Abstract: A system 110 includes an input/output 113 unit for receiving a user request to call an elevator 101, 102 and a processor 111 for processing the user request to assign an elevator to the user 105. The processor performs one of a first assignment process and a second assignment process. The first assignment process includes determining whether a delay condition exists for delaying assignment of the elevator to the user 202, delaying assignment of the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition exists 203, and assigning the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition does not exist 204. The second assignment process includes assigning the elevator to the user and notifying the user of the assignment, determining whether an assignment change condition exists 206, changing the assignment to another elevator based on determining that the assignment change condition exists 207, and notifying the user of the assignment change 208.

Abstract: An elevator control system including an elevator management system obtaining meeting information from at least one of a calendar system and a user interface; the elevator management system generating a control command in response to the meeting information; and an elevator controller controlling destinations of one or more elevator cars in response to the control command.

Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes detecting a building sway which causes sway of elevator suspension or compensation members. An elevator control system is switched into a building sway mode, and operation of one or more elevator cars of the elevator system is changed via the building sway mode to mitigate vibratory effects of the building sway on the one or more elevator cars.

Abstract: A system 110 includes an input/output 113 unit for receiving a user request to call an elevator 101, 102 and a processor 111 for processing the user request to assign an elevator to the user 105. The processor performs one of a first assignment process and a second assignment process. The first assignment process includes determining whether a delay condition exists for delaying assignment of the elevator to the user 202, delaying assignment of the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition exists 203, and assigning the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition does not exist 204. The second assignment process includes assigning the elevator to the user and notifying the user of the assignment, determining whether an assignment change condition exists 206, changing the assignment to another elevator based on determining that the assignment change condition exists 207, and notifying the user of the assignment change 208.

Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes detecting a building sway which causes sway of elevator suspension or compensation members. An elevator control system is switched into a building sway mode, and operation of one or more elevator cars of the elevator system is changed via the building sway mode to mitigate vibratory effects of the building sway on the one or more elevator cars.

Abstract: An elevator control system including an elevator management system obtaining meeting information from at least one of a calendar system and a user interface; the elevator management system generating a control command in response to the meeting information; and an elevator controller controlling destinations of one or more elevator cars in response to the control command.

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: Controlling the movement of elevator cars (22, 24) within a single hoistway (26) prevents the cars from becoming too close while servicing assigned stops. Example control techniques include controlling door operation of at least one of the elevator cars (22, 24) to effectively slow down a follower car or speed up a leader car for increasing a distance between the cars in an area within the hoistway (26) where the cars would otherwise be too close to each other.

Abstract: Elevators (104) in a group elevator system (100) are controlled to facilitate transport of a large item (LI). A destination entry input device receives an input from a passenger (102) indicating that the passenger (102) has a large item (LI) to be transported in the group elevator system (100). The passenger (102) with the large item (LI) is assigned to an elevator (104) having capacity to accommodate the passenger (102) and the large item (LI).

Abstract: A plurality of cars (A-C) traveling in the same hoistway (10) send communication check codes (27, 35, 70, 77) to each other over a first communication channel, and if a response is not received (30, 37, 73, 80) within a predetermined time (32, 38, 74, 81) the car not getting a response will send a failure mode command to the other two cars (53, 82). Either the car (A) which senses the failure, or a predesignated car (B) will assume a wild car mode (60, 88) after the other two cars are safely parked (56, 57; 85, 86) out of the way, under control of special sensors and signals sent over a second communications channel. Two out of three cars may operate if only one has communication failure with one or two of the others.

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 method for determining a suitable configuration for an elevator system for a building that includes acquiring building related information and passenger use information. Elevator system performance requirements based on elevator system passenger numbers are selected based on this information followed by selecting a set of elevator system characteristic variables that are desired to be at optimal values which are processed along with the information and performance requirements to provide an optimal solution.

Abstract: Controlling the movement of elevator cars (22, 24) within a single hoistway (26) prevents the cars from becoming too close while servicing assigned stops. Example control techniques include controlling door operation of at least one of the elevator cars (22, 24) to effectively slow down a follower car or speed up a leader car for increasing a distance between the cars in an area within the hoistway (26) where the cars would otherwise be too close to each other. Disclosed example techniques also include dynamically altering the motion profile of at least one of the cars and adding an additional stop for one of the cars.

Abstract: Elevators (104) in a group elevator system (100) are controlled to facilitate transport of a large item (LI). A destination entry input device receives an input from a passenger (102) indicating that the passenger (102) has a large item (LI) to be transported in the group elevator system (100). The passenger (102) with the large item (LI) is assigned to an elevator (104) having capacity to accommodate the passenger (102) and the large item (LI).

Abstract: A plurality of cars (A-C) traveling in the same hoistway (10) send communication check codes (27, 35, 70, 77) to each other over a first communication channel, and if a response is not received (30, 37, 73, 80) within a predetermined time (32, 38, 74, 81) the car not getting a response will send a failure mode command to the other two cars (53, 82). Either the car (A) which senses the failure, or a predesignated car (B) will assume a wild car mode (60, 88) after the other two cars are safely parked (56, 57; 85, 86) out of the way, under control of special sensors and signals sent over a second communications channel. Two out of three cars may operate if only one has communication failure with one or two of the others.

Abstract: When an average wait time is low (23, 24) an elevator car (31-34) is parked (39), unable to answer calls, or if a parameter (45) is low (46), the car is shut-down. If wait time is high, a parked car is assigned the call. If no cars are parked, a shut-down car may be assigned based on RRT. If up running cars can answer the call, the down running cars are excluded.

Abstract: In down peak, floors of the building are divided into sectors (38), empty cars (50) are assigned (63, 64) to the sector and assigned (65) the highest down call in the sector provided the highest down call is above the committable floor of any car already assigned in the sector, or there is no car assigned in the sector. If a car is not full (52), it will be assigned additional calls (56). If there are no calls in the sector below a car sector which is not full, a long calls routine (67) determines if there is a down call (75), that is in danger of becoming a long-waiting call, ahead of a car (69) and if so, assigns that call to the car (76).

Abstract: The time required for each car to reach each up hall call and each down hall call is calculated (30, 33). These times are then arranged in categories and the number of landings in each category is identified. From fuzzy sets (FIGS. 7–10), the count of landings in each category determines a fuzzy set membership in a fuzzy category, such as FEW, SOME, MANY. The fuzzy membership of all non-zero memberships are then ANDed together (by multiplication). A relationship value is then determined (FIG. 11) by a metric with as many dimensions as there are categories, each dimension having as many parts as there are fuzzy categories in the fuzzy sets. The membership combination (the fuzzy summation) is then multiplied by a relationship value determined from the multi-dimensional metric to provide a corresponding separation metric of the invention.

Abstract: A method for training a neural network used to estimate for an elevator the remaining response time for the elevator to service a hall call. The training, which results in adjusting connection weights between nodes of the neural network, is performed while the elevator is in actual operation. The method is not restricted to any particular architecture of neural network. The method uses a cutoff to limit changes to the connection weights, and provides for scaling the different inputs to the neural network so that all inputs lie in a predetermined range. The method also provides for training in case the elevator is diverted from servicing the hall call by an intervening hall call.

Abstract: A method for adapting to observed special use patterns a neural network used to estimate quantities needed by an elevator dispatching system responsible for assigning the elevator or another elevator to a hall call. Rather than simply refining values of existing connection weights to train the neural network to provide acceptable outputs for predetermined inputs, the method analyzes use information to determine whether additional inputs to the neural network might be advantageous and what those inputs might be. If so, the method alters the neural network architecture by providing new input nodes and corresponding connection weights, the connection weights having initially relatively small values. All connection weights can then be adjusted during actual operation of the elevator to accommodate the new input nodes.