JP2008063085A - Remote monitoring system and remote monitoring method of elevator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce possibility that emergency contact to mitigate an uneasy feeling of a passenger of an elevator can not be established when an emergency situation occurs. <P>SOLUTION: An information transmission device 31 of an elevator is provided with: an earthquake sensor 13 sensing an earthquake to generate an earthquake occurrence signal; an elevator controller 1 generating a communication route establishment command signal after receiving the earthquake occurrence signal; a transceiver 7 transmitting and receiving signals between a remote monitoring device 32 generating emergency contact information to the passenger of a car, and itself when connected to one of access points 30 of a communication network 23 having a plurality of connection points; a selection switch 8 selecting one of the access points 30 and causing the transceiver 7 to repeatedly try connection with its connection points until a communication route to the remote monitoring device 32 is established when receiving the communication route establishment command signal; and a display unit 3 displaying the emergency contact information transmitted from the remote monitoring device 32, and arranged in the car. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an elevator remote monitoring system and a remote monitoring method.

  The operation panel installed in the elevator car is provided with various buttons such as a button for designating a destination floor and a button for opening and closing a door. In addition, the operation panel is provided with a display showing the lift direction and arrival floor of the elevator, an emergency contact button for notifying the outside that an emergency has occurred, an interphone having a microphone and a speaker, and the like. In addition, a voice guidance device, a display, or the like may be provided to provide simple information such as a time display.

  In an emergency, an emergency contact button arranged on such an operation panel is pressed to communicate with the outside via an intercom. Generally, this intercom is connected to the outside via a general telephone line or the like.

Patent Document 1 discloses a method of incorporating a small telephone with a liquid crystal screen and providing various information using both voice and images to passengers in the car via the small telephone. This improves communication with the outside in the event of an emergency, relieves passengers' anxiety, and provides high value-added services by utilizing information infrastructure such as the Internet using small phones. can do.
JP 2002-226148 A

  However, when communication lines such as existing telephone lines are used for communication from the elevator car to the outside, the lines are severed in various places when a disaster such as an earthquake occurs, and communication is concentrated, and There is a problem that emergency contact from the inside of the car to the outside is difficult. When emergency contact is not possible in this way, passengers trapped in the car feel anxious.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to reduce the possibility that an emergency call cannot be made to relieve anxiety of an elevator passenger when an emergency occurs.

  In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a remote monitoring system for an elevator that detects an earthquake occurring at an elevator installation location and generates an earthquake occurrence signal, and the earthquake detector generates the earthquake. After receiving the earthquake occurrence signal, an elevator controller that generates a communication path establishment command signal and an emergency contact information for passengers in the elevator car connected to a communication network having a plurality of connection points When connected to a remote monitoring device and one connection point of the communication network, a transmitter / receiver for transmitting / receiving signals to / from the remote monitoring device, and the communication path establishment command signal generated by the elevator controller Once received, until a communication path is established with the remote monitoring device, the communication network is repeatedly connected to a plurality of connection points. And a selector switch that causes the transceiver to attempt a connection with the connection point, and is disposed in the car, connected to the transceiver and connected to the remote via the communication network. And a display for displaying the emergency contact information transmitted from the monitoring device.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a remote monitoring method for an elevator, the step of detecting an earthquake occurring at an elevator installation location and generating an earthquake occurrence signal, and a communication path establishment command signal after receiving the earthquake occurrence signal. And a remote monitoring device that is connected to a communication network having a plurality of connection points and generates emergency contact information for passengers in the elevator car after the communication path establishment command signal is generated Until a communication path is established, repeatedly selecting one of a plurality of connection points of the communication network and attempting a connection with the connection point; and Transmitting the emergency contact information from the remote monitoring device to an indicator disposed in the car via an established communication path, and displaying the emergency contact information. And wherein the Rukoto.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce a possibility that an emergency contact that can ease an anxiety of an elevator passenger in the event of an emergency situation cannot be performed.

  Embodiments of an elevator information transmission device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 is a side view of the elevator equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The elevator facility includes a car 6 on which passengers are placed and a drive motor 20 that moves the car 6 up and down. The car 6 is arranged in a hoistway 41 that is formed in the building and extends in the vertical direction. The drive motor 20 is installed in the machine room 19 located above the hoistway 41. The car 6 is suspended from a rope 40 that is hung around the drive motor 20. A counterweight 21 is suspended from the rope 40 on the opposite side of the car 6 with respect to the drive motor 20. A door 16 that opens and closes at the stop floor is installed on the car 6 so that passengers can get on and off.

  The elevator facility also includes an elevator controller 1 that controls the drive motor 20 and the like, and an earthquake detector 13 that detects an earthquake and transmits the signal to the elevator controller 1. The elevator controller 1 and the earthquake detector 13 are installed in the machine room 19. In the machine room 19, the transceiver 7 and the selection switch 8 are installed. A cable 22 extends between the elevator controller 1 and the transceiver 7 and the car 6.

  A sensor 50 is attached to the inside of the car 6. The sensor 50 is, for example, a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, a human sensor, an acceleration sensor, or the like. The mounting location of the sensor 50 is not limited to the inside of the car 6, and may be anywhere as long as an abnormality in the elevator facility can be detected. For example, the sensor 50 may be installed in the hoistway 41 or the machine room 19.

  The elevator controller 1 receives a signal transmitted from the sensor 50 and determines whether or not a disaster has occurred. Examples of disasters related to elevator equipment that occur during an earthquake include collapse, fire, and power outage. For example, when the temperature sensor detects a high temperature exceeding a predetermined criterion, or when the smoke sensor detects smoke, the elevator controller 1 determines that a disaster has occurred. When it is determined that a disaster has occurred, switching to a standby power source (not shown) may be performed in order to avoid a communication disabled state due to a power failure.

  FIG. 3 is a front view of the wall to which the door of the elevator car according to the present embodiment is attached.

  An operation panel 15 is disposed on a part of the wall where the door 16 of the car 6 is installed. A destination button 42 for designating a destination floor is arranged on the operation panel 15. Further, the operation panel 15 has a display 3 and an emergency contact button 17. The emergency contact button 17 is in a state where it cannot be used in normal times.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an elevator remote monitoring system according to the present embodiment.

  The elevator remote monitoring system includes an information transmission device 31 and a remote monitoring device 32. The information transmission device 31 includes an earthquake sensor 13, an elevator controller 1, a selection switch 8, a transceiver 7, an emergency contact button 17, a display 3 and a sensor 50. The elevator controller 1, the display 3, the emergency contact button 17, and the sensor 50 are connected via a cable 22 that extends from the machine room 19 to the car 6.

  The remote monitoring device 32 is located in a monitoring center remote from the installation location of the elevator facility. The remote monitoring device 32 includes a transmitter / receiver 27, a host computer 12, and a center terminal 11. The center terminal 11 includes a display 3 and an operation console 2. The remote monitoring device 32 may be configured to simultaneously monitor a plurality of elevator facilities.

  The elevator controller 1 and the host computer 12 are connected via a normal line 60 at a predetermined time interval. The transmitter / receiver 27 of the remote monitoring device 32 is connected to the access point 30 of the communication network 23. The communication network 23 is an Internet network, for example, and has a plurality of access points 30 as connection points to the Internet network.

  An administrator display means 54 can be connected to the host computer 12. The host computer 12 and the manager display means 54 need not always be connected, and may be appropriately connected when information transmission is necessary. Further, the host computer 12 and the manager display means 54 may be connected via the communication network 23.

  FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the elevator remote monitoring method of the present embodiment.

  When the elevator remote monitoring system starts operation, the elevator controller 1 checks whether or not the earthquake detector 13 has detected an earthquake (step S1). The elevator controller 1 repeats step S1 until the earthquake detector 13 detects an earthquake. Further, when the connection between the elevator controller 1 and the host computer 12 via the normal line 60 cannot be established for a predetermined time, it may be determined that a disaster such as an earthquake has occurred.

  When it is determined that a disaster such as an earthquake has occurred, the elevator controller 1 activates the emergency contact button 17 on the operation panel 15 (step S2). That is, when the emergency contact button 17 is pressed after determining that a disaster such as an earthquake has occurred, the remote monitoring device 32 can be contacted.

  Further, after determining that a disaster such as an earthquake has occurred, the elevator controller 1 transmits a communication path establishment command signal to the selection switch 8 so as to establish a communication path to the remote monitoring device 32.

  Upon receiving the communication path establishment command signal, the selection switch 8 selects a communication path (step S3), and causes the transceiver 7 to try to establish the communication path (step S4). The communication path is a path connected to the remote monitoring device 32 via the access point 30 of the Internet service provider, for example. The access point 30 and the transceiver 7 are connected by a communication means provided by a communication carrier such as a mobile phone.

  The selection switch 8 determines whether or not a communication path has been established (step S5). If the communication path has not been established, the selection switch 8 repeats steps S3 and S4 while switching the communication path until the communication path is established.

  For example, telephone numbers of access points of a plurality of Internet access providers are stored in advance, and telephone connections are established sequentially or randomly to establish a connection to the Internet. At this time, it is preferable to connect to an access point using communication lines provided by a plurality of telecommunication carriers.

  Thereafter, when the passenger in the car 6 presses the emergency contact button 17 (step S6), the information transmission device 31 is connected to the remote monitoring device 32 (step S7) and starts exchanging information. Information detected by the sensor 50 such as a temperature sensor, a smoke sensor, a human sensor, or an acceleration sensor is transmitted to the remote monitoring device 32 (step S8). For example, presence or absence of passengers in the car is detected by a human sensor. Moreover, the occurrence of a fire or the like is detected by a smoke sensor or a temperature sensor. Depending on the acceleration sensor, abnormal vibration of the car 6 or collapse of the wall forming the hoistway 41 is detected.

  On the other hand, when the remote monitoring device 32 obtains the information on the occurrence of the earthquake, the remote monitoring device 32 collects the damage status information (step S11). The information on the occurrence of an earthquake can be obtained from an organization that provides external earthquake information.

  The remote monitoring device 32 generates and selects appropriate emergency contact information based on the collected disaster situation information (step S12). Here, the damage status information collected by the remote monitoring device 32 is not limited to the information transmitted from the information transmission device 31 of one elevator facility. For example, emergency contact information may be selected based on damage status information transmitted from elevator equipment installed in other nearby buildings.

  The emergency contact information generated / selected by the remote monitoring device 32 is transmitted to the information transmission device 31 (step S13). The emergency contact information received by the information transmission device 31 is displayed on the display 3 (step S9). Passengers in the car 6 can see the emergency contact information displayed on the display 3. The emergency contact information is, for example, the occurrence of a disaster near the installation location of the elevator equipment, the expected arrival time of maintenance personnel, and the like.

  By transmitting the emergency contact information in this way, the passenger can take an appropriate action, and the passenger's anxiety can be eased.

  Further, emergency contact information may be transmitted to the manager or maintenance staff of the elevator facility via the manager display means 54. The manager display means 54 is, for example, a terminal that can be carried by an administrator or maintenance personnel, or an alarm device installed in a standby area for the administrator or maintenance personnel.

  In this case, all the emergency contact information corresponding to the plurality of elevator facilities handled by the manager is transmitted to the manager display means 54. In addition, the scheduled arrival time of the manager or the like at the elevator facility may be transmitted from the manager display means 54 to the remote monitoring device 32.

  As described above, in the elevator remote monitoring system of the present embodiment, a communication path between the information transmission apparatus 31 and the remote monitoring apparatus 32 is established by selecting one communication path from a plurality of communication paths. It is possible to reduce the possibility of reaching a situation where communication is concentrated and communication paths cannot be established due to the occurrence.

  The establishment of the communication path in steps S3 to S5 may be performed after step S6. In this case, the communication path with the remote monitoring device 32 is secured only when it is certain that the passenger is actually in the car 6. For this reason, it may take some time until the information is transmitted to the remote monitoring center after the emergency contact button 17 is pressed, but a communication path is not secured until it is unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that communication is concentrated at the time of the occurrence of an earthquake and that other disaster victims, elevator equipment, etc. cannot secure a communication path.

  Further, by using a widely used public telephone line and the Internet network as a communication line, it is possible to make an emergency contact at the time of disaster without laying a special communication line.

  The above description is merely an example, and the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms.

It is a block diagram of the elevator monitoring system of one embodiment concerning the present invention. It is a side view of the elevator installation of one embodiment concerning the present invention. It is a front view of the wall where the door of the elevator car of one embodiment concerning the present invention was attached. It is a flowchart of the remote monitoring method of the elevator of one embodiment concerning the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Elevator controller, 2 ... Console, 3 ... Display, 6 ... Ride car, 7 ... Transceiver, 8 ... Selection switch, 11 ... Center terminal, 12 ... Host computer, 13 ... Earthquake detector, 15 ... Operation panel, 16 ... door, 17 ... emergency contact button, 19 ... machine room, 20 ... drive motor, 21 ... counterweight, 22 ... cable, 23 ... communication network, 27 ... transceiver, 30 ... access point, 31 ... information Transmission device 32 ... Remote monitoring device 40 ... Rope 41 ... Hoistway 42 ... Destination button 50 ... Sensor 54 ... Manager display means

Claims (6)

An earthquake detector that detects an earthquake occurring at the location of the elevator and generates an earthquake occurrence signal;
An elevator controller that generates a communication path establishment command signal after receiving the earthquake occurrence signal generated by the earthquake detector;
A remote monitoring device connected to a communication network having a plurality of connection points to generate emergency contact information for passengers in the elevator car;
When connected to one connection point of the communication network, a transceiver for transmitting and receiving signals to and from the remote monitoring device;
Upon receiving the communication path establishment command signal generated by the elevator controller, repeatedly select one of the connection points of the communication network until a communication path with the remote monitoring device is established. And a selector switch that causes the transceiver to try to connect to the connection point;
A display that is disposed in the car and connected to the transceiver to display the emergency contact information transmitted from the remote monitoring device via the communication network;
An elevator remote monitoring system characterized by comprising:   2. The elevator remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the elevator controller automatically generates the communication path establishment command signal when receiving the earthquake occurrence signal. Having a plurality of buttons disposed on the car;
When the elevator controller receives the earthquake occurrence signal, one of the buttons starts a function as an emergency contact button, and when the emergency contact button is pressed, the communication path establishment command signal is generated.
The elevator remote monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above-mentioned. Having a sensor to detect the state of the elevator disposed in either the car and its installation location;
4. The elevator remote monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver further has a function of transmitting a state detected by the sensor to the remote monitoring device. 5.   An administrator display means for transmitting the emergency contact to an administrator who performs maintenance when an emergency occurs in the elevator car connected to the remote monitoring device. Item 5. The elevator remote monitoring system according to any one of Item 4. Detecting an earthquake that occurred at the location of the elevator and generating an earthquake occurrence signal;
Generating a communication path establishment command signal after receiving the earthquake occurrence signal;
After the communication path establishment command signal is generated, a communication path is established with a remote monitoring device that is connected to a communication network having a plurality of connection points and generates emergency contact information for passengers in the elevator car. Until it is done, repeatedly selecting one of a plurality of connection points of the communication network and trying to establish a connection between the connection points,
Transmitting the emergency contact information from the remote monitoring device to a display device disposed in the car via the communication path established in the communication path establishing step;
A method for remotely monitoring an elevator, comprising:

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