Method for controlling a passenger transport system based on one or more system control parameters

A passenger transport system comprising:

• at least two passenger conveyors arranged including a combination of two or more of escalators, elevators or moving walkways at different locations in the passenger transport system to move passengers in a passenger flow within the passenger transport system;
• a passenger flow determination device;
• and
• a controller configured to control the passenger flow in the passenger transport system by,
• establishing a passenger flow model across the different locations in the passenger transport system based on statistical and historical passenger flow data and current sensor and/or call input data;
• establishing a passenger flow reference value for the passenger flow at the combination of the at least two passenger conveyors in the passenger transport system using the passenger flow model,
• controlling passenger flow in the passenger transport system based on a cost function considering a set of system control parameters including energy consumption,
• simulating, using a transport model, functions of hardware components of the at least two passenger conveyers in the passenger transport system based on system operating parameters by applying a first modification of one or more of the system operating parameters to a virtual version of the passenger transport system the system operating parameters including one or more of number of active passenger conveyors, passenger conveyor speed/acceleration, still-stand times, or door opening times in connection with the passenger flow,
• performing an optimization process of the system operating parameters under use of the transport model by,
• determining a fitness value associated with the energy consumption due to the first modification of the one or more system operating parameters,
• determining effects on the passenger flow throughout the different locations in the passenger transport system due to the first modification by inputting the passenger flow reference value to the transport model to simulate the effects on the passenger flow,
• evaluating the fitness value and the effects on the passenger flow due to the first modification, and
• iteratively further modifying the one or more system operating parameters to generate a second modification of the one more system operating parameters in consideration of the system control parameters and
• applying the second modification of one or more of the system operating parameters to the virtual version of the passenger transport system to achieve a best set of the system operating parameters, and
• applying the best set of the system operating parameters to the control of the at least two passenger conveyers in the passenger transport system.

A controller configured to control passenger flow in a passenger transport system that includes at least two passenger conveyors arranged at different locations in the passenger transport system, the at least two passenger conveyers including a combination of two or more of escalators, elevators and moving walkways to move passengers in a passenger flow within the passenger transport system, the controller comprising:

• a memory and at least one processor, the memory containing computer readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor, configures the at least one processor to,
• establish a passenger flow model across the different locations in the passenger transport system based on statistical and historical passenger flow data and current sensor and call input data,
• establish a passenger flow reference value for the passenger flow at the at least two passenger conveyors in the passenger transport system using the passenger flow model,
• control passenger flow in the passenger transport system based on a cost function considering a set of system control parameters including energy consumption,
• simulate, using a transport model, functions of hardware components of the at least two passenger conveyers in the passenger transport system based on system operating parameters by applying a first modification of one or more of the system operating parameters to a virtual version of the passenger transport system, the system operating parameters including one or more of number of active passenger conveyors, passenger conveyor speed/acceleration, still-stand times, or door opening times in connection with the passenger flow,
• perform an optimization process of the system operating parameters under use of the transport model by,
• determining a fitness value associated with the energy consumption due to the first modification of the one or more system operating parameters,
• determining effects on the passenger flow throughout the different locations in the passenger transport system due to the first modification by inputting the passenger flow reference value to the transport model to simulate the effects on the passenger flow,
• evaluating the fitness value and the effects on the passenger flow due to the first modification, and
• iteratively further modifying the one or more system operating parameters to generate a second modification of the one more system operating parameters in consideration of the system control parameters and applying the second modification of one or more of the system operating parameters to the virtual version of the passenger transport system to achieve a best set of the system operating parameters, and
• apply the best set of the system operating parameters to the control of the at least two passenger conveyers in the passenger transport system.