Elevator system having a central control unit and a plurality of field devices which communicate via a summation frame method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11319185-B2
Application number	US-201716085627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2017
Priority date	Mar 30, 2016
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

An elevator system has a central control unit for generating control signals and/or processing sensor signals and controlling functions of the system, a plurality of field devices distributed inside a structure accommodating the system, preferably along an elevator shaft, and a field bus system for interchanging the signals between the control unit and the field devices. Each field device outputs sensor signals generated by a sensor and/or receives control signals to be implemented by an actuator. Data packets including the signals are interchanged in a serial manner between the control unit and all field devices in a summation frame method using a closed ring topology. Each field device has a driver to insert the sensor signals into the data packet or to remove the control signals from the data packet. Data and signal transmission is thereby carried out quickly and safely in a safety circuit of the elevator system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An elevator system comprising:
a central control unit for at least one of generating control signals and processing sensor signals, and for controlling functions of the elevator system;
a plurality of field devices distributed inside a structure accommodating the elevator system, wherein each of the field devices at least one of outputs the sensor signals generated by a sensor and receives the control signals to be implemented by an associated actuator;
a field bus system having a topology of electrical lines connected to the central control unit and the field devices for interchanging at least one of the sensor signals and the control signals between the central control unit and the field devices;
wherein the field devices, the central control unit and the field bus system interchange a data packet comprising at least one of the sensor signals and the control signals in a serial manner between the central control unit and all of the field devices in a summation frame method using a closed ring topology;
wherein each of the field devices includes a driver for inserting the sensor signals into the data packet or for removing the control signals from the data packet;
wherein the field devices are connected in a sequence and are divided into a first group comprising at least one of the field devices and a second group comprising at least another one of the field devices;
wherein the ring topology has an outbound path from the control unit as far as a one of the field devices arranged furthest from the control unit and only the field devices of the first group are incorporated into the outbound path such that the data packet is supplied to the drivers of the field devices of the first group;
wherein the field devices of the second group are incorporated into a return path of the ring topology from the control unit as far as the one of the field devices that is arranged furthest from the control unit such that the data packet is supplied to the drivers of the field devices of the second group; and
wherein the first group of the field devices comprises only every second one of the field devices in the sequence from the control unit to the one of the field devices arranged furthest from the control unit.

2. The elevator system according to claim 1 further comprising:
each of the field devices has first, second, third, and fourth terminals;
wherein each of the field devices has the driver electrically connected to the first terminal and to the fourth terminal, and the second terminal is electrically connected to the third terminal for direct feedthrough of the data packet;
wherein, in each of the field devices of the first group, the driver receives the data packet via the first terminal and outputs the data packet via the fourth terminal;
wherein, in each of the field devices of the second group, the driver receives the data packet via the fourth terminal and outputs the data packet via the first terminal;
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of a one of the field devices closest to the control unit are connected to terminals of the control unit;
wherein, in each of the field devices with exception of the one of the field devices arranged furthest from the control unit, the third terminal is electrically connected to the first terminal of a directly adjacent one of the field devices in the sequence, and the fourth terminal is electrically connected to the second terminal of the directly adjacent field device; and
wherein, in the field device arranged furthest from the control unit, the third electrical is connected to the fourth terminal in an electrically shorting manner.

3. The elevator system according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the drivers and an arrangement of the drivers of the field devices of the first group differ from at least one of the drivers and an arrangement of the drivers of the field devices of the second group.

4. The elevator system according to claim 2 wherein the field devices can be selectively adjusted to reverse a data transmission direction of the drivers.

5. The elevator system according to claim 4 wherein the field devices include switches for selectively adjusting the data transmission direction of the drivers.

6. The elevator system according to claim 1 further comprising:
each of the field devices has first, second, third and fourth electrical terminals;
wherein, both in the field devices of the first group and in the field devices of the second group, the drivers are electrically connected to the first terminal and to the third terminal to receive the data packet via the first terminal and to output the data packet via the third terminal, and the second terminal is electrically connected to the fourth terminal for direct feedthrough of the data packet
wherein the first terminal and the second terminal of a one of the field devices closest to the control unit are connected to terminals of the control unit; and
wherein each of the field devices of the first group is connected to an adjacent one of the field devices of the second group by,
the third terminal of the field device of the first group being connected to the fourth terminal of the adjacent field device of the second group and fourth terminal of the field device of the first group being connected to the third terminal of the adjacent field device of the second group, or

the first terminal of the field device of the first group being connected to the second terminal of the adjacent field device of the second group and the second terminal of the field device of the first group being connected to the first terminal of the adjacent field device of the second group.

7. The elevator system according to claim 6 wherein the field devices of the first group and the field devices of the second group are identical.

8. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein the field devices form parts of a safety circuit of the elevator system.

9. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein the central control unit is a safety monitoring unit for the elevator system.

10. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein at least some of the field devices are door switches for monitoring a closure state of doors of the elevator system.

11. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein a one of the field devices that outputs the sensor signals from the sensor either provides the sensor signals or inserts the sensor signals into the data packet whereby the sensor signals identify the sensor.

12. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein a one of the field devices that receives the control signals to be implemented by the associated actuator receives and evaluates the control signals from the data packet whereby the control signals identify the associated actuator.

13. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the field devices generates further signals, in addition to the sensor signals, or receives and evaluates further signals in addition to the control signals.

14. The elevator system according to claim 1 wherein the driver of at least one of the field devices is provided on a circuit board, and wherein the first, second, third and fourth terminals are electrically connected to the driver by conductive tracks on the circuit board.

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Sonnenmoser Astrid
• Michel David
• Roussel Frank Olivier
• Lustenberger Ivo
• Heinz Kurt
• Hartmann Thomas
• Hess Martin

Classifications

• B66B1/3446

  Data transmission or communication within the control system · CPC title

• H04L12/423

  with centralised control, e.g. polling · CPC title

• B66B13/22

  Operation of door or gate contacts · CPC title

• B66B5/0031

  for safety reasons · CPC title

• B66B1/3423 Primary

  Control system configuration, i.e. lay-out · CPC title