Systems and methods for determining functionality of an automatic door system
First Claim
1. A method for determining functionality of an automatically closing door system, comprising the steps of:
- monitoring an obstruction signal output by a first sensor configured to detect an obstruction in a pathway of a door of the door system, the obstruction signal corresponding to one of at least three states including a normal state, a first abnormal state and a second abnormal state;
closing the door at a first speed if the obstruction signal corresponds to the normal state;
closing the door at a second speed if the obstruction signal corresponds to any one of the first and second abnormal states, the second speed being slower than the first speed, the first abnormal state corresponding to a consistently active obstruction signal and the second abnormal state corresponding to a consistently inactive obstruction signal;
monitoring a door position signal output by a second sensor configured to detect a current position of the door, the door position signal corresponding to one of at least three states including a closed state, an open state and a blocked state;
determining if the first sensor is malfunctioning if the obstruction signal corresponds to the first abnormal state and the door position signal corresponds to the closed state, or if the obstruction signal corresponds to the second abnormal state and the door position signal corresponds to the blocked state; and
declaring the door system as malfunctioning if the first sensor is malfunctioning.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Automatic door systems and methods capable of determining proper functionality thereof are provided. The door systems are provided with a healthcheck module which automatically determines functionality of the door system by initially monitoring a first output signal provided by a first sensor and a second output signal provided by a second sensor. More specifically, the healthcheck module correlates the first output signal with the second output signal and operates one or more doors of a door system according to the correlation. The healthcheck module then monitors the second output signal provided by the second sensor to determine the ability of the one or more doors to close, and determines functionality of the door system accordingly.
40 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method for determining functionality of an automatically closing door system, comprising the steps of:
-
monitoring an obstruction signal output by a first sensor configured to detect an obstruction in a pathway of a door of the door system, the obstruction signal corresponding to one of at least three states including a normal state, a first abnormal state and a second abnormal state; closing the door at a first speed if the obstruction signal corresponds to the normal state;
closing the door at a second speed if the obstruction signal corresponds to any one of the first and second abnormal states, the second speed being slower than the first speed, the first abnormal state corresponding to a consistently active obstruction signal and the second abnormal state corresponding to a consistently inactive obstruction signal;monitoring a door position signal output by a second sensor configured to detect a current position of the door, the door position signal corresponding to one of at least three states including a closed state, an open state and a blocked state; determining if the first sensor is malfunctioning if the obstruction signal corresponds to the first abnormal state and the door position signal corresponds to the closed state, or if the obstruction signal corresponds to the second abnormal state and the door position signal corresponds to the blocked state; and declaring the door system as malfunctioning if the first sensor is malfunctioning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. An automatic door system, for an elevator system, capable of determining proper functionality thereof, comprising:
-
at least one door automatically movable along a pathway of the door system, the at least one door being disposed in an elevator car of the elevator system; at least one obstruction sensor configured to detect an obstruction in the pathway and output an obstruction signal; at least one position sensor configured to detect a position of the door along the pathway and output a position signal; a control unit configured to receive the obstruction and position signals and output command signals; a drive unit configured to receive the command signals from the control unit and drive the door; and a healthcheck module configured to; monitor a correlation between the obstruction and position signals; determine if the correlation is indicative of malfunction associated with the at least one obstruction sensor; determine if the door system is malfunctioning based on if the correlation is indicative of malfunction associated with the at least one obstruction sensor; and call attention to the door system if the door system is malfunctioning. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. An elevator system comprising:
-
a hoistway having one or more hoistway doors; a car configured to move vertically within the hoistway, the car having a door system, the door system being capable of determining proper functionality thereof, the door system comprising; at least one door automatically movable along a pathway of the door system; at least one obstruction sensor configured to detect an obstruction in the pathway and output an obstruction signal; at least one position sensor configured to detect a position of the door along the pathway and output a position signal; a control unit configured to receive the obstruction and position signals and output command signals; a drive unit configured to receive the command signals from the control unit and drive the elevator door; and a healthcheck module configured to; monitor a correlation between the obstruction and position signals; determine if the correlation is indicative of malfunction associated with the at least one obstruction sensor; determine if the door system is malfunctioning based on if the correlation is indicative of malfunction associated with the at least one obstruction sensor; and call attention to the door system if the door system is malfunctioning. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
Specification