Elevator Motion Profile Adjustment for Unoccupied Cars
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator systems often operate with the same motion parameter limits regardless of occupancy, leading to inefficient use of the system.
Innovation Solution
The elevator system adjusts its motion profile based on occupancy status, using an unoccupied motion profile that allows for greater motion parameters such as speed, acceleration, and jerk, enabling faster travel when the car is empty.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the same motion parameter limits are applied to both occupied and unoccupied elevator cars, then passenger comfort is ensured for occupied cars, but system efficiency deteriorates due to slower unnecessary acceleration and deceleration limits for unoccupied cars
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts motion parameters based on occupancy status. When the elevator car is detected to be unoccupied, the controller applies a first motion profile with relaxed acceleration and deceleration limits, enabling faster travel. When occupied, a second motion profile with stricter limits is applied to ensure passenger comfort. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by making the motion constraints conditional rather than static.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller changes motion parameters (acceleration limits, deceleration limits, speed profiles) based on the occupancy detection result. The system switches between different sets of motion parameters: a first set with higher performance values for unoccupied cars and a second set with lower values for occupied cars. This parameter switching enables the system to optimize travel time when empty while maintaining comfort when passengers are present.
2Speed
If higher motion parameters are used for unoccupied elevator cars to improve travel speed, then system efficiency improves, but passenger comfort deteriorates when passengers are present
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic motion parameter adjustment based on real-time occupancy detection. The controller monitors whether the elevator car is occupied or unoccupied and automatically selects the appropriate motion profile. This dynamic switching ensures that high-speed parameters are only applied when safe (unoccupied), while comfort-oriented parameters are applied when passengers are present, eliminating the harmful effect of passenger discomfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses occupancy detection as feedback to determine the appropriate motion profile. The detection result feeds into the controller, which then selects either the first motion profile (for unoccupied cars with higher speed parameters) or the second motion profile (for occupied cars with lower speed parameters). This feedback mechanism ensures that speed parameter selection is always appropriate to the current operational context, preventing passenger discomfort.
3Productivity
If occupancy-based motion profile adjustment is implemented, then system efficiency and travel time are optimized, but device complexity increases due to additional detection and control logic
Solution Approach 1:
The existing occupancy detection system, originally designed for other purposes, is repurposed to also determine motion profile selection. The controller already performs multiple functions (motor control, brake control, destination selection), and now adds motion profile selection based on occupancy status. This multi-functionality approach minimizes additional hardware complexity while achieving the productivity improvement through software-based profile switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The system manages complexity by organizing motion parameters into predefined profiles rather than individually controlling each parameter. The controller stores multiple complete motion profiles (first profile for unoccupied, second profile for occupied) and simply selects between them based on occupancy status. This parameter organization reduces the complexity of real-time calculations while still achieving optimized travel times and system efficiency.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of operating an elevator system is provided. The method comprising: detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied; selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.