Wireless detection or control arrangement for escalator or moving walk

• US 5,708,416 A
• Filed: 08/28/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Otis Elevator Company (Otis Worldwide Corp.)
• Inventors: Zaharia, Vlad, Rivera, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C.
• Application Number:
  US08/704,050
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 340/531, 340/539, 340/506, 340/532, 340/825.06, 340/825.52, 340/825.69, 455/129, 198/322, 198/323
• US Class Current: 340/531
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 27/00 Indicating operating conditions of escalators or moving walkways of general application G08

Abstract

A control or detection arrangement for escalators, moving walks and the like includes a detector, an encoder unit connected to the detector, a wireless transmitter connected to the encoder unit, a wireless receiver, a decoder unit connected to the wireless receiver, and a microprocessor connected to the decoder unit. When an unsafe condition is detected by the detector, the encoder unit generates a trigger signal having at least one unique identifier for the detector. When received, the signal is passed by the decoder to the microprocessor which causes generation of a command signal to, for example, stop motion of the escalator. Alternatively, the inventive arrangement operates according to continuous or periodic transmission modes, which permit the arrangement to monitor operability of the detector, encoder unit, transmitter, receiver and the decoder unit.

Claims

1. A control arrangement, comprising:

a detector;

an encoder unit connected to said detector, said encoder unit including means for generating a trigger signal including two unique identifiers, a first of said two unique identifiers corresponding to an identification for an escalator, a second of said two unique identifiers corresponding to an identification for said detector;

a wireless transmitter connected to said encoder unit;

a wireless receiver;

a decoder unit connected to said wireless receiver, for passing only a trigger signal including at least said first or said second of said two unique identifiers;

a portable receiver unit, said portable receiver unit including means for receiving said trigger signal having said two unique identifiers, and means for displaying at least one of said two unique identifiers;

a microprocessor connected to said decoder unit and to a memory, said memory including instructions for generating a control signal in response to said trigger signal passed by said decoder unit;

a motor control unit connected to said processor;

a motor connected to said motor control unit; and

a plurality of movable steps coupled to said motor, so that said control signal commands said motor control unit to stop motion of said motor and said steps.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portable receiver unit is a hand-held receiver unit.

3. A control arrangement, comprising:

a detector;

an encoder unit connected to said detector, said encoder unit including means for periodically generating a first trigger signal including at least one unique identifier corresponding to an identification for said detector;

a wireless transmitter connected to said encoder unit;

a wireless receiver;

a decoder unit connected to said wireless receiver, for passing said first trigger signal;

a microprocessor connected to said decoder unit;

a motor control unit connected to said processor;

a motor connected to said motor control unit;

a plurality of movable steps coupled to said motor; and

a memory connected to said microprocessor, said memory including instructions for monitoring said decoder unit to detect a presence or an absence of said first trigger signal within at least two consecutive time intervals, for generating an alarm signal if an absence of said first trigger signal is detected within the first interval, and for generating a control signal if an absence of said first trigger signal is detected within the second interval, so that said control signal commands said control unit to stop motion of said motor and said steps.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said time intervals is approximately two seconds.

5. An arrangement is claimed in claim 3, wherein said encoder unit includes means for generating a second trigger signal including said at least one unique identifier corresponding to said identification for said detector, and wherein said first trigger signal is within a first frequency band and said second trigger signal is within a second frequency band, said second frequency band differing from said first frequency band.

6. An arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first frequency band is 902 MHZ-928 MHZ and said second frequency band is 2.4 GHZ-2.48 GHZ.