Elevator system having dynamic sector assignments

A method of operating an elevator system that includes a group of elevator cars servicing a plurality of floor landings divided into sectors, comprising the steps of:

• with control means associated with each elevator car of the group,
• determining when the elevator car has reached a Turn Around Point (TAP), for reversing ascent and returning the elevator car to a lobby;
• initiating descent of the elevator car to the lobby;
• determining when the elevator car has reached a predetermined sector Assignment Fixation Point (AFP), after which assignment of a next sector to be serviced by the car in a next ascent is initiated;
• communicating sector-related information with other control means of other elevator cars of the group;
• based upon the communication, assigning to the elevator car, in accordance with a selected arbitration technique, the next sector to be serviced in the next ascent;
• initializing a timer to record an elapsed time between the time the next sector is assigned and a time that the elevator car arrives at the lobby;
• providing a message to waiting lobby passengers, the message being expressive of the assigned next sector;
• and, responsive to a registration of a hall call at a floor landing that is intermediately located between a current position of the elevator car and the lobby,
• stopping the elevator car to service the registered hall call;
• determining if the elapsed time exceeds a predetermined threshold;
• and, if the elapsed time is found to exceed the predetermined threshold,
• relinquishing the assigned next sector.

An elevator system that includes a group of elevator cars servicing a plurality of floor landings divided into sectors, comprising:

• control means associated with each elevator car of the group, said control means including
• means for determining when the elevator car has reached a Turn Around Point (TAP) for reversing ascent and returning the elevator car to a lobby and for initiating descent to the lobby;
• means for determining, during descent of the elevator car to the lobby and before reaching a Control Stop Point (CSP) where the elevator car begins to decelerate, when the elevator car has reached a sector Assignment Fixation Point (AFP), after which assignment of a next sector to be serviced by the car in a next ascent is initiated;
• means, responsive to the determination that the elevator car has reached the sector AFP, for communicating sector-related information with other control means of other elevator cars of the group;
• and
• means, responsive to the communication, for assigning to the elevator car the next sector to be serviced by the car in the next ascent.