Mechanical system service tool

• US 10,414,629 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2018
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Nanjappan, Ezhil
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Chuong A
• Application Number:
  US15/876,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20190225458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3407 Setting or modification of parameters of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/3461 between the elevator control system and remote or mobile stations
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0025 for maintenance or repair
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/0087 Devices facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection tasks devices incorporated in the buffer B66B5/288; railings on top of the car B66B11/0226
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

A service tool is provided. The service tool includes a transceiver communicatively coupled to a wireless access device physically connected to a mechanical system. The service tool includes a memory storing a service tool application software thereon. The service tool includes a processor executing the service tool application software to execute at least one of a plurality of operability support levels by the service tool for the mechanical system. The plurality of operability support levels includes an adjuster/construction level. The adjuster/construction level includes security provisions for control of the mechanical system.

Claims

1. A service tool comprising:

a transceiver communicatively coupled to a wireless access device physically connected to a mechanical system and to a cloud service to provide security provisions for control of the mechanical system;

a memory storing a service tool application software thereon; and

a processor executing the service tool application software to execute at least one of a plurality of operability support levels by the service tool for the mechanical system,

wherein the plurality of operability support levels comprise at least one of an adjuster/construction level and a field technician level;

the adjuster/construction level providing the security provisions for control of the mechanical system including receipt of a verification confirmation by the service tool based on the cloud service authorizing access with respect to the adjuster/construction level;

wherein the adjuster/construction level comprises one or more of checking drive and group status, performing a remote station link address check, performing a contract and/or default setups, and performing a search of input/outputs;

wherein the field technician level comprises one or more of detecting, monitoring, and analyzing provisions of the mechanical system for an elevator car or escalator direction, an elevator car or escalator position, an up/down status, a load status, an operational mode, and an input/output status.

2. The service tool of claim 1, wherein the security provisions comprise online authentication, dual factor authentication, session management, counter per session, application sign-in, certificates, obfuscation, or mobile device management.

3. The service tool of claim 1, wherein the cloud service provides encoding, multi-level security, counter based access, or time based access functionality to the service tool.

4. The service tool of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of operability support levels comprise one or more of logging, searching, offline, safety, shortcut, and statistic features.

5. The service tool of claim 1, wherein the security provisions with respect to the adjuster/construction level enable the service tool to provide direct operation checks and advanced operational configuration changes to the mechanical system independent of a proprietary dongle.

6. The service tool of claim 1, wherein the wireless access device is physically and electrically coupled to an interface of the mechanical system, the interface comprising a nine-pin serial port.

7. The service tool of claim 1, wherein the service tool is a smartphone.

8. A system comprising:

a cloud service;

a mechanical system operating and managing an elevator or an escalator;

a wireless access device physically connected to the mechanical system; and

a service tool comprising;

a transceiver communicatively coupled to the wireless access device and to the cloud service to provide security provisions for control of the mechanical system;

a memory storing a service tool application software thereon; and

a processor executing the service tool application software to execute at least one of a plurality of operability support levels by the service tool for the mechanical system,

wherein the plurality of operability support levels comprise at least one of an adjuster/construction level and a field technician level;

the adjuster/construction level providing the security provisions for control of the mechanical system including receipt of a verification confirmation by the service tool based on the cloud service authorizing access with respect to the adjuster/construction level;

wherein the adjuster/construction level comprises one or more of checking drive and group status, performing a remote station link address check, performing a contract and/or default setups, and performing a search of input/outputs;

wherein the field technician level comprises one or more of detecting, monitoring, and analyzing provisions of the mechanical system for an elevator car or escalator direction, an elevator car or escalator position, an up/down status, a load status, an operational mode, and an input/output status.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the security provisions comprise online authentication, dual factor authentication, session management, counter per session, application sign-in, certificates, obfuscation, or mobile device management.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the cloud service provides encoding, multi-level security, counter based access, or time based access functionality to the service tool.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of operability support levels comprise one or more of logging, searching, offline, safety, shortcut, and statistic features.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the security provisions with respect to the adjuster/construction level enable the service tool to provide direct operation checks and advanced operational configuration changes to the mechanical system independent of a proprietary dongle.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless access device is physically and electrically coupled to an interface of the mechanical system, the interface comprising a nine-pin serial port.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the service tool is a smartphone.