Elevator Landing Passenger Presence Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Elevator systems face inefficiencies during heavy traffic situations as existing technologies do not effectively anticipate and respond to crowded floors without passenger requests, leading to increased waiting times for passengers.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of passenger sensors at landings that detect the presence of individuals and transmit signals to an evaluation unit, allowing the elevator control system to determine passenger numbers and adjust operations, such as dispatching additional elevator cars to crowded floors, thereby enhancing efficiency and reducing waiting times.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If passenger sensors are installed at landings to detect passenger presence and enable proactive elevator dispatch, then the efficiency of the elevator system is improved and waiting times are reduced, but the device complexity and total costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelevator system efficiencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical or electronic counting systems with simple binary presence detection sensors. Each sensor only needs to detect whether a passenger is present (yes/no) rather than counting or identifying individuals, significantly simplifying the detection system while still enabling proactive elevator dispatch based on aggregated presence information from multiple landings.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system divides the detection function into multiple independent binary sensors distributed at different landings. Each sensor operates independently with simple presence/absence detection, and the evaluation unit aggregates these segmented binary signals to determine overall passenger load, avoiding the need for a single complex centralized detection system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of time

If multiple passenger sensors are provided at landings to detect passenger presence, then the waiting time of passengers is minimized, but the additional costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepassenger waiting timeVSAvoidnumber of sensors

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs inexpensive binary presence detection sensors that provide sufficient functionality for their purpose. These simple sensors detect only presence/absence rather than providing complex passenger information, making them cost-effective and suitable for widespread deployment at multiple landings without significantly increasing system costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The system extracts only the essential information needed for proactive dispatch - binary presence detection - from the complex reality of passenger behavior. By taking out only the presence/absence signal and discarding unnecessary details (passenger identity, exact number, movement patterns), the system achieves effective passenger load monitoring with minimal sensor complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 enhances the efficiency of the elevator system by minimizing waiting times for passengers during peak usage without significantly increasing costs, as the passenger sensors provide binary detection signals and can operate wirelessly, reducing installation and power requirements.

Implementation Method 1

The passenger sensors may be configured for providing detection signals indicating whether or not at least one passenger is present within the detection zone associated with the respective passenger sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal radiation detection: Infrared Radiation

Implementation Method 2

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic detection: Sound

Implementation Method 3

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectOptical detection: Light

Data Source

PatentEP3628619A1Elevator system

Publication Date: 2020.04.01 OTIS ELEVATOR CO

Figure 1
Figure 2

AI summary

An elevator system (2) comprises at least one elevator car (10) configured for traveling along a hoistway (4) between a plurality of landings (8); a plurality of passenger sensors (20a-20h) provided at at least one of the landings (8) and at least one evaluation unit (24). Each passenger sensor (20a-20h) is configured for detecting the presence of at least one person within a detection zone (22a-22h) associated with the respective passenger sensor (20a-20h) and for providing a corresponding detection signal indicating whether or not at least one person is present within the detection zone (22a-22h) associated with the respective passenger sensor (20a-20h). The at least one evaluation unit (24) is configured for determining the number of passengers (26) present at the respective landing (8) from a combination of the detection signals provided by the plurality of passenger sensors (20a-20h).