METHOD OF CONTROLLING AN OPERATION OF AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM AND ELEVATOR CONTROLLER FOR CONTROLLING AN ELEVATOR SYSTEM

Abstract

 A method of controlling an operation of an elevator system (1) is proposed, wherein the method comprises the following steps: checking as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor (30) has been closed to move an elevator car (25) to a second floor (50); checking as a second condition if the elevator car (25) is still within a door zone (35) of the first floor (30), in which an elevator car door of the elevator car (25) is not yet locked; and if the first condition and the second condition are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor (30) is received, moving the elevator car (25) back to an entrance level of the first floor (30) and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) before moving the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of controlling an operation of an elevator system and elevator controller for controlling an elevator system.

[0002] When an elevator car is at a first floor and a call to a second floor is received, the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) are closed and the elevator car is being moved from the first floor to the second floor regardless of any call for the first floor after the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) have been closed. The elevator car travels to the second floor and only then travels back to the first floor to answer the elevator call for the first floor. This uses a lot of energy for moving the elevator car. Furthermore, the management of the calls is inefficient, since it can take a long time for moving the elevator car from the first floor to the second floor and back to the first floor.

[0003] There may be a need for a method of controlling an operation of an elevator system and elevator controller for controlling an elevator system, respectively, which saves energy and which manages elevator calls efficiently.

[0004] Such needs may be met with the subject-matters of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method of controlling an operation of an elevator system is proposed, wherein the method comprises the following steps: checking as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor has been closed to move an elevator car to a second floor; checking as a second condition if the elevator car is still within a door zone of the first floor, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car is not yet locked; and if the first condition and the second condition are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor is received, moving the elevator car back to an entrance level of the first floor and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor.

[0006] One advantage hereof is that energy is saved in general, since the distances, which the elevator is moved, are minimized. Furthermore, typically, the elevator calls are managed efficiently, since the elevator call for the first floor is serviced, before the elevator car, which is still at or close to the first floor, is moved (further) away from the first floor and only then is returned to the first floor. Thus, generally, the time needed for servicing the elevator calls for the second floor and the elevator for the first floor is reduced.

[0007] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an elevator controller for controlling an elevator system wherein an elevator car is moved in an elevator shaft is proposed, wherein the elevator controller is adapted such that the elevator controller checks as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor has been closed to move the elevator car to a second floor, the elevator controller checks as a second condition if the elevator car is still within a door zone of the first floor, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car is not yet locked, and the elevator controller moves the elevator car back to an entrance level of the first floor and/or opens the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor, if the first condition and the second condition are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor is received.

[0008] One advantage hereof is that the elevator controller saves energy typically, since the distances, which the elevator is moved by the elevator controller, are minimized. Furthermore, normally, the elevator calls are managed efficiently by the elevator controller, since the elevator call for the first floor is serviced, before the elevator car, which is still at or close to the first floor, is moved (further) away from the first floor and only then is returned to the first floor. Thus, in general, the time needed for servicing the elevator calls for the second floor and the elevator for the first floor is reduced.

[0009] Ideas underlying embodiments of the present invention may be interpreted as being based, inter alia, on the following observations and recognitions.

[0010] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises the following step: checking as a third condition if no person is inside the elevator car; wherein the step of moving the elevator car back to the entrance level of the first floor and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor is only executed if the first condition, the second condition and the third condition are fulfilled when the elevator call for the first floor is received. Typically, one advantage hereof is that the management of the calls and the movement of the elevator car is even more efficient. If the elevator car is not returned to the first floor before being moved to the second floor if the described conditions are fulfilled when the elevator call for the first floor is received, an empty elevator car would be moved first from the first floor to the second floor and later back to the first floor, even though an elevator call for the first floor has been received while the elevator car still was at or near the first floor. Thus, typically, the time needed for servicing the elevator calls for the second floor and for the first floor is reduced.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the method, the step of closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor to move the elevator car to the second floor is executed due to receiving an elevator call from the second floor. Normally, one advantage hereof is that even when a person has called the elevator car from the second floor, the elevator car is moved back to the first floor and/or the elevator shaft door is opened at the first floor upon receiving the elevator call for the first floor shortly after closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor to let in a person into the elevator who has called the elevator car at the first floor. Typically, this way, the management of the elevator calls is even more efficient.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the method, the door zone is formed symmetrically around a center level of the first floor. In particular, typically, if the first floor is not the lowest floor or ground floor, a symmetric door zone is advantageous since the probability that the elevator car has to be moved a long distance to the second floor is essentially the same for both directions along the elevator shaft. Furthermore, in general, a symmetric door zone is technically simple.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the method, the door zone is formed asymmetrically around a center level of the first floor. In particular, if the first floor is close to a first end of the elevator shaft, the door zone can be larger in the direction which points away from the first end of the elevator shaft than in the direction which points to the first end of the elevator shaft, typically. Normally, in the direction of the first end of the elevator shaft, the elevator car has to be moved a shorter distance before the elevator car can come back to the first floor, since there are fewer floors, than in the direction away from the first end of the elevator shaft, where there are more floors. Thus, generally, the elevator calls are managed even more efficiently.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the elevator controller, the elevator controller is further adapted for checking if no person is inside the elevator car as a third condition and wherein the elevator controller is adapted such that the elevator controller moves the elevator car back to the entrance level of the first floor and/or opens the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor if the first condition, the second condition and the third condition are fulfilled when the elevator call for the first floor is received. Typically, one advantage hereof is that the management of the calls and the movement of the elevator car is even more efficient. If the elevator car is not returned to the first floor before being moved to the second floor if the described conditions are fulfilled, an empty elevator car would be moved first from the first floor to the second floor and later back to the first floor, even though an elevator call for the first floor has been received while the elevator car still was at or near the first floor. Thus, the time needed for servicing the elevator calls for the second floor and for the first floor is reduced by the elevator controller, in general.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the elevator controller, the door zone is formed symmetrically around the entrance level of the first floor. In particular, if the first floor is not the lowest floor or ground floor, a symmetric door zone is advantageous since the probability that the elevator car has to be moved a long distance to the second floor is essentially the same for both directions along the elevator shaft, in general. Furthermore, typically, a symmetric door zone is technically simple.

[0016] According to an embodiment of the elevator controller, the door zone is formed asymmetrically around the entrance level of the first floor. In particular, if the first floor is close to a first end of the elevator shaft, the door zone can be larger in the direction which points away from the first end of the elevator shaft than in the direction which points to the first end of the elevator shaft, in general. Typically, in the direction of the first end of the elevator shaft, the elevator car has to be moved a shorter distance before the elevator car can come back to the first floor, since there are fewer floors, than in the direction away from the first end of the elevator shaft, where there are more floors. Thus, in general, the elevator calls can be managed even more efficiently.

[0017] The entrance level of the first floor can be the height along the elevator shaft, where there is no level difference between the sill of the floor of the first floor and the cabin of the elevator car. I.e., a wheelchair can enter or leave the elevator car essentially without having to overcome a step or level difference, if the elevator car is at the entrance level of the first floor.

[0018] It shall be noted that possible features and advantages of embodiments of the invention are described herein partly with respect to a method of controlling an operation of an elevator system, partly with respect to an elevator controller for controlling an elevator system. One skilled in the art will recognize that the features may be suitably transferred from one embodiment to another and features may be modified, adapted, combined and/or replaced, etc. in order to come to further embodiments of the invention.

[0019] In the following, advantageous embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings. However, neither the drawings nor the description shall be interpreted as limiting the invention.

Fig. 1 shows

a schematic view of a building with an elevator system wherein a method of an embodiment according to the present invention and an elevator controller of an embodiment according to the present invention, respectively, is used; and

Fig. 2 shows

a schematic flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0020] The figures are only schematic and not to scale. Same reference signs refer to same or similar features.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of a building with an elevator system 1 wherein a method of an embodiment according to the present invention and an elevator controller 10 of an embodiment according to the present invention, respectively, is used. Fig. 2 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0022] The elevator system 1 comprises an elevator car 25, which can be moved in an elevator shaft 20 to different floors of the building. The building comprises an exemplary number of five floors. The number of floors can be higher or lower than five.

[0023] Each floor comprises at least one elevator shaft door and a door zone 35, 55. The door zone 35, 55 comprises a part/section of the elevator shaft 20 along the height of the shaft, which runs from bottom to top in Fig. 1. The door zone 35, 55 is the part/section of the elevator shaft 20, in which the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) are not yet locked by the elevator system 1. Outside of the door zone 35, 55, the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) are locked. Hence, the doors cannot be opened outside of the door zone 35, 55 for safety reasons (during normal operations).

[0024] The door zone 35, 55 comprises a part/section of the elevator shaft 20 which is larger than the height of the elevator shaft door(s) itself. In particular, the door zone 35, 55 can comprise the height of the elevator shaft door along the elevator shaft 20 plus a zone of ca. 20 cm to ca. 50 cm, e.g., ca. 44, 3 cm.

[0025] The door zone 35, 55 can be symmetric around a center level 37 of the elevator shaft door or the first floor 30. The center level 37 of the first floor 30/of the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 runs perpendicular to the height of the elevator shaft 20 and through the middle of the height/center of the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30. I.e., the center level 37 has the same distance to the top of the elevator shaft door than to the bottom of the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30.

[0026] When the elevator car 25 is at the entrance level of the first floor 30, i.e., the ground of the first floor 30 is even/level with the bottom of the interior of the elevator car 25 or elevator cabin of the elevator car 25, there is no step between the first floor 30 and the elevator car 25.

[0027] When the elevator car 25 is (completely) within the door zone 35, 55, a door zone signal will be generated and sent to the elevator controller 10, which unlocks the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s). As soon as a part of the elevator car 25 leaves the door zone 35, 55, the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) will be locked by the elevator controller 10. A corresponding door lock signal can be generated and sent to the elevator controller 10 as soon as a part of the elevator car 25 leaves the door zone 35, 55.

[0028] The method for controlling the movement of the elevator car 25 in the elevator shaft 20 of the elevator system 1 works as follows:

the elevator car 25 is at a first floor 30 (this can be but does not have to be the ground floor or first floor in the physical sense). The elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) are open/opened to let in persons and/or cargo into and/or out of the elevator car 25. Then, the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door(s) are closed, since the elevator should be moved to another floor, e.g., a second floor 50 (which can but does not have to be the second floor in the physical sense). This can be due to an elevator call from the second floor 50 or due to an elevator controller 10 policy that the elevator car 25 should be at the second floor 50 when it is not used. The movement can also be done since a person entered the elevator car 25 at the first floor 30 and requested to be transported to the second floor 50.

[0029] If, after the elevator shaft door(s) and the elevator car door (s) have been closed and the elevator car 25 is still (fully) within the door zone 35 of the first floor 30, when an elevator call for the first floor 30 is received, the elevator shaft door(s) (and the elevator car door(s)) will be opened and, if the elevator car 25 has already been moved from the entrance level, the elevator car 25 will be moved back to the entrance level of the first floor 30.

[0030] The elevator call for the first floor 30 can come from within the elevator car 25 or from the first floor 30. I.e., the movement of the elevator car 25 from the first floor 30 to the second floor 50 is postponed. Firstly, the elevator call for the first floor 30 is serviced, when the elevator car 25 is still within the door zone 35 of the first floor 30 when the elevator call for the first floor 30 is received by the elevator controller 10, before the elevator call for the second floor 50 is serviced.

[0031] Thus, energy can be saved since the elevator car 25 is not moved from the first floor 30 to the second floor 50 and back to the second floor 50 when an elevator call for the first floor 30 is received shortly after closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30. Furthermore, passengers of the elevator system 1 are more happy, since when the person missed the elevator car 25 by a few moments or seconds, i.e., the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 has been closed shortly before the person triggers an elevator call for the first floor 30, they normally have to wait a long time according to the state of the art. With the present invention, the person does not have to wait very long in this situation, since the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 will be opened again soon after the elevator call for the first floor 30 has been received, if the elevator car 25 is still at or close to the first floor 30 when the elevator call for the first floor 30 is triggered/received. The same applies to the situation when a person is inside of the elevator car 25 which has stopped at the first floor 30 and the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 has been opened, the person does not get out of the elevator car 25 at the first floor 30 while the elevator shaft door is opened at first, but wants to get out of the elevator car 25 at the first floor 30 after the elevator shaft door has been closed. Then, according to the present invention, the elevator shaft door at the first floor 30 will be opened again and, if the elevator car 25 has already been moved from the entrance level of the first floor 30, the elevator car 25 will be moved back to the entrance level of the first floor 30 before opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30.

[0032] The following two conditions are checked by the controller:

1. Has the elevator shaft door been closed to move the elevator car 25 from the first floor 30 to the second floor 50?

2. Is the elevator car 25 still within the door zone 35 of the first floor 30 (i.e., the elevator car 25 has not left the door zone 35 of the first floor 30 after closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30)?

[0033] If these two conditions are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor 30 has been received, the elevator will be moved back to the entrance level of the first floor 30 (if it has been moved already) and the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 will be opened again.

[0034] As an additional condition, the elevator controller 10 can check if no person is inside the car. This can be done via an infrared sensor, a weight sensor etc. Only if this additional condition is fulfilled together with the condition that an elevator shaft door of a first floor 30 has been closed to move an elevator car 25 to a second floor 50 and that the elevator car 25 is still within a door zone 35 of the first floor 30, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car 25 is not yet locked, the elevator car 25 will be moved back to the entrance level of the first floor 30 and/or the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 will be opened. Since no person is inside of the elevator car 25, no person/passenger can be annoyed that the elevator car 25 does not move immediately from the first floor 30 after closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 but the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 is opened again.

[0035] When the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 is being opened, the elevator car door will be opened, too. The same applies to the closing of the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30.

[0036] The check if the elevator shaft door of the first floor 30 has been closed to move the elevator from the first floor 30 to a second floor 50 by the elevator controller 10 can be done at set intervals (e.g., every 10 s or every second) or continuously. Alternatively, the elevator controller 10 checks this only when the elevator call for the first floor 30 is received, i.e., immediately after the elevator call for the first floor 30 is received.

[0037] Also, the checking if the elevator car 25 is still within a door zone 35 of the first floor 30, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car 25 is not yet locked, can be done by the elevator controller 10 at set intervals (e.g., every 10 s or every second) or continuously. Alternatively, the elevator controller 10 checks this only when the elevator call for the first floor 30 is received.

[0038] The elevator shaft door can consist of two or more elevator shaft door elements. The elevator car door can consist of two or more elevator car door elements.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 2, the method comprises the following steps, in particular in this order:

1. receiving an elevator call for the first floor is received 70

2. checking as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor 30 has been closed to move an elevator car 25 to a second floor 50, 75

3. checking as a second condition if the elevator car 25 is still within a door zone 35 of the first floor 30, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car 25 is not yet locked, 80

4. checking as a third condition if no person is inside the elevator car, 85

5. moving the elevator car back to an entrance level of the first floor and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor, if at least the first and second conditions, particularly all three conditions, are fulfilled, when the elevator call for/from the first floor is received 90.

[0040] Finally, it should be noted that the term "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps and the "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. Also, elements described in association with different embodiments may be combined. It should also be noted that reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

List of reference signs

[0041] 

1

elevator system

10

elevator controller

20

elevator shaft

25

elevator car

30

first floor

35

door zone of the first floor

37

center level

50

second floor

55

door zone of the second floor

70

receiving an elevator call for the first floor is received

75

checking as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor has been closed to move an elevator car to a second floor

80

checking as a second condition if the elevator car is still within a door zone of the first floor, in which an elevator car door of the elevator car is not yet locked

85

checking as a third condition if no person is inside the car

90

moving the elevator car back to an entrance level of the first floor and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor before moving the elevator car to the second floor, if at least the first and second conditions, particularly all three conditions, are fulfilled, when the elevator call for/from the first floor is received.

Claims

1. Method of controlling an operation of an elevator system (1), wherein the method comprises the following steps:

checking as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor (30) has been closed to move an elevator car (25) to a second floor (50);

checking as a second condition if the elevator car (25) is still within a door zone (35) of the first floor (30), in which an elevator car door of the elevator car (25) is not yet locked; and

if the first condition and the second condition are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor (30) is received, moving the elevator car (25) back to an entrance level of the first floor (30) and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) before moving the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50).

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

checking as a third condition if no person is inside the elevator car (25);

wherein the step of moving the elevator car (25) back to the entrance level of the first floor (30) and/or opening the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) before moving the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50) is only executed if the first condition, the second condition and the third condition are fulfilled when the elevator call for the first floor (30) is received.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the step of closing the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) to move the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50) is executed due to receiving an elevator call from the second floor (50).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein
the door zone (35) is formed symmetrically around a center level (37) of the first floor (30).

5. Method according to one of claims 1-3, wherein
the door zone (35) is formed asymmetrically around a center level (37) of the first floor (30).

6. Elevator controller (10) for controlling an elevator system (1) wherein an elevator car (25) is moved in an elevator shaft (20),
wherein the elevator controller (10) is adapted such that
the elevator controller (10) checks as a first condition if an elevator shaft door of a first floor (30) has been closed to move the elevator car (25) to a second floor (50),
the elevator controller (10) checks as a second condition if the elevator car (25) is still within a door zone (35) of the first floor (30), in which an elevator car door of the elevator car (25) is not yet locked, and
the elevator controller (10) moves the elevator car (25) back to an entrance level of the first floor (30) and/or opens the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) before moving the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50), if the first condition and the second condition are fulfilled when an elevator call for the first floor (30) is received.

7. Elevator controller (10) according to claim 6, wherein
the elevator controller (10) is further adapted for checking if no person is inside the elevator car (25) as a third condition and wherein the elevator controller (10) is adapted such that
the elevator controller (10) moves the elevator car (25) back to the entrance level of the first floor (30) and/or opens the elevator shaft door of the first floor (30) before moving the elevator car (25) to the second floor (50) if the first condition, the second condition and the third condition are fulfilled when the elevator call for the first floor (30) is received.

8. Elevator controller (10) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein
the door zone (35) is formed symmetrically around the entrance level of the first floor (30).

9. Elevator controller (10) according to one claim 6 or 7, wherein
the door zone (35) is formed asymmetrically around the entrance level of the first floor (30).

Drawing