JP7379646B1 - Elevator control system and control method - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to enable a general user to easily recognize whether an elevator is being occupied by an autonomous vehicle, and to eliminate the inconvenience of the general user having to wait unnecessarily. [Solution] An elevator system capable of robot-linked operation in which an autonomous robot 3 is mounted in a car 15 that moves up and down between multiple landings 20, and an elevator control that controls the operating status of the car 15. If a hall call is made by an elevator user HM during robot-linked operation by the device 30, the robot management server 4 that manages the autonomous robot 3, and the elevator control device 30, from the time the hall call is made. The available boarding time prediction unit 33 calculates the waiting time until normal operation is possible by the elevator control device 30 after the robot interlocking operation is completed. It is equipped with a hall display indicator 215 and a hall display counter 216 that display the elapsed waiting time. [Selection diagram] Figure 1

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to an elevator control system and control method.

In recent years, in buildings with multiple floors, such as buildings, by linking elevators and robots, it has become possible for robots to move autonomously between multiple floors without human intervention. There is.

However, elevators in buildings are usually used mostly by general users. For this reason, due to safety considerations, controls are being implemented to prevent autonomous robots from riding in elevators that are occupied by general users (occupied operation).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2012-196731 International Publication (WO) No. 2020/179022

However, while the autonomous robot is in exclusive operation, general users are restricted from using the elevator, which may cause the general users to wait for a long time.

Embodiments of the present invention enable general users to easily recognize whether an elevator is being occupied by an autonomous vehicle, and eliminate the inconvenience of general users having to wait unnecessarily. The purpose is to provide a control system and a control method.

An embodiment of the present invention is an elevator control system that is capable of operating exclusively by boarding an autonomous vehicle in a car that moves up and down between a plurality of floors, and which controls the operating status of the car. a control unit; a running body management unit that manages the autonomous running body in cooperation with the control unit; and the occupancy by the control unit in response to a request from the autonomous running body managed by the running body management unit. When a passenger makes a hall call during driving, a calculation unit that calculates a waiting time from the time when the hall call is made until the occupied operation is completed and normal operation is enabled by the control unit. and a display section that is provided on each of the plurality of floors and displays the elapse of the waiting time calculated by the calculating section , and the calculating section is configured to respond to a request from the autonomous vehicle during the waiting period. The feature is that the time is used as an opportunity to calculate .

Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for controlling an elevator capable of operating exclusively by boarding an autonomous vehicle in a car that moves up and down between a plurality of floors, the method comprising controlling the operating status of the car. a step of controlling by a control unit, a step of managing the autonomous running body by a running body management unit in cooperation with the control unit, and a request from the autonomous running body managed by the running body management unit, If a hall call is made by a user during the occupied operation by the control unit, a standby period from the time the hall call is made until the occupied operation is completed and normal operation is possible by the control unit. Calculating the waiting time, comprising: calculating the time by a calculation unit; and displaying the passage of the waiting time calculated by the calculation unit on a display unit, which is provided on each of the plurality of floors. The process is characterized in that it is triggered by a request from the autonomous running body .

1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an elevator system to which an elevator control system according to an embodiment is applied. The schematic diagram showing the example of composition of an elevator hall. A flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the elevator system. FIG. 3 is a diagram shown to explain an example of operation. FIG. 3 is a diagram shown to explain a display example.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, the control system and control method of the elevator based on embodiment of this invention are demonstrated with reference to drawings.

Embodiment FIG. 1 schematically shows a schematic configuration of an elevator system to which an elevator control system according to the present embodiment is applied. This elevator system is installed, for example, in a building such as a commercial facility, and here, an example will be described in which the elevator system is installed in a building having a plurality of floors.

The elevator system of this embodiment mainly includes an elevator 1 and an autonomous robot (autonomous vehicle) 3. The elevator 1 is a general elevator device mainly used by general elevator users HM (see Fig. 5), and for example, when the elevator user HM is not in the elevator, an autonomous mobile robot 3 can board the elevator. (See Figure 2). That is, in this elevator system, the cooperation between the elevator 1 and the autonomous robot 3 allows autonomous use of the autonomous robot 3 (also referred to as occupancy operation or robot-linked operation) outside of the normal operation of the car 15. It is considered possible.

Note that in the elevator 1, control is performed (normal operation) to give priority to general elevator users HM over the autonomous mobile robot 3, except in emergencies (controlled operation).

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, a building management system 6 equipped with a robot management server (traveling object management unit) 4 that manages an autonomous mobile robot 3 and an elevator communication device 31 of an elevator 1 performs elevator monitoring. Connected via Center 2. The elevator monitoring center 2 remotely manages the elevator 1 and includes, for example, an elevator cloud 5.

That is, by linking the robot management server 4 and the elevator 1 via the elevator cloud 5 of the elevator monitoring center 2, the robot control system (control unit) 30 can control robot-linked operation by the autonomous robot 3 on board. Registration of call information is performed.

Although details will be described later, the elevator control device 30 connected to the elevator communication device 31 includes a registration unit (not shown) for registering call information by general elevator users HM and autonomous robots 3.

In FIG. 1, a robot management server 4 is used to cause an autonomous robot 3 to perform predetermined tasks such as cleaning inside a building, transporting luggage, and providing directions for general elevator users HM. The robot management server 4 has functions such as checking the position of the autonomous robot 3, setting the operation mode, and performing wireless communication with the autonomous robot 3.

The building management system 6 manages the entire building and is installed at a disaster prevention center (not shown) or the like.

The elevator cloud 5 is an interface that connects the elevator 1 and the building management system 6, and enables, for example, LTE (Long Term Evolution) communication between the robot management server 4 and the elevator communication device 31. .

The autonomous robot 3 includes a robot control section 300, a position information acquisition section 301, a call registration request section 302, a robot wireless communication section 303, a movement mechanism section 304, and the like.

The robot control section 300 controls, for example, each section 301 to 304 of the autonomous robot 3, and also controls the behavior of the autonomous robot 3 according to the settings of the robot management server 4.

The position information acquisition unit 301 is controlled by the robot control unit 300 and is configured to constantly acquire position information of the autonomous robot 3 within the building.

The call registration request unit 302 requests the robot control unit 300 to register call information by the autonomous robot 3 in the elevator control device 30 when performing robot-linked operation. That is, by registering the call information to the robot control unit 300 by the autonomous robot 3, the operation status of the elevator 1 is switched to robot-linked operation.

The robot wireless communication unit 303 is controlled by the robot control unit 300 and transmits wireless information to the elevator control device 30 via the robot management server 4 and the elevator cloud 5 in response to a request for call information registration from the call registration request unit 302. It transmits call information.

The movement mechanism section 304 is controlled by the robot control section 300 and moves the position of the autonomous robot 3.

On the other hand, the elevator 1 includes, for example, as shown in FIG. It has 35 etc.

The car 15 is provided so that it can be moved up and down between landings (a plurality of floors) 20 on each floor by a hoisting machine 13.

Inside the car 15, for example, a car door (not shown) is provided near the entrance for the general elevator user HM to perform a car call operation to set the destination floor (destination floor). A car operation panel 19 is provided. Although not shown, the car operation panel 19 includes a destination floor button, a car door opening/closing button, a floor indicator for displaying the landing floor (arrival floor), etc., and a voice guide for the arrival floor, etc. It is equipped with a speaker and an emergency call button.

The hoisting machine 13 is disposed in a machine room, has a rope connected to the car 15 stretched over it, and is controlled by an elevator control device 30.

The elevator communication device 31 is controlled by the elevator control device 30 and performs, for example, LTE communication with an elevator cloud 5 provided in an elevator monitoring center 2 that remotely monitors the elevator 1.

The elevator control device 30 controls the operating status of the car 15, and is configured to cause the car 15 of the elevator 1 to perform normal operation, occupied operation, or controlled operation as necessary.

That is, the hoisting machine 13 is controlled by the elevator control device 30 in response to a car call operation on the car operation panel 19 by a general elevator user HM. Further, the hoisting machine 13 is controlled by the elevator control device 30 in response to a hall call operation by a general elevator user HM on the hall operation panel 21 provided in the hall 20 of each floor. As a result, the car 15 is operated up and down, and the elevator user HM is transported to the destination floor or moved to the landing floor where the elevator user HM is waiting (normal operation).

The storage unit 35 is controlled by the elevator control device 30, and stores various control data such as the rated speed and acceleration of the elevator 1, the travel time of the car 15 for each destination floor, the opening and closing times of the landing door 22, and the autonomous Boarding and disembarkation times of the traveling robot 3 are stored in advance. Further, the storage unit 35 is configured to store, for example, information about a hall call by the elevator user HM, the time at which the hall call was made, and the like.

The available boarding time prediction unit 33 is controlled by the elevator control device 30, and for example, when an elevator user HM calls a hall during robot-linked operation, the robot-linked operation is completed from the time the hall call is made. , calculate the waiting time until normal operation is possible. That is, based on various control data stored in the storage unit 35, from the time when the elevator user HM makes a hall call to the normal operation when the elevator user HM is allowed to board the car 15. It is now possible to predict the waiting time.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, for example, a landing door 22 is provided for each landing 20 on each floor. In the vicinity of each hall door 22, there are provided a hall operation panel 21 for general elevator users HM to perform a hall call operation, an arrival notification lamp (not shown), and the like.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the hall operation panel 21 includes a hall button 211 and a console wireless communication system for transmitting the operation of the hall button 211 by the elevator user HM to the elevator control device 30 and registering hall call information. section 212 and a hall display indicator (display section) 215.

In addition, the hall 20 is provided with a hall display counter 216 and a robot operation indicator 217 as display units, as well as a floor display indicator 218, a speaker 219, and the like.

The hall display indicator 215 is a display device that counts down the remaining time as the waiting time calculated by the boarding time prediction section 33 elapses. The hall display counter 216 is a countdown type display that displays the remaining time by the number of lit lamps as the waiting time calculated by the boarding time prediction section 33 elapses. The robot operation indicator 217 is an indicator for displaying the operating status to indicate that the elevator 1 is currently operating in conjunction with the robot. The floor display indicator 218 is a floor indicator that displays the current position of the car 15. The speaker 219 is for announcing various information by voice, buzzer sound, etc., and for example, the speaker 219 is for announcing various information by voice, buzzer sound, etc. It has become.

In this way, by displaying on the robot operation indicator 217 that the robot is operating in conjunction with the robot, the elevator user HM is informed that the autonomous mobile robot 3 is currently using the elevator 1 and cannot use it immediately. become easier to recognize.

In addition, the elevator user HM can board the car 15 by notifying the elapsed waiting time until normal operation using the hall display counter 216 and/or the hall display indicator 215 and the speaker 219. You can now check the waiting time.

This makes it possible to clarify the waiting time even when waiting for the arrival of the car 15 in order to use the elevator 1. In addition, depending on the waiting time until elevator 1 becomes available, such as when there are few floors to move or when you are in a hurry, it can help you decide whether to switch to using the stairs or escalator.

Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience of the general elevator user HM having to wait unnecessarily.

In particular, if the speaker 219 is used to announce the waiting time until normal operation starts, it will be useful for elevator users HM who have visual impairments or who operate smartphones or the like.

Next, the operation of the elevator system according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, a case will be described in which a general elevator user HM performs a hall call operation during robot-linked operation.

For example, during normal operation of the elevator 1 (NO in step ST01, ST02), the call registration request unit 302 of the autonomous robot 3 requests the elevator communication device 31 to register call information as a robot boarding request. (YES in step ST01).

Then, the elevator control device 30 determines whether or not the elevator user HM is in the car 15 based on the registered call information and the like. If the elevator is on board (YES in step ST03), normal operation continues, and all elevator users HM are transported to their respective destination floors. The robot boarding request is then put on hold until the transport is completed.

On the other hand, if the user is not on board (NO in step ST03), the elevator control device 30 registers call information based on a robot boarding request, and the operating status is switched from normal operation to robot-linked operation (step ST04). That is, as the call information is registered in response to the robot boarding request from the autonomous robot 3, the robot-linked operation is started.

As a result, the robot operation indicator 217 displays that the elevator 1 is currently operating in conjunction with the robot. Further, the car 15 is moved to the call floor where the autonomous robot 3 is waiting, and as the landing door 22 is opened, the autonomous robot 3 can board the car 15. The car 15 is then moved to the destination floor in accordance with the registration of the call information. This robot-linked operation continues until the car 15 lands on the destination floor, the autonomous robot 3 exits the car 15, and the landing door 22 is closed. In this way, the robot-linked operation is temporarily canceled.

In contrast, it is assumed that an elevator user HM makes a hall call at some hall 20 (YES in step ST05). Then, information about a hall call by operating the hall button 211 on the hall operation panel 21 is sent to the elevator control device 30 via the operation panel wireless communication section 212.

Thereby, in the elevator control device 30, it is determined whether or not the robot-linked operation is being continued (step ST06). If it is not continuing (NO in step ST06), the process moves to step ST10.

If it is continuing (YES in step ST06), the elevator control device 30 temporarily stores the hall call information and its time in the storage unit 35 (step ST07, temporary registration of hall call).

Then, the available boarding time prediction unit 33 calculates the available boarding time when the robot-linked operation is completed and the elevator user HM can use the elevator, and predicts the waiting time (waiting time) until then. (Step ST08).

That is, the rideable time prediction unit 33 first calculates the time from the start of the robot-linked operation until its completion as a trigger.

Here, the start time of the robot-linked operation is the time when the robot boarding request information is called and registered, and the time to complete the robot-linked operation is the time when the autonomous traveling robot moves from the car 15 that has landed on the destination floor due to movement. 3 is considered to be the time from when the passenger gets off the train to when the landing door 22 is completely closed.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4, for example, the boarding time prediction unit 33 calculates the current position of the car 15 at the time when the elevator user HM makes a hall call based on the information from the position information acquisition unit 301. demand. Then, based on various control data stored in advance in the storage unit 35, the time required for the car 15 to move from its current position to the destination floor and complete the robot-linked operation is determined.

Further, based on various control data stored in advance in the storage unit 35, the car 15 moves from the destination floor where it is landing to the floor where the landing call operation was performed, and the door of the landing door 22 is moved. The time required for the elevator user HM to be able to board the elevator after the elevator is opened is calculated.

The required time from the start to completion of the robot-linked operation, the time from the current position of car 15 to the completion of the robot-linked operation, and the possibility for elevator user HM to board car 15. Finally, the waiting time is predicted based on the time it takes to reach .

In this way, the predicted waiting time is displayed by the elevator control device 30 on the hall display indicator 215 and the hall display counter 216 of the hall 20 where the hall call operation was performed, for example, as shown in FIG. Voice guidance is provided from the speaker 219 (step ST09).

The countdown display is repeated until the elevator user HM is able to board the car 15 (YES in step ST10, ST11), and the elevator user HM waiting at the landing 20 is guided (step ST10). NO).

Additionally, as the elevator user HM becomes able to board the car 15, information on the hall call that is being temporarily registered is registered in the registration section (not shown), and normal operation becomes possible (step ST02).

As described above, according to the elevator system according to the present embodiment, a general elevator user HM can easily recognize whether or not the autonomous mobile robot 3 is operating the elevator 1 in a robot-interlocked manner. It becomes possible to eliminate bad sex.

That is, by displaying on the robot operation indicator 217 that the robot is operating in conjunction with the robot, the elevator user HM is informed that the autonomous robot 3 is currently using the elevator 1 and cannot use it immediately. become easily recognizable.

Furthermore, by providing guidance on the waiting time using the hall display indicator 215 and/or the hall display counter 216, the elevator user HM can easily check the waiting time until he or she can board the car 15. become.

This makes it possible to clarify the waiting time even when waiting for the arrival of the car 15 in order to use the elevator 1. Also, depending on the waiting time until elevator 1 becomes available, it will help you decide whether to switch to using the stairs or escalator.

Therefore, it is possible to eliminate the inconvenience of general elevator users HM having to wait unnecessarily.

In particular, if the waiting time until normal operation is announced using speaker 219, it will be possible to provide more reliable guidance for elevator users HM who have visual impairments or who operate smartphones, etc. becomes possible.

Other Embodiments Note that in the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the waiting time during robot-linked operation is displayed, but the display is not limited to this. It may also be possible to display the time when the elevator will resume use (return time).

Furthermore, it is not limited to the case where the hall display indicator 215 and the hall display counter 216 are provided, but either one of them may be provided.

Further, the time for displaying the waiting time and the like during robot-linked operation may be displayed in units of 1 second such as 45, 44, and 43, or in units of 5 seconds such as 45, 40, and 35, for example.

Furthermore, since it may not be possible to make announcements at 1-second intervals, it is desirable to make announcements at 5-second intervals.

Furthermore, the display is not limited to numerical or counter displays, but may be in the form of a bar graph or the like for displaying the waiting time at a red light, for example.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Moreover, this novel embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and gist of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and its equivalents.

1...Elevator, 3...Autonomous running robot (autonomous running body), 4...Robot management server (running body management department), 15...Car, 20...Hall, 21...Hallway operation panel, 30...Elevator control device (control unit) ), 33... Boarding time prediction section (calculation section), 35... Storage section, 215... Hall display indicator (display section), 216... Hall display counter (display section), 217... Robot operation indicator, 218... Floor Floor display indicator, 219...speaker.

Claims (7)

An elevator control system capable of exclusive operation with an autonomous vehicle mounted in a car that moves up and down between multiple floors,
a control unit that controls the operating status of the car;
a running body management unit that manages the autonomous running body in cooperation with the control unit;
If a landing call is made by a user during the occupied operation by the control unit in response to a request from the autonomous running body managed by the running body management unit, from the time the landing call is made, the a calculation unit that calculates a waiting time until the occupied operation is completed and the control unit can perform normal operation;
a display unit provided on each of the plurality of floors and displaying the elapsed waiting time calculated by the calculation unit;
Equipped with
The elevator control system is characterized in that the calculation unit uses a request from the autonomous running body as an opportunity to calculate the waiting time . The elevator control system according to claim 1, further comprising a storage section that stores various control data for calculating the waiting time, which is referred to by the calculation section. 2. The elevator control system according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a status display indicating that the car is being occupied by the autonomous vehicle. 2. The elevator control system according to claim 1, wherein the display section includes a display indicator that displays the elapse of the waiting time calculated by the calculation section. 2. The elevator control system according to claim 1, wherein the display section includes a countdown type display that displays the elapse of the waiting time calculated by the calculation section. Further, the elevator control according to claim 1, wherein a speaker is arranged on each of the plurality of floors to provide audio guidance of the passage of the waiting time calculated by the calculation unit. system. A control method for an elevator capable of exclusive operation with an autonomous vehicle mounted in a car that moves up and down between multiple floors, the method comprising:
a step of controlling the operating status of the car by a control unit;
managing the autonomous running body by a running body management unit in cooperation with the control unit;
If a landing call is made by a user during the occupied operation by the control unit in response to a request from the autonomous running body managed by the running body management unit, from the time the landing call is made, the a step of calculating, by a calculation unit, a waiting time until the occupied operation is completed and the control unit can perform normal operation;
Displaying the passage of the waiting time calculated by the calculation unit on a display unit provided on each of the plurality of floors;
Equipped with
An elevator control method , wherein the step of calculating the waiting time is triggered by a request from the autonomous running body .

Images