TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a cable-car system control method and program, and relative cable-car system.

More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of controlling a cable-car system comprising at least one haul and/or supporting cable; a number of passenger cars clamped, preferably automatically, to the cable; and at least one arrival/departure station comprising a pre-boarding area, a boarding area, and at least one access separating the pre-boarding area from the boarding area. Each car has a maximum passenger capacity related to the car and system structure, to the floor area inside the car, and/or to the seating capacity of the car.

BACKGROUND ART

The access to the boarding area is controlled by a device for validating passenger tickets and accordingly permitting access to the boarding area.

Inside the arrival/departure station, the cars of an automatically clamped cable-car system are arranged in-line along a boarding section of the boarding area, move at a given relatively slow speed to allow passengers on and off the cars, or, in some cases, are stopped briefly along the boarding section. The passengers in the boarding area are allowed to board one of the cars along the boarding section. When passenger flow to the cable-car system is particularly intense, passengers fill the cars to maximum capacity, thus making the ride uncomfortable for everyone on board, and forcing designers to design the system for peak payloads .

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a ^" cable-car system control method designed to reduce the drawbacks of the known art .

According to the present invention, there is provided a cable-car system control method, the cable- car system comprising a cable; a number of passenger cars clamped to the cable; and at least one arrival/departure station comprising a boarding area, and at least one access to the boarding area; the method comprising the step of allowing an actual passenger flow, less than or substantially equal to a given passenger flow, through the at least one access.

According to the present invention, the given passenger flow is -controlled by the at least one access, thus making it possible to control the average number of passengers per car. Passenger comfort is thus improved, and the system need not necessarily be designed for peak payloads .

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the given passenger flow is calculated on the basis of a maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system.

More specifically, the given passenger flow is calculated so as to be equal to or less than the maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system.

In this way, peak payloads are avoided.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control method comprises selecting a mean target capacity of each car below the maximum capacity of each car.

More specifically, the method comprises calculating the maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system on the basis of the mean target capacity of each car. In another preferred embodiment of the present , invention, the method comprises calculating a time interval on the basis of the maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system; and regulating the actual passenger flow through the at least one access on the basis of the time interval.

This makes it possible to establish a passenger transit rate.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the steps of detecting a travelling speed of the cars inside the arrival/departure station; and calculating the maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system on the basis of the detected travelling speed.

This makes it possible to regulate actual passenger flow instantaneously on; the basis of the operating conditions of the cable-car system.

In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method comprises the step of counting the number of passengers through the at ^j least one access; and the step of regulating the actual passenger flow through the at least one access is performed on the basis of the mean passenger flow through the at least one access.

The method is generally implemented by a control device of the cable-car system.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a computer program for implementing the method by means of a control device.

According to the present invention, there is provided a computer program loadable directly into a; work memory of a computer to perform each step in the method when the program is run on the computer.

It is another obj ect of the present invention to provide a program product for implementing the method.

According to the present invention, there is provided a program product including a computer-readable medium, on which the program is stored.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a data processing system for implementing the method.

According to the present invention, there is provided a data processing system including means for performing each step in the method.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a cable-car system designed to eliminate the drawbacks of the known art .

According to the present invention, there is provided a cable-car system comprising a cable; a number of passenger cars clamped to the cable; and at least one arrival/departure station comprising a boarding area, and at least one access to the boarding area; the access being designed to permit an actual passenger flow less than or substantially equal to a given passenger flow.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cable-car system comprises a user interface for selecting a mean target capacity of each car below the maximum capacity of each car.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A non-limiting embodiment of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the attached drawing showing a schematic plan view of a cable transportation system.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Number 1 in the attached drawing indicates as a whole a cable-car system comprising at least two arrival/departure stations 2 (only one shown in the drawing), each comprising a pulley 4; a haul cable 8 looped about pulleys 4; and a number of cars 9 selectively connected to haul cable 8, and each having at least one door 10 allowing passengers in an out of car 9.

Cable-car system 1 is _. an automatically clamped cable transportation system, and -each arrival/departure station 2 comprises a guide 13, and an auxiliary drive device 14. More specifically, on entering either of arrival/departure stations 2, cars 9 are released from haul cable 8, and are run along guide 13 by auxiliary drive device 4. On leaving either of arrival/departure stations 2, cars 9 are clamped to haul cable 8, which travels, and so also moves cars 9, at a cruising speed VI.

Each arrival/departure station 2 comprises- a pre- boarding area 15; a boarding area 16; an arrival area 17; and a number of accesses 18 connecting pre-boarding area 15 to boarding area 16, and allowing passenger access to boarding area 16 from pre-boarding area 15.

On entering arrival/departure station 2, cars 9 are released from haul cable 8, and are run by respective auxiliary drive device 14 along a given path P at a travelling speed V2 slower than cruising speed VI, to allow passengers to board and alight easily.

As shown in the drawing, cable-car system 1 comprises a speed detector 19 connected to guide 13 to detect travelling speed V2.

The present invention also applies in general to non-automatically-clamped cable transportation systems; in which case, travelling speed equals cruising speed, i.e. the cars travel at the same speed inside and outside the arrival/departure station.

As shown in the attached drawing, cable-car system 1 comprises a control device 20 connected to and communicating with accesses 18 to open and close them. More specifically, control device 20 is designed to enable or disable release of .accesses . 18. More specifically, control device 20 controls release of each access 18 by means of a respective release signal SA addressed to access 18 to enable its release and allow a passenger through. Control device 20 thus controls actual passenger flow to boarding area 16 by selectively enabling release of accesses 18.

Speed detector 19 is connected to and communicates with control device 20 to supply a speed signal SV22 indicating travelling speed V2.

Control device 20 is designed to define release signal SA on the basis of a given passenger flow through accesses 18. More specifically, control device 20 is designed to define release signal SA so that actual passenger flow through accesses 18 is equal to or less than the given passenger flow of cable-car system 1.

Control device 20 is designed to determine given passenger flow through accesses 18 on the basis of a maximum target passenger flow. More specifically, control device 20 is designed to determine given passenger flow through accesses 18, so that it is equal to or less than the maximum target passenger flow of cable-car system 1.

As shown in the attached drawing, cable-car system 1 comprises a user interface 30, which is connected to control device 20, comprises a selector, and is designed to allow a cable-car system 1 operator to select a mean target capacity of each car 9. Control device 20 is designed to define the maximum target passenger flow of cable-car system 1 on the' basis of the mean target capacity of each car 9. So control device 20 defines release signal SA on the basis of the mean target capacity of each car 9.

Control device 20 is also designed to define the maximum target passenger flow of cable-car system 1 on the basis of travelling speed V2. So control device 20 defines release signal SA on the basis of travelling speed V2. From travelling speed V2, the control device determines the transit rate of cars 9.

Control device 20 calculates maximum target passenger flow from the product of instantaneous maximum target passenger capacity multiplied by the transit rate of cars 9. In one embodiment of the present invention, each access 18 comprises a detector 28, which transmits to control device 20 a count signal SC indicating transit of a -passenger. Control device 20. comprises ^" a processing unit 29, which receives count signals SC and so knows the nstant each passenger enters boarding area 16. Control device 20 is designed to define the maximum target passenger flow of cable-car system 1 on the basis of the detected mean passenger flow through the at least one access 18. So processing unit 29 determines release signal SA on the basis of count signal SC. Also using count signal SC, the actual passenger flow into boarding area 16, regulated by release signals SA, is therefore controlled more accurately.

More specifically, control device 20 controls release of accesses 18 so that maximum target passenger flow is greater than the actual flow through accesses 18.

The average number of passengers in cars 9 therefore equals the mean target capacity defined by the cable-car system operator. Release signal SA may be a binary digital signal enabling release of access 18 to let one passenger through; or a digital signal enabling release of access 18 for a given length of time; or a digital signal enabling release of access 18 for a given number of passengers.

Access 18 comprises a control unit 23 for validating passenger tickets. So access 18 lets through a passenger in possession of a valid ticket, and if release signal SA is enabled.

Control device 20 comprises a memory 31 storing a program configured to implement the functions for which control device 20 is configured. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the program is stored on a medium readable by control device 20. Control device 20 comprises a read unit for reading the readable medium.

As shown in the attached drawing, on entering arrival/departure station 2, each car 9 first faces arrival area 17 and opens door 10 to allow passengers off, and then moves on to face boarding area 16, still with door 10 open, to allow passengers onto car 9. At this point, the passengers in boarding area 16 board cars 9, each of which is boarded on average by a number of passengers equal to its mean target capacity.

Car 9 has a maximum capacity defined as the number of passengers that can actually board car 9.

According to the present invention, the maximum target passenger flow of cable-car system 1 is defined on the basis of the mean target capacity, as opposed to the maximum capacity, of car 9, thus improving passenger comfort inside car 9; and the mean target capacity is adjustable to accommodate different passenger flows at different operating times of cable-car system 1.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, speed detector 19 is eliminated, and user interface 30 is configured to receive the travelling speed V2 value indicated by the cable-car system 1 operator, and to transmit to control device 20 a speed signal SV21 indicating the value of travelling speed V2.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, cable-car system 1 comprises a detector 35 (shown by the dash line in the drawing) for detecting transit of a car into boarding area 16. For which purpose, detector 35 may comprise, for example, a proximity sensor of various types (magnetic, acoustic, electromagnetic) , or an optical sensor, or an image sensor, or a photocell.

Control device 20 is connected to and communicates with detector 35, and receives a transit signal indicating the transit rate of passenger cars 9 inside boarding area 16. Control device 20 is designed to control the actual passenger flow to boarding area 16 on the basis of the transit rate of passenger cars 9; in which case, speed detector 19 is dispensable.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, each access 18 is not connected to control device 20. Each access 18 comprises a timer 32 (shown by a dash square in the drawing) which controls passenger access on the basis of a time interval, so as to let through a given number (or a fraction of a given number) of passengers per unit of time. More specifically, the time interval is defined on the basis of the maximum target passenger flow of the cable-car system.

In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, user interface 30 is eliminated, and the mean target capacity of each car 9 is a fixed parameter set in control device 20.

In one embodiment, the timer is adjustable, thus enabling the cable-car system 1 operator to alter the time setting, and therefore the number of passengers allowed access to boarding area 16 per unit of time, and the actual passenger flow into the boarding area. The operator may, for example, adjust the timer on the basis of the mean target capacity of each car 9.

Clearly, changes may be made to the present invention without, however, departing from the protective scope of the accompanying Claims.