Abstract: An elevator system includes a controller that uses one of a plurality of fuzzy logic algorithms for assigning an elevator car to service a passenger request. One example uses a passenger's desired destination as indicated by the passenger service request prior to the passenger entering an elevator car. One example includes multiple fuzzy logic algorithms, each corresponding to a particular relationship between an elevator car's current assignments, a passenger's desired destination, a source landing of the passenger's request, or a combination of them.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes a plurality of cars (22) and destination entry devices (40) located some distance from the elevator cars (22). A controller (38) dispatches an elevator car to a requested destination entered by a passenger before the passenger enters an elevator car. In a disclosed example, the controller (38) uses an expected arrival time corresponding to the time it is expected to take for a passenger to travel from the location where the destination request is entered to the location of the elevator car to decide how to dispatch a car to service that request. In a disclosed example, the controller dispatches an elevator car to the requested destination on a next trip of that car if the expected arrival time of the passenger near that car occurs at or before the departure time for that next trip. Otherwise, the controller (38) dispatches the car to the requested destination on a subsequent trip after the next trip.

Abstract: Destination calls entered by means of buttons (21-29) are each given a designation unique to the car and pick-up floor for that call and other calls to be serviced therewith, such as a letter (A-E), which is different from any other outstanding calls. Calls can be reassigned among elevators (UL, LL, UR, LR) whether they are in the same or different hoistways (LF, RT). Signs (31-39, 41-49) adjacent each hoistway are illuminated to display the designation of any call which is being answered by an elevator car approaching the floor Thus, passengers are informed when their call is being answered by the signs identifying the call, rather than identifying any particular car. Another embodiment identifies (60, 31a, 41a) the hoistway landing doorway (1, 2) as well as a letter to allow passengers to wait adjacent to the hoistway landing doorway of the car which will serve them.

Abstract: A elevator traffic control technique includes destination grouping that is selectively implemented during selective traffic conditions by a system controller (36). If, for example, an up-peak traffic condition exists, passenger-to-car (30,20) assignments are grouped bused on passengers' desired destinations.

Abstract: An elevator system utilizes a destination entry control technique and delays indicating which car is assigned to a request to allow an individual to arrive near an elevator lobby. An elevator group assignment is made responsive to a destination request. An indication regarding the group assignment is provided to a passenger within a first time from the receipt of the request. A second indication regarding a car assigned to carry that passenger to the desired destination is provided at a second, later time from the request. Separating out the group assignment indication and the car assignment indication is accomplished in one example by providing separate interfaces at different locations within a building.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes a controller (36) that uses one of a plurality of fuzzy logic algorithms for assigning an elevator car (22-28) to service a passenger request. A disclosed example uses a passenger's desired destination as indicated by the passenger service request prior to the passenger entering an elevator car. A disclosed example includes multiple fuzzy logic algorithms, each corresponding to a particular relationship between an elevator car's current assignments, a passenger's desired destination, a source landing of the passenger's request, or a combination of them.

Abstract: An elevator system utilizes a destination entry control technique and delays indicating which car is assigned to a request to allow an individual to arrive near an elevator lobby. An elevator group assignment is made responsive to a destination request. An indication regarding the group assignment is provided to a passenger within a first time from the receipt of the request. A second indication regarding a car assigned to carry that passenger to the desired destination is provided at a second, later time from the request. Separating out the group assignment indication and the car assignment indication is accomplished in one example by providing separate interfaces at different locations within a building, for example. A disclosed example includes making the group assignment and car assignments at separate times corresponding to a difference in time between receipt of the initial request and the passenger's expected or actual arrival in the vicinity of the assigned elevator group.

Abstract: A control device for a double-deck elevator system having an upper deck and a lower deck, includes a group control device for assigning the upper and lower decks to respond to car calls from the upper and lower decks and boarding hall calls from a plurality of floors. The control device further includes an assignment control device for determining whether a plurality of the car calls and boarding hall calls can be responded to simultaneously and for directing said group control device to reassign the upper and lower decks to respond to the plurality of car calls and boarding hall calls simultaneously.

Abstract: In a control device for double-deck elevator systems equipped with a plurality of elevators that have an upper deck and a lower deck that are conveyed simultaneously to two adjacent floors and that assign elevator decks to respond to boarding hall calls from each floor, to select the optimal deck for responding to boarding hall calls is selected from among all of the aforementioned decks to make elevator travel and passenger transport more efficient.

Abstract: Each car in a group of elevator cars in a building is determined to be available or not depending on whether it is assigned in the group, whether it is the only delayed car, whether it is fully loaded without intervening car calls which comprise all the car calls, whether it has intervening hall calls, and whether other cars in the group are fully loaded with or without some chance of offloading passengers before reaching a call to be assigned. Among available cars, assignment is made based on each car's membership in fuzzy sets relating to low, medium or high delay in that car responding to the call and each car's membership in fuzzy sets indicative of the extent to which assignment of that car will have no adverse effect or a very high adverse effect on the response to already-assigned hall calls. The call is assigned to the car with the highest summation of weighted memberships in the fuzzy sets.

Abstract: In an elevator dispatching system controlling the assignment of elevator cars in a building, a method of assigning a multi-deck elevator car includes determining if a crowd exists at a floor in the building; if it is determined that the crowd exists at the floor in the building, determining if two decks of a best elevator car are available; if it is determined that multiple decks of the best elevator car are available, assigning the two available decks of the best elevator to the floor where the crowd exists; wherein, the best elevator car makes one stop for each of the two available decks at the floor where the crowd exists.

Abstract: An elevator car call is reassigned if a different car fortuitously shows up first, or if the assigned car leaves the group. The call is reassigned, one time only, if the assigned car is delayed by more than a threshold, or under certain circumstances, if the car is fully loaded without an intervening car call or the call has been waiting for more than a threshold time. The circumstances are that the weighted summation of membership values in fuzzy sets, indicating the degree to which the predicted waiting time for the currently assigned call is deemed long, the response time for a new call assignment is deemed small, and the improvement from switching the hall call assignment is deemed great, exceeds a threshold and each of the membership values exceeds its own corresponding threshold.

Abstract: Deeming a full elevator car available for servicing a hall call is accomplished by testing if all of the car calls for the car are between the position of the elevator car and the hall call. If not, the full car may still be deemed available if there is a special stop car call between the position of the car and the position of the hall call or if there is at least one car call between the position of the car and the position of the hall call and there are no other hall calls between the position of the car and the position of the hall call.

Abstract: Assignment of a hall call to an elevator car occurs only if servicing the hall call will not have an adverse effect on the response times of other registered calls for the car. Assignment of a hall call is made to the car having the lowest number of registered calls which cross a predetermined response time threshold in response to servicing the call.

Abstract: An adaptive elevator security system has a security module (52) which uses data stored in a configuration data element (64) to update a security state data element (62). The security module (52) provides data from a raw car/hall call data element (56) to a filtered car/hall call data element (58) according to data stored in the security state data element (62).