Elevator position determination

• US 5,682,024 A
• Filed: 07/31/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Finn, Alan M., Koopman, Philip J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NAPPI, ROBERT E
• Application Number:
  US08/509,622
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 187/391, 187/394, 187/393, 187/283
• US Class Current: 187/394
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 1/50 with operating or control mechanisms mounted in the car or cage or in the lift well or hoistway

Abstract

An elevator position determination system for determining the position of an elevator car disposed in the elevator hoistway includes a transceiver disposed on the elevator car for generating a query signal and a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway for providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, wherein, the elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

Claims

1. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal; and

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, said identification signal comprising a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

2. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 1 wherein said transponder is disposed in the elevator hoistway adjacent to a landing.

3. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 2 wherein said identification signal comprises a floor indication value that is indicative of a floor in the elevator hoistway.

4. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 1, further comprising a directional antenna disposed on said transceiver.

5. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 1, further comprising a directional antenna disposed on said transponder.

6. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, said identification signal comprising a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway; and

a decoder module for receiving and decoding the identification signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

7. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 6 wherein said decoder module decodes the identification signal by comparing a value of the identification signal to values stored in a look-up table in a memory that correspond to specific floors in a building.

8. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 6 wherein said transponder is disposed in the elevator hoistway adjacent to a landing.

9. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 8 wherein said identification signal comprises a floor indication value that is indicative of a floor in the elevator hoistway.

10. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 6, further comprising a directional antenna disposed on said transceiver.

11. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 6, further comprising a directional antenna disposed on said transponder.

12. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a first transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said first transceiver being responsive to a first identification signal;

a second transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said second transceiver being responsive to a second identification signal;

a first transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said first transponder providing the first identification signal in response to a query signal provided by at least one of said transceivers; and

a second transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said second transponder providing the second identification signal in response to the query signal provided by at least one of said transceivers;

wherein, the first and second identification signals are transmitted on a first and second frequency respectively and said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the first and second identification signals.

13. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 12 wherein said first and second identification signals comprises a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway.

14. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver being responsive to a first identification signal;

a receiver disposed on the elevator car, said receiver being responsive to a second identification signal;

a first transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said first transponder providing the first identification signal in response to a query signal provided by said transceiver; and

a second transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said second transponder providing the second identification signal in response to the query signal provided by said transceiver;

wherein, the first and second identification signals are transmitted on a first and second frequency respectively and said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the first and second identification signals.

15. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 14 wherein said first and second identification signals comprises a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway.

16. An elevator system disposed in a building having a plurality of floors, the building having a hoistway with a plurality of landings that correspond to the plurality of floors, said elevator system comprising:

an elevator car disposed in the hoistway for movement therein;

an elevator controller for providing system control of said elevator system and for providing a control signal;

a motive apparatus for providing movement of said elevator car within the hoistway, said motive apparatus being responsive to the control signal;

a transceiver disposed on said elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal; and

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, said identification signal comprising a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway;

wherein, said elevator controller determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

17. A method of determining a position of an elevator car disposed in a hoistway, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a query signal by a transceiver disposed on the elevator car;

receiving the query signal by a transponder disposed in the hoistway;

transmitting an identification signal in response to the query signal by the transponder, said identification signal comprising a position indication value that is indicative of a position of said transponder in the elevator hoistway;

receiving the identification signal by the transceiver; and

determining the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

18. The method of determining a position of an elevator car disposed in a hoistway as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of decoding the identification signal prior to said determining step.

19. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal; and

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway adjacent to a landing, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

20. The elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway as recited in claim 19 wherein said identification signal comprises a floor indication value that is indicative of a floor in the elevator hoistway.

21. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal; and

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, said identification signal comprises a floor indication value that is indicative of a floor in the elevator hoistway;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

22. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a directional antenna disposed on said transceiver; and

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

23. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal; and

a decoder module for receiving and, decoding the identification signal, said decoder module decodes the identification signal by comparing a value of the identification signal to values stored in a look-up table in a memory that correspond to specific floors in a building;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

24. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway adjacent to a landing, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal; and

a decoder module for receiving and decoding the identification signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

25. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal, said identification signal comprises a floor indication value that is indicative of a floor in the elevator hoistway; and

a decoder module for receiving and decoding the identification signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.

26. An elevator position determination system for determining a position of an elevator car disposed in an elevator hoistway, said elevator position determination system comprising:

a transceiver disposed on the elevator car, said transceiver generating a query signal;

a directional antenna disposed on said transceiver;

a transponder disposed in the elevator hoistway, said transponder providing an identification signal in response to the query signal; and

a decoder module for receiving and decoding the identification signal;

wherein, said elevator position determination system determines the elevator car position in response to the identification signal.