Patents by Inventor Michael Garfinkel
Michael Garfinkel 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).
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Publication number: 20200189882Abstract: An elevator system includes a hoistway, an elevator car movable along the hoistway, and a power management and transfer system. The power management and transfer system includes an electrical power source, a hoistway contactor secured in the hoistway and operably connected to the electrical power source, and a car contactor disposed at the elevator car, such that when the car contactor is brought into operable contact with the hoistway contactor, electrical power is transferrable between the power source and the elevator car.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2019Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Enrico Manes, Atsushi Yamada, Suman Dwari, Craig Drew Bogli, Stephen Savulak, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel
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Patent number: 10538412Abstract: A method includes determining that an elevator car is arriving at a landing at which re-leveling is anticipated; upon the elevator car arriving at the landing at which re-leveling is anticipated, initiating the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation to reduce elevator car sag at the landing; monitoring transfer of weight to or from the elevator car at the landing over a period of time; terminating the at least one of the brake cycling operation and the power cycling operation upon at least one of (i) the transfer of weight to or from the elevator car at the landing over the period of time being less than a threshold and (ii) the elevator car sag at the landing meeting a sag threshold.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2019Date of Patent: January 21, 2020Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
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Publication number: 20190202658Abstract: A method includes determining that an elevator car is arriving at a landing at which re-leveling is anticipated; upon the elevator car arriving at the landing at which re-leveling is anticipated, initiating the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation to reduce elevator car sag at the landing; monitoring transfer of weight to or from the elevator car at the landing over a period of time; terminating the at least one of the brake cycling operation and the power cycling operation upon at least one of (i) the transfer of weight to or from the elevator car at the landing over the period of time being less than a threshold and (ii) the elevator car sag at the landing meeting a sag threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2019Publication date: July 4, 2019Inventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
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Patent number: 10315884Abstract: A method for automatically dispatching an elevator 110 based on a user's location is provided. The method includes querying a device 104 to determine a user's source floor and confirming the user's source floor. The method also includes querying the device to suggest the user's destination floor based on a history of destination floors traveled to by the user; and confirming the user's destination floor.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Paul A. Simcik, Ashley Chapman, Bradley Armand Scoville, Eric C. Peterson, Michael Garfinkel
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Patent number: 10252879Abstract: Embodiments are directed to determining that an elevator car of an elevator system is approaching a landing, obtaining, by a controller, a value for at least one parameter associated with the elevator system based on the determination that the elevator car is approaching the landing, determining that the elevator car arrives at the landing within a threshold distance, determining, by the controller, when to engage in at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation based on the value for the at least one parameter and based on determining that the elevator car arrives at the landing within the threshold distance, and initiating the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation at a time corresponding to the determination of when to engage in the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2014Date of Patent: April 9, 2019Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
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Publication number: 20180316652Abstract: A mobile-based equipment service system includes a remote server, a mobile device, and at least one equipment controller. The mobile device includes a user interface, and is configured to send a user authentication message, initiated by a user via the user interface, to the remote server. The remote server is configured to verify the user via the user authentication message and once verified, send an encrypted blob to the mobile device in response to the user authentication message. At least one equipment controller is configured to receive and decrypt the encrypted blob from the mobile device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2017Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Devu Manikantan Shila, Arthur T. Grondine, Michael Garfinkel, Teems E. Lovett
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Patent number: 10116635Abstract: A mobile-based equipment service system includes a remote server, a mobile device, and at least one equipment controller. The mobile device includes a user interface, and is configured to send a user authentication message, initiated by a user via the user interface, to the remote server. The remote server is configured to verify the user via the user authentication message and once verified, send an encrypted blob to the mobile device in response to the user authentication message. At least one equipment controller is configured to receive and decrypt the encrypted blob from the mobile device.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2017Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Devu Manikantan Shila, Arthur T. Grondine, Michael Garfinkel, Teems E. Lovett
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Patent number: 10046948Abstract: A system 110 includes an input/output 113 unit for receiving a user request to call an elevator 101, 102 and a processor 111 for processing the user request to assign an elevator to the user 105. The processor performs one of a first assignment process and a second assignment process. The first assignment process includes determining whether a delay condition exists for delaying assignment of the elevator to the user 202, delaying assignment of the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition exists 203, and assigning the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition does not exist 204. The second assignment process includes assigning the elevator to the user and notifying the user of the assignment, determining whether an assignment change condition exists 206, changing the assignment to another elevator based on determining that the assignment change condition exists 207, and notifying the user of the assignment change 208.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2015Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Michael Garfinkel, Theresa M. Christy, Jannah A. Stanley, Harold Terry
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Patent number: 9995711Abstract: A method of wear detection of a coated belt or rope includes measuring an initial electrical resistance of one or more cords, strands or wires of the coated belt or rope. The initial electrical resistance is calibrated by repeating the measuring of initial electrical resistance and populating a database with the measured initial electrical resistance values. A true initial resistance is determined from the population of initial electrical resistances and subsequent measured values of electrical resistance of the one or more cords, strands or wires of the coated belt or rope.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2012Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Michael Garfinkel, Daryl J. Marvin
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Patent number: 9969597Abstract: A communication gateway device to facilitate communication between at least one elevator car, a call center system, and a third party device includes a cellular communication interface including a digital cellular interface and an analog cellular interface, a wired telephone communication interface including a digital wired telephone interface and an analog wired telephone interface, and an elevator communication interface to send and receive an elevator communication to and from at least one elevator communication device associated with the at least one elevator car, the elevator communication interface associated with the cellular communication interface and the wired telephone communication interface to send and receive the elevator communication to and from at least one of the call center system and the third party device via at least one of the digital cellular interface, the analog cellular interface, the digital wired telephone interface, and the analog wired telephone interface.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Brian Beloin, Luis C. Encinas Carreno, Michael Garfinkel, Derk Pahlke
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Patent number: 9791009Abstract: A method for monitoring brake torque of an elevator having a motor is provided. The method may engage an elevator brake for a predefined duration, determine a displacement of an output shaft of the motor during the predefined duration, and generate an alert if the displacement exceeds a predefined threshold.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2011Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: James L. Hubbard, Michael Garfinkel, Juan Antonio Illan, Robert D. Shepherd
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Publication number: 20170174472Abstract: Embodiments are directed to determining that an elevator car of an elevator system is approaching a landing, obtaining, by a controller, a value for at least one parameter associated with the elevator system based on the determination that the elevator car is approaching the landing, determining that the elevator car arrives at the landing within a threshold distance, determining, by the controller, when to engage in at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation based on the value for the at least one parameter and based on determining that the elevator car arrives at the landing within the threshold distance, and initiating the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation at a time corresponding to the determination of when to engage in the at least one of a brake cycling operation and a power cycling operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 6, 2014Publication date: June 22, 2017Inventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
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Publication number: 20170137255Abstract: A method for automatically dispatching an elevator 110 based on a user's location is provided. The method includes querying a device 104 to determine a user's source floor and confirming the user's source floor. The method also includes querying the device to suggest the user's destination floor based on a history of destination floors traveled to by the user; and confirming the user's destination floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2015Publication date: May 18, 2017Inventors: Paul A. Simcik, Ashley Chapman, Bradley Armand Scoville, Eric C. Peterson, Michael Garfinkel
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Patent number: 9618409Abstract: An exemplary system includes a moveable mass. A load bearing member includes at least one electrically conductive tension member that supports a load associated with movement of the mass. An electrically conductive member is situated along a selected portion of a path of movement of the load bearing member. The electrically conductive member is not subject to a load on the tension member. A processor is configured to determine an electrical resistance of the tension member as an indicator of a condition of the tension member. The processor is configured to determine an electrical resistance of the electrically conductive member. The processor uses the determined electrical resistance of the electrically conductive member to compensate for any environmental influence on the determined electrical resistance of the tension member.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2012Date of Patent: April 11, 2017Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Michael Garfinkel, Peter Keyo, Peter Liaskas
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Publication number: 20170096318Abstract: A system 110 includes an input/output 113 unit for receiving a user request to call an elevator 101, 102 and a processor 111 for processing the user request to assign an elevator to the user 105. The processor performs one of a first assignment process and a second assignment process. The first assignment process includes determining whether a delay condition exists for delaying assignment of the elevator to the user 202, delaying assignment of the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition exists 203, and assigning the elevator to the user based on determining that the delay condition does not exist 204. The second assignment process includes assigning the elevator to the user and notifying the user of the assignment, determining whether an assignment change condition exists 206, changing the assignment to another elevator based on determining that the assignment change condition exists 207, and notifying the user of the assignment change 208.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2015Publication date: April 6, 2017Inventors: Michael Garfinkel, Theresa M. Christy, Jannah A. Stanley, Harold Terry
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Publication number: 20160264377Abstract: A communication gateway device to facilitate communication between at least one elevator car, a call center system, and a third party device includes a cellular communication interface including a digital cellular interface and an analog cellular interface, a wired telephone communication interface including a digital wired telephone interface and an analog wired telephone interface, and an elevator communication interface to send and receive an elevator communication to and from at least one elevator communication device associated with the at least one elevator car, the elevator communication interface associated with the cellular communication interface and the wired telephone communication interface to send and receive the elevator communication to and from at least one of the call center system and the third party device via at least one of the digital cellular interface, the analog cellular interface, the digital wired telephone interface, and the analog wired telephone interface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2016Publication date: September 15, 2016Inventors: Brian Beloin, Luis C. Encinas Carreno, Michael Garfinkel, Derk Pahlke
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Patent number: 9296591Abstract: A system for monitoring elevator car travel includes a plurality of bi-stable sensors (12) traveling with an elevator car (10); a plurality of sense elements (20) positioned along a path of the sensors (12); the sense elements (20) causing the sensors (12) to assume one of a first state and a second state; wherein states of the sensors (12) define a zone code (30) identifying a zone corresponding to the elevator car (10) position, the zone code (30) being a gray code.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2010Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Michael Garfinkel, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Leslie C. Watterson, SuCheol Lee, Kensaku Yamane
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Publication number: 20150330852Abstract: An exemplary system includes a moveable mass. A load bearing member includes at least one electrically conductive tension member that supports a load associated with movement of the mass. An electrically conductive member is situated along a selected portion of a path of movement of the load bearing member. The electrically conductive member is not subject to a load on the tension member. A processor is configured to determine an electrical resistance of the tension member as an indicator of a condition of the tension member. The processor is configured to determine an electrical resistance of the electrically conductive member. The processor uses the determined electrical resistance of the electrically conductive member to compensate for any environmental influence on the determined electrical resistance of the tension member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2012Publication date: November 19, 2015Inventors: Michael Garfinkel, Peter Keyo, Peter Liaskas
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Publication number: 20150063415Abstract: A method of wear detection of a coated belt or rope includes measuring an initial electrical resistance of one or more cords, strands or wires of the coated belt or rope. The initial electrical resistance is calibrated by repeating the measuring of initial electrical resistance and populating a database with the measured initial electrical resistance values. A true initial resistance is determined from the population of initial electrical resistances and subsequent measured values of electrical resistance of the one or more cords, strands or wires of the coated belt or rope.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2012Publication date: March 5, 2015Inventors: Michael Garfinkel, Daryl J. Marvin
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Publication number: 20140311257Abstract: A method for monitoring brake torque of an elevator having a motor is provided. The method may engage an elevator brake for a predefined duration, determine a displacement of an output shaft of the motor during the predefined duration, and generate an alert if the displacement exceeds a predefined threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2011Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: James L. Hubbard, Michael Garfinkel, Juan Antonio Illan, Robert D. Shepherd