Service tool proximity detection

• US 10,244,374 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Ginsberg, David, Olthuis, Mark, Williams, Fred G., Phouthavong, Jody
• Primary Examiner(s): Huang, Wen W
• Application Number:
  US15/651,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20190020971A1
• Time in Patent Office: 617 Days
• Field of Search: 455 411, 455 412, 455 413
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3461 between the elevator control system and remote or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A service tool proximity detection system includes a service tool and an equipment controller. The service tool is operable to establish communication with the equipment controller of an equipment service system. At least one processor of the service tool proximity detection system is configured to generate a location proximity indicator to verify proximity of the service tool to a predetermined service location of the equipment service system, determine that the service tool is located local to the predetermined service location based on verifying that a response to the location proximity indicator matches an expected response, determine that the service tool is located remote from the predetermined service location based on verifying that the response to the location proximity indicator fails to match the expected response, and configure one or more functions of the service tool based on the location of the service tool relative to the predetermined service location.

Claims

1. A service tool proximity detection system comprising:

a service tool operable to establish communication with an equipment controller of an equipment service system, wherein the equipment controller is an elevator controller; and

the equipment controller operable to control one or more elevator components, wherein at least one processor of the service tool proximity detection system is configured to;

generate a location proximity indicator to verify proximity of the service tool to a predetermined service location of the equipment service system;

determine that the service tool is located local to the predetermined service location based on verifying that a response to the location proximity indicator matches an expected response;

determine that the service tool is located remote from the predetermined service location based on verifying that the response to the location proximity indicator fails to match the expected response; and

configure one or more functions of the service tool based on the location of the service tool relative to the predetermined service location.

2. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises a sequence to be entered through a user interface of an elevator car.

3. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises a code to be captured as image data.

4. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the equipment controller generates the location proximity indicator as a code to be entered through the service tool.

5. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises an audio code to be captured as audio data.

6. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises an audio prompt to elicit the expected response through a user interface.

7. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the service tool and the equipment controller establish communication using a local-only wireless link.

8. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the service tool and the equipment controller exchange location information.

9. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the service tool is determined to be located remote from the predetermined service location based on an absence of the response to the location proximity indicator within a predetermined timeout period.

10. The service tool proximity detection system set forth in claim 1, wherein the location proximity indicator is conveyed through a first type of user interface and based on detecting a malfunction of the first type of user interface or an absence of response within a predetermined timeout period, using a second type of user interface as a backup for proximity detection.

11. A method of service tool proximity detection comprising:

generating a location proximity indicator to verify proximity of a service tool to a predetermined service location of an equipment service system comprising an equipment controller operable to control one or more equipment components, wherein the equipment controller is an elevator controller and the one or more equipment components comprise one or more elevator components;

determining that the service tool is located local to the predetermined service location based on verifying that a response to the location proximity indicator matches an expected response;

determining that the service tool is located remote from the predetermined service location based on verifying that the response to the location proximity indicator fails to match the expected response; and

configuring one or more functions of the service tool based on the location of the service tool relative to the predetermined service location.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises a sequence to be entered through a user interface of an elevator car.

13. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises a code to be captured as image data.

14. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the equipment controller generates the location proximity indicator as a code to be entered through the service tool.

15. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises an audio code to be captured as audio data.

16. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the location proximity indicator comprises an audio prompt to elicit the expected response through a user interface.

17. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the service tool and the equipment controller establish communication using a local-only wireless link.

18. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the service tool and the equipment controller exchange location information.

19. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the service tool is determined to be located remote from the predetermined service location based on an absence of the response to the location proximity indicator within a predetermined timeout period.

20. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the location proximity indicator is conveyed through a first type of user interface and based on detecting a malfunction of the first type of user interface or an absence of response within a predetermined timeout period, using a second type of user interface as a backup for proximity detection.