Elevator inspection using automated sequencing of camera presets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10961082-B2
Application number	US-201815859954-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 2, 2018
Priority date	Jan 2, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An elevator system is provided. Aspects includes at least one elevator car and a camera affixed to the at least one elevator car, wherein the camera is operated by a controller. The controller is configured to automatically capture, from the camera, media associated with a set of locations, wherein the set of locations are associated with the at least one elevator car. A transceiver transmits one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator system comprising:
at least one elevator car;
a camera affixed to the at least one elevator car, wherein the camera is operated by a controller; and
wherein the controller is configured to:
automatically capture, from the camera, media associated with a set of locations, wherein the set of locations are associated with the at least one elevator car; and
transmit, by a transceiver, one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera;

wherein the media associated with the set of locations is captured at a first time;
wherein the set of locations comprise locations associated with components of the at least one elevator car;
wherein the controller is further configured to:
automatically capture, from the camera, second media associated with the set of locations, wherein the second media is captured at a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time;
compare the media to the second media to determine a change to at least one of the components of the at least one elevator car; and
transmit an alert based at least on the change to the at least one of the components.

2. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the camera is a first camera; and further comprising:
a second camera affixed to the at least one elevator car, wherein the second camera is operated by the controller; and
wherein the controller is configured to:
automatically capture, from the second camera, media associated with the set of locations; and
transmit, by a transceiver, one or more sequences of the media captured from the second camera.

3. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the media comprises at least one of an image and a video.

4. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
receive reference media associated with the set of locations;
compare the media to the reference media to determine a change to at least one of the components of the at least one elevator car; and
transmit an alert based at least on the change to the at least one of the components.

5. The elevator system of claim 4 , wherein the reference media comprises media captured during an inspection of one or more components associated with the set of locations.

6. The elevator system of claim 4 , wherein the reference media comprises media of one or more components associated with the set of locations that are operating within normal tolerances.

7. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sequences of the media are transmitted periodically.

8. The elevator system of claim 7 , wherein the media transmitted periodically is according to an elevator inspection schedule.

9. The elevator system of claim 8 , wherein the elevator inspection schedule comprises the set of locations associated with the at least one elevator car.

10. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera can be based at least in part on a type of inspection.

11. The elevator system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera can be based at least in part on a user input.

12. A method for inspecting an elevator system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a processor, a request to inspect an elevator car in an elevator system, wherein a camera is affixed to the elevator car;
capturing, from the camera, media associated with a set of locations, wherein the set of locations are associated with the elevator car; and
transmitting, a sequence of media captured from the camera;
wherein the media associated with the set of locations is captured at a first time;
wherein the set of locations comprise locations associated with components of the at least one elevator car; and
further comprising:
automatically capturing, from the plurality of cameras, second media associated with the set of locations, wherein the second media is captured at second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time;
comparing the media to the second media to determine a change to at least one of the components of the at least one elevator car; and
transmitting an alert based at least on the change to the at least one of the components.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the camera is a first camera; and further comprising:
capturing, from a second camera, media associated with the set of locations; and
transmitting a second sequence of media captured from the second camera.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the media comprises at least one of an image and a video.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the one or more sequences of the media are transmitted periodically.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the media transmitted periodically is according to an elevator inspection schedule.

17. An escalator system comprising:
a passenger riding area defined by a continuous loop of steps, one or more balustrades, and one or more handrails;
a drive system;
at least one machine room;
a camera affixed to at least one portion of the escalator system, wherein the camera is operated by a controller; and
wherein the controller is configured to:
automatically capture, from the camera, media associated with a set of locations, wherein the set of locations are associated with the escalator system; and
transmit, by a transceiver, one or more sequences of the media captured from the camera;

wherein the media associated with the set of locations is captured at a first time;
wherein the set of locations comprise locations associated with components of the at least one elevator car;
wherein the controller is further configured to:
automatically capture, from the camera, second media associated with the set of locations, wherein the second media is captured at a second time, wherein the second time is different from the first time;
compare the media to the second media to determine a change to at least one of the components of the at least one elevator car; and
transmit an alert based at least on the change to the at least one of the components.

18. The escalator system of claim 17 , wherein the media comprises at least one of an image and a video.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Sudi Sandeep
• Higgins Frank

Classifications

• B66B25/006 Primary

  Monitoring for maintenance or repair (for security reasons B66B29/005) · CPC title

• B66B5/0006

  Monitoring devices or performance analysers (B66B5/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B66B5/0087

  Devices facilitating maintenance, repair or inspection tasks (devices incorporated in the buffer B66B5/288; railings on top of the car B66B11/0226) · CPC title

• B66B21/02

  Escalators · 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