Patents by Inventor Shiro Hikita

Shiro Hikita has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7021429
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a hall operation panel in an elevator hall and from which a destination floor is input; a group control which assigns a car to be stopped at the destination floor input from the hall operation panel; hall lanterns in the elevator hall for respective cars and informing passengers of assigned cars; and destination floor indicators in the elevator hall for respective cars and indicating destination floors, so that when a destination floor is input from the hall operation panel, the hall lantern corresponding to a car assigned by the group control is lit, and the destination floor indicator corresponding to the car assigned by the group control indicates the destination floor. As a result, the passenger can ascertain at a glance the car he is to get on and always be sure of the car he is to get on until the car arrives, so that the passenger is advantageously enabled to wait for the arrival of the car without experiencing any anxiety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20060042884
    Abstract: In a multi-deck-elevator-equipped building control system, operating modes of an elevator control portion include a double operating mode. In the double operating mode, only a first cage is permitted to stop at first cage stop floors, and only a second cage is permitted to stop at second cage stop floors that are distinct from the first cage stop floors. A building fixture control portion has a first group control portion for associatively controlling an electrical fixture on the first cage stop floors and a second group control portion for associatively controlling an electrical fixture on the second cage stop floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 2, 2006
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Abe, Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6978863
    Abstract: In an apparatus for elevator group control which performs group management of a set of elevators, the set consisting of an upper car and a lower car which are disposed in a vertical relation within one elevator shaft and which ascend and descend independently, the floors are classified so that a floor communicating with an entrance of a building is classified as a main floor for the lower car, a floor communicating with an entrance of the building above the main floor for the lower car is classified as a main floor for the upper car, a lower-floor portion of the shaft is classified as a lower-car priority zone, an upper-floor is classified as an upper-car priority zone, and an intermediate-floor portion is classified as a common-use zone of the upper car and the lower car. A hall call is assigned to the upper car or the lower car according to the classification to which the hall in question belongs. In each of the priority zones, the upper car or the lower car is preferentially brought into service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20050126863
    Abstract: An elevator control device which realizes, in a multi-car system, operation control superior in transportation efficiency. A first shunting device outputs a first shunting command for moving a car which has responded to a call request to a shunting floor. A blocked state detection device detects a blocked state in which a succeeding car cannot run due to a preceding car being in a standby state at a shunting floor, and outputs blocked-state-generation information. A second shunting device outputs a second shunting command for moving the preceding car in the standby state to a new shunting floor based on the blocked-state-generation information. Further, a collective operation control device collectively controls the operation of each car based on information for each car, the first shunting command from the first shunting device, and the second shunting command from the second shunting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20040129502
    Abstract: In an apparatus for elevator group control which performs group management of a set of elevators, the set consisting of an upper car (5U) and a lower car (5D) which are disposed in a vertical relation within one elevator shaft (1S) and which ascend and descend independently, the floors are classified in such a manner that a floor communicating with an entrance of a building (1) is classified as a main floor for the lower car (1F), a floor communicating with an entrance of the building above this main floor for the lower car (1F) is classified as a main floor for the upper car (2F), a lower-floor portion of the shaft (1S) is classified as a lower-car priority zone (DPZ), an upper-floor portion is classified as an upper-car priority zone (UPZ) and an intermediate-floor portion is classified as a common-use zone (CZ) of the upper car (5U) and the lower car (5D).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 8, 2004
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6619436
    Abstract: An elevator group management and control apparatus that manages and controls elevators as one group, detects the traffic demands of the elevators in a building; predicts the traffic demand in the near future on the basis of the detected traffic demand; discriminates the traffic pattern of the near future in accordance with the predicted result of the traffic demand; automatically generates candidates from the group management and control rule groups to be applied in the near future on the basis of the traffic pattern which has been predicted and discriminated; evaluates and selects one candidate of the respective rule groups which have been generated; and controls the elevators using the selected rule group, to implement group management and control, always using an appropriate rule group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6619437
    Abstract: In an elevator system in which two cars operate in each shaft, there is provided an elevator group control apparatus providing efficient services while preventing collisions of cars in each shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20030164267
    Abstract: In conventional elevator systems, it is necessary for the passenger to remember the name of an assigned car which is to stop at his destination floor, with the result that the passenger experiences anxiety.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20030098208
    Abstract: In an elevator system in which two cars operate in each shaft, there is obtained an elevator group control apparatus which is capable of providing efficient services while preventing collisions of cars in each shaft as much as possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2002
    Publication date: May 29, 2003
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6553269
    Abstract: An elevator operation management and control system includes a traffic data collecting section for collecting traffic data for finding a traffic amount, a traffic amount calculating section for calculating the traffic amount based on the traffic data collected by the traffic data collecting section, a traffic flow calculating section for calculating an estimated traffic flow of the elevator users moving between floors based on the traffic amount calculated by the traffic amount calculating section, a control parameter setting section for setting control parameters for controlling operations of the elevators based on the estimated traffic flow calculated by the traffic flow calculating section and an operation control section for controlling the operations of the elevators based on the control parameters set by the control parameter setting section, eliminating the need for preparing and storing combinations of a large number of traffic flow patterns and traffic amounts obtained from the traffic flow patterns
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6364065
    Abstract: An elevator system controller for efficient group supervisory control while avoiding collisions between two elevator cars in service in a single elevator shaft. The elevator system controller includes a risk calculating unit for calculating a risk of a collision between elevator cars in the same shaft when the elevator cars are responding to a new call for service, a car assigning unit for assignment of an elevator car to respond to the new call based on the risk of collision, and an operation control unit for controlling operation of the elevator cars based on the assignment by the car assigning unit. The risk of collision is calculated for each car, and the risk is recalculated based on a possibility of a withdrawal of one of the elevator cars to a position in the shaft where no collision can occur, based on a predicted arrival time of a car at the floor requiring service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6360849
    Abstract: An elevator system having cars in service at top and bottom in a single shaft with efficient group control. The elevator system is provided with a shaft assignment finalizing unit for selecting a shaft and a car to be assigned to a new call, and a reassigning unit for reassigning a car as necessary when a new call occurs after assignment is performed. After tentative assignment is finalized, if a new call is generated before a time for finalizing a stop of a tentatively assigned car is reached, then the tentative assignment is reviewed. If it is determined that reassigning of cars is necessary for a call, then the reassigning unit changes car assignment to the call. Assignment of a car is finalized by the car assignment finalizing unit, and information regarding a final decision is displayed by a display controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6328134
    Abstract: A group management and control system for elevators can ensure high transport efficiency while an ordinary hoist and motor are employed, and can perform appropriate group management and control without causing a wrong arrival preannouncement even when a plurality of elevators travel at different accelerations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6325178
    Abstract: A rule base storing control rule sets predicts elevator group management performance, such as waiting time distribution, obtained when applying each rule set stored in the rule base to the current traffic situation, and selects a rule set in accordance with a performance prediction. In addition, a weight database stores weighting parameters of a neural network corresponding to the rule sets and performance learning measures for correcting the weighting parameters in accordance with learning by the neural network. As a result, the optimal rule set is applied at all times for group management control of the elevators to provide passengers with excellent service and to enhance prediction accuracy in correspondence with the actual operational situation of the elevators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shiro Hikita, Shinobu Tajima
  • Patent number: 6315082
    Abstract: A rule base storing control rule sets simulates the behavior of each car of an elevator system in real time by assigning scanning to each car which is caused to run until the direction of running is reversed, while applying a specified rule set in the rule base to the current traffic condition, and predicts group supervisory control performance 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 multiple elevator cars while applying the optimal rule set at all times, thus providing excellent service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabusahiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6273217
    Abstract: An elevator group control apparatus for controlling operations of an elevator system with multiple cars moving within a single elevator shaft with improved efficiency without a collision between the cars. When an elevator-hall call is registered, first and second times at which individual cars are expected to arrive at individual floors where the elevator-hall call is registered are computed. The probability of occurrence of a collision between the cars is computed, determining whether a remaining car in the shaft must be shunted. A shunting floor is designated if necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Publication number: 20010010278
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Publication date: August 2, 2001
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6257373
    Abstract: An administrative controlling apparatus for elevators, for calling an elevator before a passenger's operation of a hall call button when a passenger who has come to an elevator hall is detected by passenger detection devices. The direction in which the passenger would like to go is predicted based upon the hall call and past passengers. Accordingly, the past usage is regarded as a basis for a statistical learning process. On this basis, the selection of a stand-by elevator or the selection of a tentative allocation elevator is effected. Also, a call is interrupted in accordance with the absence or presence of an elevator call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shiro Hikita, Kenichi Uetani
  • Patent number: 6241050
    Abstract: An elevator control manages and controls elevators. The control efficiently minimizes the elevator service time to each floor by minimizing a standard deviation of the expected service time to various floors. The control continually monitors current elevator operation and adjusts the position of unused elevators to maintain quality and efficient elevator service by reducing user wait time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shiro Hikita, Masao Yorita
  • Publication number: 20010000395
    Abstract: The present invention prepares a rule base for storing therein a plurality of control rule sets, predicts a group management performance such as a waiting time distribution which is obtained when applying an arbitrary rule set stored in the rule base to the current traffic situation, and selects the optimal rule set in accordance with the performance prediction result. In addition, a weight database for storing therein weight parameters of a neural net corresponding to the rule sets and performance learning measure for correcting the weight parameters in the weight database in accordance with the learning result of the neural net is provided, whereby the prediction of the group management performance by the neural net using the corrected weight parameters is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2000
    Publication date: April 26, 2001
    Inventors: Shiro Hikita, Shinobu Tajima