Patents by Inventor Marja-Liisa Siikonen

Marja-Liisa Siikonen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150068849
    Abstract: Method for handling erroneous calls in an elevator system, which comprises at least one elevator, call-giving devices for registering calls on the floor levels and/or in the elevator car, and also a control system that responds to the aforementioned calls one or more calls given by a passenger are registered, it is assessed on the basis of at least one criterion whether some call is erroneous, and at least one corrective action is performed for removing a call, or for rectifying the call data of a call, if the call is ascertained to be erroneous on the basis of the aforementioned criterion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ilpo HAIPUS, Juha-Matti KUUSINEN, Marja-Liisa SIIKONEN, Janne SORSA
  • Patent number: 8800723
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solution for optimizing the transport capacity of an elevator system. For optimizing the transport capacity the elevator system dynamically locks floors served by it on the basis of defined locking rules. When a floor is locked, that floor can not be considered a designation floor or receive elevator calls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Johannes De Jong, Maarten Van Dijk, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Patent number: 8763761
    Abstract: In a method, an evacuation state is activated, and the number of people awaiting evacuation on specific floors is determined. At least one of a number of elevator cars and of evacuation times needed for the evacuation of specific floors is calculated based on the capacity of the aforementioned one or more elevator cars and of the number of people awaiting evacuation, and floor-specific evacuation is controlled to one or more exit floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventor: Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Publication number: 20140124302
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for allocating hall calls in an elevator system, which comprises call input devices for registering hall calls at the floors, a group control system responsive to said hall calls, and a number of elevators controlled by elevator-specific elevator controllers on the basis of commands issued by the group control system. A number of route alternatives are generated on the basis of the calls active, and allocation calculation is decentralized by calculating elevator-specific cost terms associated with the route alternatives in the elevator controllers. The cost terms are returned to the group control system, which allocates the hall calls to the elevators according to the route alternative giving the lowest allocation cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Janne SORSA, Marja-Liisa SIIKONEN
  • Patent number: 8584811
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one elevator, call-giving appliances in elevator lobbies, and a device configured to detect contact patterns in an identification area on a floor surface of at least one elevator lobby. A user to be connected to a call given from the elevator lobby is classified based on the contact pattern, the type data of the call is associated with the call based on the classification, and the call and the type data is transmitted to the control system of the elevator system to control the elevators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Hannu Kuoppala, Reetta Ranne, Ari Hänninen, Pekka Korhonen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Jukka Salmikuukka
  • Publication number: 20120305341
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solution for controlling an elevator system, which elevator system includes at least one elevator, call-giving appliances in the elevator lobbies, and also a device for detecting in the desired identification area contact patterns directed onto the floor surface of at least one elevator lobby. A user to be connected to a call given from the elevator lobby is classified on the basis of the contact pattern produced by the user, the type data of the call is connected to the call on the basis of the classification, and the call with its type data is transmitted to the control system of the elevator system for controlling the elevators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hannu Kuoppala, Reetta Ranne, Ari Hänninen, Pekka Korhonen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Jukka Salmikuukka
  • Publication number: 20120267202
    Abstract: The invention presents a method and a system for evacuating a building or a part of it using an elevator system, which comprises one or more elevators. In the method an evacuation state is activated, the number of people awaiting evacuation on specific floors is determined, the number of elevator cars and/or of evacuation times needed for the evacuation of specific floors is calculated on the basis of the capacity of the aforementioned one or more elevator cars and of the number of people awaiting evacuation, and floor-specific evacuation is controlled to one or more predefined exit floors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Patent number: 8205722
    Abstract: In an elevator system including at least two elevator groups having at least one shared floor and destination call appliances on at least the shared floor for receiving destination calls from passengers, destination call appliances are connected to group controls of the elevator groups. Destination calls from passengers are divided between the elevator groups based on defined division criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Kari Suihkonen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Patent number: 8132652
    Abstract: An elevator system includes at least one shuttle elevator and at least two local elevators, the elevator cars of which are arranged to travel in the same elevator hoistway such that they can serve at least one shared transfer floor of a transfer level. The control system of the elevator system receives destination calls given from a destination call appliance, forms a plurality of route alternatives and allocates a destination call to one or more elevators by selecting the best route alternative. When allocating a destination call, the control system takes into account that the elevator cars of the local elevators that travel in the same elevator hoistway cannot simultaneously be at a shared transfer floor in cases in which the route alternative includes a part-trip with a local elevator and a change of elevator at a shared transfer floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Harri Hakala, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Henri Hakonen
  • Publication number: 20110214948
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for dividing destination calls in an elevator system, which comprises at least two elevator groups, which elevator groups have one or more shared floors and also destination call appliances on at least the aforementioned shared floors for receiving destination calls given by passengers. The destination call appliances are connected to the group controls of the elevator groups, and the destination calls given by passengers are divided between the elevator groups on the basis of the defined division criteria.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Publication date: September 8, 2011
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Kari Suihkonen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Publication number: 20110209950
    Abstract: The invention relates to elevator systems, in which a number of elevators operate in the same hoistway. The elevator system comprises at least one shuttle elevator and at least two local elevators, the elevator-cars of which are arranged to travel in the same elevator hoistway such that they can serve at least one shared transfer floor of a transfer level. The control system of the elevator system receives destination calls given from a destination call appliance, forms a plurality of route alternatives and allocates a destination call to one or more elevators by selecting the best route alternative. When allocating a destination call, the control system takes into account that the elevator cars of the local elevators that travel in the same elevator hoistway cannot simultaneously be at a shared transfer floor in cases in which the route alternative comprises a part-trip with a local elevator and a change of elevator at a shared transfer floor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Applicant: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Harri Hakala, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Henri Hakonen
  • Patent number: 7913819
    Abstract: A set of elevators includes a plurality of elevators without counterweight, a power supply, and a common control system. The plurality of elevators has a common connection to the power supply. The common control system includes one or more instructions to prevent or delay dispatch of an elevator car stopped at a floor if, at that instant, within a set period of time, or at that instant and within the set period of time, power consumed from an associated electrical network by the set of elevators or fed into the associated electrical network by the set of elevators together exceeds a set value. A method for controlling a set of elevators includes determining whether power consumed together exceeds a set value, and when the power consumed exceeds the set value, then departure of a next elevator car to be dispatched is prevented or delayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7900750
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for modernizing at least one elevator group, which comprises a plurality of elevators, a group control that controls the elevator group as well as call-giving appliances connected to the group control via the landing appliance bus. According to the solution a new group control, new call-giving appliances for the floor levels and also a new landing call bus are installed in the elevator group; a new group control is connected to the pushbutton interface of the old call-giving appliances for transmitting calls given by passengers from the new group control to the old group control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Veikko Mattsson, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Kari Suihkonen
  • Publication number: 20100270110
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for modernizing at least one elevator group, which comprises a plurality of elevators, a group control that controls the elevator group as well as call-giving appliances connected to the group control via the landing appliance bus. According to the solution a new group control, new call-giving appliances for the floor levels and also a new landing call bus are installed in the elevator group; a new group control is connected to the pushbutton interface of the old call-giving appliances for transmitting calls given by passengers from the new group control to the old group control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Applicant: KONE Corporation
    Inventors: Veikko MATTSSON, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Kari Suihkonen
  • Patent number: 7694781
    Abstract: A method for allocating destination calls in an elevator system, the system including at least one multi-deck elevator, where the passenger gives his/her destination floor by means of a destination call device at the beginning of the journey route, thereby defining the staffing point and final point of the passenger's journey route in the elevator system. The method includes the steps of generating possible route alternatives from the staffing point to the final point of the journey route, determining a cost function containing at least one travel time term, determining the value of the travel time term corresponding to each route alternative in the cost function, calculating the total cost of each route alternative by using the cost function, allocating for the passenger the route alternative that gives the minimum total cost, and guiding the passenger to a waiting lobby and/or elevator consistent with the route alternative allocated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Janne Sorsa, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
  • Publication number: 20090250298
    Abstract: A set of elevators, e.g. an elevator group, is connected to a common power supply. The elevators are controlled by a common control system so that an elevator car having stopped is prevented from being dispatched in the up direction if, of the elevator cars of the elevators connected to the common power supply, more cars are moving upwards than are moving downwards.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2009
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Inventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Esko Aulanko
  • Patent number: 7594564
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, a system and a computer program for the effective evacuation of a building in an emergency, in which at least one elevator can be used as an evacuation aid. In the method the group control of the elevators monitors the numbers of people on the different floors of the building. The floor on which it is assumed are most people is set at each moment of monitoring for a greater priority in an evacuation situation. Taking into account the limited supply power a free elevator car is directed to the floor of the greatest priority, at which the elevator is filled. The full elevator is directed without stopping to the exit floor of the building. The system monitors by means of detectors the safety of the different parts of the building and directs people if necessary to a safe evacuation location to wait for an elevator. A so-called Traffic Forecaster can be used as an aid in defining the priorities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Jukka-Pekka Sarjanen, Kim Bärlund
  • Patent number: 7588126
    Abstract: In the method of the present invention an evacuation mode is presented in an elevator system, which receives destination calls i.e. operates in accordance with so-called destination control. In the method the destination floor calls given on the evacuation floors of the building are changed in the event of an exceptional incident such that the destination floor becomes an exit floor of the building. In the method the elevator car is filled as flail as possible on one floor and the travel time to the exit floor is minimized by directing the elevator car to the escape floor without intermediate stops. The passengers to be evacuated are shown information relating to the evacuation on a display located on the destination call panel and/or inside the car of the evacuation elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Kim Bärlund
  • Patent number: 7559407
    Abstract: A set of elevators, preferably an elevator group, may include a number of elevators without counterweight which have a common connection to a power supply. The elevators may have a common control system which contains an instruction to prevent an elevator having stopped at a floor from being dispatched upwards if, of the elevator cars of the other elevators connected to the same power supply, more cars are moving upwards than are moving downwards at the instant and/or within a set period of time. A method for controlling a set of elevators without counterweight connected to a common power supply may include monitoring to establish whether, at the instant and/or within a set period of time, the number of upwards moving elevator cars of the elevators in the set is larger than the number of downwards moving elevator cars of the elevators in the set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Janne Sorsa, Esko Aulanko
  • Publication number: 20090159374
    Abstract: A method for allocating destination calls in an elevator system, the system including at least one multi-deck elevator, where the passenger gives his/her destination floor by means of a destination call device at the beginning of the journey route, thereby defining the starting point and final point of the passenger's journey route in the elevator system. The method includes the steps of generating possible route alternatives from the starting point to the final point of the journey route, determining a cost function containing at least one travel time term, determining the value of the travel time term corresponding to each route alternative in the cost function, calculating the total cost of each route alternative by using the cost function, allocating for the passenger the route alternative that gives the minimum total cost, and guiding the passenger to a waiting lobby and/or elevator consistent with the route alternative allocated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Janne SORSA, Marja-Liisa SIIKONEN