Elevator system
First Claim
1. A method of improving the two-way flow of information between the dispatcher processor and a plurality of elevator cars, comprising the steps of:
- providing a communication processor,initiating all communication with the elevator cars by the communication processor,providing a memory which is shared by the dispatcher processor and the communication processor,preparing car mode information (CMI) for the elevator cars by the dispatcher processor,writing CMI into shared memory,reading shared memory by the communication processor to obtain CMI,sending CMI to the elevvator cars,preparing car status information (CSI) by the elevator cars,sending CSI to the communication processor,writing CSI by the communication processor into the shared memory,and reading the shared memory by the dispatcher processor to obtain CSI.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of elevator cars under the supervisory control of a dispatcher processor. A communication processor having a plurality of buffers, a memory shared by both the dispatcher processor and communication processor, and an interface between the communication processor and the elevator cars, cooperatively control the flow of information. Car status information, prepared by the elevator cars, is sent to the dispatcher processor via the interface, buffers and shared memory. Car mode information prepared by the dispatcher is sent to the elevator cars via the shared memory, buffers and interface. A semaphore access arrangement speeds up access to the shared memory, and interrupts control transfer of information between the buffers and interface. In the communication process, the dispatcher processor only loads and unloads the shared memory, and the communication processor loads and unloads both the shared memory and the buffers.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of improving the two-way flow of information between the dispatcher processor and a plurality of elevator cars, comprising the steps of:
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providing a communication processor, initiating all communication with the elevator cars by the communication processor, providing a memory which is shared by the dispatcher processor and the communication processor, preparing car mode information (CMI) for the elevator cars by the dispatcher processor, writing CMI into shared memory, reading shared memory by the communication processor to obtain CMI, sending CMI to the elevvator cars, preparing car status information (CSI) by the elevator cars, sending CSI to the communication processor, writing CSI by the communication processor into the shared memory, and reading the shared memory by the dispatcher processor to obtain CSI. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of operating an elevator system having a plurality of elevator cars, a dispatcher processor, and a communication processor which controls information flow between the elevator cars and the dispatcher processor, comprising the steps of:
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providing memory means to be shared by both the dispatcher processor and the communication processor, accessing the memory means by the dispatcher processor to write car mode information for the elevator cars, accessing the memory means by the communication processor to write car status information for the dispatcher processor, accessing the memory means by the dispatcher processor to read car status information, accessing the memory means by the communication processor to read car mode information, providing a semaphore for each of the dispatcher processor and communication processor, which semaphores are settable by the associated processor to indicate the nature of the memory access, each of said accessing steps including the steps of; (a) checking the semaphore of the other before setting its own semaphore, and (b) setting its semaphore and accessing the memory, not withstanding the semaphore of the other being set, when the checking step detects no potential conflict in memory operations. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating an elevator system having a plurality of elevator cars, a dispatcher processor, and a communication processor which controls information flow between the elevator cars and the dispatcher processor, comprising the steps of:
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providing memory means to be shared by both the dispatcher processor and the communication processor, providing interface means between the communication processor and the elevator cars, providing buffer means for the communication processor, accessing the memory means by the dispatcher processor to write car mode information for the elevator cars, accessing the memory means by the communication processor to read the car mode information, transferring the car mode information from the memory means to said buffer means, providing a first signal for the communication processor when the interface means is ready to transmit information to the elevator cars, and transmitting the car mode information from the buffer means to a selected elevator car via said interface means in response to said first signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An elevator system, comprising:
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a plurality of elevator cars, dispatcher processor means for controlling the movement of said elevator cars, communication processor means for polling the elevator cars for information for use by said dispatcher processor means, and for selecting an elevator car to receive information from said dispatcher processor means, memory means, a bus interconnecting said dispatcher processor means, said communication processor means, and said memory means, enabling said memory means to be shared by said dispatcher processor means and said communication processor means, said dispatcher processor means including means for preparing car mode information for said elevator cars, and means for writing said car mode information into said shared memory means, said communication processor means including means for reading said shared memory means to obtain car mode information, and means for transmitting said car mode information to associated elevator cars, said elevator cars including means for providing car status information, said communication processor means including means for obtaining car status information from the elevator cars, and means for writing said car status information into said shared memory means, said dispatcher means including means for reading said shared memory means to obtain said car status information, first semaphore means associated with said dispatcher means, said first semaphore means being settable to indicate the nature of the memory operation, when the bus is accessed by said dispatcher means, and second semaphore means associated with said communication processor means, said second semaphore means being settable to indicate the nature of the memory operation, when the bus is accessed by said communication processor means, said dispatcher means and said communication processor means each including means for checking the semaphore of the other processor before setting its own semaphore, and means for setting its own semaphore and for accessing the bus when no potential conflict in memory operations is detected. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. An elevator system, comprising:
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a plurality of elevator cars, dispatcher processor means for controlling the movement of said elevator cars, communication processor means for polling the elevator cars for information for use by said dispatcher processor means, and for selecting an elevator car to receive information from said dispatcher processor means, memory means, a bus interconnecting said dispatcher processor means, said communication processor means and said memory means, enabling said memory means to be shared by said dispatcher processor means and said communication processor means, said dispatcher processor means including means for preparing car mode information for said elevator cars, and means for writing said car mode information into said shared memory means, said communication processor means including means for reading said shared memory means to obtain car mode information, and means for transmitting said car mode information to associated elevator cars, said elevator cars including means for providing car status information, said communication processor means including means for obtaining car status information from the elevator cars, and means for writing said car status information into said shared memory means, said dispatcher processor means including means for reading said shared memory means to obtain said car status information, interface means between the communication processor and the elevator cars, a plurality of buffers, a request table which includes select requests, each of which alert an indentified elevator car to receive car mode information, and poll requests, each of which request an identified elevator car to provide car status information, said communication processor including means for loading the buffers in a predetermined sequence with different requests from the request table, means transferring appropriate car mode information from the shared memory means to a predetermined buffer, each time a select request is loaded into a buffer, with the car mode information being stored in the same buffer in which the associated select request is stored, said interface means providing a first signal for the communication processor each time it is ready to transmit information to the elevator cars, said communication processor initiating the transmission of status requests and related car mode information, and poll requests, from the buffers to the elevator cars via the interface means in a predetermined sequence, in response to the first signals, means transmitting car status information from each elevator car identified in a poll request to the interface means, said interface means providing a second signal each time it receives car status information, said communication processor including means for transferring car status information from the interface means to a predetermined buffer in response to a second signal, with the means which obtains car status information from the elevator cars obtaining it from the buffers. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification