Patents Assigned to Kone Corporation
  • Patent number: 11618649
    Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator apparatus, comprising: a shaft, an elevator car vertically movable in the shaft, one or more ropes connected with the car, and a controller for controlling movement of the car. In order to detect sway in one or more elevator ropes connected with the car, the apparatus comprises at least one sensor unit arranged in the elevator shaft to detect sway and to produce a control signal indicating to the controller the detected sway. The controller compares the detected sway to a predetermined limit and prevents movement of the elevator car when sway reaches the predetermined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko Puranen, Mari Zakrzewski
  • Publication number: 20230097627
    Abstract: A method remotely recovers at least one peripheral device of a people conveyor system. The method includes controlling at least one network element, into which the at least one peripheral device is connected, to control power supply of the at least one peripheral device to remotely recover the at least one peripheral device. The invention relates also to a remote monitoring unit and a remote monitoring system for remotely recovering at least one peripheral device of a people conveyor system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mikko Piironen, Santtu Koskinen, Mika Belov, Mikko Mattila, Mikko Heiskanen, Ari Koivisto
  • Publication number: 20230092565
    Abstract: Vehicle parking information is used to control an elevator system. The vehicle parking information indicates that at least one parking space is occupied, and one or more elements of the elevator system may be controlled based on the vehicle parking information. An apparatus, a method and a computer program are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Ari VARELIUS, Antti PERKO, Mika BELOV, Mika KEMPPAINEN, Matti KUJALA, Henry SILVENNOINEN, Antti TUOMINEN
  • Publication number: 20230088242
    Abstract: A method for controlling a passenger flow in a building includes: dividing a group of elevators to sub-groups; receiving a service call; selecting a sub-group to provide a service and generating an indication for indicating the selected sub-group; selecting a first candidate elevator; evaluating a second candidate elevator by comparing the second forecast time to the first forecast time; selecting the second candidate elevator to provide the service if the second forecast time is less than the first forecast time. The evaluation is continued until a selection is locked for the service call due to at least one characteristic relating to the elevator system. The invention also relates to a group controller, a computer program product, and an elevator system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Salla MANNERJOKI, Janne SORSA, Mikko KONTTURI, Seppo NUMMINEN, Jörn WIENHOLZ-BUß
  • Publication number: 20230087024
    Abstract: A people mover includes an endless conveying band and a control system. The control system includes a controller, a detecting arrangement for detecting people on the endless conveying band, and a signaling arrangement for providing visual and/or audio signals to people on the endless conveying band. The controller is configured to: determine based on output of the detecting arrangement, in particular based on signals and/or data generated by the detecting arrangement, whether a distance between detected people on the endless conveying band is below a minimum allowed distance; and present to people on the endless conveying band with a signaling arrangement alarm or instruction signals when a distance between detected people on the endless conveying band is below a minimum allowed distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Andrea Zotti Galletti, Benjamin Ekström, Giovanni Hawkins, Nithil Karimpanackal Natarajan
  • Publication number: 20230085751
    Abstract: A solution for controlling an elevator system with an arrangement includes: at least one projector device for projecting a virtual user interface; and at least one gaze tracking device and a control unit. The control unit receives a number of images from the gaze tracking device and performs: detect a predefined input from image data; detect an intersection of the virtual user interface and a gaze point; and generate a control signal to the elevator system in accordance with a position of the gaze point intersecting the virtual user interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 23, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Antti Perko
  • Patent number: 11597633
    Abstract: An elevator safety brake unit, an elevator including at least two of the safety brake units, and a method for testing the safety brake units are disclosed. Each safety brake unit includes a frame part, a movable composition movably supported on the frame part, a compression spring assembly associated with the movable composition, and adapted to activate a braking by pushing the movable composition forward, and a coil assembly of an electromagnet disposed in the frame part and adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the movable composition backwards. Each movable composition includes at least two movable elements, one compression spring for each movable element, and at least one coil assembly adapted to deactivate the braking by pulling the at least two movable elements backwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joni Lappalainen, Henri Wenlin, Antti Saarelainen, Petri Alkula, Lasse Hurri, Andrej Burakov, Leena Ranta
  • Patent number: 11601396
    Abstract: Transportation infrastructure service discovery arrangement disclosed. In the arrangement a peripheral device is attached to a transportation infrastructure control network. The client is configured to request an address from a DNS server of the host network. As a response the client receives network settings that can be used for contacting applications attached to the transportation infrastructure control network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Santtu Koskinen, Mikko Piironen, Anssi Rantamäki, Mikko Heiskanen, Ari Koivisto, Mikko Mattila
  • Patent number: 11584617
    Abstract: An elevator drive apparatus is described which includes a drive unit for driving an elevator car, a brake device for braking a motion of the elevator car, a detector for detecting an electrical operation amount of the drive unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to release the brake device, to compare the detected electrical operation amount with a threshold, and to apply the brake device when the detected electrical operation amount exceeds the threshold. In this way, it is ensured that a speed of the elevator car in case of a rescue situation is within a safety limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Antti Saarelainen, Andrej Burakov
  • Patent number: 11584618
    Abstract: A method and a system for the evacuation of buildings providing an elevator system includes at least one elevator car and an elevator shaft. The system includes a device to detect an incident or a device to receive an emergency signal in this regard, a device for determining the floor of this incident, and at least one sealing element (positioned in the elevator shaft and constructed to seal the elevator shaft, so that the elevator shaft is divided in at least two sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ari Hänninen, Reetta Ranne, Kirsi Nyrhinen, Nithil Karimpanackal Natarajan, Hannu Nousu, Liina Poropudas, Cristina Bianchi, Jukka Turpeinen, Jarmo Parkkinen
  • Publication number: 20230049228
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for generating an elevator call. The method comprises: obtaining (202) image data representing at least one symbol (310, 310a, 310b) illustrated on a symbol representing device (320) from at least one image sensing device (112), identifying (204) the at least one symbol (310, 310a, 310b) from the obtained image data, and generating (206) the elevator call in accordance with the identified at least one symbol (310, 310a, 310b). The invention relates also to an elevator control unit (108) and an elevator system (100) performing at least partly the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tapani Talonen, Antti Perko, Max Wong, Joe Wong, Jussi Laurila, Visa Rauta
  • Patent number: 11577934
    Abstract: An elevator includes an elevator motor; a motor drive for the elevator motor having a frequency converter including a rectifier bridge, an inverter bridge and a DC link in between, which frequency converter is controlled via a controller, the rectifier bridge being connected to AC mains via three feed lines including chokes, and the rectifier bridge being realised via controllable semiconductor switches; a contactor being located between the feed lines and AC mains; and a backup power supply at least for emergency drive operation. An emergency control is associated with the motor drive, which emergency control is configured to perform an automatic emergency drive. The emergency control is connected to a manual drive circuit having a manual drive switch for a manual rescue drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arto Nakari, Olli Pokkinen
  • Publication number: 20230042763
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining an access right to an entity of a conveyor system, wherein it is: received data comprising data representing an identity of a wireless key and data representing a location of the wireless key; detected that the wireless key resides in a predefined location; identified the conveyor system and the entity on a basis of data representing the predefined location; determined status of an identified conveyor system; determined an access right with the wireless key to the entity; and generated a control signal to cause one of the following: (i) a grant of an access to the entity, (ii) a refusal of an access to the entity. The invention also relates to a network node, a computer program product and to a conveyor system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Sanni SILTANEN, Henri SAINIO, Seppo VALLIOVUO
  • Patent number: 11572257
    Abstract: An escalator includes a truss formed of a support structure that bridges a lower landing and an upper landing of the escalator. The truss includes two rising side sections extending upwards from a bottom plane of the truss, the side sections extending along a length of the truss and being joined together with cross braces. The escalator includes a subframe attached to an outer side of at least one side section of the truss, the subframe being arranged to receive an outer cladding of the escalator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jouni Salojärvi, Tero Salin, Aapo Saari, Pirkka Haimi, Pekka Hokkanen, Visa Rauta
  • Publication number: 20230030084
    Abstract: An elevator, an elevator control unit and a method for transferring data in an elevator arrangement, the elevator arrangement including at least an elevator shaft, an elevator car configured to move in the elevator shaft and at least one wireless communication channel, such as a wireless network, available for communication in the elevator shaft. The method includes determining signal quality and/or data transmission quality of the at least one wireless communication channel in different positions of the elevator car in the elevator shaft, moving the elevator car to a position or area selected based on the determined signal quality and/or the determined data transmission quality, and performing data transfer at the selected area or at the selected position of the elevator car.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mika Belov, Jere Vuorenala, Raimo Kaartinen, Claudio Stuppi, Toni Kallio
  • Publication number: 20230030102
    Abstract: A people conveyor arrangement and a method for testing components and/or functions of the people conveyor in a people conveyor arrangement including at least one remote computing device and/or local computing device, and at least one communication channel and an application programming interface arranged between the people conveyor component and the at least one computing device. The method includes sending from the at least one computing device test related data via an application programming interface to a component of the people conveyor, receiving test related data via the application programming interface by the component when the component is connected to the communication channel, and responding from the component of the people conveyor to the local computing device and/or to the remote computing device via the application programming interface that the test related data was received and/or that a test was carried out or emulated based on the test related data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Mika BELOV, Mikko PIIRONEN
  • Publication number: 20230035649
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for defining a tension of a belt of an automatic door. The method comprises: exciting a resonant frequency of the belt to cause a vibration of the belt, obtaining motion data representing motion of an electric motor configured to move the belt, defining vibration information representing the vibration of the belt based on the obtained motion data, and defining the tension of the belt based on the defined vibration in-formation and predefined characteristics of the belt. The invention relates also to a door drive unit and a computer program for defining a tension of a belt of an automatic door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Matti MUSTONEN, Markku JOKINEN
  • Publication number: 20230032448
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one elevator shaft along which at least one elevator car is configured to travel, a plurality of receiver devices forming a wireless mesh network, a computing unit, at least one gateway device, and one or more tag devices, each attached to an object. Each of the plurality of receiver devices is configured to: monitor advertisement signals transmitted by the one or more tag devices within an operational range of said receiver device, and provide device data associated with each detected advertisement signal to the computing unit via the wireless mesh network and the at least one gateway device. The computing unit is configured to define a location of the object based on the provided device data associated with the tag device attached to said object. A method for object tracking is also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventor: Janne ÖFVERSTEN
  • Publication number: 20230033855
    Abstract: In a method for commissioning an elevator signalization device to a communication network of an elevator system, system configuration data is received and a network address of the elevator signalization device is inquired from the switching device. A location of the elevator signalization device as defined in the system configuration file is associated with the network address of the elevator signalization device, and the elevator signalization device is commissioned by transmitting a configuration data of the elevator signalization device to the network address of the elevator signalization device received through an association. A control device and a computer program product are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Santtu KOSKINEN, Mikko MATTILA, Mikko HEISKANEN, Mikko PIIRONEN, Ari KOIVISTO, Mika BELOV
  • Publication number: 20230032978
    Abstract: An apparatus for actuating a safety gear of an elevator includes a first stage actuation mechanism; and a second stage actuation mechanism. The second stage actuation mechanism includes a wedge arrangement configured to grip a guiderail associated with the elevator when the first stage actuation mechanism is triggered; a casing including the wedge arrangement and configured for vertical linear movement along the guiderail; and a transmission member coupled to the casing from a first end and to the safety gear from a second end. The apparatus is configured to cause the safety gear to actuate when the first stage actuation mechanism is triggered, the first stage actuation mechanism causing the wedge arrangement of the second stage actuation mechanism to grip the guiderail of the elevator and to decelerate vertical movement of the casing in relation to the guiderail, the deceleration of the casing causing the transmission member to engage the safety gear to the guiderail to stop the elevator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Antti Koskinen, Petri Hartikainen, Pekka Hallikainen, Antti I Mäki