Safety string polling system

• US 5,610,374 A
• Filed: 05/02/1996
• Issued: 03/11/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Montgomery Kone Inc (Kone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Montgomery Kone Inc (Kone Corporation)
• Inventors: Boom, Anthony S., Bril, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): NAPPI, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US08/641,837
• Time in Patent Office: 313 Days
• Field of Search: 187/280, 187/247, 187/393, 187/316, 187/391
• US Class Current: 187/391
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0421 Multiprocessor system
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A method of and apparatus for detecting the operative status of each of a series of remote stations connected to a main control in an elevator system includes a step or apparatus for causing the main controller to develop a roll call signal which is transferred to a first of the series of remote stations, transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote station to the main controller if the remote station is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote station, transferring the roll call signal to a next of the series of remote stations after the reply signal is sent to the main controller, and continuing to transmit an operative status reply signal until each of the remote stations has done the same, if operative.

Claims

1. A method of detecting the operative status of each of a series of remote stations connected to a main controller in an escalator or elevator system, comprising the steps of:

(a) causing the main controlling to develop a roll call signal which is transferred only to a first of the series of remote stations;

(b) transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote station to the main controller if the remote station is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote station;

(c) the functional remote station developing the roll call signal which is transferred to a next of the series of remote stations after the reply signal is sent to the main controller; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until each of the remote stations has received the roll call signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the main controller is coupled to each remote station via a communication link, and wherein in the step (b) the reply signal is transmitted on the communication link.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step (b) includes the step of the main controller transmitting address data to the remote station and the reply signal includes the transmitted address data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the main controller is connected to a communication link, and further comprising the step of connecting each remote station to the communication link upon the remote station receiving the roll call signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the connecting step further includes the step of energizing a relay when the remote station receives the roll call signal, whereby contacts associated with the relay are closed to connect a microcontroller unit of the remote station to the communication link.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the step (b) includes the step of the main controller transmitting new address data to a next of the series of remote stations only after a reply signal is received from one of the series of remote stations.

7. A method of detecting the operative status of each of a series of remote safety switches having a series connected status contact in a safety string connected to a main controller in an escalator or elevator system, comprising the steps of:

(a) causing the main controller to develop a roll call signal which is transferred only to a first of the series of remote safety switches;

(b) transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote safety switch to the main controller if the remote safety switch is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote safety switch;

(c) the functional remote safety switch developing the roll call signal which is transferred to a next of the series of remote safety switches after the reply signal is sent to the main controller; and

(d) repeating steps (b) and (c) until each of the remote safety switches has received the roll call signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the main controller is coupled to each remote safety switch via a communication link, and wherein in the step (b) the reply signal is transmitted on the communication link.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step (b) includes the step of the main controller transmitting address data to the remote safety switch and the reply signal includes the transmitted address data.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the main controller is connected to a communication link, and further comprising the step of connecting each remote safety switch to the communication link upon the remote safety switch receiving the roll call signal.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the connecting step further includes the step of energizing a relay when the remote safety switch receives the roll call signal, whereby contacts associated with the relay are closed to connect a microcontroller unit of the remote safety switch to the communication link.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step (b) includes the step of the main controller transmitting new address data to a next of the series of remote safety switches only after a reply signal is received from one of the series of remote safety switches.

13. In an escalator or elevator system including a series of remote stations connected to a main controller, a system for detecting the operative status of the remote stations comprising:

means for causing the main controller to develop a roll call signal which is transferred to a first of the series of remote stations;

means in each said remote station for transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote station to the main controller if the remote station is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote station;

means in each said remote station for developing and transferring the roll call signal to a next of the series of remote stations after the reply signal is sent to the main controller.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the main controller is coupled to each remote station via a communication link, and wherein the reply signal is transmitted on the communication link.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the main controller includes address transmitting means for transmitting address data to the remote station and the reply signal includes the transmitted address data.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the main controller is connected to a communication link, and further comprising means for connecting each remote station to the communication link upon the remote station receiving the roll call signal.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein each said remote station includes a relay energized when the remote station receives the roll call signal, whereby contacts associated with the relay are closed to connect a microcontroller unit of the remote station to the communication link.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the main controller address transmitting means transmits new address data to a next of the series of remote stations only after a reply signal is received from one of the series of remote stations.

19. In an escalator or elevator system including a series of remote safety switches series connected in a safety string to a main controller, a system for detecting the operative status of the remote safety switches comprising:

means for causing the main controller to develop a roll call signal which is transferred to a first of the series of remote safety switches;

means in each said remote safety switch for transmitting an operative status reply signal from the remote safety switch to the main controller if the remote safety switch is functional following receipt of the roll call signal by the remote safety switch;

means in each said remote safety switch for developing and transferring the roll call signal to a next of the series of remote safety switches after the reply signal is sent to the main controller.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the main controller is coupled to each remote safety switch via a communication link, and wherein the reply signal is transmitted on the communication link.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the main controller includes address transmitting means for transmitting address data to the remote safety switch and the reply signal includes the transmitted address data.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the main controller is connected to a communication link, and further comprising means for connecting each remote safety switch to the communication link upon the remote safety switch receiving the roll call signal.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein each said remote safety switch includes a relay energized when the remote safety switch receives the roll call signal, whereby contacts associated with the relay are closed to connect a microcontroller unit of the remote safety switch to the communication link.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the main controller address transmitting means transmits new address data to a next of the series of remote safety switches only after a reply signal is received from one of the series of remote safety switches.