Abstract: The disclosure relates to an elevator installation and a method for maintenance of such an elevator installation. The elevator installation comprises at least one door and at least one acceleration sensor. The acceleration sensor is mounted on the door, for example.

Abstract: One version of this disclosure includes a system for assigning an elevator car to respond to a call signal wherein a controller is responsible for determining which elevator car will respond to a call signal. This version includes the controller receiving a hall call signal, receiving information regarding the elevator system, determining whether the call assignment can be made in view of a first rule associated with a banned call assignment, and eliminating the rule against banned call assignments when necessary to avoid saturation of the elevator system.

Abstract: Power distribution is managed in an elevator system including an elevator hoist motor (12), a primary power supply (20), and—an energy storage system (32). A predicted usage pattern for the hoist motor is established based on past hoist motor power demand in the elevator system or in similar elevator systems in similar buildings. A target storage state for the energy storage system is then set based on the predicted usage pattern. Power exchanged between the hoist motor, the primary power supply, and the energy storage system is controlled to address power demand of the hoist motor and to maintain the storage state of the energy storage system at about the target storage state.

Abstract: An elevator group supervision controlling apparatus has a response time predicting means, a passenger movement estimating means, a standby time predicting means, a candidate car selecting means, an allocating means, and an instructing means. The response time predicting means predicts response time to a car call from a remote call registering apparatus for respective cars. The passenger movement estimating means estimates passenger moving time based on a positional relationship between the remote call registering apparatus and a landing. The standby time predicting means predicts the standby times of each of the cars based on the response time and the passenger moving time. The candidate car selecting means includes cars for which standby time is shorter than a predetermined time interval in candidate cars, and excludes cars for which standby time is greater than or equal to the predetermined time interval from the candidate cars.

Abstract: An exemplary method of automatically addressing a plurality of fixtures in an elevator system includes determining whether a selected elevator device operation is performed at a location of a fixture and automatically providing initializing information to the corresponding fixture responsive to the selected operation.

Abstract: An evacuation supporting system which can provide elevators in a building for evacuation in event of a fire and can substantially reduce the burden required by the rescue at the site of the fire by providing, before the arrival of firemen at the building, the firemen with information on the evacuation condition of the weak and the condition of evacuation of those who are present in the building carried out by use of the elevators. In an ancillary room within the building, there is installed an evacuation detection device which is used by disaster preventing staff in a disaster prevention center within the building to check for persons who have escaped into the ancillary room. When a fire has been detected by a fire detector, the elevators in the building are provided for evacuation for those who are present in the building, and the input status of the evacuation detection device and the evacuation operation condition of the elevator are transmitted to an external computer environment.

Abstract: A system and method for pre-programming operation of an elevator to automatically service particular floors of a building at a designated future interval. A remote user may input instructions over a network to be relayed to an elevator controller including a future interval during which an elevator is to automatically make continuous or periodic trips to and from a particular floor or floors of a building, such that during the designated future interval the elevator automatically and without a user's instructions, reaches the designated floor, opens the door, waits a pre-set time period, closes the door and travels to another floor or floors.

Abstract: An aircraft elevator system includes a fixed frame, a floating frame coupled to the fixed frame, and a cabin coupled to the floating frame. The floating frame can move with respect to the fixed frame and the cabin can move with respect to the floating frame. The system can include an actuating system operating at least one pulley system to move the cabin between upper and lower positions, which respectively can be inside and outside the aircraft. In some embodiments, the system includes a support assembly that moderates or eliminates load transfer between the system and an aircraft upper deck floor structure. In some embodiments, the cabin includes a ramp configured to deploy when approaching the lower position and to retract to a stowed position when the cabin moves from the lower position toward the upper position. The ramp can include a sensor to control cabin movement.

Abstract: A method for modernization of an elevator installation with several elevators in a building, wherein at least one floor terminal for input of a floor call is provided on at least one floor of the building, which floor terminal is, for communication of an input floor call, connected with a group control, and at least one elevator is controlled in drive in accordance with the communicated floor call by the group control, includes connecting at least one call detecting unit, for communication of an input floor call, with the group control. At least one new floor terminal is, for input of a floor call, mounted on at least one floor and the new floor terminal is, for communication of an input floor call, connected with the call detecting unit.

Abstract: An exemplary device for controlling an elevator car motion profile includes a controller (64) that is programmed to cause an associated elevator car (62) to move with a motion profile that includes a plurality of jerk values (78, 82, 86, 90, 96, 100). The controller (64) is programmed to cause at least one transition (84, 88, 94, 98) between two of the jerk values to be at a non-instantaneous transition rate.

Abstract: An elevator system includes multiple cars within a hoistway. Parking positions are provided outside the range of passenger service levels. A destination entry strategy is used by a controller for directing movement of the elevator cars. The inventive combination of multiple cars in a hoistway, parking positions outside of the normal passenger service level range and destination entry car movement control allows for reducing car travel speed, reducing car size or both while still meeting desired handling capacity needs or even exceeding the desired handling capacity associated with another elevator system that requires larger cars, higher speeds and more building space.

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: There is provided an elevator operation control device in which for an elevator provided with a destination floor reservation device in an elevator hall, disadvantages can be overcome reliably that a user who observes a predetermined riding rule cannot ride on the elevator because of a user who does not observe the riding rule and that the operation efficiency of elevator is lowered. For this purpose, the destination floor reservation device is provided in an elevator hall so that a user registers his/her own destination floor using the destination floor reservation device. Also, when a car stops at the elevator hall, a non-reservation user riding on the car without registering the destination floor using the destination floor reservation device is detected based on the information on the user having registered the destination floor using the destination floor reservation device and the information on the user in the car.

Abstract: A system and a method for monitoring a safety circuit are presented. The system includes a control appliance and the safety circuit comprises at least one serial circuit of two or more switches. The arrangement system also includes a way of measuring the status of at least one switch, as well as a way of conveying the status information of the switch to the control appliance. The method includes measuring the status information of at least one switch and sending the measured status information to the control appliance.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for modernizing at least one elevator group, which comprises a plurality of elevators, a group control that controls the elevator group as well as call-giving appliances connected to the group control via the landing appliance bus. According to the solution a new group control, new call-giving appliances for the floor levels and also a new landing call bus are installed in the elevator group; a new group control is connected to the pushbutton interface of the old call-giving appliances for transmitting calls given by passengers from the new group control to the old group control.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an elevator system in a building comprising a plurality of floor levels (1, 1?, 1?), at least one elevator door (3, 3?, 3?) and at least one building door (4, 4?, 4?, 5, 5?, 5?) and at least one elevator control (10) which controls at least one elevator drive (11) to move at least one elevator car (8), wherein an opening and/or closing of a building door (4, 4?, 4?, 5, 5?, 5?) causes at least one starting door signal (S1) to be generated and at least one elevator car (8) is ascertained for the starting door signal (S1).

Abstract: A hoist positioning system includes an accelerometer attached to a hoist, a control unit for processing signals from the accelerometer and comparing the processed signals with reference data to determine a position of the hoist, a drive system for moving the hoist up and down, and a relay that is switched ON and OFF by a control signal from the control unit. When the relay is switched ON, power is supplied to the drive system from a high-voltage power source and the hoist is driven up or down. When the relay is switched OFF, power from the high-voltage power source to the drive system is cut off and the hoist stops moving up or down.

Abstract: Lift system (10) with a lower lift cage (K1), an upper lift cage (K2), at least one counterweight (12), and support means (TA, TB) for supporting the lower and upper lift cages (K1, K2). The support means (TB) for supporting the lower lift cage (K1) are led downwardly in the lift shaft (11) laterally along the upper lift cage (K2). Drive means for driving the lower and upper lift cages (K1, K2) are present. Arranged at the upper lift cage (K2) is a first incremental transmitter (I1) which interacts with one of the support means (TB) and supplies information about a change in the spacing (D) between the lower and upper lift cages (K1, K2).

Abstract: A method of allocating calls of a lift installation with at least one lift and at least one car per lift to move passengers in a journey from at least one input floor to at least one destination floor, a system for executing the method and a computer readable memory with instructions for executing the method. The method includes receiving input calls from passengers travelling from an input floor to a destination floor, each call identifying at least one floor as an input floor or a destination floor. A start zone with identified input floors and a destination zone with identified destination floors are determined from the input calls and destination calls. Each identified floor within a corresponding zone is considered using at least one selection criterion and a stopping floor is selected which satisfies the criterion. The car is caused to stop at fewer than all the identified input floors and identified destination floors during the journey.

Abstract: The invention features a system for displaying video information to passengers of an elevator in accordance with a play list defining a sequence of messages. The video information messages can include combinations of digital advertising, “real-time” general information, as well as, building-related information. The system includes an elevator display unit having a display monitor for displaying video information to the passengers, and a local server which, receives scheduling information associated with the video information over a data communication path and, in accordance with the scheduling information, generates a play list used to display at the elevator display unit.

Abstract: An elevator system includes a car traveling up and down along a hoistway; a buffer for stopping the car at an end of the hoistway; brakes for braking travel of the car; a car traveling-information acquisition mechanism for acquiring information as to speed of the car; and a brake control unit for controlling the brake by comparing a speed of the car with a speed pattern curve created based upon a speed curve of the car when braking force is forcedly exerted by the brakes to enable the buffer to absorb a shock at the collision of the car with the buffer to a level below a predetermined specified value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for forming information pertaining to a transportation device, such as an elevator. Audio visual information of the contents of an elevator, such as a person using the elevator, is captured and transmitted to a remote computing system. The status of the elevator, such as position between floors, is also captured and transmitted to the computing system. The elevator status and video/audio information are date/time stamped so that they can subsequently be searched to determine the status of the elevator when particular audio/visual information was captured, and vice versa.

Abstract: The elevator safety rescue system is an electro-hydraulic system particularly suited for use in rack and pinion drive elevators installed with tall towers, mines, smoke stacks, and other structures having relatively large elevations or depths. The system includes a positive displacement hydraulic pump driven by the output shaft of an electric elevator drive motor. An electro-hydraulic valve is electrically powered to maintain an open condition to allow unrestricted hydraulic flow through the pump during normal operation. In the event of an elevator malfunction, electrical power is terminated to the valve, causing the valve to close and thus requiring all hydraulic fluid to pass through a restrictor. The restrictor limits the flow of hydraulic fluid through the hydraulic pump, thus limiting its rotational speed and the rotational speed of the elevator drive motor to which it is attached, thereby allowing the elevator to descend at a safe speed.

Abstract: In a safety system for an elevator, slip detection means detects a slip between a drive sheave and a main rope. A safety gear is mounted to a car, the safety gear being electrically operated by an actuator to cause the car to make an emergency stop regardless of whether a running direction of the car is upward or downward. A safety gear controller cuts power supply to a hoisting machine motor and causes the safety gear to make a braking operation upon detection of the slip between the drive sheave and the main rope by the slip detection means.

Abstract: In an elevator system floors each include: a hall registration device that places a plurality of car calls for moving a car to destination floors different from one another; and a display device that displays the car that has been assigned the plurality of car calls. A limit value setting mechanism sets, for each of the plurality of floors separately, a limit value for limiting a count of the plurality of car calls that can be assigned to the same car. A count-up mechanism obtains, when a new car call is made, a call count of each car by a given method, based on information about the plurality of car calls that have been assigned to the car. A candidate car selector compares the limit value set to a floor where the new car call is made and the call count of the each car, to thereby select, as a candidate car, the car to which the new car call can be assigned from among the cars.

Abstract: An elevator group control system is obtained which is improved in the operating efficiency of entire cars by determining an assigned car with the use of an evaluation value calculated from an increment of the number of floors to be stopped by each car when a hall destination call newly generated by a hall control panel is temporarily assigned to each car. The system includes a hall input unit which is installed in a hall and by which the registration of a destination floor call is able to be made, and an assignment evaluation value calculation unit which includes a plurality of evaluation value calculation units for calculating the respective evaluation values of a plurality of cars in an individual manner, determines a final evaluation value from the respective evaluation values, and selects an optimal assigned car.

Abstract: The movement of a plurality of elevator cars (12, 14) in an elevator hoistway (16) is coordinated for situations in which the regions of the hoistway that are serviceable by the cars (12, 14) at any given time are configured to overlap. A car stop plan for each elevator car (12, 14) is generated that includes a sequence of stops for servicing demand assigned to the elevator car (12, 14). Operation of the elevator cars (12, 14) is then coordinated based on the car stop plans such that each elevator car (12, 14) services its assigned demand without interfering with the car stop plans of any other of the plurality of elevator cars (12, 14).

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: An elevator control method and system. The system comprises a control unit and a memory unit. The memory unit comprises user data segments associated with users for elevators within the system and transponder identification data segments associated with transponders. The method comprises receiving by the control unit, ID signals from the transponders. The control unit associates the user data segments with the ID signals and determines priority levels for the users.

Abstract: In an elevator monitoring system, an operation monitoring apparatus receives operation condition data from a group supervisory control device so as to display operation conditions of elevators on a monitor. The operation monitoring apparatus and the interphone base device can telephone-communicate with each other. The operation monitoring apparatus detects that a passenger within a car of at least one of the elevators cannot perform an interphone communication based upon the operation condition data and information of communication conditions with respect to the interphone terminal devices, which are received from the interphone base device.

Abstract: In an image monitoring apparatus for an elevator, an image recording unit records an image in a car photographed by a camera, and monitors based on the image in the car whether or not there is a violent behavior of a passenger in the car. The image recording unit makes a recording density of the image in the car higher than usual when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected. The operation control unit homes the car on a predetermined floor when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected by the image recording unit.

Abstract: In an image monitoring apparatus for an elevator, an image recording unit records an image in a car photographed by a camera, and monitors, based on the image in the car, whether or not there is a violent behavior of a passenger in the car. The image recording unit makes a recording density of the image in the car higher than usual when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected. The operation control unit homes the car to a predetermined floor when the violent behavior of the passenger in the car is detected by the image recording unit.

Abstract: The device for controlling movement of a plurality of elevator cars in a single hoistway includes a door monitor module (46) that facilitates controlling movement of elevator cars (22, 24). The door monitor module (46) is configured to determine when at least one door (30) along a hoistway (26) is open. The door monitor module (46) places a first relay (52) in a selected operative state if a first elevator car (22) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) places a second relay (56) in a selected operative state if a second elevator car (24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to the at least one open door. The door monitor module (46) is also configured to place both relays (52, 56) into the selected operative state if neither of the elevator cars (22, 24) is stopped at a landing corresponding to an open door (30) along a hoistway (26).

Abstract: An elevator drive for driving and detaining an elevator car includes a traction wheel transmitting a driving or detaining force to an elevator car, a motor driving the traction wheel, a braking arrangement for detaining the traction wheel, and a drive shaft connecting the traction wheel, the motor and the braking arrangement. The braking arrangement contains at least two braking devices with the traction wheel arranged between to divide the braking torques transmitted by the traction wheel to the braking devices. Symmetrical division of the braking devices on either side of the traction wheel reduces by half the torque transmitted in the drive shaft. A risk of failure or breakage of the drive shaft is thereby significantly reduced and during a failure of the drive shaft, the braking function continues since the braking devices are distributed on both sides of the traction wheel.

Abstract: An elevator evacuation support apparatus evacuates building occupants that have been left inside a building to a refuge floor in an emergency by managing operation of an elevator in which a plurality of floors function as service floors. The elevator evacuation support apparatus has an evacuating operation implementing portion, an evacuating operation time calculating portion, and an evacuating operation determining portion. The evacuating operation implementing portion designates at least one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and implements an evacuating operation for the elevator for transporting the building occupants from the rescue floor to the refuge floor. The evacuating operation time calculating portion receives urgency level information that indicates a degree of urgency, and calculates an estimated amount of time for continuing the evacuating operation as an evacuating operation time based on the urgency level information.

Abstract: An evacuation control apparatus for an elevator controls, in an event of a fire in a building provided with an elevator that is assigned to a plurality of floors as service floors, an operation of the elevator. The evacuation control apparatus for the elevator has an evacuation operation performing portion, a determination portion, and an evacuation operation resuming portion. The evacuation operation performing portion sets at least one of the service floors as a rescue floor, and performs evacuation operation for the elevator to convey those stranded in the building from the rescue floor to an evacuation floor. When a predetermined termination condition is fulfilled during evacuation operation, the determination portion determines that evacuation operation should be terminated.

Abstract: A remote alarming system for an elevator includes: an elevator control device; a wireless alarming device provided independently of the elevator control device, for transmitting failure information of an elevator from the elevator control device through wireless communication; a management device remotely provided from a building in which the elevator is installed, and which performs wireless communication; and a portable terminal which performs the wireless communication with the wireless alarming device and the management device via a base station.

Abstract: A separation distance is maintained between a leading elevator car (14) and a trailing elevator car (12) traveling in the same direction in an elevator hoistway (16). A shortest stopping distance (dssl) of the leading elevator car (14) and a normal stopping distance (dnst) of the trailing elevator car (12) are determined. The separation distance (dsep) is controlled such that a difference between the normal stopping distance (dnst) of the trailing elevator car (12) and the shortest stopping distance (dssl) of the leading elevator car (14) is greater than or equal to a threshold distance (dthresh).

Abstract: An evacuation support apparatus for an elevator causes an elevator to perform an evacuation operation for conveying people stranded in a building including a plurality of floors to an evacuation floor in an emergency. Further, the evacuation support apparatus for an elevator includes rescue floor setting means for setting the floor determined based on a predetermined condition as a rescue floor, the floor being selected from the plurality of floors, and response floor setting means for registering a call only for the floor on which a call input device for specific persons is operated in a case of the evacuation operation as the call for an evacuation response floor, the call input device for specific persons and a call input device for general persons being provided on each of the plurality of floors. The elevator includes a common car which moves in a reciprocating manner between the rescue floor and the evacuation floor in the case of the evacuation operation.

Abstract: An elevator safety system (10) includes a limit switch (32) coupled to a first elevator car (14) and an actuator plate (30) coupled to a governor rope (24) of a second elevator car (16). The actuator plate trips (30) the limit switch (32) when a distance between the first elevator car (14) and the second elevator car (16) goes below a safety threshold distance to stop the first and second elevator cars (14, 16).

Abstract: An evacuation support system for a double-deck elevator allows people stranded in a building to evacuate to an evacuation floor upon an occurrence of a fire in the building including a plurality of floors. The evacuation support system includes an evacuation support apparatus including a rescue floor setting mechanism, and a double-deck elevator including a connected car including an upper car and a lower car which are vertically connected to each other. The rescue floor setting mechanism determines two adjacent floors among respective floors satisfying a predetermined condition as candidate rescue floors and sets, based on a floor on which the fire occurs, at least any one of the candidate rescue floors as the rescue floor. The double deck elevator performs an evacuation operation for moving the connected car in a reciprocating manner between the rescue floor and the evacuation floor based on a command from the evacuation support apparatus.

Abstract: In an elevator apparatus, a single car is raised and lowered by a plurality of hoisting machines. An elevator control device for controlling the hoisting machines generates speed commands separately for the hoisting machines. When a current value of one of the hoisting machines reaches a current set value, which is set in advance during acceleration of the car, the elevator control device applies the speed command for that one of the hoisting machines, whose current value has reached the current set value, to the other hoisting machine as well.

Abstract: The safety device for an elevator system comprises a retractable element mounted on a support. The retractable element has a stopping position in which a catch portion of the retractable element projects from the support to engage a triggering member of a safety brake associated with an elevator car as the elevator car traveling in a selected direction approaches a selected vertical position, and a retracted position. An actuator selectively controls the position of the retractable element. A position sensor is responsive to the position of the retractable element to make sure that it is in its stopping position when needed.

Abstract: A method and system determine peak power consumption over time by a bank of elevator for servicing a set of passenger hall calls and delivery requests, and selecting elevator schedules that keep peak power consumption below a predetermined threshold. For each car in response to receiving a hall call, a set of all possible paths to service all hall calls assigned to the car are determined, in which each path includes a set of all possible segments. A peak power consumption for each possible segment is also determined. The peak power consumptions for the set of all possible segments for each time instant are added to determine a total peak power consumption for each time instant, and a particular path is selected as a schedule to operate the bank of elevator cars, if the total peak power consumption for any instant in time while operating according to the selected schedule is below a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A brake (42) is tested in an elevator system (10) including a car (12) and a counterweight (14) connected to the car (12) by a rope (16). The car (12) is positioned at a reference position in the hoistway (HW) adjacent to a hoistway limit switch (23), and the brake (42) is engaged to hold the car (12) at the reference position. The rotating member (46) is then driven to provide a testing force on the brake (42) that simulates a load in the elevator car (12) of at least a maximum rated load for the car (12). The brake test is terminated if the hoistway limit switch (23) is actuated.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling a vehicle lifting device, having at least two, preferably moveable, lifting columns (1-4), which are controlled wirelessly. When a switch is activated for raising or lowering the lifting device, a corresponding signal is transmitted wirelessly to the lifting columns (1-4) and additional signals, which are representative of the individual lifting movements, are transmitted to a control device (5). In the case of unacceptably high movement differences between individual lifting columns, the normal operation is stopped. Here, it is essential that for monitoring the wireless signal transmission, the control device (5) exchanges control signals with the lifting columns (1-4) continuously, and the reception of these control signals is monitored at least in one direction.

Abstract: An elevator group control system for controlling multiple elevators cars each of which serves a plurality of floors includes a route preparation section which, at a time of assigning a hall call to one of the elevator cars, calculates a future trajectory for each of the elevator cars. The future trajectory for each elevator is for a case in which the hall call is assigned to the elevator car. A selecting unit which determines a selected one of the elevator cars to which the hall call is to be assigned using the calculated future trajectories.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for setting up a number of operating units in a lift system having a number of floors. The operating units are connected in series. A first operating unit is connected to a central controller, and at least one operating unit is provided on each floor. Configuration data with an address data packet is sent from the controller to the operating units. The address data packet has a number of addresses, which permits the fixing of an address for each operating unit. The invention further relates to a lift system for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An elevator group control system includes a reference route generating portion, which for each elevator, generates a reference route which the elevator should follow with respect to the time axis and position axis; and an assignment portion which selects an elevator for assignment to a generated hall call so as to make the actual trajectory of each elevator closer to its reference route. Reference routes which guide the cage's trajectory into temporally equal interval condition are generated, and car assignment is executed to allow the cages to settle in temporally equal interval condition over a long period of time.

Abstract: A lift system that coordinates the raising and lowering of a vehicle relative to a surface by using wireless communications is provided. The lift system includes at least two lift mechanisms each having a post, a carriage, an actuating device and a control device. The carriage is slidably coupled to the post and is adapted to support a portion of the vehicle. The actuating device is coupled with the carriage and is capable of moving the carriage relative to the post. The control device is coupled with the actuating device and is capable of communicating by wireless signals with the other control device. The control devices communicate by wireless signals to coordinate the movement of the carriages relative to the posts to raise or lower the vehicle. Further, a rechargeable battery may provide power to the control device to allow for increased mobility of the lift system.