System and method for monitoring a transport of a passenger transportation device or transport unit

• US 9,944,497 B2
• Filed: 11/03/2015
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Inventio AG (Schindler Holding AG)
• Inventors: Matheisl, Michael, Marks, Esteban, Novacek, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Deuble, Mark A
• Application Number:
  US15/526,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20180002143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 25/00 Control of escalators or moving walkways walkways of variable speed type B66B21/12; handrails of variable speed type B66B23/26; of general application G05
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 29/005 Applications of security monitors
• CPC Class Codes: B66B 5/00 Applications of checking, fault-correcting, or safety devices in elevators
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/127 for acceleration values
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A transport-monitoring module for monitoring a transport of a transport unit of a passenger-transportation device is arranged on the transport unit. The transport-monitoring module has a sensor and localization devices. During the transport, through an interface unit, a connection with a data memory of the device is created. The interface unit is configured so that transport-monitoring data that are to be stored, which are based on sensor data of the sensor and localization data of the localization devices, are permanently stored in the data memory. In this way, the transport-monitoring module is simplified, so that it is no longer an item that is worth stealing. In addition, a reliable access to the stored transport-monitoring data after the end of the transport is secured.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a passenger-transportation device embodied as an escalator, moving walk, or elevator; and

at least one transport-monitoring module, that, during transport of the passenger-transportation device from a shipping location to a destination location, is arranged on the passenger-transportation device or on a transport unit as part of the passenger-transportation device, and, after the transport, is removable, and wherein the transport-monitoring module has at least one sensor, wherein the transport of the passenger-transportation device is performed by a shipping contractor, wherein the transport-monitoring module has an interface unit, through which, at least during the transport of the passenger-transportation device, a connection of the transport-monitoring module with a data memory of the passenger-transportation device is established, wherein the interface unit is configured such that transport-monitoring data that are to be stored, the data being based at least partly on sensor data of the at least one sensor, is permanently stored in the data memory of the passenger-transportation device, and the data memory remains permanently arranged in the passenger-transportation device.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the interface unit has a connecting element providing a releasable connection connecting the interface unit at least indirectly with the data memory of the passenger-transportation device.

3. The system according to claim 1 including a pluggable connection physically connecting the interface unit with the data memory of the passenger-transportation device.

4. The system according to claim 1 including an energy accumulator supplying, at least during the transport, at least one of the at least one sensor, the interface unit (9) and at least one further device with electrical energy.

5. The system according to claim 1 including at least one of a spatial localization device for generating localization data relating to a spatial localization, and a temporal localization device for generating localization data relating to at least one of a relative temporal localization and an absolute temporal localization, and the transport-monitoring data that are to be stored are based on the sensor data of the at least one sensor and on at least one of the spatial localization data and the temporal localization data.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is a three-axis acceleration sensor.

7. The system according to claim 1 wherein the passenger-transportation device includes a control containing the data memory, and, at least during the transport, a registration of the sensor data of the at least one sensor, a transmission of the sensor data through the interface unit of the transport-monitoring module to the control, a conversion of the sensor data into transport-monitoring data, and the storage of the transport-monitoring data in the data memory, are controllable through the control.

8. The system according to claim 7 including at least one localization device generating localization data obtained by the control through the interface unit of the transport-monitoring module, and the localization data are assignable by the control to the sensor data.

9. The system according to claim 8 wherein the transport-monitoring data are permanently stored in the data memory of the control.

10. A method for monitoring a transport of a passenger-transportation device, or of at least one transport unit as part of the passenger-transportation device, from a shipping location to a destination location by a shipping contractor, wherein the passenger-transportation device is one of an escalator, a moving walk, or an elevator, comprising the steps of:

arranging at least one transport-monitoring module on the transport unit or on the passenger-transportation device;

at least during the transport, connecting the at least one transport-monitoring module with a data memory of the passenger-transportation device through an interface unit of the transport-monitoring module;

storing transport-monitoring data that is based at least partly on sensor data of at least one sensor of the transport-monitoring module permanently in the data memory of the passenger-transportation device; and

linking the sensor data permanently with the passenger-transportation device by permanently arranging the data memory in the passenger-transportation device.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein, after the transport, the transport-monitoring data that are stored in the data memory of the passenger-transportation device are read out and, depending on the transport-monitoring data that are read out, determined and output whether a return of the passenger-transportation device or its transport unit, or a request for repair material, or an installation of the passenger-transportation device, is recommendable.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein, after the transport, the transport-monitoring module is removed, after the removal of the transport-monitoring module the transport-monitoring data remain permanently stored in the data memory of the passenger-transportation device, and, at least in an event of a malfunction of the passenger-transportation device or of a maintenance service of the passenger-transportation device, an output of the transport-monitoring data from the data memory, which takes place at least on request, takes place.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the removed transport-monitoring module is transported to a further passenger-transportation device, or to a further transport unit as part of the further passenger-transportation device, and then arranged on the further passenger-transportation device or further transport unit for monitoring transport of the further passenger-transportation device or the further transport unit.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein, after the transport and an installation of the passenger-transportation device, the transport-monitoring module remains in the passenger-transportation device and thereafter serves for registration of critical vibrations that act on the passenger-transportation device.