Full-Car Elevator Call Registration for Additional Dispatch
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elevator systems often face situations where passenger demand exceeds capacity, leading to full cars that cannot accommodate additional passengers, causing frustration and prolonged waiting times, especially during peak periods like hotel checkout times.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a dispatch controller that allows passengers to place a second request for elevator service using hall call or full car service request buttons while the full elevator car is at the landing, utilizing sensors to validate the need for an additional car by detecting non-boarded passengers or changes in load/occupancy, and assigning a second elevator car to meet the demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the elevator car stops at intermediate floors to pick up passengers, then the car serves more passengers, but the car remains full and cannot accommodate additional passengers, causing prolonged waiting times
Solution Approach 1:
The dispatch controller proactively monitors elevator car occupancy and preemptively dispatches additional cars before passengers miss their rides. When a car is detected to be full at an intermediate floor, the system automatically sends another car to that floor, preventing passenger frustration and eliminating the need for repeated call button presses.
2Ease of operation
If the call button repeatedly triggers door reopening for full cars, then the system responds to passenger requests, but the car remains at the landing longer, increasing wait times for both boarded and unboarded passengers
Solution Approach 1:
The dispatch controller continuously receives feedback from occupancy sensors and call buttons. When a call button is pressed at a floor where a full car is present, the controller uses occupancy feedback to determine that another car should be dispatched instead of allowing the full car to remain at the landing, thus resolving the conflict between responsiveness and efficiency.
3Productivity
If the elevator system uses typical dispatching algorithms, then the system operates efficiently under normal conditions, but fails to handle peak traffic scenarios where demand exceeds capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The dispatch controller dynamically adjusts its dispatching strategy based on real-time occupancy data and traffic patterns. During peak periods, the system transitions from traditional efficiency-optimized dispatching to a mode that proactively sends additional cars when occupancy thresholds are reached, adapting to changing demand conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
An illustrative example elevator system includes a plurality of elevator cars. A dispatch controller assigns a first one of the elevator cars to travel to a landing in response to a first request for elevator service at that landing. At least one call button is operative to place a second request while the first one of the elevator cars is situated at the landing in response to the first request. The dispatch controller assigns a second one of the elevator cars to travel to the landing in response to the second request.