Abstract: A method of operating a building elevator system within a building having a plurality of floors including: controlling a building elevator system comprising a first elevator system having a first elevator car and a second elevator system having a second elevator car; determining one or more sectors for the plurality of floors in response to at least one of a time of day, manual input, a density of the down peak traffic, and whether there is simultaneous up peak or inter-floor traffic, the one or more sectors comprising a first sector having a first plurality of floors and a second sector having a second plurality of floors; assigning the first elevator car to the first sector; and assigning the second elevator car to the second sector.

Abstract: A wireless signal device, a system and a method for an elevator service request are provided, which belong to the field of elevator technologies. The wireless signal device according to the present invention is mounted in a landing zone and receives an elevator service request command from a personal mobile terminal. The wireless signal device comprises a service control unit configured to, in an elevator dispatching service process arranged in response to a first elevator service request command received previously, disable the elevator controller from responding to a second elevator service request command received later for controlling the elevator dispatching service in the elevator dispatching service process if the second elevator service request command has the same elevator call direction as the first elevator service request command.

Abstract: A method of operating a building elevator system within a building having a plurality of landings including: controlling a first elevator group; controlling a second elevator group; adjusting a range of landings served by one or more elevator systems of the second elevator group in response to at least one of the predicted passenger response time, the time of day, the amount of traffic received by the first elevator group, the amount of traffic received by the second elevator group, the amount of traffic within the first range of landings, the amount of traffic within the second range of landings, the amount of traffic received by the first elevator group relative to the amount of traffic received by the second elevator group, and the amount of traffic within the first range of landings relative to an amount of traffic within the second range of landings.

Abstract: A mobile robot is configured for operation in a commercial or industrial setting, such as an office building or retail store. The robot can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. In response to the detected violations, the robot can perform one or more security operations. The robot can include a removable fabric panel, enabling sensors within the robot body to capture signals that propagate through the fabric. In addition, the robot can scan RFID tags of objects within an area, for instance coupled to store inventory. Likewise, the robot can generate or update one or more semantic maps for use by the robot in navigating an area and for measuring compliance with security policies.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is presented for inferring passenger routes in a subway system. The method includes identifying, via an imaging device, a target passenger within the subway system, employing an exiting flow extractor to determine passenger exiting waves, employing an exiting wave identifier to mark an exiting wave of the passenger exiting waves including the target passenger, employing a supporting evidence backtracer to determine an entrance gate for each of the passengers in the marked exiting wave including the target passenger, determining a route probability for each of the passengers in the marked exiting wave including the target passenger via voting or distribution estimation processing, and employing a most probable route inferer to infer a route of the target passenger based on an aggregate route probability for all the passengers in the marked exiting wave.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one elevator group control with a destination control system, at least one elevator group having elevators with a different destination range, destination operating panels at each landing including an input for issuing destination calls, car operating panels located in the elevators having an input for the input of destination calls, hall lanterns for each elevator indicating the moving direction of the corresponding elevator, a signaling device for each elevator indicating the arrival of an elevator at the landing, the destination control system controls hall lanterns to indicate a moving direction of the elevators and activates the signaling device when elevators arrive at a landing. The destination control system displays, after the issue of a destination call, a range identifier indicative of the elevator's destination range, and the next arriving elevator by activation of its signaling device before its arrival at the landing.

Abstract: An elevator notice system for an elevator system includes at least one hoistway defined by a structure having a plurality of areas with each area having at least one gate and at least one car in each of the at least one hoistway. At least one of the at least one gate is associated with a respective hoistway. The elevator notice system includes a controller and a programmable display. The controller is configured to control the display and track the current location and scheduled destination of each of the at least one car in each of the at least one hoistway. The programmable display includes a car identification portion displaying a car identification type associated with a specific car of the at least one car, and is configured to display at least a next area destination associated with the specific car.

Abstract: The invention relates to a position and load measurement system for an elevator which system is going to be installed in an elevator car to obtain car position data and car load data, which position and load measurement system comprises at least one sensor mounted in the elevator car. The position and load measurement system comprises: a passenger sensor scanning the car interior and/or the car door area; a load signal processing unit connected to the passenger sensor for generating car load data, an acceleration sensor and/or magnetometer, a position signal processing unit connected to the acceleration sensor and/or magnetometer for generating car position data, and a data link for transmitting the output signals of the load signal processing unit and the position signal processing unit to an elevator control unit. The invention provides improved car load and car position data, particularly in connection with an overlay modernization of an existing elevator system.

Abstract: A method for connecting a mobile device to an elevator system, the mobile device executing a mobile application for issuing elevator calls to the elevator system, includes: determining a geographical location of the mobile device; obtaining a list of buildings within a geographical range of the geographical location of the mobile device; determining if a registered building is in the list of buildings, the registered building being a building at which a user has registered with the elevator system; and automatically establishing a connection between the mobile device and the elevator system at the registered building.

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 near-optimal scheduling method for a group of elevators uses advance traffic information. More particularly, advance traffic information is used to define a snapshot problem (24) in which the objective is to improve performance for customers. To solve the snapshot problem (24), the objective function is transformed into a form to facilitate the decomposition of the problem into individual car subproblems (26). The subproblems (26) are independently solved using a two-level formulation, with passenger to car assignment (28) at the higher level, and the dispatching of individual cars (30) at the lower level. Near-optimal passenger selection and individual car routing (38) are obtained. The individual cars are then coordinated through an iterative process (40, 42) to arrive at a group control solution that achieves a near-optimal result for passengers.

Abstract: An elevator system includes at least two independently operable elevator cars in each elevator shaft of the system. The elevator shaft may include a first and a second region, with the first region extending from a ground level to sub-ground levels, and with the second region extending from the ground level to a top floor. A first elevator car may move within the first region and a second elevator car may move within the second region, in the same shaft independently of each other.

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: An elevator system comprises at least two independently operable elevator cars in each of a plurality of elevator shafts within a building. The elevator system can include at least one first elevator shaft having a first and a second region, with the first region extending from a ground level to sub-ground levels, and with the second region extending from the ground level to a top floor. A first elevator car may move within the first region and a second elevator car may move within the second region, in the same shaft independently of each other.

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: 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: An elevator system includes at least two independently operable elevator cars in an elevator shaft. The elevator system controls loading of one of the car at ground floor level by moving the other car to a level below the ground floor level.

Abstract: A method of guiding a user in an environment particularly in a building, utilizes at least one first communications unit communicating data to a mobile second communications unit carried by the user. The first communications unit transmits a contact signal within a predetermined range for establishing contact with the second communications unit. If the second communications unit is located within the range and receives the contact signal, contact is established between the first communications and the second communications unit. In order to enable guidance of the user through the environment by means of the second communications unit, data are communicated from the first communications unit to the second communications unit.

Abstract: A near-optimal scheduling method for a group of elevators uses advance traffic information. More particularly, advance traffic information is used to define a snapshot problem (24) in which the objective is to improve performance for customers. To solve the snapshot problem (24), the objective function is transformed into a form to facilitate the decomposition of the problem into individual car subproblems (26). The subproblems (26) are independently solved using a two-level formulation, with passenger to car assignment (28) at the higher level, and the dispatching of individual cars (30) at the lower level. Near-optimal passenger selection and individual car routing (38) are obtained. The individual cars are then coordinated through an iterative process (40, 42) to arrive at a group control solution that achieves a near-optimal result for passengers.

Abstract: In an elevator system including at least two elevator groups having at least one shared floor and destination call appliances on at least the shared floor for receiving destination calls from passengers, destination call appliances are connected to group controls of the elevator groups. Destination calls from passengers are divided between the elevator groups based on defined division criteria.

Abstract: An elevator system comprises at least two independently operable elevator cars in each of a plurality of elevator shafts within a building. The elevator system can include at least one first elevator shaft having a first and a second region, with the first region extending from a ground level to sub-ground levels, and with the second region extending from the ground level to a top floor. A first elevator car may move within the first region and a second elevator car may move within the second region, in the same shaft independently of each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to elevator systems, in which a number of elevators operate in the same hoistway. The elevator system comprises at least one shuttle elevator and at least two local elevators, the elevator-cars of which are arranged to travel in the same elevator hoistway such that they can serve at least one shared transfer floor of a transfer level. The control system of the elevator system receives destination calls given from a destination call appliance, forms a plurality of route alternatives and allocates a destination call to one or more elevators by selecting the best route alternative. When allocating a destination call, the control system takes into account that the elevator cars of the local elevators that travel in the same elevator hoistway cannot simultaneously be at a shared transfer floor in cases in which the route alternative comprises a part-trip with a local elevator and a change of elevator at a shared transfer floor.

Abstract: An elevator traffic control technique includes destination grouping that is selectively implemented during selected traffic condition. One example includes determining when up peak traffic conditions exist. If so, the passenger-to-car assignments are grouped based upon the passengers' desired destinations, which are determined before the passengers enter elevator cars, Arranging sectors responsive to current traffic conditions in one example is based upon elevator passenger traffic patterns over the most recent five minutes.

Abstract: An elevator system includes multiple cars within a hoistway. Parking positions are provided outside the range of passenger service levels. A destination entry strategy is used by a controller for directing movement of the elevator cars. The inventive combination of multiple cars in a hoistway, parking positions outside of the normal passenger service level range and destination entry car movement control allows for reducing car travel speed, reducing car size or both while still meeting desired handling capacity needs or even exceeding the desired handling capacity associated with another elevator system that requires larger cars, higher speeds and more building space.

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 disclosed in the disclosure.

Abstract: An elevator system comprises at least two independently operable elevator cars in each of a plurality of elevator shafts within a building. The elevator system comprises at least one first elevator shaft having a lower first and a lower second region, where a first elevator car moves within the lower first region of the first elevator shaft and a second elevator car moves within the lower second region. The first and second elevators are moveably controlled independently of each other within the first shaft. The system also includes at least one second elevator shaft having an upper first and an upper second region, where a third elevator car moves within the upper first region of the second elevator shaft and a fourth elevator car moving within the upper second region. The third and fourth elevator cars also are moveably controlled independently of each other.

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 of modernizing an elevator installation that comprises a first elevator car movable in a shaft by a first drive includes installing at least one second drive without changing the first drive. In addition, at least one second elevator car is installed in the shaft and connected with the second drive. Moreover, a control unit is installed or configured in such a manner that it controls the first drive and the second drive.

Abstract: An improved elevator system and control method thereof is provided for effectively scheduling elevator cars and reducing hoistway spaces. The elevator system of the present invention includes at least one hoistway and at least two elevator cars operating independently in the hoistway. The elevator system schedules multiple elevator cars for multiple calls on the basis of information obtained by analyzing various signals provided from the button panels installed at elevator cars and elevator entrances of a building, thereby improving operation efficiency of the elevator system.

Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes multiple cars (22, 24) within a hoistway (40). Parking positions (72, 74) are provided outside the range of passenger service levels (70). A destination entry strategy is used by a controller (60) for directing movement of the elevator cars (22, 24). The inventive combination of multiple cars in a hoistway, parking positions outside of the normal passenger service level range and destination entry car movement control allows for reducing car travel speed, reducing car size or both while still meeting desired handling capacity needs or even exceeding the desired handling capacity associated with another elevator system that requires larger cars, higher speeds and more building space.

Abstract: Provided is an elevator control apparatus in a building in which a plurality of elevators are installed, the apparatus including: a congestion information detecting means (1B1) for detecting a landing area congestion state at each story floor and in each operating direction of all the elevators and generating congestion degree information about the entire building based on the landing area congestion state; a service state detecting means (1B2) for measuring waiting time for landing area call registrations at all the elevators, calculating an average value of the waiting time, and generating service state information about the entire building based on the average value; and a guidance display means (1B3) for displaying the congestion degree information and the service state information.

Abstract: A method for allocating destination calls in an elevator system, the system including at least one multi-deck elevator, where the passenger gives his/her destination floor by means of a destination call device at the beginning of the journey route, thereby defining the starting point and final point of the passenger's journey route in the elevator system. The method includes the steps of generating possible route alternatives from the starting point to the final point of the journey route, determining a cost function containing at least one travel time term, determining the value of the travel time term corresponding to each route alternative in the cost function, calculating the total cost of each route alternative by using the cost function, allocating for the passenger the route alternative that gives the minimum total cost, and guiding the passenger to a waiting lobby and/or elevator consistent with the route alternative allocated.

Abstract: An elevator traffic flow control strategy utilizes the advantages of sector assignment channeling and destination entry systems. A controller (30) monitors a handling capacity (62) of the system to determine when it is advisable to override the sector assignments (52) to provide improved passenger service.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a plurality of cars (22-30) that are capable of serving a plurality of floors (2-17). A controller (42) groups the floors into a plurality of sectors (S1-S4). The controller (42) assigns a particular car to a particular sector. The sectors include at least one sector that has at least one floor that is not contiguous with the other floors in that sector.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus for a one-shaft multi-car system elevator in which a plurality of cars operate in one shaft, the control device being capable of efficient group control while avoiding collisions and minimizing the occurrence of confinement of passengers. The control apparatus includes approaching direction traveling prohibiting means 1D for prohibiting the cars from traveling in a direction in which the cars approach each other in the same shaft, and door open standing-by means 1E for causing the car to stand by with its doors open if the car is prohibited by the approaching direction traveling prohibiting means from traveling and if any passenger is present in the car.

Abstract: An elevator installation for conveying persons/goods, a method for operating the elevator installation and to a method for modernizing an elevator installation. The elevator installation includes at least two cages arranged one above the other in a vertical travel direction, and a drive per cage for moving the cages. The cage and the drive are connected by way of a conveying member. A counterweight for weight compensation of each cage. At least one cage guide rail is provided for guiding the cages, and at least a pair of counterweight guide rails are provided for guiding the counterweights. The drives are arranged near different first walls in the shaft.

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: 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: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for transporting people in a building by means of a lift installation (10) comprising at least one lift cage (11). Said lift cage (11) is entered by people on at least one first access floor (S1, S2). In order to increase the transport efficiency, at least one target floor (S3, S4, 55, S6, S7) is associated with the access floor (S1, S2) in a fixed manner, in such a way that the lift cage (11) travels from the first access floor (S1, S2) to the target floor (S4, S5, 56, S7) associated therewith.

Abstract: An elevator group control apparatus collectively controls an elevator system where at least two cars can travel in each shaft independently of each other. The apparatus has a destination floor registration device installed at each hall for passengers to register destination floors and to indicate to passengers which cars will serve respectively for the registered destination floors. Priority zones and a shared zone for upper cars and for lower cars are set; a judgment is made as to whether the shared zone set can be entered by an upper or lower car; a car is put on standby based on the judgment a car is sent to a withdrawal floors, as necessary, after a service is completed. A car is selected as a candidate for assignment to a destination call if, according to the destination to be served by each car and the zones set for each car, so that the car would cause neither collision nor safety stop; and a car is assigned based on the selection.

Abstract: An elevator group supervisory control apparatus is obtained which can achieve efficient group supervisory control while preventing or reducing the possibility of collision and the safe stopping of an upper car and a lower car in one and the same shaft as much as possible.

Abstract: An elevator installation for zonal operation in a building, a method for zonal operation of such an elevator installation and method for modernization of an existing elevator installation, in which the building is divided into several zones. The elevator installation includes several elevators for the transport of persons/goods in cages. A zone is associated each elevator. At least one changeover storey for the changing over of persons/goods between cages of different zones is arranged between the zones. At least one elevator has at least two cages which are arranged one above the other and which are movable independently of one another at a pair of guide rails.

Abstract: A method of modernizing an elevator installation that comprises a first elevator car movable in a shaft by a first drive includes installing at least one second drive without changing the first drive. In addition, at least one second elevator car is installed in the shaft and connected with the second drive. Moreover, a control unit is installed or configured in such a manner that it controls the first drive and the second drive.

Abstract: A passenger flow arrangement for use in moving passengers between two floors in elevator-like cabs allow the passenger to continue to face in a forward direction and exit the vehicle after having entered in the forward direction. In one aspect of this invention, a cab door on one side of the cab opens at a first of the floors, and a door on an opposed side of the cab opens at a second of the floors. In other arrangements, there are cab doors at each side of the cab, and one of the cab doors opens as an entrance door while the other opens as an exit door. Appropriate signals such as signs or door opening timing prompt the passengers to face and move in the appropriate directions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling the elevators of an elevator group in a building divided into zones comprising different floors in such manner that, at the passenger's departure floor, the elevators are given calls to floors beyond the zone limits of the departure zone. According to the invention, the aforesaid call is divided into two or more calls.

Abstract: An elevator system is provided with multiple sky lobbies to reduce the space required for elevator shafts and the space required for the entire elevator system, as well as the required elevator speed and motor capacity. Sky lobbies Ls1–Lsx are arranged above building lobby LG at ground level, with a prescribed number of floors between them. Shuttle elevator (1) stops only at building lobby LG and sky lobbies Ls1–Lsx, and passes through the various floors between lobbies by making them an express region. Local elevators service the floors in each bank between adjacent sky lobbies. Local elevators (2a), (2c), (2e), (2g) for the odd-numbered banks are arranged along the same elevator shaft, and local elevators (2b), (2d), (2f) for the even-numbered banks are arranged along another same elevator shaft.

Abstract: A method for controlling a zonally operated elevator installation, wherein on a changeover floor changing between zones is made possible, and wherein with a delivering elevator group and a collecting elevator group transportation to and from the changeover floor is realized, and wherein a trip destination is entered via a destination-call control by each passenger to be transported. An elevator installation for zonal operation in buildings with several elevators, wherein each elevator group contains at least one destination-call input device for registering the destination of a passenger. Each elevator is assigned to an elevator group, the building is divided into zones, and a changeover floor for changing between the elevator groups is arranged between the zones. The delivering elevator group and the collecting elevator group are combined into a multi-group which is controlled by a multi-group control.

Abstract: An elevator installation control method with zoning provides changes between zones at an interchange floor. Transportation to or from the interchange floor is by at least one feeder-elevator group and at least one connecting-elevator group. The feeder-elevator group has several feeder elevators that travel in a first zone below the interchange floor and the connecting-elevator group has several connecting elevators that travel in a second zone above it. Trip destinations are entered via destination-call input and the feeder-elevator group and the connecting-elevator group are combined into a multigroup that is controlled by a multigroup control. To optimize the elevator installation operation and utilization, the multigroup control allocates a feeder elevator depending on the number of trip destinations in the first zone to be traveled to by this feeder elevator and/or on the number of trip destinations in the second zone.

Abstract: A method controls the elevators in an elevator group when destination floor call input is used and the traffic within the elevator group is to be optimized. According to the concept of the method, based on traffic intensity, a cost function is optimized by changing the number of cost criteria from one to several and back and weighting the criteria in different ways in the aforesaid cost function.

Abstract: A method of controlling an elevator installation having a plurality of cars in a building with floors subdivided into several zones wherein travel orders are allocated to the cars. There is no allocation to an elevator car, which has just been allocated a travel order out of or into one of the zones, of any travel order out of or into another of the zones. In the case of a call after a new travel order the number of free elevator cars is compared with the number of still unallocated or still unserved zones and the allocation of the new call and is carried out in dependence on the comparison result.