EP4363364A1 - A solution for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location - Google Patents

A solution for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location

Info

Publication number
EP4363364A1
EP4363364A1 EP21742752.5A EP21742752A EP4363364A1 EP 4363364 A1 EP4363364 A1 EP 4363364A1 EP 21742752 A EP21742752 A EP 21742752A EP 4363364 A1 EP4363364 A1 EP 4363364A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
elevator
air quality
control unit
data
fresh air
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
EP21742752.5A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Inventor
Tommi Huotari
Tommi Loukas
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Kone Corp
Original Assignee
Kone Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kone Corp filed Critical Kone Corp
Publication of EP4363364A1 publication Critical patent/EP4363364A1/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66BELEVATORS; ESCALATORS OR MOVING WALKWAYS
    • B66B5/00Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators
    • YGENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02BCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
    • Y02B30/00Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC]
    • Y02B30/70Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Definitions

  • the invention concerns in general the technical field of elevator systems. Es pecially the invention concerns air quality inside elevator cars.
  • elevator systems comprise at least one elevator car travelling along respective at least one elevator shaft between a plurality of landings, i.e. floors.
  • the elevator shafts are working as chimneys inside a building since any verti cal space will naturally cause air pressure difference between the bottom and top of the space. Therefore, the elevator shaft pulls air from the lowest floor and then tends to push it out from the top floor or to the machine room locating at the top of the elevator shaft from any hole there might be at the top of the elevator shaft.
  • the air is pulled to the elevator shaft from all the landings since they are lower than the top of the elevator shaft. Because the air is pulled to the elevator shaft also dust, impurities, contaminated air, warm air etc. ends up to the elevator shaft.
  • This poor quality air will then eventually end also inside the elevator car, because ventilation holes of the elevator car opens to the ele vator shaft and there may also be a fan pushing air from the elevator shaft into the elevator car.
  • the air quality may differ from floor to floor and from time to time, depending on the use of the floor, day of time and so on.
  • the poor air quality inside the elevator car may cause passengers inside the elevator car to feel sick, get sick, and/or make them dizzy. Overall, the poor air quality inside the elevator car may cause a poor user experience.
  • the air blown into the elevator car may be cleaned with an air purifier device, but this is an additional device which is costly and has a limited capacity to handle the air.
  • filtering solutions arranged in the air intakes of the elevator car may be used to filter the air and/or ozone generators may be used to remove bad smells etc..
  • a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location comprises: obtaining monitoring data of an elevator system, detecting at least one prede fined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generating to an ele vator drive unit at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft, in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event.
  • the monitoring data may comprise air quality data representing the air quality inside the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
  • the air quality data may be obtained from one or more sensors devices ar ranged to the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, and/or from at least one external unit.
  • the method according may further comprise adjusting the at least one thresh old value based on at least one condition criterion.
  • the at least one condition criterion may comprise a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality da ta.
  • the method may further comprise generating at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
  • the at least one notification may comprise an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air quality map of the elevator shaft.
  • the monitoring data may comprise state data repre senting a state of the elevator system, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the elevator system is in an idle state based on the state data.
  • the detecting that the elevator system is in the idle state may comprise: de tecting that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car during a prede fined period of time, and/or detecting obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from an external system, and/or detecting obtaining an in dication of the idle state of the elevator system from at least one detection de vice arranged to at least one landing.
  • the fresh air parking location may be determined based on a predefined air quality map of the elevator shaft.
  • the predefined air quality map may be constant or time dependent.
  • the fresh air parking location may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft, wherein after moving the elevator car to the fresh air parking location, the method may further comprise: continuing obtain ing the air quality data, and generating to the elevator drive unit at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft, if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value.
  • an elevator control unit for controlling a move ment of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location
  • the elevator control unit comprises: a processing unit, and a memory unit storing at least one portion of computer program code, wherein the processing unit being configured to cause the elevator control unit at least to perform: obtain moni toring data of an elevator system, detect at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generate to an elevator drive unit at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft, in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event.
  • the monitoring data may comprise air quality data representing the air quality inside the elevator car and/or an elevator shaft, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise a detection that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
  • the air quality data may be obtained from one or more sensors devices ar ranged to the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, and/or from at least one external unit.
  • the elevator control unit may further be configured to adjust the at least one threshold value based on at least one condition criterion.
  • the at least one condition criterion may comprise a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality da ta.
  • the elevator control unit may further be configured to generate at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
  • the at least one notification may comprise an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air quality map of the elevator shaft.
  • the monitoring data may comprise state data repre senting a state of the elevator system, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detection that the elevator system is in an idle state based on the state data.
  • the detection that the elevator system is in the idle state may comprise: detec tion that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car during a prede fined period of time, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from an external system, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing.
  • the fresh air parking location may be determined based on a predefined air quality map of the elevator shaft.
  • the predefined air quality map may be constant or time dependent.
  • the fresh air parking location may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft, wherein the control unit may further be con figured to: continue obtain the air quality data, and generate to the elevator drive unit at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft, if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value.
  • an elevator system for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location, wherein the elevator system comprises: at least one elevator car configured to travel along respec tive at least one elevator shaft, and the elevator control unit described above.
  • the elevator system may comprise an elevator group comprising two or more elevator cars, each configured to travel along a separate elevator shaft.
  • Each elevator car of the elevator group may independently be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft, or two or more elevator cars of the elevator group may together be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft.
  • a computer program product comprises instructions which, when the pro gram is executed by an elevator control unit, cause the elevator control unit to carry out the method described above.
  • a computer readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises instructions which, when executed by an elevator control unit, cause the elevator control unit to carry out the method described above.
  • Figure 1 illustrates schematically an example of an elevator system.
  • Figure 2 illustrates schematically an example of a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location.
  • Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of a predefined air quality map of an elevator shaft.
  • Figure 4 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
  • Figure 5 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
  • Figure 6 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
  • Figure 7 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates schematically an example of components of an elevator control unit. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLIFYING EMBODIMENTS
  • FIG. 1 illustrates schematically an example of an elevator system 100.
  • the elevator system 100 comprises an elevator car 110 arranged to travel along a respective elevator shaft 120 between a plurality of landings, i.e. floors, 125a- 125n and an elevator control unit 130.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may be configured to control the operation of the elevator system 100 at least in part.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may reside e.g. in a machine room (for sake of the clarity not shown in Figure 1), in one of the landings 125a-125n of the ele vator system 100, or inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may comprise or be associated with an elevator drive unit 140.
  • the eleva tor control unit 130 may command the elevator drive unit 140 to control an ele vator hoisting motor (for sake of the clarity not shown in Figure 1) to move the elevator car 110 along the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator drive unit 140 may reside e.g. in a machine room, in one of the landings 125a-125n of the elevator system 100, or inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator system 100 may fur ther comprise one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b configured to obtain air quality data representing air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the ele vator shaft 120.
  • the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may be commu nicatively coupled to the elevator control unit 130.
  • the communication be tween the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b and the elevator control unit 130 may be based on one or more known communication technologies, either wired or wireless.
  • the one or more sensor device 150a, 150b may be ar ranged to the elevator car 110, e.g. inside the elevator car 110 and/or outside the elevator car 110, and/or inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • one sensor device 150a is arranged inside the elevator car 110, e.g. to a ceiling of the elevator car 110
  • another sensor device 150b is ar ranged outside the elevator car 110, e.g. to a rooftop of the elevator car 110.
  • Figure 1 illustrates only one non-limiting example of the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b.
  • the elevator system 100 may comprise any other number of the sensor devices 150a, 150b and/or the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may be arranged to any other locations inside the elevator car 110, out side the elevator car 110, and/or inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator system 100 may further comprise one or more other elevator related entities, e.g. hoisting system, safety circuit and devices, elevator door system, etc., which are not shown in Figure 1 for sake of clarity.
  • Figure 2 in which an example of a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car 110 to a fresh air parking location is illustrated.
  • Figure 2 schemati cally illustrates the example method as a flow chart.
  • the elevator control unit 130 obtains monitoring data of the ele vator system 100.
  • the monitoring data may comprise air quality data repre senting air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may obtain the air quality data from the one or more sensors devices 150a, 150b arranged to the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120 and/or from at least one external unit, i.e. at least one unit external to the elevator system 100.
  • the at least one external unit may comprise for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, a cloud server, a digital twin of the building, and/or a digital twin of the elevator system 100.
  • the digital twin is a virtual representation of the building/elevator system 100.
  • the monitoring data may comprise state data representing a state of the elevator system 100.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may obtain the monitoring data continuously. Alternatively or in addi tion, the elevator control unit 130 may obtain the monitoring data periodically, e.g. at regular periods or at irregular periods.
  • the elevator control unit 130 detects at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data.
  • the detected at least one prede fined event may depend on the obtained monitoring data. If the monitoring da ta comprises the air quality data, the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value. Alternatively or in addition, if the monitoring data com prises the state data, the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the elevator system 100 is in an idle state.
  • the elevator control unit 130 in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event at the step 220, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the eleva tor car 110 to a fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the fresh air at the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 ends up also inside the elevator car 110, which improves the air quality inside the elevator car 110. This, in turn, improves the user experience of the passengers, when they enter the elevator car 110.
  • the fresh air may be for example led or forwarded inside the elevator car 110 via ventilation holes opening to the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator car 110 may also comprise a fan pushing, i.e.
  • the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 may be such a location in which the air quality is at least better than at the current location of the elevator car 110 or even the best possible air quality inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • the fresh air parking location may be determined based on a prede fined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120.
  • the detec tion of the at least one event comprises the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value
  • the fresh air parking loca tion may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft 120 as will be de scribed later in this application.
  • the air quality map 300 may for example be created by monitoring the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 over a prede fined monitoring period, e.g. during one week, one month, or one year. The monitoring may be based on air quality data obtained from the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b during the predefined monitoring period. If the air quality does not change, i.e. remains substantially constant, over the time, the air quality map 300 may be constant. This means that the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 in each floor may constantly be known and the constant air quality map 300 may be used constantly for finding the fresh air parking loca tion inside the elevator shaft 120 for the elevator car 110. Alternatively, if the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 changes over the time e.g.
  • the predefined air quality map 300 may be time dependent. This means that the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 may vary over the time, and the time dependent air quality map 300 may be used for finding the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 for the elevator car 110 for each instant of time.
  • the format of the air quality map 300 may for example be a heat map.
  • Figure 3 illustrates schematically a non-limiting example of the predefined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120. In the example of Fig ure 3, the air quality map 300 comprises four levels for the air quality (excellent 310, good 320, low 330, poor 340) each illustrated with a respective pattern.
  • the air quality at the top part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the excellent level 310
  • the air quality at the upper middle part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the good level 320
  • the air quality at the lower middle part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the low level 330
  • the air quality at the bottom part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the poor level 340.
  • the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, to which the elevator control unit 130 may command the elevator drive unit 140 to move the elevator car 110 in response to detecting the at least one predefined event at the step 220 may for example be determined to locate at the top part of the elevator shaft 120, wherein the air quality is at the excellent level 310.
  • Figure 3 illus trates only one non-limiting example of the air quality map 300, but the air quality map 300 may comprise any other number of air quality levels and any other format.
  • FIG 4 illustrates schematically an example of the method of Figure 2, when the monitoring data comprises the state data.
  • the elevator control unit 130 obtains the state data as discussed above referring to the step 210.
  • the state data may represent the state of the elevator car, e.g. an idle state of the elevator system 100.
  • the state data may for ex ample comprise elevator call data and/or an indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100.
  • the elevator control unit 130 is aware of any registered elevator calls, e.g. elevator car calls and/or elevator landing calls, obtained e.g. from user interface devices, e.g. car operation panels, landing call panels and/or destination operation panels, in response to user interaction.
  • the state data comprising the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 may be obtained from an external system and/or from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing 125a-125n.
  • the external system may be for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, an elevator re mote monitoring system, an access control system, or a cloud server.
  • the at least one detection device may for example comprise at least one camera and/or at least one sensor device.
  • the at least one detection device may be arranged to a screen or to a user interface device, such as a landing call panel or a destination operation panel, residing at said landing 125a-125n for example in a vicinity of an elevator landing door at said landing 125a-125n.
  • the at least one detection device may also be arranged to any other location at the at least one landing 125a-125n.
  • the elevator control unit 130 detects that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state based on the obtained state data.
  • the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state may com prise detecting that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car 110 during a predefined period of time, e.g. during 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, etc..
  • the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state of the elevator system 100 may comprise detecting ob taining the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 from the ex ternal system.
  • a building automation system may conclude based on data obtained from one or more motion sensor devices of a lighting system of the building that passengers are not detected in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near fu ture.
  • the building automation system may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state.
  • the building automation system may conclude based on data obtained from one or more detection devices con nected to the building automation system and/or from the access control sys tem that passengers are not detected in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near future.
  • the building au tomation system may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state.
  • the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state may comprise detecting obtaining the indication of the idle state of the elevator sys tem 100 from the at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing 125a-125n.
  • the at least one detection device may detect that there are no passengers in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near future.
  • the at least one detection device may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state.
  • the elevator control unit 130 in response to the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state at the step 420, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the el evator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruc tion to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the el evator shaft 120 as discussed above referring to the step 230.
  • Figure 5 illustrates schematically another example of the method of Figure 2, when the monitoring data comprises the air quality data.
  • the elevator control unit 130 obtains the air quality data as discussed above refer ring to the step 210.
  • the air quality data may be obtained from the one or more sensors devices 150a, 150b and/or from the at least one external unit.
  • the air quality data may comprise at least one air quality pa rameter representing the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the ele vator shaft 120.
  • the at least one air quality parameter may comprise for exam ple, but is not limited to, humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOC), very volatile organic compounds (VVOC), semivol atile organic compounds (SVOC), and/or polycyclic organic matter (POM).
  • the air quality data may also comprise an air quality index representing the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the elevator shaft 120. The air quality index may be defined based on the at least one air quality parameter.
  • the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may each be capable to provide one air quality parameter or more than one air quality parameters.
  • the elevator control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
  • the control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data reaches and/or falls below the at least one threshold value.
  • the at least one threshold value may be de fined to correspond to for example a value representing a specific air quality level below which the air quality is no longer sufficient and/or acceptable.
  • the at least one threshold value may comprise a threshold value for the air quality index, if the obtained air quality data comprises the air quality index. Alterna tively or in addition, the at least one threshold value may comprise a threshold value for each of the at least one air quality parameter.
  • the control unit 130 may detect that the obtained air quality data meets the threshold value.
  • the control unit 130 may detect that the obtained air quality data meets the threshold value.
  • the at least one threshold value may be a predefined constant value.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may ad just, e.g. increase and/or decrease, the at least one threshold value based on at least one condition criterion.
  • the at least one condition criterion may com- prise a certain time of day, a certain day, a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality data.
  • the adjusting of the at least one threshold value enables adaptation according to different conditions. For example, in office buildings during rush hour times, e.g. in the morning between 7 am to 9 am and/or in the afternoon between 3 pm and 5 pm, a utilization rate of the elevator system 100 may be higher than during other times of the day.
  • the control unit 130 may increase the at least one threshold value or even prevent the generation of the at least one control command to the eleva tor drive unit 140 to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location.
  • on certain days e.g.
  • the utilization rate of the elevator system 100 may be lower than on other days.
  • the control unit 130 may de crease the at least one threshold value.
  • the control unit 130 may decrease the at least one threshold value.
  • the control unit 130 may increase the at least one threshold value.
  • the control unit 130 may decrease the at least one threshold value.
  • the elevator control unit 130 in response to the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 520, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruction to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 as discussed above referring to the step 230.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may further gener ate at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 520.
  • the external system may comprise for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, an elevator remote monitoring system, a cloud server, a digital twin of the building, and/or a digital twin of the elevator system 100.
  • the at least one notification generated to the external system may comprise for ex ample an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft 120 where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or the air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120.
  • the ex ternal system may perform at least one further action.
  • the at least one further action may comprise for example reserving a maintenance for the elevator sys tem 100, generating information for the users of the building about the air qual ity inside the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120, starting ventilation and/or air cleaning, etc.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates schematically yet another example of the method, when the monitoring data comprises the air quality data and the state data.
  • the elevator control unit 130 obtains the air quality data and the state data as discussed above referring to the steps 210, 410, and 510.
  • the elevator control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value as discussed above referring to the step 520.
  • the elevator control unit 130 in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, the elevator control unit 130 further detects that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state based on the obtained state data as discussed above referring to the step 420.
  • the steps 620 and 630 may also be performed in a reversed order, i.e. the step 630 may be performed first and the step 620 may be performed in response to the detecting that the elevator sys tem 100 is in the idle state.
  • the elevator control unit 130 in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 620 and in response to the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 630, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruction to move the eleva tor car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 as dis cussed above referring to the steps 230, 430, and 530.
  • the fresh air parking location may be determined based on the predefined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120, either constant or time dependent.
  • the fresh air parking location may be an arbi trary location inside the elevator shaft 120.
  • Figure 7 illustrates schematically yet another example of the method, wherein the elevator car 110 is moved to the arbitrary fresh air parking location at the step 530 or 630 discussed above.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may further continue ob taining, at a step 710, the air quality data from the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b and generate, at a step 730, to the elevator drive unit 140 at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car 110 to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, if the air quality data is still detected at a step 720 to meet the at least one threshold value.
  • the steps 710-730 may be continued until a fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, in which the air quality data does not meet the at least one threshold value, may be found. This may be a preferable method to find the best air quality parking location for the elevator car 110, if the air quality changes all the time.
  • the elevator system 100 may further comprise an air purifier device arranged to the elevator car 110 to clean the air blown into the elevator car 110 from the elevator shaft 120.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may further control the air pu rifier device to be turned on, in response to the detecting that the air quality da ta meets the at least one threshold value at the steps 520 and/or 620 de scribed above. This improves further the air quality inside the elevator car 110.
  • the elevator system 100 comprising one elevator car 110 travelling along one ele vator shaft 120.
  • the elevator system 100 may also comprise an ele vator group, i.e. group of two or more elevator cars 110 each travelling along a separate elevator shaft 120 configured to operate as a unit serving the same landings 125a-125n. All the above discussed examples applies also the eleva tor system 100 comprising the elevator group.
  • the elevator system 100 com prising the elevator group may comprise the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b arranged to each elevator car 110 of the elevator group, e.g.
  • Each elevator car 110 of the elevator group may independent ly be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft 120 as described above referring to the examples of Figures 2, and/or 4- 7. This enables that individual elevator cars 110 of the elevator group may be moved to the fresh air parking location and one or more other elevator cars 110 of the elevator group having a better air quality may be left to serve possi ble upcoming elevator calls. Later, the elevator car 110 moved to the fresh air parking location may be used to serve the possible upcoming elevator calls, e.g.
  • the one or more other elevator cars 110 may be moved to the fresh air parking location, if needed.
  • two or more elevator cars 110 of the elevator group may together be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft 120 as described above referring to the examples of Figures 2, and/or 4-7.
  • FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an example of components of the elevator control unit 130.
  • the elevator control unit 130 may comprise a processing unit 810 comprising one or more processors, a memory unit 820 comprising one or more memories, a communication interface unit 830 comprising one or more communication devices, and possibly a user interface (Ul) unit 840.
  • the men tioned elements may be communicatively coupled to each other with e.g. an internal bus.
  • the memory unit 820 may store and maintain portions of a com puter program (code) 825 and any other data.
  • the computer program 825 may comprise instructions which, when the computer program 825 is executed by the processing unit 810 of the elevator control unit 130 may cause the pro cessing unit 810, and thus the elevator control unit 130 to carry out desired tasks, e.g. one or more of the method steps described above and/or the opera tions of the elevator control unit 130 described above.
  • the processing unit 810 may thus be arranged to access the memory unit 820 and retrieve and store any information therefrom and thereto.
  • the processor herein refers to any unit suitable for processing information and control the operation of the elevator control unit 130, among other tasks.
  • the operations may also be implemented with a microcontroller solution with embedded software.
  • the memory unit 820 is not limited to a certain type of memory only, but any memory type suitable for storing the described pieces of information may be applied in the context of the present invention.
  • the communication interface unit 830 provides one or more communication interfaces for communication with any other unit, e.g. the elevator drive unit 140, the one or more sensor de vices 150a, 150a, at least one detection device, at least one external system, and/or any other units.
  • the user interface unit 840 may comprise one or more input/output (I/O) devices, such as buttons, keyboard, touch screen, micro phone, loudspeaker, display and so on, for receiving user input and outputting information.
  • I/O input/output
  • the computer program 825 may be a computer program product that may be comprised in a tangible non-volatile (non-transitory) computer- readable medium bearing the computer program code 825 embodied therein for use with a computer, i.e. the elevator control unit 130.
  • the above-described method for controlling the movement of the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location, the elevator control unit 130, and the ele- vator system 100 improves the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or enables parking the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, in which the air quality is the best possible.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location. The method comprises: obtaining (210, 410, 510, 610) monitoring data of an elevator system (100), detecting (220, 420, 520, 620, 630) at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generating (230, 430, 530, 640) to an elevator drive unit (140) at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft (120), in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event. The invention relates also to an elevator control unit (130), an elevator system, a computer program product (825), and a computer readable storage medium for controlling a movement of an elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location.

Description

A solution for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns in general the technical field of elevator systems. Es pecially the invention concerns air quality inside elevator cars.
BACKGROUND
Typically, elevator systems comprise at least one elevator car travelling along respective at least one elevator shaft between a plurality of landings, i.e. floors. The elevator shafts are working as chimneys inside a building since any verti cal space will naturally cause air pressure difference between the bottom and top of the space. Therefore, the elevator shaft pulls air from the lowest floor and then tends to push it out from the top floor or to the machine room locating at the top of the elevator shaft from any hole there might be at the top of the elevator shaft. The air is pulled to the elevator shaft from all the landings since they are lower than the top of the elevator shaft. Because the air is pulled to the elevator shaft also dust, impurities, contaminated air, warm air etc. ends up to the elevator shaft. This poor quality air will then eventually end also inside the elevator car, because ventilation holes of the elevator car opens to the ele vator shaft and there may also be a fan pushing air from the elevator shaft into the elevator car. The air quality may differ from floor to floor and from time to time, depending on the use of the floor, day of time and so on. The poor air quality inside the elevator car may cause passengers inside the elevator car to feel sick, get sick, and/or make them dizzy. Overall, the poor air quality inside the elevator car may cause a poor user experience.
The air blown into the elevator car may be cleaned with an air purifier device, but this is an additional device which is costly and has a limited capacity to handle the air. Alternatively, filtering solutions arranged in the air intakes of the elevator car may be used to filter the air and/or ozone generators may be used to remove bad smells etc..
However, there is a need to develop further solutions to improve air quality in side elevator cars.
SUMMARY The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide basic under standing of some aspects of various invention embodiments. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplifying em bodiments of the invention.
An objective of the invention is to present a method, an elevator control unit, an elevator system, a computer program, and a computer readable storage medium for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking lo cation. Another objective of the invention is that the method, the elevator con trol unit, the elevator system, the computer program, and the computer reada ble storage medium for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location improves air quality inside the elevator car.
The objectives of the invention are reached by a method, an elevator control unit, an elevator system, a computer program, and a computer readable stor age medium as defined by the respective independent claims.
According to a first aspect, a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location is provided, wherein the method comprises: obtaining monitoring data of an elevator system, detecting at least one prede fined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generating to an ele vator drive unit at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft, in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event.
The monitoring data may comprise air quality data representing the air quality inside the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
The air quality data may be obtained from one or more sensors devices ar ranged to the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, and/or from at least one external unit.
The method according may further comprise adjusting the at least one thresh old value based on at least one condition criterion. The at least one condition criterion may comprise a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality da ta.
Alternatively or in addition, the method may further comprise generating at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
The at least one notification may comprise an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air quality map of the elevator shaft.
Alternatively or in addition, the monitoring data may comprise state data repre senting a state of the elevator system, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the elevator system is in an idle state based on the state data.
The detecting that the elevator system is in the idle state may comprise: de tecting that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car during a prede fined period of time, and/or detecting obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from an external system, and/or detecting obtaining an in dication of the idle state of the elevator system from at least one detection de vice arranged to at least one landing.
The fresh air parking location may be determined based on a predefined air quality map of the elevator shaft.
The predefined air quality map may be constant or time dependent.
Alternatively or in addition, the fresh air parking location may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft, wherein after moving the elevator car to the fresh air parking location, the method may further comprise: continuing obtain ing the air quality data, and generating to the elevator drive unit at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft, if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value. According to a second aspect, an elevator control unit for controlling a move ment of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location is provided, wherein the elevator control unit comprises: a processing unit, and a memory unit storing at least one portion of computer program code, wherein the processing unit being configured to cause the elevator control unit at least to perform: obtain moni toring data of an elevator system, detect at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generate to an elevator drive unit at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft, in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event.
The monitoring data may comprise air quality data representing the air quality inside the elevator car and/or an elevator shaft, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise a detection that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
The air quality data may be obtained from one or more sensors devices ar ranged to the elevator car and/or inside the elevator shaft, and/or from at least one external unit.
The elevator control unit may further be configured to adjust the at least one threshold value based on at least one condition criterion.
The at least one condition criterion may comprise a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality da ta.
Alternatively or in addition, the elevator control unit may further be configured to generate at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
The at least one notification may comprise an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air quality map of the elevator shaft.
Alternatively or in addition, the monitoring data may comprise state data repre senting a state of the elevator system, wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detection that the elevator system is in an idle state based on the state data.
The detection that the elevator system is in the idle state may comprise: detec tion that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car during a prede fined period of time, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from an external system, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing.
The fresh air parking location may be determined based on a predefined air quality map of the elevator shaft.
The predefined air quality map may be constant or time dependent.
Alternatively or in addition, the fresh air parking location may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft, wherein the control unit may further be con figured to: continue obtain the air quality data, and generate to the elevator drive unit at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft, if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value.
According to a third aspect, an elevator system for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location is provided, wherein the elevator system comprises: at least one elevator car configured to travel along respec tive at least one elevator shaft, and the elevator control unit described above.
The elevator system may comprise an elevator group comprising two or more elevator cars, each configured to travel along a separate elevator shaft.
Each elevator car of the elevator group may independently be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft, or two or more elevator cars of the elevator group may together be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft.
According to a fourth aspect, a computer program product is provided, wherein the computer program product comprises instructions which, when the pro gram is executed by an elevator control unit, cause the elevator control unit to carry out the method described above. According to a fifth aspect, a computer readable storage medium is provided, wherein the computer readable storage medium comprises instructions which, when executed by an elevator control unit, cause the elevator control unit to carry out the method described above.
Various exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments of the invention both as to constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of unrecited features. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable un less otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 illustrates schematically an example of an elevator system.
Figure 2 illustrates schematically an example of a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location.
Figure 3 illustrates schematically an example of a predefined air quality map of an elevator shaft.
Figure 4 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
Figure 5 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
Figure 6 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
Figure 7 illustrates schematically another example of the method.
Figure 8 illustrates schematically an example of components of an elevator control unit. DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLIFYING EMBODIMENTS
Figure 1 illustrates schematically an example of an elevator system 100. The elevator system 100 comprises an elevator car 110 arranged to travel along a respective elevator shaft 120 between a plurality of landings, i.e. floors, 125a- 125n and an elevator control unit 130. The elevator control unit 130 may be configured to control the operation of the elevator system 100 at least in part. The elevator control unit 130 may reside e.g. in a machine room (for sake of the clarity not shown in Figure 1), in one of the landings 125a-125n of the ele vator system 100, or inside the elevator shaft 120. The elevator control unit 130 may comprise or be associated with an elevator drive unit 140. The eleva tor control unit 130 may command the elevator drive unit 140 to control an ele vator hoisting motor (for sake of the clarity not shown in Figure 1) to move the elevator car 110 along the elevator shaft 120. The elevator drive unit 140 may reside e.g. in a machine room, in one of the landings 125a-125n of the elevator system 100, or inside the elevator shaft 120. The elevator system 100 may fur ther comprise one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b configured to obtain air quality data representing air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the ele vator shaft 120. The one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may be commu nicatively coupled to the elevator control unit 130. The communication be tween the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b and the elevator control unit 130 may be based on one or more known communication technologies, either wired or wireless. The one or more sensor device 150a, 150b may be ar ranged to the elevator car 110, e.g. inside the elevator car 110 and/or outside the elevator car 110, and/or inside the elevator shaft 120. In the example of Figure 1 one sensor device 150a is arranged inside the elevator car 110, e.g. to a ceiling of the elevator car 110, and another sensor device 150b is ar ranged outside the elevator car 110, e.g. to a rooftop of the elevator car 110. Figure 1 illustrates only one non-limiting example of the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b. The elevator system 100 may comprise any other number of the sensor devices 150a, 150b and/or the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may be arranged to any other locations inside the elevator car 110, out side the elevator car 110, and/or inside the elevator shaft 120. The elevator system 100 may further comprise one or more other elevator related entities, e.g. hoisting system, safety circuit and devices, elevator door system, etc., which are not shown in Figure 1 for sake of clarity. Now, at least some aspects of the present invention are described by referring to Figure 2 in which an example of a method for controlling a movement of an elevator car 110 to a fresh air parking location is illustrated. Figure 2 schemati cally illustrates the example method as a flow chart.
At a step 210, the elevator control unit 130 obtains monitoring data of the ele vator system 100. The monitoring data may comprise air quality data repre senting air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120. The elevator control unit 130 may obtain the air quality data from the one or more sensors devices 150a, 150b arranged to the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120 and/or from at least one external unit, i.e. at least one unit external to the elevator system 100. The at least one external unit may comprise for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, a cloud server, a digital twin of the building, and/or a digital twin of the elevator system 100. The digital twin is a virtual representation of the building/elevator system 100. Alternatively or in addition, the monitoring data may comprise state data representing a state of the elevator system 100. The elevator control unit 130 may obtain the monitoring data continuously. Alternatively or in addi tion, the elevator control unit 130 may obtain the monitoring data periodically, e.g. at regular periods or at irregular periods.
At a step 220, the elevator control unit 130 detects at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data. The detected at least one prede fined event may depend on the obtained monitoring data. If the monitoring da ta comprises the air quality data, the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value. Alternatively or in addition, if the monitoring data com prises the state data, the detection of the at least one predefined event may comprise detecting that the elevator system 100 is in an idle state.
At a step 230, in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event at the step 220, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the eleva tor car 110 to a fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120. This enables that the fresh air at the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 ends up also inside the elevator car 110, which improves the air quality inside the elevator car 110. This, in turn, improves the user experience of the passengers, when they enter the elevator car 110. The fresh air may be for example led or forwarded inside the elevator car 110 via ventilation holes opening to the elevator shaft 120. The elevator car 110 may also comprise a fan pushing, i.e. blowing, the fresh air from the elevator shaft 120 into the ele vator car 110, when the elevator car 100 is moved to the fresh air parking loca tion. The fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 may be such a location in which the air quality is at least better than at the current location of the elevator car 110 or even the best possible air quality inside the elevator shaft 120. The fresh air parking location may be determined based on a prede fined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120. Alternatively, if the detec tion of the at least one event comprises the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, the fresh air parking loca tion may be an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft 120 as will be de scribed later in this application. The air quality map 300 may for example be created by monitoring the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 over a prede fined monitoring period, e.g. during one week, one month, or one year. The monitoring may be based on air quality data obtained from the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b during the predefined monitoring period. If the air quality does not change, i.e. remains substantially constant, over the time, the air quality map 300 may be constant. This means that the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 in each floor may constantly be known and the constant air quality map 300 may be used constantly for finding the fresh air parking loca tion inside the elevator shaft 120 for the elevator car 110. Alternatively, if the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 changes over the time e.g. during a day, a week, etc., the predefined air quality map 300 may be time dependent. This means that the air quality inside the elevator shaft 120 may vary over the time, and the time dependent air quality map 300 may be used for finding the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 for the elevator car 110 for each instant of time. The format of the air quality map 300 may for example be a heat map. Figure 3 illustrates schematically a non-limiting example of the predefined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120. In the example of Fig ure 3, the air quality map 300 comprises four levels for the air quality (excellent 310, good 320, low 330, poor 340) each illustrated with a respective pattern. According to the example air quality map 300 of Figure 3, the air quality at the top part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the excellent level 310, the air quality at the upper middle part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the good level 320, the air quality at the lower middle part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the low level 330, and the air quality at the bottom part of the elevator shaft 120 is at the poor level 340. Thus, based on the example air quality map 300 of Figure 3, the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, to which the elevator control unit 130 may command the elevator drive unit 140 to move the elevator car 110 in response to detecting the at least one predefined event at the step 220, may for example be determined to locate at the top part of the elevator shaft 120, wherein the air quality is at the excellent level 310. Figure 3 illus trates only one non-limiting example of the air quality map 300, but the air quality map 300 may comprise any other number of air quality levels and any other format.
Figure 4 illustrates schematically an example of the method of Figure 2, when the monitoring data comprises the state data. At the step 410, the elevator control unit 130 obtains the state data as discussed above referring to the step 210. As described above the state data may represent the state of the elevator car, e.g. an idle state of the elevator system 100. The state data may for ex ample comprise elevator call data and/or an indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100. The elevator control unit 130 is aware of any registered elevator calls, e.g. elevator car calls and/or elevator landing calls, obtained e.g. from user interface devices, e.g. car operation panels, landing call panels and/or destination operation panels, in response to user interaction. The state data comprising the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 may be obtained from an external system and/or from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing 125a-125n. The external system may be for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, an elevator re mote monitoring system, an access control system, or a cloud server. The at least one detection device may for example comprise at least one camera and/or at least one sensor device. According to an example, the at least one detection device may be arranged to a screen or to a user interface device, such as a landing call panel or a destination operation panel, residing at said landing 125a-125n for example in a vicinity of an elevator landing door at said landing 125a-125n. The at least one detection device may also be arranged to any other location at the at least one landing 125a-125n.
At the step 420, the elevator control unit 130 detects that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state based on the obtained state data. According to an ex ample, the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state may com prise detecting that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car 110 during a predefined period of time, e.g. during 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 15 minutes, etc.. Alternatively or in addition, the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state of the elevator system 100 may comprise detecting ob taining the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 from the ex ternal system. According to an example, a building automation system may conclude based on data obtained from one or more motion sensor devices of a lighting system of the building that passengers are not detected in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near fu ture. Thus, the building automation system may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state. According to another example, the building automation system may conclude based on data obtained from one or more detection devices con nected to the building automation system and/or from the access control sys tem that passengers are not detected in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near future. Thus, the building au tomation system may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state. Alternatively or in addition, the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state may comprise detecting obtaining the indication of the idle state of the elevator sys tem 100 from the at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing 125a-125n. According to an example, the at least one detection device may detect that there are no passengers in a vicinity of the elevator system 100 and/or approaching to the elevator system 100 and thus the elevator system 100 will not be needed for a moment in the near future. Thus, the at least one detection device may provide to the elevator system 100 the indication of the idle state of the elevator system 100 based on which the elevator control unit 130 may detect that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state.
At the step 430, in response to the detecting that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state at the step 420, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the el evator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruc tion to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the el evator shaft 120 as discussed above referring to the step 230. Figure 5 illustrates schematically another example of the method of Figure 2, when the monitoring data comprises the air quality data. At the step 510, the elevator control unit 130 obtains the air quality data as discussed above refer ring to the step 210. As discussed above, the air quality data may be obtained from the one or more sensors devices 150a, 150b and/or from the at least one external unit. The air quality data may comprise at least one air quality pa rameter representing the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the ele vator shaft 120. The at least one air quality parameter may comprise for exam ple, but is not limited to, humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide (CO2), volatile organic compounds (VOC), very volatile organic compounds (VVOC), semivol atile organic compounds (SVOC), and/or polycyclic organic matter (POM). The air quality data may also comprise an air quality index representing the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or the elevator shaft 120. The air quality index may be defined based on the at least one air quality parameter. The one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b may each be capable to provide one air quality parameter or more than one air quality parameters.
At the step 520, the elevator control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value. In other words, the control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data reaches and/or falls below the at least one threshold value. The at least one threshold value may be de fined to correspond to for example a value representing a specific air quality level below which the air quality is no longer sufficient and/or acceptable. The at least one threshold value may comprise a threshold value for the air quality index, if the obtained air quality data comprises the air quality index. Alterna tively or in addition, the at least one threshold value may comprise a threshold value for each of the at least one air quality parameter. According to an exam ple, if at least one air quality parameter comprised in the obtained air quality data meets the respective separate threshold value, the control unit 130 may detect that the obtained air quality data meets the threshold value. Alternative ly, according to another example, if all of the at least one air quality parameter comprised in the obtained air quality data meet the respective separate threshold values, the control unit 130 may detect that the obtained air quality data meets the threshold value. The at least one threshold value may be a predefined constant value. Alternatively, the elevator control unit 130 may ad just, e.g. increase and/or decrease, the at least one threshold value based on at least one condition criterion. The at least one condition criterion may com- prise a certain time of day, a certain day, a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality data. The adjusting of the at least one threshold value enables adaptation according to different conditions. For example, in office buildings during rush hour times, e.g. in the morning between 7 am to 9 am and/or in the afternoon between 3 pm and 5 pm, a utilization rate of the elevator system 100 may be higher than during other times of the day. Thus, during the rush hour times, the control unit 130 may increase the at least one threshold value or even prevent the generation of the at least one control command to the eleva tor drive unit 140 to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location. According to another example, on certain days, e.g. on the weekends and/or national holidays, the utilization rate of the elevator system 100 may be lower than on other days. Thus, on the certain days the control unit 130 may de crease the at least one threshold value. According to yet another example, during certain seasons, e.g. pollen seasons and/or street dust seasons, the control unit 130 may decrease the at least one threshold value. According to yet another example, if the history data of the air quality data indicates that the air quality has remained on substantially good level, the control unit 130 may increase the at least one threshold value. Alternatively, if the history data of the air quality data indicates that the air quality has been reduced on substantially low level, the control unit 130 may decrease the at least one threshold value.
At the step 530, in response to the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 520, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruction to move the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 as discussed above referring to the step 230. In addition to generating the at least one control command to the elevator drive unit 140 at the step 530, the elevator control unit 130 may further gener ate at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 520. The external system may comprise for example, but is not limited to, a building automation system, an elevator remote monitoring system, a cloud server, a digital twin of the building, and/or a digital twin of the elevator system 100. The at least one notification generated to the external system may comprise for ex ample an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft 120 where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or the air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120. In response to receiving the indication, the ex ternal system may perform at least one further action. The at least one further action may comprise for example reserving a maintenance for the elevator sys tem 100, generating information for the users of the building about the air qual ity inside the elevator car 110 and/or inside the elevator shaft 120, starting ventilation and/or air cleaning, etc.
Figure 6 illustrates schematically yet another example of the method, when the monitoring data comprises the air quality data and the state data. At a step 610, the elevator control unit 130 obtains the air quality data and the state data as discussed above referring to the steps 210, 410, and 510. At the step 620, the elevator control unit 130 detects that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value as discussed above referring to the step 520.
At the step 630, in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, the elevator control unit 130 further detects that the elevator system 100 is in the idle state based on the obtained state data as discussed above referring to the step 420. The steps 620 and 630 may also be performed in a reversed order, i.e. the step 630 may be performed first and the step 620 may be performed in response to the detecting that the elevator sys tem 100 is in the idle state.
At the step 640, in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 620 and in response to the detecting that the obtained air quality data meets the at least one threshold value at the step 630, the elevator control unit 130 generates to the elevator drive unit 140 the at least one control command comprising the instruction to move the eleva tor car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120 as dis cussed above referring to the steps 230, 430, and 530.
As discussed above the fresh air parking location may be determined based on the predefined air quality map 300 of the elevator shaft 120, either constant or time dependent. Alternatively, the fresh air parking location may be an arbi trary location inside the elevator shaft 120. Figure 7 illustrates schematically yet another example of the method, wherein the elevator car 110 is moved to the arbitrary fresh air parking location at the step 530 or 630 discussed above. In case the fresh air parking location is an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft 120, after commanding the elevator car 110 to be moved to the arbitrary fresh air parking location, the elevator control unit 130 may further continue ob taining, at a step 710, the air quality data from the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b and generate, at a step 730, to the elevator drive unit 140 at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car 110 to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, if the air quality data is still detected at a step 720 to meet the at least one threshold value. The steps 710-730 may be continued until a fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, in which the air quality data does not meet the at least one threshold value, may be found. This may be a preferable method to find the best air quality parking location for the elevator car 110, if the air quality changes all the time.
The elevator system 100 may further comprise an air purifier device arranged to the elevator car 110 to clean the air blown into the elevator car 110 from the elevator shaft 120. The elevator control unit 130 may further control the air pu rifier device to be turned on, in response to the detecting that the air quality da ta meets the at least one threshold value at the steps 520 and/or 620 de scribed above. This improves further the air quality inside the elevator car 110.
Above the different examples of the method for controlling the movement of the elevator car 110 to a fresh air parking location are defined referring to the elevator system 100 comprising one elevator car 110 travelling along one ele vator shaft 120. However, the elevator system 100 may also comprise an ele vator group, i.e. group of two or more elevator cars 110 each travelling along a separate elevator shaft 120 configured to operate as a unit serving the same landings 125a-125n. All the above discussed examples applies also the eleva tor system 100 comprising the elevator group. The elevator system 100 com prising the elevator group may comprise the one or more sensor devices 150a, 150b arranged to each elevator car 110 of the elevator group, e.g. inside said elevator car 110 and/or outside said elevator car 110, and/or inside each ele vator shaft 120. Each elevator car 110 of the elevator group may independent ly be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft 120 as described above referring to the examples of Figures 2, and/or 4- 7. This enables that individual elevator cars 110 of the elevator group may be moved to the fresh air parking location and one or more other elevator cars 110 of the elevator group having a better air quality may be left to serve possi ble upcoming elevator calls. Later, the elevator car 110 moved to the fresh air parking location may be used to serve the possible upcoming elevator calls, e.g. if the air quality inside said elevator car 110 is detected to be above the at least one threshold value again, and the one or more other elevator cars 110 may be moved to the fresh air parking location, if needed. Alternatively, two or more elevator cars 110 of the elevator group may together be moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft 120 as described above referring to the examples of Figures 2, and/or 4-7.
Figure 8 schematically illustrates an example of components of the elevator control unit 130. The elevator control unit 130 may comprise a processing unit 810 comprising one or more processors, a memory unit 820 comprising one or more memories, a communication interface unit 830 comprising one or more communication devices, and possibly a user interface (Ul) unit 840. The men tioned elements may be communicatively coupled to each other with e.g. an internal bus. The memory unit 820 may store and maintain portions of a com puter program (code) 825 and any other data. The computer program 825 may comprise instructions which, when the computer program 825 is executed by the processing unit 810 of the elevator control unit 130 may cause the pro cessing unit 810, and thus the elevator control unit 130 to carry out desired tasks, e.g. one or more of the method steps described above and/or the opera tions of the elevator control unit 130 described above. The processing unit 810 may thus be arranged to access the memory unit 820 and retrieve and store any information therefrom and thereto. For sake of clarity, the processor herein refers to any unit suitable for processing information and control the operation of the elevator control unit 130, among other tasks. The operations may also be implemented with a microcontroller solution with embedded software. Simi larly, the memory unit 820 is not limited to a certain type of memory only, but any memory type suitable for storing the described pieces of information may be applied in the context of the present invention. The communication interface unit 830 provides one or more communication interfaces for communication with any other unit, e.g. the elevator drive unit 140, the one or more sensor de vices 150a, 150a, at least one detection device, at least one external system, and/or any other units. The user interface unit 840 may comprise one or more input/output (I/O) devices, such as buttons, keyboard, touch screen, micro phone, loudspeaker, display and so on, for receiving user input and outputting information. The computer program 825 may be a computer program product that may be comprised in a tangible non-volatile (non-transitory) computer- readable medium bearing the computer program code 825 embodied therein for use with a computer, i.e. the elevator control unit 130.
The above-described method for controlling the movement of the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location, the elevator control unit 130, and the ele- vator system 100 improves the air quality inside the elevator car 110 and/or enables parking the elevator car 110 to the fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft 120, in which the air quality is the best possible.
The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

Claims

1. A Method for controlling a movement of an elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location, the method comprising: obtaining (210, 410, 510, 610) monitoring data of an elevator system (100), detecting (220, 420, 520, 620, 630) at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generating (230, 430, 530, 640) to an elevator drive unit (140) at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft (120), in response to the de- tecting the at least one predefined event.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring data comprises air quality data representing the air quality inside the elevator car (110) and/or inside the elevator shaft (120), and wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event comprises detecting that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the air quality data is obtained from one or more sensors devices (150a, 150b) arranged to the elevator car (110) and/or inside the elevator shaft (120), and/or from at least one external unit.
4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising adjusting the at least one threshold value based on at least one condition criterion.
5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one condition crite rion comprises a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality data.
6. The method according to any of claims 2 to 5, further comprising generat ing at least one notification to an external system in response to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value.
7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one notification comprises an indication of the detection that the air quality data meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft (120) where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air qual ity map (300) of the elevator shaft (120).
8. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the moni toring data comprises state data representing a state of the elevator system (100), and wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event compris es detecting that the elevator system (100) is in an idle state based on the state data.
9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the detecting that the elevator system (100) is in the idle state comprises: detecting that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car (110) during a predefined period of time, and/or detecting obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system (100) from an external system, and/or detecting obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system (100) from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing (125a- 125n).
10. The method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the fresh air parking location is determined based on a predefined air quality map (300) of the elevator shaft (120).
11 . The method according to claim 10, wherein the predefined air quality map (300) is constant or time dependent.
12. The method according to any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the fresh air park ing location is an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft (120), after moving the elevator car (110) to the fresh air parking location, the method further com prises: continuing (710) obtaining the air quality data, and generating (730) to the elevator drive unit (140) at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car (110) to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft (120), if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value.
13. An elevator control unit (130) for controlling a movement of an elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location, the elevator control unit (130) com prises: a processing unit (810), and a memory unit (820) storing at least one portion of computer program code (825), wherein the processing unit (810) being configured to cause the elevator control unit (130) at least to perform: obtain monitoring data of an elevator system (100), detect at least one predefined event based on the obtained monitoring data, and generate to an elevator drive unit (140) at least one control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location inside an elevator shaft (120), in response to the detecting the at least one predefined event.
14. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 13, wherein the moni toring data comprises air quality data representing the air quality inside the el evator car (110) and/or an elevator shaft (120), and wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event comprises a detection that the obtained air quality data meets at least one threshold value.
15. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 14, wherein the air quality data is obtained from one or more sensors devices (150a, 150b) ar ranged to the elevator car (110) and/or inside the elevator shaft (120), and/or from at least one external unit.
16. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 14 or 15, further con figured to adjust the at least one threshold value based on at least one condi tion criterion.
17. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 16, wherein the at least one condition criterion comprises a certain time of day, and/or a certain day, and/or a certain season, and/or history data of the air quality data.
18. The elevator control unit (130) according to any of claims 14 to 17, further configured to generate at least one notification to an external system in re sponse to the detecting that the air quality data meets the at least one thresh old value.
19. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 18, wherein the at least one notification comprises an indication of the detection that the air quality da ta meets the at least one threshold value, information about the location inside the elevator shaft (120) where the air quality data is detected to meet the at least one threshold value, at least part of the obtained air quality data, and/or an air quality map (300) of the elevator shaft (120).
20. The elevator control unit (130) according to any of claims 13 to 19, wherein the monitoring data comprises state data representing a state of the elevator system (100), and wherein the detection of the at least one predefined event comprises detection that the elevator system (100) is in an idle state based on the state data.
21. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 20, wherein the detec tion that the elevator system (100) is in the idle state comprises: detection that elevator calls are not registered for the elevator car (110) during a predefined period of time, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system (100) from an external system, and/or detection of obtaining an indication of the idle state of the elevator system (130) from at least one detection device arranged to at least one landing (125a-125n).
22. The elevator control unit (130) according to any of claims 13 to 21, wherein the fresh air parking location is determined based on a predefined air quality map (300) of the elevator shaft (120).
23. The elevator control unit (130) according to claim 22, wherein the prede fined air quality map (300) is constant or time dependent.
24. The elevator control unit (130) according to any of claims 14 to 19, wherein the fresh air parking location is an arbitrary location inside the elevator shaft (120), wherein the control unit (130) is further configured to: continue obtain the air quality data, and generate to the elevator drive unit (140) at least one second control command comprising an instruction to move the elevator car (110) to at least one other fresh air parking location inside the elevator shaft (120), if the air quality data is still detected to meet the at least one threshold value.
25. An elevator system (100) for controlling a movement of an elevator car (110) to a fresh air parking location, the elevator system (100) comprising: at least one elevator car (110) configured to travel along respective at least one elevator shaft (120), and the elevator control unit (130) according to any of the claims 13 to 24.
26. The elevator system (100) according to claim 25, wherein the elevator system (100) comprises an elevator group comprising two or more elevator cars (110) each configured to travel along a separate elevator shaft (120).
27. The elevator system (100) according to claim 26, wherein each elevator car (110) of the elevator group is independently moved to the fresh air parking location inside the respective elevator shaft (120), or wherein two or more ele vator cars (110) of the elevator group are together moved to the fresh air park ing location inside the respective elevator shaft (120).
28. A computer program product (825) comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by an elevator control unit (130), cause the elevator control unit (130) to carry out the method of any of claims 1 to 12.
29. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by an elevator control unit (130), cause the elevator control unit (130) to carry out the method of any of claims 1 to 12.
EP21742752.5A 2021-07-01 2021-07-01 A solution for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location Pending EP4363364A1 (en)

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PCT/EP2021/068211 WO2023274542A1 (en) 2021-07-01 2021-07-01 A solution for controlling a movement of an elevator car to a fresh air parking location

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
TWI255900B (en) * 2003-07-03 2006-06-01 Nien-Chin Lee System of enhancing air quality used for buildings
CN107207189A (en) * 2015-01-20 2017-09-26 奥的斯电梯公司 Elevator device
CN106066078A (en) * 2016-05-09 2016-11-02 上海新时达电气股份有限公司 Elevator console, lift car and air purification method thereof
CN108163651A (en) * 2017-12-22 2018-06-15 广州梯安电梯有限公司 A kind of emergency staircase opened loop control machine

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