Elevator control neural network

A method of processing a number of input signals representing a state of a building having elevator cars, comprising the steps of:

• providing from the number of the input signals a subset of input signals representing information relating to a corresponding subset of floors along a selected elevator car path in the building;
• and
• compiling a fixed length stop description table in response to the subset of input signals, for providing fixed length stop description table signals representing a filtered state of the building and that is fixed in length regardless of the size of the building and the number of elevator cars therein;
• performing the preceding steps for a plurality of elevator cars in the building, for providing a corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals;
• and
• assigning a selected elevator car to answer the hall call in the building in response to the corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals.

Apparatus for processing a plurality of input signals representing a state in a building having elevator cars, comprising:

• means for providing from the number of the input signals a subset of input signals relating to a corresponding subset of floors along a selected elevator car path in the building;
• means for compiling a fixed length stop description table in response to the subset of input signals, for providing fixed length stop description table signals representing a filtered state of the building and that is fixed in length regardless of the size of the building and the number of elevator cars therein;
• means for performing the preceding steps for a plurality of elevator cars in the building, for providing a corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals;
• and
• means, responsive to the corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals, for assigning a selected elevator car to answer the hall call in the building.

A method for estimating a remaining response time for an elevator car in answering a hall call in a building, comprising the steps of:

• providing fixed length stop description input signals representing filtered information relating to the elevator car and conditions in the building at a time of a registration of a hall call for an instant assignment, wherein said fixed length stop description input signals are fixed in length regardless of the size of the building and the number of elevator cars therein;
• weighting each of the fixed length stop description input signals with weighted signals preselected according to an iterative training scheme for a neural network, for providing weighted fixed length stop description input signals;
• summing the weighted fixed length stop description input signals, for providing a remaining response time signal representing information relating to a remaining response time for the elevator car to answer the hall call in the building;
• performing the preceding steps for a plurality of remaining elevator cars in the building;
• providing a selected remaining response time signal to an elevator assignment module to determine a selected elevator car to answer the hall call in the building;
• and
• assigning instantly the selected elevator car to answer the hall call in the building in response to the selected remaining response time signal.

A method for use in an elevator system using a neural network for estimating a remaining response time for an elevator car in answering a hall call in a building, comprising the steps of:

• providing a fixed plurality of filtered building input signals representing filtered information relating to the elevator car and conditions in the building at a time of a registration of a hall call for an instant assignment, wherein said fixed plurality of filtered building input signals is fixed regardless of the size of the building and the number of elevator cars therein;
• weighting each of the fixed plurality of filtered building input signals with respective weighted signals preselected according to an iterative training scheme for the neural network, for providing a corresponding plurality of weighted filtered building input signals;
• summing the corresponding plurality of weighted filtered building input signals, for providing a remaining response time signal representing information relating to a remaining response time for the elevator car to answer the hall call in the building;
• performing the preceding steps for a plurality of remaining elevator cars in the building, for providing a corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals;
• and
• assigning instantly a selected elevator car to answer the hall call in the building in response to the corresponding plurality of remaining response time signals.