Also Directs Response Patents (Class 187/388)
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Patent number: 12049385Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a vibration damping system that can avoid the occurrence of resonance of an elevator rope regardless of the vibration frequency of a vibration source. A vibration damping system (200) includes a displacement amplifier (7), a calculation unit (66), and a displacement amplification control unit (67). The displacement amplifier (7) is arranged along a given position in the longitudinal direction of the elevator rope. The displacement amplifier (7) amplifies a displacement due to vibration of the elevator rope based on a variable amplification factor. The calculation unit (66) calculates the natural frequency of the elevator rope. The displacement amplification control unit (67) controls the displacement amplification of the displacement amplifier (7) based on the natural frequency calculated by the calculation unit (66) and a preset vibration frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2018Date of Patent: July 30, 2024Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONInventors: Eiichi Saito, Takahide Hirai, Seiji Watanabe, Daisuke Nakazawa, Daiki Fukui, Tomohiro Asamura, Yusuke Chikada
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Patent number: 12043515Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an elevator system are provided. Aspects includes receiving, by a processor, a call request for an elevator car in an elevator system. Receiving sensor data from a plurality of sensors associated with the elevator car, wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to collect sensor data from one or more predefined areas associated with the elevator car. Determining an occupancy level in the elevator car based on a feature vector, generated by a machine learning model, comprising a plurality of features extracted from the sensor data and operating, by the processor, the elevator car based at least in part on the occupancy level.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2019Date of Patent: July 23, 2024Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Appalaraju Marpu, Anup Sinha
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Patent number: 11584613Abstract: The present invention relates to determining the movement of a passenger relative to an elevator landing area, which belongs to the field of elevator intelligent control technologies. An automatic elevator calling system of the present invention comprises: a first wireless signal module installed in an elevator car, which is used for broadcasting a first wireless signal; wherein the first wireless signal module is further used for receiving information regarding the movement of a passenger relative to the elevator car, and the information regarding the movement is determined based on the change in a signal strength of the first wireless signal received by a personal mobile terminal carried by the passenger.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2018Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMAPNYInventors: Wenbo Huang, Xiaofei Guo
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Determination of non-normal elevator calling request in an automatic elevator calling request system
Patent number: 11524867Abstract: An automatic elevator call system includes: a wireless signal apparatus installed in an elevator landing zone of an elevator system and broadcasting a corresponding wireless signal around; a counting unit configured to count, after an elevator call request corresponding to an identity of the personal mobile terminal is sent or received, the number of times the elevator call request corresponding to the identity is made within a predetermined time period; and an abnormal elevator call request judgment unit configured to judge, based on a comparison result between the number of times the elevator call request is made and a predetermined threshold, whether the elevator call request corresponding to the identity is a normal elevator call request operation. The present invention can effectively determine an intentional or unintentional abnormal elevator call request operation of a passenger.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2018Date of Patent: December 13, 2022Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Wenbo Huang, Xiaofei Guo, Haiyan Xue, Renxiang Chen, Heping Qiu, Lieping Wei, Tan Liu, Jingyu Tong -
Patent number: 11097921Abstract: One embodiment provides a method for optimizing schedules of a plurality of elevators in a building having a plurality of floors, including: receiving, from a user, an indication requesting that an elevator from the plurality of elevators stop at a particular floor, wherein each of the plurality of elevators has a schedule comprising floors where the elevator will stop; identifying the number of users in the elevator waiting area of each of the particular floors where an indication requesting a stop has been received; and updating, in view of the identified number of users at each of the particular floors, the schedule for the plurality of elevators to optimize the stops for the plurality of elevators, wherein the updating comprises dynamically routing the plurality of elevators upon (i) receipt of indications and (ii) identification of the number of users at each of the particular floors.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Aswin Kannan, Krishnasuri Narayanam, Ramasuri Narayanam, Mukundan Sundararajan
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Patent number: 10833731Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include a method, computer program product, and system for managing access to a resource or service based on a location of a device. The method includes one or more processors detecting a request from a computing device for a service. The method further includes one or more processors establishing a request from a computing device for a service. The method further includes one or more processors determining whether the computing device maintains connection to the NAN. In response to determining that the computing device does not maintain a connection to the NAN, the method further includes one or more processors cancelling the detected request for the service.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2019Date of Patent: November 10, 2020Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Partha Sarathi Maity, Mukundan Sundararajan
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Patent number: 10647545Abstract: A method of calling an elevator car from a mobile device is provided. The method comprising: receiving a first elevator call from a first mobile device on a first floor, the first elevator call including a destination request to travel to a second floor; moving an elevator car to the first floor in response to the first elevator call; detecting whether the first mobile device is within the elevator car at the first floor; and adjusting operation of the elevator car in response to each mobile device detected within the elevator car.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventors: Bradley Armand Scoville, Adam Kuenzi
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Patent number: 10526165Abstract: A method for allocating an elevator in an elevator system constructs passenger batch size distributions for each pair of floors in a building based on passenger batch journeys, each passenger batch journey defining at least the origin and destination floor of the journey, the number of passengers relating to the journey and the time of the journey; receives a call for an elevator; estimates the number of passengers waiting behind the call based on the passenger batch size distributions; and allocates the call to an elevator being able to serve the estimated number of passengers.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: KONE CORPORATIONInventors: Juha-Matti Kuusinen, Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Antti Kallioniemi
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Patent number: 10364126Abstract: A method for servicing at least one component of an elevator installation, wherein the component is provided with a mark, and the mark permits identification of this component, includes the steps of: reading in the mark by a reading device; listing, by the reading device at least one working step necessary for servicing the component, wherein the working step which is to be listed is determined on the basis of data which can be obtained from the mark; executing the servicing of the component; and inputting a confirmation into the reading device, by which confirmation the servicing which has been carried out on the component is confirmed. The method is performed by a servicing system for the elevator installation.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2015Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: INVENTIO AGInventor: Hugo Keiser
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Patent number: 10183836Abstract: A method of assigning destination call in an elevator group forms chromosomes including genes where each gene is a correlation of a call and an elevator trip, the possible round trips are calculated, each round trip is evaluated for optimization procedure. The calls are assigned to the elevators by the destination call control based on the best chromosome determined.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2015Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: KONE CORPORATIONInventors: Marja-Liisa Siikonen, Mirko Ruokokoski
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Patent number: 9682843Abstract: When a specific destination floor call is made, the control unit assigns an elevator of which waiting time is within the reference time from the plurality of elevators to the specific destination floor call, the waiting time being a time from a time when the specific destination floor call is made to a time when the specific user can get on an elevator at the specific floor. Further, when a general destination floor call is made, the control unit assigns one of the plurality of elevators in response to the general destination floor call such that an elevator of which waiting time to the specific destination floor call that is made after the general destination floor call is within the reference time is left.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2014Date of Patent: June 20, 2017Assignee: FUJITEC CO., LTD.Inventor: Masami Nakagawa
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Patent number: 8997940Abstract: An elevator installation includes a control unit and at least one elevator cage in a building with a plurality of stories, wherein elevator control units are arranged on at least two stories. A travel request is communicated to the control unit, wherein a destination story is defined either by the input into the elevator control unit or by an input into a control unit, which communicates the input to the control unit, and wherein the at least one input travel destination and the at least one input travel request are executed by the control unit by means of a collect operating mode. Energy consumption values of the elevator installation for journeys are determined by the control unit. A journey is undertaken to that destination story or travel request story for which the at least one energy consumption value of the elevator installation is smaller.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Valerio Villa
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Publication number: 20140374196Abstract: An elevator device includes a voice input device, a voice recognition device, a call registration device, and an announcement control device. Upon receipt of an announcement request for a second announcement having higher priority than a first announcement while the announcement control device is causing the announcement output device to output the first announcement, the announcement control device stops the first announcement and causes the announcement output device to output the second announcement. The announcement control device also determines whether the re-output of the first announcement is necessary. In the case where the announcement control device determines that the re-output of the first announcement is necessary, upon finish of the second announcement, the announcement control device causes the announcement output device to re-output the first announcement.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2012Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Ayako Nagata
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Patent number: 8880200Abstract: A user can be detected and identified at or near an elevator installation. A record for the user can be read from a database, and based on information in the record, a personalized building action can be performed for the user. A portion of the building can thus be “prepared” for the user.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2012Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Edward Nowel
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Publication number: 20140284146Abstract: A context-aware system for elevator operation includes an elevator operable to move up and down, and having an internal operating panel allowing selection of a floor to cause the elevator to stop, floor operating panels to call the elevator, and to indicate both a floor selected from the internal operating panel and a floor where the elevator has been called among other floors, a system control unit to adjust a movement direction and a movement speed of the elevator by detecting the floor selected from the internal operating panel and a floor operating panel from which the elevator has been called among the floor operating panels, and a driving unit to drive to move the elevator by control of the system control unit. Therefore, a user may predict a floor at which the elevator is scheduled to stop, and a movement speed may increase and power consumption may reduce.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2012Publication date: September 25, 2014Inventor: Young-jin Park
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Patent number: 8833525Abstract: A method including: detecting movement of a building door on a floor of a building; based on the detected movement of the building door, defining the floor of the building as a start floor for an elevator trip with an elevator system in the building; and based on the detected movement of the building door, placing a predefined destination call for the elevator trip. The detecting can include determining that a passenger is passing through the building door. A system for performing the method includes: a sensor; an elevator installation in the building; and a control unit coupled to the sensor and to the elevator installation, and configured to detect the door movement using the sensor, define the floor of the building as the start floor, and place a predefined destination call for the elevator trip.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2013Date of Patent: September 16, 2014Assignees: Inventio AG, Ingersoll Rand Security TechnologiesInventors: Bernhard Gerstenkorn, Kilian Schuster, Paul Friedli
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Patent number: 8800723Abstract: The present invention provides a solution for optimizing the transport capacity of an elevator system. For optimizing the transport capacity the elevator system dynamically locks floors served by it on the basis of defined locking rules. When a floor is locked, that floor can not be considered a designation floor or receive elevator calls.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Kone CorporationInventors: Johannes De Jong, Maarten Van Dijk, Marja-Liisa Siikonen
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Patent number: 8800722Abstract: An elevator controller which enables a stop to be made at the nearest floor in the event of a disaster and can prevent users from being shut up in an emergency landing entrance floor. The elevator controller includes an operation mode controller, a door open/close controller which causes the elevator to open the elevator door at the nearest emergency landing entrance floor for a given time when the operation mode controller has returned an operation mode from an emergency operation mode to a normal operation mode, and an informing controller which causes an informing device, which is provided in a hall of an emergency landing entrance floor for which the door open/close controller causes the door to be opened for a given time or provided in the car, to provide information to the effect that the elevator can be used when the operation mode-controller has returned the operation mode from the emergency operation mode to the normal operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2009Date of Patent: August 12, 2014Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Yuichi Kodera
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Patent number: 8763761Abstract: In a method, an evacuation state is activated, and the number of people awaiting evacuation on specific floors is determined. At least one of a number of elevator cars and of evacuation times needed for the evacuation of specific floors is calculated based on the capacity of the aforementioned one or more elevator cars and of the number of people awaiting evacuation, and floor-specific evacuation is controlled to one or more exit floors.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Kone CorporationInventor: Marja-Liisa Siikonen
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Publication number: 20140151160Abstract: An exemplary system for communicating with an elevator passenger includes a plurality of elevator passenger interface devices configured to allow an elevator passenger to indicate at least an elevator service request. The interface devices are configured to communicate at least elevator service information to an elevator passenger. A server communicates with the plurality of interface devices. The server is configured to determine when there is input at any of the interface devices. The server is configured to determine a meaning of such input. The server is also configured to determine output to provide at the corresponding interface device and to communicate the determined output to the corresponding interface device. The determined output is responsive to the determined meaning of the input.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 15, 2011Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Matthew Joyce, Ashley Chapman, Osamu Sakai, Baudelaire St. Louis, Jannah A. Stanley
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Publication number: 20140122018Abstract: A system and method for monitoring presence, location, movement and/or attitude of one or more objects in a monitored space. The system includes sensors, which are arranged to certain part of the monitored space, e.g. to floor, wall or ceiling. The sensors are distance measuring ultrasonic sensors which produce measurement results and the system is configured to determine presence, location, movement and/or attitude of an object based on the measurement results.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: ELSI TECHNOLOGIES OYInventors: Göran Sundholm, Ville Sydänmaanlakka, Richard Eggleton
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Publication number: 20140097046Abstract: Using a position detection device, a position of a user in a building area outside of an elevator system is detected. It is determined, after the user has entered an elevator car, that the user is not authorized to travel to a destination floor designated by a destination for the user. As a result of the determination, the elevator car is moved to an area other than the destination floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2013Publication date: April 10, 2014Inventor: Lukas Finschi
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Patent number: 8684142Abstract: Using a position detection device, a position of a person in a building area outside of an elevator system is detected. It is determined that the person has not actuated a destination call for the elevator system within a preset period of time. As a result of the determination, a security measure is activated.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2012Date of Patent: April 1, 2014Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Lukas Finschi
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Patent number: 8651242Abstract: In a method for adapting control functions in elevator systems using portable call terminals for providing calls, values of the control parameters are set and then used in the control of the elevator system. The values of the control parameters are dependent on the location of the call terminals. An elevator system includes: at least one elevator; at least one freely locatable call terminal; and a control system responsive to the call terminal. The control system is configured to control the elevator system based on at least one control parameter. A value of the control parameter is determined based on a location of the call terminal within a building after the portable call terminal is arranged at the location.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2014Assignee: Kone CorporationInventors: Jukka-Pekka Sarjanen, Tuomas Susi, Niko Elomaa
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Publication number: 20140027208Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an elevator system in a building including 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).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Inventor: Josef Schwarzentruber
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Publication number: 20140014442Abstract: A method of operating an elevator system in a building with at least one building door includes through opening and/or closing the building door the floor of the opened and/or closed building door is defined as the start floor and a destination call for an elevator car to the start floor is actuated. As soon as the elevator car has reached the start floor, an elevator door of the start floor is opened. As soon as at least one user has entered the elevator car, the opened elevator door is closed and the user is conveyed by the elevator car to a destination floor, wherein the destination floor is defined by a destination call stored for a start floor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Inventors: Bernhard Gerstenkorn, Kilian Schuster, Paul Friedli
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Patent number: 8556042Abstract: The method of operating an elevator system in a building with at least one building door (2, 2?, 2?) includes through opening and/or closing the building door (2, 2?, 2?) the floor (1, 1?, 1?) of the opened and/or closed building door (2, 2?, 2?) is defined as the start floor and a destination call for an elevator car (7) to the start floor is actuated. As soon as the elevator car (7) has reached the start floor, an elevator door (3, 3?, 3?) of the start floor is opened. As soon as at least one user has entered the elevator car (7), the opened elevator door (3, 3?, 3?) is closed and the user is conveyed by the elevator car (7) to a destination floor, wherein the destination floor is defined by a destination call stored for a start floor.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2008Date of Patent: October 15, 2013Assignees: Inventio AG, Ingersoll Rand Security TechnologiesInventors: Bernhard Gerstenkorn, Kilian Schuster, Paul Friedli
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Patent number: 8381880Abstract: A method of operating an elevator installation for transporting elevator users in a building area, including the steps of: detecting the position of elevator users in the building area, granting of an access authorization of the elevator users to building regions, triggering of a destination call by a detected elevator user, allocation of an elevator car serving the destination call or elevator call, boarding of an elevator car by at least one detected elevator user, if an elevator call was triggered triggering a car call by a detected elevator user, comparing whether the position of the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car corresponds with the position of the elevator user that has triggered the destination call, and determining whether the elevator user that has boarded the elevator car has an access authorization for a destination location corresponding with the destination call or elevator call.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Lukas Finschi
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Patent number: 8348021Abstract: A method, an elevator system control unit, computer-readable media and an elevator installation for allocation of a user to the elevator installation, which is provided with a plurality of elevator cars and with a destination call control unit, wherein the user lodges a destination call at the destination control unit using a communications unit. The destination call control unit determines a group of elevator cars for serving the destination call and makes the group known to the user by the communications unit. The user selects an elevator car from the group by the communications unit. In addition, information for guiding the user to the selected elevator car is communicated to the user by the communications unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2011Date of Patent: January 8, 2013Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Lukas Finschi
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Publication number: 20120279808Abstract: A method for wireless destination entry in an elevator dispatching system, the elevator dispatching system comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver (T/R) includes receiving a request to join a network of the T/R from a wireless device; pushing a web page from the T/R to the wireless device; receiving a service request by the T/R from the wireless device via the web page; communicating the service request from the T/R to a group controller; and dispatching an elevator car by the group controller to service the service request. A elevator dispatching system and a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium contain computer code that, when executed by a computer, implements a method for wireless destination entry in an elevator dispatching system, the elevator dispatching system comprising a wireless transmitter/receiver, are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2010Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANYInventor: Harold Terry
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Patent number: 8297412Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes an elongated member (30, 32, 34) that may sway under certain conditions. An exemplary method of controlling the elevator system (20) includes selectively controlling an elevator car dispatching schedule when a condition exists that is conducive to sway of one of the elongated members (30, 32, 34). The control over the elevator car dispatching schedule controls the time that the elevator car is in a predetermined critical zone while the condition exists such that the time does not exceed a selected amount.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2008Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Randall Keith Roberts, Richard K. Pulling
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Publication number: 20120267203Abstract: A method for modernizing an elevator installation includes installing story terminals for input of a destination story on the stories of the building, which terminals are so coupled with an elevator control device connected with an input device in the elevator cage that, at least in a standard mode, after input of the destination story call detected by means of the story terminal, the cage automatically travels to the selected destination story, and in that case a story selection in the cage by use of the input device is no longer possible. The indicating means for representing selected stories of the input device are so incorporated in the control system that the indicating means, after input of a story call by way of the story terminal, are activated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: October 25, 2012Applicant: INVENTIO AGInventors: Paul FRIEDLI, Dennys Taiana
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Patent number: 8251185Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an elevator rescue operation system to be used in a building in which a plurality of elevators are installed in parallel. The system includes a disaster detection unit configured to detect, when a disaster has occurred in the building, an occurrence site of the disaster, a priority response floor setting unit configured to set a priority response floor on the basis of the disaster occurrence site detected by the disaster detection unit, and a rescue operation unit configured to cause a corresponding elevator for a rescue operation among the plurality of elevators to respond to the priority response floor set by the priority response floor setting unit, thereby carrying out a through-car operation up to a refuge floor.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2011Date of Patent: August 28, 2012Assignee: Toshiba Elevator Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshiaki Manabe
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Patent number: 8230980Abstract: An elevator system having at least two elevators, wherein at least one of the elevators is designated as an emergency personnel elevator, can be operated to allow a firefighter to commandeer a second elevator for the purpose of ferrying persons to a safe evacuation floor. The elevator system is configured to determine if a request for an evacuation elevator originates from the firefighter elevator car positioned at one of several floors of a building. In response to the request, an elevator car other than the emergency personnel elevator car is designated as the evacuation elevator car. Further, the evacuation elevator car is dispatched to the floor the emergency personnel elevator car is positioned, and the evacuation elevator car is dispatched to a predefined evacuation floor upon receipt of an evacuation request made by the firefighter.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Christopher John Mason
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Patent number: 8230979Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for transporting people in a building using an elevator installation (10) having at least one elevator cage (11). The elevator cage (11) is entered by people on at least one first or one second access floor (S1, S2). In order to increase the transport efficiency, at least one target floor (S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) is associated with each access floor (S1, S2) in a fixed manner, in such a way that the elevator cage (11) travels from the first access floor (S1) to the associated first target floor (S4, S5) and from the second access floor (S2) to the associated second target floor (S5, S6, S7).Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2005Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: Inventio AGInventors: Lukas Finschi, Paul Friedli
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Patent number: 8210321Abstract: A method and system for transporting people in a building using an elevator installation having at least one elevator cage determines a destination story based on the movement direction of people on an access story. The movement direction of one or more persons on an access story is detected using a movement direction sensor. The destination story may be based on detected movement and the access story on which the movement is detected. The elevator cage is entered by people on at least one first access floor (S1, S2). In order to increase the transport efficiency at least one target floor (S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) is associated with the access floor (S1, S2) in a fixed manner, in such a way that the elevator cage (11) travels from the first access floor (S1, S2) to the target floor (S3, S4, S5, S6, S7) associated therewith.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2005Date of Patent: July 3, 2012Assignee: Inventio AGInventors: Lukas Finschi, Paul Friedli
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Patent number: 8047333Abstract: A method for allocation of a user to a elevator installation, which is provided with a plurality of elevator cars and with a destination call control unit, wherein the user lodges a destination call at the destination control unit using a communications unit. The destination call control unit determines a group of elevator cars for serving the destination call and makes the group known to the user by the communications unit. The user selects an elevator car from the group by the communications unit. In addition, information for guiding the user to the selected elevator car is communicated to the user by the communications unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2006Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Inventio AGInventor: Lukas Finschi
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Patent number: 7926620Abstract: When a long-period-earthquake occurs, an elevator is controlled to ensure that an abnormality is positively judged and that the elevator can be safely and promptly returned to a normal operation. For this purpose, by providing a usual seismic sensor and a long-period seismic sensor that detects long-period components of the shakes of a building, which are not detected by the usual seismic sensor, at two stages, an earthquake emergency return operation is performed when the seismic sensor has gone into action and when a first level has been detected by the long-period seismic sensor, a long-period-earthquake emergency return operation, which involves giving a notice to outside the elevator and inside a car, is performed.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2006Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventor: Masaaki Amano
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Patent number: 7921968Abstract: An elevator traffic control technique includes destination grouping that is selectively implemented during selected traffic condition. One example includes determining when up peak traffic conditions exist. If so, the passenger-to-car assignments are grouped based upon the passengers' desired destinations, which are determined before the passengers enter elevator cars, Arranging sectors responsive to current traffic conditions in one example is based upon elevator passenger traffic patterns over the most recent five minutes.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2005Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Jannah A. Stanley, Daniel S. Williams, Paul Simcik, Hideyuki Honma, Toshimitsu Mori
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Patent number: 7882938Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes a transceiver (22) that receives at least one wirelessly transmitted signal (24). In one example, a signaling device (26) includes a plurality of switches (28) that can be activated to provide a signal indicating a desired or intended destination. The signal also provides an indication of the individual from whom the signal is received. A system controller (30) responds to the signal by assigning an elevator car (32) to travel to the intended destination. When the elevator car (32) is situated to receive the individual, in the event that another wireless signal is received, the system provides at least one access feature including delaying closing an elevator car door or generating an audible sound to guide the individual to the car. In one example, the system maintains information regarding expected locations of individuals providing such signals to facilitate providing assistance to them for exiting a building, for example.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2005Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Barry Graham Blackaby, Gary Meguerdichian
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Patent number: 7819228Abstract: An elevator system (8) includes a hoistway (9) having a plurality of cars (10, 11) traveling therein, the hoistway includes a steel tape (14), each car having two tape readers (20, 21; 22, 23) which feed corresponding position detectors (29, 30: 31, 32) to provide independent position signals (35, 26: 37, 38). A group controller (52) assigns calls in a fashion to avoid collisions. Controllers (45, 46) for each car communicate with each other and when deemed necessary, either lower the speed, acceleration, deceleration of one or both of the cars, or stop (with or without reversing) one or both of the cars. Independent processors (41, 42) will drop the brake (49, 50) of either or both cars if they come within a first distance of each other, or will engage the safeties (18, 19) of either or both cars if they come within a lesser distance of each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2005Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Harold Terry, Greg Schienda, Frank Sansevero
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Patent number: 7784590Abstract: In a control operation performed at time of an earthquake or strong wind, when a running elevator is stopped at a nearest floor, the natural frequency of the transverse vibration of a rope is prevented from resonating with the natural frequency of the building, and thereby an increase in transverse vibration of the rope is restrained. In the control operation, when a shake of the building caused by earthquake or strong wind is detected, a running elevator is stopped at the nearest floor, or an elevator passing through an express zone is stopped emergently and runs at a low speed to the nearest floor, the natural frequency of the transverse vibration of the rope is compared with the natural frequency of the building, and the car stop position is selected at a non-resonance position to prevent the natural frequency of the transverse vibration of the rope from resonating with the natural frequency of the building.Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignees: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Electric Building Techno-Service Co., Ltd.Inventors: Seiji Watanabe, Daiki Fukui, Takashi Yumura, Hideki Nishiyama, Hideki Shiozaki
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Patent number: 7743890Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc.Inventors: Daniel N. Nikovski, Matthew E. Brand
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Patent number: 7681696Abstract: The earthquake control operation system for an elevator includes: an earthquake information delivering device for calculating a predicted arrival hour of earthquake waves in accordance with a position of a registered building based on an emergency earthquake bulletin including at least a seismic center of an earthquake and an hour of occurrence of the earthquake; an earthquake information receiving device for receiving the predicted arrival hour through an Internet and calculating an earthquake arrival need time as a time required for the earthquake waves to reach the building based on the predicted arrival hour; and an elevator control panel for performing an operation of stopping an elevator car at a safety floor when the elevator car is traveling toward the safety floor, a car call for the safety floor is registered, and a stop time at the safety floor is shorter than the earthquake arrival need time.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Koji Yamagishi
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Patent number: 7650966Abstract: An elevator system (20) includes multiple cars (22, 24) within a hoistway (40). Parking positions (72, 74) are provided outside the range of passenger service levels (70). A destination entry strategy is used by a controller (60) for directing movement of the elevator cars (22, 24). 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.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2004Date of Patent: January 26, 2010Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Frank Sansevero, Harold Terry
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Patent number: 7610995Abstract: A method and a system for responding to a service request sent to a transportation service, determining one or more alternatives as a transportation device for the user and selecting a personal transportation device. An automated transportation system according to the invention may contain a plurality of elevators in an elevator group, a passenger terminal device for reserving elevators for use by passengers, and an elevator group control system responsive to the passenger terminal device for controlling the elevators. The method of the invention involves entering a personal service request via the terminal device, determining on the basis of the service request at least one alternative as a transportation device for the user, and selecting via the terminal device one of the alternatives as the transportation device.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2007Date of Patent: November 3, 2009Assignee: Kone CorporationInventors: Jari Ylinen, Risto Kontturi
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Publication number: 20090133969Abstract: An elevator system (20) uses destination entry dispatching techniques. A passenger interface device (22) operates in a first mode to allow passengers (24) to enter destination requests for elevator service. The passenger interface (22) operates in a second mode to provide at least one additional feature to an authorized individual. The additional feature may be at least one of a service-related function, a security-related function, a monitoring-related function or a communication-related function. Various such features are disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2004Publication date: May 28, 2009Inventors: Vlad Zaharia, Michael P. Flynn, Christopher Pietrzykowski
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Patent number: 7510054Abstract: When an average wait time is low (23, 24) an elevator car (31-34) is parked (39), unable to answer calls, or if a parameter (45) is low (46), the car is shut-down. If wait time is high, a parked car is assigned the call. If no cars are parked, a shut-down car may be assigned based on RRT. If up running cars can answer the call, the down running cars are excluded.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2004Date of Patent: March 31, 2009Assignee: Otis Elevator CompanyInventors: Zuhair S. Bahjat, Theresa M. Christy
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Patent number: 7500544Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying destination calls needed in an elevator system. In the method a person having entered a destination call is identified first on the floor level outside the elevator and again in the elevator car allocated to the person. The destination floor call received from a destination call device as well as starting floor information obtained from a detector used to identify the person having entered the call are transmitted to the elevator control system, which, based on the destination call, allocates an elevator to the person having entered the call. If the system identifies the person having entered the call when the person is in the elevator car, then the destination call is acknowledged in the system as executed. On the other hand, if the person having entered the call is not identified in the elevator car allocated to him/her, then the previously entered destination call is kept valid and a new elevator is allocated to the person having entered the call.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2007Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: KONE CorporationInventors: Harri Hakala, Marjukka Mäkelä, Tomi Sipilä
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Patent number: 7392884Abstract: An elevator group supervisory control apparatus is obtained which can achieve efficient group supervisory control while preventing or reducing the possibility of collision and the safe stopping of an upper car and a lower car in one and the same shaft as much as possible.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2004Date of Patent: July 1, 2008Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shiro Hikita