Method and apparatus for providing elevator service to a target device with self-propelled capability

1 . An elevator controller, comprising:

memory;

processor; and

a computer program stored on the memory and running on the processor, the running of the computer program causes:

A. generating a dispatch command for stopping an elevator car to a departure floor of a target device with self-propelled capability in response to an elevator reservation message from a computer system, wherein the elevator reservation message includes an identification of the target device and an identification of the departure floor;

B. instructing the computer system to send a confirmation message to the target device, the confirmation message includes a password associated with the target device;

C. after the elevator stops at the departure floor of the target device and before starting the elevator, determining whether a state of the car satisfies one or more set conditions, wherein the one or more set conditions at least include: an identity authentication of the device in the car based on the password has passed; and

D. if the one or more set conditions are satisfied, the elevator is started; otherwise, the elevator is prohibited from starting;

wherein the identification of the target device is an international mobile user identification number associated with a user identification module set on the target device.

2 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is a cloud platform or a server.

3 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the elevator reservation message also includes a designation of an elevator operation mode and an identification of an arrival floor, and the running of the computer program causes step A to include:

A1. receiving an elevator reservation message from the computer system;

A2. generating the dispatch command if it is determined that the car has a space for accommodating the target device and it is determined that the device has an authority to use elevator service in a designated elevator operation mode according to the identification of the target device, and the dispatch command includes an identification of the departure floor where the elevator car stops and an identification of the arrival floor;

A3. instructing a call unit associated with the departure floor to present a prompt message to passengers not to take the stopped elevator car.

4 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step B to include:

B1. generating the password associated with the target device, wherein the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: a random number, the identification of the target device and a timing signal;

B2. sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, the message includes the generated password.

5 . The elevator controller of claim 4 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and the running of the computer program causes step C to include:

C1. performing an identity authentication of the device in the car by comparing the password associated with the target device with a password received from the device in the car;

C2. determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

6 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step B to include:

B1′. sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, so that the computer system generates the password associated with the target device and sends the confirmation message containing the password to the target device, the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: the identification of the target device and a timing signal.

7 . The elevator controller of claim 6 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and the running of the computer program causes step C to include:

C1′. generating the password associated with the target device according to an algorithm;

C2′. performing an identity authentication of the device in the car by comparing the password generated according to the algorithm with the password received from the target device in the car;

C3′. determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

8 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step B to include:

B1′ sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, so that the computer system generates the password associated with the target device, sends the confirmation message containing the password to the target device, and sends the password to the elevator controller, the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: a random number, the identification of the target device and a timing signal.

9 . The elevator controller of claim 8 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and the running of the computer program causes step C to include:

C1′ performing an identity authentication of the device in the car by comparing the password from the computer system with the password received from the device in the car;

C2′ determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

10 . The elevator controller of claim 1 , wherein the running of the computer program also causes:

E. if a number of occurrences of events that do not satisfy the one or more set conditions is greater than a predetermined threshold, a warning message is generated;

F. receiving settings of rejecting all elevator reservation messages or rejecting elevator reservation messages with characteristics specified by user input.

11 . A method for providing elevator services for a target device with self-propelled capability, comprising the following steps performed by an elevator controller:

A. generating a dispatch command for stopping an elevator car to a departure floor of the target device with self-propelled capability in response to an elevator reservation message from a computer system, wherein the elevator reservation message includes an identification of the target device and an identification of the departure floor;

B. instructing the computer system to send a confirmation message to the target device, the confirmation message includes a password associated with the target device;

C. after the elevator stops at the departure floor of the target device and before starting the elevator, determining whether a state of the car satisfies one or more set conditions, wherein the one or more set conditions at least include: an identity authentication of the device in the car based on the password has passed; and

D. if the one or more set conditions are satisfied, the elevator is started; otherwise, the elevator is prohibited from starting;

wherein the identification of the target device is an international mobile user identification number associated with a user identification module set on the target device.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the computer system is a cloud platform or a server.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the elevator reservation message also includes a designation of an elevator operation mode and an identification of an arrival floor, and step A includes:

A1. receiving the elevator reservation message from the computer system;

A2. generating the dispatch command if it is determined that the car has a space for accommodating the device and it is determined that the device has an authority to use elevator service in a designated elevator operation mode according to the identification of the target device, and the dispatch command includes an identification of the departure floor where the elevator stops and an identification of the arrival floor;

A3. instructing a call unit associated with the departure floor to present a prompt message to passengers not to take the stopped elevator.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein step B includes:

B1. generating the password associated with the target device, wherein the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: a random number, the identification of the target device and a timing signal;

B2. sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, the message includes the generated password.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and step C includes:

C1. comparing the password associated with the target device with a password received from the device in the car to determine the matching between them;

C2. determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein step B includes:

B1′. sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, so that the computer system generates the password associated with the target device and sends a confirmation message containing the password to the target device, the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: an identification of the target device and a timing signal.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and step C includes:

C1′. generating a password associated with the target device according to an algorithm;

C2′. performing an identity authentication of the device in the car by comparing the password generated according to the algorithm with a password received from the device in the car;

C3′. determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein step B includes:

B1′ sending a message indicating that the dispatch command has been generated to the computer system, so that the computer system generates a password associated with the target device, sends a confirmation message containing the password to the target device, and sends the password to the elevator controller, the password is generated based on at least one of the following items: a random number, an identification of the target device and a timing signal.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the one or more set conditions further includes that there is no passenger in the car, and step C includes:

C1′ performing an identity authentication of the device in the car by comparing the password from the computer system with a password received from the device in the car;

C2′ determining presence of the passenger according to images or videos acquired by an image sensor arranged in the car.

20 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising the steps of:

E. if a number of occurrences of events that do not satisfy the one or more set conditions is greater than a predetermined threshold, a warning message is generated;

F. receiving settings of rejecting all elevator reservation messages or rejecting elevator reservation messages with characteristics specified by user input.

21 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, when the instructions are executed by a processor, the processor is caused to execute the method of claim 1 .

22 . A first computer system comprising:

memory;

processor; and

a computer program stored on the memory and running on the processor, the running of the computer program causes:

A. generating an elevator reservation message in response to an elevator ride request from a second computer system, wherein the elevator ride request and the elevator reservation message include an identification of a target device with self-propelled capability and an identification of a departure floor;

B. sending the generated elevator reservation message to an elevator controller to instruct the elevator controller to generate a dispatch command for stopping an elevator to the departure floor of the target device;

C. generating a confirmation message in response to a message from the elevator controller indicating that the dispatch command has been generated, the confirmation message includes a password associated with the target device, wherein the password is used for an identity authentication of the target device when taking an elevator; and

D. sending the generated confirmation message to the target device;

wherein the identification of the target device is an international mobile user identification number associated with a user identification module set on the target device.

23 . The first computer system of claim 22 , wherein the first computer system sends the generated confirmation message to the target device via 4G or 5G mobile communication network.

24 . The first computer system of claim 22 , wherein the target device is one of the following: disinfection operation robots, dangerous goods monitoring operation robots, dangerous goods transporting operation robots, and device equipped with high-density energy storage units.

25 . The first computer system of claim 22 , wherein the elevator reservation message also includes a designation of an elevator operation mode and an identification of an arrival floor.

26 . The first computer system of claim 22 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step C to include:

C1. receiving a password associated with the target device from the elevator controller;

C2. including the received password in the confirmation message.

27 . The first computer system of claim 22 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step C to include:

C1′, generating a password associated with the target device;

C2′. including the generated password in the confirmation message.

28 . The first computer system of claim 27 , wherein the running of the computer program causes step C to further include:

C3′: sending the generated password to the elevator controller.

29 . A method for providing elevator services for a target device with self-propelled capability, comprising the following steps performed by a first computer system:

A. generating an elevator reservation message in response to an elevator ride request from a second computer system, wherein the elevator ride request and the elevator reservation message include an identification of a target device with self-propelled capability and an identification of a departure floor;

B. sending the generated elevator reservation message to an elevator controller to instruct the elevator controller to generate a dispatch command for stopping an elevator to the departure floor of the target device;

C. generating a confirmation message in response to a message from the elevator controller indicating that the dispatch command has been generated, the confirmation message includes a password associated with the target device, wherein the password is used for an identity authentication of the target device when taking an elevator; and

D. sending the generated confirmation message to the target device;

wherein the identification of the target device is an international mobile user identification number associated with a user identification module set on the target device.

30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the first computer system sends the generated confirmation message to the target device via 4G or 5G mobile communication network.

31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the elevator reservation message also includes a designation of an elevator operation mode and an identification of an arrival floor.

32 . The method of claim 29 , wherein step C includes:

C1. receiving a password associated with the target device from the elevator controller;

C2. including the received password in the confirmation message.

33 . The method of claim 29 , wherein step C includes:

C1′, generating a password associated with the target device;

C2′. including the generated password in the confirmation message.

34 . The method of claim 33 , wherein step C further includes:

C3′: sending the generated password to the elevator controller.

35 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, when the instructions are executed by a processor, the processor is caused to execute the method of claim 1 .