Abstract: An elevator operation managing device capable of reducing a switching of passengers at a time of getting on and getting out of a car. The elevator operation managing device includes an in-car position acquisition unit and a car allocation acquisition unit. The in-car position acquisition unit obtains an in-car position of a user based on layout information and a congestion degree obtained in a congestion degree acquisition unit. The car allocation acquisition unit performs a car allocation to allocate the user to the car based on a received boarding floor and destination floor and the in-car position obtained in the in-car position acquisition unit.

Abstract: An illustrative example elevator system includes a plurality of elevator cars. A dispatch controller assigns a first one of the elevator cars to travel to a landing in response to a first request for elevator service at that landing. At least one call button is operative to place a second request while the first one of the elevator cars is situated at the landing in response to the first request. The dispatch controller assigns a second one of the elevator cars to travel to the landing in response to the second request.

Abstract: A method for determining an allocation decision for at least one elevator includes using an existing calls in an elevator system as a first input in a machine learning module, processing the first input with the machine learning module to provide a first output comprising a first allocation decision, using the first output as a second input in an iterative module, processing the second input with the iterative module to provide a second ouput comprising a second allocation decision, and providing the second allocation decision to an elevator control module and to an allocation decision storage for further machine learning module training.

Abstract: A method and an elevator for moving an elevator car to a landing floor in case of a predefined event related to a main electrical power supply of an elevator are disclosed. The method includes charging energy from the main electrical power supply into an external electrical energy storage prior to detecting the predefined event related to the main electrical power supply, controlling an operation of an electric motor for moving the elevator car with an electrical drive to decelerate the elevator car and to produce regenerative electrical energy, selectively utilizing said energy charged from the main electrical power supply into the external electrical energy storage and said produced regenerative electrical energy to maintain an elevator brake in deactivated state.

Abstract: A method for deploying a controller to an elevator system includes generating a request to at least one other controller for obtaining at least one parameter relating to a deployment of the controller to the elevator system, receiving a response, and in response to detection that the at least one parameter in the response comprises a set of operational parameters, initiating a configuration procedure, and in response to detection that the at least one parameter in the response does not comprise the set of operational parameters, deriving an identifier of the elevator system included as the at least one parameter in the response and generating a request including the identifier of the elevator system for obtaining the set of operational parameters. An elevator system is configured to perform the method.

Abstract: A ropeless elevator system (10) includes a plurality of elevator cars (14) configured to travel in a hoistway having at least one lane (13, 15, 17), a propulsion system (16, 18) to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars, and a controller (46). The controller is configured to operate in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands, and to selectively operate in an out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars performs a predetermined task and is prevented from performing the in-group mode service demands.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of cars includes an in-car notification device configured to receive an announcement command from one of the individual car control devices, to thereby execute an announcement of the name of its own car. When an assignment command is received from a group management device, each of a plurality of individual car control devices causes the car to perform a door opening operation after causing the car to arrive at a floor on which a user is to ride in the car, and outputs the announcement command when it is determined after the door opening operation is finished that an elapsed period of time since the reception of the assignment command is equal to or longer than a period of time required for the user to arrive at an elevator landing after registering a destination floor call on the landing operation panel.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one elevator car, and an elevator drive system configured to drive the elevator car in a first direction and a second opposing direction based on at least one drive command signal. The elevator system further includes an electronic elevator control module that determines a first servicing route and a second servicing route. The first servicing route services a first floor located along the first direction in response to at least one first call request. The second servicing route overrides the first servicing route so as to dynamically service at least one second floor located along the second direction based on a comparison between at least one parameter of the at least one elevator car and at least one interrupt criteria.

Abstract: A ropeless elevator system includes a plurality of elevator cars configured to travel in a hoistway having at least one lane, a propulsion system to impart force to each elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars, and a controller. The controller is programmed to operate in an in-group mode where the plurality of elevator cars perform service demands, an out-of-group mode where at least one selected elevator car of the plurality of elevator cars is prevented from performing the group service mode service demands, and a transition mode where the at least one selected elevator car is prepared and transitioned from operation in the in-group mode to operation in the out-of-group mode.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an elevator system, in which a passenger gives elevator calls with a personal terminal device. An elevator car is allocated to the passenger on the basis of an elevator call, the maximum time from the moment of giving the call to the moment the doors of the allocated elevator car will close on the call-giving floor is calculated. The aforementioned maximum time is sent to the terminal device of the passenger for being presented to the passenger on the terminal device.

Abstract: An elevator arrangement includes an elevator group. A connection to a remote elevator system group controller is monitored. Traffic is served by the elevator group as controlled by a local elevator system group controller, when the connection is down. Traffic is served by the elevator group as controlled by the remote elevator system group controller, when the connection is up.

Abstract: An elevator system has a drive, a car, a plurality of safety function components for providing safety functions at various positions, and a safety monitoring system with a plurality of safety monitoring units for monitoring all of the safety function components. The monitoring units have an input interface for reading in data or signals and an output interface for outputting control signals to an assigned member of the safety function components, at least some of the monitoring units being connected via data exchange channels. The monitoring units are organized in a master-slave hierarchy, with one unit designed as a master unit, and at least one other unit designed as a slave unit. The decentralized and distributed monitoring units, each having data processing capability, and the master-slave organization result in the elevator system exhibiting a high security level with low cabling complexity and cost expenditure, in particular for high rise elevators.

Abstract: Passenger guidance systems for a multicar elevator system and related methods are provided. The passenger guidance system includes a first landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a first lane, a second landing door configured to provide access to at least one elevator car within a second lane, a controller configured to receive information regarding the at least one elevator car within the first lane and the at least one elevator car within the second lane, and a first display controlled by the controller and configured to provide display information regarding a first elevator car in the first lane, the first elevator car of the first lane being one of (i) an elevator car currently located at the first landing door or (ii) an elevator car next to arrive at the first landing door.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating content for a display on a dispatch kiosk includes using a computing structure remote from the dispatch kiosk to: (1) create a floor layout grid for each elevator hall in a building; (2) automatically generate a graph-based map model from the floor layout grid; (3) automatically calculate a plurality of walk path options from a call kiosk to a designated elevator based on the graph-based map model; (4) determine an optimal walk path from the call kiosk to the designated elevator from the plurality of walk path options; (5) automatically render a floor map image displaying the optimal walk path; and (6) communicate the floor map image from the computing structure to the dispatch kiosk in order to enable the dispatch kiosk to exhibit the floor map image on the dispatch kiosk display in response to an elevator call.

Abstract: The invention improves control of wear and tear of the elevators in an elevator group having a plurality of elevators and at least one group control unit. The actual usage of each elevator is recorded, and the group control unit executes at least one allocation algorithm for selecting which elevator of the elevator group is used to serve a call. The allocation algorithm compares the actual usage of at least two elevators against respective target usages and selects the elevator having its actual usage most deviating from the target usage to serve an outstanding call. With the invention, the wear and tear of elevators may be balanced, or certain elevators may be set to reach the end of the maintenance period sooner.

Abstract: An access control system detects movement at a door to which a user has been granted access. A travel time is determined that describes how long the user is expected to need to travel between that door and another door in the area. After the travel time has elapsed, the other door is unlocked. Thus, the user can travel to and open the other door without having to present a credential for the other door.

Abstract: A method for controlling an elevator group including at least a first elevator and a second elevator, wherein a counterweight balance of the first elevator differs from a counterweight balance of the second elevator, the method including: controlling the elevator group; determining threshold loads for the first and second elevator separately for up and down direction, a threshold load being dependent of the counterweight balance of the corresponding elevator, wherein the threshold load being a load for which consumed energy per up-down run is approximately zero; and controlling, when allocating an elevator in response to a destination call, route determination for the first and second elevator involves minimizing a load difference from the threshold loads.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a group control device (12) and a destination call registration device (9). The group control device (12) performs group control of a plurality of elevator devices. Each of the elevator devices includes a plurality of cars which ascend and descend in the same shaft. The destination call registration device (9) is installed in an elevator hall. Moreover, the group control device (12) includes a first determination unit (15) and an assigned car determination unit (18). The first determination unit (15) tentatively assigns a call newly registered from the destination call registration device (9) to a first car, and excludes the first car from candidate cars of a first group in a case where a second car arranged above or below the first car stops at the hall before the first car. The assigned car determination unit (18) selects a car to which the new registration call is assigned from the candidate cars of the first group.

Abstract: In an elevator system, upon registration of a hall destination call from a call registration device, a group control device determines an assigned car caused to respond to the hall destination call. An assigned car notification device indicates information on the determined assigned car correlating the information to a service floor of the assigned car. The group control device determines whether or not a hall destination call registered from the call registration device meets a prescribed review condition, and if affirmative, the group control device does not perform a final determination of an assigned car immediately after registration. Upon final determination of an assigned car for a hall destination call meeting the review condition by the group control device, the assigned car notification device indicates only information on the assigned car and a service floor corresponding to the hall destination call on the indicator for a prescribed period of time.

Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining that a new passenger requests elevator service from a departure floor to a destination floor. Any candidate elevator cars are ranked. A number of stops for each assigned passenger for a ranked candidate elevator car is determined if the new passenger were assigned to that car. A determination is made whether any ranked candidate elevator car is a qualified car that can accept the new passenger and limit a number of stops for each passenger assigned to that car to a desired maximum number of stops. The new passenger is assigned to a qualified car that has a most favorable ranking of any qualified cars.

Abstract: A conveying system and a method for registering service requests in a conveying system, including at least one transport device, is provided. A detection area bounded on a floor surface is in connection with the transport device, in which detection area the identification data contained in the personal identifiers of passengers is read. The service profiles of passengers who have arrived in the detection area and/or who have left the detection area are determined on the basis of the identification data, and a service request according to the service profiles is registered for transporting and/or admitting passengers in the detection area to the location indicated by the service request.

Abstract: A group supervisory control device for an elevator includes a hall call assignment portion assigning a specific car to a hall call registered; an operation prediction portion predicting which is the operation to the next hall registered, regenerative operation or power running operation, and the time for which the regenerating operation or the power running operation is performed when the specific car has stopped at a responding hall; and a door open time control portion comparing the time for which the regenerative operation or the power running operation of the specific car is performed with the remaining running time of any other car performing the power running operation or the regenerative operation already predicted, calculating overlap time for the operations simultaneously, and making door open time set for the specific car changed to determine the door open time that can obtain longer overlap time, whereby a door is closed.

Abstract: An exemplary elevator input device includes a passenger interface configured to allow a passenger to place a call to indicate a desired elevator service. The elevator input device includes a controller configured to interpret any passenger input regarding desired elevator service. The controller identifies which of a plurality of elevator cars will be able to provide the desired elevator service according to a predetermined criterion. The plurality of elevator cars considered by the controller includes every elevator car that is capable of serving the call. The controller is also configured to assign the call to the identified elevator car. With the input device controller assigning the call to an identified elevator car, the dispatching of elevator cars is distributed among controllers of input devices rather than being accomplished at a single group controller.

Abstract: In an elevator control device that transfers an elevator to pause operation when predetermined pause conditions are met, the elevator operation can be changed over properly according to the call cutoff state without decreasing the building security. This control device includes a pause operation selecting means and a car call cutoff means. The pause operation selecting means stops a car at a predetermined pause floor, closes a door after door opening motion, and pauses the elevator by selecting pause operation if predetermined pause conditions are met. The car call cutoff means prohibits a car call from being registered from a car call button in the car by cutting off the car call. The configuration is made such that when the car call to the pause floor has been cut off by the car call cutoff means, even if the predetermined pause conditions are met, the elevator is not transferred to pause operation.

Abstract: When a specific destination floor call is made, the control unit assigns an elevator of which waiting time is within the reference time from the plurality of elevators to the specific destination floor call, the waiting time being a time from a time when the specific destination floor call is made to a time when the specific user can get on an elevator at the specific floor. Further, when a general destination floor call is made, the control unit assigns one of the plurality of elevators in response to the general destination floor call such that an elevator of which waiting time to the specific destination floor call that is made after the general destination floor call is within the reference time is left.

Abstract: An elevator system to continue communication even if a tracking error exists and to reduce interference on other transponders when transmitting a video and audio between an endstation facility and another endstation facility via a transponder mounted on communications satellite. This transmission system includes a tracking antenna that tracks a transponder, a tracking error calculation circuit that obtains a tracking error in a tracking operation of the tracking antenna, a transmission level control circuit that obtains a transmission level of a signal in response to the tracking error, and a transmitter that transmits the signal at the obtained signal level via the tracking antenna to the transponder of the communication target.

Abstract: A method of allocating calls of a lift installation with at least one lift and at least one car per lift to move passengers in a journey from at least one input floor to at least one destination floor, a system for executing the method and a computer readable memory with instructions for executing the method. The method includes receiving input calls from passengers travelling from an input floor to a destination floor, each call identifying at least one floor as an input floor or a destination floor. A start zone with identified input floors and a destination zone with identified destination floors are determined from the input calls and destination calls. Each identified floor within a corresponding zone is considered using at least one selection criterion and a stopping floor is selected which satisfies the criterion. The car is caused to stop at fewer than all the identified input floors and identified destination floors during the journey.

Abstract: A control system for elevators includes a capture apparatus, a processor and a storage apparatus. The capture apparatus captures images of each floor. The processor performs human detection on images of each floor to calculate the number of waiting passengers of each floor. The processor further calculates waiting time of each floor. The processor calculates weight of each floor based on the number of the waiting passengers and waiting time, and controls the elevator to the floor with maximum weight.

Abstract: An elevator system capable of an efficient evacuation using an elevator in case of a fire, and capable of confirming an evacuee remaining status in a case that an evacuation operation using the elevator is discontinued. An evacuation-call response-order setting section sets a priority order of a response to an evacuation special call registered in an evacuation special call registration section, based on fire occurrence information received by a fire situation reception section. A responding floor is selected based on the priority order. The evacuation operation running section controls an operation of the elevator so as to direct a car to the responding floor selected in this manner. In a case that the evacuation operation availability determination section determines that the evacuation operation is not available, the evacuation operation terminating section causes an evacuation special call remaining floor display section to display a remaining evacuation special call registration floor.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for determining the parameters connected to the run times of elevators and for using said parameters in the control of the elevators in an elevator system. A plurality of measuring runs is performed with the elevators of the elevator system, and the run events connected to said measuring runs are registered. On the basis of the run events a plurality of run time parameters connected to the run times are determined, on the basis of which the run times of the elevators are calculated for optimally controlling the elevators when the elevators are in transport operation.

Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling an elevator system includes determining that a new passenger requests elevator service a departure floor to a destination floor. Any candidate elevator cars are ranked. A number of stops for each assigned passenger for a ranked candidate elevator car is determined if the new passenger were assigned to that car. A determination is made whether any ranked candidate elevator car is a qualified car that can accept the new passenger and limit a number of stops for each passenger assigned to that car to a desired maximum number of stops. The new passenger is assigned to a qualified car that has a most favorable ranking of any qualified cars.

Abstract: An elevator group management system capable of appropriately performing car assignment processing without leaving any one behind and enabling a passenger to recognize a car to board without fail. A fellow passenger group assignment section assigns fellow passenger groups to respective passengers based on the contents of hall call registration for each floor received from a hall operation panel, and causes the hall operation panel that has sent the hall call registration to display names of the assigned fellow passenger. A fellow passenger group car assignment section executes, on the fellow passenger groups assigned by the fellow passenger group assignment section, car assignment processing of assigning any of a plurality of cars as an assigned car and, in a case of determining the assigned car, provides car control sections with a passenger guide command containing at least combination information on this assigned car that has been determined and the fellow passenger group.

Abstract: In a method for controlling an elevator system, hints relating to potential elevator passengers are received from at least one observation point connected to the elevator system. Based on the hints, forecasts relating to potential elevator passengers are prepared, on the basis of which forecasts one or more anticipatory control actions are executed.

Abstract: A conveyance system comprises at least one user interface having at least one service request pushbutton for providing service requests to the conveyance system. An identifier device is provided to a passenger. The identifier device stores identifier device data for determining a service profile of the identifier device. The identifier device data in the identifier device is read when a passenger presses or touches a service request pushbutton of the user interface. Based on the data read from the identifier device, the service profile of the identifier device is determined. A service request connected to the service request pushbutton is activated based on the service profile.

Abstract: In an elevator system, an elevator-hall-call/destination-floor-call registration device provided at an elevator hall includes, besides a destination floor registration button such as a numeric keypad, etc. formed by buttons having respective numbers of 0 to 9 for registering a destination floor, a disabled person button declaring that a customer is a disabled person. For example, in the elevator-hall-call/destination-floor-call registration device, when the disabled person button is pressed and the destination floor call is inputted, a group management control device registers the destination floor call, and determines a car to be assigned for the destination floor call, rings a chime and further turns on a hall lantern corresponding to the determined assigned car. Like the above, the group management control device rings the chime and turns on the hall lantern only when the disabled person button is pressed.

Abstract: A system and method for pre-programming operation of an elevator to automatically service particular floors of a building at a designated future interval. A remote user may input instructions over a network to be relayed to an elevator controller including a future interval during which an elevator is to automatically make continuous or periodic trips to and from a particular floor or floors of a building, such that during the designated future interval the elevator automatically and without a user's instructions, reaches the designated floor, opens the door, waits a pre-set time period, closes the door and travels to another floor or floors.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a dispatching system for car assignment method. The method includes: (a) setting a set number based a history data, wherein the history data records a time and a location of each dispatching car event happening, the set number is an average number of dispatching car events that happen in a special time segment and in the region; (b) determining whether or not the first number is larger than the set number; (c) not issuing a dispatching car information when the first number is larger than the set number; and (d) issuing a dispatching car information and assigning a second number of cars to the region when the first number is less than the set number. Moreover, a dispatching apparatus to perform the dispatching car method is also provided.

Abstract: An elevator group supervision controlling apparatus has a response time predicting means, a passenger movement estimating means, a standby time predicting means, a candidate car selecting means, an allocating means, and an instructing means. The response time predicting means predicts response time to a car call from a remote call registering apparatus for respective cars. The passenger movement estimating means estimates passenger moving time based on a positional relationship between the remote call registering apparatus and a landing. The standby time predicting means predicts the standby times of each of the cars based on the response time and the passenger moving time. The candidate car selecting means includes cars for which standby time is shorter than a predetermined time interval in candidate cars, and excludes cars for which standby time is greater than or equal to the predetermined time interval from the candidate cars.

Abstract: An exemplary method of assigning calls to elevator cars includes ensuring that a passenger separation requirement is satisfied. The passenger separation requirement is satisfied when a passenger belonging to one service group is not carried in the same elevator car simultaneously with another passenger belonging to a different service group, for example. A call is assigned to an elevator car to carry a passenger belonging to the one service group while the elevator car is assigned to carry or is already carrying another passenger belonging to the different service group.

Abstract: A solution for the allocation of destination calls in an elevator system includes one or more single-deck elevators and one or more multi-deck elevators, in which system the passenger enters a destination call via a destination call device. The destination call entered by the passenger is received, an elevator type to serve the destination call is selected on the basis of an elevator type selection criterion, and the destination call is allocated to an elevator consistent with the elevator type thus selected.

Abstract: A method for automatically prompting a car call in an elevator system, determining the number of passengers, allocating the elevator car alternatives as serving elevator cars for the passenger. The elevator system including the door sensing device and the surveillance device for monitoring passenger actions, thereby defining the starting point and the final point of a passenger's traveling path. The method also includes calculating a passenger traveling time period, thereby yielding a time forecast of the passenger's arrival time at the waiting lobby. A cost function containing at least one landing time factor is determined for calculating the cost value of each elevator car alternative. The alternative that gives the lowest cost value is allocated as the serving elevator car for the passenger. The elevator system also receives information from external devices via one or more communicative linkages for system operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a triple-deck elevator equipment planning support system, arranged such that the average number of times of being stopped per going-round is calculated on the basis of a given building specification and cage specification data in a triple-deck elevator system; a total value of getting-on/off time periods of passengers, a total value of door-opening/closing time periods, and the total value of running time periods are calculated based on the average number; and a going-round time period of an elevator is calculated from these calculation results, and a practical transportation capacity per on triple-deck elevator is calculated.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for transporting people in a building using an elevator installation (10) having at least one elevator cage (11). The elevator cage (11) is entered by people on at least one first or one second access floor (S1, S2). In order to increase the transport efficiency, at least one target floor (S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) is associated with each access floor (S1, S2) in a fixed manner, in such a way that the elevator cage (11) travels from the first access floor (S1) to the associated first target floor (S4, S5) and from the second access floor (S2) to the associated second target floor (S5, S6, S7).

Abstract: An elevator system having at least two elevators, wherein at least one of the elevators is designated as an emergency personnel elevator, can be operated to allow a firefighter to commandeer a second elevator for the purpose of ferrying persons to a safe evacuation floor. The elevator system is configured to determine if a request for an evacuation elevator originates from the firefighter elevator car positioned at one of several floors of a building. In response to the request, an elevator car other than the emergency personnel elevator car is designated as the evacuation elevator car. Further, the evacuation elevator car is dispatched to the floor the emergency personnel elevator car is positioned, and the evacuation elevator car is dispatched to a predefined evacuation floor upon receipt of an evacuation request made by the firefighter.

Abstract: An elevator system including a car call registration device by which an elevator user registers a car call before riding on a car and a group supervisory controller with a building specification data storage section in which building specification data including specially-assigned floors is stored. Further, a specially-assigned floor judgment section judges whether a departure floor is a specially-assigned floor when a car call is registered, and a traffic condition judgment section judges the traffic condition of elevators within a building. A car assignment is performed based on the traffic condition judgment section judging by the specially-assigned floor judgment section that the departure floor is a specially-assigned floor, and a car assignment is performed based on a building specification stored in the building specification data storage section when the specially-assigned floor judgment section judges the departure floor is not a specially-assigned floor.

Abstract: In an elevator system in which a user registers a destination call by inputting his or her personal information before boarding an elevator car, it is ensured that information on an assigned car can be appropriately provided, and that the user is able to easily make sure of the elevator car to board even after the registration of a destination call. For this purpose, there are installed in an elevator hall or the like a destination call registration device with which a user registers a destination call before boarding the elevator car and an assigned car confirming device with which a user makes sure of an assigned car by inputting his or her personal information. When an elevator has been assigned to a destination call registered from the destination call registration device, regarding the destination call for which the assignment has been performed, information on an assigned car and personal information of a user are stored in storage means by associating these pieces of information with each other.

Abstract: A method of dispatching an elevator car to a destination requested by a passenger before the passenger enters the car includes determining which trip of the elevator car begins at a time having a desired relationship to an expected arrival time when a passenger is expected to arrive near the elevator car. An actual arrival time of the passenger near the elevator car is determined. The elevator car is dispatched to the requested destination during a trip that begins at a time that corresponds to or is after the actual arrival time.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for dividing destination calls in an elevator system, which comprises at least two elevator groups, which elevator groups have one or more shared floors and also destination call appliances on at least the aforementioned shared floors for receiving destination calls given by passengers. The destination call appliances are connected to the group controls of the elevator groups, and the destination calls given by passengers are divided between the elevator groups on the basis of the defined division criteria.

Abstract: An elevator evacuation support apparatus evacuates building occupants that have been left inside a building to a refuge floor in an emergency by managing operation of an elevator in which a plurality of floors function as service floors. The elevator evacuation support apparatus has an evacuating operation implementing portion, an evacuating operation time calculating portion, and an evacuating operation determining portion. The evacuating operation implementing portion designates at least one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and implements an evacuating operation for the elevator for transporting the building occupants from the rescue floor to the refuge floor. The evacuating operation time calculating portion receives urgency level information that indicates a degree of urgency, and calculates an estimated amount of time for continuing the evacuating operation as an evacuating operation time based on the urgency level information.

Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus for an elevator controls, in an event of a fire in a building provided with an elevator that is assigned to a plurality of floors as service floors, an operation of the elevator. The evacuation control apparatus for the elevator has an evacuation operation performing portion, a determination portion, and an evacuation operation resuming portion. The evacuation operation performing portion sets at least one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and performs evacuation operation for the elevator to convey those stranded in the building from the rescue floor to an evacuation floor. When a predetermined termination condition is fulfilled during evacuation operation, the determination portion determines that evacuation operation should be terminated.