Elevator security and control system based on passenger movement

• US 10,696,517 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2015
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Toner, Meghan Q., Richmond, Stephen K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren, David S
• Application Number:
  US15/529,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20170275134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 187247
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/28 electrical detecting excessive speed B66B5/04 ; control of electrical motor H02P
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0012 Devices monitoring the users of the elevator system
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/025 where the abnormal operating condition is caused by human behaviour or misbehaviour, e.g. forcing the doors

Abstract

An elevator security and control system for monitoring at least one of an elevator occupancy area and a landing area includes an elevator car and a passenger position sensor. The passenger position sensor monitors at least one of the occupancy area inside the elevator car and the landing area proximate to a passenger waiting area, and detects movement of at least one passenger located at one of the occupancy area and the landing area. The elevator security and control system further includes an electronic control module that detects at least one body part of the at least one passenger and controls operation of the elevator car based on at least one of a position and a movement of the at least one body part.

Claims

1. An elevator security and control system for monitoring at least one of an elevator occupancy area and a landing area, comprising:

an elevator car;

a passenger position sensor configured to generate a three-dimensional image of at least one of the occupancy area inside the elevator car and the landing area proximate to a passenger waiting area, configured to monitor at least one of the occupancy area inside the elevator car and the landing area proximate to a passenger waiting area, and to detect movement of at least one passenger located in at least one of the occupancy area and the landing area based on the three-dimensional image; and

an electronic control module in communication with the passenger position sensor, the electronic control module configured to detect at least one body part of the at least one passenger based on the three-dimensional image and to execute at least one alert action based on at least one of a position and a movement of the at least one body part,

wherein the electronic control module compares movement of at least one passenger to at least one anatomical model stored in memory to determine the movement of the at least one passenger.

2. The elevator security and control system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control module determines a fixed area of interest located in at least one of an occupancy area and a landing area, and controls the elevator car based on a position of the at least one body part with respect to the fixed area of interest.

3. The elevator security and control system of claim 2, wherein the electronic control module determines a time period at which the at least one body part is positioned within the fixed area of interest and determines a security breach when the time period exceeds a time threshold.

4. The elevator security and control system according to claim 3, wherein the electronic control module overrides operation of the elevator car in response to determining the security breach, and wherein the at least one alert action includes alerting one or both of security personnel and emergency personnel, cancelling an elevator call, generating an acoustic alert to notify the passengers of a security issue, returning the elevator car directly to the lobby or removing the elevator car from service by stopping at a next available floor or specific floor, and controlling operation of the elevator doors until the alert event is resolved.

5. The elevator security and control system of claim 1, wherein the electronic control module distinguishes a first passenger located in at least one of the occupancy area and the landing area from a second passenger located in proximity to the first passenger.

6. The elevator security and control system of claim 5, wherein the electronic control module determines a security breach based on a position of a first body part of the first passenger with respect to a second body part of the second passenger.

7. The elevator security and control system of claim 6, wherein the electronic control module overrides operation of the elevator car in response to the security breach lasting greater than a time period threshold.

8. The elevator security and control system of claim 1, wherein the passenger position sensor includes a line of motion sensing input device that outputs data indicating a skeletal image of the at least one passenger, and wherein the electronic control module compares motion of the skeletal image to at least one anatomical model stored in memory to determine the movement of the at least one passenger.

9. A method of controlling an elevator system, the method comprising:

monitoring, via a passenger position sensor including a line of motion sensing input device, at least one of an occupancy area inside an elevator car and a landing area proximate to a passenger waiting area;

outputting data, the via passenger position sensor, that indicates a skeletal image of at least one passenger, and detecting movement of the at least one passenger located in at least one of the occupancy area and the landing area based on the skeletal image;

analyzing, via a control module, movement of at least one passenger to at least one anatomical model stored in memory to determine the movement of the at least one passenger to determine at least one body part of the at least one passenger;

comparing, via the control module, the movement of at least one passenger to at least one anatomical model stored in memory to determine the movement of the at least one passenger to at least one anatomical model stored in memory to determine the movement of the at least one passenger; and

executing at least one alert action based on the movement of the at least one passenger and the comparison between the at least one body part and the at least one anatomical model.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining a fixed area of interest located in the occupancy area and controls the elevator car based on a position of the at least one body part with respect to the fixed area of interest.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a time period at which the at least one body part is positioned within the fixed area of interest and determines a security breach when the time period exceeds a time threshold.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising overriding operation of the elevator car in response to determining the security breach, and wherein the at least one alert action includes alerting alert personnel, cancelling an elevator call, generating an acoustic alert to notify the passengers of a security issue, returning the elevator car directly to the lobby or removing the elevator car from service by stopping at a next available floor or specific floor, and controlling operation of the elevator doors until the alert event is resolved.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising distinguishing a first passenger located in at least one of the occupancy area and the landing area from a second passenger located in the occupancy area.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising determining a security breach based on a position of a first body part of the first passenger with respect to a second body part of the second passenger.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising overriding operation of the elevator car in response to the security breach lasting greater than a time period threshold.