JP6619760B2 - Elevator apparatus, elevator system, and autonomous robot control method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an elevator apparatus that discriminates passenger attributes in a car by using an in-car camera and instructs a floor guidance / serving robot according to the discrimination result.

  With recent advances in robot control technology, robots have come to act on behalf of tasks and services that have been performed by humans.

  For example, in the abstract of Patent Document 1, when a remote control panel for registering a hall call, transmission means for transmitting the hall call to an elevator control panel, and a car responding to the hall call by the control panel, There is disclosed an autonomous traveling vehicle that is equipped with receiving means for receiving an assigned car from a control panel, and that guides a user by traveling the autonomous traveling vehicle to the entry / exit position of the assigned car when the receiver receives the assigned car. .

  As described above, in Patent Document 1, a remote control panel for registering a landing call on an autonomous traveling vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a “robot”) standing by at an elevator landing including a plurality of elevators, and the landing call. On the other hand, a technology has been proposed in which a user is guided to a car doorway of an assigned elevator number by adding a function of receiving information assigned to an elevator service.

JP 2002-348055 A

  However, the robot providing service of Patent Document 1 is limited to services for passengers before using the elevator, and does not support services for passengers after using the elevator. Moreover, since it does not correspond to the service provision based on the passenger attribute in a cage | basket | car, it may be felt that the service provided is excessive or insufficient.

  In recent years, manufacturers have introduced autonomous robots that provide guidance and customer service in stores and public spaces. However, there are many passive services, and they actively detect people who are in need and who are in trouble. The service was not supported.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, an elevator apparatus according to the present invention transmits a calling instruction for an autonomous robot that provides guidance and customer service, and is installed in a car and is in a car that is in the car. A camera for photographing passengers, passenger attribute determination means for determining the attributes of the passengers in the car from the captured image of the camera, destination floor determination means for determining the destination floor of the passengers in the car from a destination call in the car, and A calling command sending means for sending a calling command for calling the autonomous robot to the landing on the destination floor, the calling command sending means, the attributes of the passengers in the car determined by the passenger attribute determining means, The summoning command is transmitted based on the destination floor determined by the destination floor determination means.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the service by a self-supporting robot can be provided appropriately with respect to the passenger after using an elevator.

The schematic block diagram of the elevator system of one Example. The block diagram of the image monitoring apparatus of FIG. 1, an elevator control apparatus, and an autonomous robot control apparatus. The flowchart which shows the calling determination of an autonomous robot. The flowchart which shows the determination process with respect to the calling command of an autonomous robot.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 shows an elevator system according to this embodiment, which includes an elevator device 100, a remote management center 200, and an autonomous robot 8. As shown here, the elevator apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment includes a car 1 disposed in a hoistway of a building, a door 2 that opens and closes the entrance of the car 1, and a car that captures an image in the car 1. A stereo camera 3, an in-car display 4 for displaying various information such as the current position and traveling direction of the car 1, and an in-car destination floor call button 5 for registering a destination floor call from the inside of the car 1 are provided. . The hoistway in which the car 1 is arranged faces a plurality of halls 6, and each hall 6 is provided with a hall call button 7 that calls the car 1.

  The car 1 is provided with an image monitoring device 9 connected to the car stereo camera 3, and a control panel installed in a machine room or the like above the hoistway passes through a local bus 12 such as a tail cord. An elevator control device 10 connected to the car 1 and the hall call button 7 is provided.

  In addition, a plurality of autonomous robots 8 (8a, 8b, 8c...) That provide guidance and customer service to users are provided in the building, and are connected to the elevator apparatus 100 via the public line 13. The remote management center 200 is provided with an autonomous robot control device 11 that controls the autonomous robot 8. The autonomous robot 8 is connected to the autonomous robot control device 11 via a public line 13 including a wireless unit indicated by a dotted line, and provides guidance / customer service based on instructions from the autonomous robot control device 11. Since the guidance / customer service itself is already known, detailed description thereof is omitted.

  Next, detailed configurations of the image monitoring device 9, the elevator control device 10, and the autonomous robot control device 11 will be described with reference to FIG.

  The image monitoring device 9 provided in the car 1 is a device that processes the captured image of the car stereo camera 3, and connects the CPU 9a, the main storage device 9b, the auxiliary storage device 9c, and the communication device 9d. Consists of buses. When the CPU 9a executes the program on the main storage device 9b, the passenger presence / absence determination unit that determines the presence / absence of passengers from the photographed image, and the passenger attributes (healthy person (adult), child, wheelchair user) from the photographed image. A passenger attribute determination unit for determining and a passenger presence / absence determination unit for determining whether a child or a wheelchair user uses alone or a healthy person (adult) from the captured image are realized, and the determination results are summarized. The passenger data D1 in the car is stored in the auxiliary storage device 9c and transmitted to the elevator control device 10 through the communication device 9d.

  The passenger attribute determination in the car 1 by the image monitoring device 9 is a technique for estimating the attribute of a person using three-dimensional data from the car stereo camera 3 and an image recognition technique. For example, it may be estimated as a child when the height information of the detected object is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold, or may be estimated as a wheelchair user when a cubic shape of the wheelchair is detected. Whether or not it is used alone may be determined by whether or not the number of the humanoid shape or the cubic chair shape is one on the image.

  The elevator control device 10 provided in the machine room of the hoistway controls the operation of the elevator device 100 based on various input signals from the in-car destination floor call button 5, the landing call button 7, etc., and the CPU 10a A main storage device 10b, an auxiliary storage device 10c, a communication device 10d, and a bus connecting them. By executing the program on the main storage device 10b by the CPU 10a, the passenger attribute extracting unit in the car that extracts the passenger attribute in the car from the passenger data D1 in the car received from the image monitoring device 9, and the destination floor of the passenger in the car are displayed. An in-car passenger destination floor determination unit is realized that is determined based on an input signal from the in-car destination floor call button 5.

  Similarly, the elevator control device 10 includes an autonomous robot convocation permission determination unit that determines whether or not the autonomous robot 8 can be called, an autonomous robot convocation unit that issues a calling command for the autonomous robot 8 that has been determined to be capable of calling, and an autonomous robot control device. An autonomous robot calling status display unit for displaying that the autonomous robot 8 arrives at the landing 6 on the display 4 in the car when the calling command response from 11 is received is realized. In addition, the passenger data D1 in the car received from the image monitoring device 9 is recorded in the auxiliary storage device 10c.

  On the other hand, the autonomous robot controller 11 provided in the remote management center 200 issues a dispatch command to a plurality of autonomous robots 8 to instruct guidance / customer service provision, and includes a CPU 11a and a main storage device 11b. And an auxiliary storage device 11c, a communication device 11d, and a bus connecting them. When the CPU 11a executes the program on the main storage device 11b, it issues a dispatch command to the appropriate autonomous robot 8 to the landing 6 in accordance with a calling command from the elevator control device 10, and also sets a dispatch plan for the autonomous robot 8. A calling command response unit that answers the elevator control device 10 is realized. The auxiliary storage device 11c stores autonomous robot management data D2 that summarizes the current floor and status reported from each autonomous robot 8.

  Next, an example of the autonomous robot management data D2 will be described using Table 1.

  As shown here, the autonomous robot management data D2 includes the “current floor information” indicating the floor currently deployed for the six autonomous robots 8 and the “status” indicating whether guidance / customer service is being performed or waiting. Information ”and“ response availability information ”indicating whether the convening command can be handled. In the status information, “Waiting 1” indicates a state in which the autonomous robot 8 that is not serving customers is waiting at the landing 6, and “Waiting 2” is that the autonomous robot 8 that is not serving customers is at the landing 6. Indicates a state of waiting at a location away from Since “Waiting 1” can respond immediately to customer service, “○” indicating that customer service is available immediately is registered in the availability information, and “Waiting 2” takes time to move to landing 6 In the availability information, “Δ” indicating that it takes some time to start customer service is registered. When the status information is “currently serving”, “×” indicating that the current customer service is not possible is registered in the availability information. In addition, since “response information” is uniquely determined from “status information”, “response information” may be omitted. Note that the status information of the waiting autonomous robot 8 may further include an estimated movement time from the receipt of the calling command until the autonomous robot 8 arrives at the landing 6, or based on the estimated movement time. Status information may be set (for example, estimated travel time within 15 seconds = waiting 1, estimated travel time within 15 seconds to 30 seconds = waiting 2, estimated travel time 30 seconds to = waiting 3). The estimated moving time may be calculated from the position information of the hall 6 and the autonomous robot 8 and the average moving speed of the autonomous robot 8.

  Next, with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3, processing performed by the elevator control device 10 from the passenger boarding to the car 1 to getting off in the elevator system of the present embodiment will be described.

  First, in step S <b> 1, the elevator control device 10 determines whether there is a new passenger boarding in the car 1. As a method for determining whether or not a new passenger has entered the vehicle, there is a method for determining whether or not the in-car destination floor call button 5 has been registered after the car door 2 is closed. If there is no new passenger boarding (No in S1), the process of FIG. 3 is terminated, but if there is a new passenger boarding (Yes in S1), the attributes of passengers in the car are confirmed (S2).

  Specifically, it is determined from the passenger attribute information included in the passenger data D1 in the car stored in the auxiliary storage device 10c whether there is a child on a single ride or a wheelchair user. If there is such a user (Yes in S3), the user's destination floor is confirmed from the newly registered content of the car destination floor call button 5 (S4).

  Next, whether or not the autonomous robot 8 is deployed on the destination floor is determined from the “current floor information” of the autonomous robot management data D2 acquired from the autonomous robot control device 11, and is deployed (Yes in S5). Confirms the “status information” of the autonomous robot 8 deployed on the destination floor (S6). When the “status information” is “standby 1” or “standby 2” (Yes in S6), a calling command for the autonomous robot 8 is issued to the autonomous robot controller 11 (S7). When the status information is “waiting 2”, the autonomous robot 8 is on the destination floor but not on the landing 6, so the calling instruction transmitted when “waiting 2” is sent to the landing 6. The movement instruction is also included. The elevator control device 10 may calculate the car travel time to the destination floor from the current position of the car 1, the destination floor, and the car call information. If the status information includes estimated travel time information for the autonomous robot 8 to the destination floor 6, the travel time to the destination floor of the car 1 and the estimated travel time to the landing 6 of the autonomous robot 8 are obtained in S 6. Based on the travel time, when it is determined that the autonomous robot 8 arrives at the landing 6 until the car 1 arrives at the destination floor or within a predetermined time after the arrival of the car, a calling command is sent to the autonomous robot 6 Also good. In that case, if it takes time until the arrival of the autonomous robot 6 after the car 1 arrives at the destination floor, the passenger is allowed to wait in the car 1 for a long time, or the passenger gets off the car 1 before the arrival of the autonomous robot 6. The possibility of being lost can be reduced.

  In addition, when guidance by the independent robot 8 is not performed from the acquired in-car passenger data D1, specifically, the in-car passenger is a child or a wheelchair user and gets on alone (no normal person (adult) rides in) If not (No in S3), if the autonomous robot 8 is not deployed on the destination floor (No in S5), the current status of the autonomous robot 8 on the destination floor is “Guiding”, that is, cannot respond to the calling command In the case of (No in S6), this process ends without transmitting the calling instruction.

  The above-described steps S5 to S7 will be specifically described by taking the case where the autonomous robot management data D2 is Table 1 as an example.

  For example, when the destination floor of a single wheelchair user is 3F, the elevator controller 10 confirms “3F” from “current floor information” in the autonomous robot management data D2 (S5), and the corresponding No. 3 autonomous robots 8 are identified (Yes in S5). When the “status information” is confirmed (S6), “standby 1” indicating that the customer service can be handled immediately is registered (Yes in S6), so the elevator control device 10 calls the No. 3 autonomous robot 8. A command is transmitted to the autonomous robot controller 11 (S7).

  On the other hand, when the destination floor is 4F, the elevator control device 10 cannot extract the autonomous robot 8 whose “current floor information” is “4F” (No in S5), so the process of FIG. Exit. Similarly, when the destination floor is 5F, the elevator control device 10 can extract the No. 4 autonomous robot 8 whose “current floor information” is “5F” (Yes in S5), but its “status information”. Is “in service” (No in S6), the process of FIG.

  The elevator control device 10 that has transmitted the calling command for the autonomous robot 8 in step S7 waits for a response communication from the autonomous robot control device 11 (S8). When the response communication is received (Yes in S8), the elevator control device 10 6 displays that the autonomous robot 8 is waiting on the in-car display 4 (S9). And when a passenger gets off to the destination floor (S10), the process which the elevator control apparatus 10 bears is complete | finished.

  In addition, when the autonomous robot 8 whose “status information” is “standby 2” is convened to the landing 6, there may be a case where the arrival of the autonomous robot 8 is not in time when the car 1 arrives at the destination floor. Since the autonomous robot 8 is informed via the in-car display 4 that the autonomous robot 8 is moving toward the hall 6, it is possible to keep the user waiting at the hall 6 until the autonomous robot 8 arrives. .

  Next, the details of the process of the autonomous robot control device 11 and the contents of communication with the elevator control device 10 and the autonomous robot 8 executed in parallel with the process of FIG. 3 will be described using the flowchart of FIG. .

  First, in step S <b> 21, the autonomous robot control device 11 confirms whether there is a read request for the autonomous robot management data D <b> 2 from the elevator control device 10. If there is no read request (No in S21), the process of FIG. 4 is terminated and the process returns to the control of the autonomous robot 8 which is the normal process. On the other hand, when there is a read request (Yes in S21), the autonomous robot management data D2 recorded in the auxiliary storage device 11c is returned (S22).

  Next, it is confirmed whether or not there is a calling command for the autonomous robot 8 from the elevator control device 10 (S23). If there is no convening command even after a certain time (for example, 30 seconds) (No in S23), it is determined that the autonomous robot 8 is not required to be dispatched, and the processing of FIG. Return to control. On the other hand, if there is a convening command (Yes in S23), a response to the summarizing command is sent to the elevator control device 10 (S24), and the autonomous robot 8 to be called is directed to the landing 6 on the destination floor. Is sent out (S25).

  Taking the autonomous robot management data D2 in Table 1 as an example, when the destination floor is 7F, the elevator control device 10 transmits a calling command for the No. 6 autonomous robot 8, so that the autonomous robot control device 11 receiving it Transmits a dispatch command to the landing 6 on the 7th floor to the No. 6 autonomous robot 8 on the 7th floor.

  The autonomous robot 8 that has received the dispatch command provides guidance / customer service to the joined customers after arriving at the landing 6 on the destination floor (S26). After the service is completed, the autonomous robot controller 11 The responsible process of FIG. 4 ends.

  In addition, although the example which performs transmission of the autonomous robot management data D2 from the autonomous robot control apparatus 11 to the elevator control apparatus 10 when there was a request from the elevator control apparatus 10 was shown above, autonomous robot management data D2 It is good also as a structure performed when is updated. In this case, the elevator control device 10 can make a necessary determination using the autonomous robot management data D2 in the auxiliary storage device 10c.

  Further, in S6 and S7 of FIG. 3, although the status information of the autonomous robot 8 is “standby 1” or “standby 2”, the calling instruction is transmitted, but “standby 2” is transmitted. If the user's waiting time is expected to exceed a predetermined threshold considering the movement time of the autonomous robot 8 to the landing 6 and the movement time of the car 1 to the destination floor, The processing in FIG. 3 may be terminated without transmitting the command.

  According to the configuration of the present embodiment described above, it is possible to actively provide guidance and customer service to passengers who are elevator passengers and who are likely to need guidance and customer service of autonomous robots. The appeal of the guidance and customer service provided by autonomous robots can be further improved.

100 elevator equipment,
200 Remote management center,
1 basket,
2 doors,
3 Stereo camera in the car,
4 In-car display,
5 Destination floor call button in the car,
6 platform,
7 hall call button,
8, 8a, 8b, 8c autonomous robot,
9 Image monitoring device,
10 Elevator control device,
11 autonomous robot controller,
9a, 10a, 11a CPU,
9b, 10b, 11b main memory,
9c, 10c, 11c auxiliary storage device,
9d, 10d, 11d Communication device 12 Local bus,
13 Public line,
D1 Passenger data in the car,
D2 autonomous robot management data

Claims (7)

An elevator device that transmits a calling instruction for an autonomous robot that provides guidance and customer service,
A camera installed in the car and photographing passengers in the car,
Passenger attribute determination means for determining the attributes of passengers in the car from the captured image of the camera;
Destination floor judging means for judging a destination floor of the passenger in the car from a destination call in the car;
A calling command sending means for sending a calling command to call the autonomous robot to the landing on the destination floor,
The summoning command transmitting means transmits the summoning command based on the attributes of the passengers in the car determined by the passenger attribute determining means and the destination floor determined by the destination floor determining means. apparatus. In the elevator apparatus according to claim 1,
The elevator apparatus characterized in that the convening instruction transmitting means transmits the convening instruction based on status information indicating whether the autonomous robot is guiding / serving a customer or waiting. In the elevator apparatus according to claim 2,
The status information includes a travel time for the autonomous robot to travel to the landing on the destination floor,
The said summoning instruction | command transmission means transmits the said summoning instruction | command when the difference of the said movement time and the car movement time for which the said car moves to the said destination floor is less than predetermined time. In the elevator apparatus according to claim 1,
In the car, further, a display in the car for displaying various information is provided,
The elevator apparatus, wherein the display in the car displays that the autonomous robot has arrived at the landing on the destination floor. In the elevator apparatus according to claim 1,
The said summoning instruction | command transmission means transmits the said summoning instruction | command, when the attribute of the said passenger in the car determined by the said passenger attribute determination means is a child of a single boarding or a wheelchair user. An elevator apparatus according to any one of claims 1, 4 or 5,
A plurality of autonomous robots deployed in the building where the elevator apparatus is installed;
An autonomous robot controller for controlling the plurality of autonomous robots;
An elevator system comprising:
The autonomous robot control device records, for each of the plurality of autonomous robots, current floor information indicating a floor currently deployed and status information indicating whether guidance or customer service is in progress or waiting. Have management data,
The convening command transmission means identifies an autonomous robot whose current floor information is the target floor and whose status information is waiting based on the autonomous robot management data transmitted from the autonomous robot control device. An elevator system characterized by transmitting a specified calling command for the autonomous robot to the autonomous robot control device. Determine the attributes of passengers in the car from the images taken by the camera installed in the car,
When the attribute is a single ride child or a wheelchair user,
The destination floor of the passenger in the car is determined from the destination call in the car,
From the plurality of autonomous robots deployed in the building, the currently deployed floor is the target floor, and the autonomous robot whose status is waiting is identified,
A method for controlling an autonomous robot, characterized in that the identified autonomous robot provides a guidance / customer service to a user who gets off the elevator car.

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