cars to the second location when the second duration of the at least one second elevator car is less than the threshold duration.