Method and system of controlling elevators and method and apparatus of inputting requests to the control system

An elevator control system for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising:

• means for inputting from a user of said elevators a control target value desired by said user for each of at least two control targets to be statistically attained as a result of executing group supervisory control of said elevators;
• means for deciding which of a plurality of control methods is suited for attainment of said control targets;
• and
• means for executing said group supervisory control according to said decided control method;
• wherein said control method deciding means comprises means for selecting one or more candidate control methods expected to attain said control target values, means for determining predictive values of said control targets pursuant to the selected one or more control methods, and means for selecting one control method from said one or more control methods on the basis of the predictive values.

An elevator group management control system for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising:

• means for inputting from a user of said elevators a control target value desired by said user for each of at least two control targets to be statistically attained as a result of executing group supervisory control of said elevators;
• means for deciding which of a plurality of control methods is suited for attainment of said control targets;
• means for executing said group supervisory control according to said decided control method;
• means for inputting a target value of at least one of priority ranking and weighting in respect of said control targets;
• knowledge means for precedently storing knowledge regarding relation between traffic or environment and individual control targets with respect to a plurality of control methods;
• means responsive to a signal from said input means for referencing said knowledge means to reduce candidate control method expected to attain individual control targets so as to select one or more candidate control methods;
• means for determining predictive values of the individual control targets pursuant to the selected one or more candidate control method candidate through simulation;
• and
• means for determining one control method on the basis of the determined predictive values.

An elevator group supervisory control system for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising:

• means for inputting from a user of said elevators a control target value desired by said user for each of at least two control targets to be statistically attained as a result of executing group supervisory control of said elevators;
• means for deciding which of a plurality of control methods is suited for attainment of said control targets;
• and
• means for executing said group supervisory control according to said decided control method;
• means for inputting a target value of at least one of priority ranking and weighting in respect of a plurality of elevator control targets;
• knowledge means for storing relation between traffic or environment and individual control targets with respect to a plurality of control methods;
• and
• means responsive to a signal from said input means for referencing said knowledge means to determine a Pareto optional solution through multiobjective programming or goal programming so as to settle a control method suited for attainment of said control target values.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request time defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevator according to one of a plurality of predetermined control methods which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• and
• means for controlling said elevators according to one of the predetermined control methods which meets the running performance desired as indicated by the selected target level.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• means for converting the inputted target levels into a plurality of control targets;
• means for deducing and determining a control method suited for attainment of individual control target values;
• and
• means for registering the determined control method in a controller adapted to perform group supervisory control for elevators.

A control apparatus

• for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:
• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• and
• means for converting the inputted target levels into a plurality of control targets;
• wherein said converting means comprises a preset request item input knowledge base and an environment/traffic data base, said knowledge base and data base being used for determining control target values through deduction and for determining weighting or priority ranking between control target items.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators comprising:

• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• and
• means for converting the inputted target levels into a plurality of control targets;
• means for deducing and determining a control method suited for attainment of individual control target values;
• wherein said deducing/determining means uses an environment/traffic data base and a control method deciding knowledge base on the basis of said control target values and weighting or priority ranking between control target items so as to determine a control method.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• means for inputting utilization environment surrounding said elevators;
• and
• means for converting said inputted target levels into a plurality of control targets for elevators, group supervisory control of the elevators being executed using individual control targets;
• wherein said control target converting means has a knowledge base and uses rules stored in the knowledge base to convert said target levels into said control targets.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each request item in a manner selectable by a user;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• means for inputting utilization environment surrounding said elevators;
• and
• means for converting said inputted target levels into a plurality of control targets for elevators, group supervisory control of the elevators being executed using individual control targets;
• wherein said control execution means comprises means for collecting results of actual execution of elevator control, and said target conversion means includes means for inversely converting the control results into target levels, whereby the target levels resulting from inverse-conversion are informed to said indication means.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators according to one of a plurality of predetermined control methods which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating said request items to a user;
• means for allowing said user to input relative target levels among said request items;
• and
• means for controlling said elevators according to one of the predetermined control methods which meets the running performance desired as indicated by the relative target levels.

A control apparatus for elevators for allowing inputting of target levels of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in order to run the elevators in a manner which meets a running performance desired by users of said elevators, comprising:

• means for indicating said request items to a user;
• and
• means for allowing said user to input relative target levels among said request items;
• wherein said request items are presented in a form that at least combination of two request items of said plurality of request items is shown and each of said relative target level is a ratio of weights of said two request items.

An elevator control method for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising the steps of:

• indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in a manner selectable by a user of said elevators;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• calculating at least a call assignment evaluation formula and/or parameters from said inputted target levels;
• and
• executing one of predetermined group supervisory control methods in accordance with said evaluation formula and/or parameters.

An elevator control method for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising the steps of:

• indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in a manner selectable by a user of said elevators;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• calculating at least a call assignment evaluation formula in group supervisory control and/or parameters from said inputted target levels;
• executing the group supervisory control in accordance with said evaluation formula and/or parameters;
• and
• wherein said input target levels are converted into control targets for elevator, and said evaluation formula and/or parameters are calculated using said control targets.

An elevator control method for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising the steps of:

• indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in a manner selected by said user of said elevators;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• calculating at least a call assignment evaluation formula in group supervisory control and/or parameters from said inputted target levels;
• executing the group supervisory control in accordance with said evaluation formula and/or parameters;
• converting said inputted target levels into a plurality of quantitative control targets by using a knowledge base;
• wherein said knowledge base is constructed of a table showing correlation between target levels and a plurality of control targets which can be determined quantitatively.

An elevator control method for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising the steps of:

• indicating target levels within a predetermined range for each of a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in a manner selectable by a user of said elevators;
• means for allowing said user to input a target level selected by said user for each request item;
• calculating at least a call assignment evaluation formula in group supervisory control and/or parameters from said inputted target levels;
• and
• executing the group supervisory control in accordance with said evaluation formula and/or parameters;
• converting said inputted target levels into a plurality of quantitative control targets by using a knowledge base;
• displaying individual request items in the form of a radar chart;
• and
• inputting target levels for said request items by using said radar chart.

An elevator control method for group supervisory control of a plurality of elevators serving a plurality of floors, comprising the steps of:

• indicating a plurality of request items defining running characteristics of the elevators in a manner selectable by a user of said elevators;
• in response to operation by said user, inputting relative target levels among said request items;
• calculating at least a call assignment evaluation formula and/or parameters from said inputted relative target levels;
• and
• executing one of predetermined group supervisory control methods in accordance with said evaluation formula and/or parameters.