Method of operating an elevator installation providing at least one optional function, an elevator control and an elevator installation therefor

• US 7,416,058 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2004
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Marterer, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): SALATA, ANTHONY J
• Application Number:
  US10/996,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20050155821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,371 Days
• Field of Search: 187/247, 187391-396, 187/380, 187/382, 187/384
• US Class Current: 187/391
• 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 1/34 Details , e.g. call counting devices, data transmission from car to control system, devices giving information to the control system

Abstract

A method of operating an elevator installation having an elevator control with a plurality of functions (F₁, . . . F_n+m) for controlling the elevator installation, wherein the plurality of functions comprises at least one optional function (F_n+1, . . . F_n+m) which is activatable at the time of configuring of the elevator control and can be made available by an activation for control during the operation of the elevator installation. After the activation, a deactivation of the optional function (F_n+1, . . . F_n+m) takes place automatically in accordance with a predetermined criterion, wherein the optional function after deactivation is no longer available for control of the elevator installation in operation.

Claims

1. A method of operating an elevator installation having an elevator control for controlling the elevator installation, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) implementing a plurality of functions for controlling the operation of the elevator installation into the elevator control, which implementation is accomplished by a provider of the elevator control, and whereby at least one optional function is implemented into the elevator control by the provider, which at least one optional function is activatable at a time of configuring the elevator control and by activation can be made available for control during the operation of the elevator installation;

b) configuring the elevator control according to the requirements of the operator of the elevator installation, whereby the at least one optional function is activated;

c) starting and operating the elevation installation; and

d) deactivating the at least one optional function automatically at an instant in time during the operation, wherein the at least one optional function is available for multiple uses prior to deactivation and after the deactivation the at least one optional function is no longer available for control of the elevator installation in operation.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instant in time of performing said step d) by the elevator control is instigated in accordance with a predetermined criterion.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein performing said step d) is instigated in response to at least one of i) expiry of a predetermined time period, ii) a frequency of a predetermined event reaches a predetermined degree, and iii) status information.

4. The method according to claim 1 including generating at least one reference to imminent deactivation of the at least one optional function by the elevator control.

5. The method according to claim 1 including generating at least one reference to imminent deactivation of the at least one optional function by the elevator control and communicating the at least one reference to at least to one of i) a service center, ii) a maintenance center, iii) a service and maintenance center, iv) a display, and v) a loudspeaker of the elevator control.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one optional function is one of detection and/or diagnosis of operational data, detection and/or processing of maintenance data, creation of a fault log, freeing of a communications interface for a data communication with the elevator control, automatic switching-on/switching-off lighting of an elevator car of the elevator installation, automatic switching-on/switching-off lighting at a floor of the elevator installation, control of a device for acoustic and/or visual reproduction of information, control of a device for presenting multimedia material, monitoring an interior space of the elevator car, monitoring a lobby at a floor door of the elevator installation, indication of a position of the car at predetermined floors of the elevator installation, automatic return of the car to a predetermined floor of the elevator installation, early opening of the car and/or floor doors ahead of stopping of the car at a floor of the elevator installation, recognition of improper car calls, and a group control for a group of elevators of the elevator installation.

7. A method of operating an elevator installation having an elevator control for controlling the elevator installation, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) implementing several standard functions and several optional functions for controlling the operation of the elevator installation into the elevator control, which implementation is accomplished by a provider of the elevator control, and whereby at least one of the optional functions is activatable at a time of configuring the elevator control and by activation can be made available for control during the operation of the elevator installation;

b) configuring the elevator control according to the requirements of the operator of the elevator installation whereby the at least one optional function is activated during the configuration in a way that it is available for the control initially from the start of the operation of the elevator installation and the at Least one optional function is activated in dependence on a predetermined parameter;

c) starting and operating the elevation installation; and

d) deactivating the at least one optional function during operation automatically, wherein the at least one optional function is available for multiple uses prior to deactivation and after the deactivation the at least one optional function is no longer available for control of the elevator installation in operation.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein an instant in time of performing said step d) by the elevator control is instigated in accordance with a predetermined criterion.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein performing said step d) is instigated in response to at least one of i) expiry of a predetermined time period, ii) a frequency of a predetermined event reaches a predetermined degree, and iii) status information.

10. The method according to claim 7 including generating at least one reference to imminent deactivation of the at least one optional function by the elevator control.

11. The method according to claim 7 including generating at least one reference to imminent deactivation of the at least one optional function by the elevator control and communicating the at least one reference to at least one of i) a service center, ii) a maintenance center, iii) a service and maintenance center, and iv) a display of the elevator control.

12. The method according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined parameter is one of:

a) a predetermined time of operation;

b) a frequently occurring event which has been occurred a predetermined number of times;

c) a function “

open car and/or shaft doors”

is rendered more precisely by how quickly the doors are to be opened or closed and/or how long doors are to be open;

d) a definition which optional functions has to be executed simultaneously or in succession in a specific sequence in time;

e) a rule forte handling of calls; and

f) definition for different operator modi including;

(i) pushbutton control, (ii) collective downward control, and (iii) collective/selective control or group control.

13. The method according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined parameter is the receiving of an activation information by way of an interface of the elevator control and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

processing the received activation information and executing the related optional function accordingly for controlling the elevator installation.

14. The method according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined parameter is the receiving of an activation information by way of an interface of the elevator control and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

checking the received activation information for a security information;

checking the security information for validity; and

in case of a valid security information within the activation information executing the related optional function for controlling the elevator installation.

15. The method according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined parameter is the receiving of an activation information by way of an interface of the elevator control and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

checking the received activation information for encoded information;

in case of encoded information, decoding the encoded information;

checking the whole received and prepared activation information for a security information;

in case of the presence of a security information verifying the validity of the security information; and

in case of a valid security information within the activation information executing the related at least one optional function for controlling the elevator installation.

16. The method according to claim 7 wherein the predetermined parameter is the receiving of an activation information by way of an interface of the elevator control and the execution of the related optional function a predetermined number of times, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

processing the received activation information;

wherein the activation information is checked whether it fulfills a predetermined criterion, and in case it does, executing the related optional function; and

after the predetermined number of times of receiving said activation information modifying subsequently said predetermined criterion in such a manner that the activation is not undertaken a further time if the same activation information is communicated by way of the interface of the elevator control.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the provided activation information is stored on a data carrier and the method includes a step of reading and investigating the data with respect to validity.

18. The method according to claim 7 wherein the at least one optional function is one of a) detection and/or diagnosis of operational data, b) detection and/or processing of maintenance data, c) creation of a fault log, d) freeing of a communications interface for a data communication with the elevator control, e) automatic switching-on/switching-off lighting of an elevator car of the elevator installation, f) automatic switching-on/switching-off lighting at a floor of the elevator installation, g) control of a device for acoustic and/or visual reproduction of information, h) control of a device for presenting multimedia material, i) monitoring an interior space of the elevator car, k) monitoring a lobby at a floor door of the elevator installation, l) indication of a position of the car at predetermined floors of the elevator installation, m) automatic return of the car to a predetermined floor of the elevator installation, n) early opening of the car and/or floor doors ahead of stopping of the car at a floor of the elevator installation, o) recognition of improper car calls, p) group control for a group of elevators of the elevator installation.

19. The method according to claim 7 wherein for activation of the at least one optional function a program code is loaded into a memory of the elevator control and for deactivation of the at least one optional function the program code is deleted from said memory.

20. The method according to claim 7 wherein for activation of the at least one optional function a status data is generated for the related optional function and filed in a memory for status data provided in the elevator control and for deactivation of the at least one optional function the according status data is modified or deleted from said memory, thus the related optional function is no longer available for controlling the operation of the elevator installation.

21. The method according to claim 20 wherein the status data of an optional function provides at least one of the following information when it is called up by a processor of the elevator control:

a) whether the optional function is activated or not;

b) in case the optional functions activated;

information about whether this function has to be executed and, if so, under which conditions or at which point in time; and

c) further parameters which serve specification of the optional function.

22. An elevator control comprising

a plurality of functions for controlling an elevator installation, which functions are implemented by the provider of the elevator control and comprising software or software and hardware, and which functions are distinguished in standard functions always available for controlling the elevator installation and optional functions available for controlling the elevator installation after an activation;

a means for storing at least one optional function which is selected from the implemented optional functions during configuration of the elevator control and which is activated during configuration to be initially available for controlling the elevator installation and which can be made available for control by an activation during operation of the elevator installation; and

a means for automatic deactivation of the at least one optional function wherein the at least one optional function is available for multiple uses prior to deactivation and after its deactivation making the at least one optional function no longer available for control during operation of the elevator installation.

23. The elevator control according to claim 22, wherein the means for automatic deactivation comprises a processor and a memory for storing status data related to optional functions.

24. The elevator control according to claim 22 including an interface for receiving communication of activation information for control of the activation and/or the deactivation of the at least one optional function.

25. The elevator control according to claim 22 including an interface for receiving communication of activation information and means for evaluation of the activation information and means for executing the activation and/or deactivation of the at least one optional function in dependence on a result of the evaluation.

26. The elevator control according to claim 25 wherein the means for evaluation is a processor.

27. The elevator control according to claim 22 including means for decoding encoded information of an activation information if necessary.

28. The elevator control according to claim 22 including means for checking activation information with respect to the validity of optionally included security information of the activation information in accordance with a predetermined criterion.

29. The elevator control according to claim 22 including a memory for storing status information with respect to the activation or deactivation of the at least one optional function.

30. The elevator control according to claim 22 comprising a processor and a connection, which connection connects the processor with at least one of several components of the elevator control including:

a) a working memory;

b) a memory for data with a program or programs for control of an elevator during operation of the elevator;

c) an electronic control system which comprises function elements for control of the elevator in the form of hardware;

d) a memory, which comprises a library with program modules which contain program codes for control of the elevator and are optionally available at the time of configuring;

e) a memory for storing status data related to optional functions; and

f) a memory for data serving for control of optional functions.

31. An elevator installation comprising at least a car and a counterweight, which is connected with the car by way of a support means, movable in the shaft by means of a drive which is constructed as a traction drive acting on the support means designed to serve several floors in a building and an elevator control provided for controlling the operation of the elevator installation, wherein the elevator control comprises:

a plurality of functions for controlling an elevator installation, which functions are implemented by the provider of the elevator control and comprising software or software and hardware, and which functions are distinguished in standard functions always available for controlling the elevator installation and optional functions available for controlling the elevator installation after an activation;

a means for storing at least one optional function which is selected from the implemented optional functions during configuration of the elevator control and which is activated during configuration to be initially available for controlling the elevator installation or which can be made available for control by an activation during operation of the elevator installation; and

a means for automatic deactivation of the at least one optional function wherein the at least one optional function is available for multiple uses prior to deactivation and after its deactivation making the at least one optional function no longer available for control during operation of the elevator installation.

32. The elevator installation according to claim 31 wherein the elevator control has a processor and a connection, which connection connects the processor with at least one of several components of the elevator control including:

a) a working memory;

b) a memory for data with a program or programs for control of an elevator during operation of the elevator;

c) an electronic control system which comprises function elements for control of the elevator in the form of hardware;

d) a memory, which comprises a library with program modules which contain program codes for control of the elevator and are optionally available at the time of configuring;

e) a memory for storing status data related to optional functions; and

f) a memory for data serving for control of optional functions.

33. The elevator installation according to claim 31 wherein the elevator control has a processor and a connection, which connection connects the processor with at least one of several components of the elevator control including:

a) a working memory;

b) a memory for data with a program or programs for control of an elevator during operation of the elevator;

c) an electronic control system which comprises function elements for control of the elevator in the form of hardware;

d) a memory, which comprises a library with program modules which contain program codes for control of the elevator and are optionally available at the time of configuring;

e) a memory for storing status data related to optional functions;

f) a memory for data serving for control of optional functions; and

g) wherein the processor is respectively connected with a series of interfaces including;

h) an interface for exchange of control signals by way of control connection to conventional components of the elevator;

i) an interface for communication by way of a communications connection in order to achieve activation information or activation information and operation instructions; and

optionally

j) an interface for communication with a service and/or maintenance center by way of a communications connection.

34. An elevator installation comprising at least two elevators having each a shaft with a car and a counterweight connected to each other by way of a support means, movable in the respective shaft by means of a drive which is constructed as a traction drive acting on the support means, each designed to serve several floors in a building and each of the elevators having an elevator control provided for controlling the operation of the respective elevator or for controlling the operation of the respective elevator and the elevator installation, wherein at least one of the elevator controls comprises:

a plurality of functions for controlling the elevator installation, which functions are implemented by the provider of the elevator control and comprising software or software and hardware, and which functions are distinguished in standard functions always available for controlling the elevator installation and optional functions available for controlling the elevator installation after an activation;

a means for storing at least one optional function which is selected from the implemented optional functions during configuration of the elevator control and which is activated during configuration to be initially available for controlling the elevator installation or which can be made available for control by an activation during operation of the elevator installation; and

a means for automatic deactivation of the at least one optional function wherein the at least one optional function is available for multiple uses prior to deactivation and after its deactivation making the at least one optional function no longer available for control during operation of the elevator installation.

35. The elevator installation according to claim 34 wherein the at least one elevator control has a processor and a connecting, which connecting connects the processor with at least one of several components of the elevator control including:

a) a working memory;

b) a memory for data with a program or programs for control of a elevator during operation of the elevator;

c) an electronic control system which comprises function elements for control of the elevator in the form of hardware;

d) a memory, which comprises a library with program modules which contain program codes for control of the elevator and are optionally available at the time of configuring;

e) a memory for storing status data related to optional functions; and

f) a memory for data serving for control of optional functions.

36. The elevator installation according to claim 34 wherein the at least one elevator control has a processor and a connecting, which connecting connects the processor with at least one of several components of the elevator control including:

a) a working memory;

b) a memory for data with a program or programs for control of a elevator during operation of the elevator;

c) an electronic control system which comprises function elements for control of the elevator in the form of hardware;

d) a memory, which comprises a library with program modules which contain program codes for control of the elevator and are optionally available at the time of configuring;

e) a memory for storing status data related to optional functions;

f) a memory for data serving for control of optional functions; and

g) wherein the processor is respectively connected with a series of interfaces including;

h) an interface for exchange of control signals by way of control connection to conventional components of the elevator;

i) an interface for communication between at least two of the at least two elevator controls in order to coordinate the operation of the elevators by means of data exchange by way of communications connection;

j) an interface for communication by way of a communications connection in order to able to achieve external activation information; and

optionally

k) an interface for communication with a service and/or maintenance center by way of a communications connection.