Patents Examined by Jeffrey Donels
  • Patent number: 11772932
    Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method for remote operation of a plurality of elevators, each of the plurality of elevators being coupled with a communication computer. The method comprises receiving, by a remote service system from the communication computer, a rescue request associated with an elevator; providing, by the remote service system, a verification to distinguish the elevator associated with the rescue request among the plurality of elevators; enabling, by the remote service system, a data connection with the communication computer to control the verified elevator; and performing, by the remote service system, a remote operation associated with the verified elevator via the enabled data connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Ari Kattainen, Juha-Matti Aitamurto
  • Patent number: 11767194
    Abstract: An illustrative example elevator sensor device includes at least one sensor supported on a door of an elevator car. The sensor provides an output including an indication of at least movement of the door along at least one axis and movement of the elevator car along at least one axis. A processor associated with the at least one sensor receives the output and determines at least one characteristic of the movement of the door based on the indication of the movement of the door. The processor also determines a location of the elevator car where the movement of the door occurs based on the indication of movement of the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak, Craig Drew Bogli, Derk Oscar Pahlke, Nikola Trcka, Yrinee Michaelidis
  • Patent number: 11760605
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for monitoring an elevator door, an elevator system, and a method for monitoring an elevator door. The elevator door has an open state or a closed state implemented by moving along an elevator sill. The system for monitoring an elevator door includes: one or more imaging sensors configured to collect image data and depth data of at least one section in the elevator sill that is exposed when the elevator door is in the open state; and a data processing device in communication with the imaging sensor and configured to receive and process the image data and the depth data to determine whether an obstacle preventing the elevator door from entering the closed state exists in the section. By applying the present invention, the safety of the elevator door can be improved effectively, and equipment property losses and personal injuries can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Hui Fang, Zhen Jia, Walter Thomas Schmidt
  • Patent number: 11753274
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring an elevator communication module fault, and elevator systems. The method for monitoring an elevator communication module fault includes acquiring a feedback result in response to sending requests from one or more client ends to the elevator communication module, the elevator communication module being provided for having near-field wireless communication with a client end; counting the number of request failures in the feedback result within a pre-set duration; judging whether the countered number of request failures is not less than a pre-set threshold, and if yes, determining that the elevator communication module has a fault. The invention can quickly and efficiently detect the elevator communication module that has failed, improve elevator passengers' experience, and ensure that the elevator is in excellent operation condition and has a reliable safety performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Kai Li, Yang Yang
  • Patent number: 11745982
    Abstract: An elevator system includes a travelling cable connected to an elevator car and to a hoistway wall. The travelling cable includes an electric conductor and/or a data carrier operatively connected at a first end to a feed source and at a second end to service appliances of the elevator car. A protective layer includes an outer diameter and surrounds the electric conductor and/or data carrier. A duct is connected at a first open end to a fluid source and at a second openable end to the elevator car. A sensor system is configured for detecting swaying amplitude of the travelling cable. A microprocessor is associated to the sensor system and to the fluid source. The microprocessor is configured for receiving swaying amplitude data from the sensor system and for operating the fluid source when the swaying amplitude exceeds a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Prysmian S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luca Giorgio Maria De Rai, Davide Sarchi
  • Patent number: 11745978
    Abstract: A method for object detection within an elevator car including: transmitting radar signals at a selected polarization into an elevator car towards an individual; receiving reflected radar signals at a reflected polarization; comparing the reflected polarization to the selected polarization; determining that the individual is in possession of a metal object in response to comparing the reflected polarization to the selected polarization; and activating an alert in response to the determining that the individual is in possession of the metal object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jayapal Reddy Gireddy, Devendar Gorenkala
  • Patent number: 11738969
    Abstract: Disclosed is an elevator system including a controller, wherein the controller is configured for: engaging in a first communication with a facial recognition system that identifies a pet and a first person as owner of the pet, and rendering a plurality of determinations from the first communication, including: a first determination that the pet is proximate a first elevator lobby in a building, a second determination to provide instructions to a first elevator car responsive to the first communication, and engaging in a second communication with the first elevator car for effecting the second determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Ravikiran Singaraju, Aditya Swami, Tejas Arunrao Dhumal, Ranjith Vushakola
  • Patent number: 11740862
    Abstract: A method for processing audio data, comprising providing song identification data identifying a particular song from among a plurality of songs or identifying a particular position within a particular song, loading intermediate data associated with the song identification data from a storage medium or from a remote device. The method also comprises obtaining input audio data representing audio signals of the song as identified by the song identification data. The audio signals comprise a mixture of different musical timbres, including at least a first musical timbre and a second musical timbre different from said first musical timbre. The method comprises combining the input audio data and the intermediate data with one another to obtain output audio data. The audio data represent audio signals of the first musical timbre separated from the second musical timbre.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: ALGORIDDIM GMBH
    Inventors: Kariem Morsy, Maximilian Mumme, Hendrik Nöller, Federico Tessmann
  • Patent number: 11741924
    Abstract: An electronic wind instrument and key operation detection method are provided. The electronic wind instrument includes an instrument body and a plurality of keys which have an operation surface operated by a player's finger and are provided on an external surface of the instrument body. Among the plurality of keys, at least two keys disposed to sandwich or surround a predetermined region comprise restriction parts formed on the operation surfaces. The restriction parts restrict escape of the player's finger from between the at least two keys having the restriction parts formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Terada, Hidemasa Togai
  • Patent number: 11724909
    Abstract: An illustrative example method of controlling an elevator system includes detecting a number of passengers waiting for elevator service at a landing, detecting an available passenger capacity of a plurality of elevator cars, respectively, and assigning at least one of the elevator cars to travel to the landing to provide elevator service to the passengers based on the detected number of passengers and the available passenger capacity of the at least one of the elevator cars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Sandeep Sudi, Robert Costabile
  • Patent number: 11727906
    Abstract: A system and method to generate and implement digital tuning files based on p-smooth number sequences for use with a digital musical instrument is provided. A p-smooth number sequence is generated and a subset of p-smooth numbers from the sequence is chosen as a musical octave of musical note frequencies. Each note within the octave is designated as a tonic, and each tonic is used to generate additional musical octaves and corresponding musical note notations. The musical octaves and corresponding musical note notations are stored into the digital memory of the digital musical instrument, and the instrument's native musical note mappings are remapped to the musical octaves and corresponding musical note notations from the digital file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: Pandora's Anvil Multimedia Inc.
    Inventor: Park Anderson
  • Patent number: 11718499
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for performing cloud-based elevator dispatching resource management. The techniques include receiving usage information of one or more elevators of an elevator system, obtaining configuration parameters of a controller configured to control the one or more elevators, and analyzing a performance of the one or more elevators based at least in part on the usage information. The techniques also include dynamically updating the configuration parameters of the controller based on the performance and the usage information, storing the configuration parameters and corresponding performance, and operating the one or more elevators based at least in part on the updated configuration parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Paul A. Simcik
  • Patent number: 11718500
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a conveyance apparatus within a conveyance system including: obtaining a first health level of a conveyance system at a first time; receiving customer feedback regarding operation of the conveyance system proximate the first time from a customer; and adjusting a threshold health level of the conveyance system to be less than or equal to the first health level of the conveyance system in response to the customer feedback.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Tadeusz Pawel Witczak
  • Patent number: 11718506
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for resetting a shaft access monitoring system of an elevator system. The method comprises: receiving an input from a user interface arranged in the elevator system, the input is provided with at least one input device of the user interface arranged to control an operation of the elevator system; comparing the received input to a reference value; and setting, in accordance with a comparison between the received input and the reference value, a detection result to express one of the following: (i) the shaft access monitoring system shall be reset, (ii) the shaft access monitoring system shall not be reset. The invention also relates to a control unit, to an elevator system and a computer program product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Tapani Talonen, Jari Kantola
  • Patent number: 11715449
    Abstract: A keyboard with strum string apparatus for creating accurate guitar sounds with an electronic keyboard includes a microcontroller is coupled within a keyboard body. A power source, a pair of speakers, a plurality of control buttons, and a plurality of piano keys are coupled to the keyboard body and are in operational communication with the microcontroller. A plurality of piano keys is coupled to the keyboard body. A strum board is coupled to the keyboard body. The strum board has a strum base coupled to the keyboard body, a pair of bridges coupled to the strum base, a plurality of strings extending between the pair of bridges, and a pickup coupled to the strum base. The pickup is in operational communication with the microcontroller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Adam Flory
  • Patent number: 11713214
    Abstract: A footrest safety pad arrangement is incorporated in a stairlift carriage in which movement of a safety pad relative to the carriage is sensed by an electromagnetic sensor and a control signal applied to the stairlift drive motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Alexander Cook
  • Patent number: 11708240
    Abstract: A method for elevator passenger detection including: capturing an image of an elevator passenger approaching an elevator bank to board an elevator car; determining that the elevator passenger is pregnant or disabled in response to the image of the elevator passenger; registering a priority elevator call for the elevator passenger that is pregnant or disabled; and moving the elevator car to the floor landing where the elevator passenger that is pregnant or disabled is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Ravikiran Singaraju, Vinod Vejandla, Appalaraju Marpu, Madhavaraju Nadimpalli, Madhavi Mothukuri, Ashok Kumar Prakash
  • Patent number: 11708245
    Abstract: A self-climbing installation platform includes two decks including an upper deck and a lower deck. Each deck includes a guide element configured to support the deck movably on guide rails. Each deck includes a locking element configured to lock and unlock the deck to the guide rails and/or to guide rail fixing elements. The installation platform includes a lifting element configured to move the two decks along the guide rails in relation to each other, and at least one power source configured to provide power to the lifting element. The installation platform is configured to climb stepwise along the guide rails based on alternatingly locking and unlocking the lower deck and the upper deck to the guide rails and/or to the guide rail fixing elements with separate, respective locking elements and raising an unlocked deck with the lifting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Otto Lanz, Janne Laine, Matti Rasanen, Anssi Venho, Markku Haapaniemi, Janne Mikkonen, Aki Haikonen, Jari Osterman, Jori Hagg, Jorma Mustalahti, Petri Kere
  • Patent number: 11702321
    Abstract: A tractor assembly and an elevator. The tractor assembly includes: a traction sheave, having a traction means fitting surface and a first transmission surface on a peripheral surface thereof; a plurality of support wheels, configured to support the traction sheave, and each having a second transmission surface on a peripheral surface thereof; and support wheel bases, configured to support the support wheels through support shafts, wherein the first transmission surface of the traction sheave is in transmitting cooperation with the second transmission surfaces of the plurality of support wheels respectively. According to the tractor assembly and elevator of the present application, the support wheels are disposed to achieve the transmitting cooperation of the traction sheave during operation of the elevator and support the traction sheave, thus omitting the load and drive bearings required by a conventional traction sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: RuGuang Liu, GuoChen Gao, Fengkun Zhu
  • Patent number: 11697571
    Abstract: A method and system for controlling elevator dispatch is provided. User data, including user behavior, is collected from a number of users over a specified time period. Elevator use data for a number of elevators in a building is also collected over the specified time period. Applying the user data and elevator use data, an elevator dispatch model is constructed that predicts future elevator use according to predicted user needs. An elevator control system dispatches the elevators according to the dispatch model. The elevator dispatch model is refined according to feedback data collected from users over a subsequent time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Wen Wang, Rong Fu, Zhuo JP Cai, Hao Sheng, Jian Dong Yin, Kang ED Zhang