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CN-122029120-A - Building system with elevator and path planning functions

CN122029120ACN 122029120 ACN122029120 ACN 122029120ACN-122029120-A

Abstract

A building system (1) includes an elevator (2) and a path planning computer (20) coupled to receive elevator call information. The elevator call information includes call input floors (L1, L2, L3) and destinations within the building. The path planning computer (20) compares the estimated electrical energy required for a direct elevator trip between the call input floor (=boarding floor) to the destination (=destination floor) with the estimated electrical energy required for an indirect elevator trip where the boarding floor differs from the call input floor and/or the destination floor differs from the desired destination. If the indirect elevator journey requires less electrical energy, the path planning computer (20) generates and communicates to the user (8) an energy-oriented journey arrangement comprising the determined landing floor and/or the determined destination floor, and guidance information for guiding the user (8) from the call input floor to the landing floor and/or from the destination floor to the floor associated with the desired destination. In such indirect elevator trips, it is desirable for the user 8 to use the stairwell (3) to span one or more floor differences.

Inventors

  • Florian Trosch

Assignees

  • 因温特奥股份公司

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241001
Priority Date
20231016

Claims (14)

  1. 1. A building system (1) in a building having floors (L1, L2, L3) and at least one stairwell (3) connecting the floors (L1, L2, L3), the building system comprising: At least one elevator (2) having an elevator car (10) and an elevator controller (12), the elevator controller (12) being adapted to move the elevator car (10) between call input floors (L1, L2, L3) in response to an elevator call entered by an elevator user (8) on the floors (L1, L2, L3), and A path planning computer (20) communicatively coupled to the at least one elevator (2) to receive elevator call information, wherein the elevator call information specifies a call input floor (L1, L2, L3) and a destination within the building for the entered elevator call, and wherein the path planning computer (20) is adapted to: -calculating an estimated first energy value (EV 1) of a first elevator trip serving a first elevator call, wherein a call input floor of the first elevator call is used as a first landing floor and a floor associated with a destination of the first elevator call is used as a first destination floor; -calculating an estimated second energy value (EV 2) of a second elevator trip serving the first elevator call, wherein for the second elevator trip a second landing floor differs from the call input floor and/or a second destination floor differs from a floor associated with the destination of the first elevator call, and -In response to the second energy value (EV 2) being lower than the first energy value (EV 1), generating an energy-oriented routing and transmitting the energy-oriented routing to an elevator call terminal (4) for inputting a first call, wherein the energy-oriented routing comprises the second landing floor and/or the second destination floor and guiding information for guiding a user from the call input floor to the landing floor and/or from the destination floor to a floor associated with the destination of the first elevator call, wherein the elevator call terminal (4) is adapted to communicate the energy-oriented routing to the user (8).
  2. 2. Building system (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a database stored in a storage system (30) configured for read-write operations by the path planning computer (20), wherein the database stores building plan data specifying at least the locations of at least one of elevator lobbies, houses, facilities, elevator call terminals (4), doors, access gates, escalators, emergency exits or paths, stairwells (3), building owner entries, paths to these locations, and distances between these locations.
  3. 3. Building system (1) according to claim 2, wherein the database stores a user profile, wherein a user profile specifies a transportation preference of the user (8), wherein the path planning computer (20) is further adapted to determine whether a user profile of the user (8) entering the first elevator call specifies the first elevator trip as transportation preference, and in response to determining to prefer the first elevator trip, to avoid generating the energy-oriented trip arrangement, but to generate a standard trip arrangement for the first elevator trip and to send the standard trip arrangement to the user (8).
  4. 4. Building system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising a positioning system (28) coupled to the path planning computer (20) and adapted to detect a position of a user (8) entering an elevator call, wherein the detected position is comprised in the elevator call information for calculating at least one of the first energy value (EV 1) and the second energy value (EV 2).
  5. 5. Building system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elevator call terminal (4) is installed on a floor (L1, L2, L3), and/or wherein the elevator call terminal (4) is a mobile communication device carried by the user (8), wherein the elevator call terminal (4) comprises a graphical user interface (32, 36) to communicate at least the energy-oriented routing to the user (8) via visual and/or audible notification.
  6. 6. Building system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the energy-oriented routing comprises a cancel option (34, 40) for the user (8) to select to reject the energy-oriented routing, wherein the path planning computer (20) is adapted to receive a reject signal from the elevator call terminal (4) conveying the energy-oriented routing to the user (8), wherein the reject signal indicates the user's selection of the cancel option (34, 40) and to generate a standard routing according to the first elevator routing and to send the standard routing to the user (8).
  7. 7. Building system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the path planning computer (20) is further adapted to determine the status of the elevator car (10), in particular whether the elevator car is in standby mode at a floor above or below the call input floor of the user, and/or whether a second elevator call is entered at a different call input floor (L1, L2, L3), wherein the energy-oriented routing comprises taking the floor above or below the call input floor of the user and/or the different call input floor (L1, L2, L3) as a second departure floor, wherein the guiding information indicates that the user (8) uses the stairwell (3) to reach the second departure floor.
  8. 8. A method of operating a building system (1), the building system (1) having at least one elevator (2) and a path planning computer (20) communicatively coupled to the at least one elevator (2) to receive elevator call information, wherein the at least one elevator (2) has an elevator car (10) and an elevator controller (12) adapted to move the elevator car (10) between floors (L1, L2, L3) of the building (2) in response to an elevator call entered by an elevator user (8) on a call input floor (L1, L2, L3), the method comprising: -receiving elevator call information by the path planning computer (20), wherein the elevator call information comprises a call input floor (L1, L2, L3) for the entered first elevator call and a destination within the building; -calculating an estimated first energy value of a first elevator trip serving the first elevator call, wherein a call input floor of the elevator call is used as a first landing floor and a floor corresponding to a destination of the elevator call is used as a first destination floor; -calculating an estimated second energy value of a second elevator trip serving the first elevator call, wherein for the second elevator trip a second landing floor differs from the call input floor and/or a second destination floor differs from a floor associated with the destination of the first elevator call, and -In response to the second energy value being lower than the first energy value, generating an energy-oriented routing and transmitting the energy-oriented routing to an elevator call terminal (4) for entering the first elevator call, wherein the energy-oriented routing comprises the second landing floor and/or the second destination floor and guiding information for guiding the user (8) from the call input floor to the landing floor and/or from the destination floor to the floor corresponding to the destination of the first elevator call, wherein the elevator call terminal (4) is adapted to communicate the energy-oriented routing to the user (8).
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising reading building plan data from a database stored in a storage system (30), wherein the database stores building plan data specifying at least locations of at least one of elevator halls, houses, facilities, call terminals (4), doors, access gates, escalators, emergency exits or pathways, stairwells (3), building owner entries, pathways and passages to these locations, and distances between these locations, and calculating a routing using the read building plan data.
  10. 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the database stores a user profile, wherein a user profile specifies a transportation preference of the user (8), the method further comprising determining whether the user profile of the user (8) entering the first elevator call specifies the first elevator trip as a transportation preference, and in response to determining to prefer the first elevator trip, refraining from generating the energy-oriented trip arrangement, but generating a standard trip arrangement according to the first elevator trip and transmitting the standard trip arrangement to the user (8).
  11. 11. The method of any of claims 8 to 10, further comprising detecting a position of the user (8) entering the first elevator call using a positioning system (28) coupled to the path planning computer (20), the detected position d being included in the elevator call information for calculating at least one of the first energy value (EV 1) and second energy value (EV 2).
  12. 12. The method of any of claims 8 to 11, further comprising receiving a rejection signal from the elevator call terminal (4) conveying the energy-oriented routing to the user (8), wherein the rejection signal indicates selection by the user of a cancel option (34, 40) included in the energy-oriented routing to reject the energy-oriented routing, and generating a standard routing according to the first elevator routing and sending the standard routing to the user (8).
  13. 13. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 12, further comprising monitoring movement of the user (8) using a positioning system (28) coupled to the path planning computer (20) to determine whether the user (8) is moving according to the energy-oriented routing and generating and communicating a notification to the user (8) in case of a deviation.
  14. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising initiating at least one remedial action in response to the deviation, wherein the at least one remedial action includes generating a further notification to communicate to the user (8).

Description

Building system with elevator and path planning functions Technical Field The present invention relates generally to guiding and transporting users in a building. More particularly, the present invention relates to a building system having elevators operable in view of their energy efficiency and user interest, and a method of operating the building system in accordance with these considerations. Background In a building, as part of the building system, the elevator system may be controlled with the aim of optimizing its energy efficiency. Various methods are known to address the energy consumption of elevator systems. For example, US 9,212,030 B2 discloses an elevator system that obtains a user's energy setting when the user enters an elevator call. The energy setting determines the movement of the elevator car, e.g. in dependence on factors affecting the energy consumption of the elevator trip and thus the energy efficiency of the elevator trip, including e.g. the acceleration of the elevator car in the trip, the occupancy of the car and the setting of car components consuming electricity, such as car fans, car climate control and car lighting. According to one method disclosed in US 9,016,440 B2, the elevator system determines a number of possible trips for a given destination, displays them together with energy consumption values, allows to select one of the trips or the energy consumption values, and after the selection operates the elevator car according to the selection. While these methods address the goal of affecting the energy efficiency of an elevator system, for some buildings, these methods may be too complex, for example, because several possible trips may not be possible. Furthermore, while buildings strive to compromise the interests of the user, it may not be desirable for the user to be able to select their own energy settings for the elevator trip. Thus, there is a need for an alternative method of optimizing energy efficiency that is less complex and can be used for a wider range of buildings. Disclosure of Invention One aspect of the technology described herein relates to a building system in a building having a floor and at least one stairwell connecting the floors. The building system includes at least one elevator having an elevator car and an elevator controller adapted to move the elevator car between floors in response to an elevator call entered by an elevator user on a call input floor. Further, the building system includes a path planning computer communicatively coupled to the at least one elevator to receive elevator call information, wherein the elevator call information specifies a call input floor and a destination within the building for the entered elevator call. The path planning computer is adapted to calculate an estimated first energy value of a first elevator trip serving a first elevator call, wherein a call input floor of the first elevator call is used as a first landing floor and a floor associated with a destination of the first elevator call is used as a first destination floor. The path planning computer is further adapted to calculate an estimated second energy value for a second elevator trip serving the first elevator call, wherein for the second elevator trip a second landing floor is different from the call input floor and/or a second destination floor is different from a floor associated with the destination of the first elevator call. Furthermore, the path planning computer is adapted to generate an energy-oriented routing and to send the energy-oriented routing to an elevator call terminal for entering the first call in response to the second energy value being lower than the first energy value. The energy-oriented routing comprises the second landing floor and/or the second destination floor and guiding information for guiding a user from the call input floor to the landing floor and/or from the destination floor to a floor associated with the destination of the first elevator call. The elevator call terminal is adapted to communicate the energy-oriented routing to a user. Another aspect relates to a method of operating such a building system. The method includes receiving, by a path planning computer, elevator call information, wherein the elevator call information includes a call input floor for an entered first elevator call and a destination within a building. The method also includes calculating an estimated first energy value for a first elevator trip that serves the first elevator call. The call input floor of the first elevator call serves as a first landing floor and the floor corresponding to the destination of the elevator call serves as a first destination floor. Furthermore, the method comprises calculating an estimated second energy value of a second elevator trip serving the first elevator call. For the second elevator trip, a second landing floor is different from the call input floor and/or a second destination floor is different fr