EP1565396B1 - Method for controlling an elevator system and elevator system for carrying out said method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling an elevator installation with at least one shaft and a number of cars, it being possible to make at least two cars travel separately up and down along a common traveling path and a passenger being able to enter a destination call by means of an input unit disposed outside the shaft and the destination call being allocated to a car in dependence on an allocation assessment. To develop the method in such a way that the transporting capacity can be increased, with the cars which can be made to travel along a common traveling path hindering one another as little as possible, it is proposed according to the invention that, in the case of allocation of the destination call to one of the cars which can be made to travel along the common traveling path, the portion of the traveling path required for serving the destination call is assigned to this car and blocked for the time of the assignment for the other cars. Furthermore, an elevator installation for carrying out the method is proposed.

Description

The invention relates to a method for controlling an elevator system with at least one shaft and with a plurality of cars, each associated with a drive and a brake, wherein at least two cars along a common lane are moved separately up and down, with a passenger a destination call with a Destination by means of a arranged outside of the at least one slot input unit of a control device of the elevator system and then makes an allocation assessment for each car, the allocation of all car sharing compares and assigns the car with the best allocation evaluation the destination call to its operation.

Moreover, the invention relates to an elevator system, in particular for carrying out the method, with at least one shaft and with a plurality of cars, each associated with a drive and a brake, wherein at least two cars along a common lane are moved separately up and down, and with outside the at least one shaft arranged input units for inputting a destination call and with a control device for controlling the car, wherein by means of the control device after input of a destination call for the individual cars each an arbitration evaluation feasible and the destination call a car is assignable.

In order to transport a large number of persons and / or loads by means of an elevator installation within a short time, it is proposed in US Pat. No. 6,360,849, Move two cars along a common roadway within a shaft up and down. A passenger can enter outside the shaft of a control device of the elevator installation a destination call with which he indicates his destination. The control device then carries out an allocation evaluation for the two cars and assigns the destination call to the car with the better allocation rating.

Object of the present invention is to develop a method of the type mentioned in such a way that the transport capacity can be increased and manhole space can be saved, with the move along a common carriageway hinder each other as little as possible.

This object is achieved in a method of the generic type according to the invention that, in the case of assigning the destination call to one of the moving along a common carriage cars for the assigned car to operate the destination call required road section this car and for the others along the common carriageway movable cars blocks the assigned lane section for the time of assignment.

In the method according to the invention, after inputting a destination call, an allocation evaluation of the destination call is made for each of the elevator cars in operation as a function of the operating data and the operating state of the respective car. Based on the allocation ratings, the destination call is then assigned to the car with the best allocation rating so that it can serve the destination call. If this is a car that shares a roadway with at least one other car, it is provided according to the invention that the roadway section required to operate the destination call for the assigned car assigned to this car, while it is locked for the other along the common lane movable cars during the time of the assignment. Under the required to operate the destination call lane section is understood here the lane section, which extends from the current position of the destination call serving car on the starting point to the destination of the desired by the passenger ride. This lane section is thus "booked" to operate the destination call from the car to which the destination call has been assigned, so that another of the cars moved along the common lane during the time of the existing assignment, ie during the time of operation of the destination call, in can not enter this lane section. A common roadway here is to be understood as a common travel path of at least two cars within a shaft, that is to say a shaft area which is used for driving by both a first and at least one second car. Within this range, the at least two cars can be moved along common guide rails, but it can also be provided that the at least two cars along the common roadway separate guide rails are assigned. Through the use of at least two cars in a shaft shaft space can be saved and at the same time a high transport capacity can be achieved.

As mentioned in the beginning, the allocation evaluations made for each car are compared with one another in order subsequently to be able to assign the entered destination call to the car with the best allocation evaluation. It is advantageous in this case if one excludes from the comparison of the allocation evaluations those cars whose respective required to operate the current destination call lane section at least partially overlaps a roadway section, which already due to an earlier, not yet operated destination call was assigned to another car. Before comparing the allocation evaluations, in a control method designed in this way, it is first checked for each of the coaches that can travel along a common lane whether the lane section required for this car to operate the destination call overlaps a lane section already allocated to another of the coaches that can be moved along the common lane has been. Consequently, the current destination call could not be served by this car traveling along the common lane, and this is therefore excluded from the comparison of the allocation ratings of all the elevator car's elevator cars.

If the roadway section required for operating a current destination call does not overlap any road section already assigned to a car, it is advantageous if firstly only the allocation evaluations of the cars that can travel along the common roadway are compared with one another and then only the car with the best allocation rating of these cars for comparison with the allocation ratings of the remaining cars. In such an embodiment of the method according to the invention, therefore, initially only one allocation evaluation is made for the cars that can be moved along a common roadway, if the current destination call can in principle be served by all these cars. Of the cars that share a common lane, then only the car with the best allocation score is used for comparison with the allocation ratings of the remaining cars, while all other cars that can travel along the common lane are excluded from this comparison. It has been found that in such an approach, the assignment of an input destination call to a specific car can be performed very quickly. This makes it possible for a passenger to enter a destination call within a very short time to give a feedback as to which car and / or which shaft of the elevator system he should use to reach his entered destination.

If the current destination call can in principle be served by all the cars that share a common roadway, it is favorable to provisionally assign to each of these cars the roadway section required to operate the current destination call, then compare the results of the allocation evaluations of these cars with one another and then, with the exception of the car with the best allocation score, cancel the provisional assignment of the lane sections, and finally allocate the current lane section to that car when assigning the current destination call to the car traveling along the common lane which has the best allocation score from these cars Non-assignment of the current destination call to this car whose provisional assignment of the respective lane section canceled. In such an approach, the assignment of a road section to one of the movable along a common road car in two stages, provided that the current destination call can be operated in principle from each of these cars. In a first stage each of these cars is assigned to the operation of the destination call respectively required roadway section provisionally. Subsequently, it is checked which of the cars sharing a common lane has the best allocation rating. Its provisional assignment remains in effect until the current destination call has been assigned to a car, while the provisional allocations of the other cars are canceled as soon as it is clear which of the shared lanes has the best allocation rating. Finally, if the destination call is assigned to the car sharing its lane with other cars, the second assignment level will be the one for that car Car required road section assigned to the car final. If the assignment of the current destination call to a car that does not share its lane section with another car, the provisional assignment of the traveling along a common lane car is canceled. Thus, for the moving along a common carriageway cars after the assignment of an input destination call a clear situation to the effect that either a lane section of the common lane was assigned to one of the cars or that the current destination call no "booking" a lane section for along a common carriageway has movable cars result.

As already explained, it is provided in a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention that the traveling along a common road cars after entering a destination call the respectively required to operate the destination call lane section is provisionally assigned to then compare the allocation ratings of these cars with each other. In this case, it has proved to be favorable if, by comparing the allocation evaluations of the cars which can be moved along a common roadway, those cars whose road section which is required to operate a current destination call at least partially overlaps a roadway section which is one of the cars that can be moved along the common carriageway a previous destination call not yet assigned to a particular car has been provisionally assigned. With such a procedure, for the coaches which can be moved along a common roadway, prior to the comparison of their allocation evaluations, it is checked whether there is already a provisional assignment of a roadway section which overlaps with the operation of a current destination call from the roadway section required for this purpose would become. If this is the case, then the respective car is no longer taken into account in the allocation of the current destination call, that is, it is excluded from the comparison of the allocation evaluations of the cars.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention gives a road section, which was assigned to a car, in the operation of the destination call floor by floor for the other cars again free. Thereby, the range of motion of the moving along the common road cars can be increased, because during the operation of a destination call the one of these cars associated road section is released floor by floor as soon as the car serving the destination call has left the respective floor.

If the elevator system is used in a building whose occupancy takes place in such a way that, starting from a particularly frequented floor, for example a parking deck, the occupancy of the building takes place both upwards and downwards, then it has proven to be favorable, if at least allocating a preferred area of the common roadway to one of the cars that can be moved along a common roadway and, in the allocation evaluation, taking into account the position of the roadway section required to operate a destination service call relative to the respective preferred area. This allows a sharing of several cars together using roadway such that one of the cars preferably an upper part of the building and another car preferably serves a lower part of the building, but it is not excluded that preferably the upper part of the building serving car at high user frequency of the lower Building part also served this lower part of the building.

It is favorable if the preferred ranges of the vehicles that can be moved along a common roadway are assigned to the cars in such a way that adjacent preferred ranges overlap at least in one floor. This has the consequence that this floor, for example, a parking deck, at least two cars can be operated with the same priority.

Alternatively, one can assign the preferred ranges to the cars without overlapping. For example, it may be provided that adjacent preferred areas adjoin one another directly. In the border region of the two preferential areas, a double storey can then be provided, so that a passenger starting from the double storey can select an upper or a lower preferential area, depending on whether he wishes to travel upwards or downwards.

The allocation evaluation of the individual cars to operate a destination call can be situation-dependent, that is, depending on the number of each available destination calls. Alternatively, one can make the allocation evaluation depending on the load of the cars. Such an evaluation allows a so-called "filling traffic", which is aimed at distributing as many passengers as possible from particularly frequented stops to a building in as short a time as possible. For this purpose, for example, be provided that the cars remain with open doors in an access stop until either an adjustable load threshold of the cars exceeded or an adjustable service life has expired. This ensures that the cars are filled better and thus a higher capacity is available. Such an allocation evaluation can be done on a time-of-day basis. It may be provided, for example, that on weekdays between 7 o'clock and 9 o'clock a load-dependent allocation evaluation is carried out, wherein the access floor of the elevator cars is the access floor of the building, so for example, the ground floor or a parking deck, is given. During the remaining time of day, a situation-dependent allocation evaluation can then be made. It can also be provided that a further load-dependent allocation evaluation on weekdays, for example, in the time between 12.30 and 13.30 clock is made, with a canteen floor is specified as the access point. This ensures that users can leave the floor on which the canteen is located within a short time after visiting the canteen.

It is advantageous if the driving destinations of the car arriving next on the respective floor are displayed on a display device on the floors to be served by the elevator installation. The user thereby receives an indication of which destinations are served by the car arriving next on the floor. This has the advantage that a user after entering his destination call before entering a car can check whether he enters the desired to reach his destination car. Moreover, such a display allows a passenger not necessarily to enter a destination call if his destination matches one of the destinations already displayed. The passenger can thus easily enter the entering car, it eliminates the time of entering the destination, which in turn can increase the capacity of the elevator system.

It can also be provided that not only the travel destinations of the next arriving on the respective floor car are displayed, but also the destinations of at least one further, subsequently arriving car.

It is particularly advantageous if, after entering a destination call, the expected duration until the arrival or until the departure of the destination serving car indicates. The passenger thus receives an indication of the expected waiting time.

After entering a destination call is provided in a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention that indicates the passenger assigned to operate his destination call car on one of the input unit associated display unit. The passenger is therefore assigned a very specific car. If a plurality of cars can be moved in a shaft along a common roadway, a different colored configuration of the cars can be provided for their differentiation, for example.

Alternatively, it can be provided in a lift system with multiple shafts that one displays the slot on one of the input unit associated display unit to the passenger, at the stop of the destination car serving car arrives next. Such an approach has the advantage that after entering a destination call, an initial destination call assignment to a particular car can be changed even after the feedback to the passenger. It must only be ensured after the completed feedback to the passenger that the next arriving at the stop of the bay displayed car served the entered destination call.

It is particularly advantageous if each car is assigned a control unit with a group control function, wherein the control unit carries out the allocation evaluation for the assigned car and all the control units are electrically connected to one another. Such an approach allows a particularly trouble-insensitive operation of the elevator system, because a parent central unit for controlling the car can be omitted. Rather, all of the cars can be controlled by means of the central control units, each having a group control function. For this purpose, all control units of the elevator system are wired or wirelessly connected to each other and by their interaction all cars are controlled. The allocation score is made by each control unit for the respective assigned car, and the results of the allocation ratings can be transmitted to all the control units via the electrical connection, so that the comparison of the allocation ratings of all the control units can be made simultaneously. The control unit, which recognizes on the basis of the comparison that the car assigned to it has the best allocation evaluation, assigns the current destination call to itself and sends a corresponding allocation response to the control unit which has read in the destination call. The other control units recognize, on the basis of their calculation, that the destination call currently waiting for operation has been taken over by the one control unit and the car assigned to it.

Alternatively and / or additionally, it may be provided that at least the cars which can be moved along a common roadway are assigned a central group control unit which can carry out the allocation evaluation of all assigned cars. If the group control unit is used in addition to the decentralized control units, the group control unit need not have a redundant design, because if it fails, the control of the cars and the allocation evaluation are taken over by the decentralized control units. The group control unit preferably has a considerably higher computing power than the decentralized control units. This makes it possible to identify patterns of behavior of the passengers by means of the central group control unit in order to be able to carry out a corresponding allocation evaluation of the cars. In particular, the central group control unit can carry out a predictive allocation evaluation by means of methods of "artificial intelligence" known per se in order to be able to provide the highest possible transport capacity as a function of the behavior pattern of the passengers.

The invention also relates to an elevator installation, in particular for carrying out the above-described method, with the features mentioned in the introduction. In order to further develop such an elevator system in such a way that an improved transport capacity can be achieved, whereby the moving along a common carriageway hinder each other as little as possible, is provided according to the invention that when assigning the destination call to one of the movable along a common road cars of required for the assigned car to operate the destination call lane section of this car can be assigned and that this lane section is not accessible during the time of assignment for the other along the common lane movable cars. Such a configuration of the elevator system makes it possible to allocate the lane shared by several cars in sections as a function of the entered destination calls one of the cars sharing the roadway, so that this lane section can be used only by this one car while he for the other along the common carriageway movable cars is temporarily inaccessible.

In order to enable the use of a common carriageway cars as much freedom of movement, is in a preferred embodiment the elevator system according to the invention provided that one of the along a common roadway movable cars assigned roadway section in the operation of the destination call floor by floor for the other cars is releasable. Leaves the destination call serving car, which was assigned to a particular lane section, a floor, this floor can be released immediately for the other cars again, so that it is accessible to operate a subsequent destination call another car.

It is advantageous if the control device of the elevator installation comprises a plurality of control units each having a group control function, which are each assigned to a car and interconnected via a data transmission system, wherein the allocation evaluation for the respective assigned car can be carried out by means of the control units. The electrical connection of the control units can be wired or wireless. It is particularly advantageous if the data transmission system is designed as a BUS system. Alternatively, separate connection lines can be used, wherein a connection can be provided via optical fibers. A wireless connection can be made for example via radio.

In a preferred embodiment of the elevator installation according to the invention, the control units which are assigned to the vehicles which can be moved along a common roadway are connected to one another via a separate data line. The control units each have a central processing unit, and it has proved to be advantageous if the central processing units of the control units are connected directly to each other via the separate data line. It is particularly advantageous if the separate data line has a higher data transmission rate than that Data transmission system. This allows a particularly fast coordination of the control units, which are associated with the movable along a common road cars.

Preferably, the input units arranged on the floors to be served by the elevator installation are connected via a data line to at least one control unit. The data line can be designed wired or wireless, in particular in the form of a bus system.

It is particularly advantageous if the control device comprises a central group control unit assigned at least to the cars that can be moved along a common roadway for carrying out the allocation evaluation and for assigning a destination call to one of the cars. In this case, it is particularly advantageous if the control device has both control units respectively assigned to a car and also a central group control unit, wherein optionally an allocation evaluation and allocation of a destination call by the decentralized control units or by the central group control unit can be carried out.

In order to give a passenger a feedback after entering a destination call, it is advantageous if the input units each have a display unit is assigned to display the entered destination call serving car or the shaft at the stop of the car arrives, and preferably also to display the estimated time until arrival or departure of the car. After entering a destination call, the passenger thus receives the message as to which car or shaft he should use and how long the anticipated waiting time lasts.

The elevator installation according to the invention is preferably designed such that two cars can be moved upwards and downwards in a shaft along a common roadway. Preferably, all stops can be approached by these two cars except the lowest and the highest station.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the elevator system comprises at least two shafts, wherein in a first shaft at least two cars along a common lane are movable and wherein in a second shaft, a single car along a roadway from the bottom stop to the top stop is movable. Such a configuration has the advantage that a user can be transported via the second slot without changing directly from the lowest to the highest station, while in the first slot a particularly high transport capacity for trips in the area between the lowest and the highest station is achievable.

Figur 1:

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Aufzuganlage; und

Figur 2:

ein Flußdiagramm des zur Steuerung der Aufzuganlage erfindungsgemäß zum Einsatz kommenden Verfahrens.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawings for further explanation. Show it:

FIG. 1:

a schematic representation of an elevator system according to the invention; and

FIG. 2:

a flowchart of the present invention for controlling the elevator installation used in the process.

FIG. 1 schematically shows an elevator installation, which is designated as a whole by the reference numeral 10 and which has a first shaft 12 and a second shaft Shaft 14, in each of which two guide rails 16, 17 and 18, 19 are held. The two guide rails 16, 17 of the first shaft form a common roadway for an upper car 21 and a lower car 22, which are movable along the guide rails 16 and 17 upwards and downwards. The upper car 21 is coupled to a counterweight 25 via a support cable 24, and the lower car 22 is coupled to a counterweight 28 via a support cable 27.

Each of the two cars 21 and 22 is associated with a separate drive in the form of an electric drive motor 30 and 32 and respectively a separate brake 34 and 36. The drive motors 30 and 32 each act on a traction sheave 38 and 40, on the supporting cables 24 and 27 are guided.

The control of the cars 21 and 22 is in each case via a separate control unit 42 and 44, which have a group control member 46 and 47 and a central processing unit 48 and 49, respectively. The latter are directly connected to one another via a data line 50 designed in the form of a BUS system. The control units 42 and 44 are connected via control lines with the respective associated drive motor 30 and 32 and with the associated brake 34 and 36 in electrical connection, so that the cars 21 and 22 in the usual manner within the first elevator shaft 12 are moved up and down can be used to carry people and / or loads.

The second shaft 14 receives a single car 52, which is movable along the guide rails 18 and 19 from a lowermost to a topmost stop and which is coupled via a support cable 54 with a counterweight 56, wherein the support cable 54 is guided by a traction sheave 58 is that associated with the car 52 drive in the form of an electric Drive motor 60 is coupled. The car 52 is associated with a separate brake 62, which is like the drive motor 60 via a control line with the car 52 associated control unit 64 in electrical connection. The control unit 64 comprises a group control element 66 and a central processing unit 67.

In addition to the respective control units 42, 44, 64 assigned to a car 21, 22 or 52, the elevator installation 10 can comprise a higher-level group control unit 70 with a connection member 71, with the aid of which the group control unit 70 can be connected to a data transmission system 73 configured as a BUS system , via which all the control units 42, 44, 64 of the elevator installation 10 are connected to one another.

The group control unit 70, in combination with the control units 42, 44 and 64, forms a control apparatus, denoted as a whole by the reference numeral 75 in FIG. 1, and can be used as an alternative to the control units 42, 44, 64 for controlling the elevator installation 10.

On each floor, which can be operated by the elevator installation 10, an input element with an integrated display element in the form of a touch-sensitive screen 77 is arranged. In addition, a display device 80 is located on each floor in the region of the shafts 12 and 14. All screens 77 and display devices 80 are connected to the control device 75 via an electrical connecting line 82, which is also designed as a BUS system. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the connecting line 82 is connected to the control unit 42, which is in electrical connection via the data transmission system 73 with the remaining control units 44 and 64 and the group control unit 70 which can be used as an alternative. By means of touch-sensitive screens 77, a passenger may enter a destination call with a desired destination of the controller 75, which then makes an arbitration score and assigns one of the cars 21, 22, 52 to the destination call for its operation. In response to the input of the destination call, the passenger on the touch-sensitive screen 77 is informed of the car to be used, and also the estimated time until the arrival of the car can be displayed. On the additional display device 80, the passenger receives the indication which travel destinations are approached by the cars arriving next on the floor. If one of the displayed destinations agrees with the destination desired by the passenger, it is unnecessary for him to input a destination call. On the display device 80 can also be displayed the expected duration until the arrival of the next car.

The assignment of a car to an input destination call will be explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. An input destination call is transmitted via the electrical connection line 82 to the control unit 42 of the control device 75. The control unit 42 transmits the destination call via the data transmission system 73 to the remaining control units 44 and 64 of the elevator installation. Each control unit 42, 44 and 64 has been assigned a number during assembly of the elevator installation 10, and the input destination call is stored by all the control units 42, 44 and 64 respectively in a known per se and therefore not shown in the drawing memory until the control unit with the smallest assigned number, for example the control unit 42, transmits via the data transmission system 73 the signal for evaluating the entered destination call to all control units. In the method step 101 illustrated in FIG. 2, all of the control units 42, 44 and 64 for the respective assigned car 21, 22 and 52 are then assigned an allocation the input destination call made on the basis of a predetermined evaluation algorithm in dependence on the operating data and operating conditions of the respective car 21, 22 and 52 to determine the optimal for handling the destination call with regard to the highest possible transport capacity car.

After the allotment evaluation is made by the control units 42 and 44, each associated with a car 21 and 22, sharing the common lane 16, 17 with another car 22 and 21, checked in a step 102 whether the Operating the current destination call required lane section, that is, the lane section starting from the current position of the respective car on the starting point of the desired trip to the entered destination, at least partially overlapping a lane section, already in connection with a previously entered, but not yet fully served Destination call was assigned to the respective car 21 or 22, that was "booked" for this car. If one of the two control units 42, 44 determines that the lane section required to operate the current destination call overlaps a lane section already assigned to the respective car, the respective control unit 42 or 44 transmits in step 103 the result of the performed allotment evaluation via the data transmission system 73 remaining control units of the elevator installation 10.

If the test in method step 102 shows that the lane section required to operate the current destination call does not overlap a lane section already assigned to the respective car due to an earlier destination call, the control units 42 and 44 check in a method step 104 whether the operator is responsible for operating the current lane Destination call required roadway section a roadway section at least partially overlaps, for the at least one provisional assignment for the other of the two along a common lane 16, 17 movable cars 21, 22 is present, that is, it is checked whether the operation of the current destination call for the respective car 21 and 22 required roadway section is completely free. If the required lane section is not free for the respective car 21 or 22, ie if a provisional or final assignment is available for the other car 22 or 21, the control unit 42 or 44 assigned to this car will not be evaluated in step 105 operable "set and transmitted in step 103 via the data transmission system 73 to all control units of the elevator system 10, the information that the current destination call from each car 21 or 22 is not operable.

If the test in method step 104 shows that the lane section required for operating the current destination call is free for the respective lift cage 21 or 22, then the control unit 42 or 44 via the direct data transmission line 50 to the other control unit Roadway 16, 17 movable cars 21, 22 in step 106, a signal transmitted, after which each required lane section is provisionally associated with the respective car 21 and 22 respectively. Subsequently, the control units 42 and 44 in method step 107 check which of the two cars 21 and 22 has the better allocation evaluation. For this purpose, the control units 42 and 44 transmit each other via the data line 50 together with the provisional assignment of the lane section, the result of their allocation evaluation and compare the results. For this purpose, the data transmission line 50 has a data transmission speed which is higher than the data transmission speed of the data transmission system 73. Alternatively, of course, instead of the transmission via an additional data line 50, the Transmission over the normal data transmission system 73 are selected. The control unit 42 or 44, which is assigned to the car with the better allocation evaluation, then transmits in step 103 the result of the own allocation evaluation via the data transmission system 73 to the other control units of the elevator installation 10, while the control unit 42 or 44, whose associated car 21 or 22 has the worse allocation evaluation, according to the method step 105, the evaluation is set to "not operable", which is then transmitted in the method step 103 via the data transmission system 73.

In addition to one of the two control units 42 and 44, namely the control unit for whose car already has a "booking" or whose car has the better allocation evaluation, transfers in step 103 and the car 52 associated control unit 64, the result of their allocation evaluation via the data transmission system 73. Thus, after the method step 103, all the control units 42, 44 and 64 of the elevator installation 10 have the results of all allocation evaluations to be taken into account, so that subsequently a comparison of the allocation evaluations and an assignment of the current destination call can be made by all the control units 42, 44 and 64 , The control unit whose car has the best allocation score assigns itself the current destination call and sends a corresponding allocation response to the control unit 42 which has read in the destination call, and this control unit 42 then sends the allotment response via the connection line 82 to the touch screen 77. where the destination call was entered. On the screen 77 the passenger is then shown which car 21, 22 or 52 or which shaft 12 or 14 he should use and, if appropriate, how long it is likely to take to reach the desired car 21, 22 or 52 on the passenger's floor arrives.

In method step 108, the two control units 42, 44 then check whether the assignment of the current destination call to the respective car 21 or 22 took place. If this question is answered in the affirmative, the corresponding control unit transmits 42 or 44 in step 109 via the direct data transmission line 50 to the other control unit whose car shares the shaft 12 with the own car, with respect to the required to operate the destination call lane section a final assignment signal. The required to operate the current destination call lane section is thus definitively assigned to the car 21 or 22, that is, in step 109, a final "booking" of the required to operate the current destination call lane section, if one of the two cars 21 and 22 has the best allocation rating ,

The control unit 42 or 44, which determines in step 108 that the destination call has not been assigned to the respective car 21 or 22, sends in step 110 via the direct data transmission line 50 to the other control unit, a signal, after which the provisional assignment of the respective required lane section , which was made in step 106, is canceled again.

After carrying out the method steps 101 to 110, it is thus clarified to which of the cars 21, 22 and 52 of the elevator installation 10 a current destination call is assigned and if in the case of an assignment to one of the cars 21 and 22 that can travel along a common roadway 16, 17 the required to operate the destination call lane section is done with the effect that this lane section is not available from the other car 21 or 22 in the operation of a subsequent destination call.

Claims (27)

1. Method for controlling an elevator installation with at least one shaft and with a number of cars which each have an associated drive and brake, it being possible to make at least two cars travel separately up and down along a common travelling path, a passenger entering a destination call with a travel destination by means of an input unit of a control device of the elevator installation disposed outside the at least one shaft and an allocation assessment then being performed for each car, the allocation assessments of all the cars being compared with one another and the destination call being allocated to the car with the best allocation assessment to answer it, characterized in that, in the case of allocation of the destination call to one of the cars which can be made to travel along a common travelling path, the portion of the travelling path required by the allocated car to answer the destination call is assigned to this car and the assigned portion of the travelling path is blocked for the time of the assignment for the other cars which can be made to travel along the common travelling path.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that those cars for which the portion of the travelling path respectively required for answering the current destination call overlaps at least partly a portion of the travelling path which has already been assigned to another car on the basis of an earlier, not yet answered destination call are excluded from the comparison of the allocation assessments of the cars.
3. Method according to Claim 2, characterized in that in the case that the portion of the travelling path respectively required for answering a current destination call does not overlap any portion of the travelling path already assigned to a car, in the first instance only the allocation assessments of the cars which can be made to travel along the common travelling path are compared with one another and then only the car with the best allocation assessment of these cars is used for the comparison with the allocation assessments of the remaining cars of the elevator installation.
4. Method according to Claim 3, characterized in that each of the cars which can be made to travel along a common travelling path is provisionally assigned the portion of the travelling path required to answer the current destination call, then the results of the allocation assessments of these cars are compared with one another and the provisional assignment of the portions of the travelling path is revoked with the exception of the car with the best allocation assessment, and in that, when the current destination call is allocated to the car which can be made to travel along the common travelling path that has the best allocation assessment of these cars, this car is definitively assigned the respective portion of the travelling path and, when the current destination call is not allocated to this car, its provisional assignment of the respective portion of the travelling path is cancelled.
5. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that those cars for which the portion of the travelling path respectively required for answering a current destination call overlaps at least partly a portion of the travelling path which has been provisionally assigned to one of the cars which can be made to travel along the common travelling path on the basis of an earlier destination call not yet allocated to a specific car are excluded from the comparison of the allocation assessments of the cars which can be made to travel along a common travelling path.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a portion of the travelling path which has been assigned to a car is released floor by floor for the other cars when the destination call is answered.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the cars which can be made to travel along a common travelling path is assigned a preferential region of the common travelling path, and the position of the portion of the travelling path required for answering a destination call in relation to the respective preferential region is taken into consideration in the allocation assessment.
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the preferential regions are assigned to the cars in such a way that mutually neighbouring preferential regions overlap at least on one floor.
9. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the preferential regions are assigned to the cars without any overlap.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the allocation assessment is performed in dependence on the number of destination calls in existence at a time.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the allocation assessment is performed in dependence on the capacity utilization of the cars.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the travel destinations of the car next arriving at the respective floor is indicated on an indicating device on the floors to be served by the elevator installation.
13. Method according to Claim 12, characterized in that the travel destinations of a number of cars arriving one after the other at the floor are indicated on the floors to be served by the elevator installation.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after a destination call has been entered, the expected time before the arrival or departure of the car answering the destination call is indicated.
15. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, on an indicating unit respectively associated with an input unit, the passenger is provided with an indication of the car allocated for answering a destination call.
16. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the shaft with the stop at which the car allocated to the destination call will arrive next is indicated to the passenger on an indicating unit respectively associated with an input unit.
17. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each car has an associated control unit with a group control function, the control unit performing the allocation assessment for the respectively associated car, and all the control units being electrically connected to one another.
18. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the cars which can be made to travel along a common travelling path have an associated central group control unit, which can perform the allocation assessment of all the associated cars.
19. Elevator installation (10), in particular for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, with at least one shaft (12, 14) and with a number of cars (21, 22, 52) which each have an associated drive (30, 32, 60) and brake (34, 36, 62), it being possible to make at least two cars (21, 22) travel separately up and down along a common travelling path (16, 17), and with input units (77) disposed outside the at least one shaft (12, 14) for entering a destination call and also with a control device (75) for controlling the cars (21, 22, 52), it being possible for an allocation assessment to be carried out by means of the control device (75) for the individual cars (21, 22, 52) after each time a destination call is entered and for the destination call to be allocated to a car (21, 22, 52), characterized in that, when the destination call is allocated to one of the cars (21, 22) which can be made to travel along a common travelling path (16, 17), the portion of the travelling path required by the allocated car (21, 22) to answer the destination call can be assigned to this car (21, 22), and this portion of the travelling path is not accessible during the time of the assignment for the other cars (21, 22) which can be made to travel along the common travelling path (16, 17).
20. Elevator installation according to Claim 19, characterized in that the portion of the travelling path assigned to one of the cars (21, 22) which can be made to travel along a common travelling path (16, 17) can be released floor by floor for the other cars (21, 22) when the destination call is answered.
21. Elevator installation according to Claim 19 or 20, characterized in that the control device (75) comprises a number of control units (42, 44, 64), respectively having a group control function, which are respectively associated with a car (21, 22, 52) and are connected to one another via a data transmission system (73), it being possible for the allocation assessment for the respectively associated car (21, 22, 52) to be carried out by means of the control units (42, 44, 64).
22. Elevator installation according to Claim 21, characterized in that the control units (42, 44) which are associated with the cars (21, 22) which can be made to travel along a common travelling path (16, 17) are connected to one another via a separate data line (50).
23. Elevator installation according to Claim 22, characterized in that the separate data line (50) has a higher data transmission rate than the data transmission system (73).
24. Elevator installation according to one of Claims 21 to 23, characterized in that the input units (77) are connected to at least one control unit (42) via a data line (82).
25. Elevator installation according to one of Claims 19 to 24, characterized in that the control device (75) comprises a central group control unit (70), associated at least with the cars (21, 22) which can be made to travel along a common travelling path (16, 17), for carrying out the allocation assessment and allocating a destination call to a car (21, 22).
26. Elevator installation according to one of Claims 19 to 25, characterized in that the input units (77) respectively have an associated indicating unit, for indicating the car (21, 22, 52) answering the destination call entered and the expected time until the arrival or departure of the car (21, 22, 52).
27. Elevator installation according to one of Claims 19 to 26, characterized in that the elevator installation (10) comprises at least two shafts (12, 14), it being possible for at least two cars (21, 22) to be made to travel along a common travelling path (16, 17) in a first shaft (12) and for a single car (52) to be made to travel along a travelling path (18, 19) from the lowermost stop to the uppermost stop in a second shaft (14).

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