Patents Examined by Jeffrey Donels
  • Patent number: 12291424
    Abstract: A call registration system includes, for example, a gate (3), a security controller (4), a server (6), and a storage device (5). The security controller (4) includes, for example, a retaining unit (42), a determining unit (41), and a requesting unit (43). When the determining unit (41) determines that information concerning a selected permission floor is not retained by the retaining unit (42), the requesting unit (43) requests a group controller (1) to perform call registration for a normal use floor. When the determining unit (41) determines that the information concerning the selected permission floor is retained by the retaining unit (42), the requesting unit (43) requests the group controller (1) to perform call registration for the selected permission floor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wei Wu
  • Patent number: 12280987
    Abstract: A method of calibrating a monitoring device (20) for monitoring movement of a movable component (2, 12, 19) of an elevator system (2) comprises detecting (120) a travel time (?tk) between a starting time (tk) and a stopping time (t?k) as well as acceleration (a(t)) of at least one movement of the movable component (2, 12, 19); determining (130, 140) a travel distance of the movable component (2, 12, 19) by integrating the detected acceleration (a(t)) twice with respect to the detected travel time (?tk); correlating (150) the determined travel distance (sk) with the detected travel time (?tk) to form a pair of travel time and travel distance; and storing (160) the pair of travel time and travel distance (?tk,sk) as part of a travel profile (34).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Derk Oscar Pahlke, Tadeusz Pawel Witczak, Craig Drew Bogli, Yrinee Michaelidis
  • Patent number: 12280984
    Abstract: A method of detecting whether an elevator safety device (20) of an elevator system (2) mounted to a moving object (6, 21), such as an elevator car (6) or a counterweight (21), has entered a fully activated state in which at least one engagement member (26a, 26b) of the elevator safety device (20) engages with a guide member (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Jan Ruhnke
  • Patent number: 12269711
    Abstract: By using, as input, elevator specification information including at least sizes, quantity, and service floors of a plurality of elevators, a method for installing the plurality of elevators is calculated based on either the quantity of the plurality of elevators or the sizes of the plurality of elevators from arrangements including at least one or more of a planar arrangement where the plurality of elevators are aligned in a row on one side configuring an elevator boarding place, or an opposed arrangement where the elevators are divided and located on two opposite sides configuring the elevator boarding place; the shape of the elevator boarding place is determined by calculating the two sides configuring the elevator boarding place on the basis of the installation method and the sizes and quantity of the plurality of elevators; and furthermore, an elevator boarding place layout is generated by determining each floor where the elevator boarding place is to be installed according to the service floors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayasu Fujiwara, Takamichi Hoshino, Satoru Toriyabe, Takahiro Hatori, Wataru Toriumi
  • Patent number: 12264038
    Abstract: A method for dispatching an elevator applied in a block chain system verifies a call for an elevator by a passenger. The method includes: controlling each node of the block chain system to verify the elevator call; broadcasting information to the block chain system as to verification granted when verification of the elevator call by a node is passed; saving consumption information of the elevator call when the quantity of verifications granted received by the node is greater than a first predetermined value; and controlling and dispatching an elevator to be at the service of the passenger as a dedicated elevator when the elevator call is successful. A device for dispatching elevators when called and a system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shiaw-Herng Liu
  • Patent number: 12252376
    Abstract: A method for releasing safety gears of an elevator car or a counterweight of an elevator system, the elevator system including a stalling detector coupled to compensation roping associated with the elevator car and the counterweight and configured to detect an increased rope tension, includes preventing a stalling indication from the stalling detector during a rescue operation; and moving the elevator car in order to release the safety gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: KONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tapio Siironen, Tapani Talonen, Tarvo Viita-aho
  • Patent number: 12254856
    Abstract: There is disclosed an electronic hi-hat system having a movable upper housing separated from a stationary lower housing by a spring, with the upper housing having a simulated cymbal attached thereto. The upper housing and simulated cymbal connect through a central vertical rod to a lower foot pedal, with the entire structure being supported by a stand on which the lower housing mounts. The lower housing has a Hall effect sensor mounted thereon, and the upper housing has a permanent magnet aligned with and arranged to reciprocate vertically alongside the Hall effect sensor. The position of the magnet on the movable upper housing, and thus the simulated cymbal, is detected by Hall effect sensor which generates signals that can be transmitted, processed, and amplified into simulated high-hat cymbal sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Guitar Center, Inc.
    Inventors: David Simmons, Jeffrey R. Laity
  • Patent number: 12246948
    Abstract: A method for moving an elevator car of an elevator to evacuate passengers from the elevator car in the event of a power failure, wherein a brake blocks a vertical movement of the elevator car, includes the following steps: transmitting electrical power to the brake of the elevator to release the brake and enable the vertical movement of the elevator car, the brake being moved and held in a large number of positions, ranging between a fully closed position and a fully opened position, according to the electrical power transmitted; determining an actual speed at which the elevator car is moving; comparing the actual speed with a target speed; and adjusting, in particular increasing or reducing, according to a deviation of the actual speed from the target speed, the electrical power transmitted to the brake, so that the actual speed substantially corresponds to the target speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: INVENTIO AG
    Inventor: Steffen Bewersdorf
  • Patent number: 12246942
    Abstract: Method for monitoring the speed of an elevator car, with the car door in particular unlocked, within the unlocking zone of the elevator shaft, having a first speed-limit curve, having a first switchover event, having a second speed-limit curve, and having a second switchover event. The first speed-limit curve has a range of values between a first maximum value at the entry to the unlocking zone and a first minimum value at the envisaged stopping point. The first switchover event corresponds to the car traveling beyond the stopping point or to a stoppage within the unlocking zone. The second speed-limit curve has a range of values between a second maximum value at the envisaged stopping point and one or two second minimum values at the entry to, and exit from, the unlocking zone. The second switchover event corresponds to a departure signal or to the locking of the car door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: CEDES AG
    Inventors: Marcial Lendi, Alex Ackermann
  • Patent number: 12246947
    Abstract: The method according to the invention is a method for safeguarding the car of an elevator, which is provided to form regular unlocking zones in the region around the envisaged stopping points at the stories, against unintended movement. The method monitors the speed of the car, the height position of the car in the elevator shaft and the status of the locking of the car door, and identifies possible stopping of the car, the height position of the car outside a regular unlocking zone, and a possibly unlocked state of the car door. A first sub-method of the method forms a temporary unlocking zone when the car stops outside a regular unlocking zone with the car door unlocked, and it assigns the temporary unlocking zone an upper and a lower boundary above and below the position where the car stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: CEDES AG
    Inventors: Marcial Lendi, Martin Hardegger
  • Patent number: 12240733
    Abstract: An elevator-calling device and elevator system. The elevator-calling device includes a processor to receive an input instruction and send a signal to a main controller of an elevator system; a display device connected to the processor; a rotatable button, wherein the rotatable button is connected to the processor, and the rotatable button is pressable and rotatable in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and wherein the rotatable button has an initial zero scale; and an assistant sound generating unit connected to the processor; wherein the processor is configured to have an assistant elevator-calling mode, in which a preset target floor is increased when the rotatable button rotates in the first direction, the preset target floor is decreased when the rotatable button rotates in the second direction, and the preset target floor is confirmed when the rotatable button is pressed at a non-zero scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Heping Qiu, Shanghua Yang
  • Patent number: 12240732
    Abstract: A notification system and a notification method for an elevator, and an elevator system are provided by the present disclosure. The notification system for an elevator includes: a wake-up module, which is configured to wake up a user mobile terminal when the user mobile terminal enters a specified area, so that the user mobile terminal sends a request to a server; and the server, which is configured to receive a reminder item setting from an administrator, and which is configured to push a reminder item to the user mobile terminal upon receiving the request from the user mobile terminal, the reminder item including elevator repair or maintenance information. The system and method according to the present disclosure allows a user to conveniently know about elevator repair or maintenance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Lieping Wei, Wenbo Huang, Heping Qiu, Jingyu Tong
  • Patent number: 12234120
    Abstract: An aspect includes a system with an energy storage device configured to provide electrical power to a conveyance apparatus of a conveyance system, a power management system configured to determine a charging schedule to recharge the energy storage device based at least in part on a status of the conveyance system, and a dispatching system configured to modify a dispatch schedule of the conveyance system based at least in part on the charging schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Enrico Manes, Suman Dwari, Stephen Savulak, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 12221320
    Abstract: A movement detection system for a passenger in the present invention includes: a first Bluetooth module (150) mounted in an elevator landing area; and a movement prediction unit (270) configured to predict, based on Bluetooth movement data, that a movement of a passenger in the elevator landing area is a normal movement or an abnormal movement. The movement detection system and a movement detection method in the present invention can automatically detect an abnormal movement of a passenger, and are especially applicable to an elevator system that completes an elevator call operation without an input operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Adriaan Joris H. Larmuseau, Changle Li
  • Patent number: 12221322
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for monitoring an elevator door-opening operation fault. The method includes: acquiring elevator control signals from a serial interface between an elevator controller and a control box by using a preset data acquisition device, wherein the elevator control signals include an elevator operation signal, an elevator door control signal, an elevator internal call signal and an elevator floor signal; monitoring whether there is an elevator door fault in the elevator based on the elevator operation signal, the elevator door control signal and the elevator floor signal; when there is the elevator door fault in the elevator and the elevator internal call signal is in a preset level state, determining that there is the elevator door-opening operation fault in the elevator. The present invention is lower in use cost and may be easily popularized and applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: SHENZHEN TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jianmin Cao, Ruize Sun, Lei Wang
  • Patent number: 12215761
    Abstract: A slider has a drum with alternating alpha and beta grooves, first stacked pulleys, and second stacked pulleys. First and second end pulleys are at opposite ends of the slider. A line wraps as a loop from the last beta groove, around the first end pulley, to the last alpha groove, back and forth around the first stacked pulleys, off the first alpha groove, around the second end pulley, to the first beta groove, back and forth around the second stacked pulleys, and back to the last beta groove. When the drum or the end pulleys are driven, the difference in circumferences of the grooves causes the slider to move toward one of the first or second end pulleys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: Hall Logic, Inc.
    Inventors: David R. Hall, Michael Hall, Cody Rees
  • Patent number: 12217729
    Abstract: A music composition, editing, and playback system and method provides a user interface design based on geometric interpretation of music theory replacing traditional modern music notation with geometric shapes including chords represented by polygons that are colored with colors or hues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Inventor: Mark Strachan
  • Patent number: 12214992
    Abstract: Provided is a control apparatus for an elevator that can control the operation of the elevator in a suitable manner when a user is not a pedestrian, without requiring the user for a complicated operation. A control apparatus (7) according to the present invention is provided with: a call registration unit (14) that registers a call for an elevator (1) based on information transmitted by wireless communication from a mobile terminal (10) to communication equipment (8) installed in a region passable by a user (9); and an operation control unit (15) that, when a user type is determined to be a wheeled moving body from a detection result of an acceleration sensor (12) of the mobile terminal (10), controls the operation of the elevator (1) in a manner different from a case where the user type is determined to be a pedestrian.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Fumiya, Takahide Hirai
  • Patent number: 12214993
    Abstract: Configuring stoppable floor information set for an elevator cabin of an elevator system. The elevator system of the present invention comprises an elevator cabin, an elevator control device and a wireless signal module which is configured to wirelessly receive a request of registering a destination floor from a passenger's personal mobile terminal and send a corresponding destination floor of the elevator cabin to the elevator control device based on the request of registering the destination floor; wherein the wireless signal module is further configured to obtain landing floor information corresponding to the elevator cabin from the elevator system, and the elevator system configures an stoppable floor information set corresponding to the elevator cabin based on the obtained landing floor information through a handheld terminal and/or the wireless signal module. The stoppable floor information set configured in the present invention is accurate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventor: Lieping Wei
  • Patent number: 12208993
    Abstract: Multi-function stairlift connectivity includes a stairlift data collection system having data collection devices communicatively connected to a main controller. Such data collection devices may include sensors, switches, controllers, detectors, control boards, and location detectors providing data and settings in a stairlift (e.g., diagnostic information, system status data, faults, drive performance data). A communication module receives collected stairlift data and communicates wirelessly with a remote communication device. Waypoint detection may include stairlift carriage position detection employing electrical contacts on a stairlift carriage. Carriage position can be determined when the carriage stops at or passes a waypoint marker that includes electrical contacts connected to a waypoint element possessing a detectable electromagnetic characteristic (e.g., an identifiable resistive value).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: BRUNO INDEPENDENT LIVING AIDS, INC.
    Inventors: Kristopher O. Lampe, Kelly A. Smith, William Glase, Nicholas J. Scholtes, Jeffery Hotz, Robert Visher