Elevator car identification and tracking

A method of tracking a plurality of elevator cars in an elevator system that includes a plurality of car identifiers that are each associated with one of the elevator cars such that each of the car identifiers provides a unique identification to the associated one of the elevator cars and a plurality of location identifiers that are each situated in a selected location of the elevator system such that each location identifier provides a unique identification to the selected location, the method comprising:

• indicating when one of the car identifiers is at the location of one of the location identifiers, the indication including an indication of the unique identification of the elevator car associated with the one of the car identifiers;
• determining a location of the elevator car having the unique identification of a received indication based on the received indication and information regarding the unique identification of the location of the one of the location identifiers;
• providing one or more parking areas where one or more of the plurality of elevator cars may be at least temporarily parked;
• fixing at least one location identifier of the plurality of location identifiers at a location associated with each parking area;
• fixing at least some of any remaining location identifiers of the plurality of location identifiers along transition zones for each hoistway of a plurality of hoistways associated with one or more of the plurality of elevator cars, wherein the transition zones accommodate elevator car movement between the plurality of hoistways;
• and
• determining locations of each elevator car for purposes of tracking whether each elevator car is in one of the parking areas, in one of the plurality of hoistways, or in one of the plurality of transition zones.

An elevator system, comprising:

• a plurality of elevator cars;
• a plurality of car identifiers, each of the car identifiers being associated with one of the elevator cars and providing a unique identification to the associated one of the elevator cars;
• a plurality of location identifiers, each of the location identifiers being configured to be situated in a selected location of the elevator system and providing a unique identification to the selected location;
• and
• a controller that determines a location of each of the elevator cars based on at least one indication of the associated car identifier being at the location of a corresponding one of the location identifiers;
• and wherein:
• one or more parking areas are provided where one or more of the plurality of elevator cars may be at least temporarily parked;
• at least one location identifier of the plurality of location identifiers is fixed at a location associated with each parking area;
• and
• at least some of any remaining location identifiers of the plurality of location identifiers are fixed along each hoistway associated with one or more of the plurality of elevator cars.