Motion profile for empty elevator cars and occupied elevator cars

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10081513-B2
Application number	US-201615374343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2016
Priority date	Dec 9, 2016
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A method of operating an elevator system is provided. The method comprising: detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied; selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of operating an elevator system, the method comprising:
detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied;
selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and
moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the unoccupied motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a greater magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a direction of travel of an elevator car;
wherein the occupied lateral movement motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a direction of travel of an elevator car;
wherein the occupied descent motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the power-save motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the motion parameters include at least one of a speed of the elevator car, an acceleration of the elevator car, and a jerk of the elevator car.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the elevator system is a ropeless multi-car elevator system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the elevator system detects that the occupancy status using at least one of a visual detection device, a weight detection device, a laser detection device, a thermal image detection device, a depth detection device, a motion detection device, an odor detection device, a RADAR device, an ultrasonic sensor, and a pyroelectric sensors.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein
the occupancy status is continuously detected and updated throughout the movement of the elevator car.

10. An elevator system comprising:
a processor;
a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:
detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied;
selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and
moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.

11. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein:
the unoccupied motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a greater magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

12. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
detecting a direction of travel of an elevator car;
wherein the occupied lateral movement motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

13. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise:
detecting a direction of travel of an elevator car;
wherein the occupied descent motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

14. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein:
the power-save motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a smaller magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

15. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein:
the motion parameters include at least one of a speed of the elevator car, an acceleration of the elevator car, and a jerk of the elevator car.

16. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein:
the elevator system is a ropeless multi-car elevator system.

17. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein:
the elevator system detects that the occupancy status using at least one of a visual detection device, a weight detection device, a laser detection device, a thermal image detection device, a depth detection device, a motion detection device, an odor detection device, a RADAR device, an ultrasonic sensor, and a pyroelectric sensors.

18. The elevator system of claim 10 , wherein
the occupancy status is continuously detected and updated throughout the movement of the elevator car.

19. A computer program product tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium,
the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
detecting an occupancy status of the elevator car, the occupancy status comprising at least one of occupied and unoccupied;
selecting a motion profile of the elevator car in response to the occupancy status, the motion profile comprising at least one of an unoccupied motion profile, an occupied motion profile, an occupied lateral movement motion profile, a power-save motion profile, and an occupied descent motion profile; and
moving the elevator car in accordance with the motion profile selected.

20. The computer program of claim 19 , wherein:
the unoccupied motion profile allows the elevator car to operate using a motion parameter having a greater magnitude than a comparable motion parameter of the occupied motion profile.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Hsu Arthur
• Ginsberg David
• Pasini Jose Miguel

Classifications

• B66B9/003

  for lateral transfer of car or frame, e.g. between vertical hoistways or to/from a parking position · CPC title

• B66B11/0407

  actuated by an electrical linear motor (in the counterweight B66B17/12) · CPC title

• B66B1/30 Primary

  effective on driving gear {, e.g. acting on power electronics, on inverter or rectifier controlled motor} · CPC title

• B66B5/0012

  Devices monitoring the users of the elevator system · CPC title

• B66B1/2491 Primary

  For elevator systems with lateral transfers of cars or cabins between hoistways · CPC title