Abstract:
The present invention prepares a rule base storing a plurality of control rule sets, simulates the behavior of each car in real time by assigning scanning to each car which is caused to run until the direction of running thereof is reversed while applying a specified rule set in the rule base to the current traffic condition, and predicts group supervisory control performance which is obtained upon application of the specified rule set. In response to the results of performance prediction, an optimal rule set is selected and a real time simulation can be carried out during a group supervisory control operation, so that group supervisory control can be performed on a plurality of elevators while applying thereto the optimal rule set at all times, thus providing excellent service.
Abstract:
A group controller for controlling elevator cars in a building having a plurality of floors includes a traffic and traffic rate estimator for providing fuzzy estimates of traffic and traffic rate; an open loop fuzzy logic controller for providing a control parameter in response to the fuzzy estimates of traffic and traffic rate, the open loop fuzzy logic controller having membership functions for fuzzy sets of the control parameter; an adaptive controller for modifying the membership functions of the fuzzy sets of the control parameter in response to an elevator control system output variable; and an elevator dispatcher for controlling the operation of the elevator cars during single source traffic conditions in response to the control parameter.
Abstract:
An elevator system for a multistory structure having a plurality of elevator shafts is shown which includes at least one independently movable elevator car in each elevator shaft. A digital computer with memory is used to control elevator cars including the dispatch of cars from terminal floors. A daily control parameter table in memory identifies a plurality of different methods of scheduling dispatch of elevator cars from terminal floors, groups of floors to be serviced by each elevator car, and cars in a shaft to be coupled for tandem operation. The memory is periodically read for selecting for each elevator car one of said methods of scheduling dispatch and for identifying the group of floors to be serviced by the cars. The selected method of scheduling the dispatch of cars is implemented and cars are limited to servicing the selected group of floors. One method of scheduling dispatch includes obtaining a measure of estimated passenger demand for travel in one direction that is incapable of being met by cars currently in service. A passenger loading threshold limit for travel in the one direction is selected which may range from zero to maximum capacity of the elevator car to be dispatched. When the measure of estimated passenger demand for travel in the one direction that is incapable of being met by cars currently in service equals the passenger loading threshold limit a car dispatch signal is issued for dispatch of a car from the terminal floor. Where a plurality of independently-operated cars are included in a hoistway, operation in either a coupled or decoupled manner is provided.
Abstract:
A computer controlled elevator system (FIG. 1) including signal processing means for dynamically computing the population spread of the building, i.e., the number of elevator users in a building on a floor-by-floor basis, including the lobby, in accordance with an algorithm (FIG. 2). During the up-peak period each floor's population is computed by monitoring the boarding and de-boarding counts and using those counts to update that floor's population figure throughout that period on an additive basis. After the period has been completed, the floor-by-floor information, which had been maintained in a table, is used to determine the "final" historic based floor population spread using also historic data based at least on the past several active days' of population spread using "exponential smoothing." As a verifying cross-check the lobby's figure, which typically should equal the total building population, is compared to the total of all of the upper floors' populations. The historically based derivation of the floor population is recorded and made available for use in other signal processing functions in the system, such as, for example, prediction methodology for dynamic channeling of the elevator cars, stored in a table for that current day's information.
Abstract:
A system and method for controlling an elevator group including several elevators and related call devices which controls each elevator in a manner determined by the calls entered and the existing control instructions. When the control system has to decide between two or more control alternatives, a systematic decision analysis is performed by studying the effects resulting from each alternative decision, the effects resulting from each alternative decision, the effects being estimated by simulating by a Monte-Carlo type method the future behavior of the elevator system in the case of each alternative decision. To carry out the simulation, realizations are generated at random for the unknown quantities associated with the current state of the elevator system and for new external future events, and a control decision is made on the basis of the results of the decision analysis.
Abstract:
An elevator system is shown that includes an elevator shaft (12) in building (10) and a plurality of elevator cars (C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3) that are movable up and down within the shaft along vertical axis (20). The elevator cars are independently movable by drive motors (D.sub.1, D.sub.2 and D.sub.3) attached to the cars through hoisting cables (24, 28 and 34). The motors are controlled by motor controllers (MC.sub.1, MC.sub.2 and MC.sub.3) which, in turn are controlled by a computer (62) having as inputs service and destination requests, load weight and car location. Different operating modes are shown (FIGS. 5-8) including one in which serviced floors (F.sub.1 through F.sub.16) are serviced by no more than one elevator car at a time, and the cars travel sequentially from one end floor to the other end floor (FIGS. 5 and 6). Simultaneous servicing of a plurality of different floors is shown (FIGS. 7 and 8) and travel of empty elevator cars to a designated floor without responding to floor calls also is shown (FIGS. 6 and 8). Counterweights (CW.sub.1, CW.sub.2 and CW.sub.3) are attached by cables to the respective elevator cars (C.sub.1, C.sub.2 and C.sub.3), which counterweights travel along a vertical axis (38) laterally displaced from the elevator car axis (20). Shock absorbers (54) are provided for absorbing impact of accidental collision between adjacent counterweights (FIG. 3 ) which shock absorbers include coil springs (58) and dashpots (60).
Abstract:
An elevator control apparatus determines the time required for a call to reach a hall and controls an operation of the car using the obtained estimated travel time. The elevator control apparatus includes an input data conversion unit for converting traffic data, including car position, car direction data, and data regarding car calls and hall calls into data that can be used as input data to a neural network. An estimated travel time operation unit including an input layer is provided for taking in the input data. An output layer is provided for outputting the estimated travel time. An intermediate layer is provided between the input and output layers in which a weighting factor is set. The estimated travel time operation unit comprises a neural network and an output data conversion unit for converting the estimated travel time output from the output layer into data that can be used for a predetermined control operation.
Abstract:
An elevator control system which provide a high transportation efficiency and also provides for equalization of service quality between floors when a large number of passengers located at different floors desire transportation to a common particular floor. Passengers waiting at a lower level floor will first be picked up prior to the elevator moving to the upper level floors so that the passengers at the lower levels will also be able to get on the elevator when there is a large number of passengers who wish to go to a particular floor during a particular time of the day.
Abstract:
An elevator control apparatus determines an estimation of a car's crowdedness based on the a car's crowdedness when the car stops or passes an elevator hall, and controls an operation of the car using the obtained estimated car crowdedness. The elevator control apparatus includes an input data conversion unit for converting traffic data, including a position of the car, a direction of a movement, a car load and calls to be responded, into a form in which it can be used as input data of a neural net, an estimated car crowdedness operation unit including an input layer for taking in the input data, an output layer for outputting the estimated car crowdedness, and an intermediate layer provided between said input and output layers and in which a weighting factor is set, the estimated car crowdedness operation unit constituting the neural net, and an output data conversion unit for converting the estimated car crowdedness output from the output layer into a form in which it can be used for a predetermined control operation.
Abstract:
Elevator group supervisory control method and system for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors. The method and apparatus of the invention permits the inputting of qualitative requests (guidance), from the user, concerning elevator operation into the group supervisory control system. Qualitative requests concerning elevator operation are set in the form of guidance (or request) targets. The thus set request, targets are converted into control targets for the elevators. Actual group supervisory control is executed using the control targets.