1. An elevator gate interlocking system comprising: a gate device configured to read user information from an information medium possessed by a user; a communication conversion device configured to perform predetermined determination processing on the basis of the user information; and a plurality of group management devices provided corresponding to banks, each of the banks being divided into each service area of a car, and configured to assign a unit in a corresponding bank on the basis of a determination result of the communication conversion device, wherein, when the communication conversion device has detected bank identification information for identifying the bank from the user information read by the gate device, the communication conversion device determines group management device identification information corresponding to the bank indicated by the bank identification information, and transmits destination floor information included in the user information to a group management device specified by the group management device identification information, and the corresponding group management device to which the user information has been transmitted assigns the unit on the basis of the destination floor information included in the user information.

2. The elevator gate interlocking system according to claim 1, wherein a stop floor shared with another bank is assigned to the bank indicated by the bank identification information, and the user is a user who uses the stop floor shared by a plurality of the banks as a destination floor.

3. The elevator gate interlocking system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a user information registration device configured to register the bank identification information to the user information in the information medium, wherein, when a destination floor of the user is a stop floor shared with a plurality of the banks, the user information registration device calculates users of the corresponding banks, and registers the bank identification information corresponding to the bank having a smallest number of the users to the user information in the information medium.

4. The elevator gate interlocking system according to claim 1, wherein, when the bank identification information has not been detected from the user information read by the gate device, the communication conversion device acquires determined bank identification information determined in advance on the basis of the destination floor information included in the user information, and transmits the destination floor information included in the user information to the group management device specified by the determined group management device identification information.

5. A group management control method in an elevator gate interlocking system including a gate device configured to read user information from an information medium possessed by a user, a communication conversion device configured to perform predetermined determination processing on the basis of the user information, and a plurality of group management devices provided corresponding to banks, each of the banks being divided into each service area of a car, and configured to assign a unit in a corresponding bank on the basis of a determination result of the communication conversion device, the group management control method comprising: when the communication conversion device has detected bank identification information for identifying the bank from the user information read by the gate device, determining group management device identification information corresponding to the bank indicated by the bank identification information, and transmitting destination floor information included in the user information to a group management device specified by the group management device identification information, by the communication conversion device; and assigning the unit on the basis of the destination floor information included in the user information, by the corresponding group management device to which the user information has been transmitted.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001]
The present invention relates to an elevator gate
interlocking system in which a plurality of banks is
installed and a group management control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002]
As a related art in the present technical field, JP
2013-189288 A describes a technology for improving
efficiency of movement of passengers to a landing hall of a
bank divided into each service area of a car. JP 2013-
189288 A describes that, when a user of an elevator having
a plurality of kinds of banks divided into respective
service areas of cars is authenticated by reading user
information including destination floor information, a
landing call of a read floor is performed, and a car
optimum for a bank having the read destination floor as the
service area is selected and the landing call is assigned.
Further, JP 2013-189288 A describes that a bank at a
guiding destination for the user from each gate is
determined on the basis of use demand of each unit of each
bank and a positional relationship between each bank and
each gate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004]
The technology described in JP 2013-189288 A
determines the bank to be assigned on the basis of
destination floor information. Therefore, a user of a stop
floor that expands over a plurality of banks (hereinafter
the stop floor is also referred to as “bank shared floor”)
is guided to a plurality of banks serving the bank shared
floor on the basis of the destination floor information,
and there is a possibility that the user uses a different
bank every time.
[0005]
From the above situation, a technique for improving
convenience for the user whose destination floor is the
bank shared floor has been desired.
[0006]
An elevator gate interlocking system of one aspect
of the present invention includes a gate device that reads
user information from an information medium possessed by a
user, a communication conversion device that performs
predetermined determination processing on the basis of the
user information, and a plurality of group management
devices provided corresponding to banks, each of the banks
being divided into each service area of a car, and which
assigns a unit in a corresponding bank on the basis of a
determination result of the communication conversion
device. Then, when the communication conversion device has
detected bank identification information for identifying
the bank from the user information read by the gate device,
the communication conversion device determines group
management device identification information corresponding
to the bank indicated by the bank identification
information, and transmits destination floor information
included in the user information to a group management
device specified by the group management device
identification information, and the corresponding group
management device to which the user information has been
transmitted assigns the unit on the basis of the
destination floor information included in the user
information.
[0007]
According to at least the one aspect of the present
invention, the bank identification information is
registered in advance to the information medium possessed
by the user on the basis of a destination floor, and the
user is guided to the bank indicated by the bank
identification information. Therefore, convenience for the
user whose destination floor is a bank shared floor can be
improved.
Problems, configurations, and effects other than
those described above will be clarified from description of
the following embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008]
Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a configuration
example of a landing layout to which an elevator gate
interlocking system according to an embodiment of the
present invention is applied;
Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an
example of stop floors of cars assigned to banks in the
elevator gate interlocking system according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a
configuration example of a control system of the elevator
gate interlocking system according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 4 is an example of a correspondence table
indicating a correspondence between a bank identification
ID and a group management device in the elevator gate
interlocking system according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware
configuration example of devices included in the elevator
gate interlocking system according to the embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure
example of a display processing technique in a gate device
according to the embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure
example of a communication conversion processing technique
in a communication conversion device according to the
embodiment of the present invention; and
Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure
example of a bank assignment processing technique in a user
information registration device according to the embodiment
of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009]
Hereinafter, examples of forms for implementing the
present invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings. Constituent elements having
substantially the same function or configuration in the
accompanying drawings will be denoted by the same reference
numeral and redundant description will be omitted.
Although the accompanying drawings illustrate specific
embodiments and implementations in accordance with the
principle of the present invention, these are for
understanding of the present invention and are not used for
construction of the present invention in a limited manner.
[0010]

[Landing Layout]
First, a landing layout to which an elevator gate
interlocking system according to an embodiment is applied
will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a
plan view illustrating a configuration example of a landing
layout to which an elevator gate interlocking system
according to an embodiment is applied.
[0011]
A plurality of banks A to C configured into groups
and divided into respective service areas of cars is
provided in landing halls to which the elevator gate
interlocking system according to the present embodiment is
applied. A plurality of gate devices 20 is installed on
the way to the landing halls. The gate devices 20 are
installed between an entrance of a building and the landing
halls of the banks of the elevator.
[0012]
An information medium 10 is one type of
communication equipment, and for example, a non-contact
type IC card is used. When a user applies for use of an
arbitrary floor of the elevator, destination floor
information 12 (see Fig. 3 described below) is written in a
memory of the information medium 10 by a receptionist or
the like of the building in which the elevator is
installed. The user of the elevator receives the
information medium 10 in which the destination floor
information 12 (hereinafter also simply referred to as
“destination floor information”) is written from the
receptionist.
[0013]
The user who possesses the information medium 10
performs authentication with the information medium 10 in
one of the gate devices 20, passes through the
corresponding gate device 20, and enters the elevator hall.
At this time, the user is guided to one of a bank A
including units A to D, a bank B including units E to H,
and a bank C including units I to L, from among the
plurality of banks A to C, according to display of the gate
device 20. The “unit” basically refers to a car. In the
present embodiment, the bank A is for lower floors, the
bank B is for middle floors, and the bank C is for higher
floors. The information medium 10 and the gate device 20
will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 3
described below.
[0014]
[Stop Floors of Cars Assigned to Banks]
Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an
example of stop floors of cars assigned to banks A to C in
an elevator gate interlocking system according to an
embodiment.
[0015]
In the example of Fig. 2, the floors are from a
first floor (1FL) to a thirteenth floor (13FL), and the
first floor, which is a reference floor, and a second to a
sixth floor are assigned to stop floors of the bank A. The
first floor and the sixth to a tenth floor are assigned to
the stop floors of the bank B, and the first floor and the
tenth to the thirteenth floor are assigned to the stop
floors of the bank C. Other floors are set as non-stop
floors. Here, the first floor, the sixth floor, and the
tenth floor are the stop floors of a plurality of banks
(cars), that is, bank shared floors where the user can
receive a common service in the plurality of banks.
[0016]
The user of the floor designated as such the bank
shared floor is assigned to any of the banks corresponding
to the bank shared floor, unlike a user of another floor,
the user is not necessarily always assigned to the unit of
the same bank. For example, in the case where the
destination floor of the user is the tenth floor, which is
the shared floor, the user is assigned to the unit
belonging to the bank A or the bank C. However, which one
of the bank A and the bank C is assigned to the user is
different depending on operation statuses of the units in
the banks and the like at that time.
[0017]
Therefore, in an embodiment according to the present
invention, a bank identification ID (an example of bank
identification information) for identifying a bank is
registered in advance in the information medium 10
possessed by the user of the bank shared floor, and the
bank identification ID registered in the information medium
10 is read by the gate device 20 when the user uses the
elevator. Then, a group management device (to be described
below) corresponding to the bank set corresponding to the
bank identification ID read from the information medium 10
is selected, and user information including the destination
floor information stored in the information medium 10 is
transmitted only to the corresponding group management
device.
[0018]
[Elevator Gate Interlocking System]
Hereinafter, a configuration of a control system of
the elevator gate interlocking system according to an
embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3.
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration
example of a control system of the elevator gate
interlocking system according to an embodiment.
[0019]
As illustrated in Fig. 3, the elevator gate
interlocking system according to the present embodiment
includes the plurality of gate devices 20 that the user who
possesses the information medium 10 passes through, a
communication conversion device 30 that performs
communication on the basis of data regarding the user who
passes through the gate device 20, group management devices
40A to 40C that perform unit assignment on the basis of
data from the communication conversion device 30, and units
A to L. The elevator gate interlocking system has a
multiple-bank configuration including the bank A including
a group management device 40A (group management device A)
that manages a group of the plurality of units A to D, the
bank B including a group management device 40B (group
management device B) that manages a group of the plurality
of units E to H, and the bank C including a group
management device 40C (group management device C) that
manages a group of the plurality of units I to L.
[0020]
(Gate Device)
The gate device 20 reads the user information from
the information medium 10 possessed by the user and
authenticates the user, and transmits the user information
to the communication conversion device 30 in order to
perform landing call to a floor where the gate device 20 is
installed. In the memory mounted on the IC card of the
information medium 10, at least a bank identification ID 11
(hereinafter also simply referred to as “bank
identification ID”) and the destination floor information
12 are stored as the user information. The gate device 20
includes a first communication control unit 21, a security
processing unit 22, a display unit 23, and a second
communication control unit 24.
[0021]
The first communication control unit 21 is a
wireless communication interface that performs wireless
communication with the information medium 10 by using a
near field wireless communication technology such as near
field communication (NFC). For example, the first
communication control unit 21 performs communication with
the information medium 10 held over a reading surface (not
illustrated) of the gate device 20 by magnetic coupling or
the like. Communication data (including the user
information) received by the first communication control
unit 21 from the information medium 10 is supplied to the
security processing unit 22.
[0022]
The security processing unit 22 performs
authentication of the user on the basis of the user
information stored in the information medium 10 supplied
from the first communication control unit 21, and performs
control to open a door when the authentication is
completed. As described above, the read user information
includes the destination floor information 12 designated by
the user, the bank identification ID 11 set on the basis of
the destination floor information, and the like. The first
communication control unit 21 and the security processing
unit 22 constitute a card reader that reads information
stored in an IC card or the like.
[0023]
The display unit 23 displays results of various
types of processing performed on the basis of the bank
identification ID read by the security processing unit 22
from the information medium 10. For example, when the
elevator is normal, the display unit 23 performs display
processing of assigned unit data output from the group
management devices 40A to 40C via the second communication
control unit 24. Further, when the elevator is abnormal,
the display unit 23 performs display processing for
providing notification of the abnormality determined by the
communication conversion device 30 via the second
communication control unit 24.
[0024]
The second communication control unit 24 is a
communication interface that performs data communication
with the communication conversion device 30 by wired or
wireless means. For example, the first communication
control unit 21 performs communication with the information
medium 10 held over a reading unit (not illustrated) by
magnetic coupling or the like. The second communication
control unit 24 adds address information of its own device
to the user information and transmits the user information
when transmitting transmitter information to the
communication conversion device 30. As a result, the
target group management device uses the address information
after the authentication, and transmits the assigned unit
data to the gate device 20 of its own group management
device. As the address information, for example, a media
access control (MAC) address, an IP address, or the like
can be used.
[0025]
(Communication Conversion Device)
The communication conversion device 30 performs
predetermined determination processing on the basis of the
user information. The communication conversion device 30
includes a first communication control unit 31, a bank
determination unit 32, a communication data conversion unit
33, and a second communication control unit 34.
[0026]
The first communication control unit 31 performs
data communication with each of the gate devices 20 by
wired or wireless means. For example, the first
communication control unit 31 receives the user information
of the information medium 10 read by the gate device 20,
and supplies the user information to the bank determination
unit 32. Further, the first communication control unit 31
transmits the assigned unit data to the corresponding gate
device 20 on the basis of the address information assigned
to the assigned unit data transmitted from the target group
management device.
[0027]
The bank determination unit 32 acquires the bank
identification ID read from the information medium 10
possessed by the individual user via the first
communication control unit 31, and performs specific
processing on the basis of the bank identification ID.
That is, when the bank determination unit 32 has detected
the bank identification ID from the user information, the
bank determination unit 32 determines a group management
device identification ID corresponding to the bank
indicated by the bank identification ID by reference to a
table T1 illustrated in Fig. 4 described below. The bank
determination unit 32 then performs control to transmit
data of the user information including at least the
destination floor information to the group management
device identified by the corresponding group management
device identification ID.
[0028]
The communication data conversion unit 33 performs
processing of converting the data supplied from the bank
determination unit 32 into a data format for performing
data communication with the group management devices 40A to
40C.
[0029]
The second communication control unit 34 performs
data communication with each of the group management
devices 40A to 40C by wired or wireless means. The second
communication control unit 34 selects the group management
device corresponding to the bank identification ID
determined by the bank determination unit 32 and performs
communication.
[0030]
(Group Management Device)
The group management devices 40A to 40C are provided
corresponding to the banks A to C divided into respective
service areas of cars, and each of the group management
devices 40A to 40C selects the unit in the corresponding
bank and assigns the unit to the landing call on the basis
of a determination result of the communication conversion
device 30. Since the group management devices 40A to 40C
have the same configuration, the group management device
40A will be described here. The group management device
40A includes a communication control unit 41A and a unit
assignment unit 42A.
[0031]
The communication control unit 41A performs
communication with the second communication control unit 34
of the communication conversion device 30, and performs
communication with each of the units (cars) in the
corresponding bank. For example, the communication control
unit 41A obtains latest information about each of the cars
of the units, such as a current position of the car of each
unit, a state of the car such as during extension of door
opening, and a remaining capacity of a battery included in
the car.
[0032]
The unit assignment unit 42A assigns any one of the
units A to D in the corresponding bank A, using the data of
the user information (destination floor information)
received from the communication conversion device 30. The
communication control unit 41A performs communication with
the unit assigned by the unit assignment unit 42A, and
calls and moves the car of the corresponding unit to the
floor. Then, the data of the unit assigned by the unit
assignment unit 42A (assigned unit data) is transmitted to
the communication conversion device 30 with the address
information of the gate device 20 that has transmitted the
user information by the communication control unit 41A.
[0033]
Further, the group management device 40B includes a
communication control unit 41B and a unit assignment unit
42B, and respective functions thereof are the same as those
of the communication control unit 41A and the unit
assignment unit 42A of the group management device 40A.
Further, the group management device 40C includes a
communication control unit 41C and a unit assignment unit
42C, and respective functions thereof are the same as those
of the communication control unit 41A and the unit
assignment unit 42A of the group management device 40A.
[0034]
Next, an example of a correspondence relationship
between the bank identification ID and the group management
device in the elevator gate interlocking system according
to an embodiment will be described with reference to Fig.
4. Fig. 4 is an example of a correspondence table
indicating a correspondence between the bank identification
ID and the group management device identification ID in the
elevator gate interlocking system according to an
embodiment.
[0035]
In the table T1 illustrated in Fig. 4, a bank
identification ID “AAA” representing the bank A is
associated with a group management device identification ID
“A”. The group management device identification ID “A”
indicates the group management device 40A (see Fig. 3) set
corresponding to the bank A. Furthermore, a bank
identification ID “BBB” representing the bank B is
associated with a group management device identification ID
“B”. The group management device identification ID “B”
indicates the group management device 40B (see Fig. 3) set
corresponding to the bank B. Furthermore, a bank
identification ID “CCC” representing the bank C is
associated with a group management device identification ID
“C”. The group management device identification ID “C”
indicates the group management device 40C (see Fig. 3) set
corresponding to the bank C. The identification IDs are
represented by alphabets, but other codes such as numbers
may be used.
[0036]
The bank determination unit 32 of the communication
conversion device 30 can specify the group management
device corresponding to the bank identification ID read
from the information medium 10 by reference to the table
T1.
[0037]
(User Information Registration Device)
Further, a user information registration device 50
illustrated in Fig. 3 performs proximity wireless
communication with the information medium 10, and registers
the destination floor information and the bank
identification ID to the user information of the
information medium 10. The user information registration
device 50 includes a communication control unit 51, a bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52, and a
display unit 53.
[0038]
The communication control unit 51 is a wireless
communication interface that performs wireless
communication with the information medium 10 by using a
near field wireless communication technology such as NFC.
The data received from the information medium 10 by the
communication control unit 51 is supplied to the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52.
[0039]
In the case where the destination floor of the user
is the stop floor common to a plurality of banks, the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52 calculates
the users of the corresponding banks, and registers the
bank identification ID corresponding to the bank having the
smallest number of users to the user information of the
information medium 10. This registration processing of the
bank identification ID will be described in detail with
reference to Fig. 8 described below.
[0040]
The display unit 53 displays an input setting screen
for inputting various types of information, a result of
assignment of the bank identification ID by the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52, and the
like.
[0041]
[Hardware Configurations of Devices]
Next, hardware configurations of devices for
realizing functions of a control system of the elevator
gate interlocking system illustrated in Fig. 3 will be
described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a block
diagram illustrating a hardware configuration example of
devices included in the elevator gate interlocking system.
[0042]
Here, a hardware configuration example of a computer
60 provided in the gate device 20, the communication
conversion device 30, the group management devices 40A to
40C, and the user information registration device 50 will
be described. Note that each part of the computer 60 is
selected according to the function and the purpose of use
of each device.
[0043]
The computer 60 includes a central processing unit
(CPU) 61, a read only memory (ROM) 62, and a random access
memory (RAM) 63 connected to a bus 64. The computer 60
further includes a display unit 65, an operation unit 66, a
non-volatile storage 67, a first communication interface
68, and a second communication interface 69.
[0044]
The CPU 61 is an example of a control unit, and
reads and executes program codes of software that realizes
the functions according to the present embodiment from the
ROM 62. Note that the computer 60 may be provided with a
processing device such as a micro-processing unit (MPU) in
place of the CPU 61. In the RAM 63, variables, parameters,
and the like generated in the middle of arithmetic
processing of the CPU 61 and the like are temporarily
written.
[0045]
The display unit 65 is, for example, a liquid
crystal display monitor, and displays a result of the
processing performed by the computer 60, and the like. As
the operation unit 66, a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch
panel is used, for example, and the user can perform
predetermined operation inputs and instructions.
[0046]
For example, in the gate device 20, the operation
unit 66 may be deleted. Further, the communication
conversion device 30 and the group management device 40 can
delete the display unit 65 and the operation unit 66.
Further, a desired destination floor of the user can be
input to the information medium 10 by operating the
operation unit 66 when the user information registration
device 50 and the information medium 10 are in a
communicative state.
[0047]
As the non-volatile storage 67, a hard disk drive
(HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a flexible disk, an
optical disk, a magneto optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a
magnetic tape, or a non-volatile memory card is used, for
example. In the non-volatile storage 67, a program for
causing the computer 60 to function may be recorded in
addition to an operating system (OS) and various
parameters. For example, information of the stop floor
assigned to each bank (see Fig. 2), the table T1 (see Fig.
4), and the like may be stored in the non-volatile storage
67 of the communication conversion device 30.
[0048]
As the first communication interface 68 and the
second communication interface 69, a network interface card
(NIC) or the like is used, and various data can be
transmitted and received among the devices via a network
such as a wired or wireless LAN. The first communication
interface 68 may perform communication using a near field
wireless communication technology such as NFC.
[0049]
For example, the first communication control unit 21
and the second communication control unit 24 of the gate
device 20 (see Fig. 3) correspond to the first
communication interface 68 and the second communication
interface 69. Further, the first communication control
unit 31 and the second communication control unit 34 of the
communication conversion device 30 correspond to the first
communication interface 68 and the second communication
interface 69. Further, the communication control units 41A
to 41C of the group management devices 40A to 40C
correspond to the first communication interface 68.
[0050]
Further, the communication control unit 51 of the
user information registration device 50 corresponds to the
first communication interface 68. The first communication
control unit 21 of the gate device 20 and the communication
control unit 51 of the user information registration device
50 perform communication by near field wireless
communication. The communication control unit 51
configures a card reader/writer that reads information
stored in an IC card or the like and writes information to
the IC card or the like.
[0051]
[Display Processing of Gate Device]
Next, a procedure of a display processing technique
in the gate device 20 will be described with reference to
Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure
example of a display processing technique in the gate
device 20. When the CPU 61 reads and executes the program
stored in the ROM 62 or the non-volatile storage 67, the
processing illustrated in Fig. 6 is realized.
[0052]
Since the door of the gate device 20 is normally
closed, the user holds the information medium 10 possessed
by the user over the reading surface (the first
communication control unit 21 in Fig. 3) of the gate device
20 in order to pass through the gate device 20. Then, the
security processing unit 22 of the gate device 20 reads the
user information stored in the memory of the information
medium 10, and transmits the read user information to the
communication conversion device 30 via the second
communication control unit 24. Then, the communication
conversion device 30 executes communication conversion
processing of performing unit assignment on the basis of
the user information (step S1). Details of the
communication conversion processing will be described with
reference to Fig. 7 described below.
[0053]
After that, the security processing unit 22 is in a
state of waiting for the assigned unit data, which is to be
sent from the communication conversion device 30, and
periodically determines whether having received the
assigned unit data (step S2). When the security processing
unit 22 does not receive the assigned unit data (NO in step
S2), the security processing unit 22 returns to the
processing in step S2 for performing the communication
conversion processing.
[0054]
When the security processing unit 22 has received
the assigned unit data in step S2 (YES in step S2), the
security processing unit 22 displays the assigned unit on
the display unit 23 (step S3). The user confirms the
assigned unit displayed on the display unit 23 of the gate
device 20, and heads down to the landing hall of the
corresponding unit and waits for arrival of the car.
[0055]
As described above, in the case where the
destination floor of the user does not correspond to the
bank shared floor, the user information is transmitted to
the group management device of the corresponding bank on
the basis of the destination floor information. However,
in the case where the destination floor of the user
corresponds to the bank shared floor, if the unit
assignment processing is performed on the basis of only the
destination floor information, there is a possibility that
the user is guided to a different bank every time. As
described above, in the case of the user of the tenth bank
shared floor (see Fig. 2), for example, the unit belonging
to the bank B or the bank C is assigned. Therefore, in the
present embodiment, the communication conversion device 30
performs processing as illustrated in next Fig. 7.
[0056]
[Communication Conversion Processing by Communication
Conversion Device]
Fig. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure
example of a communication conversion processing technique
in the communication conversion device 30.
[0057]
In Fig. 7, when the bank determination unit 32 of
the communication conversion device 30 receives the user
information of the information medium 10 from the gate
device 20, the bank determination unit 32 determines
whether the bank identification ID is included in the user
information (step S11). When the bank identification ID is
included in the user information, the bank determination
unit 32 determines whether the bank identification ID is
normal (step S12), and then determines whether the group
management device of the bank corresponding to the bank
identification ID is normal (step S13). Since usually the
bank identification ID and the group management device are
normal (YES in step S12 and YES in step S13), the bank
determination unit 32 transmits the user information
including at least the bank identification ID and the
destination floor information to the group management
device of the corresponding bank, for example, the group
management device 40B (step S14).
[0058]
On the other hand, when the bank identification ID
is abnormal in step S12 (NO in step S12), or when the group
management device of the target bank is abnormal in step
S13 (NO in step S13), the bank determination unit 32
transmits data (abnormality guidance) indicating occurrence
of each exceptional abnormality to the gate device 20, and
displays the abnormality guidance on the display unit 23 of
the gate device 20 (step S17). When the bank determination
unit 32 has executed the processing in step S17, the bank
determination unit 32 terminates the processing of the
present flowchart.
[0059]
For example, in the case where the three banks A to
C exist in the elevator, if a bank identification ID “DDD”
indicating a bank D is included in the user information,
the bank identification ID is determined to be abnormal.
The group management device being abnormal means a case
where a response signal from the group management device
shows an abnormal value beyond a normal range or a case
where the response signal is not returned in the first
place.
[0060]
After the processing of step S14, the bank
determination unit 32 determines whether waiting for
reception of the assigned unit data from the assigned group
management device (for example, the group management device
40B) (step S15), and continues the determination processing
of step S15 when still waiting for the reception of the
assigned unit data (YES in step S15).
[0061]
Next, when the bank determination unit 32 does not
wait for the reception of the assigned unit data in step
S14, that is, when the bank determination unit 32 has
received the assigned unit data (NO in step S15), the bank
determination unit 32 transmits the assigned unit data to
the gate device 20, and displays the assigned unit on the
display unit 23 of the gate device 20 (step S16). After
completion of the processing of step S16, the bank
determination unit 32 terminates the processing of the
present flowchart.
[0062]
Note that, in step S11, when the bank identification
ID is not included in the user information (NO in step
S11), the bank determination unit 32 acquires a bank
identification ID (determined bank identification ID)
determined in advance for each destination floor
information stored in advance in the non-volatile storage
67 (step S18). After the processing of step S18, the bank
determination unit 32 proceeds to the processing of step
S13. In this case, the bank identification ID is
determined in advance for each destination floor
information and a table (illustration is omitted) in which
the determined information is registered is created
separately from the table T1 in Fig. 2, and the created
table is stored in the non-volatile storage 67, in case
that the bank identification ID is not included in the user
information of the information medium 10.
[0063]
After that, in the assigned group management device,
for example, in the group management device 40B, the unit
assignment unit 42B assigns an appropriate unit on the
basis of the destination floor information included in the
received user information as in the normal case, and
notification of the assigned unit data is provided to the
display unit 23 of the gate device 20 through the
communication conversion device 30.
[0064]
Therefore, the user of the bank shared floor uses
the unit of the same bank as usual except for exceptions
(at the time of detection of abnormality in steps S12 and
S13) on the basis of the bank identification ID stored in
the information medium 10 possessed by the user.
Therefore, by assigning the unit such that the user only
uses a specific hall (landing hall), convenience for the
user can be improved. That is, the user of the bank shared
floor can be prevented from being assigned to the unit of a
different bank every time as in the conventional case.
[0065]
Meanwhile, even when the bank identification ID is
not included in the user information, the user information
is transmitted to the group management device of the bank
determined in advance corresponding to the destination
floor information, for example, the group management device
40B. Then, similar processing is performed in the group
management device 40B. Therefore, even when the bank
identification ID is not included in the user information,
the same bank and hall (landing hall) are used every time.
In this way, even for the user of the bank shared floor or
users of the other floors, or when the bank identification
ID is not included in the user information, the user can
use the familiar bank and hall.
[0066]
[Bank Assignment Processing in User Information
Registration Device]
Next, a procedure example of bank assignment
processing technique in the user information registration
device 50 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Fig.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure example of a bank
assignment processing technique in the user information
registration device 50. By performing the present
flowchart, the bank identification ID determined according
to the destination floor is registered to the information
medium 10 irrespective of whether the destination floor of
the user is the bank shared floor. Note that Figs. 1 to 3
illustrate an example of a bank configuration of the three
banks A to C, and Fig. 8 assumes an example of a bank
configuration of four banks A to D.
[0067]
In Fig. 8, first, when the information medium 10 is
held over the reading surface of the gate device 20
(corresponding to the communication control unit 51 in Fig.
3), the communication control unit 51 reads the user
information from the memory of the information medium 10,
and sends the data of the read user information to the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52. When the
bank identification ID assignment processing unit 52 has
detected that the information medium 10 is held over the
reading surface, the bank identification ID assignment
processing unit 52 determines whether the elevator includes
a plurality of banks (step S21), and terminates the
processing of the present flowchart when the elevator does
not include a plurality of banks (NO in step S21). When
the elevator does not include a plurality of banks, there
is no need to assign a bank, and an appropriate unit can be
assigned with the destination floor information.
[0068]
Next, when the elevator includes a plurality of
banks (YES in step S21), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 determines whether there is
use of the bank shared floor on the basis of the read user
information (step S22). When there is use of the bank
shared floor (YES in step S22), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 calculates the number of
users of the corresponding bank (step S23). The number of
users is an example of an index representing the demand for
use of each bank. For example, when the destination floor
is the tenth floor, the number of users is calculated for
the bank B and the bank C. The user information
registration device 50 has accumulated information of the
number of users assigned to each of the banks (the banks
and the numbers of users), and can calculate the users of
each bank on the basis of the information of the banks and
the numbers of users.
[0069]
Next, the bank identification ID assignment
processing unit 52 calculates the bank having the smallest
number of users among the plurality of banks for which the
numbers of users have been calculated (step S24). Then,
the bank identification ID assignment processing unit 52
registers the bank identification ID, which indicates the
bank with the smallest number of users, to the information
medium 10 as the user information, by the communication
control unit 51 (step S25). The communication control unit
51 not only reads information from the information medium
10 but also can write information to the memory of the
information medium 10. After completion of the processing
of step S25, the processing of the present flowchart is
terminated.
[0070]
On the other hand, when there is no use of the bank
shared floor in step S22 (NO in step S22), the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52 determines
whether the destination floor of the user information uses
the stop floor of the bank A (step S26). Then, when the
destination floor is the stop floor of the bank A (YES in
step S26), the bank identification ID assignment processing
unit 52 registers the bank identification ID that indicates
the bank A to the information medium 10 as the user
information, by the communication control unit 51 (step
S27).
[0071]
Next, when the destination floor is not the stop
floor of the bank A (NO in step S26), the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52 determines
whether the destination floor is the stop floor of the bank
B (step S28). When the destination floor is the stop floor
of the bank B (YES in step S28), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 registers the bank
identification ID that indicates the bank B to the
information medium 10 as the user information (step S29).
[0072]
Next, when the destination floor is not the stop
floor of the bank B (NO in step S28), the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52 determines
whether the destination floor is the stop floor of the bank
C (step S30). When the destination floor is the stop floor
of the bank C (YES in step S30), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 registers the bank
identification ID that indicates the bank C to the
information medium 10 as the user information (step S31).
[0073]
Next, when the destination floor is not the stop
floor of the bank C (NO in step S30), the bank
identification ID assignment processing unit 52 determines
whether the destination floor is the stop floor of the bank
D (step S32). When the destination floor is the stop floor
of the bank D (YES in step S32), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 registers the bank
identification ID that indicates the bank D to the
information medium 10 as the user information (step S33).
[0074]
Next, when the destination floor is not the stop
floor of the bank D (NO in S32), the bank identification ID
assignment processing unit 52 displays a screen indicating
that the use floor included in the user information is
abnormal on the display unit 53 of the user information
registration device 50 (step S34). When any one of
processing in steps S27, S29, S31, S33, and S34 is
completed, the processing of the present flowchart is
terminated.
[0075]
By performing the above bank identification ID
registration processing in the user information
registration device 50, the bank identification ID
according to the destination floor is registered to the
information medium 10 irrespective of whether the
destination floor of the user is the bank shared floor.
[0076]
The elevator to be controlled in the above-described
embodiment is an elevator including the plurality of banks
A to C provided with the group management devices 40A to
40C that manage the plurality of units as a group, and
performs a service, having the bank shared floors between
two of the banks A to C. In the present embodiment, the
communication conversion device 30 performs control to
cause the group management devices 40A to 40C of the
corresponding banks A to C to assign the unit on the basis
of the bank identification ID of the user information read
from the information medium 10 possessed by the user by the
gate device 20 (security processing unit 22). That is, the
bank identification ID is registered in advance to the
information medium 10 of the user as the user information,
and the bank determination unit 32 of the communication
conversion device 30 transmits the user information for
assignment of the unit to the group management devices of
one of the banks A to C corresponding to the bank
identification ID.
[0077]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the user is
guided to the landing hall of one of the banks A to C
indicated by the bank identification ID registered in the
information medium 10. According to such a configuration,
the user of the bank shared floor avoids assignment to the
unit of a different bank configuration every time, and is
assigned the unit of the same bank as usual except for
exceptions (at the time of abnormality) on the basis of the
bank identification ID of the information medium 10
possessed by the user. As a result, the user will use the
unit of the same bank as usual, and the convenience of the
user is improved by use of only a specific hall.
[0078]
Note that the present invention is not limited to
the above-described embodiments and various other
applications and modifications can be adopted as long as
the applications and modifications do not deviate from the
gist of the present invention described in the claims.
[0079]
For example, in the above embodiments, the
configurations of the devices and the system have been
specifically described in detail for description of the
present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and the
present invention is not necessarily limited to one
including all the described configurations. Further, a
part of a configuration of a certain embodiment can be
replaced with a configuration of another embodiment.
Further, a configuration of another embodiment can be added
to a configuration of a certain configuration example.
Further, another configuration can be added to/deleted
from/replaced with a part of a configuration of each of the
embodiment examples.
[0080]
Further, a part or all of the above-described
configurations, functions, processing units, and processing
means may be realized by hardware by being designed with an
integrated circuit or the like.
[0081]
Further, control lines and information lines
necessary for description are illustrated, and all the
control lines and the information lines necessary for a
product are not necessarily illustrated. In fact, almost
all the configurations are connected with one another.

We claim:
1. An elevator gate interlocking system comprising:
a gate device configured to read user information from an
information medium possessed by a user; a communication
conversion device configured to perform predetermined
determination processing on the basis of the user
information; and a plurality of group management devices
provided corresponding to banks, each of the banks being
divided into each service area of a car, and configured to
assign a unit in a corresponding bank on the basis of a
determination result of the communication conversion
device, wherein,
when the communication conversion device has
detected bank identification information for identifying
the bank from the user information read by the gate device,
the communication conversion device determines group
management device identification information corresponding
to the bank indicated by the bank identification
information, and transmits destination floor information
included in the user information to a group management
device specified by the group management device
identification information, and
the corresponding group management device to which
the user information has been transmitted assigns the unit
on the basis of the destination floor information included
in the user information.
2. The elevator gate interlocking system according
to claim 1, wherein
a stop floor shared with another bank is assigned to
the bank indicated by the bank identification information,
and the user is a user who uses the stop floor shared by a
plurality of the banks as a destination floor.
3. The elevator gate interlocking system according
to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:
a user information registration device configured to
register the bank identification information to the user
information in the information medium, wherein,
when a destination floor of the user is a stop floor
shared with a plurality of the banks, the user information
registration device calculates users of the corresponding
banks, and registers the bank identification information
corresponding to the bank having a smallest number of the
users to the user information in the information medium.
4. The elevator gate interlocking system according
to claim 1, wherein, when the bank identification
information has not been detected from the user information
read by the gate device, the communication conversion
device acquires determined bank identification information
determined in advance on the basis of the destination floor
information included in the user information, and transmits
the destination floor information included in the user
information to the group management device specified by the
determined group management device identification
information.
5. A group management control method in an elevator
gate interlocking system including a gate device configured
to read user information from an information medium
possessed by a user, a communication conversion device
configured to perform predetermined determination
processing on the basis of the user information, and a
plurality of group management devices provided
corresponding to banks, each of the banks being divided
into each service area of a car, and configured to assign a
unit in a corresponding bank on the basis of a
determination result of the communication conversion
device,
the group management control method comprising:
when the communication conversion device has
detected bank identification information for identifying
the bank from the user information read by the gate device,
determining group management device identification
information corresponding to the bank indicated by the bank
identification information, and transmitting destination
floor information included in the user information to a
group management device specified by the group management
device identification information, by the communication
conversion device; and
assigning the unit on the basis of the destination
floor information included in the user information, by the
corresponding group management device to which the user
information has been transmitted.