1. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, characterized in that the system determines power suppressing values of the respective elevators from a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value of the respective elevators below a threshold value, and causes the respective elevators to perform an operation based on the power suppressing values.

2. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, characterized in that the system comprising: a power profile calculating means that determines time courses of consumed power values of the respective elevators as power profiles from any of at least direction of car, hall call, call from car, number of passengers and traffic information in a building, and a power suppressing value calculating means that calculates a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value below a threshold value from a total power profile obtained by totaling the power profiles of the respective elevators, and further calculates power suppressing values of the respective elevators from the total power suppressing value, and the respective elevators are caused to perform an energy-saving operation based on the power suppressing values.

3. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing values are set in such a manner that the better the service indexes of the respective elevators are, the larger the power suppressing values are set.

4. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing values are set in such a manner that the smaller the estimated waiting time of the respective elevators is, the larger the power suppressing values are set.

5. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing value is calculated based on any of at least estimated waiting time of the respective elevators, number of passengers of the respective elevators and estimated riding time of the respective elevators.

6. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the threshold value is determined based on a power capacity of a power receiving installation for the elevators.

7. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the threshold value is determined based on a power capacity determined by a building gross power administration means that administers a gross power value of the building.

8. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy-saving operation is performed by adjusting the top velocity, acceleration and stopping time of the respective elevators.

9. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the consumed power values of the respective elevators are calculated from position of car at starting time point, velocity, direction, velocity of elevator for subsequently arriving the stopping position, acceleration, car weight, weight of counter weight, gross weight of passengers of respective elevators.

10. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an elevator in standby state is detected to which regenerating operation is commanded.

11. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings and example.

SPECIFICATION TITLE OF THE INVENTION
ENERGY-SAVING ELEVATOR OPERATION SYSTEM
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an elevator control system that performs a supervisory control for a plurality of elevators, and in particular, relates to an operation that controls consumed electric power of the plurality of elevators.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
In conventional elevator control systems, in order to improve operation efficiency in view of user friendliness, energy saving and space saving, a control has been performed that suppresses waiting time and moving time in minimum and smoothes operation in maximum. Further, since an elevator is a typical peak power type load, it is required even for the energy saving to grasp peak power and to cut the peak power.
Further, in order to suppress an entire peak consumed power of a plurality of elevator cars, when an entire peak consumed power is below a predetermined value, it is known to select a predetermined schedule as for operating a group of elevators as for example

disclosed in JP-A-2008-308332 .
In addition, JP-A-2009-96582 discloses that in order to operate elevators so that the amount of demand as a whole office building never exceeds the contract demand power, when demand alarm is generated that is designed generated when an estimated value of the demand amount exceeds the contract demand power, the top velocity or the acceleration of the elevators is controlled to assume a predetermined value.
Further, JP-A-4-217570 discloses that in order to operate by effectively making use of allowable power amount for elevators in a whole building, an allowable power amount consumable by respective elevators are detected, and number of startable elevator cars is determined based on the allowable power amount and allotted number of cars that are permitted starting is set according to the number of startable cars.
Still further, JP-A-2007-55700 discloses that in order to surely achieve an energy saving target while suppressing reduction of convenience of elevators in minimum, limitation of number of operations through limiting starting for every day of the week and every time zone is performed that is determined by estimation from a learning result of generation probability of hall calls and number of operations and by consideration of

a target value of consumed power and an energy saving control level.
Since what is disclosed in JP-A-2008-308332 in the above conventional art is only selecting a predetermined schedule, the entire peak consumed power of the plurality of elevators cannot be suppressed effectively, and since the schedule is determined by the entire peak consumed power, the service quality (for example, waiting time) to users at respective time points is greatly affected and is feared reduced.
Further, since what is disclosed in JP-A-2009-96582 only considers the demand amount as a whole, like JP-A-2008-308332, the service for users of every individual elevator reduces. In particular, such as when the top velocity of all elevators is indiscriminately reduced and when the top velocity is reduced according to an average waiting time of all elevator cars, the operation service for the elevator users at that time period is greatly reduced. Further, since the top velocity or the acceleration of elevators is limited, the power is decreased beyond the necessity to reduce the service.
Likely, since what is disclosed in JP-A-4-217570 limits the number of startable elevators, service for users reduces remarkably.

Further, since what is disclosed in JP-A-2007-55700 indiscriminately limits number of operations of all of the elevators, the service for users of every individual elevator greatly reduces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
As has been explained hitherto, with the conventional art, since it is difficult to reduce surely and effectively the total power of the plurality of elevators at every time point below a predetermined value, operation service of the respective elevators for users reduces, and users of a specific elevator were possibly suffered to particularly great influence.
An object of the present invention is to resolve the tasks in the above conventional art, and to suppress surely and effectively a total power of a plurality of elevators at respective time points and to reduce influence (reduction of operation service) to users who use the respective elevators at respective time points.
Further, another object of the present invention is to perform a power limitation of respective elevators without greatly varying operation service of the respective elevators when viewed users as a whole and to improve service quality to users even with an energy saving operation.

Still further, still another object of the present invention is to greatly reduce an installation capacity of a power receiving installation for all of elevators (a base power receiving installation that feeds power to the respective elevators).
Further, the present invention is to achieve at least one of the above objects.
In order to achieve the above object, in an energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, the present invention determines power suppressing values of the respective elevators from a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value of the respective elevators below a threshold value, and causes the respective elevators to operate based on the power suppressing values.
Further, in an energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, the present invention is provided with a power profile calculating means that determines time courses of consumed power values of the respective elevators as power profiles from any of at least direction of car, hall call, call from car, number of passengers and traffic information

in a building, and a power suppressing value calculating means that calculates a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value below a threshold value from a total power profile obtained by totaling the respective power profiles and further calculates power suppressing values of the respective elevators from the total power suppressing value, and causes the respective elevators to operate based on the power suppressing values.
EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, since the power suppressing values of the plurality of elevators are determined from the total consumed power value of the elevators and the operation of the respective elevators is performed based on the power suppressing values, the total power is surely and effectively suppressed and influences (reduction of operation service) to users who use the respective elevators can be reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Fig.l is a block diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of an elevator constitution according to the one embodiment

of the present invention.
Fig.3 is graphs showing power profiles before modification according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.4 is a table showing a calculation example of estimated waiting time and power suppressing values according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.5 is graphs showing power profiles after modification according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.6 is a block diagram of a power receiving installation according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.7 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.8 is graphs showing velocity and acceleration vs. time of an elevator according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.9 is an explanatory view showing a relationship of circumstances of elevators and velocity thereof according to the one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig.10 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Herein below, embodiments of the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings . Fig. 1 shows an example of a constitution of an elevator control system in which operations of respective elevators are controlled so that the total power of the plurality of elevators is always suppressed below a predetermined upper limit value.
After calculating a total power suppressing value for the total power of the respective elevators below the predetermined upper limit value (a total power suppressing value calculating means 205), power suppressing value allotting indexes for allotting this suppressing value to the respective elevators are calculated in response to waiting time with respect to assigned hall calls for the respective elevators (each elevator power suppressing value allotting index calculating means 210), and power suppressing values of the respective elevators are calculated from the total power suppressing value according to the power suppressing value allotting indexes (each elevator power suppressing value calculating means 211)
Fig.2 shows a constitution constituted by three elevator cars in which No. 1 car 11, No. 2 car 12 and No. 3

car 13 are included, and information of the respective cars (such as destination floor call registered in car, in car weight or number of passengers and door open and close condition) and hall call information (direction, registered time point) inputted through hall buttons (41, 42, 43) are transmitted to a combined control device 20. The combined control device 20 adjusts the maximum power by controlling operations (top velocity, acceleration, stopping time) of the respective elevators.
Although a group supervisory device performs a supervisory control for a plurality of elevators, the combined control device 20 as shown in Fig.2 can either be included in the group supervisory control device or not. For example, when a plurality of elevators are installed in a building, and even if these elevators are not subjected to the group supervisory control, the operations of the respective elevators are controlled through the combined control device 20.
Further, the combined control device 20 transmits to respective elevator control devices (control device 31 for No.l car, control device 32 for No.2 car and control device 33 for No. 3 car) commands for operation control so as to adjust powers for the respective elevators.

The combined control device 20 as shown in Fig.l will be explained in detail.
In an elevator specification and building specification data memory means 201, an elevator specification (such as rated velocity, acceleration and rated load) and a building specif ication (such as number of floors, pitch between floors and number of elevator cars) are stored. In an each elevator operation related data accumulating means 202, such as car operation data (such as velocity and direction) collected from respective elevator control devices, elevator cars and respective floor halls, hall call data, call from car data, number of passenger data, arrival time estimation data of respective cars to respective floors and response time for call from hall data (elapsed time after a hall call is registered) are accumulated.
An each elevator power profile calculating means 203 calculates a power profile from the present time point to a future time point for every elevators from the data stored in the elevator specification and building specification data memory means 201 and the data accumulated in the each elevator operation related data accumulating means 202. The power profile is one representing a time course of consumed power value (unit in W) of an elevator of which specific example is shown

in Fig.3.
The power profile after the present time point is calculated from any information at the present time point such as at least direction of upward or downward running of car, velocity, acceleration, number of passengers, hall calls and calls from car (excluding calls not yet generated).
In a total power profile calculating means 204, the power profiles of the respective elevators are totaled and a total power profile (gross power profile) is calculated.
The total power suppressing value calculating means 205 detects the maximum power value in the total power profile, compares the same with a threshold value (that is set by a threshold value setting means 206) , and when the same exceeds the threshold value, calculates a total power suppressing value representing a power value to be suppressed from the difference between the maximum power value and the threshold value . The threshold value is an upper limit value of the maximum power value for the entire elevators, which is, for example, set based on a power capacity of a power receiving installation for the entire elevators.
The lower three graphs in Fig.3 respectively represent examples of power profiles of No. 1 car, No. 2

car and No.3 car. In this drawing, power profiles in 60 seconds ahead are calculated. The ordinate represents power value wherein instead of unit in W, the value is represented normalized so that the power at the time of the rated velocity (corresponding to the top velocity) assumes 100 . The upper most graph in Fig. 3 represents the total power profile of the three elevators, and since the maximum power is 370 with respect to the power upper limit threshold value 250, the total power suppressing value representing the difference therebetween assumes 120. By allotting the suppressing value 120 to the respective elevators, an energy-saving operation is performed so that the maximum value of the total power is suppressed below 250.
A calculation method of the power profiles of respective elevators will be explained with reference to Fig.8.
From positions of respective elevator cars at starting time points, velocity, direction and subsequent elevator stopping position, a velocity curve (Fig.8 (a)) and an acceleration curve (Fig.8 (b)) for arriving to the stopping position are prepared.
The subsequent elevator stopping position is determined by a hall call or a call from car nearest

from the elevator position at the present time point. Powers P (t) at respective time points are calculated from velocity v (t) (unit in m/s) and acceleration a (t) (unit in m/s2) of every each time point determined from the velocity curve and the acceleration curve according to the following equation.
P (t)=v (t) • [ (Mc+Mw+Mp) • a (t)+AMu-g] • • • {1) Wherein,
Mc is car weight (not including passengers, unit in kg),
Mw is weight of a counter weight, Mp is gross weight of passengers (load) AMu is unbalance weight (difference between car gross weight including passengers and the weight of the counter weight)
g is gravitational acceleration (9.8m/s2) The unbalance weight AMu can be determined by AMu=(Mc+Mp)-Mw. Mc and Mw are constant values determined according to the elevator specification, and Mp is determined either by car load sensor value (loaded weight) or by calculating an estimated passenger weight (estimated loaded weight) from number of passengers estimated from traffic information in the building. Alternatively, the loaded weight can be determined by the product of number of passengers according to actual

number or estimated number and an average weight of
passengers. The unit in P (t) gives kg • m2/s3=N •m/s=J/s=W according to equation (1). By calculating power P (t) at respective time points, the power profiles as shown in Fig.3 are determined.
A power profile calculation when there is a not yet responding assigned hall call will be explained with reference to Fig.9.
Fig. 9 (a) shows a situation of an elevator in which there is a not yet responding assigned hall call. The elevator is running downward at sixth floor and is assigned of a not yet responding hall call in upward direction at the first floor. An estimated arrival time to the first floor from now is given as 15 seconds . Fig. 9
(b) shows a diagram that estimates another in-car call generated being derived from the not yet responding hall call. The drawing shows an estimation that an in car call from 10th floor will be generated. An estimation of the derived in-car call includes an instance where what shows the highest probability is selected among past statistical data or an instance where the end floor
(the upper most floor or the lowermost floor) is selected.
Fig. 9 (c) shows an example of an estimated velocity curve when responding to the not yet responding hall

call and the derived in-car call based on Fig.9 (b). The elevator car arrives the first floor after 15 seconds from the present time point, after giving ride the passenger whose hall call was not yet responded (stops for 10 seconds at the floor), the elevator starts after 25 second from the first floor, runs to 10th floor of the derived in-car hall and stops there after 85 seconds. The acceleration curve can be determined from Fig. 9 (c) like Fig. 8 (b) , and the loaded weight can be estimated from past statistical data, for example, average number of passengers at that time zone or traffic demand. Accordingly, even when there is a not yet responding assigned hall call, by calculating estimated data for such as the velocity curve and the acceleration curve and further by determining an estimated value of the loaded weight, power profiles can be calculated according to equation (1).
An allotting method will be explained with reference to Fig.l. Depending on service indexes (for example, waiting time) of respective elevators, the power suppression is determined in such a manner that the better the service index is, the larger the power suppression is set for the elevator. In an estimated waiting time calculating means 207 as shown in Fig.l, an estimated waiting time for an assigned hall call of

the respective elevators is calculated. The estimated waiting time is calculated by summing an elapsed time from registered time point of a hall call and estimated arrival time of the servicing car to the floor of the registered hall call.
A passenger number calculating means 208 calculates number of in-car passengers of the respective elevators from the number of in-car passengers at the present time point (calculated from the weight value of the car) or from an estimated number of passengers determined from past getting on and off passenger data. An estimated riding time calculating means 209 calculates an estimated riding time of passengers for the respective elevators according to estimated arrival time to the destination floor (judged by call from car) of passengers for the respective elevators.
An each elevator power suppressing value allotting index calculating means 210 calculates power suppressing value allotting indexes for the respective elevators as an index representing an allotting ratio for allotting the total power suppressing value to the respective elevators based on any of at least estimated waiting time of respective elevators, number of passengers of the respective elevators and estimated

riding time of the respective elevators. For example, the calculation is performed in such a manner that the longer is the estimated waiting time, the smaller the allotting index (allotting ratio) is set, namely, the power suppressing value is set small. Thereby, an elevator of which waiting time is longer and operation service for users is reduced can avoid influences due to operation adjustment by the power suppression in comparison with other elevators, and an extreme service reduction of individual and entire elevators can be prevented.
The each elevator power suppressing value calculating means 211 allots the total power suppressing value to the respective elevators based on the power suppressing value allotting indexes and calculates the power suppressing values for the respective elevators. An each elevator top velocity or acceleration calculating means 212 determines the top velocity, acceleration or stopping time of the respective elevators based on the calculated power suppressing values for the respective elevators for performing an operation control, namely the energy-saving operation, and transfers the same to the control devices for the respective elevators.
Fig.4 shows a specific example when power

suppressing value allotting indexes are calculated based on estimated waiting time . In Fig. 4, the situation as explained in connection with Fig.3 is assumed, in that the total power suppressing value is assumed as 120. Accordingly, the total power suppressing value 120 is allotted to the three elevators of No.l, No.2 and No.3 according to the waiting time. In this instance the waiting time of No.l, No. 2 and No. 3 elevators are respectively assumed as 50 seconds, 5 seconds and 15 seconds.
Inverse numbers of ratios (ratio to sum) of the estimated waiting time of the respective elevators is calculated. For example, in the case of No.l car, from 1/(50/(50+5+15)}, the value gives 1. 4 . In like manner, the values for No . 2 and No . 3 cars are respectively given as 14 and 4.7. Subsequently, with regard to the respective inverse numbers of the ratios of the estimated waiting time of the respective elevators, ratios with respect to the sum thereof are determined. For example, in the case of No.l car, from 1.4/(1.4+14+4.7=20.1), the value gives 0.07. In like manner, the values for No.2 and No.3 cars are respectively given as 0.7 and 0.23, which constitute the power suppressing value allotting indexes. The values of the power suppressing value allotting indexes

are calculated in a manner to become smaller depending on the length of estimated waiting time.
The power suppressing values of the respective elevators are calculated respectively by multiplying the power suppressing value allotting indexes of the respective elevators by the total power suppressing value, as 8, 84 and 28 (total thereof satisfies 120). In the case of No.l car where the estimated waiting time is very long as 50 seconds, a small value 8 is allotted as the power suppressing value, thereby, the reduction of elevator operation service due to the power suppression can be avoided as much as possible. Since the estimated time of No.2 car is short as 5 seconds, a large value 84 is allotted as the power suppressing value.
Since the power suppressing values of the respective elevators are determined depending on the lengths of the waiting time of the respective elevators so as to equalize the operation service for users (so as not to vary the operation service), the operation service for respective elevators does not greatly vary when viewed users as a whole and the service quality to users is improved even with an energy saving operation.
Fig. 5 shows power profiles of the respective

elevators when the power suppressing values for the respective elevators are determined according to Fig. 4, in which the top velocities of the respective elevators are modified (in this case only the velocity is modified), the power profiles of the respective elevators assume as in the lower three graphs in Fig.5, the total power profile assumes as in the upper most graph in Fig.5, and the total power profile is always controlled below the threshold value.
As has been explained hitherto, since the energy-saving operation is performed by determining an excess component from an upper limitation of the total power determined from power profiles of the respective elevators, by separately allotting the excess component using as the power suppressing value to the respective elevators, and by adjusting the top velocity, acceleration and stopping time of the respective elevators, the total power at respective time points of the plurality of elevators can surely be suppressed below the predetermined value and the energy-saving for the elevator operation system can be achieved.
Further, since the excess component is allotted depending on the operation service circumstances of the respective elevators such as the waiting time as shown in Fig.4, influences to users of the respective

elevators at respective time points are optimized (to suppress operation service variation) and the power for the respective elevators can be limited.
Further, in Fig.l, although it is shown that the power suppressing value allotting indexes • are calculated by combining the estimated waiting time, number of passengers and estimated riding time, if at least one of them is used, the same advantage can be obtained.
For example, when calculating the power suppressing value allotting indexes based on the estimated waiting time, since the waiting time is the most desired service index for users, when the allotting indexes are determined on this, a power adjustment that suppresses service variation (limited degree of dissatisfaction) can be realized.
In contrast thereto, when calculating the power suppressing value allotting indexes based on the number of passengers, since the power suppressing value allotting indexes are determined according to the number of passengers affected by the power adjustment, the power adjustment is designed so as to optimize the service for as many passengers as possible.
When calculating the power suppressing value allotting indexes based on the estimated riding time,

as seen form the power profile of No. 2 car as shown in Fig.4 and 5, when the top velocity is limited by the power adjustment, since the riding time is prolonged, the power adjustment can be designed so as to optimize the service for most easily affected riding time.
Further, by combining any of the estimated waiting time, number of passengers and estimated riding time (for example, the estimated waiting time and number of passengers) , since the service quality can be evaluated in further detail, it is desirable to design the power adjustment so as to optimize the combined service quality. Further, in place of the estimated waiting time, if estimated arrival time for a hall call is used, the same advantage can be obtained.
When supplementing the energy-saving by means of the total power suppression for a plurality of elevators, power loss due to resistance components of such as power cables and a power transformer in a power receiving
installation of a building can be expressed as Rt • i2, when assuming the total resistance value thereof as Rt. Wherein, i represents an effective current value when the elevators are serviceing.
When suppressing the i to 70%, Rt • i2 reduces to 50%, and the loss reduces to a half. Actually, since the velocity is decreased, the servicing time T is

prolonged, however, since T and i are in substantially inversely proportional relationship, the amount of loss
of Rt • i2 * T in view of the time can be reduced to 70%, when suppressing i to 70%.
Accordingly, when suppressing the total power, the power loss due to such as power cables and a power transformer in a power receiving installation of a building can also be reduced, and energy-saving as the entire system can be designed. Further, when viewed even from a power generating installation at the side of power transmission system, since the variation of power generation amount is suppressed, the power generating installation can be operated under a condition of desirable power generating efficiency, which contributes to energy-saving.
Fig.6 shows a constitution of a power receiving installation for a system with a plurality of elevators . The power receiving installation is constituted in such a manner that an electrical power is transferred from a power receiving installation for the entire building to an elevator supervisory power receiving device A01 that supervises all of the elevators, further to individual elevator power receiving devices (A02 for No. 1 car, A04 for No. 2 car, A0 6 for No. 3 car) and finally to respective elevator drive devices (A03 for No.l car,

A05 for No. 2 car, A07 for No. 3 car) . When applying the embodiment of the elevator control system as shown in Fig.l to this power receiving installation, since the total power of the all of the elevators can always be suppressed below a predetermined value, the power capacity of the elevator supervisory power receiving device A01 can be suppressed. For example, when considering the example as shown in Figs.3 and 5, the elevator supervisory power receiving device A01 is required a power capacity of 450 when assumed the worst case where all of three elevators are activated at the same time, however, the capacity can always be suppressed to 250 as shown in Fig. 5, and the power capacity can be reduced to 55%. As a result, such as the cost and space of the power receiving installation is designed reduced, further, since the power is further equalized, that leads to reduction of contract demand power of the building, still further, when viewed from power transmission system, if such building increases, the load variation is reduced and a base load type electric power generator with low C02 emission can be easily employed.
In comparison with what is disclosed in Fig.l, in Fig.7, the threshold value by the threshold value setting means 206 is properly set based on a signal from

a building gross power administration means 300.
The building gross power administration means 300 administers the gross power of the entire building so that the gross power does not exceed the predetermined value in any time. For example, at a time zone from one o'clock to two o'clock in the afternoon in which a peak power in a day is shown, a gross power in the entire building is detected, a power threshold value for the entire elevators for not exceeding the predetermined value is calculated from the detected value, and is transferred to the threshold value setting means 206, thereby, the power adjustment is performed so that the power of the respective elevators does not exceed the threshold value as well as the service for the users is not caused reduced.
As a result, since the gross power of the building is always kept below the predetermined value, the entire capacity of the power receiving installation of the building can be reduced as well as the contract demand power thereof can be decreased. Further, if such building increases, the load variation is reduced and a base load type electric power generator with low C02 emission can be easily employed, which also contributes to environment problems such as countermeasure to global warming.

Fig.10 is a block diagram showing still another embodiment of the present invention, the present embodiment is characterized by adding a power regenerating function by making use of a standby elevator. As will be well known, an elevator car and a counter weight are hanged on a sheave or pulley via a lope, and the weight of the counter weight is set to balance with the elevator car weight when a half number of passengers of person capacity are getting on. Since a standby elevator is in a condition that no passengers get on, namely no load condition (loaded weight is zero) , when only the brake is released, the elevator car is pulled by the counter weight and starts running in upward direction and the motor is rendered to a state of an electric power generator to generate electric power. Namely, by making use of a standby elevator, a power regenerating operation can be performed.
In order to reduce the consumed power or peak power of the entire elevators by making use of this power regenerating operation, in comparison with what is disclosed in Fig.l, the present embodiment is further provided with a standby elevator detecting means 213, a standby elevator utilization judging means 214, a standby elevator regenerable power value calculating means 215 and a standby elevator regenerating operation

command means 216.
The standby elevator detecting means 213 detects among respective elevators a standby elevator that is assigned neither a hall call nor a call from car and is in a standby state (stopped state) . Under a condition when the total power profile calculated by the total power suppressing value calculating means 205 is above the threshold value and the total power has to be suppressed below the predetermined value, and when there exists a standby elevator, the standby elevator utilization judging means 214 judges to utilize the standby elevator.
The standby elevator regenerable power value calculating means 215 calculates a regenerable power value when the concerned standby elevator is caused running in regenerating operation. The regenerable power value is determined as a regenerable power value during the concerned time or the maximum value of the regenerable power by calculating the power profile. When there are a plurality of standby elevators, regenerable power values of the respective plurality of elevators are calculated.
The calculated regenerable power value is input to the each elevator power suppressing value calculating means 211. In the each elevator power

suppressing value calculating means 211, a value obtained by subtracting the regenerable value when the standby elevator (when there are a plurality of standby elevators, the total value thereof) is operated from the total power suppressing value is again defined as a new total power suppressing value, and power suppressing value for every each elevator is calculated therefrom. When the standby elevator utilization judging means 214 judges to utilize the standby elevator, the standby elevator regenerating operation command means 216 transfers commands with respect to running direction and velocity of the car so as to cause the concerned elevator under standby state to perform regenerating operation.
In what are disclosed in Figs.l and 7, when the total power profile of the respective elevators exceeds the predetermined value, the power is suppressed by simply adjusting velocity or acceleration of the respective elevators so that the same is reduced below the predetermined value, however, since what is disclosed in Fig.10 causes to perform a regenerating operation by making use of a standby elevator, it is possible to reduce the total power without degrading the service quality of the respective elevators.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
20 Combined control device
201 Elevator specification and building specification data memory means
202 Each elevator operation related data accumulating means

203 Each elevator power profile calculating means
204 Total power profile calculating means

205 Total power suppressing value calculating means
206 Threshold value setting means
207 Estimated waiting time calculating means
208 Passenger number calculating means
209 Estimated riding time calculating means

210 Each elevator power suppressing value allotting index calculating means
211 Each elevator power suppressing value calculating means
300 Building gross power administration means

We Claims:-
WHAT WE CLAIM IS:
1. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, characterized in that the system determines power suppressing values of the respective elevators from a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value of the respective elevators below a threshold value, and causes the respective elevators to perform an operation based on the power suppressing values.
2. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, characterized in that the system comprising:
a power profile calculating means that determines time courses of consumed power values of the respective elevators as power profiles from any of at least direction of car, hall call, call from car, number of passengers and traffic information in a building, and
a power suppressing value calculating means that calculates a total power suppressing value that renders a total consumed power value below a threshold value from a total power profile obtained by totaling the power profiles of the respective elevators, and further calculates power suppressing values of the respective

elevators from the total power suppressing value, and the respective elevators are caused to perform an energy-saving operation based on the power suppressing values.
3. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing values are set in such a manner that the better the service indexes of the respective elevators are, the larger the power suppressing values are set.
4. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing values are set in such a manner that the smaller the estimated waiting time of the respective elevators is, the larger the power suppressing values are set.
5. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the power suppressing value is calculated based on any of at least estimated waiting time of the respective elevators, number of passengers of the respective elevators and estimated riding time of the respective elevators.
6. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the

threshold value is determined based on a power capacity of a power receiving installation for the elevators.
7. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the threshold value is determined based on a power capacity determined by a building gross power administration means that administers a gross power value of the building.
8. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the energy-saving operation is performed by adjusting the top velocity, acceleration and stopping time of the respective elevators.
9. An energy-saving elevator operation system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the consumed power values of the respective elevators are calculated from position of car at starting time point, velocity, direction, velocity of elevator for subsequently arriving the stopping position, acceleration, car weight, weight of counter weight, gross weight of passengers of respective elevators.
10. An energy-saving elevator operation system
according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an
elevator in standby state is detected to which
regenerating operation is commanded.

11. An energy-saving elevator operation system for controlling operation of a plurality of elevators that serve a plurality of floors, substantially as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings and example.