Elevator Network Emergency Control via Distributed Seismic Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing earthquake emergency operation control systems for elevators are costly and complex due to high data traffic and the need for central management servers, and they often require long-term contracts with government agencies for seismic data, making them unsuitable for widespread implementation without significant expenses.
Innovation Solution
A network-based emergency operation controller system where each elevator controller generates and transmits an emergency condition detection message with a propagation count, allowing for peer-to-peer communication and emergency operations without a central server, enabling efficient earthquake response by stopping or pausing elevators based on seismic wave types, and applicable to elevators with or without seismic sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a central management server is used to handle earthquake detection data from multiple elevators, then comprehensive earthquake emergency control can be achieved, but the system cost and maintenance complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized earthquake detection system into distributed segments where each elevator controller independently processes seismic data and makes emergency decisions. Each controller segments the overall function of earthquake detection, analysis, and response execution, eliminating the need for a central management server while maintaining comprehensive emergency control capability across the elevator network.
Solution Approach 2:
Each elevator controller is equipped with seismic sensing capability and autonomously performs earthquake detection, data processing, and emergency operation decisions without requiring external central server intervention. The controllers self-service by independently handling the complete earthquake emergency control workflow, from detecting P-waves and S-waves to executing appropriate emergency protocols.
2Loss of information
If seismic data is transmitted through a central monitoring center, then earthquake early warning can be provided, but enormous data traffic increases cost and maintenance burden
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data processing function from the central server architecture and embeds it directly into each elevator controller. By taking out the computational burden of seismic data analysis from the centralized system, each controller locally processes earthquake detection data, identifying P-wave and S-wave patterns and making emergency decisions without transmitting enormous data volumes through the network.
Solution Approach 2:
Each elevator controller pre-processes seismic data locally as it is received, immediately identifying earthquake waves and determining emergency responses before any network transmission is needed. This preliminary action at the source eliminates the need for subsequent data aggregation and processing through a central monitoring center, dramatically reducing network data traffic.
3Measurement precision
If long-term contracts with government agencies are signed for real-time seismic information, then accurate earthquake emergency control is achieved, but large costs are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
Each elevator controller is equipped with its own seismic sensing capability, eliminating the need to purchase or subscribe to external government seismic data services. The controllers self-service by directly detecting and processing seismic waves themselves, achieving accurate earthquake detection without incurring ongoing contractual costs with external agencies.
Solution Approach 2:
The elevator controllers serve multiple functions: they control normal elevator operations, detect seismic waves, process earthquake data, and execute emergency protocols. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated seismic monitoring systems or external data purchase agreements, reducing overall system cost while maintaining accurate earthquake detection capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An emergency operation controller for an elevator is connected to other emergency operation controllers of their respective elevators through network, and each controller constitutes a node in the network. The controller generates and transmits an emergency condition detection message to other controllers in the network which constitute adjacent nodes to the controller when the controller detects an emergency condition, and receives an emergency condition detection message from other controllers which constitute adjacent nodes to the controller in the network when other controllers detect an emergency condition. The emergency condition detection message includes a propagation count. The propagation count is configured to be decremented by one, each time one controller transmits the emergency condition detection message to other controllers which constitute next adjacent nodes. The emergency condition detection message is continuously transmitted until the propagation count reaches to zero.