Title
ELEVATOR GROUP MANAGEMENT CONTROL DEVICE
Field
[0001]
The present invention relates to an elevator group management control device.
Background
[0002]
Patent Literature 1 as described below describes an elevator group management control
device. The group management control device is configured to control elevation of a
plurality of cars. The group management control device performs, at predetermined
cycles, the assignment processing of assigning a car to a hall call.
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0003]
[PTL 1] International Publication No. WO2003/084852
Summary Technical Problem [0004]

The elevator group management control device described in Patent Literature 1 performs the assignment processing at the predetermined cycles. Thus, the assignment processing might be performed at a frequency more than necessary, in this case, an extra load is on the group management control device. [0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problem. The present invention is intended to provide an elevator group management control device configured so that an extra load caused due to assignment processing can be reduced.
Solution to Problem [0006]
An elevator group management control device of the present invention includes a hall call selector configured to perform, after each lapse of a preset first time, selection processing of selecting a new hall call to which no car is assigned or an existing hall call to which a car has been already assigned, and an assigner configured to perform assignment processing of assigning a car to the new hall call or the existing hall call selected by the selection processing. In the selection processing, the hall call selector selects one of new hall calls when the new hall calls are generated, and selects one of existing hall calls for which time equal to or longer than a preset second time has elapsed after previous assignment processing when no new hall call is generated.
Advantageous Effects of Invention [0007]

The hall call selector of the present invention selects the existing hall call for which time equal to or longer than the second time has elapsed after the previous assignment processing. Thus, according to the present invention, an extra load caused on the group management control device due to the assignment processing can be reduced.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0008]
[Fig, 1] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a configuration of an elevator system including an
elevator group management control device according to Embodiment 1 of the present
invention.
[Fig. 2] Fig. 2 is a flowchart of operation of the operation manager according to
Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
[Fig. 3] Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration of an elevator system including an
elevator group management control device according to Embodiment 2 of the present
invention.
[Fig. 4] Fig. 4 is a flowchart of operation of the operation manager according to
Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
Description of Embodiments
[0009]
The present invention will be described in detail with reference to attached drawings. In
each figure, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same or equivalent
elements. Repeated description is simplified or skipped, as necessary.
[0010]

Embodiment 1
Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a configuration of an elevator system including an elevator
group management control device according to Embodiment 1. The elevator system
includes a plurality of not-shown cars. The cars are provided respectively in different
hoistways, for example. An example of the configuration of the elevator system
according to Embodiment 1 will be described below with reference to Fig. 1.
[0011]
As illustrated in Fig. 1, the elevator system includes a call registration device 1, a group
management control device 2, and a plurality of car management control devices 3. The
call registration device 1 is provided at a hall of each floor of a building at which
elevators are installed, for example. The car management control devices 3 are
provided for controlling elevation of different cars. That is, each car management
control device 3 controls elevation of a corresponding one of the cars.
[0012]
The call registration device 1 is used by a user, for example. The call registration device
1 is configured to generate a hall call for movement from the floor at which the call
registration device 1 is provided. The group management control device 2 is configured
to assign a car to the generated hall call. A hall call to which no car is assigned is
hereinafter referred to as a "new hall call." Moreover, a hall call to which a car has been
already assigned is hereinafter referred to as an "existing hall call." Each car
management control device 3 is configured to move a car according to assignment
performed by the group management control device 2. That is, the group management
control device 2 controls movement of the cars via the car management control devices 3.
[0013]

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the group management control device 2 includes an operation
manager 4. The operation manager 4 includes a hall call selector 5 and an assigner 6.
Each car management control device 3 includes a car controller 7.
[0014]
The hall call selector 5 of the operation manager 4 is configured to perform selection
processing after each lapse of a first time. The first time is a preset fixed time. The
first time is 0.1 second, for example. The selection processing is the operation of
selecting one of all generated hall calls. That is, the selection processing is the
operation of selecting a single new hall call or a single existing hall call. A hall call
selected by the selection processing is hereinafter referred to as an "assignment target
call."
[0015]
The assigner 6 of the operation manager 4 is configured to perform assignment
processing. The assignment processing is the operation of assigning a car to an
assignment target call. That is, the assignment processing is the operation of assigning a
car to a single new hall call or a single existing hall call selected by the selection
processing. A car assigned to an assignment target call by the assignment processing is
hereinafter referred to as an "assigned car."
[0016]
Fig. 2 is a flowchart of operation of the operation manager according to Embodiment 1.
An example of operation of the operation manager 4 according to Embodiment 1 will be
described below with reference to Fig. 2.
[0017]

When the selection processing begins, the hall call selector 5 determines whether or not
new hall calls are generated (step S101). When it is, at step S101, determined that the
new hall calls are generated, an assignment target call is determined (step S104). When
the process proceeds from step S101, one of the new hall calls is determined as the
assignment target call at step S104. That iss when the new hall calls are generated, the
hall call selector 5 selects one of the new hall calls. When the plurality of new hall calls
are generated, the hall call selector 5 selects the new hall call generated at the earliest
timing, for example.
[0018]
When it is, at step S101, determined that no new hall call is generated, the hall call
selector 5 determines whether or not existing hall calls are generated (step S102). At
step S102, the hall call selector 5 searches the existing hall calls in the order from a lower
floor of the building, for example. It is, at step SI 02, determined that the existing hall
calls are generated, the process proceeds to step S103.
[0019]
At step SI03, the hall call selector 5 determines whether or not there are existing hall
calls for which time equal to or longer than a second time has elapsed after the previous
assignment processing. The second time is a preset fixed time. The second time is one
second, for example. When it is, at step SI03, determined that there is no existing hall
call for which time equal to or longer than the second time has elapsed after the previous
assignment processing, the process returns to step S102.
[0020]
When it is, at step S103, determined that there are existing hall calls for which time equal
to or longer than the second time has elapsed after the previous assignment processing,

the process proceeds to step SI04. When the process proceeds from step S103, one of
the existing hall calls for which time equal to or longer than the second time has elapsed
after the previous assignment processing is determined as an assignment target call at
step SI04. That is, when no new hall call is generated, the hall call selector 5 selects
one of the existing hall calls for which time equal to or longer than the second time has
elapsed after the previous assignment processing. In the case of the plurality of existing
hall calls, the hall call selector 5 selects the existing hall call for which the longest time
has elapsed after the previous assignment processing, for example. The hall call
selector 5 does not select an existing hall call whose elapsed time after the previous
assignment processing is shorter than the second time.
[0021]
As described above, the hall call selector 5 performs the selection processing as shown at
steps S101 to SI04. Note that when it is, at step SI02, determined that no existing hall
call is generated, the hall call selector 5 terminates operation thereof. That is, when any
of the new hall call and the existing hall call is not generated, the hall call selector 5
terminates the selection processing without selecting any hall call.
[0022]
After determination of the assignment target call, the assigner 6 performs the assignment
processing (steps 105). At step SI 05, the assigner 6 assigns a car to the assignment
target call determined at step SI04. The assigned car is determined based on an
evaluation value calculated for each car, for example.
[0023]
An existing hall call is a hall call for which the assignment processing has been
performed at least once. Thus, when an existing hall call is selected by the selection

processing, car assignment to such an existing hall call is reviewed in the assignment processing. When the car assigned by the assignment review is different from the car having already been assigned to the hall call, the assigned car for the existing hall call is changed. When the car assigned by the assignment review is the same as the car having already been assigned to the hall call, the assigned car for the existing hall call is not changed. [0024]
When the assignment processing is performed, the group management control device 2 transmits a response command signal to the car management control device 3 associated with the assigned car. The car controller 7 of the car management control device 3 having received the response command signal moves the assigned car to the floor at which the assignment target call has been generated. Moreover, when the assigned car is changed as a result of the assignment review, the group management control device 2 transmits a response cancellation signal to the car management control device 3 associated with the pre-change assigned car. The car controller 7 of the car management control device 3 having received the response cancellation signal stops the pre-change assigned car from moving to the floor at which the assignment target call has been generated. [0025]
The hall call selector 5 according to Embodiment 1 selects, in the selection processing, one of the existing hall calls for which time equal to or longer than the second time has elapsed after the previous assignment processing when no new hall call is generated. The hall call selector 5 does not select the existing hall call for which less than the second time has elapsed after the previous assignment processing. Thus, the car assignment

review at a frequency more than necessary can be reduced. As a result, according to the
present invention, an extra load on the group management control device 2 due to the
assignment processing can be reduced.
[0026]
The hall call selector 5 according to Embodiment 1 selects, in the selection processing,
the new hall call when the n&w hall calls are generated. Thus, the new hall call has
priority in the assignment processing. As a result, a load on the group management
control device 2 can be reduced, and elevator operation can be efficiently managed.
[0027]
Embodiment 2
Differences between Embodiment 1 and Embodiment 2 will be mainly described below.
The same reference numerals as those in Embodiment 1 are used to represent identical or
equivalent elements, and part of description thereof will not be repeated.
[0028]
Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a configuration of an elevator system including an elevator
group management control device according to Embodiment 2. As illustrated in Fig. 3,
an operation manager 4 includes a hall call selector 5 and an assigner 6, as well as
including an additional assigner 8.
[0029]
Fig. 4 is a flowchart of operation of the operation manager according to Embodiment 2.
An example of operation of the operation manager 4 according to Embodiment 2 will be
described below with reference to Fig. 4.
[0030]

Operation at steps S201 and S202 as shown in Fig. 4 are similar to operation at steps
S101 and SI02 as shown in Fig. 2, When it is, at step S202, determined that an existing
hall call is generated, the process proceeds to step S203.
[0031]
At step S203, the additional assigner 8 determines whether or not there is a car which is
about to pass, in the same direction as the direction indicated by the existing hall call, the
floor at which the existing hall cail is generated. Specifically, the additional assigner 8
determines whether or not there is a car expected to upwardly pass the floor at which an
existing hall call for movement toward an upper floor is generated. Moreover, the
additional assigner 8 determines whether or not there is a car expected to downwardly
pass the floor at which an existing hall call for movement toward a lower floor is
generated.
[0032]
When it is, at step S203, determined that there is no car which is about to pass the floor at
which the existing hail call is generated, the process proceeds to step S204. Operation
at step S204 is similar to operation at step SI03 as shown in Fig. 2. Operation at steps
S205 and S206 after the process has proceeded from step S201 is similar to operation at
steps S104 and S105 after the process has proceeded from step S101 as shown in Fig. 2.
Operation at steps S205 and S206 after the process has proceeded from step S204 is
similar to operation at steps S104 and S105 after the process has proceeded from step
SI03 as shown in Fig. 2.
[0033]
On the other hand, when it is, at step S203, determined that there is a car which is about
to pass the floor at which the existing hall call is generated, the process proceeds to step

5205. After the process has proceeded from step S203, the additional assigner 8
determines, at step S205, the existing hail call as an assignment target call. At step
5206, the additional assigner 8 assigns, to the existing hall call, the car which is about to
pass the floor at which the existing hall call is generated. When there are a plurality of
cars which are about to pass the floor at which the existing hall call is generated, the
additional assigner 8 selects, as an assigned car, the first car expected to pass the floor at
which the existing hall call is generated, for example.
[0034]
According to Embodiment 2, when there is a car expected to upwardly pass the floor at which an existing hall call for movement toward an upper floor is generated, the additional assigner 8 assigns such a car to the existing hall call. Moreover, when there is a car expected to downwardly pass the floor at which an existing hall call for movement toward a lower floor is generated, the additional assigner 8 assigns such a car to the existing hall call. Such assignment processing by the additional assigner 8 is performed in preference to the assignment processing for other existing hall calls. This prevents a car from passing, without stop, the floor at which a hall call is generated. As a result, a sense of discomfort provided to a passenger waiting for a car at a hall can be prevented, for example. [0035]
When an existing hall call is selected by the selection processing, the assigner 6 of the present invention reviews assignment of a car to the existing hall call. At this point, the assigner 6 may perform the assignment processing such that the processing of not changing the car assigned to the existing hall call is given preference over the processing of changing the car assigned to the existing hall call. That is, the assigner 6 may

perform the assignment processing such that the necessity of changing the car having already been assigned to the assignment target call is low. For example, under the conditions where a car with the highest evaluation value is selected as an assigned car, the assigner 6 makes correction such that an evaluation value of a car assigned to an existing hall call increases. In this case, there is a high probability that the car having already been assigned to the assignment target call remains as the assigned car even after assignment review. Thus, a frequent assigned car change can be reduced. As a result, a load on the group management control device 2 can be reduced, [0036]
The second time in the present invention may be set according to the scale of a building at which elevators are installed. The building scale is represented by the number of floors of the building or the number of floors at each of which a passenger can board and alight the elevator, for example. At a large-scale building, the load on the group management control device 2 tends to be great. For this reason, a longer second time may be set for the group management control device 2 installed at the large-scale building. In this case, the interval at which the assignment processing is performed becomes longer. As a result, the load on the group management control device 2 can be reduced. On the other hand, at a small-scale building, it is not necessary to consider the load on the group management control device 2. For this reason, a shorter second time may be set for the group management control device 2 installed at the small-scale building. In this case, the interval at which the assignment processing is performed becomes shorter. As a result, the load on the group management control device 2 can be reduced, and elevator operation can be efficiently managed. [0037}

The second time in the present invention may be set according to a time period. The case where the values settable as the second time include first, second, and third values will be described below as an example. The first, second, and third values may be set by, e.g., a manager of the elevator system, or may be calculated by the group management control device 2. The second value is smaller than the first value. The third value is smaller than the first value and greater than the second value. The second time is set at the first value in a first time period. The second time is set at the second value in a second time period. In a time period different from both of the first and second time periods, the second time is set at the third value. The first time period is a time period in which more hall calls than usual are generated, for example, hi the first time period, the load on the group management control device 2 tends to be greater. The second time period is a time period in which less hall calls than usual are generated, for example. In the second time period, it is not necessary to consider the load on the group management control device 2. The time period different from both of the first and second time periods is a time period in which hall calls are generated at a normal frequency, for example. According to the configuration of the present invention, in the time period in which the load on the group management control device 2 tends to be greater, the second time is changed to be longer than usual. Thus, the interval at which the assignment processing is performed becomes longer. As a result, the load on the group management control device 2 is reduced. On the other hand, in the time period in which it is not necessary to consider the load on the group management control device 2, the second time is changed to be shorter than usual. Thus, the interval at which the assignment processing is performed becomes shorter. This efficiently manages elevator

operation. As a result, the load on the group management control device 2 can be
reduced, and elevator operation can be efficiently managed.
[0038]
The second time in the present invention may be automatically determined by the group
management control device 2. The group management control device 2 may
automatically determine the second time based on information on the building scale, for
example. Such information may be input by, e.g., the manager of the elevator system,
or may be detected by the group management control device 2. Alternatively, the group
management control device 2 may automatically determine the second time based on a
time period of a current time, for example. That is, the group management control
device 2 may automatically change the second time at a preset time.
Industrial Applicability
[0039]
The elevator group management control device of the present invention is applicable to
an elevator system including a plurality of cars.
Reference Signs List
[0040]
1 call registration device, 2 group management control device, 3 car
management control device, 4 operation manager, 5 hall call selector, 6
assigner, 7 car controller, 8 additional assigner

[Claim 1]
An elevator group management control device comprising:
a hall call selector configured to perform, after each lapse of a preset first time, selection
processing of selecting a new hall call to which no car is assigned or an existing hall call
to which a car has been already assigned; and
an assigner configured to perform assignment processing of assigning a car to the new
hall call or the existing hall call selected by the selection processing,
wherein in the selection processing, the hall call selector
selects one of new hall calls when the new hall calls are generated, and
selects one of existing hall calls for which time equal to or longer than a preset second
time has elapsed after previous assignment processing when no new hall call is generated.
[Claim 2]
The elevator group management control device according to claim 1, wherein
when the existing hall call is selected by the selection processing, the assigner performs
the assignment processing such that necessity of changing the car assigned to the existing
hail call is low.
[Claim 3]
The elevator group management control device according to claim 1 or 2, further
comprising;
an additional assigner configured such that
when there is a car expected to upwardly pass a floor at which an existing hall call for
movement toward an upper floor is generated, the car is assigned to the existing hall call,

when there is a car expected to downwardly pass a floor at which an existing hall call for
movement toward a lower floor is generated, the car is assigned to the existing hall call.
[Claim 4]
The elevator group management control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
wherein
the second time is set according to a scale of a building at which an elevator is installed.
[Claim 5]
The elevator group management control device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
wherein
values settable as the second time include
a first value,
a second value smaller than the first value, and
a third value smaller than the first value and greater than the second value, and
the second time is set at the first value in a first time period, is set at the second value in a
second time period, and is set at the third value in a time period different from both of the
first and second time periods.