Elevator Standby Control via Walking Time Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional elevator systems that perform standby operations at high-frequency floors increase energy consumption due to excessive running and distance, as they move elevator cars to parking floors without optimizing routes based on passenger walking times and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An elevator system and group control system that utilize a remote hall call registering device to compare moving times of elevator cars with passenger walking times, determining whether to perform a standby operation by assessing if the moving time exceeds the allowable waiting time, thereby optimizing the decision to move the elevator car to a parking floor only when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the elevator car is moved to a parking floor after finishing all calls, then the service readiness for high-frequency floors is improved, but the number of runs and running distance increase resulting in increased energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the elevator car's standby location based on real-time conditions. Instead of always returning to a fixed parking floor, the car may remain at the current floor or move to an intermediate floor depending on predicted passenger demand, walking distances, and energy consumption calculations, making the standby position adaptive rather than static
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculations of passenger walking distances and predicted boarding floors before determining the elevator car's next position. By anticipating future demand patterns and calculating optimal positions in advance, the system avoids unnecessary movements to the parking floor while ensuring the car is positioned to minimize passenger travel time
2Ease of operation
If the elevator car is moved to a parking floor without exception, then the standby operation is simplified, but the running distance and number of runs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static, fixed parking floor approach to a dynamic positioning system that calculates optimal standby locations based on multiple variables including current car position, predicted passenger destinations, walking distances from various building locations, and energy consumption metrics, allowing the car to remain at intermediate floors when beneficial
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses remote hall call registration devices that allow passengers to pre-register their destination floors before reaching the elevator hall. This advance information allows the control system to self-optimize the car's position, reducing unnecessary trips to the parking floor while maintaining efficient service
3Loss of energy
If the elevator car remains at the service floor after finishing calls, then the running distance is reduced, but the waiting time for passengers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates feedback from remote hall call registration devices that provide advance information about passenger destination preferences. By continuously monitoring these predictions and actual boarding patterns, the system adjusts the car's positioning strategy in real-time, balancing energy conservation with minimizing passenger waiting time based on predicted demand at different floors
Solution Approach 2:
By utilizing pre-registered destination information from passengers who have declared their destination floors in advance, the system can proactively position the elevator car at optimal intermediate floors before passengers arrive, reducing both waiting time and unnecessary energy consumption compared to fixed parking floor operations
Data Source
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AI summary
In an elevator system which performs a standby operation for causing an elevator car to be on standby at a prescribed parking floor, an increase in the number of runs and the running distance is prevented and energy consumption is reduced. This elevator system is provided with a remote hall call registering device by use of which an elevator passenger performs a hall call registration in a position at a prescribed distance from a hall. Moving time comparison means compares the predicted moving time Te of the elevator car with the predicted walking time Tw in the case where the floor on which a remote hall call registering device is installed is set as a parking floor. Standby operation go/no go determination means makes a determination as to whether or not to perform a standby operation on the basis of the result of the comparison of the moving time comparison means, and carries out a standby operation after responses to all calls have been finished only in the case where the standby operation go/no go determination means made a determination to the effect that a standby operation should be performed.