Monitors Operational Parameter Patents (Class 187/393)
  • Patent number: 6450299
    Abstract: This design provides an elegant solution to elevator load weighing applications. The purpose of this control is to provide meaningful feedback pertaining to the load that is in the elevator cab. This system can accept any one of four different types of sensor for determining cab displacement. A linear potentiometer, LVDT, proximity sensor on a strain gauge may be used with this system. Load feedback is provided by these different mechanisms. Relays are provided and may be programmed, for example, to turn ON and OFF at user defined loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: C.E. Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard G. Lysaght
  • Publication number: 20020117359
    Abstract: An elevator speed measurement system includes a reflective sensing device that is supported within the hoistway. In one example, the reflective sensing device is a radar-type device that is supported for movement with the cab through the hoistway. Reflected signals off of a structural component within the hoistway provides information regarding speed of movement of the cab in the hoistway. The speed signals are then transmitted to a remotely located receiver that provides an indication to a technician of the speed of the elevator movement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2001
    Publication date: August 29, 2002
    Inventors: Alberto Vecchiotti, Michael Flynn
  • Publication number: 20020104715
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an inspection device that provides information regarding a condition of the elevator rope or belt. The inspection device preferably is positioned to inspect an entire portion of the rope or belt that is most likely to wear as the elevator cab travels between chosen locations. In some situations, the inspection device is at a fixed position within an elevator hoistway. In other situations, the inspection device is supported for movement relative to other elevator system components. In one example, the inspection device is supported on the cab and moves with the cab through the hoistway. A variety of factors are considered for determining the portion of the rope or belt that is most likely to wear and the ideal placement of the inspection device relative to the other elevator system components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Inventors: Vlad Zaharia, Pedro S. Baranda
  • Patent number: 6427808
    Abstract: An elevator information communication system in which communication cables are reduced in number with a simple configuration to make efficient communication possible at a low cost. The elevator information communication system includes a notification device arranged in the elevator system, an information input device for forming notification data for the notification device to receive, and an elevator control device connected to the notification device to output a notification command and having a relay unit connected to the information input device to relay the notification data from the information input device to the notification device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihito Mori, Hideyo Ujihara, Hiroaki Hamaji
  • Patent number: 6422350
    Abstract: A definite switching-off of drive equipment for elevators is accomplished with a control at an input side external of a frequency changer power unit that ascertains the presence or the absence of monitoring signals which are derived from the mains voltage at the input of the frequency changer power unit. Upon ascertaining the presence of one or more such signals when the drive is at standstill, the input side control interrupts the energy flow to the frequency changer power unit by generating a switching-off signal to a switching device to disconnect the mains voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Hubert Erker
  • Patent number: 6408987
    Abstract: A moveable body (16) is guided in non-contacting fashion by exercising control by a guidance control unit (C1) constituted by zero power-control means (unit) (L2) and stabilization unit (L1) of a magnetic levitation system (C2) comprising guide rails (14) and (14′) and magnetic units (30) mounted on the moveable body (16); also there is provided output limiting unit (C3) whose output value is limited based on the output value of the zero power control means (unit) (L2) itself. Improvement in the comfort of the ride is thereby achieved by expanding the allowed range of external force under which non-contacting guidance can be achieved. Also, increase in size of the magnetic units or reduction in the width of the designed gap length in order to cope with external force is thereby avoided, lowering the costs of the elevator system and enabling reliability to be improved with diminished frequency of contact with the guide rails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 6401873
    Abstract: Elevator arrangement for setting the starting torque of the motor of an elevator machinery, the elevator machinery being mounted on a guide rail in an elevator shaft. The elevator arrangement has at least one power sensor for determining the imbalance moment that the car load produces in the elevator machinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Kone Corporation
    Inventors: Jorma Mustalahti, Esko Aulanko, Harri Hakala
  • Patent number: 6401872
    Abstract: A guide system for an elevator, including a movable unit configured to move, such as,ascend and descend, along a guide rail, a beam projector configured to form an optical path of a light parallel to a moving direction of the movable unit, a position detector disposed on the optical path and configured to detect a position relationship between the optical path and the movable unit, and an actuator coupled to the movable unit and configured to change a position of the movable unit by a reaction force caused by a force operating on the guide rail on the basis of the output of the position detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 6401875
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of determining the position of a rotor at standstill relative to a stator in a synchronous motor elevator machine includes injecting an AC current having a predetermined single frequency and a predetermined initial phase angle into a stator coil of the stator, and sampling the injected current and resultant voltage a predetermined number of times per period of the frequency. Subsequently the method calculates a stator inductance from the sampled voltages and currents using a DFT. By incrementing the initial phase angel a predetermined number of times over a 360 degree cycle, and repeating the injecting, sampling, and calculating with each incremented phase angle, the algorithm provides a predetermined number of calculated stator inductances. The position of the d axis relative to the stator is then determined from the minimum of the calculated stator inductances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Daryl J. Marvin, Mark Shepard, Todd A. Simonds, Alberto Vecchiotti, Vladan Petrovic
  • Patent number: 6349796
    Abstract: A drive machine for elevators includes a rotatable drive sheave over which a main cable for hanging an elevator cage is wound, a stationary shaft for supporting rotation of the drive sheave and bearing a load applied to the drive sheave by the main cable, a field magnet attached to the drive sheave, constituting a part of an electric motor, and including at least one pair of magnetic poles, an armature attached to the stationary shaft facing the field magnet and constituting another part of the motor, and a field magnetic pole detector for detecting a magnetic pole of the field magnet rotating together with the drive sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tauchi, Toru Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 6338396
    Abstract: A magnetic guide system for an elevator, including a movable unit configured to move along a guide rail, a magnet unit attached to the movable unit, having a plurality of electromagnets having magnetic poles facing the guide rail with a gap, at least two of the magnetic poles are disposed to operate attractive forces in opposite directions to each other on the guide rail, and a permanent magnet providing a magnetomotive force for guiding the movable unit, and forming a common magnetic circuit with one of the electromagnets at the gap, a sensor configured to detect a condition of the common magnetic circuit formed with the magnet unit and the guide rail, and a guide controller configured to control excitation currents to the electromagnets in response to an output of the sensor so as to stabilize the magnetic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mimpei Morishita
  • Patent number: 6330936
    Abstract: Elevator events and conditions are monitored so as to determine features which are notable with respect to service including repair and maintenance, a name label is stored chronologically in a log upon each occurrence of a notable feature. Attributes of the feature stored chronologically with the feature, may include the date and time, the duration of the feature or a preceding condition, the point of time in a run when the notable feature occurred, the direction of elevator car travel and the floor location of the elevator related to the notable feature. Separation markers are generated to separate notable features which relate to each other from those that do not, each marker having floor number, time and date stamps and the duration between the first feature related thereto and the last feature related thereto stored chronologically therewith. Features include door reversals, loss of non-door safeties, failure making door lock switches, door rebound, doors open too long, and doors open in flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Juan A. Lence Barreiro, Harry Z. Huang, Chouhwan Moon, Gary L. Freeland, Robert H. Mashiak
  • Patent number: 6328134
    Abstract: A group management and control system for elevators can ensure high transport efficiency while an ordinary hoist and motor are employed, and can perform appropriate group management and control without causing a wrong arrival preannouncement even when a plurality of elevators travel at different accelerations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shiro Hikita
  • Patent number: 6328136
    Abstract: A drive machine for elevators includes a rotatable drive sheave over which a main cable for hanging an elevator cage is wound, a stationary shaft for supporting rotation of the drive sheave and bearing a load applied to the drive sheave from the main cable, a field magnet attached to the drive sheave, constituting a part of an electric motor, and including at least one pair of magnetic poles, an armature attached to the stationary shaft facing the field magnet and constituting another part of the motor, and a field magnetic pole detector for detecting a magnetic pole of the field magnet rotating together with the drive sheave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeaki Tauchi, Toru Tanahashi
  • Patent number: 6325179
    Abstract: Braking distance (SB) and traction slippage distance (Ss) are measured with an empty elevator car (10) traveling upwardly (SBU, SSU) and downwardly (SBD, SSD). From these measured distances, the following are calculated and/or determined: maximum and minimum deceleration, amax, amin, braking force, FBDF, available to stop the car when traveling downwardly with a full load; braking force available when traveling upwardly, FBU, and downwardly, FBD, while empty; difference in braking force provided by two sides of the brake; whether the relationship of traction slippage to tension ratio ((FIG. 5) is within the safe, linear portion or within the unsafe, non-linear portion; and whether leveling errors are caused by faulty brakes, excess traction slippage, or neither.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Juan A. Lence Barreiro, Harry Z. Huang, Chouhwan Moon
  • Patent number: 6305503
    Abstract: A load detector for an elevator having a cage moving up and down in a shaft for transporting passengers and a cable hanging the cage, including a relative position detector configured to detect a relative position of the cage against the shaft; and a calculator configured to calculate a change of the relative position between the position of the cage just after landing at a floor and the position of the cage just before leaving the floor, and a load of the cage on the basis of the change of the relative position caused by an expansion and contraction of the cable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Satoshi Suzuki, Kosei Kamimura, Kenji Mizutani
  • Patent number: 6286628
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting a load amount of an elevator which detects the weight of the passengers of an elevator car in an elevator system including the steps of: setting an output data of a load detector for at least two load amounts between an no-load and full load; obtaining a non-linear relational function expression between the output data of the load detector and the load amounts on the basis of the set data; selecting one of the at least two functional expressions on the basis of the relational function expressions, and detecting and outputting a load amount for the passengers of the elevator car, and a method for detecting a load compensation amount of an elevator in which the initial starting torque of the drive motor is controlled according to passenger of the elevator car, including the steps of: setting load compensation amounts for at least two positions of an elevator car between the lowermost floor and the uppermost floor where the elevator is moved; obtaining a non-linear relatio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: LG Otis Elevator Company
    Inventor: Soo-Cheol Lee
  • Patent number: 6216824
    Abstract: A system is provided for the semi-active damping of oscillations during vertical motion of an elevator car relative to a desired trajectory along a relatively lengthy elevator travel path. The elevator car is connected to a motor-controlled support rope in a manner allowing limited relative vertical motion therebetween. A soft spring and a controllable damping means are connected in parallel between the rope and the elevator car. The damping means may be a hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement controlled via a variable orifice valve. The spring may be a gas-pressurized accumulator connected to the hydraulics of the damping means. A control system provides a motion command signal to control the motor for motion control and the variable orifice valve for damping oscillations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Fuller, Randall K. Roberts
  • Patent number: 6196355
    Abstract: An elevator rescue system includes a power source of back-up electrical power. A manually-operated, rescue enable switch switchably permits the transmission of electrical power from the power source to a motor brake coil of an elevator car during a rescue operation such that the energized coil releases the motor brake to move the car to a desired landing. A speed detector measures the speed of the elevator car and thereupon generates a speed control signal corresponding to the speed of the car. An overspeed detection circuit has a first input for being actuated when receiving electrical power from the power source, a second input for receiving the speed control signal, and an output for transmitting electrical power to the motor brake coil when the speed control signal is below a predetermined value and for automatically stopping the transmission of electrical power when the speed control signal becomes higher than a predetermined value. A manually-operated brake release switch has an input and an output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard N. Fargo, Gerard Sirigu, Helmut Schröder-Brumloop, Joseph J. Barna, Barry G. Blackaby
  • Patent number: 6167991
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting the distance between opposing sides of an elevator door system is presented. The invention enhances the ability of an elevator door safety system to discriminate between false targets and true obstructions. The method detects distance between a first plurality of emitters and a first plurality of receivers mounted on the opposing sides of the elevator door system. The method comprises emitting an energy beam from an emitter. A halo component of the energy beam, having a predetermined wide angle, is sampled with the plurality of receivers to provide a set of energy signals indicative of intensity of the halo component energy sampled. From the set of energy signals, a vertical distance from the center of the pattern to an intersection of the halo component with the first plurality of receivers is determined. The distance between the first plurality of emitters and receivers is then calculated utilizing the predetermined wide angle and the vertical distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2001
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Gary Full, Richard Pustelniak
  • Patent number: 6161656
    Abstract: An elevator system includes an electronic driver which transmits a multi-phased electric current through a relay to a motor driving an elevator car. Under normal operating conditions, the motor uses the current from the driver to move the elevator car in a hoistway. When electric power fails, the elevator car is moved by gravity for any necessary rescue or maintenance operations, and consequently moves the motor. The movement of the motor generates a multi-phased electric current therein. The generated current is utilized to power a display panel of a movement indicator, which is automatically connected to the motor by the relay when power fails in the elevator system. The powered display panel informs the operator of the direction and speed of travel of the elevator car.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Herbert Horbrugger, Michael Mann, Helmut Schroder-Brumloop
  • Patent number: 6123176
    Abstract: An elevator rope tension monitoring assembly is disclosed. The rope tension monitoring system includes a plurality of sensors that produce an output corresponding to the level of tension in each of the ropes. A controller compares the relative levels of sensed tension and generates a warning signal if a sufficient deviation in the relative level of tension in the ropes is observed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman, Frederick H. Barker
  • Patent number: 6102165
    Abstract: For controlling and surveying the operation of elevator systems pulse generators are used which are integrated into antifriction bearings of mutually pivotable structural members of the elevator system. By measuring pulse numbers and pulse frequency, conditions of movement and positions of moving parts, like e.g. the elevator cage (5) and the doors (13), can be detected and evaluated in a computer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Assignee: Wittur AG
    Inventors: Horst Wittur, Hubert Fischer
  • Patent number: 6089355
    Abstract: To provide an elevator speed controller capable of suppressing vibration of an elevator of which natural frequency is largely variable and enabling a highly accurate speed control irrespective of change in elevator characteristic and easy adjustment. An elevator speed controller, comprising a car speed command value setting means to set a car speed command value upon receipt of an elevator starting command to move a car up/down via a rope wound around a sheave by driving the sheave by a motor and a car speed command value correcting means to correct a car speed command value set by the car speed command value setting means by a vibration detected value detected by a car vibration detecting means so as to suppress the car vibration, in structure to control a motor speed according to a corrected car speed command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiro Seki, Hiroyuki Ohashi
  • Patent number: 6079521
    Abstract: A laser disposed on an elevator car is scanned at a uniform rate; one or more pairs of sensors disposed on opposite sides of the hoistway determine the time for the laser to scan from one sensor to the other, from which the vertical distance between the elevator car and a sensor pair is determined, thereby to derive hoistway position, elevator speed and acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Uwe Schonauer, Peter L. Herkel
  • Patent number: 6073728
    Abstract: A hoisting rope for an elevator includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, discrete targets retained within the rope. The targets have a characteristic that may be monitored by a device that is responsive to that characteristic. In a particular embodiment, the targets are formed from a magnetically permeable material and the monitoring device responds to changes in the magnetic field as the target passes the monitoring device. In another embodiment, the targets are formed from material that reflects electromagnetic energy. In this embodiment, the monitoring device emits electromagnetic energy and is sensitive to the energy that is reflected back from the target. A method to inspect the hoisting ropes includes the steps of positioning the monitoring device proximate to the hoisting rope, moving the hoisting rope relative to the device, and monitoring the targets to determine the spacing between targets. Changes in spacing are indicative of stretching of the rope, and thereby degradation of the rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Eric G. Olsen, Hugh J. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 5992574
    Abstract: A hoisting rope includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced, discrete targets retained within the rope. The targets have a characteristic that may be monitored by a device that is responsive to that characteristic. In a particular embodiment, the targets are formed from a magnetically permeable material and the monitoring device responds to changes in the magnetic field as the target passes the monitoring device. In another embodiment, the targets are formed from material that reflects electromagnetic energy. In this embodiment, the monitoring device emits electromagnetic energy and is sensitive to the energy that is reflected back from the target. A method to inspect the hoisting ropes includes the steps of positioning the monitoring device proximate to the hoisting rope, moving the hoisting rope relative to the device, and monitoring the targets to determine the spacing between targets. Changes in spacing are indicative of stretching of the rope, and thereby degradation of the rope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Eric G. Olsen, Hugh J. O'Donnell
  • Patent number: 5979607
    Abstract: A building having a plurality of floors, a plurality of detectors, such as smoke detectors, located on the floors, and an elevator system usable for moving building occupants between floors during an emergency condition, such as a building fire. The elevator system includes a control unit that controls movement of an elevator car between selected floors within an emergency evacuation zone for evacuation of building occupants to a designated evacuation assistance floor. The vertical movement of the elevator car is controlled relative to the detection of smoke within the building to increase the efficiency of emergency evacuation. The elevator and smoke detection systems are equipped with an emergency power source for operation in the event of a power outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Inventor: Thomas H. Allen
  • Patent number: 5959266
    Abstract: The car speed feedback control circuit 1 or 13 calculates the car speed correction signal Vcref2 that can make the car speed detected value Vcfb from the car speed detecting circuit 6 follow-up the car speed command Vcref given from the outside. The speed convert circuit 2 converts the car speed correction signal Vcref2 from the car speed feedback control circuit into the motor speed reference Vmref for the elevator, and the motor speed control circuit 3 controls the rotational speed of the motor according to the motor speed reference from the speed convert circuit. In this feedback control of the elevator according to the car speed, the gain computing circuit 7 computes necessary feedback gains Kd and Tc for suppressing the resonance of the elevator mechanical system based on the combination of the car load detected value mc from the car load detecting circuit 9 and the car position detected value y from the car position detecting circuit 10, and sets the gains for the car speed feedback control circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Eiji Uchiumi
  • Patent number: 5952627
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting malfunctions of car-related hall fixtures and care fixtures in a distributed malfunction detecting system, includes at least one elevator controller, each elevator controller having an automatic mode selection switch for providing an automatic repair & malfuction detection mode interrupt request signal, a main controller for providing a car-related hall fixture enable signal and an automatic repair & malfuntion detection mode operation start command upon receipt of the automatice repair & malfunction detection mode interrupt request signal from the elevator controller and for providing a car-related hall fixture disable signal upon receipt of an automatic repair & malfunction detection mode operation completion signal, and a plurality of hall indicator controllers for performing an automatic repair & malfunction detection mode operation by testing corresponding car-related hall fixtures according to predetermined programs upon receipt of the car-related hall fixtures enab
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sung Jun Park
  • Patent number: 5945644
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling an emergency operation in an elevator system. The apparatus includes an inverter for inverting a direct voltage into alternating voltages and driving an induction motor with the alternating voltages, a current detector for detecting a current that flows through a first coil of the induction motor, a speed detector for detecting a speed of the induction motor and outputting phase signals, and a control circuit for receiving the current outputted from the current detector and the phase signals outputted from the speed detector and outputting a voltage command to the inverter. The apparatus and method shorten a rescue time by determining an elevator car driving direction by the use of the phase signals outputted form the speed detector during a driving interruption caused by an abnormal or emergency situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Cheol-Ho Jang
  • Patent number: 5929400
    Abstract: A self-commissioning controller 7 for a field-oriented elevator motor controller 14 includes calculating an integral gain K.sub.I, a proportional gain Kp, and an overall gain (Gc) for the motor controller; obtaining initial values of a rotor time constant .tau..sub.R, magnetizing current Id, and motor torque constant K.sub.T for the motor controller 14, and obtaining a value of a motor transient inductance L.sigma.; calculating final values for said rotor time constant .tau..sub.R and magnetizing current Id, using said transient inductance L.sigma.; and calculating a system inertia J* parameter for speed loop compensation 16 within the motor controller 14. The controller 7 may also include calculating the initial values for .tau..sub.R, Id, and K.sub.T *, and performing self-commissioning automatically upon receiving a command from a service tool 80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Roy Stephen Colby, Alberto Vecchiotti, Neil A. Greiner, Leslie M. Lamontagne, Ronnie E. Thebeau
  • Patent number: 5923004
    Abstract: A method for training a neural network used to estimate for an elevator the remaining response time for the elevator to service a hall call. The training, which results in adjusting connection weights between nodes of the neural network, is performed while the elevator is in actual operation. The method is not restricted to any particular architecture of neural network. The method uses a cutoff to limit changes to the connection weights, and provides for scaling the different inputs to the neural network so that all inputs lie in a predetermined range. The method also provides for training in case the elevator is diverted from servicing the hall call by an intervening hall call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Bradley L. Whitehall, Theresa M. Christy, Bruce A. Powell
  • Patent number: 5909018
    Abstract: An elevator controller 7 is provided with logic 48 which automatically calculates a motor time constant (.tau..sub.R) for a field-oriented current regulator/motor drive 20 by running the elevator up and down while computing a loss component VDX and while varying .tau..sub.R and determining the value of .tau..sub.R at which VDX for the up and down elevator runs are the same within a predetermined tolerance and which automatically calculates a magnetizing current (Id) by running the elevator in a predetermined direction while calculating a motor voltage Vm and varying Id and determining a new value of .tau..sub.R by performing the up/down elevator run until Vm is within a predetermined tolerance of a target voltage V.sub.T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Alberto Vecchiotti, Roy Stephen Colby
  • Patent number: 5896949
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for reducing oscillations of an elevator car occurring transverse to the direction of travel. The elevator car is guided by rails and includes guide elements with a predefined range of motion. The apparatus includes a plurality of inertial sensors mounted to a frame of the elevator car and at least one actuator positioned between the elevator car and the guide elements. The inertial sensors measure oscillations transverse to the direction of travel and the at least one actuator is driven according to the output from the inertial sensors to actuate movement in an equal and opposite direction to the oscillations. The at least one actuator includes a drive motor with a stationary motor part coupled to the frame and a moving motor part coupled to the guide elements. The method includes measuring an oscillation occurring transverse to a direction travel and driving at least one actuator positioned between the car and the guide elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventors: Ayman Hamdy, Josef Husmann
  • Patent number: 5886307
    Abstract: A safety system for detecting objects or persons that approach closing doors includes a plurality of detectors on one door and a plurality of transmitters on an opposite door. The plurality of transmitters emit a signal at an angle into a hallway. The intensity of the signal emitted from the transmitters is progressively reduced as the distance between the closing doors is decreasing. The reduction in intensity of the transmitted signal allows discrimination between actual targets and false targets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Gary G. Full, Richard D. Pustelniak
  • Patent number: 5886308
    Abstract: An elevator rope speed monitoring assembly is disclosed. The rope speed monitoring assembly includes a plurality of sensors that monitor the movement of the individual ropes. The sensors output a signal indicative of the speed of the movement of the ropes. A controller compares the relative movement of the ropes and generates a warning signal if a sufficient deviation between relative rope speeds is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Richard J. Ericson, Hugh J. O'Donnell, Thomas J. Hoffman
  • Patent number: 5883344
    Abstract: An elevator controller 7 is provided with logic 48 which automatically calculates a motor time constant (.tau..sub.R), a torque constant (K.sub.T *), and a magnetizing current (Id) for a field-oriented motor/drive system by calculating a transient inductance L.sigma., injecting a variable input frequency sinewave into a q-axis reference current I.sub.qREF and varying the input frequency while calculating an imaginary part of a rotor impedance Imag(Z.sub.R) to obtain a frequency (F.sub.PEAK) at which the maximum value of Imag(Z.sub.R) occurs, then calculating .tau..sub.R from F.sub.PEAK. K.sub.T *, Id, and a total motor voltage V.sub.M are calculated and Id is varied until a ratio of rated motor voltage (Vph.sub.-- RATED) to V.sub.M is within a predetermined tolerance of one. The procedure is performed with the rotor locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Roy Stephen Colby, Alberto Vecchiotti, Leslie M. Lamontagne
  • Patent number: 5880415
    Abstract: An elevator controller 7 is provided with logic 48 which automatically calculates a proportional gain (K.sub.P), an integral gain (K.sub.I), and an overall gain (Gc) for a current regulator/motor drive 20 by injecting a sinewave having a predetermined test frequency (F.sub.OL, F.sub.CL) into a reference current I.sub.qREF, measuring the open and closed loop transfer functions and adjusting K.sub.P and K.sub.I until the desired open and closed loop responses are achieved with Gc set based on F.sub.OL. First, with the test frequency at F.sub.OL, K.sub.I is set to zero and K.sub.P is varied until the open loop gain response at F.sub.OL is equal to one. Then, with the test frequency at F.sub.CL and K.sub.P set per the previous step, K.sub.I is varied until the closed loop gain response at F.sub.CL is equal to one. The procedure is performed with the rotor locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Roy Stephen Colby, Alberto Vecchiotti, Leslie M. Lamontagne
  • Patent number: 5880416
    Abstract: An elevator controller 7 is provided with logic 48 which automatically calculates a motor speed loop gain (J*) of an elevator motor controller 14 by running the elevator up and down while computing an average of a model speed reference signal W.sub.MRE for the up/down run and while varying J* and determining the value of J* at which the average of W.sub.MRE equals zero within a predetermined tolerance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Roy Stephen Colby, Alberto Vecchiotti
  • Patent number: 5869794
    Abstract: Method and device for stopping of an elevator cage due to a deviation of the elevator position, acceleration, or speed from a travel curve in excess of a certain predetermined safety margin. Travel parameters, computed by the elevator control, may be passed on to a drive control of a cage drive for moving and positioning of the elevator cage, and may also be passed on to a drive control of a reference drive for moving and positioning a trigger part. Accordingly, each of the elevator cage and the trigger part may be driven by individual discrete drivers, but, due to each driver receiving the same travel parameters, the elevator cage and the trigger part move in synchronization. The trigger part may be coupled to the elevator cage to be movable when the elevator cage deviates from the computed travel curve. When the deviation from the travel curve exceeds a predetermined safety margin, the trigger part may actuate a safety switch to stop the cage or reference drivers or to arrest movement of the elevator cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Inventio AG
    Inventor: Peter Spiess
  • Patent number: 5864102
    Abstract: A dual magnet controller, as part of an active roller guide (ARG) controller, that requires that each controlled actuator produce at least a minimum idling force, rather than carrying a minimum idling current. The dual magnet controller for a particular control axis determines force commands for its pair of actuators based on the actuators in combination having to produce a net force, and each actuator independently having to produce a force equal in magnitude at least to a pre-determined minimum idling force. The net force may be calculated by other elements of the ARG controller and communicated as input to the dual magnet controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1999
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Eric K. Jamieson, Thomas He, Daniel S. Williams
  • Patent number: 5844181
    Abstract: A display apparatus within elevator cabs or elevator waiting areas that facilitates the simultaneous display of advertising and general news information is described. Broadcast from a remote control center, advertising and general news information updates are transmitted to, and stored in, a display memory and subsequently displayed on a screen according to a remotely modifiable program schedule. The display is updated such that it contains a copy of the latest broadcast schedule, as well as the advertisement and information programming, and automatically displays a days program according to the most current broadcast schedule. The display units are each individually addressable thus allowing groups of displays to be simultaneously updated from a remote centralized location with information such as news updates and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1998
    Assignee: Verticore Communications Ltd.
    Inventors: Stephen D. Amo, Dean L. Lacheur, Neil S. Lacheur
  • Patent number: 5824976
    Abstract: A fault sensor to be used with a controller as part of an active roller guide (ARG), the fault sensor disabling the ARG if it determines that any pair of current-force magnitudes for any of the ARG actuators is outside of a predetermined acceptable operating envelope, indicating an anomalous, or fault, condition. The ARG fault sensor receives, periodically, magnitudes of current and flux density for each actuator. From these, it calculates an actuator force and then checks that the current-force pair for each actuator is within the operating envelope. This envelope is curvilinear in its boundary. To check the curved segments of the envelope boundary, the fault sensor calculates the gap for each actuator. If each gap magnitude is within range, all that is left is to check the straight segments of the envelope boundary. This is done by simply checking that each actuator current and force magnitude is less than a predetermined limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Eric K. Jamieson, Daniel S. Williams
  • Patent number: 5824975
    Abstract: A speed control apparatus for operating a cage of an elevator at a speed suitable for a required operation condition is capable of reducing a mechanical vibration generated from the cage by obtaining a torque of the winding machine from a speed-controlled current command and an acceleration of the winding machine from the torque and the present acceleration of the winding machine to compensate for and output the value of the current command when a high speed elevator having a low mechanical resonant frequency is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: LG Industrial Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chan-Ook Hong
  • Patent number: 5817993
    Abstract: An elevator door reversal monitoring apparatus for monitoring an elevator door system comprises: a plurality of sensors for providing sensor signals; a door reversal state machine for providing door reversal data in response to the sensor signals; an output module for capturing the door reversal data; and an output processing module for determining a current state of the elevator door system in response to the captured door reversal data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1998
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: Sanjay Kamani, Patrick Lusaka, Ronald R. Pepin
  • Patent number: 5811743
    Abstract: A passenger car of an elevator is transversely vibrated when it is hoisted up or down due to curves in guide rails and level differences at joints of the guide rails. An elevator vibration control apparatus of this invention employs a vibration or displacement sensor attached to a passenger car chamber to detect such transverse vibration of the passenger car. A controller calculates an operation quantity of an actuator to cancel the detected vibration of the passenger car. According to the calculated operation quantity, a servomotor is driven to displace the passenger car in a direction to cancel the transverse vibration and suppress force applied to the passenger car. As a result, the transverse vibration of the passenger car is reduced, and comfortableness of riding in the passenger car is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hideya Kohara, Shigeo Nakagaki, Tadashi Shudo, Yukihiko Kazao
  • Patent number: 5789715
    Abstract: The invention relates to a waiting time display (5) on a landing. The waiting time display (5) is active from the moment when the landing call button (6) is pressed to the moment when the call is reset. The waiting time display (5) receives from the group control unit (1) information about the order of magnitude of the waiting time and the rate of diminution of the order of magnitude of the waiting time, which is used by the waiting time display (5) to decrease the waiting time displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Markku Kakko, Tapio Tyni
  • Patent number: 5787020
    Abstract: The invention relates to a procedure and an apparatus for analyzing elevator functions and detecting deviating functions. By monitoring signals associated with traffic events in the elevator system, an analyzer connected to the elevator learns the normal operation of each elevator independently. Signals occurring during operation are compared with the information thus acquired and a failure alarm is produced or the information is altered to make it accord with the new, changed situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1998
    Assignee: Kone Oy
    Inventors: Etienne Molliere, Veikko Mattsson, Risto Jokinen, Jari Lammassaari
  • Patent number: 5780788
    Abstract: An electronic controller arrangement for an elevator car includes an auxiliary controller including instructions for disconnecting a main operational controller from a door operator when either a Phase I (emergency car recall operation); or a Phase II (in-car operation during emergency); special emergency service signal is detected by the auxiliary controller and for performing all door control operations during the Phase I or Phase II emergency condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Otis Elevator Company
    Inventors: John Michael Eschenbrenner, Robert James Logemann