Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator installation and also to a method for controlling elevators. In the method a run plan is formed for driving elevator cars on the basis of service requests, the elevator cars are driven according to the run plan, by supplying electric power via the electricity distribution network of the building to a hoisting machine driving an elevator car, and also by supplying electric power from a hoisting machine braking an elevator car back to the electricity distribution network of the building, alternatives for a run plan are formed for driving elevator cars on the basis of service requests, the electric power which the hoisting machines need for implementing the aforementioned alternatives is determined, and also a run plan is selected for use from the plurality of different alternatives, when implementing which run plan the electric powers of the hoisting machines, when summed together, smooth the power variation occurring in the electricity supply of the building.

Abstract: The invention relates to an elevator installation and also to a method for controlling elevators. In the method a run plan is formed for driving elevator cars on the basis of service requests, the elevator cars are driven according to the run plan, by supplying electric power via the electricity distribution network of the building to a hoisting machine driving an elevator car, and also by supplying electric power from a hoisting machine braking an elevator car back to the electricity distribution network of the building, alternatives for a run plan are formed for driving elevator cars on the basis of service requests, the electric power which the hoisting machines need for implementing the aforementioned alternatives is determined, and also a run plan is selected for use from the plurality of different alternatives, when implementing which run plan the electric powers of the hoisting machines, when summed together, smooth the power variation occurring in the electricity supply of the building.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a control for controlling an elevator into an idle state and/or for cancelling the idle state. The elevator system is configured to receive data from a control circuit external to the elevator system, and the control is arranged to form a control command for controlling the elevator into an idle state and/or for cancelling the idle state on the basis of data received from a control circuit external to the elevator system.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to detect a failure situation wherein the machinery brake of an elevator does not open sufficiently. In the method for testing failure of a machinery brake of an elevator: the machinery brake is controlled to open; after this, the traction sheave is oscillated with a test torque; the movement of the elevator machine is measured in connection with the oscillation; if the machine does not move in connection with the oscillation, it is deduced that the machinery brake has not opened and has therefore failed. Most preferably a shorter time is selected as the oscillation time than the time according to the displacement function of the elevator mechanics for transmitting movement of the traction sheave into movement of the elevator car, in which case the oscillation is not noticed in the elevator car. This enables testing of a machinery brake when the elevator car is manned.

Abstract: In an elevator, the status information of the receivers, and possibly also of the transmitters, of a light curtain of the elevator is transmitted from the control unit of the light curtain as a response to a query or as messages. The control system of the elevator car is configured to receive the responses or status information and to analyze i) the status information contained therein of at least one receiver the status information contained therein of at least one receiver and of at least one transmitter relating to it, for changing or adjusting the operating mode of the elevator or for giving a control command to the operating system of the elevator.

Abstract: In a method for performing a balance check with an elevator, a power model of the elevator is established, including the motor power fed to the motor (PM) and power parameters of the motor and the moved components in the hoistway (PK, PP, PFr, PCu, PFe), a test run of the elevator is made, mid motor power values for the up and down direction are determined, i.e. the power fed to the motor at the instant when the car is moving through the middle of the travelling path of the elevator in up and down direction with constant velocity, the difference between the mid power value in up and down direction is determined, the balancing weight difference is obtained from said mid power value difference. This method allows an easy determination of the elevator balance preferably in course of modernizations of an elevator system with a new elevator motor.

Abstract: A method is provided for condition monitoring of a rope of an elevator including an elevator car and a rope wheel arrangement, which rope is connected to the elevator car and passes around at least one rope wheel included in the rope wheel arrangement.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for obtaining the system parameters of a transport system, particularly an elevator, in which method a) at least first and second input parameters of the transport system are determined, b) a power model fitting to the transport is provided, which power model comprises motor model components and hoistway model components, c) model parameters describing power flow in the transport system are fitted into the power model, d) the model parameters are optimized under use of at least one of the input parameters of the elevator, e) the optimized model parameters are post processed to obtain at least one of the system parameters of the transport system. The system provides missing system information about a transport system, particularly in cases in which an existing system is to be renovated with a new motor.

Abstract: An arrangement and a method for monitoring the operational condition of an automatic door in an elevator, particularly a passenger and/or goods elevator, or in a building, the arrangement includes an automatic door which includes one or more door leaves, which slide horizontally in their location, a door operator, which includes a door motor and a door mechanism for moving the door leaf horizontally in its location, a closing device for closing the automatic door, a control system for the door operator for controlling the door motor, a device configured to define the operational condition of the closing device and the door mechanism of the automatic door, the device configured to define the operational condition of the closing device and the door mechanism of the automatic door includes a mechanism configured to determine the mechanical energy of the shaft in the door motor of the automatic door during an operating cycle.

Abstract: A system and a method for the adaptation of parameters in a transport system involve a power model which describes power flow in the transport system by means of transport system parameters, which include input parameters and status parameters. The system and method also involve the determination of at least a first and a second input parameter, and the power model is updated on the basis of at least the first input parameter. At least one transport system status parameter is adjusted using at least the updated power model and the second input parameter thus determined.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a computer program for optimizing the implementation of a maintenance program for maintenance units. In the method of the invention, an estimated duration is determined for each maintenance module, a periodic working capacity is determined for each serviceman carrying out maintenance programs and location data is determined for each maintenance unit. Further the invention comprises optimizing the maintenance work comprised in the maintenance modules for each serviceman in such manner that the unbalance between the working capacity of the serviceman and the amount of maintenance work required by the maintenance units belonging to the maintenance domain attended to by the serviceman is minimized and the required traveling from a maintenance unit to another is minimized, so that the number of maintenance modules located in the vicinity of each maintenance module is maximized.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for optimal routing of the elevators in an elevator system in a situation where the supply power received by the system is limited e.g. due to emergency power operation. In the invention, routes are optimized by using a cost function to which has been added a term containing the summed instantaneous power consumed. Power consumption is monitored in real time, and the elevators need a start permission from the control system. A route alternative that exceeds the power limit is penalized in the cost function by a so-called penal term. With the elevator routing obtained as a result, the instantaneous power consumed by the system remains continuously below the set power limit. Some call can thus be postponed to be served later. By the method of the invention, the number of elevators serving passengers in an emergency power situation can be varied dynamically.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement and a method for the adaptation of parameters in a transport system. The arrangement of the invention comprises a power model (1), wherein power flow in the transport system is described by means of transport system parameters (2,3,4,13), which include input parameters (2,3,13) and status parameters (4). The arrangement also comprises the determination of at least a first (2) and a second (2) input parameter, and the power model (1) is updated on the basis of at least the first input parameter (2). At least one transport system status parameter (4) is adapted using at least the updated power model (1) and the second input parameter (3) thus determined.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an elevator condition monitoring system, which comprises at least a control unit (104) and a sensor arrangement (250) connected to the control unit, while the elevator comprises an elevator car (100), an elevator drive machine (109) and a control system (110) including the required safety circuit and actuators. The control unit of the condition monitoring system and the sensor arrangement connected to the control unit have been fitted in conjunction with the elevator car. The sensor arrangement comprises at least a sensor which measures the current of the safety circuit and is galvanically separated from the elevator safety circuit and connected to the safety circuit without interrupting the safety circuit wiring.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, a device, a computer program and a system for detecting the arrival in the elevator car/departure from the elevator car of elevator passengers. In the method the vertical acceleration values of the elevator car are received from the acceleration sensor and the passengers arriving in the elevator car and/or leaving the elevator car are detected on the basis of the vertical acceleration measurements of the acceleration sensor.

Abstract: A method and system for effectively identifying an incoming peak traffic situation in an elevator system is provided. To allow faster detection of a peak traffic condition, use is made of both information obtained from traditional peak hour identification and history data obtained from statistics regarding the numbers of passengers. Traditional peak hour identification monitors the car weight and the number of calls in real time. Statistics provide information regarding typical rush hours in the building. In the method of the present invention, the number of passengers gathering on the lobby floor is forecast on the basis of statistics at the moment when the next elevator is at the lobby floor, ready to take in passengers. When the forecast number of passengers exceeds the car load threshold value for traditional peak hour identification, an incoming peak traffic mode can be activated reliably already on the basis of a single peak elevator.

Abstract: Method for the condition monitoring of the safety switches of the safety circuit of an elevator. Inferences can be made about the condition of a safety switch by measuring and examining the current of the safety circuit of the elevator after the state of the safety circuit has changed. The current signal is filtered, after which the amount of interference caused by contact malfunctions of the switch is determined from it. Based on the amount of interference it is possible to determine in what condition the switch is.

Abstract: A method and a system for the positioning of the elevator car and the door of the elevator in the condition monitoring system are provided. In the method the accelerations of the elevator car and the door of the elevator are measured with a sensor. By integrating the acceleration information two times in relation to time the position information is determined. When the condition monitoring system detects a fault, forecasts a malfunction occurring in the future or detects a significant change in the operation of the elevator or in the measuring signals related to the elevator, it is possible to attach to this information the location of the fault or event i.e. the position of the elevator or the position of a door of a certain floor level on the slide path. The position information can be synchronized to a separate reference point by means of a positioned switch by making an adjustment to the position information at the reference point.

Abstract: The method of the invention can be used to improve the performance of an elevator system. In the method, the acceleration and/or velocity of at least one door in the elevator system is measured and a dynamic model of the door is created. Using the model, an estimation of acceleration and velocity can be calculated as a function of unknown parameters. From the estimated acceleration or velocity and the measured acceleration or velocity an error function is obtained, and a search is performed in an optimizer to find its minimum value. The unknown parameters corresponding to the minimum value indicate the value of the kinetic parameters of the door at the instant being considered. By utilizing the calculated values of the kinetic parameters, the functions of the doors in the elevator system are optimized separately for each door. Using a genetic algorithm, it is possible to determine, in addition to the unknown kinetic parameters, the operational state of the door closing device as well.

Abstract: Method for the condition monitoring of the safety switches of the safety circuit of an elevator. Inferences can be made about the condition of a safety switch by measuring and examining the current of the safety circuit of the elevator after the state of the safety circuit has changed. The current signal is filtered, after which the amount of interference caused by contact malfunctions of the switch is determined from it. Based on the amount of interference it is possible to determine in what condition the switch is.