Presence detection of an object in an elevator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016355376-A1
Application number	US-201415036503-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 11, 2014
Priority date	Nov 15, 2013
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method and a device for detecting the presence of an object in an elevator car of an elevator system that has a control unit include a color temperature sensor. The color temperature sensor is integrated into the elevator car to acquire the color temperature of the light incident on the color temperature sensor during elevator operation, and an object present in the elevator car is detected by the control unit connected with the color temperature sensor by comparing the color temperature acquired during elevator operation with a previously acquired reference color temperature.

First claim

1 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A method for detecting a presence of an object in an elevator car of an elevator system comprising the steps of:
acquiring, using a color temperature sensor integrated into the elevator car, a color temperature of light incident on the color temperature sensor during elevator operation; and detecting an object present in the elevator car using a control unit connected with the color temperature sensor by comparing the color temperature acquired during the elevator operation with a previously acquired reference color temperature and generating information associated with detecting the object.

13 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the previously acquired reference color temperature is acquired during a previously defined time period in previously defined time gaps during the elevator operation.

14 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the control unit generates a time-dependent color temperature curve based on the color temperature acquired during the elevator operation.

15 . The method according to claim 14 wherein the previously acquired reference color temperature is acquired with the elevator car empty, and is recorded as a time-dependent reference color temperature curve.

16 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the comparison performed by the control unit between the time-dependent color temperature curve acquired during the elevator operation and the time-dependent reference color temperature curve is based upon at least one rule.

17 . The method according to claim 12 including using a stochastic evaluation method for comparing the color temperature acquired during the elevator operation with the previously acquired reference color temperature.

18 . The method according to claim 17 wherein the stochastic evaluation method involves determination of a normal distribution, determination of a Gaussian distribution, ascertainment of a variance, determination of an average value and/or a maximum value.

19 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the elevator car goes through at least one test run to acquire the previously acquired reference color temperature.

20 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the control unit is at least one of an elevator controller, a control unit of the color temperature sensor and a separate control unit.

21 . The method according to claim 12 wherein the control unit is connected with the color temperature sensor by a wireless communication network.

22 . A device for detecting a presence of an object in an elevator car of an elevator system comprising:
a color temperature sensor integrated into the elevator car for acquiring a color temperature; and a control unit connected with the color temperature sensor, wherein the control unit detects an object present in the elevator car by comparing a color temperature acquired during elevator operation with a previously acquired reference color temperature and generates information associated with the detected object.

23 . The device according to claim 22 wherein the control unit is at least one of an elevator controller, a control unit of the color temperature sensor and a separate control unit.

24 . The device according to claim 22 wherein the control unit transmits the information to at least one of an elevator controller and a maintenance center.

Assignees

• Inventio Ag

Inventors

• Sonnenmoser Astrid
• Kusserow Martin
• Tschuppert Reto

Classifications

• B66B5/0012 Primary

  Devices monitoring the users of the elevator system · CPC title

• G01J5/0022

  for sensing the radiation of moving bodies · CPC title

• B66B1/3476 Primary

  Load weighing or car passenger counting devices (B66B5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title