Evacuation Controller for Real-Time Elevator Flow Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large buildings and public places, evacuation situations create excessive traffic challenges due to the need to quickly move a large number of people, which existing systems struggle to manage efficiently, especially when combined with limitations in elevator and transportation capacity.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize data collection devices to analyze passenger flows, provide real-time environmental state information, and display evacuation instructions, allowing for controlled operation of elevators, escalators, and other transportation means to optimize passenger movement and reduce congestion by guiding passengers through alternative routes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional elevator group controllers are used without real-time data analysis, then the system structure remains simple, but passenger flow efficiency deteriorates during evacuation situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and analyzing passenger flow data before evacuation situations occur, building statistical models of normal traffic patterns. This allows the system to quickly compare real-time data against established baselines and immediately identify evacuation scenarios without complex real-time decision-making algorithms during the actual emergency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer between simple elevator controllers and complex evacuation management. This intermediary system collects data from multiple sources, analyzes passenger flows, and provides guidance to both passengers and elevator systems. The intermediary handles the complexity of data integration and analysis, allowing simpler components to focus on their primary functions.
2Productivity
If more elevators are added to handle increased passenger flows, then transportation capacity improves, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts elevator group configurations and routing based on real-time passenger flow analysis. Instead of adding more elevators, the system optimizes the existing fleet by dynamically reassigning elevators to different floors, adjusting group sizes, and modifying service patterns based on analyzed traffic data, thereby increasing effective capacity without physical expansion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters of existing elevators based on data analysis results. This includes modifying floor assignments, adjusting speed profiles, changing group controller settings, and altering dispatch algorithms. By optimizing parameters rather than adding hardware, the system increases transportation capacity while avoiding the complexity and cost of additional elevators.
3Productivity
If real-time data collection and analysis systems are implemented, then passenger flow optimization improves, but use of energy and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by focusing data collection and analysis efforts only on critical parameters and key decision points. Instead of continuously analyzing all possible variables, the system monitors essential passenger flow metrics and performs detailed analysis only when evacuation scenarios are detected or when significant deviations from normal patterns occur, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining effectiveness.
4Loss of time
If evacuation instructions are displayed based on comprehensive data analysis, then evacuation efficiency improves, but information processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis to establish baseline passenger flow patterns and pre-identifies potential evacuation scenarios. By having statistical models and comparison frameworks ready in advance, the system can quickly match real-time data against known evacuation patterns and generate instructions without performing complex real-time calculations during the actual emergency, thus reducing decision-making time.
Data Source
AI summary
Modern large buildings and public places are equipped with a plurality of elevators, exits and points of interest for fluent movement. The passenger flows in a building or public place can be traced and modelled by using statistics and information regarding current state of the modelled building or public place. The information derived from this model can be used for controlling elevators, escalators and similar in the building more efficiently. The same information may be used also for guiding passengers in the building or public place to use other transportation means so that the duration high traffic situation can be reduced or sometimes completely avoided.