Patents by Inventor Ronnie E. Thebeau

Ronnie E. Thebeau 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).

  • Patent number: 11866295
    Abstract: An elevator system control system is provided and includes a sensor system configured to sense elevator car conditions, a safety system signaling element to generate a safety signal indicative of an incident and a control system configured to react to the safety system signal. When the control system receives the safety signal indicating that an incident has occurred that requires engagement of at least one of primary and secondary brakes, the control system controls a deceleration rate during the incident by operating the primary brake, determining whether the deceleration rate is within a target range and adjusting the deceleration rate based on signals from the sensor system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Prasanna Nagarajan, David Ginsberg, Shashank Krishnamurthy, Daryl J. Marvin, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 11840423
    Abstract: A hybrid energy storage system for an elevator car includes a converter disposed on the elevator car and receives power from a power source and provides a first DC voltage to a first DC bus and a second DC voltage to a second DC bus, a first energy storage device connected to the converter receives the first DC voltage on the first DC bus, and a second energy storage device connected to the converter receives the second DC voltage on the second DC bus. The system also includes a first load connected to the first DC bus and a second DC bus, and a second load connected to the second DC bus. Power is provided from the first energy storage device to the first load under a first selected condition and power is supplied from the second energy storage device to the first load under second selected condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Suman Dwari, Stephen Savulak, Enrico Manes, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Xin Wu
  • Patent number: 11535488
    Abstract: Elevator systems having an elevator machine connected to an elevator car within an elevator shaft, the elevator shaft including a plurality of landings, at least one first sensor assembly attached to the elevator car, at least one second sensor assembly arranged within the elevator shaft and configured to interact with the at least one first sensor assembly, and a computing system in communication with at least one of the at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies such that the computing system receives at least one of signals or data from the at least one of the at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies. The at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies form a contactless position sensing system for determining a position of the elevator car within the elevator shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: David Ginsberg, Ronnie E. Thebeau, David Alun James
  • Patent number: 11235948
    Abstract: Methods and systems of controlling elevators including detecting a landing stop for an elevator car, measuring load information associated with the stop, controlling stopping of the elevator at the landing using a machine based on at least one of the detected landing and the measured load information and performing dynamic compensation control of a motion state of the elevator with a computing system and the elevator machine. The dynamic compensation control includes receiving motion state information related to at least one motion state of the elevator car at the computing system, receiving the landing and load information at the computing system, applying a filter to the received information and generating a first control signal, and producing a control output from the first control signal to control the elevator machine to minimize oscillations, vibrations, excessive position deflections, and/or bounce of the elevator car at the detected landing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Edward Piedra, Randy Roberts, David Ginsberg, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Konda Reddy Chevva, XiaoBin Tang
  • Publication number: 20200189882
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Enrico Manes, Atsushi Yamada, Suman Dwari, Craig Drew Bogli, Stephen Savulak, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel
  • Publication number: 20200189883
    Abstract: A hybrid energy storage system for an elevator car includes a converter disposed on the elevator car and receives power from a power source and provides a first DC voltage to a first DC bus and a second DC voltage to a second DC bus, a first energy storage device connected to the converter receives the first DC voltage on the first DC bus, and a second energy storage device connected to the converter receives the second DC voltage on the second DC bus. The system also includes a first load connected to the first DC bus and a second DC bus, and a second load connected to the second DC bus. Power is provided from the first energy storage device to the first load under a first selected condition and power is supplied from the second energy storage device to the first load under second selected condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Suman Dwari, Stephen Savulak, Enrico Manes, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Xin Wu
  • Publication number: 20200189875
    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: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Enrico Manes, Suman Dwari, Stephen Savulak, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20200195047
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system for wirelessly powering a secondary wireless component using a conveyance apparatus of a conveyance system including: a secondary wireless component located along a support or a wall of the conveyance system in a first location, the secondary wireless component including a wireless electrical power receiver; and a wireless electrical power transceiver located along a surface of the conveyance apparatus opposite the wall, the wireless electrical power transceiver and the wireless electrical power receiver being in a facing spaced relationship defining a gap therebetween when the wireless electrical power transceiver is located proximate the first location, wherein the wireless electrical power transceiver is configured to wirelessly transfer electrical power to the wireless electrical power receiver when the wireless electrical power transceiver is located proximate the first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Enrico Manes, Walter Thomas Schmidt, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20200055693
    Abstract: An elevator system control system is provided and includes a sensor system configured to sense elevator car conditions, a safety system signaling element to generate a safety signal indicative of an incident and a control system configured to react to the safety system signal. When the control system receives the safety signal indicating that an incident has occurred that requires engagement of at least one of primary and secondary brakes, the control system controls a deceleration rate during the incident by operating the primary brake, determining whether the deceleration rate is within a target range and adjusting the deceleration rate based on signals from the sensor system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Prasanna Nagarajan, David Ginsberg, Shashank Krishnamurthy, Daryl J. Marvin, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 10538412
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
  • Publication number: 20190202658
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: July 4, 2019
    Inventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
  • Patent number: 10294075
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system including: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; moving an elevator car to the first evacuation floor; opening doors of the elevator car when the elevator car arrives at the first evacuation floor; monitoring, using a sensor system, a remaining capacity of the elevator car; and closing the doors of the elevator car when at least one of a first selected period of time has passed and the remaining capacity is equal to a selected remaining capacity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 10252879
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Amir Lotfi, Randall Keith Roberts, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Michael Garfinkel, Edward Piedra, Dennis Hanvey, Daniel Rush
  • Patent number: 10227209
    Abstract: A system and method of orchestrating an evacuation operation using an elevator is provided. The method includes displaying that an evacuation request using the elevator is an available option, receiving one or more evacuation requests to use the elevator, and displaying evacuation information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, David M. Hughes, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Publication number: 20190062106
    Abstract: Elevator systems having an elevator machine connected to an elevator car within an elevator shaft, the elevator shaft including a plurality of landings, at least one first sensor assembly attached to the elevator car, at least one second sensor assembly arranged within the elevator shaft and configured to interact with the at least one first sensor assembly, and a computing system in communication with at least one of the at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies such that the computing system receives at least one of signals or data from the at least one of the at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies. The at least one first sensor assemblies and the at least one second sensor assemblies form a contactless position sensing system for determining a position of the elevator car within the elevator shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: David Ginsberg, Ronnie E. Thebeau, David Alun James
  • Publication number: 20180273343
    Abstract: Methods and systems of controlling elevators including detecting a landing stop for an elevator car, measuring load information associated with the stop, controlling stopping of the elevator at the landing using a machine based on at least one of the detected landing and the measured load information and performing dynamic compensation control of a motion state of the elevator with a computing system and the elevator machine. The dynamic compensation control includes receiving motion state information related to at least one motion state of the elevator car at the computing system, receiving the landing and load information at the computing system, applying a filter to the received information and generating a first control signal, and producing a control output from the first control signal to control the elevator machine to minimize oscillations, vibrations, excessive position deflections, and/or bounce of the elevator car at the detected landing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Edward Piedra, Randy Roberts, David Ginsberg, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Konda Reddy Chevva, XiaoBin Tang
  • Patent number: 10011460
    Abstract: A building elevator system is provided having: an elevator system having an elevator car; a control system configured to control the building elevator system and determine evacuation information; and a dynamic display configured to display the evacuation information when an evacuation call is received by the control system. The evacuation information includes at least one of an estimated time of arrival of the elevated car, an evacuee recommendation, a directional map, and directional instructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: James M. Collins, Ronnie E. Thebeau, Paul A. Stranieri, Jannah A. Stanley, David M. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20180093859
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator building system is provided. The method includes: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; determining an evacuation zone surrounding the first evacuation floor; determining a number of passengers on each floor within the evacuation zone; determining a number of elevator cars to send to each floor within the evacuation zone in response to the number of passengers on each floor, a capacity of each elevator car, and a location of the floor in reference to the first evacuation floor; and moving an elevator car to a first determined floor within the evacuation zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau, James M. Collins, David M. Hughes, Jannah A. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20180093861
    Abstract: A building elevator system including: a building having multiple floors; an elevator system within the building, the elevator system having an elevator car; a control system configured to control the elevator system, the control system determines an estimated time of arrival of the elevator car at a floor; and a fire alarm system within the building and in operative communication with the control system; wherein the control system transmits the estimated time of arrival of the elevator car to the fire alarm system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau, James M. Collins, David M. Hughes, Jannah A. Stanley
  • Publication number: 20180093857
    Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system includes: receiving an evacuation call from a first evacuation floor; moving a first compartment of a multi-compartment elevator car to the first evacuation floor; opening a first door of the first compartment when the first compartment arrives at the first evacuation floor; monitoring, using a first sensor system, a remaining capacity within the first compartment; and closing the first door when at least one of a first selected period of time has passed and the remaining capacity within the first compartment is equal to a first selected remaining capacity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: David M. Hughes, James M. Collins, Jannah A. Stanley, Paul A. Stranieri, Ronnie E. Thebeau