Procedure for modernizing an elevator group

• US 5,352,857 A
• Filed: 07/15/1992
• Issued: 10/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KONE Elevator GmbH
• Original Assignee: KONE Elevator GmbH
• Inventors: Ovaska, Seppo
• Primary Examiner(s): Skudy, R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NAPPI, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US07/913,322
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 187/101, 187/100, 187/130, 187/139, 187/124
• US Class Current: 187/247
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/18 with means for storing pulses controlling the movements of several cars or cages B66B1/2458 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 19/007 method for modernisation of elevators
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/07 where the programme is defined in the fixed connection of electrical elements, e.g. potentiometers, counters, transistors

Abstract

A method for modernizing the control system of a bank of elevators, wherein in a first stage, the elevators are connected to work under elevator-specific computers controlled by a control system comprising a group controller and communicating by means of at least one serial communication bus. The connection is effected using passive adapters between the computers and the old elevator controller. For completing the modernization process of the individual elevators, the elevator-specific functions are modernized by replacing their old functions with functional modules and/or by adding functional modules performing new functions. The functional modules are connected to the elevator computer on a serial bus, one at a time, for gradually replacing the old elevator circuits connectable to a serial communication bus.

Claims

1. A method for modernizing the control system of a bank of elevators, wherein each elevator is controlled by a respective elevator controller, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an elevator of said bank with a respective new elevator computer having a parallel communications port and at least one serial communications port, and connecting said new elevator computer to a respective elevator controller by means of a temporary adapter unit connected to said parallel communications port, whereby control of the elevator during modernization can be effected by said respective new elevator computer, at least partially through said respective elevator controller;

(b) providing a new group controller, and connecting said new group controller and said new elevator computer to a serial communications network, whereby operation of each elevator of said bank of elevators can be effected by said new group controller, via said serial communications network and said respective new elevator computer;

(c) connecting a monitoring unit to said serial communications network for monitoring operation of said bank of elevators;

(d) forming a plurality of functional modules comprised of existing elevator components grouped according to the specific function performed by said components;

(e) selecting a functional module to be modernized;

(f) modernizing the selected functional module by;

(f1) providing new elevator components capable of performing the same operation as corresponding old elevator components which comprise the selected functional module, each of said new elevator components being controlled by said respective new elevator computer through said serial communications network; and

(f2) disconnecting the old elevator components which comprise the selected functional module from said respective elevator controller; and

(g) when all operations of an elevator are being performed by new elevator components under the control of said respective new elevator computer through said serial communications network;

(g1) providing at least one new functional unit comprising a safety system interface and elevator electrification circuits;

(g2) removing said temporary adapter unit and said elevator controller; and

(g3) connecting said at least one new functional unit to said respective new elevator computer through said parallel communications port of said respective new elevator computer.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing new elevator components having new functions which ar not provided by any old elevator components, and connecting said new elevator components to the serial communications network so as to be controlled by said respective new elevator computer.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one new elevator component forming a group-specific functional module is connected to the new control system.

2. A method for modernizing the control system of a bank of elevators, wherein each elevator is controlled by a respective elevator controller, comprising the steps of:

(a) installing a new control system comprising a new group controller for the elevator bank, a respective new elevator computer for each elevator of said bank, and a system monitoring unit, said new group controller, respective elevator computers and said monitoring unit being connected by a serial communications network;

(b) providing respective adapter units for adapting a plurality of control signals generated by each of said respective elevator controllers to said respective new elevator computers, whereby operation of each elevator can be controlled by said respective new elevator computers, at least partially using said respective elevator controllers;

(c) controlling said elevator with said new group control system;

(d) selecting a set of elevator-specific control functions, and preparing a functional module comprised of new elevator components having equivalent control functions and being capable of operative connection to said serial communications network;

(e) discontinuing said selected set of elevator-specific control functions, and installing said functional module of new elevator components and operatively connecting said functional module to said respective new elevator computer through said serial communication network;

(f) repeating steps (d) and (e) until all elevators in said bank of elevators has been modernized; and

(g) when all operations of an elevator are being performed by new elevator components under the control of said respective new elevator computer through said serial communications network;

(g1) providing at least one new functional unit comprising a safety system interface and elevator electrification circuits;

(g2) removing said temporary adapter unit and said elevator controller; and

(g3) connecting said at least one new functional unit to said respective new elevator computer through said parallel communications port of said respective new elevator computer.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein each of said respective adapter units is connected to said respective elevator computer via a parallel interface.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein at least one new elevator component forming a group-specific functional module is connected to the new control system.

7. A method for modernizing the control system of a bank of elevators, wherein each elevator is controlled by a respective elevator controller, comprising the steps of:

(a) installing a new control system comprising a new group controller for the elevator bank, a respective new elevator computer for each elevator of said bank, and a system monitoring unit, said new group controller, respective elevator computers and said monitoring unit being connected by a first serial communications network;

(b) providing respective adapter units for adapting a plurality of control signals generated by each of said respective elevator controllers to said respective new elevator computers, whereby operation of each elevator can be controlled by said respective new elevator computers, at least partially using said respective elevator controllers;

(c) controlling said elevator with said new group control system;

(d) selecting a set of elevator-specific control functions, and preparing a functional module comprised of new elevator components having equivalent control functions and being capable of operative connection to a second serial communications network;

(e) discontinuing said selected set of elevator-specific control functions, and installing said functional module of new elevator components and operatively connecting said functional module to said respective new elevator computer through said second serial communication network;

(f) repeating steps (d) and (e) until all elevators in said bank of elevators has been modernized; and

(g) when all operations of an elevator are being performed by new elevator components under the control of said respective new elevator computer through said second serial communications network;

(g1) providing at least one new functional unit comprising a safety system interface and elevator electrification circuits;

(g2) removing said temporary adapter unit and said elevator controller; and

(g3) connecting said at least one new functional unit to said respective new elevator computer through said parallel communications port of said respective new elevator computer.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein each of said respective adapter units is connected to said respective elevator computer via a parallel interface.

9. A method according to claim 7, wherein at least one new elevator component forming a group-specific functional module is connected to the new control system.

10. A method for modernizing the control system of a bank of elevators, wherein each elevator is controlled by a respective elevator controller, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an elevator of said bank with a respective new elevator computer having a parallel communications port and at least one serial communications port, and connecting said new elevator computer to a respective elevator controller by means for a temporary adapter unit connected to said parallel communications port, whereby control of the elevator during modernization can be effected by said respective new elevator computer, at least partially through said respective elevator controller;

(b) providing a new group controller, and connecting said new group controller and said new elevator computer to a serial communications network, whereby operation of each elevator of said bank of elevators can be effected by said new group controller, via said serial communications network and said respective new elevator computer;

(c) connecting a monitoring unit to said serial communications network for monitoring operation of said bank of elevators;

(d) forming a plurality of functional modules comprised of existing elevator components grouped according to the specific function performed by said components;

(e) selecting a functional module to be modernized;

(f) modernizing the selected functional module by;

(f1) providing new elevator components capable of performing the same operation as corresponding old elevator components which comprise the selected functional module, each of said new elevator components being controlled by said respective new elevator computer through a second serial communications network; and

(f2) disconnecting the old elevator components which comprise the selected functional module from said respective elevator controller; and

(g) when all operations of an elevator are being performed by new elevator components under the control of said respective new elevator computer through said second serial communications network;

(g1) providing at least one new functional unit comprising a safety system interface and elevator electrification circuits;

(g2) removing said temporary adapter unit and said elevator controller; and

(g3) connecting said at least one new functional unit to said respective new elevator computer through said parallel communications port of said respective new elevator computer.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing new elevator components having new functions which are not provided by any old elevator components, and connecting said new elevator components to said second serial communications network so as to be controlled by said respective new elevator computer.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein at least one new elevator component forming a group-specific functional module is connected to the new control system.