Kone Corporation

Kone Oy

Kone Oyj (kone Corporation)

Jari Ylinen

Tapio Tyni

Risto Kontturi

Marja-Liisa Siikonen

Markku Kakko

Mika Matela

Toni Rintala

The present invention pertains to a method for optimal routing of the elevators in an elevator system in a situation where the supply power received by the system is limited e.g. due to emergency power operation. In the invention, routes are optimized by using a cost function to which has been added a term containing the summed instantaneous power consumed. Power consumption is monitored in real time, and the elevators need a start permission from the control system. A route alternative that exceeds the power limit is penalized in the cost function by a so-called penal term. With the elevator routing obtained as a result, the instantaneous power consumed by the system remains continuously below the set power limit. Some call can thus be postponed to be served later. By the method of the invention, the number of elevators serving passengers in an emergency power situation can be varied dynamically.

Elevator system with power consumption control

A method and a system for responding to a service request sent to a transportation service, determining one or more alternatives as a transportation device for the user and selecting a personal transportation device. An automated transportation system according to the invention may contain a plurality of elevators in an elevator group, a passenger terminal device for reserving elevators for use by passengers, and an elevator group control system responsive to the passenger terminal device for controlling the elevators. The method of the invention involves entering a personal service request via the terminal device, determining on the basis of the service request at least one alternative as a transportation device for the user, and selecting via the terminal device one of the alternatives as the transportation device.

Automated transportation system with user-controlled transport selection

The present invention discloses an extension to a prior-art genetic algorithm, with which the routing of elevators based on the calls given in an elevator system is formed. A new type of gene, a so-called run type gene, is connected to the chromosome of the genetic algorithm according to the invention, with which gene the desired speed profile for the elevator trip can be set. In this way e.g. an upper limit can be set for the acceleration or for the maximum travel speed of the elevator. By means of the run type gene a kinetic energy term is included in the optimization. The energy consumed by the system can thus be minimized more effectively by means of the algorithm, because the varying travel speeds of the elevators create more freedom of choice for the chromosomes of the algorithm.

Elevator system

The present invention deals with a method and an apparatus for the input call needed in an elevator system by means of a wireless call input device. The call input device may be a device provided with a display and a keypad, designed especially for this use. In a preferred embodiment, the call input device is the user's mobile telephone and the system utilizes technology consistent with the Bluetooth standard. RFID technology or the use of bar codes is also possible. For the user a profile is created which contains the user's name, statistical information regarding the destination floors most frequently selected by the user, and possible additional services. The user can input a call from an elevator lobby before arriving to the elevator. After the system has allocated the most suitable elevator to the user, corresponding information is presented on the display of the call input device. This information can be accompanied by guidance information and information about an estimated waiting time. The destination floor alternatives can also be programmed to the call input device by the user him/herself. Additional services can be provided to the user of the call system and to other parties working in the building by connecting the control system to the Internet e.g. via an embedded mobile telephone.

Elevator arrangement

A method and a system for generating a request for elevator service in which the elevator user receives with his/her terminal a general transmission of information about the elevator system from base stations placed in the elevator lobby of the building. By way of the terminal, a service request is generated on the basis of the goal and the information provided by the general transmission. The service request is transmitted further to an elevator group controller via an edge server and a local server. The edge server checks the request for correctness, and the local server functions as a point of connection between the elevator group and the external world.

Method and apparatus for generating elevator calls

A method for allocating an elevator in a destination floor elevator system. An elevator group includes several elevators, a passenger data terminal for reserving elevators for use by passengers, and an elevator group control system for controlling the elevators in response to signals from the passenger data terminal. The method includes inputting the size and destination floor of the group of passengers into the control system of the elevator group, allocating one or more elevators to the group of passengers by utilizing the size and destination floor of the group, and informing the members of the group of passengers about the allocation.

Elevator control based on group size

An elevator group control method for the allocation of calls, in which method a given service time of the elevator group is assigned a target value. The service time may be passenger waiting time, call time, traveling time, riding time or an average value of one of these quantities. The method aims at fulfilling the assigned target value in such a way that the energy consumption of the elevator system is minimized. Optimization is implemented using a model of the elevator system, by means of which the desired service time can be predicted. This prediction is utilized in a controller controlling the optimizer. This makes it possible to improve the construction and operation of the controller and optimizer so that the energy consumption of the elevator system can be reduced while the condition regarding the target service time is fulfilled at the same time.

Allocating landing calls in an elevator group using a cost function

A genetic allocation method in an elevator group for allocating a landing call to one of several elevator cars in the elevator group, the cars moving and stopping within the area of several different floors. The elevator travel routes are encoded into alternative chromosomes. Using genetic methods, alternative chromosomes are developed and the best chromosome is selected. The elevator group is controlled in accordance with the best chromosome. The floors served by the elevator group are divided into a first group and a second group. On the floors of the first group, landing calls are given as passenger-specific destination calls. On the floors of the second group, landing calls are given as floor-specific up/down calls. When the destination calls and up/down calls are encoded into the same chromosome, the best chromosome represents an allocation decision, in which the gene values indicate which elevator car is to serve each passenger and each up/down call.

Genetic allocation method for an elevator group

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

Elevator group control method using destination floor call input

Elevator group control method for the allocation of landing calls, in which method a target value is assigned to a given service time of the elevator group and landing calls are so allocated to elevators that the assigned target value of the service time is realized on the average, the energy consumption of the elevator group being thereby reduced.

Method for controlling an elevator group

The invention relates to a method for allocating landing calls issued by passengers, in which method each passenger gives his/her destination floor via a call device. According to the invention, the call is allocated to an elevator car to serve the passenger via genetic allocation, wherein the floors of departure and destination of the passenger are recorded in alternative chromosomes, the required data regarding the passenger and elevator car being recorded in a gene in the chromosome, that, utilizing genetic methods, the best chromosome is selected, and that the passenger is directed into the elevator car selected, and that the selected elevator car is directed to serve the passenger in question.

Method and apparatus for allocating passengers by a genetic algorithm

The invention concerns a method for solving an optimization task consisting of a plurality of sub-functions in the control of the operation of an apparatus. In the method, a set of a plurality of solution alternatives is generated and, according to the method, each sub-function is normalized. Normalized cost functions of the sub-functions are generated for each solution alternative for solving the optimization task, and based on the normalized cost functions of the sub-functions, a set of solutions to the optimization task is formed. From the set of solutions, the best solution is selected and the apparatus is controlled in accordance with the solution thus selected.

Method for solving a multi-goal problem

An elevator group control method for allocating landing calls and car calls to elevators so that the objectives set are met. In the method, a car-specific energy consumption file is generated to describe the energy consumption occurring during each trip of the elevator from each floor to each one of the other floors with different loads, and the calls are so allocated that the energy consumption resulting from serving all the active calls is minimized.

Elevator control method based on energy consumption

The object of the invention is to achieve a new solution for allocating landing calls to the elevators in an elevator group so that the control call received by each elevator changes as seldom as possible. This is achieved via genetic allocation by using the allocation option selected in the preceding instance of allocation as one chromosome in the starting chromosome population in a new instance of allocation.

Method for allocating landing calls

A method for allocating calls entered via the landing call devices of elevators belonging to an elevator group so that there are simultaneously at least one floor to be signaled according to the service routes of the elevators. The allocation decision is is made by a genetic allocation method. The allocation decision is input into a call fixation control unit, which takes care of the reservation and release of landing calls and the control of signaling. In the case of a reserved landing call, the range of values of the gene is limited.

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Hyvinkää, Finland

Jari Ylinen