EP2295361B1

EP2295361B1 - Elevator control apparatus and elevator control method

Info

Publication number: EP2295361B1
Application number: EP08790923.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masaomi Katsura
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corp
Priority date: 2008-07-07
Filing date: 2008-07-07
Publication date: 2014-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-07-07
Also published as: EP2295361A4; CN102046506B; JP5197747B2; JPWO2010004607A1; CN102046506A; EP2295361A1; WO2010004607A1; KR101226808B1; KR20100135951A

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an elevator control technique and, more specifically, to a technique that enables an elevator user (to be also referred to as a passenger hereinafter) who is in an elevator car (to be also referred to as a car hereinafter) to get off the car smoothly at his destination floor.

Background Art

If the elevator car is crowded, when a passenger in the rear part of the car gets off at his destination floor, it takes time for him to get off because he needs many other passengers between himself and the door to make way for him.
As a technique to cope with this problem, one described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-213547 is available.
According to this related technique, a lobby operation board is provided on the rear wall surface of an elevator car. If a floor is registered with this operation board, it is determined that an elevator user for that floor is present in the rear part. As the elevator is to arrive at the registered floor, an announcement and an information display unit inform that a passenger being to get off at this floor is present in the rear part. This shortens the halt time of the elevator when crowded, and prevents passengers from failing to get off.
Patent Document 1:

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-213547

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The above related technique is that a passenger registers his destination floor with the rear operation board, and it is recognized that a passenger being to get off at the destination floor is present in the rear part of the car. Therefore, if the car is not crowded in the beginning, the passenger may operate an ordinary operation board and then move to the rear part of the car. In this case, no announcement or the like is made even though the passenger being to get off is present in the rear part of the car.
Inversely, a passenger may move to near the door after registering his destination floor with the rear operation board. In this case, an announcement or the like is made even though no passenger being to get off is present in the rear part of the car.
In this manner, with the above related technique, an announcement appropriate for the situation cannot be made.
It is one of the major objects of the present invention to solve this problem, and has as its major object to be able to notify appropriately, when an elevator user in the rear part of the elevator car is to get off, that the rear elevator user is to get off.

Means to Solve the Problems

According to the present invention, an elevator control apparatus is connected to a destination floor registration device with which an elevator user registers a destination floor, and includes:

a user position detection unit which detects a position of an elevator user in an elevator car;
an information input unit which inputs destination floor information indicating a destination floor registered with the destination floor registration device and destination floor registration user specification information to specify an elevator user who has registered a destination floor, and which inputs position information indicating the position of the elevator user detected by the user position detection unit and in-car user specification information to specify the elevator user; and
a destination floor/position relating unit which determines a destination floor and a position of each elevator user based on the destination floor information, the destination floor registration user specification information, the position information, and the in-car user specification information which are input by the information input unit, and relates the destination floor and the position of each elevator user.

The elevator control apparatus further includes:

a rear part determining unit which determines whether or not a position of the elevator user detected by the user position detection unit is in a rear part of the elevator car; and
a notification determining unit which determines whether or not a stopping floor of the elevator car is a destination floor of a rear part located user whose position is determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car by the rear part determining unit and, if the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user, outputs a notification message which notifies that the rear part located user is to get off the elevator car, from an output device.

The elevator control apparatus further includes a congestion state determining unit which determines a congestion state in the elevator car, and
if the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rearpart locateduser and the elevator car is determined to be crowded by the congestion state determining unit, the notification determining unit outputs the notification message from the output device.
The user position detection unit detects an elevator user whose position has changed, and
if the elevator user whose position has changed is detected by the user position detection unit, the destination floor/position relating unit relates the destination floor and the position-after-change of the elevator user.
The user position detection unit detects the position of the elevator user in the elevator car based on image information of the elevator user photographed by an in-car camera which photographs an elevator user in the elevator car, and
the information input unit inputs image information of the elevator user photographed by the in-car camera, as the in-car user specification information, and inputs image information of the elevator user photographed by a destination floor registration device camera which photographs an elevator user in the vicinity of the destination floor registration device, as the destination floor registration user specification information.
The elevator control apparatus is connected to an in-car identification information reception device which is deployed in the elevator car and receives identification information of an elevator user which is transmitted by a radio communication device carried by the elevator user,
the elevator control apparatus is further connected to a destination floor registration identification information reception device which is deployed in the vicinity of the destination floor registration device and receives identification information of an elevator user which is transmitted by the radio communication device upon a registration of a destination floor with the destination floor registration device,
the user position detection unit detects the position of the elevator user in the elevator car based on a reception state of the identification information of the elevator user at the in-car identification information reception device, and
the information input unit inputs the identification information of the elevator user which is received by the in-car identification information reception device, as the in-car user specification information, and inputs the identification information of the elevator user which is received by the destination floor registration identification information reception device, as the destination floor registration user specification information.
An elevator control method according to the present invention includes:

inputting destination floor information indicating a destination floor registered with a destination floor registration device with which an elevator user registers the destination floor, and destination floor registration user specification information to specify the elevator user who has registered the destination floor;
detecting a position of the elevator user in an elevator car;
inputting position information indicating the position of the elevator user detected and in-car user specification information to specify the elevator user; and
determining a destination floor and a position of each elevator user based on the destination floor information and the destination floor registration user specification information which are input, and position information and in-car user specification information which are input, and relating the destination floor and the position of each elevator user.

The elevator control method further includes:

determining whether or not a position of the elevator user detected is in a rear part of the elevator car; and
determining whether or not a stopping floor of the elevator car is a destination floor of a rear part located user whose position is determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car and, if a stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part locateduser, outputting a notification message which notifies that the rear part located user is to get off the elevator car, from an output device.

Effect of the Invention

According to the present invention, the destination floor and position of each elevator user are managed in relation to each other. The destination floor of an elevator user in the rear part of the elevator car can accordingly be grasped. Other users can be notified appropriately that an elevator user in the rear part of the elevator car is to get off.

Preferred Embodiment for Carrying out the Invention

In the first and second embodiments, an elevator control apparatus will be described which is connected to a destination floor registration device with which the elevator user registers his destination floor.
More specifically, the elevator control apparatus according to the first and second embodiments inputs destination floor information indicating a destination floor registered with the destination floor registration device, and information (destination floor registration user specification information) to specify an elevator user who has registered his destination floor. The elevator control apparatus detects the position of the elevator user in the elevator car, and acquires information (in-car user specification information) to specify the elevator user whose position is detected. The elevator control apparatus determines the destination floor and position of each elevator user based on the destination floor information, destination floor registration user specification information, position information, and in-car user specification information. And the elevator control apparatus sets the destination floor and position of each elevator user in relation to each other.
Besides, the elevator control apparatus according to the first and second embodiments determines whether or not the position of the elevator user is in the rear part of the elevator car, and determines whether or not the floor where the elevator car is to stop is the destination floor of the rear part located user whose position has been determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car. If the stopping floor is the destination floor of the rear part located user, the elevator control apparatus outputs a notification message notifying that a rear part located user is to get off the elevator car.
In this manner, the elevator control apparatus according to the first and second embodiments monitors the position of the elevator user and, when the elevator car is to stop at a target floor of an elevator user in the rear part, the elevator control apparatus outputs a notification message notifying that a rear part located user is to get off the elevator car.
The first embodiment will describe an example in which the elevator control apparatus inputs, as the destination floor registration user specification information, the image information of the elevator user photographed by a camera set in an elevator lobby (to be also referred to as a lobby hereinafter), and inputs, as the in-car user specification information, the image information of the elevator user photographed by a camera set in the car.
The second embodiment will describe an example in which the elevator control apparatus inputs, as the destination floor registration user specification information, the identification information of the elevator user received by an identification information reception device set in the lobby, and inputs, as the in-car user specification information, the identification information of the elevator user received by an identification information reception device set in the car.

Embodiment 1

According to this embodiment, a destination floor registration device with which a destination floor of a passenger can be registered, e.g., an operation board or a card reader with which the destination floor can be registered, is provided in the lobby. When the passenger registers his destination floor with the destination floor registration device in the lobby, a camera in the lobby photographs this passenger. The elevator control apparatus stores the feature of the passenger from the camera image, and stores the destination floor of the passenger.
As this passenger enters the car, a camera in the car photographs him. The elevator control apparatus recognizes the feature of the passenger from the camera image. Based on the image of the lobby camera and the image of the in-car camera, the elevator control apparatus links the passenger recognized in the lobby to the passenger getting on the car, and tracks the passenger's movement.
If the passenger moves to the rear part of the elevator and the elevator is crowded, when the elevator car is to stop, the elevator control apparatus announces with an announcement device, an information display unit, or the like that a passenger being to get off at this floor is in the rear part, so that other passengers canbe ready to make way. As a result, the rear passenger can get off the car smoothly.
This leads to reduction of the halt time of the elevator when crowded, thus increasing the operation efficiency of the elevator.
Fig. 1 shows an elevator control apparatus 9, an elevator car 2, and an elevator lobby 1 according to this embodiment.
A lobby destination floor registration device 3 which can register the destination floor of the passenger, and a lobby camera 4 which photographs an elevator user in the vicinity of the lobby destination floor registration device 3 are set in the elevator lobby 1. For example, the lobby destination floor registration device 3 is a destination-selective type operation board which includes registration buttons corresponding to all the destination floors of the building, a destination input-type operation board which registers the destination floor using ten keys, or an ID card authentication device which performs authentication using an ID (Identification) card in which the passenger's destination floor is registered.
In the elevator car 2, a car operation board 5 which registers the destination floor, an in-car camera 6, an announcement device 7 which informs operation information of the elevator and the like, and an information display unit 8 which displays the car position and the operation information of the elevator are set.
A weighing device 11 which weighs the weight in the car is also set in the elevator car 2.
The elevator control apparatus 9 has a passenger position tracking device 10 which receives the images from the lobby camera 4 and in-car camera 6 and information from the lobby destination floor registration device 3 and car operation board 5, and gets the announcement device 7 to output a voice and the information display unit 8 to display information.
Communication among the elevator control apparatus 9, lobby destination floor registration device 3, and lobby camera 4 is relayed by a relay device 100.
Communication among the elevator control apparatus 9, car operation board 5, in-car camera 6, announcement device 7, information display unit 8, and weighing device 11 is relayed by a relay device 200.
In order for one camera to identify the passenger and detect the position of the passenger, for example, the in-car camera 6 may be provided at an upper rear portion in the car so that the in-car camera 6 can view the door, as shown in Fig. 18.
If the in-car camera 6 is provided at the position shown in Fig. 18, for example, as the passenger enters the car, the in-car camera 6 photographs his face. The elevator control apparatus 9 compares the passenger' s face photographed by the in-car camera 6 with the passenger's face photographed by the lobby camera 4, and determines whether or not the passenger photographed in the lobby and the passenger entering the car are the same person. When a passenger enters the car, the elevator control apparatus 9 collates his face, sets a passenger ID for the passenger, and stores the position of the passenger relating to the passenger ID.
The elevator control apparatus 9 analyzes the image of the inside of the car photographed by the in-car camera 6, and tracks the passenger. If the passenger moves in the car, the elevator control apparatus 9 stores the position after movement relating to the passenger ID.
The passenger tracking method may be of any type and can be realized by an existing technique.
The elevator control apparatus 9 may recognize the outfit feature (color, pattern, and the like) of the passenger photographed by the in-car camera 6 as he enters the car, and track the passenger with his outfit feature as the clue.
Fig. 18 shows an example of the installation position of the in-car camera 6. A plurality of in-car cameras 6 may be set at a plurality of positions, and the passenger identification and the passenger position verification may be performed specifically.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the respective elements shown in Fig. 1, and has the same content as Fig. 1.
Note that in Fig. 2, the relay device 100 and relay device 200 are not shown.
Fig. 3 is a view showing an internal configuration example of the passenger position tracking device 10 in the elevator control apparatus 9.
Referring to Fig. 3, a first information input unit 21 inputs destination floor information indicating the destination floor from the lobby destination floor registration device 3 which is a destination registration device, and inputs destination floor information indicating the destination floor from the car operation board 5 which is the destination floor registration device as well. As the destination floor registration user specification information, the first information input unit 21 inputs the image information of the elevator user photographed by the lobby camera 4 which is a destination floor registration device camera.
As the in-car user specification information, a second information input unit 22 inputs the image information of the elevator user photographed by the in-car camera 6.
The first information input unit 21 and second information input unit 22 are examples of an information input unit.
From the image of the lobby camera 4 input by the first information input unit 21, a lobby passenger detection unit 12 detects that a passenger appears in the lobby.
When the lobby passenger detection unit 12 detects that the passenger appears in the lobby, a lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13 analyzes the image from the lobby camera 4 and extracts the feature of the passenger in the lobby. The feature extraction method of the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13 may be of any type, and is realized by an existing feature extraction technique.
A car passenger feature extraction unit 15 analyzes the image from the in-car camera 6 which is input by the second information input unit 22, and extracts the feature of the passenger in the car. The feature extracting method of the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 may be of any type, and is realized by an existing feature extraction technique.
A passenger tracking unit 16 analyzes the image from the in-car camera 6 which is input by the second information input unit 22, and detects the position of each passenger in the car.
A passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines the destination floor and position of each passenger and relates the destination floor and the position for each passenger, based on the destination floor information from the lobby destination floor registration device 3 and car operation board 5, the passenger feature extracted by the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13 from the image of the lobby camera 4, the passenger feature extracted by the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 from the image of the in-car camera 6, and the position of the passenger detected by the passenger tracking unit 16. The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 outputs the relation between the destination floor and the position for eachpassenger to a passenger information database 18 as passenger/floor information.
The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 also determines whether or not the position of the passenger detected by the passenger tracking unit 16 is in the rear part of the elevator car.
The passenger tracking unit 16 is an example of auserposition detection unit. The lobby passenger detection unit 12, the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13, the car passenger feature extraction unit 15, and the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 are examples of a destination floor/position relating unit. The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 is an example of a rear part determining unit as well.
Fig. 5 shows an example of the passenger/floor information.
The passenger/floor information in Fig. 5 describes the state shown in Fig. 4.
By providing the elevator car with a grid-like coordinate system as shown in Fig. 4, the position of the passenger can be determined.
In the coordinate system, parameters and the like define which segments in the car are treated as the "rear part".
This embodiment exemplifies a case in which a coordinate system as shown in Fig. 4 is provided and 4A - 4E and 5A - 5E are defined as the "rear part".
Fig. 4 shows a state in which a passenger 1 having registered the third floor with the lobby destination floor registration device 3 in the lobby gets on the elevator car 2 and is located in a coordinate 5A.
In the passenger/floor information of Fig. 5, in accordance with the state shown in Fig. 4, the third floor as the destination registration floor and the coordinate 5A as the position are set in relation to each other for a passenger ID of 1. As the passenger is in the rear area, the result of rear part determination is "matched".
The passenger ID is allocated to each passenger by the passenger tracking unit 16 as the passenger enters the car.
The passenger information database 18 stores the passenger/floor information from the passenger/floor information generation unit 17.
A congestion state determining unit 19 determines the congestion state in the elevator car based on the image from the in-car camera 6 which is input by the second information input unit 22, and the weight measured by the weighing device 11.
A notification determining unit 20 determines whether or not the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user whose position has been determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car. If the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user and the congestion state determining unit 19 determines that the elevator car is crowded, the notification determining unit 20 outputs a notification message from the announcement device 7 and information display unit 8 to notify that the rear part located user is to get off the elevator car.
An operation example of the passenger position tracking device 10 according to this embodiment will be described in accordance with the flowcharts of Figs. 14 and 15.
If a passenger appears in the elevator lobby 1 and registers his destination with the lobby destination floor registration device 3 (YES in S101), the lobby camera 4 photographs the passenger registering his destination floor. The first information input unit 21 inputs image information, and the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13 acquires the feature of the passenger from the image information (S102).
Simultaneously, the first information input unit 21 inputs destination floor information indicating the destination floor registered with the lobby destination floor registration device 3. The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 links the passenger feature to the destination floor. The passenger information database 18 stores the link information (S103).
After that, the elevator car arrives at the floor where the passenger waits, and the passenger enters the elevator car. The in-car camera 6 photographs him, and the passenger tracking unit 16 detects that the passenger enters the car. The passenger tracking unit 16 notifies to the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 and passenger/floor information generation unit 17 that the passenger has entered the car (S104), and the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 acquires the feature of the passenger (S105).
Afterthat, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 compares the feature of the passenger (e.g., the feature of the face) acquired in the car with the feature of the passenger (e.g., the feature of the face) acquired in the lobby. If the feature of the passenger detected in the car coincides with the feature of the passenger detected in the lobby (YES in S106), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates passenger/floor information in a manner such that the destination floor of the passenger, which is stored and linked with the passenger detected in the lobby, is linked with the passenger detected in the car. Then, the passenger information database 18 stores the generated passenger/floor information (S108).
As shown in the flowchart of Fig. 17 which is to be described later, the passenger tracking unit 16 allocates a passenger ID to each passenger, and the passenger tracking unit 16 notifies the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 of the passenger ID and the passenger position information. Thus, in the passenger/floor information, the passenger position and the destination floor are related to the passenger ID.
On the contrary, if the feature of the passenger detected in the car does not coincide with the feature of the passenger detected in the lobby (including a case in which no passenger is detected in the lobby) (NO in S106), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines whether or not a destination floor is registered in the car based on whether or not destination floor information is input from the car operation board 5 (S107). If a destination floor is not registered in the car (NO in S107), the process returns to S101.
If a destination floor is registered in the car (YES in S107), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates passenger/floor information in which the destination floor registered in the car, the passenger ID, and the position information are related to each other. The passenger information database 18 then stores the generated passenger/floor information (S108).
After that, regarding a passenger who is detected in the car, each time he moves, the passenger tracking unit 16 notifies a position update notification to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S109). Hence, if the passenger moves in the car (YES an S110), thepassenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the position information of this passenger in the passenger/floor information, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S111). At this time, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines whether or not the passenger's position corresponds to the rear area in the car, and writes matched/not-matched of the rear area in the passenger/floor information.
If the passenger tracking unit 16 detects that a passenger has gotten off the car (YES in S112), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 is notified by the passenger tracking unit 16 of the passenger ID of the passenger who has gotten off, and deletes the record of the notified passenger ID from the passenger/floor information (S113).
If a destination floor is registered in the car (YES in S114), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the passenger/floor information of the passenger, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S115).
If another passenger exists (YES in S116), the process returns to S109.
An operation example of the passenger tracking unit 16 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 17.
The passenger tracking unit 16 analyzes the image photographed by the in-car camera 6, and detects a change in the passenger area (S301).
If, for example, a new passenger gets on the elevator car or a passenger gets off the car at a certain floor, or if a passenger in the car moves in the car, the passenger tracking unit 16 determines that a change occurs in the passenger area.
If a new passenger appears at the car entrance and a passenger area is formed (YES in S302), the passenger trackingunit 16 notifies the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 that a new passenger appears (S303), and allocates a passenger ID to the new passenger area (S304).
Subsequently, the passenger tracking unit 16 notifies the passenger ID and the position to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S305).
As described above, upon reception of the notification (S303) from the passenger tracking unit 16 to the car passenger feature extraction unit 15, the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 obtains the feature of the passenger (S105).
Based on the notification from the passenger tracking unit 16 to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S305), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates passenger/floor information by relating the position and the destination floor to the passenger ID, and the passenger information database 18 stores the generated passenger/floor information (S108).
If a new passenger does not appear at the car entrance (NO in S302), and if a passenger moves to the outside of the car, that is, if a passenger has gotten off the car and the passenger area disappears (YES in S306), the passenger tracking unit 16 notifies the passenger ID and the information informing that the passenger has gotten off the car to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S307).
If a passenger moves in the car (NO in S306), the passenger tracking unit 16 notifies the passenger ID and the new position of the passenger to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S308).
As described above, by the notification of S307, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 is notified by the passenger tracking unit 16 of the passenger ID of the passenger who has gotten off, and deletes the record of the notified passenger ID from the passenger/floor information (S113).
By the notification of S308, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the position information of the passenger in the passenger/floor information, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S111).
An update example of the passenger/floor information will be described with reference to Figs. 4 to 11.
Figs. 4, 6, 8, and 10 show the situations of the passengers' movement.
Figs. 5, 7, 9, and 11 show examples of the passenger/floor information indicating the situations in the car of Figs. 4, 6, 8, and 10, respectively.
As described above, by providing the elevator car with a grid-like coordinate system as shown in Fig. 4, the position of the passenger can be determined.
In the coordinate system, parameters and the like define which segments of the car are treated as the "rear part".
This embodiment exemplifies a case in which a coordinate system as shown in Fig. 4 is provided and 4A - 4E and 5A - 5E are defined as the "rear part".
For example, as shown in Fig. 4, when a passenger 1 (23) registers the third floor as his destination floor with the lobby destination floor registration device 3 in the elevator lobby 1, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 acquires the destination floor information, and the feature which is extracted by the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13 from the image of the lobby camera 4, and registers information in which the destination floor and the features are linked with each other in the passenger information database 18.
As the passenger 1 (23) who has registered the third floor as his destination floor in the elevator lobby 1 enters the car, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines that this passenger is the one who has registered the third floor as his destination floor, from comparison of the feature extracted from the image of the in-car camera 6 by the car passenger feature extraction unit 15 and the feature extracted from the image of the lobby camera 4 by the lobby passenger feature extraction unit 13. The passenger tracking unit 16 allocates a passenger ID, e.g., 1, to the passenger. The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates a record of the passenger/floor information in which the registered floor is related to the passenger ID, and registers the generated record in the passenger information database 18.
After getting on the car, if the passenger 1 (23) moves to the position of the coordinate 5A, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 writes the coordinate 5A in the column of coordinate in the record of a passenger 1 (24) in the passenger/floor information which is stored in the passenger information database 18. Simultaneously, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines whether or not this coordinate 5A is in "the rear part". As the coordinate 5A is in "the rear part", in this case, "matched" is written as the result of rear part determination (record 25 of Fig. 5).
Assuming that a passenger 2 (26) enters the car as shown in Fig. 6, even if the passenger 2 (26) has already registered his floor in the lobby, the passenger 2 (26) tries to register his destination floor again with the car operation board 5, then moves to the position of a coordinate 1E and operates the car operation board 5.
when a destination floor is registered with the car operation board 5, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 links again a passenger 2 (27) located at the position of the coordinate 1E which is in the vicinity of the car operation board 5 and the floor registered at that time with the car operation board 5, updates the passenger/floor information, and registers the updated passenger/floor information in the passenger information database 18.
After that, the passenger tracking unit 16 tracks the passenger 2 (27). The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 registers in the passenger information database 18 in which coordinate the passenger exists. If a passenger 2 (28) is in the position of the coordinate 5E, it is determined that the passenger is in "the rear part", and this determination result is registered in the passenger information database 18 (record 29 of Fig. 7).
Assume that a passenger 3 (30) enters the car, who has registered fourth floor as his destination in the lobby, as shown in Fig. 8. If the passenger 3 (30) moves to a coordinate 2A, as the position of the coordinate 2A is not in the "rear part", as for the passenger/floor information of a passenger 3 (31), the result of rear part determination is "not-matched" (record 32 of Fig. 9).
Assume that a passenger 1 (33) moves to the position of coordinate 3C, who has been determined to be in "the rear part", as he has been in the coordinate 5A, as shown in Fig. 10. Since a passenger 1 (34) is no longer in the "rear part", as for the passenger/floor information of the passenger 1 (34), the columnof coordinate is updated to a coordinate 3Candregistered. Also, the result of rear part determination is "not-matched" (record 35 of Fig. 11).
In this manner, when a passenger appears in the car, when a passenger moves in the car, or when a destination floor is registered with the operation board in the car, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 sequentially updates the passenger/floor information.
An operation example of the notification determining unit 20 will be described with reference to Fig. 16.
For example, when the positions of the passengers in the car are ones of Fig. 12 and the passenger information database 18 stores the passenger/floor information shown in Fig. 13, the notification determining unit 20 determines whether or not the elevator car 2 is to stop at, for example, the fifth floor (S201). As shown in records 36 and 37, since there are passengers who have fifth floor as the destination, the elevator car 2 will stop at the fifth floor (YES in S201).
Subsequently, upon reception of the image photographed by the in-car camera 6 and the weight information sent from the weighing device 11, the congestion state determining unit 19 determines whether the car is crowded (S202).
The criteria for this determination can be changed by parameters, and are defined as follows. For example, when the number of passengers recognized by the in-car camera 6 exceeds 50% the passenger capacity, it is determined that the car is "crowded". Also, when the weight by the weighing device 11 exceeds a certain threshold, the car is "crowded".
When the determination result of congestion state determining unit 19 is "crowded", the notification determining unit 20 determines whether or not a passenger whose rear part determination of the passenger/floor information is "matched" is present at the fifth floor which is the next stopping floor (S203).
As the result of determination, if a passenger of "matched" is present (YES in S203), the notification determining unit 20 makes the announcement device 7 produce an announcement inducing to make way for the passenger in the rear part, who is getting off (S204).
Simultaneously, the notification determination unit 20 makes the information display unit 8 in the car display a similar message, a similar illustration, or the like (S205).
When the elevator arrives at a destination floor and a passenger gets off the car, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 deletes the information on this passenger from the passenger information database 18 (S307, S112, and S113).
In this manner, according to this embodiment, the destination floor that has been registered in advance in the lobby is stored after being linked with the passenger and the in-car camera tracks the passenger in the car on the real-time base. Thus, when the elevator is to stop, it is possible to determine whether the passenger being to get off at that floor is in the rear part or front part, and to properly announce that a passenger is present in the rear part.
Conventionally, when a passenger in the rear part is to get off at his destination floor, he needs to have many other passengers up to the door make way, and accordingly it takes time for him to get off the car. With this embodiment, by the announcement other passengers make way for the passenger in the rear part, so that the passenger in the rear part can get off the car smoothly. This reduces the halt time of the elevator when crowded, and can prevent the passenger from failing to get off.
Also, the operation efficiency of the elevator can be increased, leading to a lower power consumption of the elevator during operation.
So far, the above embodiment describes that a passenger position tracking device has a destination floor registration device, with which the destination floor is registered, in the elevator lobby; cameras in the lobby and in the car; and an announcement device, an information display unit, and a weighing unit in the car; and the passenger position tracking device registers in the database information in which the passenger and the destination floor are linked based on the camera images from the lobby and car and the registration floor information of the destination floor registration device.
The above embodiment also describes that the passenger position tracking device observes the positions of the passengers in the car on the real-time base, and sequentially reflects the positions of the passengers in the database.
The above embodiment also describes that when a passenger is in the rear part of the car, if the car is crowded, at a floor where the passenger is to get off the car, the passenger position tracking device gets the announcement device to output information prompting other passengers to make way for the passenger in the rear part, and gets the information display unit to display the information.

Embodiment 2

In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the identification information of an elevator user received by a lobby non-contact receiver set in the lobby is used as the destination floor registration user specification information, and the identification information of an elevator user received by an in-car non-contact receiver set in the car is used as the in-car user specification information.
Fig. 19 shows a configuration example of a passenger position tracking device 10 according to this embodiment.
Referring to Fig. 19, the elements denoted by the same reference numerals as in Fig. 3 are identical to those shown in Fig. 3.
In Fig. 19, a lobby non-contact receiver 40 is set in the lobby in place of a lobby camera 4, and an in-carnon-contact receiver 60 is disposed in the car in place of an in-car camera 6.
According to this embodiment, note that the elevator user carries with him an ID transmitter (radio communication device) which stores his ID information (identification information) and which can transmit the ID information of the elevator user by radio communication. Examples of the ID transmitter include, e.g., a cell phone, card key, car key, and IC (Integrated Circuit) card loaded with an RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) tag.
When the elevator user registers his destination floor with a lobby destination floor registration device 3 in the lobby, the lobby non-contact receiver 40 receives the ID information of the elevator user transmitted from the ID transmitter carried by the elevator user, and transmits the received ID information to the passenger position tracking device 10.
The lobby non-contact receiver 40 is an example of a destination floor registration identification information reception device.
The in-car non-contact receiver 60 is deployed in the elevator car, receives the ID information of the elevator user which is transmitted from the IDtransmitter carried by the elevator user, and transmits the received ID information to the passenger position tracking device 10.
The in-car non-contact receiver 60 is an example of an in-car identification information reception device.
Although Fig. 19 shows only one in-car non-contact receiver 60, note that one in-car non-contact receiver 60 is set in each grid section shown in Fig. 4.
The individual in-car non-contact receivers 60 have unique position information.
When a passenger with an ID transmitter is present in a grid section, the in-car non-contact receiver 60 set in that grid section receives the ID information transmitted from the ID transmitter. The in-car non-contact receiver 60 detects that the passenger is present in that grid section, and transmits the passenger ID of the passenger which is transmitted from the ID transmitter and the position information from the in-car non-contact receiver 60 to the passenger position tracking device 10.
A passenger tracking unit 16 of the passenger position tracking device 10 can acquire the passenger ID and the position information via a second information input unit 22, thus can track the position of the passenger.
An operation example of the passenger position tracking device 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowcharts of Figs. 20 and 21.
If a passenger appears in an elevator lobby 1 and registers his destination floor with a lobby destination floor registration device 3 (S401), the lobby non-contact receiver 40 receives the passenger ID of the passenger which is transmitted from the ID transmitter carried by the passenger who has registered his destination floor (S402).
The passenger position tracking device 10 inputs the destination floor information indicating the destination floor which is registered with the lobby destination floor registration device 3, and the passenger ID acquired by the lobby non-contact receiver 40, via a first information input unit 21. The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 links the passenger ID with the destination floor. A passenger information database 18 stores this link information (S403).
After that, the elevator car arrives at the floor where this passenger waits, and he enters the elevator car. The in-car non-contact receiver 60 receives the passenger ID transmitted from the ID transmitter carried by this passenger, and transmits the passenger ID and the position information to the passenger tracking unit 16. The passenger tracking unit 16 notifies a passenger/floor information generation unit 17 of the passenger's entering the car, as well as the passenger ID and the position information (S404).
The passenger/floor information generation unit 17 compares the passenger ID registered in the passenger information database 18 with the passenger ID notified from the passenger tracking unit 16. If the passenger ID registered in the passenger information database 18 coincides with the passenger ID notified from the passenger tracking unit 16 (YES in S405), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates passenger/floor information in a manner such that the destination floor of this passenger, which is stored and linked with the passenger detected in the lobby, is linked with the position information and the passenger ID detected in the car. Then, the passenger information database 18 stores the generated passenger/floor information (S407).
On the contrary, if the passenger ID registered in the passenger information database 18 does not coincide with the passenger ID notified from the passenger tracking unit 16 (including a case in which no passenger ID is received in the lobby) (NO in S405), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines whether or not a destination floor is registered in the car in accordance with whether or not destination floor information is input from a car operation board 5 (S406). If a destination floor is not registered in the car (NO in S406), the process returns to S101.
If a destination floor is registered in the car (YES in S406), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 generates passenger/floor information in which the destination floor registered in the car, the passenger ID, and the position information are related to each other. The passenger information database 18 then stores the generated passenger/floor information (S407).
After that, regarding a passenger who is detected in the car, each time his position changes, the passenger tracking unit 16 sends a position update notification to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S408). Hence, if the passenger moves in the car (YES in S409), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the position information of this passenger in the passenger/floor information, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S410). At this time, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 determines whether or not the passenger's position corresponds to the rear area in the car, and writes matched/not-matched of the rear area in the passenger/floor information.
If the passenger tracking unit 16 detects that a passenger has gotten off the car (YES in S411), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 is notified by the passenger tracking unit 16 of the passenger ID of the passenger who has gotten off, and deletes the record of the notified passenger ID from the passenger/floor information (S412).
If a destination floor is registered in the car (YES in S413), the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the passenger/floor information of the passenger, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S414).
If another passenger exists (YES in S415), the process returns to S109.
An operation example of the passenger tracking unit 16 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 22.
The passenger tracking unit 16 analyzes the status of the passenger ID reception by the in-car non-contact receiver 60, and detects a change in the passenger area (S501).
If, for example, a new passenger gets on the elevator car or a passenger gets off the car at a certain floor, or if a passenger in the car moves in the car, the passenger tracking unit 16 determines that a change occurs in the passenger area.
If a new passenger appears at the car entrance and a passenger area is formed (YES in S502), thepassengertrackingunit 16 notifies the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 of the passenger ID of the new passenger and the position information from the in-car non-contact receiver 60 which has received the passenger ID (S503).
Based on the notification from the passenger tracking unit 16 to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 collates the passenger IDs and generates passenger/floor information by relating the destination floor and position information to the passenger ID, and the passenger information database 18 stores the generated passenger/floor information (S407).
If a new passenger does not appear at the car entrance (NO in S502), and if the ID transmitter moves to outside of the car (YES in S504), the passenger ID and the information that this passenger has gotten off the car are notified to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S505).
If a passenger moves in the car (NO in S504), the passenger ID and the new position of the passenger are notified to the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 (S506).
As described above, by the notification of S505, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 is notified from the passenger tracking unit 16 of the passenger ID of the passenger who has gotten off, and deletes the record of the notified passenger ID from the passenger/floor information (S412).
By the notification of S506, the passenger/floor information generation unit 17 updates the position information of the passenger in the passenger/floor information, and the passenger information database 18 stores the updated passenger/floor information (S410).
The operation example of the notification determining unit 20 is similar to the content of Fig. 16 described in the first embodiment, and its description will accordingly be omitted.
In this manner, according to the second embodiment, because of the lobby non-contact receiver 40 provided in the lobby, the destination floor that has been registered in advance in the lobby can be stored by linking with the passenger. The plurality of in-car non-contact receivers 60 arranged like a grid in the car track the passenger in the car on the real-time base. Thus, when the elevator is to stop, it is possible to determine whether a passenger being to get off at that floor is in the rear part or front part, and to properly announce that a passenger is present in the rear part.
In the first embodiment, only cameras are used, and in the second embodiment, only non-contact receivers are used. Alternatively, for example, the configuration of the first embodiment and that of the second embodiment may be combined. A lobby camera 4 and a lobby non-contact receiver 40 may be provided in the lobby, and an in-car camera 6 and an in-car non-contact receiver 60 may be provided in the car. A passenger in the lobby may be specified using the lobby camera 4 and lobby non-contact receiver 40. A passenger getting on the car may be specified using the in-car camera 6 and in-car non-contact receiver 60. A passenger may be tracked using the in-car camera 6 and in-car non-contact receiver 60.
Besides, for example, infrared sensors may be arranged in the car along the grid in Fig. 4, and a passenger may be tracked by a combination with passenger movement detection using the infrared sensors.
The passenger position tracking device 10 shown in the first and second embodiments is provided with, for example, a CPU (a Central Processing Unit; to be also referred to as a central processor, processing device, computation device, microprocessor, microcomputer, or processor) that executes a program.
The CPU is connected to, for example, a ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), communication board, magnetic disk device and so on via a bus, and controls these hardware devices.
The magnetic disk device stores, for example, an operating system (OS), a program group, and a file group.
The CPU executes the programs in the program group by using the operating system and the like.
The RAM temporarily stores at least part of the program of the operating system or of the application program which is to be executed by the CPU.
The RAM also stores various types of data necessary for the process by the CPU.
The arrows in the flowcharts described in the first and second embodiments mainly indicate input/output of data and signals. Data and signal values are recorded in the RAM and the like.
The "...unit" in the first and second embodiments may be "...circuit", "... device" or "...apparatus"; or "...step", "...procedure", or "...process". Namely, the "...unit" may be realized by the firmware stored in the ROM. Alternatively, the "...unit" may be practiced by only software, by only hardware such as elements, devices, substrates, or wiring lines, by a combination of software and hardware, or furthermore by a combination of software, hardware, and firmware.

Brief Explanation of the Drawings

Fig. 1 shows an example of an elevator control apparatus, an elevator car, and an elevator lobby according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the respective elements of the elevator control apparatus, elevator car, and elevator lobby according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a passenger position tracking device according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 4 is a chart showing a situation in the car according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 5 is a table showing passenger/floor information according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 6 is a chart showing a situation in the car according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 7 is a table showing passenger/floor information according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 8 is a chart showing a situation in the car according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 9 is a table showing passenger/floor information according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 10 is a chart showing a situation in the car according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 11 is a table showing passenger/floor information according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 12 is a chart showing a situation in the car according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 13 is a table showing passenger/floor information according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 16 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 17 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 18 is a view showing an installation example of an in-car camera according to the first embodiment;
Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the internal configuration of a passenger position tracking device according to the second embodiment;
Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the second embodiment;
Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the second embodiment; and
Fig. 22 is a flowchart showing an operation example of the passenger position tracking device according to the second embodiment.

Explanation of Signs

1 elevator lobby, 2 elevator car, 3 lobby destination floor registration device, 4 lobby camera, 5 car operation board, 6 in-car camera, 7 announcement device, 8 information display unit, 9 elevator control apparatus, 10 passenger position tracking device, 11 weighing device, 12 lobby passenger detection unit, 13 lobby passenger feature extraction unit, 15 car passenger feature extraction unit, 16 passenger tracking unit, 17 passenger/floor information generation unit, 18 passenger information database, 19 congestion state determining unit, 20 notification determining unit, 21 first information input unit, 22 second information input unit, 40 lobby non-contact receiver, 60 in-car non-contact receiver, 100 relay device, 200 relay device

Claims

An elevator control apparatus (9) connected to a destination floor registration device (3, 5) with which an elevator user registers a destination floor, the elevator control apparatus comprising:
a user position detection unit (16) which detects a position of an elevator user in an elevator car (2);

an information input unit (21, 22) which inputs destination floor information indicating a destination floor registered with the destination floor registration device and destination floor registration user specification information to specify an elevator user who has registered a destination floor, and which inputs position information indicating the position of the elevator user detected by the user position detection unit and in-car user specification information to specify the elevator user; and

a destination floor/position relating unit (12, 13, 15, 17) which determines a destination floor and a position of each elevator user based on the destination floor information, the destination floor registration user specification information, the position information, and the in-car user specification information which are input by the information input unit, and relates the destination floor and the position of each elevator user.
The elevator control apparatus (9) according to claim 1, further comprising:
a rear part determining unit (17) which determines whether or not a position of the elevator user detected by the user position detection unit (16) is in a rear part of the elevator car (2); and

a notification determining unit (20) which determines whether or not a stopping floor of the elevator car is a destination floor of a rear part located user whose position is determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car by the rear part determining unit and, if the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user, outputs a notification message which notifies that the rear part located user is to get off the elevator car, from an output device (7, 8).
The elevator control apparatus (9) according to claim 2, further comprising:
a congestion state determining unit (19) which determines a congestion state in the elevator car (2),

wherein, if the stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user and the elevator car is determined to be crowded by the congestion state determining unit, the notification determining unit (20) outputs the notification message from the output device (7, 8).
The elevator control apparatus (9) according to claim 1,
wherein the user position detection unit (16) detects an elevator user whose position has changed, and
wherein, if the elevator user whose position has changed is detected by the user position detection unit, the destination floor/position relating unit (12, 13, 15, 17) relates the destination floor and the position-after-change of the elevator user.
The elevator control apparatus (9) according to claim 1,
wherein the user position detection unit (16) detects the position of the elevator user in the elevator car (2) based on image information of the elevator user photographed by an in-car camera (6) which photographs an elevator user in the elevator car, and
wherein the information input unit (21, 22) inputs image information of the elevator user photographed by the in-car camera (6), as the in-car user specification information, and inputs image information of the elevator user photographed by a destination floor registration device camera (4) which photographs an elevator user in the vicinity of the destination floor registration device (3, 5), as the destination floor registration user specification information.
The elevator control apparatus (9) according to claim 1,
the elevator control apparatus being connected to an in-car identification information reception device (60) which is deployed in the elevator car (2) and receives identification information of an elevator user which is transmitted by a radio communication device carried by the elevator user, and
the elevator control apparatus being further connected to a destination floor registration identification information reception device (40) which is deployed in the vicinity of the destination floor registration device (3, 5) and receives identification information of an elevator user which is transmitted by the radio communication device upon a registration of a destination floor with the destination floor registration device (3, 5),
wherein the user position detection unit (16) detects the position of the elevator user in the elevator car based on a reception state of the identification information of the elevator user at the in-car identification information reception device (60), and
wherein the information input unit (21, 22) inputs the identification information of the elevator user which is received by the in-car identification information reception device, as the in-car user specification information, and inputs the identification information of the elevator user which is received by the destination floor registration identification information reception device, as the destination floor registration user specification information.
An elevator control method comprising:
inputting destination floor information indicating a destination floor registered with a destination floor registration device (3, 5) with which an elevator user registers the destination floor, and destination floor registration user specification information to specify the elevator user who has registered the destination floor;

detecting a position of the elevator user in an elevator car (2);

inputting position information indicating the position of the elevator user detected and in-car user specification information to specify the elevator user; and

determining a destination floor and a position of each elevator user based on the destination floor information and the destination floor registration user specification information which are input, and position information and in-car user specification information which are input, and relating the destination floor and the position of each elevator user.
The elevator control method according to claim 7, further comprising:
after relating the destination floor and the position, determining whether or not a position of the elevator user detected is in a rear part of the elevator car (2); and

determining whether or not a stopping floor of the elevator car is a destination floor of a rear part located user whose position is determined to be in the rear part of the elevator car and, if a stopping floor of the elevator car is the destination floor of the rear part located user, outputting a notification message which notifies that the rear part located user is to get off the elevator car, from an output device (7, 8).