Patent Application
20180237259
The present invention generally relates to an elevator system, and more particularly to a method for detecting trapped passengers in an elevator car.
Elevator systems are widely known and used in various places. The elevator system includes an elevator car that moves between landings in a building to transport passengers between different building levels. The elevator car is provided with a car operating panel which includes a car door open button, a car door close button and destination floor buttons, etc. Along with these buttons, the car operating panel includes an emergency button and an intercom such that a passenger can make an emergency call to a help desk by pressing the emergency button when the passenger is trapped in the elevator car due to the failure of the elevator system or disasters such as earthquakes, for example.
However, with the conventional elevator system, the emergency stop button is usually placed on the upper part of the car operating panel; therefore, passengers such as children or ones who use wheelchairs may not reach to the emergency stop button. Accordingly, such trapped passengers may not make an emergency call to the help desk so that operators in the help desk may not notice the trapped passengers.
According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for detecting trapped passengers in an elevator car is provided. The method comprises collecting a sound in the interior of the elevator car when any failure of an elevator is detected; comparing the level of the sound with a threshold level; and determining that there is a trapped passenger in the elevator car when the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises automatically making a call to a help desk when the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises taking pictures of the interior of the elevator car and outputting picture images to the help desk.
According to another embodiment of the invention, an elevator system is provided. The elevator system comprises an elevator controller controlling the movement of an elevator car and detecting a failure of an elevator; an alarming unit providing a communication network between an elevator car and a help desk remote from the elevator and receiving a failure signal output from the elevator controller; and an analyzer unit collecting a sound in the interior of the elevator car. The analyzer unit compares the level of the sound with a threshold level and outputs a result to the alarming unit.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the analyzer unit automatically makes a call to a help desk when the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the system further comprises a camera provided within an elevator car and wherein the camera takes pictures of the interior of the elevator car when the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level.
According to yet another embodiment of the invention, the system further comprises an intercom through which the sound in the interior of the elevator car is collected.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
An elevator system includes an elevator car 1 movable within a hoistway (not shown) to provide elevator service to a plurality of landings, and an elevator controller 2 (see
The intercom 12 includes a speaker 22 and a microphone 24 which allow passengers to communicate with an operator in a help desk 26 (see
In addition, the elevator car 1 includes a camera 28 which is disposed on a ceiling 30 of the elevator car 1 to take pictures of the interior of the elevator car 1 and passengers if any. The camera 28 may be an analog camera, a digital camera, a TOF (Time of Flight) camera or an infrared light camera, etc.
The alarming unit 34 is located in the machine room and provides a communication network between the elevator car 1 and the help desk 26. The alarming unit 34 is connected to the elevator controller 2 and receives a failure signal which is transmitted from the elevator controller 2 when the elevator controller 2 detects any failure of the elevator system. The alarming unit 34 is also connected to the help desk 26 via a network 38 such as a telephone line, a VoIP network, the Internet, etc. The alarming unit 34 makes an alert message and sends failure information to the help desk 26 via the network 38 when the alarming unit 34 receives the failure signal from the controller 2. Not shown in the
The analyzer unit 36 is deposed on the top of the elevator car 1 and connected to the alarming unit 34, the intercom 12 and the camera 28. The power of the analyzer unit 36 remains off until the alarming unit 34 turns it on in accordance with the reception of the failure signal from the elevator controller 2. The analyzer unit 36 is configured to collect a sound in the interior of the elevator car 1 and analyzes the collected sound. The analyzer unit 36 is activated for a predetermined period of time to collect and analyzes the sound. In one embodiment, the predetermined period of time is one minute. The sound which includes a passenger's voice is collected via the microphone 24. The analysis of the collected sound is performed by comparing the level of the collected sound with a threshold level. The analyzer unit 36 automatically makes an emergency call to the help desk 26 via the alarming unit 34 and the network 38 when the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level and also gives a command to the camera 28 to take pictures of the interior of the elevator car 1. In other words, the intercom 12 and the camera 28 are triggered by a predetermined sound level in the interior of the elevator car 1. The analyzer unit 36 includes a battery 42 so that the analyzer unit 36 can be used during the power failure.
In Step 104, it is determined whether the alarming unit 34 receives from the elevator controller 2 a restoration signal which indicates the restoration of the elevator system. If the alarming unit 34 receives the restoration signal, the alarming unit 34 turns off the analyzer unit 36 in Step 105 and the flow is terminated. If the alarming unit 34 does not receive the restoration signal, the flow moves to Step 106.
In Step 106, the analyzer unit 36 compares the level of the collected sound with a threshold level. If the level of the sound does not exceed the threshold level, the flow moves to Step 107 and the analyzer unit 36 determines whether a predetermined period of time is elapsed. If the predetermined period of time is not elapsed, the flow returns to Step 104. If it is elapsed, the flow returns to Step 105.
In Step 106, if the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level, the analyzer unit 36 automatically makes an emergency call to the help desk 26 in Step 108. Simultaneously, the analyzer unit 36 gives a command to the camera 28 to take pictures of the interior of the elevator car 1 in Step 109 and outputs picture images to the help desk 26 via the alarming unit 34 and the network 38 in Step 110.
In Step 111, an operator in the help desk 26 determines whether there is a trapped passenger in the elevator car 1 by checking the picture images and/or the sound transmitted through the intercom 12. If no passenger is trapped in the elevator car 1, the flow is terminated. If there is a trapped passenger in the elevator car 1, the operator talks to the trapped passenger in Step 112 and performs necessary procedures. Then, in Step 113, the alarming unit 34 turns off the analyzer unit 36 and the flow is terminated.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the trapped passenger can talk to an operator in the help desk 26 without pressing the emergency button 14. Accordingly, even trapped passengers who cannot reach the emergency button 14 can make an emergency call to the help desk 26 and the existence of such passengers can be noticed by the operator.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the exemplary embodiment as illustrated in the drawings, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. For example, the trapped passenger is illustrated as a small child in drawings; however, the trapped passenger may be one who uses a wheelchair or a pet such as a dog. Further, in another embodiment, the analyzer unit 36 may either make an emergency call to the help desk 26, or give a command to the camera 28 to take pictures of the interior of the elevator car 1 and output picture images to the help desk 26 if the level of the sound exceeds the threshold level.
