Method and apparatus for the group control of elevators with double cars

An apparatus for the group control of elevators with double cars, which double cars are formed of two individual cars arranged in a common cage frame, in each case serving two neighboring floors, having car memories and load measuring devices assigned to the cars, floor call memories, selectors assigned to every elevator of the group indicating in each case the floor of a possible elevator stop and scanning devices having at least one position for each floor, as well as a microcomputer system and a computing device, which at every position of a first scanner of the scanning device determines operating costs (K) corresponding to the waiting times of all passengers involved, wherein two partial cost memories are provided each for storing the internal and external partial costs (K.sub.I, K.sub.A) with two storage locations (v, h) per scanner position .alpha. for the partial costs K.sub.I, KI.sub.h, K.sub.Av, and K.sub.A h for each individual car comprising:

• a first total cost memory in which the standardized total costs K.sub.gs (.alpha.) determined from the internal operating costs K.sub.Iv (.alpha.), K.sub.Ih (.alpha..+-.1) and the external operating costs K.sub.Av (.alpha.), K.sub.Ah (.alpha..+-.1) are stored for every scanner position .alpha.;
• an individual car/call assignment memory in which the individual car is designated which, on the basis of a criteria chain, is optimally assigned to the scanner position .alpha.;
• a second total cost memory in which the modified total costs K.sub.gm (.alpha.), determined on the basis of the individual car/call assignment by modification of the standardized total costs K.sub.gs (.alpha.). are stored for every scanner position .alpha.;
• a comparison device, which is connected by a bus with the total cost memories for the modified total costs K.sub.gm (.alpha.) and with the double car/call assignment memories of all elevators, wherein the comparison of the modified total costs K.sub.gm (.alpha.) takes place at every scanner position .alpha. during one cycle of the second scanner;
• a double car/call assignment memory in which, for the elevator which exhibits the lowest modified total costs K.sub.gm (.alpha.) with respect to a scanner position .alpha., an assignment command can be entered;
• and
• a comparator circuit which is connected with the operating status memories of the individual cars wherein, for the calculation of the first addition KAE, the greater of the door status factors S.sub.Tv and S.sub.Th of the front and rear individual cars respectively and for the calculation of the second addition KAZ, the greater of the loss times t.sub.v '+k.sub.1v +k.sub.2v and t.sub.v '+k.sub.1h +k.sub.2h of the front and rear individual cars can be selected.

In an apparatus for controlling a group of double elevator cars, each double car including two individual cars in a common frame guided in a shaft for serving two neighboring floors and driven by a hoist through a hoisting cable, having a measurement and regulating unit connected to the hoist and connected through a first interface to a microcomputer system, having a load weighing device and a device for signalling the actual operating status of the car connected to the microcomputer system through the first interface, having scanning devices for each individual car with at least one position for each floor, having selectors for each double car indicating the floor of a possible stop, each car having car call buttons and each floor having floor call buttons connected to the microcomputer system through an input device and a second interface, a comparator circuit connected to the microcomputer systems of all the elevators in the group through third interfaces, and a partyline transmission system connected to the microcomputer systems of all the elevators in the group through a fourth interface, the improvement comprising:

• a computing device in the microprocessor system for determining operating costs corresponding to waiting times of all passengers at every position of a first one of the scanning devices including internal and external partial operating costs for each individual car of a double car;
• two partial cost memories connected to said computing device for storing said partial costs for each position of said first scanning device;
• a first total cost memory connected to said computing device for storing standardized total costs determined by said computing device from said partial costs for each position of said first scanning device;
• an individual car/call assignment memory connected to said computing device for storing a designation of an individual car optimally assigned to each position of said first scanning device by said computing device;
• a second total cost memory connected to said computing device for storing modified total operating costs determined by said computing device for each position of said first scanning device, said comparison circuit comparing said modified total operating costs for all elevators of the group at every position of a second one of said scanning devices;
• a double car/call assignment memory connected to said computing device for storing an assignment command for the elevator which exhibits the lowest modified total operating costs with respect to each position of said second scanning device;
• and
• a comparator circuit connected to said computing device, to said partial cost memories, to said first and second total cost memories and to said individual car/call assignment memory for determining the median lost time associated with external costs resulting from intermediate stops between the car position and the position of said second scanning device, said computing device adding said median lost time to lost time for travelling floor distances and lost time for levelling in at a stop to obtain a total lost time determining total external costs for each elevator.