Patent · US Expired

Method and system for controlling an elevator system

US6672431B2 · kind B2 · utility

29Cited by
10References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJun 3, 2002
Grant dateJan 6, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 3, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB66B2201/222
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A method controls an elevator system including multiple elevator cars and multiple floors. A new passenger at one of the floors signals a hall call. In response to receiving the hall call, the method determines, for each car, a set of all possible future states of the elevator system. The future states depend on the current state of the system, which is defined by passengers already assigned to cars, the direction of travel, position and velocity of the cars. A cost function is evaluated to determine a cost for each set of all possible future states. Then, the car associated with the set having a least cost is assigned to service the hall call. The method is applicable to any type of traffic. It is particularly well-suited for up-peak traffic because it handles efficiently the uncertainty in passenger destinations.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.