Dynamic Zoning in Elevator Traffic Control

Zoning is one conventional way to make an existing elevator system adapt to different traffic patterns. However, zoning is generally either fixed permanently or static based on the time scheduling where the floors being grouped into zones are predetermined during the design stage. In this paper, a new algorithm is discussed that can provide the feature of dynamic zoning for an elevator system based on the real time traffic patterns. The objectives are to achieve maximum handling capacity of the system and minimum waiting/travelling time for passengers. Information related to real time zoning can be delivered to passengers by LED display boards installed at each landing above landing doors. A computer simulation has revealed that this new algorithm can at least improve both the handling capacity and passenger waiting/travelling time by at least 12% under most traffic conditions.