Multicar Elevator Passenger Guidance System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multicar elevator systems face challenges in efficiently assigning passengers to the appropriate elevator car and landing door due to multiple cars servicing a single landing, complicating the destination entry process and lacking sufficient means for accurate assignments.
Innovation Solution
A passenger guidance system that includes landing doors, a controller, and displays to provide users with information about available and arriving elevator cars, allowing for efficient assignment and direction to the correct landing door and elevator car based on user input, including estimated times of arrival.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple elevator cars service a single landing door, then the elevator system capacity and efficiency are improved, but the complexity of assigning passengers to the correct car and door increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of external displays and controllers that mediate between passengers and the complex multicar elevator system. The displays show which specific car will arrive at which door, translating the complex multi-car configuration into simple, actionable information for passengers, thus resolving the assignment complexity while maintaining high system capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring elevator car positions and dynamically updating external displays with real-time information about which cars are approaching which doors. This feedback loop allows the system to manage the complexity of multiple cars servicing single doors by providing passengers with up-to-date assignment information, enabling efficient passenger flow without overwhelming complexity
2Ease of operation
If conventional destination entry systems are used in multicar elevator systems, then passenger destination requests can be processed, but the assignment process becomes variable and insufficient for efficient traffic management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to destination entry by placing displays at multiple external locations (different doors) rather than relying solely on internal car displays. This allows passengers to see assignment information at the door level, adding a dimensional layer to the destination entry process that enables more efficient traffic management across multiple cars and doors simultaneously
3Device complexity
If no external display information is provided, then the system structure remains simple, but passengers lack sufficient information to efficiently select and board the correct elevator car
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by displaying assignment information (which car will arrive at which door) before passengers actually reach the elevators. This advance information provision allows passengers to plan their approach and board the correct car more efficiently, reducing waiting and selection time without requiring complex real-time decision-making at the door
Data Source
AI summary
Passenger guidance systems for a multicar elevator system and related methods are provided. The passenger guidance system includes a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane, a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane, a controller configured to receive information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane, and a first display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door.