EP1270486B1 - Methode for selecting the most efficient way, including change of cabs, by a plurality of elevators groups - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for selecting the most favorable elevator of an elevator system having at least two elevator groups.

From the Scriptures EP 0 891 291 B1 a multigroup control is known for a plurality of destination call control and instant allocation elevator groups, wherein the destination call input is made inter alia at any call registering device not allocated to a particular elevator group, and the allocated elevator can be clearly and easily recognized. Immediate allocation means that the passenger's destination call is immediately allocated to the cheapest car. The passenger thus needs the building division into floor areas, which are operated only by individual elevator groups, not to know. The passenger is informed at the optimum time with visual and audible instruction in the elevator car about the next connection leading to the destination floor. There is no precise method for specifying how exactly the known multigroup control selects the most favorable elevator if the journey between the start floor and the destination floor is provided with a change. At the same time, no method is specified as to how the multi-group control can choose the most favorable route if several routes lead to the destination floor.

An object of the invention is to propose a method of the type mentioned above, which specifies a precise method, how the cheapest elevator can be selected, if there are trips in which the passenger has to change.

This object is solved by the features of patent claim 1.

An advantage of the invention lies in the fact that the most cost-effective elevator cars are chosen from the start to the destination. The passenger is thus led fastest without loss of time to the destination floor.

The measures listed in the dependent claim advantageous refinements and improvements of the method specified in claim 1 are possible. According to the invention, the elevator groups each have a corresponding group control. This has the advantage that each elevator group can be controlled independently.

In a preferred embodiment, each group controller has a destination call control with instant allocation. This has the advantage that in each elevator group the best elevator in the group can always be selected. The early knowledge of the destination floor makes it possible to make the choice from the elevator cars, which can serve the destination floor. According to the invention, the group controls of all elevator groups are connected to a central multi-group control (MGS). This has the advantage that the selection of all relevant elevators can be made automatically from a central unit, in particular if the zones served by several elevator groups overlap. According to the invention, several ways are available for reaching the destination floor from the starting floor, the best way being determined. This has the advantage that the problem occurring with elevator groups, namely several possible paths with changes, can be solved. The most optimal and fastest way is thus chosen from start to finish.

• Fig. 1 eine Darstellung von vier Zielrufgruppensteuerungen, die gemeinsam mit einer Multigruppensteuerung verbunden sind,
• Fig. 2 bis Fig. 5 Flussdiagramme, die ein Verfahren zur Auswahl der günstigsten Fahrt angeben.

Various embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the schematic drawings and explained in more detail in the following description. Show it:

• Fig. 1 an illustration of four target call group controllers that are connected in common with a multigroup controller,
• Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 Flowcharts indicating a method for selecting the cheapest trip.

DB

Datenbank, Multigruppenkonfiguration

FW

Favorit Weg / Günstigster Weg / beste Trasse

GR

Aufzugsgruppe

GR-PC

Gruppensteuerung-Rechner

GR1,2,3,4

Gruppensteuerung 1, 2, 3, 4

MG-PC

Multigruppensteuerung-Rechner

MGS

Zentral-Multigruppesteuerung

U1, U2, U3

Umsteigestockwerk 1, 2. 3

W1,...Wn

Weg

W1T1

Weg 1 Teilstrecke 1

WnTn

Weg n Teilstrecke n

The FIGS. 1 to 5 are self-explanatory with the following legend:

DB

Database, multigroup configuration

FW

Favorite way / Cheapest way / best route

GR

elevator group

GR-PC

Group control computer

GR1,2,3,4

Group control 1, 2, 3, 4

MG-PC

Multi-group control computer

MGS

Central multi-group control

U1, U2, U3

Transfer floor 1, 2. 3

W1, ... Wn

path

W1T1

Route 1 section 1

WnTn

Route n section n

The passenger in the lobby or on any floor enters the destination floor at one of the multigroup terminals. A central multi-group control MGS compares the desired journey with its own database or a travel array to determine whether the desired destination floor can only be reached via a route, also called a route.

With only one way to reach the destination floor by one or several changes, the choice of the route is no problem.

If there are several ways - for example, ride 1: High Rise Shuttle with one group and then after changing the ride down with another group lift or ride 2: Low Rise Shuttle with one group and after changing the ride up with another group lift - will First, based on the statistical values and the current traffic situation, the most likely shortest path to the destination chosen. After selecting the best route, the requested trip is split up into individual partial trips, which are usually operated by different elevator groups.

If one of the sub-trips can be done by several elevator groups, a multi-group control comes into operation (as for example according to patent EP 0 891 291 B1 ) to determine the first elevator to use. With only one elevator group, this multi-group controller determines the best elevator.

This evaluates the first elevator to be used and informs the passenger on the terminal display.

During the journey, the central multi-group control MGS tracks the time course of the elevator journey in relation to the arrival in the transfer floor. Once the access time to the transfer floor has been determined (no more stops possible), the evaluation of the best elevator of the next group for the second part of the journey can begin.

Once the next best elevator is selected, the passenger in the cabin can be informed. On a cabin information system or other display becomes too each destination floor, which can only be reached by changing, the next elevator to be used is displayed. At the same time the voice announcement is made.

This instruction can also be combined for multiple destination floors and / or terminal lifts.

• Die Zentral-Multigruppensteuerung MGS wählt den optimalen Weg vom Start- bis zum Zielstockwerk, teilt die gewählte Trasse auf einzelne Teilfahrten, d.h. Aufzugsgruppen, welche erst zum optimalsten Augenblick den besten Aufzug wählen und zwar aufgrund der genau festgelegten Restfahrzeit im vorherbenutzten Aufzug, der Ausstiegzeit, des Anmarschweges zwischen beiden nacheinander benutzten Aufzügen, der Anfahrtszeit des demnächst zu benutzten Aufzuges zum Umsteigestockwerk und aller übrigen Faktoren, welche bei einer bekannten Multigruppensteuerung (wie zum Beispiel gemäss Patent EP 0 891 291 B1 ) für die Bestimmung des besten Aufzuges benutzt werden.

Here are some advantages of using this solution:

• The central multi-group control MGS selects the optimal route from the start to the destination floor, dividing the selected route on individual partial trips, ie groups of elevators, which select the best elevator only at the most optimal moment and because of the precisely defined remaining travel time in the previously used elevator, the exit time, the Anmarschweges between two consecutively used elevators, the arrival time of the soon to be used elevator to the transfer floor and all other factors which in a known multi-group control (such as according to patent EP 0 891 291 B1 ) are used to determine the best lift.

The passenger is visually and acoustically informed about the next connection at the earliest possible moment.

There is an immediate allocation, ie the passenger is assigned a car immediately after the destination call input.

The passenger does not have to carry an instruction device.

FIG. 1 shows as an example four group controllers GR1, GR2, GR3. GR4, which accordingly have four group control computers GR1-PC, GR2-PC, GR3-PC, GR4-PC. The group controllers GR1, GR2, GR3. GR4 are grouped together via the group control computer GR1-PC, GR2-PC, GR3-PC, GR4-PC to a central multi-group control MGS, which has a database DB and a multi-group control computer MG-PC.

• Der Fahrgast gibt vom Startstockwerk S einen neuen Zielruf zum Zielstockwerk Z ein.

The following are the flowcharts of the FIGS. 2 to 5 described in more detail, the flow charts are shown in this example for the sake of simplicity only to the third leg:

• The passenger enters from the start floor S a new destination call to the destination floor Z.

The central multigroup control MGS compares the desired trip with its own database or trip array DB to determine whether the desired destination floor can be reached via one or more paths W1,... Wn.

Case A):

If there are several routes from the start floor S to the destination floor Z, then the first route W1 is distributed in legs W1T1, W1T2, ..., W1Tn, where n is a full number. The further paths W2,..., Wn are likewise divided into partial sections W2T1, W2T2,..., W2Tn or WnT1, WnT2,..., WnTn. There are then the lift operating costs of the respective sections W1T1, W1T2, ..., W1Tn; W2T1, W2T2, ..., W2Tn and WnT1, WnT2, ..., WnTn queried at the appropriate responsible group controllers GR1, GR2, ..., GRn. In the multi-group control computer MG-PC of the central multi-group controller MGS, the elevator operating costs of the respective sections W1T1, W1T2, ..., WlTn; W2T1, W2T2, ..., W2Tn and WnT1, WnT2, ..., WnTn and determined the favored path FW. The group control computer, which will control the first leg, is assigned the elevator and the rest of the group control computers that do not have the first leg on the favorite path FW, the cancellation of the order is prompted. The first leg S-U1 from the start floor S to the first transfer floor U1 is then driven. As soon as it is ensured that intermediate stops are no longer possible, the multigroup control computer MG-PC is informed that the next destination is the transfer floor U1. In the same way, then the elevator allocation of the selected elevator group is made, which will do the second leg from the first transfer floor U1 to the destination floor U1-Z or the second transfer floor U2 U1-U2. If the destination floor Z is at the end of the second section, then the second section U1-Z is driven and the passenger has reached his destination. If the destination floor Z is not at the end of the second section, then the second section U1-U2 is driven and the same procedure as previously used for the further sections in order to reach the destination floor Z. In this example, the procedure was shown until the third leg; Of course, the same procedure can be used for the other sections.

Case B):

If only a single route W1 exists from the start floor S to the destination floor Z and the changeover is necessary, then this route W1 is divided into sections W1T1, ..., W1Tn and in the same manner as above the elevator allocation for the first section from the start floor S until the first transfer floor U1 causes. Once the first leg is driven, then the same procedure is used for the remaining legs used in case A) from the interchange U1. If no change is necessary, a normal journey is initiated from the start floor S to the destination floor Z.

Claims (2)

1. A method for selecting the most convenient elevator from an elevator system having at least two elevator groups (GR), characterized in that
   the elevator groups (GR) each have a group controller (GR1, GR2, GR3, GR4), wherein the group controllers (GR1, GR2, GR3, GR4) of all elevator groups (GR) are connected to a central unit multi-group controller (MGS),
   wherein, to reach a destination floor (Z) from a starting floor (S), a route (W1) with changes (U1, U2, U3) is available, which route is broken down into a plurality of sections (W1T1, ..., WITn), and one elevator of one of the elevator groups (GR) is allocated to each of the sections (W1T1, ..., W1Tn),
   wherein to reach the destination floor (Z), a further route (Wn) is available which is broken down into further sections (WnT1, ..., WnTn), wherein the operating costs of the sections (W1T1, ..., W1Tn) of the route (W1) and the operating costs of the further sections (WnT1, ..., WnTn) of the further route (Wn) are requested from the corresponding group controller (GR1, GR2, GR3, GR4), wherein the requested operating costs of the route (W1) and of the other route (Wn) are compared by means of the central unit multi-group controller (MGS), in order then to ascertain the most convenient route (FW), and wherein one elevator of one of the elevator groups (GR) is allocated to each of the sections (W1T1, ..., W1Tn) or the further sections (WnT1, ..., WnTn) of the most convenient route (FW).
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each group controller (GR1, GR2, GR3, GR4) has a destination control with immediate allocation.

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