System for Monitoring Elevators and Maintaining Elevators

• US 20160171455A1
• Filed: 02/22/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xicor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xicor, Inc.
• Inventors: ELEID, Ray, HALIM, Fransky
• Granted Patent: US 9,767,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for monitoring one or more lift devices, such as elevators and escalators. A server obtains code events about a lift device controller via a web services application. The code events are in a first format. The server reformats the code events into a second format using a mapping table, outputting reformatted code events. The server populates a graphical user interface (GUI) with the reformatted code events. The GUI is accessible by another computing device over the Internet.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for monitoring one or more lift devices, comprising:

a server obtaining code events about a lift device controller via a web services application, the code events in a first format;

the server reformatting the code events into a second format using a mapping table, outputting reformatted code events; and

the server populating a graphical user interface (GUI) with the reformatted code events, the GUI accessible by another computing device over the Internet.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein reformatting the code events comprises:

selecting a mapping for the code events from a database comprising multiple mappings, the selected mapping selected based on a manufacturer of the lift device, and the database on the server has data restrictions; and

converting the code events to match said data restrictions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the server receives the code events as part of XML web services data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the server obtains data about multiple lift devices associated with a common owner, and the data associated with the multiple lift devices, including the event codes, are shown simultaneously in the GUI.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple lift devices are located at different locations, and the different locations are shown in the GUI.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the GUI comprises a control to initiate generating a message, and the method further comprises:

detecting selection of the control;

identifying the lift device currently being selected in the GUI;

identifying contact information of a service provider associated with the selected lift device; and

automatically compiling the message that includes information about the selected lift device, the message including the contact information.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein automatically compiling the message includes inserting one or more of the event codes associated with the selected lift device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI displays information from one or more service providers.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprises analysing the received event codes to provide an assessment of the lift device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the assessment determines an urgency level, and when the urgency level is high, the server sends a message to a user account associated with the lift device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the analysing includes comparing the received event codes with past event codes for the same lift device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the analysing includes identifying a number of the received event codes within a given time period.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the analysing includes identifying a time duration associated with the received event codes.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the assessment includes determining if at least one of the received code events occurred during a critical time period associated with the lift device.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising the server receiving an inspection order that includes an identifier of the lift device and a compliance deadline, the inspection order transmittable by a safety monitoring server;

in response, the server identifying a user account associated with the lift device; and

the server automatically compiling and sending a notification to the user account comprising the inspection order.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the lift device is at least one of an elevator and an escalator.

16. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

the server receiving an input that the inspection order is complete via the GUI; and

, in response, the server sending a status message comprising the identifier of the lift device via an application programming interface (API), the status message receivable by the safety monitoring server.

18. A server system for monitoring one or more lift devices, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions;

a communication device for communicating data over the Internet; and

memory for storing data and the instructions, the instructions comprising;

obtaining code events about a lift device controller via a web services application, the code events in a first format;

reformatting the code events into a second format using a mapping table, outputting reformatted code events; and

populating a graphical user interface (GUI) with the reformatted code events, the GUI accessible by another computing device over the Internet.

19. A computer-implemented method for processing safety data related to one or more lift devices, comprising:

a server receiving an inspection order via an application programming interface (API) that includes an identifier of a given lift device and a compliance deadline, the inspection order transmittable by a safety monitoring server;

in response, the server identifying a user account associated with the given lift device using a database on the server; and

the server automatically compiling and sending a notification to the user account comprising the inspection order.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

the server receiving an input that the inspection order is complete via a GUI provided by the server; and

, in response, the server sending a status message comprising the identifier of the lift device via the API, the status message receivable by the safety monitoring server.