Transport system and method of controlling same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10859989-B2
Application number	US-201515532276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 2, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A transport system which is suited for providing a number of person-transport services has a conveyor arrangement, a number of stationary stations and a controllable drive arrangement. A control unit system controls operation of the drive arrangement. The control unit system is configured to control a multitude of person-transport services which are requestable via an interface arrangement by non-touch, acoustical or electromagnetic signals. The number of such services is at least 50% of the person-transport services which may be provided by the transport system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transport system capable of providing transportation between a plurality of stationary stations, comprising:
at least one conveyor arrangement including a stationary conveyor track and a conveyor movable along said conveyor track;
a controllable drive arrangement operationally connected to said conveyor arrangement for driving said conveyor or controlling access from said conveyor to said stationary stations;
a control unit system configured to control said drive arrangement based on signals received at a command input, so that said conveyor arrangement performs a selected service from among a first group of services, said control unit system being further configured with a second group of services, said second group of services being a first subset of said first group of services and generally corresponding to person transport services, said control unit system being further configured with a third group of services which are a second subset of said first group of services and comprising at least a majority of the second group of person transport services which are performed based on nontouch request signals; and
a stationary interface arrangement having an input configured to receive nontouch request signals from a user of the transport system.

2. The transport system of claim 1 , wherein said nontouch request signals include signal generation using a user device, acoustic signals, or electromagnetic signals.

3. The transport system of claim 1 , wherein said third group of nontouch person transport services comprises at least 90% of said second group of services.

4. The transport system of claim 1 , further comprising a portable communication device for use by said user to communicate with the stationary interface arrangement.

5. The transport system of claim 4 , further comprising a position identification unit configured to provide position information of said portable communication device.

6. The transport system of claim 5 , wherein said position information is instantaneous position information and is used by the control unit system to select a particular transport service from among said group of services.

7. The transport system of claim 1 , wherein said conveyor arrangement includes an elevator, a band conveyor, an escalator or a door with a controllable drive for opening and closing the door.

8. A method of controlling a transport system capable of providing transportation between a plurality of stationary stations by way of a conveyor arrangement including a stationary conveyor track and a conveyor movable along said track, comprising the following steps:
using a controllable drive arrangement operationally connected to said conveyor arrangement to drive said conveyor or control access from said conveyor to said stationary stations;
using a control unit system configured to control said drive arrangement based on signals received at a command input, so that said conveyor arrangement performs a selected service from among a first group of services, said control unit system being further configured with a second group of services, said second group of services being a first subset of said first group of services and generally corresponding to person transport services, said control unit system being further configured with a third group of services which are a second subset of said first group of services and comprising at least a majority of the second group of person transport services which are performed based on nontouch request signals; and
receiving by way of a stationary interface arrangement, nontouch request signals from a user of the transport system.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein said nontouch request signals include signal generation using a user device, acoustic signals, or electromagnetic signals.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein said third group of nontouch person transport services comprises at least 90% of said second group of services.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising using a portable communication device by said user to communicate with the stationary interface arrangement.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising providing position information of said portable communication device using a position identification unit.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said position information is instantaneous position information and is used by the control unit system to select a particular transport service from among said group of services.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein said conveyor arrangement includes an elevator, a band conveyor, an escalator or a door with a controllable drive for opening and closing the door.

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Troesch Florian
• Friedli Paul

Classifications

• B66B1/468 Primary

  Call registering systems · CPC title

• B66B2201/4653

  wherein the call is registered using portable devices · CPC title

• B66B2201/4638

  Wherein the call is registered without making physical contact with the elevator system · CPC title

• G05B2219/2659

  Elevator · CPC title

• B66B9/00

  Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures (characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12) · CPC title