Multi-car elevator group management control unit

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multi-car elevator systems, passengers face increased burden when multiple cars arrive at the platform simultaneously, requiring them to quickly decide which car to board by checking multiple signs, leading to confusion and inefficiency.

Innovation Solution

A multi-car elevator system with a group management control unit that allocates boarding groups to passengers based on their destinations, using display units to guide them to the correct car, reducing the need for immediate decision-making by clearly indicating which car to board through visual cues like lighting and patterns on the platform.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If multiple cars are allowed to operate in the same moving path to increase transportation capacity, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases and passenger decision burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransportation capacityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments passengers into different boarding groups based on their destinations and assigns each group to a specific car. This segmentation allows multiple cars to operate efficiently in the same moving path without causing confusion, as each car serves a clearly defined group of passengers with specific destinations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The control device acts as an intermediary between passengers and cars, managing the complex matching process. It receives destination information from passengers, determines appropriate boarding groups, assigns cars to these groups, and provides guidance information. This intermediary function resolves the complexity by centralizing the decision-making process rather than requiring passengers to make complex decisions themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If multiple cars arrive at the platform simultaneously to reduce waiting time, then loss of time is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to increased passenger decision burden

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewaiting timeVSAvoidboarding decision ease
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The control device performs preliminary actions by determining boarding groups and assigning cars to these groups before the cars arrive at the platform. It also provides guidance information to passengers in advance, indicating which car to board. This preliminary organization ensures that when multiple cars arrive simultaneously, passengers already know which car to take, eliminating decision confusion while maintaining fast service.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to passengers through guidance information that indicates their assigned boarding group and the corresponding car number. This feedback loop allows passengers to make informed decisions quickly, as they receive real-time information about which car to board rather than having to independently evaluate multiple arriving cars.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If passengers are required to check multiple signs to decide which car to board, then measurement precision of car selection is improved, but loss of time increases due to extended decision-making process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecar selection accuracyVSAvoiddecision-making time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts the essential decision-making information and presents it directly to passengers through the control device. Instead of requiring passengers to check multiple signs and independently process information, the system extracts the critical matching information (boarding group number, assigned car number) and delivers it directly to passengers, significantly reducing decision-making time while maintaining accurate car selection.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3831758B1Multi-car elevator system
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 HITACHI LTD
  • EP3831758B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3831758B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3831758B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The group management control unit assigns a specific boarding group from among a plurality of boarding groups to passengers. In addition, the group management control unit calculates boarding guidance information, which is information regarding a car to be boarded by passengers, for each of a plurality of boarding groups based on the movement information, and outputs the boarding guidance information to the outside.