Smart elevator system with dynamic occupancy limit
A smart elevator system and method of use are disclosed. The smart elevator system includes a dynamic occupancy limit that is substantially less than a weight-based maximum occupancy for the elevator system. The smart elevator system can operate an elevator so that the number of passengers in the elevator never exceeds the dynamic occupancy limit. The dynamic occupancy limit can be set to limit the number of passengers in an elevator in accordance with social distancing criteria.
1 . A smart elevator system with a dynamic occupancy limit stored in memory and a weight-based maximum occupancy, wherein the dynamic occupancy limit is substantially less than the weight-based maximum occupancy, the system comprising:
an elevator control device configured to:
retrieve the dynamic occupancy limit from memory;
detect a number of occupants in the elevator;
determine an available occupancy based on the number of occupants in the elevator and the dynamic occupancy limit;
detect a number of passengers waiting for the elevator at the current floor; and
initiate a queueing process when the number of passengers at the current floor is greater than the available occupancy;
wherein the elevator control device is configured to initiate the queueing process by sending messages to passengers waiting at the current floor;
wherein the elevator control device is configured to send messages to passengers waiting at the current floor by sending a first message to a mobile device of a first passenger waiting at the current floor and sending a second message to a mobile device of a second passenger waiting at the current floor, wherein the first message is substantially different from the second message.
2 . The smart elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the elevator control device receives image information, and wherein the elevator control device is configured to use the image information to detect the number of occupants inside the elevator.
3 . The smart elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the elevator control device receives information from one or more mobile devices worn or carried by occupants in the elevator, and wherein the elevator control device is configured to use the information from one or more mobile devices to detect the number of occupants inside the elevator.
4 . The smart elevator system according to claim 1 , wherein the system is operable in a drop-off only mode, wherein new occupants cannot enter the elevator while the system is in the drop-off only mode;
wherein the elevator control device is further configured to operate the system in the drop-off only mode when the number of occupants inside the elevator is greater than the dynamic occupancy limit.
5 . The smart elevator system according to claim 4 , wherein the elevator control device is further configured to:
monitor the number of occupants inside the elevator while the system is operated in the drop-off only mode; and
switch operation of the system from the drop-off only mode to a normal mode when the number of occupants in the elevator drops below the dynamic occupancy limit, wherein the normal mode is substantially different from the drop-off only mode.
6 . The smart elevator system according to claim 4 , wherein the smart elevator system provides alerts to passengers waiting at the current floor to indicate that the system is operating in the drop-off only mode.
7 . A method of controlling a smart elevator system with a dynamic occupancy limit stored in memory and a weight-based maximum occupancy, wherein the dynamic occupancy limit is substantially less than the weight-based maximum occupancy, the method comprising the steps of:
retrieving the dynamic occupancy limit from memory;
detecting a number of occupants in the elevator;
determining an available occupancy based on the number of occupants in the elevator and the dynamic occupancy limit;
detecting the number of passengers waiting for the elevator at the current floor; and
initiating a queueing process when the number of passengers at the current floor is greater than the available occupancy;
wherein initiating the queueing process includes sending messages to passengers waiting at the current floor;
wherein sending messages to passengers waiting at the current floor includes sending a first message to a mobile device of a first passenger waiting at the current floor and sending a second message to a mobile device of a second passenger waiting at the current floor, wherein the first message is substantially different from the second message.
8 . The method of controlling a smart elevator system according to claim 7 , wherein the method further includes receiving image information from an imaging sensor, and wherein detecting the number of occupants in the elevator includes analyzing the images from the imaging sensor.
9 . The method of controlling a smart elevator system according to claim 7 , wherein detecting the number of passengers waiting for the elevator at the current floor includes receiving information from one or more mobile devices of passengers waiting for the elevator at the current floor.
10 . The method of controlling a smart elevator system according to claim 7 , wherein determining the available occupancy includes considering the dynamic occupancy limit, the current number of occupants, and the number of occupants exiting at next floor.
11 . The method of controlling a smart elevator system according to claim 10 , wherein the method further includes determining an optimized schedule that minimizes average wait time for users while preventing the elevator occupancy from exceeding the dynamic occupancy limit.