Intelligent destination elevator control system

• US 8,397,874 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2012
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pieter J De Groot
• Original Assignee: Pieter J De Groot
• Inventors: de Groot, Pieter J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US13/414,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20120160612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187380-389, 187391-393
• US Class Current: 187/382
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/2458 For elevator systems with multiple shafts and a single car per shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/103 Destination call input before entering the elevator car
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/211 Waiting time, i.e. response time
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/212 Travel time
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/213 where the number of stops is limited
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/214 Total time, i.e. arrival time
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/222 Taking into account the number of passengers present in the elevator car to be allocated
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/225 Taking into account a certain departure interval of elevator cars from a specific floor, e.g. the ground floor
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/232 where the time needed for a passenger to arrive at the allocated elevator car from where the call is made is taken into account
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/402 by historical, statistical or predicted traffic data, e.g. by learning
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 2201/403 by real-time traffic data

Abstract

An intelligent destination elevator control system streamlines the efficiency and control of destination elevators. The system monitors a building'"'"'s population and predicts elevator traffic conditions. The system may monitor attributes of the destination elevators. Based on the monitored data, the system may generate a data structure that renders time-tables and target elevator service quality parameters that may control the destination elevators.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method that facilitates operation of a group of destination elevators, comprising:

retaining a data structure, in a data warehouse, that represents a plurality of modes of operation of a group of destination elevators, where the plurality of modes of operation comprise a plurality of groups of quality service parameters and quality timing parameters that satisfy a passenger distribution for the group of destination elevators;

selecting a quality service parameter from one of the plurality of groups of quality service parameters;

programming a processor to control a next departing elevator car, from the group of destination elevators, that departs from a building lobby with the quality service timing parameters associated with the selected quality service parameter;

monitoring the group of destination elevators to determine if the quality service timing parameters are satisfied during operation of the group of destination elevators.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically updating the data structure with changes to the quality timing parameters when the monitoring determines that the quality timing parameters are not satisfied during operation of the group of destination elevators.

3. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises a number of floors that are serviced by each elevator in the group of destination elevators.

4. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises a number of passengers delivered by each elevator in the group of destination elevators.

5. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises a waiting time before each elevator in the group of destination elevators departs from a reference floor.

6. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises a number of stops permitted by each elevator in the group of destination elevators.

7. The method of claim 1, where the quality service timing parameters comprise an average travel time of a passenger in an elevator of the group of destination elevators.

8. The method of claim 7, where the quality service timing parameters further comprise an average waiting time for the elevator of the group of destination elevators.

9. The method of claim 1, where the quality service timing parameters comprise actual time measurements of operation of the group of destination elevators.

10. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises an equal number of selected floors that are served consecutively by the group of destination elevators.

11. The method of claim 1, where the selected quality service parameter comprises a number of stops permitted by each elevator in the group of destination elevators, where the number of stops permitted defines a direct trip pattern.

12. The method of claim 11, where the direct trip pattern of an elevator in the group of destination elevators serves different floors during consecutive trips.

13. The method of claim 11, where the direct trip pattern of an elevator in the group of destination elevators serves an equal number of floors during consecutive trips.

14. The method of claim 11, where the direct trip pattern of an elevator in the group of destination elevators serves at least one similar floor during every other trip.