Elevator Passenger Traffic Analysis System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current elevator systems face challenges in efficiently capturing passenger volume and destination data, leading to costly and labor-intensive data collection processes prone to human error, and result in suboptimal design due to over- or under-elevatoring issues.
Innovation Solution
A data acquisition system comprising a sensor module for tracking passenger entries and exits, a location sensor module for position tracking, and a processing module that generates passenger data, including current floor, door states, and time of entry/exit, using depth-sensing and video sensors, and is self-contained with a power supply and memory for local data storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual data collection by multiple people is used to record passenger entries and exits, then passenger traffic data can be captured, but the process is time consuming, expensive, and subject to human error
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical data collection process with an automated sensor-based system. Sensors mounted in the elevator car automatically detect passenger entries and exits, eliminating the need for manual recording by multiple people. This substitution of mechanical/manual processes with automated sensing technology directly resolves the contradiction by improving data accuracy while reducing time consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service data collection where the elevator system itself automatically records passenger traffic data through integrated sensors. The sensors continuously monitor and log passenger entries and exits without requiring external human intervention, allowing the system to serve its own data collection needs autonomously. This resolves the contradiction by eliminating time-consuming manual processes while maintaining high data accuracy.
2Loss of information
If manual data collection methods are used to generate passenger lists, then passenger traffic metrics can be extracted, but the process is expensive and labor intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional sensor system that simultaneously performs multiple tasks: detecting passenger entries, detecting exits, recording timestamps, and generating comprehensive traffic metrics. This universal system replaces multiple separate manual processes with a single integrated solution, reducing overall system complexity while ensuring complete data capture. The sensor module serves multiple purposes that were previously handled by multiple manual operators.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex manual data collection and compilation processes with automated electronic sensing and processing. The sensor module continuously captures traffic data and the processing module automatically generates passenger lists and metrics, eliminating the need for multiple people to manually record and compile information. This substitution reduces device complexity by replacing human labor with streamlined electronic systems.
3Reliability
If conservative elevator design based on statistical models is used, then design mistakes can be avoided, but ongoing lost revenue opportunity occurs due to over-elevatoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through continuous collection and analysis of actual passenger traffic data. The system monitors real-world usage patterns, passenger volumes, and traffic flows, then feeds this information back to validate and refine statistical models used in elevator design. This feedback loop allows designers to move from conservative estimates to data-driven predictions, optimizing elevator capacity to match actual demand and eliminate lost revenue from over-design while maintaining reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary data collection during the design phase using sensors deployed in existing elevators or simulation environments. By gathering actual traffic data before final design decisions are made, the system enables accurate capacity planning that avoids both over-elevatoring and under-elevatoring. This preliminary action with real data replaces conservative statistical modeling, ensuring optimal design reliability without revenue loss.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-contained data acquisition system for a passenger conveyance system, includes a sensor module for sensing data associated with an entry and exit of each of a multiple of passengers, a location sensor module for sensing a position of the passenger conveyance upon entry and exit of each of the multiple of respective passengers and a processing module operable to use the sensed data from the sensor module and the location sensor module to record passenger data.