ELEVATOR RIDING GUIDE SYSTEM

Abstract

 Provided is an elevator riding guide system which eliminates the uneasiness of a user while waiting for the arrival of a car in a hall when the user has registered his or her destination floor in the hall of group-controlled elevators, and which can positively prevent the user from riding in a wrong elevator. For this purpose, a hall operating device capable of destination floor registration is installed in an elevator hall. A first informing device is installed in proximity to the hall operating device and a second informing device is installed in proximity to an elevator entrance of the hall. When a destination floor is registered by use of the hall operating device, information on a car assigned to the destination floor and corresponding specific information are made known by both of the first informing device and the second informing device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an elevator riding guide system for letting an elevator user ride in an appropriate elevator (car) when the user has registered his or her destination floor in a hall in the case of group-controlled elevators.

Background Art

[0002] In large buildings, high-rise buildings and the like, multiple units of elevator are installed within the same building and the group control of the multiple units of elevator is performed in order to improve the operation efficiency of the whole elevator system.
Some of realized group-controlled elevators are configured in such a manner as to enable users to register their destination floors in a hall. For example, as a conventional art, there has been proposed a system in which an operating panel enabling destination floors to be inputted is installed in a hall and assigned cars are indicated by the same color in an indicator of this hall operating panel and indicators provided so as to correspond to each elevator (car) (refer to Patent Document 1).

[0003] 

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-348170.

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the case of elevators for which a plurality of elevator entrances are provided in a hall as with group-controlled elevators, in general, machine numbers of the elevators (Elevator No. 1, Elevator A and the like) are indicated so as to correspond to each entrance.
When the system described in Patent Document 1 is used, after registering his or her destination floor by use of a hall operating panel, a user has to memorize the machine number of an assigned car indicated in the indicator on the hall operating panel and to move to in front of a corresponding entrance in order to wait for the arrival of the car. However, while waiting for the arrival of the car, the user has no means for making sure of (the machine number of) the elevator in which he or she is to ride, and this makes him or her uneasy as to whether the place where the user is waiting is correct. Also, for the above-described reason, for example, when two adjacent elevators arrive at the same time, a user may ride in a wrong elevator in which the user should not ride.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the problems as described above, and the object of the invention is to provide an elevator riding guide system which eliminates the uneasiness of a user while waiting for the arrival of a car in a hall when the user has registered his or her destination floor in the hall of group-controlled elevators, and which can positively prevent the user from riding in a wrong elevator.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006]  An elevator riding guide system of the present invention is an elevator riding guide system for multiple units of elevator that are group controlled, which comprises a hall operating device for users to register their desired destination floors before riding, which is provided in a hall of the elevators, a controller which assigns an appropriate car from the multiple units of elevator to a destination floor registered by use of the hall operating device, a first informing device for reporting prescribed information to users, which is provided in proximity to the hall operating device, a first informing controller which, upon assignment of a car by the controller, makes the first informing device report specific information for identifying, for a given time, individuals who have registered destination floors and information on the assigned car corresponding to the specific information in a manner that relates to one another, a second informing device for reporting prescribed information to users, which is provided in the vicinity of an elevator entrance of the hall, and a second informing controller which, upon assignment of a car by the controller, makes the second informing device report information on the assigned car and specific information corresponding to the assigned car in a manner that relates to one another.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, when a user has registered his or her destination floor in a hall of group-controlled elevators, it becomes possible to eliminate the uneasiness of the user while waiting for the arrival of a car in the hall and to positively prevent the user from riding in a wrong elevator.

Brief of Description of the Drawings

[0008] 

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the hall of elevators in which a riding guide system in a first embodiment according to the present invention is adopted.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the elevator riding guide system in the first embodiment according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of indication by an indication device provided in a hall operating device.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example or indication by an indication device provided in an output device.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of indication by an indication device provided in an output device,

Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the elevator riding guide system in the first Embodiment according to the present invention.

Description of symbols

[0009] 

1 hall operating device,	2 hall,
3 input device,	4 indication device,
5 audio output device,	6 issuing device,
7 judgment device,	8 controller,
9 output device,	10 indication device,
10a indication device,	10b indication device,
11 audio output device,	12 judgment device
13 Elevator No. indicator,	14 user

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010]  The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that, in each of the drawings, like numerals refer to like or similar parts and overlaps of description of these parts are appropriately simplified or omitted.

First Embodiment

[0011] 

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the hall of elevators in which a riding guide system in the first embodiment according to the present invention is adopted, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the elevator riding guide system in the first embodiment according to the present invention. The elevator riding guide system shown in Figures 1 and 2 is compatible with a system in which multiple units of elevator installed within the same building and the like are group controlled and elevator users can register their desired destination floors before riding in the elevators.

[0012] In Figures 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a hall operating device installed in an elevator hall 2 (Figure 1 shows, as an example, the hall 2 on the 10the floor of a building). This hall operating device 1 has a function for elevator users to register their desired destination floors before riding, That is, by appropriately operating an input device 3 of the hall operating device 1, the users can register their desired destination floors. Note that, the hall operating device 1 may be installed in a plurality of numbers in the same hall 2 on the same floor. The input device 3 is composed of, for example, a numerical keypad, a touch panel, and car call buttons for each floor.

[0013]  The hall operating device 1 is provided with an indication device 4, an audio output device 5, an issuing device 6 and a judgment device 7 in addition to the above-described input device 3.
The indication device 4 as well as the audio output device 5 and the issuing device 6 constitute a first informing device which gives prescribed information to a user who has operated the hall operating device 1. Concretely, the indication device 4 has a function for giving information to users by indicating characters, symbols and the like, and is formed from, for example, a liquid crystal display. The audio output device 5 has a function for giving information to users by outputting audio, and is formed from, for example, a speaker. The issuing device 6 has a function for giving information to users by outputting media on which characters, symbols and the like are printed (for example, paper media).

[0014] Figure 2 shows a configuration obtained when the first informing device is integrally incorporated in the hall operating device 1. However, it is enough that only the indication device 4, the audio output device 5 and the issuing device 6 be installed in proximity to the hall operating device 1. That is, it is enough that only the indication device 4 and the like have functions as the first informing device, and the indication device 4 and the like may be provided separately from the hall operating device 1. If any of the indication device 4, audio output device 5 and issuing device 6 is provided, it is possible to satisfy the functions of the first informing device. For example, when the indication device 4 is installed, no problem occurs even if the audio output device 5 and the issuing device 6 are not provided.

[0015] The judgment device 7 has a function for sending information on a destination floor registered by a user from the input device 3 (hereinafter referred to as "destination floor information"), or car call, to an elevator controller 8. Concretely, when destination floor information has been inputted from the input device 3, the judgment device 7 sends prescribed specific information along with this destination floor information to the controller 8. Note that, the above-described specific information means information for identifying, for a given time, individuals who have performed destination floor registration by use of the input device 3, and is composed of, for example, unique numbers (reference numbers) and symbols, and combinations of numbers and symbols.

[0016] The controller 8 has a function for group controlling multiple units of elevator installed within the same building and the like. That is, when destination floor information and specific information have been inputted from the judgment device 7, the controller 8 assigns an appropriate car from the plurality of elevators to this destination floor information. After assigning an appropriate car to the inputted destination floor information, the controller 8 sends information on the assigned car (hereinafter referred to as "assigned car information") and specific information corresponding to the assigned car to the above-described judgment device 7 and an output device 9, which will be described later.

[0017] When a car has been assigned to the destination floor information sent to the controller 8, the judgment device 7 of the hall operating device 1 makes the first informing device report specific information set for the above-described destination floor information and assigned car information corresponding to the specific information in a manner that relate to one another. That is, the judgment device 7 has also a function as a first informing controller. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of indication by an indication device provided in the hall operating device. Figure 3 shows, as an example, a case where upon registration of a destination floor from the input device 3, specific information of No. 123 has been set for the destination floor information and the car of Elevator A has been assigned.

[0018] The output device 9 is provided with an indication device 10, an audio output device 11 and a judgment device 12.
The indication device 10 and the audio output device 11 are provided to give prescribed information to users who are waiting for the arrival of a car, and constitute a second informing device. Concretely, the indication device 10 has a function for giving information to users by indicating characters, symbols and the like, and the audio output device 11 has a function for giving information to users by outputting audio; they are each provided in the vicinity of an elevator entrance of the hall 2.

[0019] Note that, for the indication device 10 and the audio output device 11, only one unit capable of giving information to the whole hall 2 may be installed (one unit per bank) or units may be installed in the vicinity of each entrance so as to correspond to each machine number of elevator. Figure 1 shows, as an example, a case where the indication device 10 is installed at each elevator entrance. In Figure 1, reference numeral 10a denotes an indication device which indicates information on a hall door of each elevator entrance, and reference numeral 1 0b denotes an indication device which indicates information on a hall wall surface adjacent to each elevator entrance. These indication devices 10a and 10b are formed from, for example, a liquid crystal display and projection equipment, such as a projector. Note that, if projection equipment is adopted as the indication device 10, it is possible to indicate necessary information also on the floor surface of the hall 2 and the like.

[0020]  When a car has been assigned to destination floor information sent from the hall operating device 1 to the controller 8, the judgment device 12 makes the second informing device report information on the assigned car and specific information corresponding to the assigned car in a manner that relate to each other. That is, the judgment device 12 has also a function as a second informing controller. For example, when an indication device 10b (a liquid crystal display or the like) is installed on a wall surface adjacent to each elevator entrance, an indication device 10b installed in the vicinity of an entrance to an assigned car is caused to indicate specific information corresponding to the assigned car.

[0021] Concretely, when specific information of No.123 has been set for a destination floor registered from the input device 3 and the car of Elevator A has been assigned, the judgment device 12 causes the indication device 10b installed beside the entrance of Elevator A to indicate No.123. Figures 4 and 5 are diagrams showing examples of indication by an indication device provided in an output device; Figure 4 shows an example of indication by an indication device 10b installed beside Elevator A, and Figure 5 shows an example of indication by an indication device 10b installed beside Elevator B. That is, Figure 4 shows a case where Elevator A is assigned to destination floor information for which specific information of 120, 123, 107 and 118 has been set, and Figure 5 shows a case where Elevator B is assigned to destination floor information for which specific information or 121,119, and 101 has been set.

[0022] Note that, reference numeral 13 in Figure 1 denotes an Elevator No. indicator installed above each elevator entrance.
This Elevator No. indicator 13 indicates, for example, the machine number of an elevator, a present car position and a car traveling direction.

[0023] Next, the operation of an elevator riding guide system having the above-described configuration will be described concretely on the basis of Figure 6. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the elevator riding guide system in the first Embodiment according to the present invention.

[0024] When an elevator user 14 has registered (inputted) his or her destination floor by operating an input device 3 in a hall 2 (S 1), information on the destination floor is sent from the input device 3 to a judgment device 7 (S2). The judgment device 7 causes an audio output device 5 to output audio through the input of the destination floor information from the input device 3, and reports the above-described destination floor information, i.e., the contents of the operation to the operator of the input device 3 (the above-described user 14) (S3). Also, the judgment device 7 causes the indication device 7 to indicate characters and the like, and reports the above-described destination floor information to the operator of the input device 3 (S4). Note that, when the audio output device 5 is not provided, the operation of S3 above is not performed.

[0025] The judgment device 7 sets specific information for the inputted destination floor information and sends this destination floor information and specific information as a set to a controller 8 (S5). Note that, the configuration may be such that this specific information is set in the controller 8. In such a case, in the operation of S5, only the destination floor information is sent from the judgment device 7 to the controller 8. And through the input of destination floor information, the controller 8 sets specific information for the destination floor information.

[0026]  Through the input of destination floor information from a hall operating device 1, in the controller 8, a car is assigned to this destination floor information. Note that, for example, when only one hall operating device 1 is installed in the hall 2, the distance from the hall operating device 1 to each elevator entrance differs and it is also possible that a certain time is required to move from the hall operating device 1 to in front of a prescribed entrance. For this reason, the controller 8 may also be configured by taking the moving time between the hall operating device 1 and each entrance into consideration in assigning a car to inputted destination floor information. Concretely, the configuration is such that the moving time is estimated from the distance between the input device 3 and each entrance and destination floor information is not assigned to a car which stops in a short time.

[0027] After the determination of an assigned car, the controller 8 sends assigned car information and specific information corresponding to the assigned car (specific information set for information on a destination floor to which the car has been assigned) to the judgment device 7 of the hall operating device 1 and to a judgment device 12 of an output device 9 (S6, S7), When the assigned car information and the corresponding specific information have been inputted from the controller 8, the judgment device 7 causes an issuing device 6 to output paper media, on which the assigned car information and the specific information are indicated, and gives the assigned car information and the specific information to the operator of the input device 3 (the user 14) (S8, S9). Also, the judgment device 7 performs audio output from an audio output device 5 and character indication and the like of an indication device 4, and reports the assigned car information and the specific information to the operator of the input device 3 (S10, S11). Note that, when the issuing device 6 and the audio output device 5 are not provided, each operation of corresponding S8 to S10 is not performed.

[0028] On the other hand, when the assigned car information and the corresponding specific information have been inputted from the controller 8, the judgment device 12 of the output device 9 causes an audio output device 11 to output audio, and reports a relationship between the assigned car and the corresponding specific information to the user present in the hall 2 (S12). Also, the judgment device 12 causes an indication device 10 to indicate characters and the like, and reports a relationship between the assigned car and the corresponding specific information to the user present in the hall 2 (S13). For example, when a liquid crystal display (an indication device 10b) is installed as the indication device 10 on a wall surface adjacent to each entrance, the judgment device 12 causes a liquid crystal display installed beside an entrance through which the user is to ride in the assigned car to indicate the specific information. Note that, when the audio output device 11 is not provided, the operation of S12 is not performed.

[0029] According to the first embodiment of the present invention, when a user has registered his or her destination floor in a hall 2 of group-controlled elevators, it becomes possible to eliminate the uneasiness of the user while waiting for the arrival of a car in the hall 2 and to positively prevent the user from riding in a wrong elevator.

[0030] That is, upon input of a destination floor and while waiting for the arrival of a car in front of the entrance of an elevator, the elevator user can make sure of the car in which he or she is to ride from the contents of the information sent from the first and second informing devices. That is, from an indication of the indication device 4 and the like the user can make sure of the fact that his or her destination floor has been registered by the input operation, and furthermore, also while riding in the car, from an indication of the indication device 10 and the like the user can make sure of the fact that he or she is riding in a right car. Also, even when the user has forgotten the car in which he or she is to ride while waiting for the car, the user can again make sure of the assigned car from an indication of the indication device 10 and the like on the basis of specific information. Therefore, it becomes possible to positively eliminate the uneasiness which might be felt by the user in the hall 2.

[0031] Furthermore, because the user can make sure of the car in which he or she is to ride as described above, even when a plurality of cars which are to stop at the same destination floor stop in the hall 2, the user can ride in a right car (an assigned car). For this reason, it is possible to substantially reduce the frequency of riding in wrong cars and the transportation efficiency of all elevators is improved.
Note that, when a user does not ride in an assigned car, there is a possibility that the user cannot reach his or her desired destination floor. Furthermore, there can occur a phenomenon which is such that in the assigned car, only the door opening and closing operation is performed at a destination floor which has been registered by the above-described user and nobody boards and alights in the elevator. In such a case, there occurs the problem that the time of arrival at other destination floors is delayed due to the useless operation, causing trouble to other users. However, this problem can be eliminated by adopting an elevator riding guide system of the above-described configuration.

[0032] In an elevator riding guide system of the above-described configuration, the destination floors of each elevator are not indicated in the hall 2. For this reason, even when there are multiple units of elevator which are to stop at the same destination floor, for cars other than a car assigned to a user, the user cannot get to know the arrival time of other cars (a difference in arrival time between the assigned car and other cars,) and hence the user does not have the feeling of unfairness. Furthermore, because the destination floors of each elevator are not indicated in the hall 2, other users present in the hall 2 could not get to know the information that at which floor the user gets off. Note that, when importance is attached particularly to the privacy of users, in an elevator riding guide system of the above-described configuration, not indicating the present positions and traveling directions of cars in the hall 2 can be effective means.

Industrial Applicability

[0033] As described above, an elevator riding guide system according to the present invention can be applied to a system in which multiple units of elevator are group controlled and users can register their destination floors in a hall.

Claims

1. An elevator riding guide system for multiple units of elevator which are group controlled, comprising:

a hall operating device for users to register their desired destination floors before riding, which is provided in a hall of the elevators;

a controller which assigns an appropriate car from the multiple units of elevator to a destination floor registered by use of the hall operating device;

a first informing device for reporting prescribed information to users, which is provided in proximity to the hall operating device;

a first informing controller which, upon assignment of a car by the controller, makes the first informing device report specific information for identifying, for a given time, individuals who have registered destination floors and information on the assigned car corresponding to the specific information in a manner that relate to one another;

a second informing device for reporting prescribed information to users, which is provided in the vicinity of an elevator entrance of the hall; and

a second informing controller which, upon assignment of a car by the controller, makes the second informing device report information on the assigned car and specific information corresponding to the assigned car in a manner that relate to one another.

2. The elevator riding guide system according to claim 1, wherein
the second informing device is provided in the vicinity of each elevator entrance of the hall; and
the second informing controller, upon assignment of a car by the controller, makes the second informing device provided in the vicinity of an elevator entrance of the assigned car report specific information corresponding to the assigned car.

3. The elevator riding guide system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the specific information is set by the hall operating device when a user has registered a destination floor by appropriately operating the hall operating device.

4. The elevator riding guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first informing device comprises at least one of an indication device which gives information to users by indicating characters and the like, an audio output device which gives information to users by outputting audio, and an issuing device which gives information to users by outputting media on which characters and the like are printed.

5. The elevator riding guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the second informing device reports information to users by both functions of indication of character information and the like and of output of audio information.

6. The elevator riding guide system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the controller assigns an appropriate car from multiple units of elevator to a destination floor registered by use of the hall operating device also in consideration of the moving time between the hall operating device and each elevator entrance.

Drawing