Elevator Control via Passenger Trajectory Prediction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator systems face challenges in minimizing waiting time and intermediate stops, particularly during heavy traffic, as they lack control over the number of destination calls served and unserved, leading to passenger dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A passenger trajectory tracking device with data processing means monitors passenger positions, speeds, and directions to calculate trajectories and predict paths, allowing for improved elevator control by redirecting passengers to less overloaded cars and optimizing car allocation, while also enhancing safety by detecting potential collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the system uses only destination direction input, then the control system is simple, but the passenger waiting time is prolonged and intermediate stops are excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary actions by predicting passenger trajectories before passengers reach the elevator cars. By monitoring movement in access areas and calculating predicted trajectories, the system anticipates which passengers will board which cars and pre-assigns destinations, enabling proactive car dispatching that reduces waiting time without requiring complex real-time decision-making.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from traditional 2D floor plan monitoring to 3D trajectory prediction by incorporating temporal dimension. By tracking position, speed, and direction over time to calculate predicted trajectories, the system adds a time-based dimension that enables forecasting passenger behavior and optimizing car assignments before passengers actually reach the cars.
2Measurement precision
If the system monitors detailed passenger trajectories, then car assignment accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial monitoring by focusing sensors only on access areas leading to elevator cars rather than monitoring entire hallway spaces. This selective approach captures sufficient trajectory data for accurate car assignment while minimizing the number of sensors and data processing requirements, balancing measurement precision with device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that processes sensor data from access areas and translates it into predicted trajectories and car assignments. This intermediary layer simplifies the overall system by centralizing complex calculations in the control unit rather than requiring sophisticated sensors, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
3Productivity
If the system redirects passengers to avoid overloaded cars, then productivity increases, but the loss of information about actual passenger intent increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring car load conditions and using this information to dynamically adjust car assignments. When a car approaches overload, the control system receives feedback about the load status and redirects additional passengers to alternative cars, maintaining optimal distribution and maximizing productivity while preserving accurate destination information through continuous trajectory monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary car assignments based on predicted trajectories before passengers reach the cars. By calculating which car a passenger is likely to board and assigning that car in advance, the system optimizes productivity by preventing overload conditions before they occur, while maintaining accurate destination information through the predictive modeling process.
Data Source
AI summary
Passenger transportation system (4) including a hallway (2) providing access to at least one transport car (6, 8, 10, 12) and a control for controlling the movement of the cars, characterized by a passenger trajectory tracking device (16) including a data processing means for monitoring the access areas to the cars (6, 8, 10, 12).