Elevator Dispatching With Passenger Walk-Time Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing elevator systems often dispatch cars based on estimated travel time, leading to instances where passengers miss the assigned elevator due to the time required to travel to the car, 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 car, dispatching cars with a travel duration below a threshold and considering passenger travel time to optimize elevator car assignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If elevator cars are dispatched based on smallest travel time to call location, then response speed is improved, but passenger reliability to reach the elevator deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the dispatch parameter from purely travel time to a composite parameter that includes both elevator travel time and passenger walk time. This allows the system to select elevator cars that arrive simultaneously with passengers, rather than merely the closest cars, thereby maintaining response speed while improving passenger reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of passenger travel time to the elevator car location before finalizing the dispatch decision. By anticipating the passenger's arrival time at the elevator location, the system can pre-determine which elevator car should be dispatched to ensure synchronization, thus preventing passengers from missing their assigned elevators.
2Adaptability or versatility
If elevator cars located at distant locations are dispatched, then system versatility is improved, but passenger wait time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system transforms the dispatch decision from a single-parameter (elevator travel time) optimization to a multi-parameter optimization including elevator travel time, passenger walk time, and synchronization requirements. This enables the system to dispatch distant elevator cars only when the combined time parameters indicate it will not increase passenger wait time, thus maintaining versatility while controlling wait times.
3Reliability
If dispatch system considers passenger travel time, then passenger reliability improves, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-calculates and stores typical passenger travel times between different floors and elevator locations. During dispatch operations, it retrieves these pre-computed values and combines them with real-time elevator positions to determine optimal dispatch decisions. This preliminary preparation reduces the computational burden during actual dispatch, improving reliability without proportionally increasing operational complexity.
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.