Patent Application
20220055866
This application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 20192345.5 filed on Aug. 24, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The invention concerns in general the technical field of elevators. More particularly, the invention concerns monitoring of an elevator.
Elevator cars traveling in a shaft comprise a number of doors to increase safety by not allowing passengers to access the shaft e.g. during a travel. An operation of the elevator car doors is controlled with high accuracy and a status of the door are constantly monitored. For example, the elevator car should not start the travel unless the doors are closed and, hence, the status of the car doors is linked to other entities in the elevator system with an aim of maintaining and improving the safety of using the elevator system.
In prior art solutions the monitoring of the status of the elevator car doors is based on obtaining measurement data from one or more sensors coupled to a door frame or to the elevator door so as to generate measurement data on the position of the door leaf, or door leaves, with respect to the frame. The sensors applied in prior art solutions are based on detections generated in response to an electrical contact or detections generated in response to a photoelectric phenomenon (cf. infra-red sensors).
Drawbacks of the existing solutions are that the sensors may get dirty and their operation may get disturbed. Further, the sensors of the described type are coupled to moving parts of the elevator car doors wherein a mechanical stress experienced by the sensors may break the sensors and, hence, cause challenges to the whole elevator system. Further, in the existing solutions the sensors belong to a safety chain of the elevator system, which does not necessary allow access to the sensor data by external entities.
Hence, there is need to introduce novel approaches for monitoring an operation of the elevator car doors, which at least in part mitigate the drawbacks of the prior art solutions.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide basic understanding of some aspects of various invention embodiments. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplifying embodiments of the invention.
An object of the invention is to present an apparatus, a method, a computer program product and an elevator system for detecting a state of an elevator door.
The objects of the invention are reached by an apparatus, a method, a computer program product, and an elevator system as defined by the respective independent claims.
According to a first aspect, an apparatus for detecting a state of an elevator door is provided, the apparatus configured to: determine, on a basis of a pressure data, at least one indicator value indicative of a change in the pressure; compare the at least one indicator value to a respective reference value; and set, in accordance with a comparison between the at least one indicator value and the respective reference value, a detection result to express one of the following: (i) the elevator door is open, (ii) the elevator door is closed.
The apparatus may be configured to determine the at least one indicator value indicative of the change in the pressure by applying a statistical analysis to the pressure data over a predefined time window. For example, the apparatus may be configured to perform the statistical analysis by a determination of a variance over the predefined time window for determining the at least one indicator value indicative of the change in the pressure. Also, the apparatus may be configured to perform the determination of the variance by at least one of: on a first order, on a second order.
The apparatus may further be configured to: generate, in response to the detection result expressing that the elevator door is open, a control signal to at least one entity for calibrating an operation of the entity. For example, the apparatus may be configured to generate the control signal to at least one of the following entities: a positioning system of an elevator car in the elevator shaft; an accelerometer associated to the elevator car.
Moreover, the apparatus may be at least one of: a measurement device coupled to the elevator car; an elevator controller; a server device residing in a communication network.
The apparatus may also be arranged to receive the pressure data from at least one pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure from at least one of: an elevator shaft; in the elevator car. For example, the apparatus may be configured to receive the pressure data representing the pressure in the elevator shaft from at least one pressure sensor arranged in at least one of following manner: on a roof of the elevator car; on a wall of the elevator shaft; air vent arranged to transfer air between the elevator car and the elevator shaft.
According to a second aspect, a method for detecting a state of an elevator door is provided, the method, performed by an apparatus comprises: determining, on a basis of a pressure data, at least one indicator value indicative of a change in the pressure; compare the at least one indicator value to a respective reference value; and set, in accordance with a comparison between the at least one indicator value and the respective reference value, a detection result to express one of the following: (i) the elevator door is open, (ii) the elevator door is closed.
The at least one indicator value indicative of the change in the pressure may be determined by applying a statistical analysis to the pressure data over a predefined time window. For example, the statistical analysis may comprise a determination of a variance over the predefined time window for determining the at least one indicator value indicative of the change in the pressure. Also, the determination of the variance may be performed by at least one of: on a first order, on a second order.
Still further, the method may also comprise: generating, in response to the detection result expressing that the elevator door is open, a control signal to at least one entity for calibrating an operation of the entity. For example, the at least one entity may be at least one of: a positioning system of an elevator car in the elevator shaft; an accelerometer associated to the elevator car.
The method may also further comprise: receiving the pressure data from at least one pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure from at least one of: an elevator shaft; in the elevator car. The pressure data representing the pressure in the elevator shaft may e.g. received from at least one pressure sensor arranged in at least one of following manner: on a roof of the elevator car; on a wall of the elevator shaft; air vent arranged to transfer air between the elevator car and the elevator shaft.
According to a third aspect, a computer program product for detecting a state of an elevator door is provided, which computer program product, when executed by at least one processor, cause an apparatus to perform the method according to the second aspect as defined in the foregoing description.
According to a fourth aspect, an elevator system is provided, the elevator system comprising: at least one elevator car, and an apparatus according to the first aspect as defined in the foregoing description.
The expression “a number of” refers herein to any positive integer starting from one, e.g. to one, two, or three.
The expression “a plurality of” refers herein to any positive integer starting from two, e.g. to two, three, or four.
Various exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments of the invention both as to constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of unrecited features. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.
The embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
The specific examples provided in the description given below should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or the applicability of the appended claims.
Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given below are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.
Some aspects of the present invention are described in the following by referring to an example schematically illustrated in
Further, the elevator system comprises a measurement device 120 associated with the elevator car 100, e.g. by coupling the measurement device 120 on a roof of the elevator car 100, so that the measurement device 120 may travel along the elevator car 100 in the travel path, such as in the shaft. The measurement device 120 may comprise at least one sensor 130 being suitable for measure pressure of an environment. An applicable sensor 130 may be a pressure sensor like a barometer. The at least one pressure sensor 130 may be housed in the measurement device 120 or it may be external to the housing of the measurement device 120 but communicatively connected in a wired or in a wireless manner to the measurement device 120. Hence, the measurement device 120 may comprise a communication interface to communicate with the pressure sensor 130, but also with other entities, such as an elevator controller 140 or an entity, such as a server device 150, residing in a cloud computing environment, but serving at least the measurement device 120 in a manner as is described in the forthcoming description. In a selection of the location of the pressure sensor 130 an implementation of the elevator door is advantageously taken into account. The selection may e.g. be done so that it is arranged in a position wherein the pressure may be measured, and possible detections in a change of the pressure may be performed, in accordance with a state of the elevator doors. Applicable locations may e.g. be inside the elevator car 100, or on an external surface of the elevator car 100, such as on a roof of the elevator car 100 as schematically illustrated in
As derivable also from
Depending on the implementation a processing of the measurement data obtained from the pressure sensor 130 may be performed by the measurement device 120, or raw measurement data may be transmitted by the measurement device 120 to another entity, such as the elevator controller 140 or the server device 150, for processing. The entity performing the processing of data is now called as an apparatus when describing an example of a method as schematically illustrated in
According to at least some advantageous examples, the statistical analysis may be performed so that an indicator value representing a variance of the data values over the predefined time window is determined. The determination of the variance may be performed by applying a rolling method in the determination of the variance, i.e. a rolling variance, so that the variance is determined for measured pressure data values over consecutive time windows enabling to detect disturbances that are due to environment change comprising at least pressure change during a respective time window. The determination of the rolling variance may be performed for the consecutive time windows e.g. so that at least some of the pressure data values are present in the consecutive time windows. In other words, the time windows are overlapping at least in part. In accordance with some examples, the determination of the variance may advantageously be performed by calculating a variance of a certain order from the pressure data values, such as a first order, a second order or a third order. These orders may be considered in the context of the present solution in such a manner that the first order represents the noise level in the raw data, i.e. in the measurement data values, the second order represents a variability of the noise level (cf. speed) and the variance of the third order represents an acceleration of the noise level. An advantage of using the variance of a selected order in the method in the described manner is that any deviations in the measured pressure data may be detected easier than from the raw data.
In response to a determination 210 of the indicator value the apparatus 120 may be arranged to compare 220 the indicator value to a reference value. The reference value is advantageously defined in advance, e.g. as a fixed value e.g. obtained through trial-error method, and it defines a reference value allowing to perform the comparison so that a conclusion may be made with an acceptable accuracy. For example, the reference value may define a value for the change in a predefined time window so that if the indicator value exceeds the reference value, it may be concluded that the elevator door 110 is open. In some examples, the reference value may be defined dynamically e.g. based on previous measurement results received from the at least one pressure sensor 130. In other words, the reference value is not necessarily fixed but may be defined dynamically e.g. so that it is relative to a regular noise level learned from previous samples derived from the previous time windows. As is clear from the context, the at least one reference value is to be selected and/or defined in accordance with the representation of the indicator value, i.e. in accordance with how the indicator value is calculated.
Finally, in step 230 the apparatus 120 may perform a conclusion, in accordance with the comparison between the indicator value and the reference value, by setting a detection result to express one of the following: (i) the elevator door 110 is open, (ii) the elevator door 110 is closed. The apparatus 120 may be arranged to deliver the detection result to at least one other entity, such as to the elevator controller 140, for further use.
Still further, in some embodiments it is possible to implement the method so that a plurality of indicator values is determined from the raw data, such as variances of a first and a second order. Further, for both of these it is defined respective reference values. As a result, both indicator values are compared to their respective reference values and, the conclusion may be performed based on the comparisons. It is also worthwhile to mention that in case a plurality of indicator values is determined, the respective indicator values need not necessarily be determined from the same set of raw data, but the time window, and, hence, a number of samples may be different for determining the respective indicator values. For example, the conclusion that the elevator door 110 is open may e.g. made if both indicator values exceeds their respective reference values. Naturally, other rules for the decision-making may be defined. This kind of implementation which combines a plurality of comparison paths may be advantageous if an improved accuracy is necessary.
In accordance with the example, in case the apparatus 120 generates an expression that the elevator door 110 is open on the basis of the measurement data obtained from the at least one pressure sensor 130 the apparatus 120, or any other entity received the information on that the elevator door 110 is open, may be configured to generate a control signal to at least one other entity belonging the elevator system. The generation of the control signal may cause a calibration of the at least one other entity wherein the other entity may be one generating information on a state of the elevator system, or the elevator car 100. This is possible because the detection that the elevator door 110 is open confirms that the elevator car 100 resides at a landing and that information may e.g. be used for calibrating a positioning system of an elevator car in the elevator shaft or an accelerometer associated to the elevator car. The positioning system may e.g. be such that it generates position information of the elevator car 100 in the shaft based on detections of magnetic sensors mounted in the shaft at known intervals.
For example, the apparatus may refer to a computing device, such as a server device, a laptop computer, a PC, or any similar data processing device, as schematically illustrated in
The memory 420 and a portion of the computer program code 425 stored therein may be further arranged, with the processor 410, to cause the apparatus, i.e. the device, to perform a method as described in the foregoing description. The processor 410 may be configured to read from and write to the memory 420. Although the processor 410 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate processing components. Similarly, although the memory 420 is depicted as a respective single component, it may be implemented as respective one or more separate components, some or all of which may be integrated/removable and/or may provide permanent/semi-permanent/dynamic/cached storage.
The computer program code 425 may comprise computer-executable instructions that implement functions that correspond to steps of the method when loaded into the processor 410. As an example, the computer program code 425 may include a computer program consisting of one or more sequences of one or more instructions. The processor 410 is able to load and execute the computer program by reading the one or more sequences of one or more instructions included therein from the memory 420. The one or more sequences of one or more instructions may be configured to, when executed by the processor 410, cause the apparatus to perform the method be described. Hence, the apparatus may comprise at least one processor 410 and at least one memory 420 including the computer program code 425 for one or more programs, the at least one memory 420 and the computer program code 425 configured to, with the at least one processor 410, cause the apparatus to perform the method as described.
The computer program code 425 may be provided e.g. a computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable non-transitory medium having the computer program code 425 stored thereon, which computer program code 425, when executed by the processor 410 causes the apparatus to perform the method. The computer-readable non-transitory medium may comprise a memory device or a record medium such as a CD-ROM, a DVD, a Blu-ray disc, or another article of manufacture that tangibly embodies the computer program. As another example, the computer program may be provided as a signal configured to reliably transfer the computer program.
Still further, the computer program code 425 may comprise a proprietary application, such as computer program code for causing an execution of the method in the manner as described.
Any of the programmed functions mentioned may also be performed in firmware or hardware adapted to or programmed to perform the necessary tasks.
Moreover, as mentioned a functionality of the apparatus may be shared between a plurality of devices as a distributed computing environment. For example, the distributed computing environment may comprise a plurality of devices as schematically illustrated in
Hence, in accordance with some aspects an elevator is provided wherein the elevator system comprises an apparatus to perform the method as described.
In some examples, the detection result obtained with the method may be confirmed with information from other systems. For example, in some embodiments the detection result is confirmed by obtaining measurement data from an accelerometer and by detecting, based on the measurement data from the accelerometer, that the elevator car stands still at the same time when the pressure data indicates that the elevator door 110 is open, it may be concluded that the expression on the state of the elevator door 110 is correct. The position information may be utilized in the same manner to confirm the outcome of the method as described.
In case the apparatus is implemented as a stand-alone device it may be associated with an elevator car 100 as an independent unit to provide information on a status of the elevator system, and especially on a state of the elevator door 110, to an external entities, such as to a server device residing in a communication network. This kind of implementation may be advantageous if the elevator system is old and there are no possibilities to integrate monitoring devices in the elevator system itself, but only introducing those in the elevator system as independent units. In this manner it is possible to generate data for monitoring purposes of the elevator system in question.
The solution as described in the foregoing description may be applied in contexts wherein there is need to understand a state of the elevator door, and use that information for any further use. For example, the information on the state of the elevator door derivable in the described manner may be used for detecting that an elevator car has entered to a floor level, as a non-limiting example.
The specific examples provided in the description given above should not be construed as limiting the applicability and/or the interpretation of the appended claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description given above are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20192345.5 | Aug 2020 | EP | regional |
