Elevator Evacuation Control With Dynamic Fire-Based Discharge Landing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator systems are not typically involved in evacuating people during a fire emergency, lacking the capability to adjust discharge landings based on fire intensity, weather conditions, and passenger count.

Innovation Solution

An occupant evacuation system that includes a fire quantity measurement system, an analytics engine, and a people counter system to determine a discharge landing for the elevator system in response to fire intensity, weather data, and passenger count, with the ability to display the discharge landing and transport passengers to safety.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If elevator systems are not involved in fire evacuation, then the system complexity remains low and operation is simple, but evacuation efficiency and safety are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveevacuation efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elevator control system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: normal operation control, fire detection response, discharge landing determination based on fire intensity and weather data, and evacuation route optimization. This allows the same system to serve both routine transportation and emergency evacuation purposes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously receives feedback from fire alarm systems, fire quantity measurement systems, and weather sensing systems to dynamically adjust the discharge landing and evacuation routes. This real-time feedback mechanism enables the elevator to adapt to changing fire conditions and weather patterns during evacuation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If discharge landing is fixed, then the operation is simple and reliable, but the system cannot adapt to changing fire intensity and weather conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to fire conditionsVSAvoidsystem reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The discharge landing is transformed from a fixed location to a dynamic parameter that changes based on real-time fire intensity measurements and weather conditions. The analytics engine continuously calculates the optimal discharge landing by processing data from fire quantity measurement systems and external weather sensing systems, allowing the system to adapt to evolving emergency conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system determines and displays the discharge landing in advance before evacuation begins, allowing occupants to prepare and position themselves appropriately. This preliminary determination of evacuation routes reduces panic and improves the overall efficiency of the evacuation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If multiple sensing systems are integrated, then the measurement precision and decision accuracy improve, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefire intensity measurement accuracyVSAvoidsensing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Data from multiple independent sensing systems (fire alarm systems, fire quantity measurement systems with thermal and smoke sensors, external weather sensing systems, and people counter systems) are merged and processed by a single analytics engine. This integration allows the system to comprehensively assess fire conditions and weather impacts while maintaining coordinated control through one central processing unit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

Enables real-time adjustment of elevator discharge landings to optimize evacuation routes based on fire intensity, weather, and passenger count, enhancing the safety and efficiency of fire evacuations.

Implementation Method 1

detecting thermal data of the fire using a thermal sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation detection: Thermal Radiation

Implementation Method 2

detecting smoke quantity data of the fire using a smoke quantity sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSmoke detection: Absorption Spectroscopy

Implementation Method 3

transporting people from a landing where the fire is located to the discharge landing using an elevator car of the elevator system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentUS12534334B2Self intelligent occupant evacuation systems

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

AI summary

According to an embodiment, a method of operating an elevator system during a fire evacuation including: receiving a fire detection from a fire alarm system indicating a fire; detecting a fire intensity using a fire quantity measurement system; and determining a discharge landing for the elevator system in response to at least the fire intensity.