JPS6349942B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an elevator system controlled by a computer, and more particularly to an elevator data communication system suitable for data communication between elevator control devices.

With recent advances in semiconductor technology, highly functional, compact, and inexpensive microcomputers (hereinafter referred to as microcomputers) have appeared, and are now widely used as the core of various control devices. In the field of elevators, it has also been applied to group management control devices that control multiple elevators, and has been commercialized both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, recently, it has been applied to unit control devices that control the speed and door control of individual elevators, and compared to conventional random logic such as relays, it has improved reliability, improved functionality, and reduced size.
This contributes to cost reduction.

Recently, a system has also been devised in which a microcontroller is installed inside the elevator car and communicates in series with the microcontroller in the machine room to significantly reduce tail cords, reduce costs, and improve reliability. .

By the way, elevator control differs from control in other industrial fields in that the physical space to be controlled is large. That is, a building has a hoistway of several hundred meters as a means of vertical transportation, and a car moves up and down the hoistway, and motors and the like that drive the car are generally installed in a machine room on the top floor. Therefore, the machine control device that controls the motor etc. is installed in the machine room. A group management control device will also be installed in the machine room to centralize and control the operation of each elevator group.
Furthermore, each hall has a lift button and its response light, and these input/output signal lines are connected to the control device in the machine room.

As described above, since the physical space of an elevator is large, the number of signal lines between each control device increases significantly. In particular, the control line connecting the car and the machine room, the so-called tail cord, increases or decreases depending on the number of floors in the building.
There are over 100 pieces.

For this reason, efforts have been made to reduce the number of signal lines between each control device. This has become especially easy to achieve with the advent of microcontrollers and their peripheral LSIs, as mentioned above, and many ideas have been devised.

For example, in Patent Application No. 1979-79118, a microcontroller is installed in the car control device that controls motors, etc. in the machine room, and a microcontroller is installed in the car control device that controls the opening and closing of doors. , each other's data is transferred to ACIA (Asynchronous
Communicatin Interface Adapter)
We aim to significantly reduce tail code and improve processing performance by distributing functions. In addition, as another idea, in patent application number 1984-84087, a microcontroller for hall call control equipment was provided separately from the microcontroller for group management control equipment, and data between each computer was handled by ACIA as before. Serial multiplex communication is used to reduce the number of main wiring lines in the hoistway and to improve the processing performance of the group management control microcontroller.

As described above, since an elevator has a large physical space, and in view of the processing capacity of the microcontroller, the elevator has a so-called function-distributed multi-microcontroller system configuration in which each function of the elevator is controlled. Therefore, data communication is inevitably required between microcontrollers. For this reason, the above-mentioned wiring main line reduction,
It is advantageous to perform serial multiplex communication in order to improve reliability and the like.

Conventional serial data communication between microcontrollers is
The so-called HDLC (High
LSIs intended for the Level Data Linkage Communication) procedure (for example,
MC6854). However, these serial communication LSIs have the following problems.
That is, first of all, in order to perform general-purpose communication, complicated communication procedures are required, and therefore software (programs) are required to satisfy the communication procedures, and this becomes increasingly necessary as the system becomes larger. It's getting complicated. Therefore, not only development of the software but also maintenance becomes necessary.

Second, since software intervenes in communication, the load factor (idle time/actual processing time) of the microcontroller increases. This is especially true for group management microcontrollers. In other words, the number of group management units is up to 8 units, and
Communication data from each elevator's unit control microcontroller reaches approximately 120 points, depending on the number of floors.
Therefore, the group control microcomputer must input data to approximately 960 points and output the same amount of data to each machine control microcomputer. For communication management of this input/output data,
The load on the microcontroller is concentrated, which interferes with the actual group management control processing. For this reason, the special application for
Like 84087, apart from the group management microcontroller,
A method has also been devised in which a microcontroller is provided to collect control information for hall calls, and data communication is performed between each microcontroller. However, in any case, since software intervention is required, a considerable amount of communication processing time is required.

Thirdly, although related to the first and second reasons, data communication is generally performed using interrupts. For example, in the case of ACIA, an interrupt is sent to the microcontroller when the data register for reception is full. The microcomputer stores the received data in an appropriate memory using this interrupt. As mentioned above, since interrupts are used, if there are many ports to communicate with (here related to the number of group management units), the number of interrupt management programs will increase, and the overhead for multiple software and interrupts will increase. (This has the disadvantage that the load factor becomes large).

An object of the present invention is to provide an elevator device that can easily perform data communication between elevator control devices.

The present invention is particularly characterized in that the microcontroller is used for data communication between the car control device that controls at least the elevator drive motor and the car control device that controls the elevator car. The elevator system is constructed by providing a dedicated serial communication control means for serially transmitting and receiving data between each other regardless of the situation, and by connecting this serial communication control means to a microcontroller.

Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the following examples, the elevator control devices are group management control devices that coordinate multiple elevators, unit control devices that mainly control motors, and car top control devices that control cars. Serial communication means between devices (hereinafter referred to as serial transmission adapter; SDA)
An example of an elevator system configured by applying this will be explained, as well as the functions and configuration of SDA.

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram when a microcomputer and a serial transmission adapter (SDA) are applied to each elevator control device.

In Figure 1, the group management control system MAS has the following:
There is a microcontroller MC _M , and the serial transmission adapters SDA _M1 to SDA _M8 (when the number of group control units is 8) are connected to the bus BUS of this microcontroller, which performs data communication with the unit control unit CSS that controls each elevator. has been done.

The unit control unit CSS ₁ (unit 1) has a microcontroller MC _C1 , and the bus BUS of this microcontroller includes a serial transmission adapter SDA _C1 for performing serial data communication with the group management control unit MAS, as well as a car controller (described later). A serial transmission adapter SDA _CA1 is connected to the upper control device CAGE ₁ for serial data communication.

On the other hand, the on-car controller CAGE ₁ does not have a microcontroller, and the serial transmission adapter SDA _A1 and its bus BUS for performing serial data communication with the car controller CSS ₁ are equipped with car call push button B and its call number. An input/output interface circuit PI _A1 that interfaces with the response lamp LP is connected.

Then, the group management control system MAS and the unit control system
For serial data communication, there are generally two pairs of communication lines L ₁ to _{L 8} for transmission and reception between the CSSs. At the same time, there is a pair of communication lines, L _c1 , between the car controller CSS ₁ and the on-car controller CAGE ₁ .

The system configuration has been described above, but here, using this diagram, we will connect the serial transmission adapter to each control device.
This section describes the movement of control data when using SDA and an overview of SDA functions.

The serial transmission adapter SDA performs serial transmission and serial reception individually, and the communication line has a full-duplex configuration that allows simultaneous transmission and reception.

Also, this SDA can take two connection methods. One is the 1:1 connection method, also called the radial method.For example, the group management control device shown in Figure 1
This is the case when there is a communication port for each communication destination, such as the SDA of MAS and the SDA of machine controller CSS. In this connection method, all SDAs are equal to each other. Another connection method is the 1:n connection method, also called the multi-drop method, in which n SDAs are connected to one communication line. Management of n SDAs is a master
SDA will do it. The managed SDA is called a slave, that is, there is a master-slave (parent-child) relationship.

Now, when SDA is used, data communication is performed synchronously between each SDA at a predetermined cycle, regardless of the control of the microcontroller. Therefore,
From the microcontroller's perspective, long-distance data can be accessed without any awareness of communication, that is, without the intervention of communication software. For example, car call and elevator position information from the car controller CSS ₁ are transferred from the transmission buffer memory of SDA _C1 to SDA _M1.
It is reflected in the buffer memory for reception, so
The group management microcontroller _MMC only needs to read the contents of the receiving buffer memory of SDA _M1 . This relationship is between the car control device CSS and the car control device.
The same applies to data communication with CAGE ₁ .

Next, the functions and specific configuration of the serial transmission adapter SDA will be described using FIG. 2. S.D.A.
can be broadly divided into transmission blocks and reception blocks. The main functions of the transmission block are: (1) A function to sequentially retrieve parallel data from transmission buffer memory RAM _1. (2) A function to convert parallel data into serial data. (3) A function to generate a synchronization signal and convert the signal into serial data. Function (4) added to the beginning of (3) The function to modulate and transmit the serial data obtained in (3) is listed.

On the other hand, the main functions of the reception block are (1) a function to demodulate the serial data that has been modulated and sent; (2) a function to convert the demodulated serial data into parallel data; It has a function to sequentially store the converted parallel data in the receiving buffer memory RAM _R.

SDA's external interface signals are data bus DB, address bus AB, and
There are master/slave MASTER/SLAVE signals and 1:1/1:n signals for switching the control bus CB and SDA connection methods. Also,
Outputs an alarm signal ALM indicating a communication abnormality. Furthermore, there is an output port S _M for transmitting serial data, as well as an input port _SIM for inputting serial data.

In addition, when the connection method is 1:n, MASTER/
The SLAVE signal is valid, and in this case, the frame structure of the communication data is the synchronization signal, as shown in Figure 3.
Address, data, etc., like a synchronization signal. This address is the master or slave address.
It means the device address of SDA. Therefore, in the case of 1:1, this address has no meaning and the frame structure will be the one shown in FIG. 3 except for the address.

From the above, it is necessary to control whether address data is added to the frame depending on the connection method.

First, we will describe the circuit configuration and operation of the transmission block.

Here, it is assumed that the data to be transmitted is stored in the transmission buffer memory RAM _T. Signal CK from clock circuit CLK is input to counter circuit CNT _T. Based on the data of this counter circuit CNT _T , a synchronizing signal SY is obtained from a synchronizing signal circuit _SYNT , and this is first outputted to a serial output terminal (port) _SM via a modulation circuit MD. Next, when the connection method is 1:n, it is necessary to send address data, so the address signal AB _T3 is sent to the data selector DS.
This data (DB _T4 ) is subjected to parallel and linear conversion via shift register _SRT . This converted address data _S1 is input to an OR circuit R,
It passes through the modulation circuit MD and is similarly output to the serial output terminal. Next, send buffer memory
Transfer the contents of RAM _T to the data buffer register.
After being stored in BRD _T , it is output to the serial output terminal in the same way as address data via data selector DS and shift register _SRT . If there are multiple buffer memories for transmission, they are output one after another through the same route. When the last data is sent, synchronization data is sent next, and the transmission is repeated periodically thereafter. Therefore, the frame structure of data from the serial output terminal is as shown in FIG. 3 described above. If the connection method is 1:1, the data selector
Since DS is not switched to the address bus side but instead is switched to the data bus side, no address data is sent out. A timing circuit _TCT controls the timing of the above transmission, and its output is output to each circuit (not shown).

Next, the operation of the circuit configuration of the reception block will be described.

Data input from the serial input terminal _SIM is first demodulated via the demodulation circuit DM. The demodulated serial data _SI1 is converted into parallel data _DRB1 by a shift register _SRR .
This parallel data DB _R1 is determined by the synchronous signal circuit SYN _R to determine whether it is a synchronous signal, and if it is a synchronous signal, the counter circuit CN _1R is started and the timing circuit _TCR is enabled to operate, and this circuit allows smooth data reception. Generates a timing signal to cause the process to occur. When the signal sent from the serial input terminal is an address (when 1:n, the signal after the synchronization signal is always an address), it is stored in the address buffer register BRA _R. On the other hand, if it is data, it is stored in the data buffer register _BRDR . The contents of the data buffer register _BRRD are sequentially stored in the reception buffer memory RAM _R via the bus control logic BUSC. The contents of this reception buffer memory remain unchanged until data is sent in the next cycle.

In addition, the transmission buffer register memory RAM _T ,
RAM _R can be accessed from the microcontroller MC side or the input/output interface circuit PI side via the bus control logic BUSC.

The circuit configuration and operation of the serial transmission adapter have been described above, but with recent semiconductor technology, this can easily be made into a one-chip LSI.

Next, a method of connecting the serial transmission adapter SDA will be explained using FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 4 shows a method of connecting a microcontroller and a serial transmission adapter, and a method of connecting between serial transmission adapters.

To connect the microcontroller and SDA, simply connect the SDA bus to the microcontroller's address bus, data bus, and control bus. With such a connection method, since the transmitting/receiving buffer memory is located in a part of the address space of the microcontroller, the buffer memory can be easily accessed.

To connect SDAs to each other, simply connect their serial input/output terminals to each other.

FIG. 5 shows a connection method between the serial transmission adapter SDA and the input/output interface circuit PI, and specifically is a connection diagram between the input/output interface circuit PI and SDA _A1 in the car.
The input/output interface circuit PI _A1 is illustrated for a car call button and its response lamp.

First, information on car call buttons B ₁ to _{B 8} (when in a building with 8 floors) is sent to SDA via bus BUFF.
data bus DB, and is stored in the SDA transmission buffer memory. This timing is given from pin 0 by address bus AB via decoder DC. On the other hand, the contents of the SDA reception buffer memory are also output via the data bus DB, and this data is stored in the latch LACH.
Then, the car call response lamps LP ₁ to _{LP 8} are driven. On the other hand, the SDA abnormality signal ALM can turn on the arm lamp _LPA , for example.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described above.

Next, the effects of one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

For elevator control in a large physical space, when a system is configured with a microcontroller and a means of serial communication independent of the microcontroller's processing, that is, a serial transmission adapter, the following effects can be achieved. can.

First of all, since the serial transmission adapter performs serial communication independently of the microcontroller, the microcontroller's communication software can be eliminated.
This is a particularly significant effect, as it reduces the CPU load factor on the microcomputer, allowing more time to be taken to control the elevator, and improving the elevator's control function and performance.

Second, conventionally, a microcontroller has been installed in the on-car control device especially for communication, but the present invention eliminates the need for a microcontroller. This reduces the number of microcontrollers in the elevator system, reducing hardware costs, simplifying the system configuration, reducing the amount of software development, and further reducing software maintenance and significantly reducing total costs. It is possible to reduce the

Thirdly, since data communication between the control devices is based on serial communication, the number of tail cords and main wires related to holes can be significantly reduced, thereby reducing wiring costs and improving reliability.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the connection method between the microcontroller and the serial transmission adapter is 1:1, but as shown in FIG. The system may be configured as a multi-drop method (multi-drop method). This other embodiment has advantages such as being able to reduce the number of serial transmission adapters and sharing communication lines. On the other hand, on the master side,
In this example, the sending/receiving buffer memory of the SDA _M is divided into blocks depending on the number n of slave SDAs, so the capacity is limited and there is a limit to large amounts of data communication. Furthermore, since the address is also sent, the transmission efficiency decreases. Furthermore, communication line failures lead to system failures, and reliability is lower than in the 1:1 system. Other effects are similar to those of the embodiment of the present invention.

As yet another embodiment, the block of the serial transmission adapter of the present invention has a built-in modulation/demodulation circuit, but if the transmission distance between the control devices is short, this may be omitted and direct data communication may be performed. Further, in one embodiment of the present invention, the buffer memory for transmission and reception is placed inside the serial transmission adapter, but it may be provided as a separate block, that is, it may be attached externally.

As described above, according to the present invention, the system configuration of the elevator can be simplified, and as a result, the hardware,
It is possible to reduce costs on both sides of software. at the same time
This reduces the CPU load, making it possible to improve elevator control functions and performance.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1: System configuration diagram of the present invention. FIG. 2: Block configuration diagram of serial communication means. FIG. 3: Frame configuration diagram of input/output data of serial communication means. Figure 4,
Figure 5: Diagram showing the connection method. Figure 6: Another embodiment diagram. MAS...Group management control device, CSS...Machine control device, MC _M ...Microcontroller, SDA...Serial transmission adapter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. An elevator that operates on a plurality of floors, an elevator control device that controls at least an elevator drive motor using a microcomputer, and an on-car control device that controls an elevator car, In an elevator device that performs serial multiplex communication between a front symbol machine control device and the above-mentioned car control device via a tail cord, parallel data stored in a transmission data buffer memory is converted to serial data, and the serial data is and a serial transmitter for adding synchronization data to a serial transmission data group, modulating the transmission data group via a modulation circuit, and transmitting the data periodically at a predetermined cycle; A serial system that demodulates a series reception data group including synchronous data and reception data through a demodulation circuit, converts the serial data obtained from the demodulation circuit into parallel data, and sequentially stores the parallel data in a data buffer memory for reception. Serial communication control means for performing serial multiplex communication independently of the microcomputer is provided in each of the front symbol machine control device and the above-mentioned car top control device, the address bus of the microcomputer of the front symbol machine control device , a data bus and a control bus are connected to the serial communication control means, and the transmitting and receiving data buffer memories are configured as part of the address space of the microcomputer. 2. In claim 1, the serial communication control means provided in the on-car control device stores information on the car call button in the transmission data buffer memory via at least a data bus, and An elevator system characterized in that information about a car call response lamp is transmitted from a data buffer memory for a car via the data bus.