Sensor-based elevator system and method using the same

• US 9,481,548 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Original Assignee: King Fahd University Of Petroleum And Minerals
• Inventors: Siddiqui, Abdul Jabbar, Abbasi, Hamza Ijaz, Sheltami, Tarek R.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US14/050,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20150096843A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,119 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187380-388, 187/391, 187/392, 187/393
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/2416 For single car elevator systems
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/2458 For elevator systems with multiple shafts and a single car per shaft
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3476 Load weighing or car passenger counting devices B66B5/14 takes precedence

Abstract

Smart elevator systems and methods for controlling an elevator system use sensors that transmit data to a processor in a network system for use in operating an elevator system. The elevator system can include a system connected to a LAN, WAN, intranet, internet, etc. and is capable of exchanging data with and retrieving data therefrom. In the smart elevator systems, there are a number of wireless sensors that detect and transmit information on a number of people requesting elevator transport. The smart elevator system uses that information to select or determine one or more transport paths for one or more elevators to follow and, therefore, can be beneficial in enhancing efficient use of one or more elevators in an elevator system to service persons awaiting elevator service.

Claims

1. A smart elevator system including one or more elevator cars, comprising:

a plurality of sensors, at least one of the plurality of sensors associated with a floor elevator door of a corresponding elevator car on a floor of a structure or associated with the corresponding elevator car, wherein the sensors detect a number of persons awaiting elevator service at one or more corresponding floors in the structure or receiving elevator service of a corresponding elevator car and transmit data signals of the number of persons detected, the number of persons detected including a number of persons detected within a downward elevator transport zone and a number of persons detected within an upward elevator transport zone of a designated waiting area;

one or more receiving processors associated with one or more floor elevator doors or associated with one or more corresponding elevator cars, wherein the one or more receiving processors receive the data signals transmitted from one or more corresponding sensors and determine passenger traffic data corresponding to data signals; and

at least one master processor associated with a corresponding one or more elevator cars in the structure, wherein the at least one master processor receives the passenger traffic data from the one or more receiving processors or from one or more corresponding sensors in the smart elevator system and determines at least one transport path to at least one floor location for corresponding one or more elevator cars, based on the received passenger traffic data, the at least one transport path including selective upward or downward movement of the one or more elevator cars dependent upon the transmitted data signals representative of the number of persons detected within the downward elevator transport zone and the number of persons detected within the upward elevator transport zone.

2. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one display for a corresponding elevator car located on a corresponding at least one floor of the structure to selectively display elevator service information, the elevator service information being selected from the group consisting of:

a number of persons in an inner area of the corresponding elevator car, a current capacity of the corresponding elevator car, a time of arrival of the corresponding elevator car at a corresponding floor, and combinations thereof,

wherein the elevator service information displayed is based on information transmitted by at least one of a corresponding at least one master processor or a corresponding receiving processor.

3. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the sensors are wireless sensors to wirelessly communicate the data signals of the number of persons detected.

4. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more receiving processors transmit the passenger traffic data to one or more other receiving processors.

5. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein at least one master processor is associated with at least one elevator car and receives the passenger traffic data from one or more receiving processors and determines the transport path to a floor location for the at least one elevator car.

6. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one master processor is distinct and separate from at least one elevator car and receives the passenger traffic data from one or more receiving processors and determines the transport path to the floor location for the at least one elevator car.

7. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one master processor transmits at least one selection decision as to the determined at least one transport path to a floor location to corresponding one or more elevator cars directing the one or more elevator cars to a corresponding floor elevator door on a floor in the structure.

8. The smart elevator system according to claim 7, wherein the at least one master processor is distinct and separate from at least one elevator car and receives the passenger traffic data from one or more receiving processors and determines the transport path to the floor location for the at least one elevator car.

9. The smart elevator system according to claim 1, wherein at least one master processor is a central master processor distinct and separate from one or more other master processors and receives the passenger traffic data from the one or more other master processors and determines at least one transport path to at least one floor location for the one or more elevator cars in the structure, based on the received passenger traffic data.

10. A method for operating an elevator system, the method comprising the steps of:

scanning by one or more sensors an area on at least one floor outside of at least one floor elevator door on one or more corresponding floors to detect a number of persons awaiting elevator service;

receiving by the one or more sensors scanning the at least one floor outside of at least one floor elevator door on the one or more corresponding floors data regarding the number of persons awaiting elevator service, the number of persons including a number of persons detected within a downward elevator transport zone and a number of persons detected within an upward elevator transport zone of a designated waiting area;

transmitting data signals corresponding to the number of persons awaiting elevator service detected by the one or more sensors to at least one receiving processor;

determining by at least one receiving processor passenger traffic data corresponding to the transmitted data signals;

transmitting the determined passenger traffic data regarding the number of persons awaiting elevator service to at least one master processor; and

determining by at least one master processor at least one transport path to at least one floor location for one or more elevator cars, based on the received passenger traffic data, the at least one transport path including selective upward or downward movement of the one or more elevator cars dependent upon the transmitted data signals representative of the number of persons detected within the downward elevator transport zone and the number of persons detected within the upward elevator transport zone.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

scanning by at least one sensor an inner area of a corresponding elevator car to detect the number of persons in the inner area inside the elevator car;

receiving by the at least one sensor scanning the inner area of the corresponding elevator car data regarding the number of persons in the inner area of the elevator car;

transmitting data signals corresponding to the number of persons in the inner area of the corresponding elevator car detected by the at least one sensor to at least one receiving processor or at least one master processor;

determining by at least one receiving processor or at least one master processor the number of persons in the inner area inside the corresponding elevator car based on the transmitted data signals corresponding to the number of persons in the inner area of the corresponding elevator car; and

displaying on a display for the corresponding elevator car elevator service information, the elevator service information being selected from the group consisting of;

a number of persons in the inner area of the corresponding elevator car, a current capacity of the corresponding elevator car, a time of arrival of the corresponding elevator car at a corresponding floor, and combinations thereof.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

receiving by at least one master processor the determined passenger traffic data from at least one receiving processor; and

directing by at least one master processor at least one elevator car to a respective destination corresponding to the determined transport path to the corresponding floor location.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of directing by at least one master processor one or more elevator cars to respective one or more destinations corresponding to the at least one determined transport path to at least one corresponding floor location.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving the determined passenger traffic data from one or more receiving processors by at least one master processor, the at least one master processor being distinct and separate from the one or more elevators cars.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of directing by the at least one master processor one or more elevator cars to respective one or more destinations corresponding to the at least one determined transport path to at least one corresponding floor location.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the one or more sensors are wireless sensors to wirelessly communicate the data signals of the number of persons detected.

17. A computer implemented smart elevator system, the system comprising:

a plurality of sensors, at least one of the plurality of sensors associated with a floor elevator door of a corresponding floor associated with a corresponding elevator car, wherein the plurality of sensors detect a number of persons awaiting elevator service at one or more corresponding floors and transmit data signals of the number of persons detected, the number of persons detected including a number of persons detected within a downward elevator transport zone and a number of persons detected within an upward elevator transport zone of a designated waiting area;

at least one first computer implemented device, the at least one first computer device including a processor and a program stored in a memory, the program directing the at least one first computer implemented device to perform the following including;

determining passenger traffic data corresponding to the transmitted data signals; and

transmitting the determined passenger traffic data to at least one second computer implemented device;

and

the at least one second computer implemented device, the at least one second computer device including a processor and a program stored in a memory, the program directing the at least one second computer implemented device to perform the following including;

receiving the passenger traffic data from at least one corresponding first computer implemented device;

determining at least one transport path to a corresponding floor location for corresponding one or more elevator cars, based on the received passenger traffic data; and

directing one or more elevator cars to respective one or more destinations corresponding to the one or more determined transport paths, the at least one transport path including selective upward or downward movement of the one or more elevator cars dependent upon the transmitted data signals representative of the number of persons detected within the downward elevator transport zone and the number of persons detected within the upward elevator transport zone.

18. The computer implemented smart elevator system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of sensors are wireless sensors to wirelessly communicate the data signals of the number of persons detected.