Abstract: An elevator system includes an elevator car, a hoisting machine moving the elevator car in a hoistway, and a hoisting machine brake having one or more brake pads moving into a brake position where the one or more brake pads contact a braking surface to reduce speed of the elevator car when activated to brake. To provide a solution ensuring reliable operation of the brake, the elevator system includes a temperature sensor providing a signal indicating a temperature of the braking surface, and a monitoring unit monitoring operation of the hoisting machine brake, the monitoring unit receiving the signal indicating the temperature and is configured to indicate a brake fault when the indicated temperature during an elevator run has reached an upper limit value or increased with more than a limit value.

Abstract: A method for ensuring elevator safety in an elevator system, an elevator control unit, an elevator system, and a computer program product are disclosed in this document. The method comprises detecting a foreign object in an elevator shaft during normal operation mode, establishing a safe zone of the elevator shaft, wherein the safe zone is associated with a safe zone speed, a safe distance, and a safe direction, switching operational mode of the elevator system to a safe zone mode, determining that the elevator car is in the safe zone, and allowing movement of the elevator car in the safe zone to the safe direction at a speed not exceeding the safe zone speed.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator safety arrangement comprising a hoistway; an elevator car mounted in the hoistway; a working platform mounted on top of the roof the elevator car; at least one sensing arrangement for sensing load of the working platform and at least one balustrade. Said balustrade is mounted on the working platform such that its weight is carried by the working platform, and in that it is movable between a substantially upright position and a substantially horizontal position.

Abstract: A method for detecting an overload condition of an elevator car of an elevator includes obtaining prevailing car-load information from a load weighing device arranged to weigh a prevailing car-load preferably when the elevator car is standing at a landing floor in an elevator shaft; determining if said prevailing car-load information fulfils one or more overload criteria; and generating a signal indicating an overload condition of an elevator car, if said car-load information fulfils one or more of said overload criteria; obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator; and adjusting one or more of said overload criteria or said car-load information based on said information of the at least one operational parameter of the elevator. An overload monitoring system and an elevator implementing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method for determining a sequence of bus nodes in a multi-drop communication bus. The method includes for each bus node: sending a request to the bus node using an bus node physical identifier to set the bus node to a loopback mode; transmitting at least one signal to the bus node via the multi-drop communication bus; receiving from the bus node a loopback signal caused by the at least one signal; and measuring a roundtrip delay between the at least one signal and the loopback response signal. The method further includes solving the physical order of the bus nodes in the multi-drop communication bus based on the roundtrip delays.

Abstract: A functional safety management system for and a method of managing functional safety of at least one equipment under control. The system comprises a data storage entity configured to store desired functional safety information related to a desired functional safety status of the equipment under control, and a functional safety management entity connected to the data storage entity for obtaining or receiving therefrom the desired functional safety information, and to the equipment under control for obtaining or receiving current functional safety status information related to a current functional safety status of the equipment under control. The functional safety management system is configured to perform a functional safety related operation based on information included in the current functional safety status information and the desired functional safety information.

Abstract: A safety arrangement is suitable for a turning station of an elevator system. The safety arrangement includes at least one first blocking position for preventing, by a first mechanical device, an elevator car from entering the turning station, wherein the first mechanical device is arranged to change its position in response to operation of the turning station, and at least one second blocking position for preventing, by a second mechanical device, an elevator car from exiting the turning station.

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.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator communication system including a communication bus applying a master-slave protocol, a master node connected to the communication bus and at least one slave node connected to the communication bus. The master node and the at least one slave node are configured to apply, for data communication in the communication bus, a repeating frame structure in which a first time slot of a frame is reserved for the master node and in the remaining time slots of the frame each slave node of the at least one slave node has a dedicated time slot. The master node is configured to extend the time between consecutive frames in order to enable a power saving mode for the communication bus.

Abstract: Brake release sensors for an elevator can be replaced by an arrangement wherein the brake release is determined from the force caused by the brake. This is achieved by providing measuring device for measuring the weight of an elevator car between the brake and the motor body so that the weight of the elevator car is measured only when the brake is on.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided a method for condition monitoring of inductive braking device of an elevator car in an elevator shaft, the method including determining that the elevator car is empty; determining that doors of the elevator car are closed; causing electromechanical brakes to hold the elevator car stationary in the elevator shaft; causing actuation of a braking condition for the elevator car with the inductive braking device; causing the electromechanical brakes to lift while the inductive braking device is in the braking condition; determining a value associated with the inductive braking device in response to causing the electromechanical brakes to lift while the inductive braking device is actuated; and determining an operating condition of the inductive braking device based on the value.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for automatic condition checking of an elevator are provided, wherein an elevator car of the elevator is situated in a door zone of a first landing in an elevator shaft following an earthquake. The method includes determining whether the load carried by hoisting ropes is evenly distributed between the hoisting ropes by checking the status or measurement data of at least one rope tension measurement device. The test unit determines whether the elevator car is empty and conducts a drive test for the elevator car in order to determine unimpeded access for the elevator car to other landings. The elevator is returned to normal use, if the drive test indicates unimpeded access for the elevator car to the other landings.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a device for obtaining an indication of a heavy object to be transported with the elevator system; a device for allocating an elevator car to transport the heavy object; and a device for activating, in response to the indication, at least one pre-emptive action associated with the allocated elevator car in an adjustment mode. The adjustment mode is configured to substantially maintain a vertical position of the elevator car in an elevator shaft when the heavy object is loaded into the elevator car.

Abstract: Elevator components can be equipped with an electronic information plate. The electronic information plates are associated with a particular electronic information plate that can store different properties of the associated component. The content of each electronic information plate is read manually or automatically and transmitted to a controller. The controller analyzes the received content and launches a predetermined action if the content indicates a need for maintenance.

Abstract: A method for taking an elevator of an elevator group into service mode includes entering in the input device of the elevator group a maintenance signal which comprises an elevator definition part, upon entering of the maintenance signal the elevator identified in the elevator definition part is removed from landing call allocation, the identified elevator is initiated to serve all remaining car calls and then to drive to a maintenance floor and to wait there for maintenance operation.

Abstract: An elevator includes a car, a counterweight, and a hoisting member connecting the car with the counterweight over a traction sheave. A free fall protection system includes a free fall protection controller, a free fall protection member connecting the car with the counterweight over the traction sheave or over a separate free fall sheave. The car and the counterweight are supported by the hoisting member in normal operation and by the free fall protection member only in a situation in which the hoisting member support fails. At least one free fall protection brake is arranged to stop the movement of the free fall protection member and thereby also the movement of the car and/or the counterweight, when being activated by the free fall protection controller.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator safety arrangement comprising a hoistway; an elevator car mounted in the hoistway; a working platform on top of the elevator car; at least one movable balustrade, which is movable between a substantially upright position and a substantially horizontal position; and a sensing arrangement for sensing position of the movable balustrade, said sensing arrangement for sensing position of the movable balustrade comprising at least one sensor for sensing position of the balustrade.

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.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator communication system. The system comprises an elevator communication network configured to carry elevator system associated data and a plurality of elevator system nodes communicatively connected to the elevator communication network, wherein at least some of the plurality of elevator system nodes each comprises a camera associated with different landing floors, respectively, configured to provide image data about a respective landing floor area and wherein at least one of the plurality of elevator system nodes comprises a display arranged in an elevator car; and an apparatus communicatively connected to the elevator communication network, the apparatus being configured to receive an elevator call to a landing floor, and cause the display to display data provided by a camera associated with the landing floor in response to the elevator call to the landing floor.

Abstract: According to an aspect, there is provided an elevator communication system. The system comprises an elevator communication network configured to carry elevator system associated data; a plurality of elevator system nodes communicatively connected to the elevator communication network, wherein at least some of the plurality of elevator system nodes each comprises a camera associated with different landing floors, respectively, configured to provide image data about a respective landing floor area; and a controller communicatively connected to the elevator communication network and being configured to obtain image data from at least one camera during an evacuation situation; and provide, during the evacuation situation, to a node communicatively connected to the elevator communication network information for a graphical user interface comprising image data from a selected set of the cameras.